#FlashFictionMagic: Ghost Town

Cream-colored ghosts billowed around Willa Adams as the sun sank lower. On her knees in the fallen leaves, she hammered a stubborn stake into the ground, grunting in frustration as the supports of the woodcut headstone resisted the cold earth. Just behind her, the turret of her papier-mâché haunted house poked into her shoulder blade. She was beginning to wonder whether turning the front yard into a ghost town for Halloween was worth it. Maybe, like her parents kept saying, she should spend a little more time on her homework and a little less on elaborate art projects that invited scrutiny from the HOA.

As Willa gave the hammer another good whack against its target, her head suddenly snapped up. The Tates’ door had just swung open with its usual tired whine. Willa was always hyper-aware of what was going on next door. Holding her breath, she remained crouched in place, watching to see if this would be Mr. Tate slipping a bill into the letter box, Mrs. Tate heading out to her Monday night book club, or, as she always secretly hoped, Alex Tate stepping out for his evening jog.

To prove to herself she didn’t care that much, Willa focused resolutely on the task at hand, hammering until finally the gray-painted grave stood on its own. Then she stood up, stretched, and pretended to casually survey her surroundings before allowing herself to see who was on the porch. Her heart leapt briefly when she saw Alex, but quickly sank when she realized he was with Gabe. Gabe was always screaming at Willa to hit the volleyball in gym class and he had mocked her self-portrait daily during the month it was hanging outside the art room. The hope that Alex would spot her was swiftly replaced by the hope that Gabe wouldn’t mock her in front of her crush. 

As the two boys clambered down the steps and their footfalls hit the sidewalk, Willa longed for ghost-like invisibility, or at least the power to fly off into the night, but her panic held her frozen on the spot. Dumbly she stared as Gabe tramped right onto the lawn and began singing the Addams Family theme song off-key. He poked a finger at one of the ghosts, setting it swinging, then peered around the back of the houses to see how their windows were lit. Snickering, he elbowed Alex, and spoke as if Willa were not there. “I know she’s the art teacher’s pet, but this level of extra credit seems like overkill.”  

Alex wasn’t listening though. He was reading the epitaph on the grave Willa had just finished installing moments before. At the end of the verse, which Willa herself had composed, he laughed. “Pretty sure she doesn’t need extra credit, man,” he said. Then, focusing his gaze fully on her face, he smiled softly and said, “Willa, you’re awesome.” 

Her cheeks flamed, and she tried to speak, but she couldn’t find a single word to speak before Alex and Gabe took off down the sidewalk, beginning their run. All she could think as she gathered her tools and climbed the steps to the front door, was: Yup, this was totally worth it.