The fake ghost

You don’t have any friends, so you’re pretty lonely. Your family lives in another state, and you just started college, so you moved into the house your grandma used to live in before she passed away.

After class, you usually just sit at home, reading a book or watching TV, but it gets boring after a while. You really want some company, because you don’t really have anyone.

Since you’ve always believed in paranormal stuff ghosts, demons, all that you decide you want to talk to someone… a ghost. You convince yourself they’re probably nicer than demons anyway. So one day, you sit in the living room, googling and watching YouTube videos on how to contact a ghost. Eventually, you go to your bedroom, light a few candles, and sit down on the floor. You repeat some stupid phrases you found online. Nothing happens.

Just as you’re about to give up, you hear something downstairs.

You freeze.

Slowly, you stand up, open your door, and look around. There it is again a sound coming from the kitchen. You try to stay as quiet as possible as you walk down the stairs, your heart pounding. When you reach the bottom, you carefully peek around the corner.

Someone is standing there, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Your breath catches. You quickly reach for the light switch and turn it on.

A man.

A really handsome one.

For a second, all you can think is wow.

“Are you… uhm… did I just… I don’t know, summon you? Are you the ghost?” you ask.

He looks at you, confused, but doesn’t say anything.

You blink, then nod slightly. “Oh… okay. You probably think I can’t see you. I can see you, don’t worry.”

You take a step closer… then immediately step back again. “Wait, are you a nice ghost or a bad one?”

He still doesn’t answer. If anything, he looks even more confused.

You look him up and down. “So… are you going to talk?”

Silence.

“Well?” you sigh. “Okay, say it, I’m weird for trying to talk to a ghost. But I didn’t think one would actually show up. Whatever. Come on, I’ll show you around.”

You turn and start walking, gesturing for him to follow. Surprisingly, he does.

You talk. And talk. And talk. He mostly just watches you, sometimes looking a little annoyed, but you don’t care. You’re just happy you’re not alone anymore. And in your mind, it all makes sense he must be a ghost. After all, he never once says anything to deny it.

What you don’t know…

He isn’t a ghost.

He’s mute.

And he actually broke into your house planning to rob you but since you’re so convinced he’s a ghost, he just… goes along with it.