Flash Fiction Friday – The Haunting(!)

There was a thump. Then a creak. Then the friction of metal against the floor. Another creak. Heavy breathing.

“Damn,” I muttered under my breath before stuffing my face with more popcorn, my eyes glued to the TV. There must be some real stuff going on back there. No, really. This had been going on for about an hour now. Creaking, thumping, stomping… whoever was there must be really clumsy, just saying.

The lights flickered, drawing my attention from the large screen to the chandelier above, and the bulbs at the corners of the large space that was the living room. What kind of candle-lit chandelier flickers? The bulbs, I understand – my elctricity bill must have been outstanding, but the candles? What, did I have to pay for those too?

More thumping and creaking and flickering. The candle was starting to get annoying, but the sounds? Not my problem. My roommate(s) must be having a hard time getting down the stairs. Never mind that i thought i lived alone until now. Oh well, you learn new things everyday.

I ignored the sounds and lights (i’m great in the dark) and focused back on the TV, watching my movie.

The creaks and thumps and screeches of something against the tiled floor continued, but i wasn’t bothered – as long as it wasnt interfering with my movie, it was fine.

Then the moaning began. It sounded like a dying ghost, if i’m being honest. Moaning in different volumes of voice, and this nearly, almost affected my movie, but it didnt. Batman might be speaking as if he didnt want to be caught by the police, but i still heard him.

Then whispers. Honestly, i wouldnt have been concerned, but they were supposed to be upstairs, right? If they were, then why could i hear them whispering right next to my ear? It sounded like an annoying mosquito. Never mind though, i could still hear Batman.

The last straw was when the TV went off, along with the lights.

“Are you kidding me?!” I sat up, yelling at whoever it was that had the fucking guts to turn my movie off, “It was getting to the good part, come on!”

“Seriously?” I heard a voice in the middle of my living room, and turned to look at the owner, still angry. “That’s what you’re mad about? Not the possibility of you having a ghost in your house?”

“You turned off my movie right when it was getting to the good part!” I ignored the fact that he had the palest skin ever and was dressed in clothing i probably would find in one of the books that were from 1560 England in the library of this monstrosity of a house. He had geled black hair, and if i wasnt mad at him, i’d find him attractive.

“I was trying to build fear in you!” his accent was british, something i was just noticing.

“Oh, boohoo! Like i didnt know this house was haunted the moment i bought it for five hundred freaking dollars! Now turn my movie back on!” i whined.

“Wow,” he mused, “You’d think someone would be scared of you for the plain fact that you’re a ghost,” he folded his arms, his mood down.

Now i felt bad for him. “If it makes you feel better, i think you’re cute,” i shrugged.

His eyes flicked to me, then he smiled, letting go of the frown, “Really?”

“Sure,” i smiled, “You never heard that from someone before?”

“No, they’re too busy running away from me.” he pouted.

“Aw, someone is a bit misunderstood, are we?” I gave a small sympathetic smile. “Wanna watch the movie with me? It is kind of lonely.”

He frowned, “Movie?”

“That thing you just turned off,” i demonstrated for him.

Then his eyes lit up, “Oh, you mean the moving paintings!”

I paused, then shrugged, “Sure, let’s go with that.”

He did a snap of his fingers, and the lights came back on, along with the TV. I noticed the candles went on again.

“Huh,” i mused, “you really are a ghost.”

He took a seat on the couch opposite mine and faced the TV while I went back to my laying position on the couch.

I stole a glance at him before the TV went on, “You ever considered getting a girlfriend?”

“Why would i do that?”

“No reason.”

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Hello! I call this one The Haunting(!). There’s an exclamation mark in brackets because it’s not really a haunting, is it? So the name is a sarcastic one. This is sort of an origin story to the first and second flash fictions I posted. It came from a prompt I found on Pinterest which I can no longer find (nervous laugh).

I hope you enjoyed this flash fiction! If you did, make sure to leave a like and comment, then check out my previous flash fiction.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, bye!