Ghost

•3•

The alarm actually woke Steve first. He found out Ghosts sleep, too. But Steve was already too confused to ask another question. Steve was used to waking up early, and he had enough sleep.

Charlotte, however, was slow to get up. She groaned and stretched, twisting and tangling the sheets. She grabbed her phone and turned off the alarm and quickly sat up. She grabbed for her brown glasses at her bedside table. She groaned once again and stood up. Charlotte fixed her shirt and baggy sweatpants to make it more comfortable and headed toward the kitchen. Steve was already there waiting for her.

He seemed like a complete serial killer and stalker but he liked watching Charlotte. She was intelligent, creative, wonderful, and Steve just enjoyed the company. He hasn't really had much since he was in isolation for about 237% of his biological life.

Charlotte made herself breakfast, cereal and orange juice. Once she did, she ran to her room and grabbed a silver, thin box and a black chair that spun. "Alright, computer, what have we today?" Charlotte questioned. She typed in her password as Steve recited the name. Computer.

She ate her Rice Krispies and she scrolled through her emails and there were plenty. Yesterday was her day off yesterday because she needed it. And her work was lenient when she worked her ass off everyday. Her first email she read was from Danny. And there she went. Steve watched every second for his job and his entertainment.

Steve saw Charlotte take out her small box and it lit up. She touched it and it did as she wished. She entered in some numbers and the small box started to ring. Step realized this was a phone. A phone that blew Steve away. You could touch it. And it's so small!

"Danny darling," Charlotte said. "Yeah it was great. You know, stuff. Look, Keith sent me an email about B1 for tomorrow. Yeah. Really? That's fantastic I don't even have to do that much work on a Monday morning. Yeah that's why I work at home. Hey don't judge me. Okay I'll get Jules on it. Alright, yeah." Charlotte laughed, it was Steve's first time hearing it. "Okay bye." She hung up the phone and took bites of her soggy cereal.

"I haven't heard your laugh before," Steve said. Charlotte sighed. "It's a great laugh."

Charlotte stood up and brought her finished bowl to the sink, dumping it out and washing it.

"Why does my subconscious have such high self-esteem?" She asked herself. Steve laughed. Charlotte pushed up her glasses and sat back down at the dining table. Charlotte dialed on her phone again until Jules picked up.

"Jules, guess who's got a story that you will love? I don't know how you could've known. Well being a section editor does give a big clue, yes. Okay so there was a fire down at Mapleton this morning. Danny told me four people died. Jules don't say that, those are people that died. I know just, be a little sensitive alright? And I want you to get the people that knew the deceased. Make it heartfelt. Mmhmm. Alright I have to go. I need it by 3 could you do that? That's why I called you honey buns. Send me the paper once you're done I want to check it before him. Alright bye."

She hung up the phone again. Suddenly, Charlotte remembered a crucial part of her job. She abruptly stood up, and went straight for the door. Steve followed, curious as to where she would go. Charlotte walked opened the green door to find a newspaper, wrapped in red plastic. She picked it up and took it out of its casing. Steve saw the newspaper was Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Charlotte started to read it, scanning over the stories.

This was Steve's chance to look on as well. The good thing about this new era was it still had newspapers. Steve read the paper over her shoulder, quickly taking it in as Charlotte flipped to the next page.