GR 2

Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I snap my eyes to hers. “Sorry?”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“Your apartment, the one I tricked you into renting. I’m a terrible person. It’s haunted. It’s truly haunted.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I quirk an eyebrow. “Haunted …?”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“He died too young. It was a murder. A terrible and gruesome murder. An act of arson. You can even see the burn spot on the wall near the kitchen. Even worse, some rumors say it was a suicide. Oh, but I can’t bear the thought! What a tortured, terrible spirit he must be!”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I frown. “I didn’t read anything about a murder—”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“Oh, of course, they hushed it up, kept it out of the papers, but …” Mrs. Shaheen’s large, wary eyes drift to the door where the tiny numbers are drilled into the wood, the last one cockeyed in the slightest. “It’s a sad fact about 313 … that a dark, tormented soul haunts its walls, the ghost of a young man who died too young … and who bitterly hates the living. Especially anyone who lives longer than him.” She squeezes my arm with surprising strength. “How old did you say you are?”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
“I didn’t.”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“Oh, you’re so, so brave.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I just now realize she left her cane by her door, clutching my arm with both of her hands. “But I will understand if you no longer wish to stay. I should have disclosed this information before.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
My ability to take a sip of my coffee is taken away by her tight grip on my arm. I smile patiently at her. “I am perfectly fine staying here, ma’am. It’s a rather big place for the price, and the location is close to my new job, which I start tomorrow. Not to mention the … well, the … nice coffee shop on the corner down the street.” And there goes my heart again, drifting away to the charming, dimply, tight-shirted barista in his apron. Is it too late to down this cup and go right back for seconds?
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“Of course, there may yet be nothing to fear!” she says suddenly. “You can avoid the wily spirit’s wrath if you follow three simple rules.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I blink away thoughts of Byron. “Three simple—?”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“That’s what I said, isn’t it? First rule is: don’t ever open your fridge after midnight. Big no-no.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I squint skeptically at her. I’m pretty sure I already broke that one a few times just last night.
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“You can look at me all you want with those cute, questioning green eyes of yours,” she sings, “but it will not change the fact that the cunning phantom has a large appetite for midnight snacks. Ready for rule two?”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
“Mrs. Shah—”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
“Don’t mention anything about a certain rock band that isn’t a Prince, Princess, or King, but the other one. The ghost has a bad, bad, bad association with that band, and any mention of it, so—”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“You mean Queen?”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
The woman throws a conniption and backs away as if I just turned into a neon flamingo. “Goodness, child, are you taking any of this seriously?? You’re playing with fire here! Now speaking of fire, there’s just one more rule, the most important rule of all, and I—”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
“I’m okay, Mrs. Shaheen. You don’t have to worry.”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“But I haven’t told you—”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
“Really, I’ll be fine. In fact …” I lean toward her. She takes a step back. “I don’t even believe in ghosts.”
Who knew that such an unassuming set of words could completely render the woman speechless.
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
My phone starts buzzing in my pocket. “Sorry, I gotta take this. It might be my new boss.”
Mrs Shaheen
Mrs Shaheen
“Oh, child …” is all the woman says as I give an apologetic smile, wrest my arm free from her vice grip, then let myself into the apartment.
I’m pretty sure she’ll be standing there for a good hour or two, likely listening at my door, ready to burn some sage or call an army of priests to assist at the first sign of distress.
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
Once inside, I shut and lock the door, then pull out my phone and slap it to my ear. “Hello? Sir?”
Random
Random
“Griffin James? Hi, this is Marcia at Pixelomenon Multimedia. How’re you doing today?”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
Oh. Marcia? Maybe it’s my new boss’s secretary. I smile. “Great, thank you! I was just about to call and—”
Random
Random
“I regret having to do this over the phone, but we have had to go in a different direction with our graphics artists, which resulted in a premature cut of half of our new hires. I’m afraid that includes you, Mr. James.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
I drop to the couch, stunned. “Me …?”
Random
Random
“If you reapply in four to six months, we may have positions open again. You do have a notable résumé.”
Griffin James/Griff
Griffin James/Griff
Not notable enough, apparently. “But I … I just got a new place, and—”
Random
Random
“I hope you understand, this came as a surprise to many. Here at Pixelomenon, we strive to ensure—”
To be honest, her sweet and meaningless words just melt together into a murky stew of dread, and I’m left sitting on the couch staring blankly at the kitchen. What am I going to do now? How will I pay my rent?
👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻
Ghosty Authy
Ghosty Authy
Did something like this ever happened with you???
Ghosty Authy
Ghosty Authy
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