#254. THE FEAR – A Flash Fiction

For the record, I don’t believe in ghosts and I double up in laughter whenever my family chooses to watch any scary movie on television. When they would be busy watching the scenes hiding under the blanket or behind the sofa, I would tear up, unable to control my laughter. Jump scares really do that for me.

When my kids are too afraid to move, even to use the washroom after watching a horror movie, I would have a great time making weird noises that would send them screaming down the hall. Well, I could be devilish sometimes!

But, when my neighbour died of a ghastly fire accident, my kids’ fears reached a new high. They started getting scared even when a door closed loudly. So, when things were getting out of hand, I thought of making them realize that ghosts didn’t really exist and the ghostly tales were just a myth.

The plan was set. I dressed up in a long white kaftan, covered myself with a white blanket, leaving just two holes for me to peep through. I sat on the bed, waiting for my kids to reach home after their late evening classes.

As soon as they entered their bedroom, I shrieked like a banshee and made a jump on them. I was happy that the sudden power outage, thunder and heavy wind were naturally giving me the desired effect. My kids’ shrieking voice echoed off the walls, as they tried running towards the exit.

I caught them before they could run off and hugged them from behind. When they got to know it was just me, they calmed down. When I had their rapt attention, I explained how the soul of the person who had died would have now taken up a different body to exist and the body that the soul had left behind had already been cremated. I told them that there was nothing called ghost in this world and they were just superstitious beliefs.

When I finally saw the understanding dawning on their faces, I heaved a sigh of relief and left them on their own to freshen up.

I entered my bedroom, latched it and started removing my ghostly makeup with a smile playing on my lips, just remembering my kids’ shocked faces. ‘Not bad, I have a backup job of an actress’, I happily patted my back.

I took my mobile and clicked a selfie to show my husband who would be returning home later today. I would be sharing a good laugh with him, narrating the hilarious incident. After clicking, I checked the picture, only to find my dead neighbour with a scarred face, standing beside me in it. This time, I shrieked for real!

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For Eugi’s weekly prompt: Ghostly

Image Credit: https://www.lovethispic.com/image/377537/spooky-ghost-sitting-in-bed;

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