Page 8 of Ghost

M ason could hear Paul and Mitch working upstairs, having gotten the attic rewired. They were now pulling wire from above, connecting the overhead light fixtures, wall switches and power outlets as they went. He had to chuckle. Listening to them was like hearing an ol’ married couple sometimes.

Each of them had worked hard all day. Mitch was in a much better mood after he’d had a shower and was back to giving both Paul and himself a hard time.

Mason not only had all the old drywall out, but most of the old plaster and lathe walls as well.

He was going to have to get more of the heavy-duty construction trash bags having used all that he’d had, but that was okay.

He planned on going to Home Depot first thing in the morning.

Mason lifted his tank-top to wipe away his sweat covered face. He then decided to just take it off, which he did and then tucked it into the back of his cut off jean shorts. It was hotter than hades. Poor Mitch. I feel awful about him having spent most of the morning in that hot attic.

Although he’d been busy, working by himself all day, his mind still wondered, thinking of the handsome man he’d seen on the stairs. He wanted to know his story. Hell, he wanted to know everything about the man. There was just something about him that struck a nerve.

Yeah, he was extremely good looking, but there was something about his eyes that drew Mason in.

There was a kind of light about them. It was as though he’d just heard a good joke or story and was amused and ready to laugh but trying not to.

It was odd. Mason also got the feeling that he was happy and a little sad all at the same time, which only made him more curious about him.

I wonder if you can see a ghost naked? He couldn’t help but smile. That would be so cool to have a naked ghost running around the place. Well... except for that old screeching woman. I could do without seeing her naked. That thought made him cringe. Eww...

Mason stopped abruptly. The woman at the beach.

She was a ghost, too. “Holy shit!” He turned around at the feeling of someone looking at him, and there he was.

The man who had been on the steps. He was now standing in the hallway looking at him.

This time, he seemed more real. Or more solid.

Instead of just being the sepia tone, he had a bit of color to him, and he didn’t seem as transparent.

“Hello?” Mason finally said after a moment.

The ghost smiled at him, revealing even teeth. He moved a little closer to Mason.

“Umm... can you talk?”

The ghost continued to smile and moved even closer to Mason.

“What’s your name?”

The man’s head tilted slightly and then he simply faded away.

“Who you talking to, man?” Mitch called down the stairs.

“Probably his ghost,” Paul answered for him, laughing.

“Or maybe it was a pink fairy,” Mitch laughed.

Mason smiled to himself. After the hard time his friends had been giving him about his ghosts, he decided to keep this to himself.

“I’m talking to myself. Only decent conversation I’ve had in days!” Mason thought that’d shut them up for a little while.

“Paul, did you hear that?” Mason could hear Mitch’s voice clearly. He must be standing at the very top of the stairs. “I think he just insulted us.”

“Sounds like it,” Paul said, though Mason couldn’t hear him as clearly. “We’re about done up here for the day.”

“It’s O’beer-thirty!” Mitch exclaimed loudly. “You know what that means, don’t ya?”

Mason shook his head. “Yeah, it means that if you want beer, you’re gonna have to run down and get some.”

“What? I have to go and get it myself?” Mason could hear Mitch coming down the stairs. “What the hell, man?”

“Uh, yeah, you do.” Mason turned to look at his friend.

“You were grimy earlier and now I am,” Mason indicated by pointing to his own body.

“Here,” he reached for his wallet. “The little store just a few doors down said they’d give us a case discount.

” Mason handed Mitch some cash. “It’ll be good and cold too. ”

Mitch smiled. “Okay, now that I can handle. A whole case, huh?”

“Sure, why not?” Mason shoveled up some of the old plaster into a large trash can. “I think we deserve it. We got a helluva lot done today.”

“We have.” Mitch looked around the small kitchen. “You’ve about got this knocked out. Looks good.”

“Thanks. I wanted to talk to you guys about this.” Mason put the shovel down and went to where the old electrical panel had been.

“This kitchen is really small. What do you think about moving this panel downstairs? If I can get it out of the way from here,” he said, pointing to the wall, “I can maybe plan on expanding this kitchen out.”

Paul walked in just as Mason finished. “Yeah, that should be no problem. Might actually make it easier, too. Much easier for when you go to finish off this kitchen too.”

Mitch looked around. “Yeah, that’s a great idea.” He looked at Paul. “I know we still have this main floor to get wired, but if we jump to getting this panel box set, we can go ahead and start wiring in what we’ve already done.”

Paul nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Just so long as we don’t get attacked by some grizzly ghost,” Mitch snickered, poking Paul in the stomach with his elbow.

Mason just rolled his eyes. “I thought you wanted some beer?”

“Righto.” Mitch stepped over the small pile of plaster just in front of the back door. “Back in a flash.”

“Oh, see if there might be something good for dinner while you’re down there,” Mason called out as Mitch hopped off the last step that led down to the courtyard. “If you need more cash, just come on back and I’ll go get the food. I should be finished up by then.”

Mitch saluted his acknowledgement and was gone.

Mason shoveled up that last remaining bit of plaster off the floor.

“It’s been a long day,” Paul sighed, leaning against the door frame to the kitchen. “But we sure did get a lot done. We should have no problem with getting the power company to come and install a meter and get the inspections done next week.”

“Yeah, it’s been a good day.” Mason pushed the trash can out onto the small back deck. “Think I can give them a call tomorrow and set it all up?”

“I don’t see why not. Either me or Mitch can sign off on all the paperwork. Our licenses are good down here.”

“I’ll do it first thing in the morning then.” Mason stretched his arms over his head, then let his arms drop. “I’m ready for a beer.”

Paul was silent, looking rather intent. “Were you serious about seeing a ghost?”

Mason paused a moment, wondering if he should say anything. He looked at Paul. “Yeah, I’m dead serious. And if I’m to be totally honest, I’ve seen others now, too.”

Paul’s eyes got big. “For real?”

“Yeah. For real.”

“Where?” Paul asked, as he looked over his shoulder.

Mason couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, at the beach yesterday. I didn’t know it at the time, but there, and then just a few feet behind you.” Mason pointed.

Paul spun around as if he were expecting to see something, and then turned to look over his shoulder at Mason. “Aren’t you freaked out or... something?”

“I was with that old woman who came at me, but no, not really.” Mason shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s like they either don’t notice me or don’t seem to be... I don’t know how to explain it exactly.”

“Have you... like... always...?”

“No. Just here.” Mason shrugged again. “I don’t know why.”

Paul snapped his fingers. “Your fall. You hit your head pretty damn hard from what Mitch said.

“You know, I’d not thought of that.” Mason thought a moment. “That could be it. Maybe?”

“I’ve heard of some people who’ve had head trauma waking up and being able to speak another language or some other thing or ‘nother,” Paul offered.

“I don’t have any idea,” Mason said. “I just figure there isn’t anything I can do about it, so why over think it?”

Paul shook his head. “I think it’d freak me the hell out.” He visibly shivered. “Yeah, I don’t want to know about shit like that.”

“Ahoy, mateys.”

Paul and Mason looked out the back door, seeing Mitch carrying a case of beer.

“We’re not on a damn ship,” Mason answered. “You’re a damn fool sometimes, Mitch.”

Mitch was grinning ear to ear. “I said that because we’re gonna have a big ol’ seafood dinner.”

“From where?” Mason asked, stepping aside to let Mitch come through the back door.

“That guy at that store said he’d cook us up a fish dinner. Said to give him about half an hour and it’d be ready.” Mitch walked past Paul and set the beer down in the dining room, next to their cooler.

Paul took a beer right out of Mitch’s hand.

“Hey...” Mitch looked at Paul a bit miffed but reached into the case for another one.

“Cool.” Mason held out his hand for a beer.

Mitch huffed. “Damn, I have to go and fetch it and then I’m the last to get one.”

“Did he say how much?” Mason asked after having swallowed a mouthful.

“Yeah, thirty bucks is all.” Mitch twisted off the cap of the beer bottle and chugged at least a third of it. “I thought that was pretty good and don’t worry, Mason. I went ahead and paid for it.”

Mason frowned. “That wasn’t the deal. I was supposed to be buying all the meals and beer.”

“Yeah, well, sue me then.” Mitch took another long swig of beer and then smiled.

“Mason said he was sure he saw ghosts,” Paul said, a little too loudly.

Mitch looked at Paul and then Mason. “Ghosts? As in plural? More than one?”

Mason sighed. “Yeah. All total, three.”

Mitch looked at Mason closely and then back to Paul. “You’re dead serious, aren’t you?”

Mason only nodded, then drank more of his beer.

“Fuck me,” Mitch said, almost a whisper.

“That would be a big fat no,” Mason said, trying to keep a straight face.

Mitch blinked and then looked at Paul.

“Don’t go looking at me,” Paul said. “I ain’t fuckin’ ya either!”

All three busted out laughing.

Mason had set up the beach chairs in one corner of the back courtyard so that they’d have a place to sit when taking breaks.

They all enjoyed the deep-fried fish and shrimp dinner that Mitch had gotten.

Paul had eventually been the one to go and pick it up, leaving Mason to get a shower in and Mitch to go and get cleaned up a bit and wash his hands.

Dinner was good, as was the cold beer. The sun was just starting to wane, turning the sky a light shade of pink.

Today was a really good day, Mason thought to himself, his mind never far from the handsome ghost who lived in his new home. He couldn’t seem to shake the image from his mind.