A HAUNTING BY A GHOST TO REMEMBER

"No way! What the hell is going on? Why am I seeing the ghost of Rita and some other dead dude?!" Ryner muttered under his breath as he sprinted down the empty street. His heart pounded like a war drum, his breath ragged from exhaustion. He hadn't stopped running since he first saw them—two figures, one of whom was supposed to be dead for the past five years.

His legs burned, but he forced himself to keep moving, his thoughts spiraling into chaos.

"Am I hallucinating? Have I finally lost my mind? Rita… She's been dead for so long. There's no way she's real, right? Is she back to haunt me? But why?"

Suddenly, his legs gave out, and he stumbled to a stop, leaning against a lamppost to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and tried to steady his trembling hands.

"No, this can't be real… It shouldn't be real."

"Hey, Ryner, can you really see and hear me?" A soft yet curious voice called out.

Ryner's eyes snapped open in horror as he looked up. Rita stood before him, her head slightly tilted in curiosity, her translucent form glowing faintly under the streetlights.

"Ahh!!" Ryner let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Without another thought, he turned on his heels and bolted towards his house.

"Wait, Ryner! Come back!" Rita called out, but he didn't stop.

Thomas, the other ghost, watched the scene unfold with a sigh. "That kid is a strange one. Imagine getting a beautiful girl's attention, and all he can do is run away."

Rita crossed her arms and huffed. "Please don't forget the fact that I'm dead. Who wouldn't be terrified?"

"I'm pretty sure even I would be," Thomas replied.

Rita rolled her eyes, but she couldn't exactly argue with him.

Thomas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That boy might actually be useful to us. He could act as our intermediary to the world of the living."

Rita's eyes widened. "Wait, you're right! But how do we get him to work with us if he keeps running away?"

"I'm not sure," Thomas admitted. "The only way we'll get through to him is through you, Rita."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you knew him when you were alive. If you appeal to his emotions, I'm certain he'll listen and help us find your killer."

Rita's expression hardened. She clenched her fists. "Yes, you're right. Follow me—I think I know where he's going."

Meanwhile, Ryner finally reached his home, slamming the door shut behind him. He was drenched in sweat, his lungs burning from exertion.

"I need protection. I need to stop them from coming inside!"

Desperation took over as he grabbed a handful of salt and poured a thick line across his bedroom doorway. Then, he reached for the nearest Bible and clutched it to his chest. Finally, he stuffed a ridiculous amount of garlic into his back pocket.

"If the movies are right, this should protect me from ghosts," he reassured himself, though deep down, he wasn't convinced.

His hands shook as he collapsed onto his bed, his mind racing.

"I didn't think ghosts were real. So why? Why am I being haunted by Rita? I didn't do anything to her! We barely even spoke when she was alive!"

His thoughts were cut short when a familiar voice spoke.

"Did you really think those items would keep us away?"

Ryner's breath hitched as he watched in horror. Rita walked straight through the wall of his bedroom.

"This isn't like the movies, Ryner. This is real life."

"Ahh!! Stay away from me!!" Ryner screamed, swinging his Bible wildly. "Be gone, evil spirit! You don't belong here!"

A deep chuckle echoed from above. Ryner's eyes darted upward just in time to see Thomas float through his ceiling.

"Calm down. We're only here to talk," Thomas said casually.

Ryner's eyes rolled back, and before he could react further, he fainted.

Rita groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So much for my big explanation. Why do you have to be so scary?"

Thomas smirked. "I don't know. Maybe it runs in my blood."

Rita scoffed. "Fun fact: You don't have blood. You're dead. Just like me. Try to remember that."

Thomas smirked. "I see… so you're getting back at me for earlier?"

"Of course I am," Rita said with a playful grin.

Five hours passed before Ryner finally woke up. His head pounded, and for a moment, he thought it had all been a nightmare.

"Was all of that just a dream?" he muttered groggily.

"Nope. That was all pretty real," Rita said, floating inches above his bed.

Ryner's eyes widened in sheer terror. "Ahh!!"

He scrambled out of his bed, knocking over a chair in the process, and bolted out of his room, screaming like a madman.

In the next room, Amelia groaned, rubbing her temples as her alarm clock blared. She glanced at the time and scowled. "What the hell is wrong with that brat? Whining so early in the morning?"

She threw off her blanket, stormed out of her room, and found Ryner standing in the hallway, shaking like a leaf.

"Ryner, what the hell is the matter?! Some of us have jobs and actually need sleep!" she snapped.

Ryner turned to face her, his face pale as a sheet. "G-ghosts! Ghosts are in my bedroom, Amelia!"

Amelia narrowed her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "You woke me up for this?"

Ryner grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "I'm serious! Rita—Rita—is in my room! She walked through my wall! And some dude named Thomas came through the ceiling!"

Amelia sighed and pried his hands off her. "You probably had a nightmare. Go drink some water and go back to bed."

"It wasn't a dream!" Ryner insisted, his voice shaking.