Don't Fade Away: A Ghost Story by Natalie Pearce

Author:Natalie Pearce [Pearce, Natalie & Pearce, Natalie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Natalie Pearce
Published: 2023-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

***

Elle joining Ethan for his morning coffee was fast becoming a reliable routine. That is, if you can call three days in a row a routine.

Elle would just appear from the stairway after he started making coffee. Apparently, regardless of her lack of a sense of smell, the very idea of coffee still ‘woke’ her up in the mornings.

While Ethan appreciated the company (especially Elle’s company) he was relieved this morning to see the covetousness in Elle’s eyes ratchet down a few notches as he sipped the hot coffee.

Even so, a small wistful smile lingered on her lips as she watched him put down his mug down to pop a couple of slices of white bread into the toaster. A scattering of stale crumbs spread over the counter as he shifted the ancient toaster closer.

As Elle watched him push the lever, that strange little smile became more intent. He paused, lever halfway down, as a question came to mind that had been bugging him since the morning he fled to Julie’s house.

“Ah...” he began, unsure how to word the suspicion that had been growing in his mind since Elle blew the light globe in the lounge room, something she assured him she’d never done before and had no idea how to repeat.

Elle’s eyes crinkled at the edges as she raised them to his face.

“Don’t you want breakfast?” she asked, waving a hand towards his, still paused on the toaster, bread peaking out the top instead of happily toasting away.

He glanced down at his hand, only for his finger to slip from the lever and send the two slices of bread springing back up. Goddamn tremors again.

Elle’s laugh was light, but the way Ethan’s heart rate doubled only reminded him again of the morning when he first admitted to himself, and then to his sister, that he’d moved into a haunted house.

“Was that you?” he asked. Even to his own ears, his voice came out more strained than he intended.

Elle’s laugh cut off, and her eyes narrowed in confusion, head tilting to the side in a manner he was coming to recognize.

He cleared his throat, focusing on his breathing as he struggled to find the words.

“The morning after...” he started uncertainly. He needed to clear his throat again. “When the toast popped up.”

Elle’s eyebrows rose. “You mean when you freaked out when the toast popped up?”

Ethan squirmed. He turned back to the toaster and pushed the lever down with considerably more force than required.

“I don’t think so...” Elle began, but trailed off as Ethan literally jumped. She stood right behind him again. For god’s sake, she needed those heels! At least if she was still wearing them, she couldn’t keep sneaking up on him like this.

Wait, would ghost heels still make noise when she walked? A deep crease formed on his forehead as he contemplated Elle’s dress. Did it make a swishing noise when it moved? He had never noticed, but it looked like the type of material that would swish.

Elle retreated a couple of steps, blinking as she flipped her wavy hair back over her shoulders.

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