I gradually rose to my feet on the floor, resting my palm against the door. I could feel the sweat on my clothes, which I found unpleasant. So, I made my way to the bathroom. As I faced my reflection, I began to remove my clothes one piece at a time.
Leaning in closer, I lightly touched my cheeks and managed a small smile, but then sighed, dissatisfied with my appearance. I've never regarded myself as beautiful-perhaps just average? That seems fair. My dark brown eyes are unremarkable, and my hair is black.
Heading toward the tub, I turned on the faucet and watched as the water began to fill it. Once the tub was full, I carefully climbed in and sank into the water, letting it envelop me. I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, hoping to unwind.
Suddenly, I heard the lights flickering. I opened my eyes, raising an eyebrow at the lights. This was odd; it was the first time I'd experienced this in my house, where the electricity usually functions perfectly. Why were they flickering? My curiosity was piqued, but after a few minutes, the flickering stopped, and I sighed in relief, shutting my eyes once more to relax.
"Ahhhhhh..." A creepy voice startled me. "What?!" I yelped, falling silent when I realized it was two ghost children, holding hands and staring at me. Embarrassed, I quickly covered my breasts.
"Could you please knock first?" I laughed awkwardly, forgetting they were ghosts and could pass through barriers.
The two ghosts continued to chatter in a language I couldn't understand, their mouths opening wide. "Ahhhhh...." They gestured towards the bathroom entrance.
Confused, I tilted my head. "I don't get it."
"Ahhhhh...."
"Ahhhhh!" Their volume increased as they persistently pointed at the door. Annoyed, I stood up, grabbed a towel, and disregarded that they had seen me naked. Apologies, kids.
I wrapped the towel around myself snugly before stepping out of the tub. "Is someone outside?" I inquired of the ghosts, who nodded vigorously.
Who could it be?
I reached for the doorknob, but the lights flickered again, causing me to pause. I glanced at the flickering bulbs, then back at the two of them, who were now huddled together in fear.
"What are you two scared of?" I asked curiously, but then the power cut out, plunging everything into darkness. "You've got to be kidding me," I groaned, carefully searching for my phone on the sink. Finding it, I switched on the flashlight.
The beam fell on the two of them, and I flinched at their faces. I wasn't quite accustomed to their presence yet. Slowly, I opened the bathroom door and stepped outside, the ghost children following closely behind, still holding on to each other.
"You two are dead. What are you scared of? Bugs?" I teased with a wide grin, but they continued to cling to one another, scanning the surroundings cautiously as if something might appear at any moment.
The house was enveloped in darkness, the only light coming from my phone. I glanced out the window and noticed my neighbors' lights were still on, which left me baffled.
"Why do they still have power while mine is out?" I asked incredulously. We share the same electrical supply, so why was I the only one without power?
Bang.
I turned towards the sound and saw the bathroom door standing open. My heart sank, fear creeping in as my earlier confidence faded.
"That was you two, wasn't it?" I glanced at the two specters, and they shook their heads in response, signaling 'no.' A surge of fear washed over me. The house was eerily silent, the air thickening, and a light fog began to form.
I couldn't explain my urge to investigate, even amidst the rising terror. Carefully, I made my way to the bathroom, leaning against the wall as I counted silently to three.
"One..."
"Two..."
"Three..." I rushed into the bathroom, sweeping my phone left and right to see if anyone was there, but it was empty.
"Thank goodness, I'm safe."
Bang.
"Ah!" I gasped, my gaze fixed on the closed door. A wave of panic gripped me as I dashed to the door, trying the handle, only to find it locked. What on earth was happening?!
"Open up! Damn it!" I yelled, hammering my hand against the door while twisting the doorknob frantically, but it was futile. Taking a step back, I forced myself to breathe deeply.
Turning to my right, I caught sight of my reflection just as my phone light began to flicker, pulling my focus to it.
"Oh, not you again..." I muttered with dread, sensing something behind me. I quickly glanced up to the mirror but saw nothing. It must have been a trick of my mind.
My phone flickered until it finally shut off.
"What?!" I panicked, tapping the screen gently. "Wake up! Please!" My voice trembled with fear. After what felt like an eternity, my phone finally powered back on.
I quickly switched on the flashlight, feeling a wave of relief wash over me.
"Oh, that scared me..." I whispered softly before looking back at the mirror, and to my horror, someone was standing behind me.
It was the man from earlier at school.
The ghost I had summoned.
My mouth dropped open, but I was too terrified to form a single word.
"Hello." He greeted me with a wide, unsettling grin that sent chills coursing through me. No, it was more than mere chills. I was overwhelmed by an unbearable sensation.
"You left without saying goodbye, so I had to follow you." His voice was eerily calm as his hands crept around my arms, gently holding me. I felt frozen, my heart racing and my eyes wide.
"Why summon me only to run away?" He purred, leaning in closer, his lips nearly brushing my ear, causing my breath to catch. "Tell me, what's your wish?" His eyes glowed a menacing red.
"I can sense a desire for revenge, am I right, Percy?" The mention of my name struck me like lightning-how did he know? All I had done was summon him and flee.
"Those three from a while ago were your bullies, right? Do you want payback? I can make it happen for you." His gaze bore into me through the mirror's reflection.
I averted my eyes and noticed the ghostly children had vanished. It seemed they had fled, recognizing the source of their fear. This was what frightened them-a vengeful spirit.
"Percy~" he cooed my name as if we were sweethearts, his voice dripping with anticipation, waiting for my response.