Ghost of You

The cold water blasted my face, making me stumble backwards.

“Nice one!” Mr. Listing called from his hiding spot behind a bush on the other side of the yard to Sarah.

We were having a water balloon fight while Mrs. Listing went to open her café for the evening.

Another water balloon blasted me from behind. I turned around and stared down Georg, who put his hands up as if I was a police officer pulling out my gun.

“Sorry, dude,” Georg said, taking a step back.

I smiled as I took off after him, picking up the hose and spraying him. Sarah giggled loudly as Mr. Listing sprayed her from behind with a water gun. While Georg was distracted, I pounced on top of him, knocking him to the ground. I rolled over next to him as we both laughed ourselves breathless.

“So,” Mr. Listing began, picking Sarah up and tossing her gently over his shoulder, his breath coming in little gasps, “who's ready for lunch? Hamburgers on the grill, perhaps?”

“Yeah!” Georg shouted as he lifted me to my feet.

We both went over and lifted our towels from the railing on the wooden porch. I wrapped mine around my torso. My swimming trunks were soaked through.

“I CAN'T MAKE THEM STOP!”

I jumped suddenly, the voice thumping in my ears.

“You okay, Tom?” Georg asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

“Yeah, I think a bug landed on me,” I said, pretending to inspect my left arm.

“Aww, is poor Tomi afraid of a wittle buggy, hmm?” Mr. Listing mocked as he walked up the stairs to the porch.

“I'll protect you!” Sarah cried as she threw her arms around me.

I leaned down and squeezed her into a hug, giggling in her ear.

“TOM!”

I gritted my teeth behind her back, but smiled as I pulled away. Mr. Listing returned with a plate full of hamburgers.

“I think I'm gonna go put on some dry clothes,” I said, heading for the door.

“Whassup with him?” I heard Mr. Listing whisper to Georg before I disappeared fully inside.



Bill was nearly sobbing by the time I reached my bedroom, shutting the door quickly. His hands were still over his ears, his eyes shut tightly as his lower lip quivered. He stood next to my bed.

“What it is?” I went over and whispered to him. He just shook his head back and forth, whimpering. “Is it the same as earlier?”

“I don't know! I don't know!”

I looked around my bedroom, thinking of something that might help. “I'll be right back,” I said quickly, taking off for Georg's room. I returned quickly with his iPod in my hand. “See if this helps,” I said.

Bill snatched the iPod up from my hands and threw the earbuds on, turning the music up full blast. Cobra Starship thumped around my bedroom. Bill ripped the headphones from his ears, tossing the iPod to the floor.

“Careful! That's not mine!” I spat as he started screaming, tears pouring down his cheeks.

“Tomi,” he sobbed, falling to his knees.

“Bill? Bill, please don't,” I whispered.

And then he was gone.

I ran over to my window, peering around out back to make sure he wasn't outside. But I knew he was gone.

Sighing, I tossed on a pair of red boxers and black shorts, heading for the smell of barbeque outside.