“Hello? Is someone there?”
Ruby gets up from her desk to check the hall after hearing an odd noise. As far as she can see, there is not anyone there. She shakes her head and draws the conclusion that she is simply sleep deprived from studying for her chemistry exam.
She returned to her room, but heard another clatter.
When she went to look, one of her soccer trophies from the hall table was on the ground. Odd, thought the young Stillwell.
She picked up the trophy and went into her younger sister Calliope’s room.
“Cal, were you running in the hall again?”
The nine-year-old shook her head, “Not since I almost fell down the stairs.”
Ruby nodded and recalled how shaken up Cal was after the incident. It definitely wasn’t her in the hall. Ruby sighed and walked down to the kitchen for a glass of water.
“Maybe I’m just dehydrated,” she told herself.
Suddenly, a popping sound began behind her. She turned to find the microwave on with popcorn inside. She frantically looked around and found no one to be nearby. She felt her hands go cold and she looked at the calendar.
It was the day before Halloween. Could it be? She thought.
“Am I being haunted?”
She suddenly heard an eerie laughter coming from somewhere around her, but found nothing and no one. She felt goosebumps up her arms and ran upstairs to her room. She immediately closed and locked the door. “Not that that could stop a ghost”, she thought bitterly.
She immediately looked up how to get rid of a ghost.
“Aha!”
She gathered all things necessary and rushed to the kitchen again. Calliope was sitting at the island drinking milk when Ruby began rummaging through the pantry.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to capture a ghost,” the older sister replied seriously. Calliope laughed until she realized her sister was not joking. Their parents then walked in the room with groceries.
“What is this I hear about a ghost?” their father asked.
Ruby faced him as she held a bag of flour in her arms, “I’m being haunted.”
Her parents laughed until they realized she was serious and frowning at them.
“Why do none of you believe me?!”
Her mother sighed, “Where’s Anton? Anton, come down and help with the groceries!”
Ruby looked perplexed, “What are you talking about? Anton’s staying over Nana’s house to help her with that broken light bulb.”
The oldest male Stillwell chuckled, “No, your brother fixed it two days ago and came with your Nana back home. She’s been asleep in the guest room. And I have an idea as to what Anton’s been up to.”
Ruby furrowed her brows, confused. However, she heard a loud, “Boo!” from behind her and jumped.
She shrieked as well and threw flour at the ghost behind her.
“Hey! What did you do that for?!” The “ghost” grumbled as flour now covered his face and shirt. Ruby instantly recognized that voice and his face, albeit covered in flour.
“Anton?! Oh, I’m going to kill you!”
“Hey, hey. Your brother was just playing around, he didn’t mean any harm. Now, Anton, go clean yourself up and come help with the groceries.”
Ruby stuck her tongue out at Anton and went over to help put the groceries away. She thought she was finally free when suddenly a voice close to her ear whispered, “Boo!”
She shrieked and almost dropped the bag of peaches in her arms. She turned to see her family laughing and she playfully rolled her eyes before laughing with them as well.
“Just another Hallow’s Eve in the Stillwell home,” her father smiled.
