Haunted

eight

I fumble for my keys and reach into my bag, grabbing them. I pull them out and unlock my apartment door.

Just before I make my way in, I hear some rustling coming from behind me. I slowly turn around but find that there is nothing there. Strange.

I shrug it off and turn back around. My throat goes dry and my breath hitches. My eyes widen in fear.

"Hi." Scarlett greets, smiling.

I step inside my apartment, shutting the door behind me but I quickly step away from her. I swallow.

"Um- Hi," I state awkwardly, leaning back on the balls of my feet as I shift my gaze to the walls.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, staring at her. How the hell did she get in?

She shrugs and frowns.

"Do you want me to leave? I could leave if you'd like me-"

"No, no." I interrupt her. "You can stay." I quickly say.

Her frown turns upside down as she grins at me, her face lit up.

"Thank you, Harry." She thanks me and I mutter a small 'your welcome'.

I walk past her and set my bag down on the couch, taking a seat as I rest my head on the top of the couch, closing my eyes.

"When did you get here?" I question, fluttering my eyes open, only to find her sitting next to me.

I jump slightly and shift on the couch.

"Oh, I actually got here when you arrived." Scarlett explains.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"But I didn't see you come in?" I ask, confused.

She doesn't answer and just smiles, leaning back on the couch.

An awkward silence fills the room as I inhale, pursing my lips.

"Where were you this weekend?" She asks, directing her gaze towards me.

"What?"

"I came by your apartment on Saturday, but you weren't home. So I figured you went out.." She explains, trailing off at the end.

I nod.

"Oh. Right, right." I ramble. "Uh, I went to go see my uncle."

She nods and raises her eyebrows.

"Uncle Ben?" She questions.

I shift uncomfortably at the fact that she even knows my uncle's name.

"That's right... Yeah." I clarify.

"So what'd you talk about with your uncle?"

"Why do you want to know?" I challenge, shifting my gaze towards her as I stare into those chocolate coloured, dark brown, beautiful eyes.

"Just curious." She states blankly.

"Well I-," I start off. "I went over to ask him about you, actually."

Her eyes widen in surprise as she looks up at me.

"Really." She smirks, staring at me.

"Yeah,"

"And what exactly did you ask him?"

"I asked if he knew who you were."

"And what did he say?" She asks, leaning forward.

"He said that you died 3 years ago." The words escape my lips.

I lick my lips and turn my head, looking over at her as I wait for her reaction.

She looks back at me and bursts into laughter.

"Me?" She laughs. "Dead? How can I be dead when I'm right here, next to you?" Scarlett says, grabbing her stomach as she continues laughing.

"Wait," I stop. "So.. you aren't dead?" I question, looking down at her.

She shakes her head.

"No," Scarlett confirms. "God, no." She says, shaking her head once again.

My lips part slightly as I nod slowly.

"Oh..." I reply, relieved that she isn't dead and that I am actually talking to a real human.

I let out a sigh of relief and smile.

She stops laughing and all the humour falls from her face as she stares at me seriously.

"I'm kidding," She states. "I am dead." Scarlett says.

I stare at her in terror as I slowly back away.

"W-what?" I stutter, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah, your uncle's right. I died 3 years ago." She explains, running her tongue along her teeth, looking back at me.

"So.. you died in a car accident?" I ask, squinting my eyes.

She sits up and stares at me, confused.

"What? Car accident?" Scarlett speaks. "What?" She repeats.

"Yeah... Uncle Ben told me that you got into a car accident." I explain.

She furrows her eyebrows and looks down at her feet, shaking her head.

"No.. I didn't.." She replies, barely over a whisper.

This time I sit up.

"What do you mean you didn't?" I question, pushing for answers.

"I mean, no, I didn't get in a car accident. At least.. that's not what I remember." She states, staring at the blank wall in front of her.

"Well what do you remember?" I ask as my curiosity takes the best of me.

Scarlett directs her gaze towards me and licks her lips.

"You really want to know?" She asks.

I lean in.

"Yes," I raise my voice. "I do want to know."

She leans back and closes her eyes as if she were in deep thought, while I sit back and patiently wait for her to tell me the real cause of her death.