Flash Fiction Anthology

Ghost hunters

The woman came all the way up the gravel lane, silent like a ghost, to tell them that she was leaving. Lara did not pause back then at the fact that the old lady had no luggage with her, or that Aidan ignored her entirely, as if he did not see her. He told her that she just imagined it all when she reproached him for having spoken to her once the woman was gone. So, Lara pushed the thought of the weird encounter out of her mind completely until the next morning, when she woke up to the blaring of the ambulance and her mum told her that their neighbour died the previous night.

Aidan made her tell him what she had seen and felt exactly, the moment they met again. Since then, trusting in her 'gift' blindly, he kept dragging her in all spooky places he found, first those in the vicinity of their town, and later, when their parents let them travel alone, even farther away. He was hoping that she would see more ghosts, and she did, and always told him what she saw. And while she grew to despise her ability, he became so intrigued by it that he decided to study it too.

The only thing Lara liked about her gift was that... they got to be together. At some point she started to see more than just a childhood best friend in Aidan, and even though she was quite sure that he did not look at her that way, she was happy for every occasion that permitted them to spend time together.

She thought that maybe she should tell him about it... but their friendship was so perfect as it was, that risking to spoil it by mixing other feelings into it was nearly as... as dangerous as meeting a grumpy medieval ghost monk. She giggled at the thought, then sighed as she realised that meeting another ghost was much more likely than their friendship growing into something more.

"What's gone into you?" Aidan asked, smiling, as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear the moment he parked the car.

"Nothing," she said, leaning into his touch unconsciously, then putting herself in check quickly as she added, "there's so much to see here, you know? The monastery, the caves, the removable ladders and the steps carved in 1920's to allow the Romanian Queen to visit the monks," she giggled again, shaking her head. "And of course, that prehistoric wall protecting whatever might be hidden behind it..." Well, the travel guide said that there was only another cavern beyond it, but somehow that crumbling, age-old wall caught her attention more than anything else she had read about.

"And I'll take you everywhere. I booked us a room directly here, so we will have a lot of time to explore."

"Oh? I thought they were all taken."

"Call it luck. I checked again the vacancies this morning and someone apparently changed their mind and cancelled. And..." he added looking at her carefully, "I booked it even though its just one double room. I... forgot to ask, do you mind?"

Now that was unexpected. They never shared a room throughout this trip, not even before... Was she supposed to... read something between the lines here? No, she decided quickly, scared of the disappointment this speculation would lead to if he didn't mean it this way.

"No. I don't mind." She said finally, giving him the usual, quick, friendly peck on the cheek before getting out of the car, and stretching her legs.

Leaving their bags in the car for the moment, they walked towards the closest buildings and beyond, to the very edge of the rock pillar.

The fathomless, mesmerising depth she was suddenly looking into left Lara breathless, toes ticking with vertigo, and she did not protest when Aidan took her hand in his and pulled her away from the precipice, closer to him.

"Do you... do you know how many pilgrims died here when the ladders, or ropes the monks used to haul up the nets full of people broke from overuse?"