The Unexpected Ghost

  Greg and William, who were sixteen years old, decided they would go on a camping trip in the Tennessee mountains behind their house. Their houses was side by side and they had been best friends since birth. They decided it would be fun and something they could do before their summer vacation ended. But, they didn't realize  that night they would be marked for life.

  They packed their camping equipment, food, soda, and all the junk food that they could find in their parents cabinets and headed up the mountain. As they walked, they talked about Tiffany Money, who they had a crush on for the past two years. She had moved to Tennessee from Hawaii and decided to attend Jenkins Elementary School. Before long, they came up on the their campsite.  Greg and William pitched their tents and had everything set up before 8:00 that morning. They stretched their backs and decided it would be a good idea to look for some kindling and firewood for the fire that they would be building that night. "Hey, let's go swimming after this." William yelled, from the other side of the camp.



  "Are you crazy? It's just now a little past 8:00. It's too cold."

  "It's not too cold, you're just chicken."

  "Let's go fishing instead and go swimming when it warms up."

"Chicken."

  "I'm not chicken, just smart. I don't want to get in that cold water and catch pneumonia."

  "I guess. You just don't ever want to walk on the wild side a little."

  "It's not that, it's just that I'm not crazy."

  "Whatever, I got the kindling."

  "Good, I think I found enough firewood to last for two nights. Let's go fishing and catch some trout for breakfast." They walked down the other side of the mountain and into the valley where the river was flowing wide open.

  "Ahh, I want you to look at that. What a beautiful site. A river flowing like wild fire, with no one around but us to enjoy it. This is all a man needs; A tent on a mountain five miles away from civilization, and a river like this to swim and fish in." Greg said as he dropped his line into the water, leaning back on a rock. He put his hands behind his head like he was king of the world.

  "I'll remember that when I see a man." William teased.

  "Ahh, your just jealous of my manly charm."

  "That "manly charm" got you slapped last year, when Leslie caught you staring at Tiffany Money and you said you couldn't help it if your eyes roamed to where she was sitting, that it was her cheerleading outfit that made you stare."

  "Well, it was. I was telling her the truth, Tiffany looked hot in that thang."

  "You wasn't supposed to let Leslie know that you dip wad!" William said then bursted out into laughter.

  "What was that?"

  "What was what?"

  "I heard laughing."

  "Well duh, I was the one laughing."

  "No, this wasn't you. This sounded like a girl laughing, slightly lower than your laughter. Like a giggle."

  "Greg, it was probably your overactive imagination."

  "No......." As Greg started to argue his point, the giggle started again. "See, I told you it wasn't my imagination!"

  "I have to hand it to you Greg, you're right." They jumped up and looked around for someone that might have been around doing some camping and maybe overheard their conversation. That would have explained the giggle.

  "Hello! Is anybody there?!" William yelled, but there was no answer. Slightly scared, they returned to their camp and found a girl, almost their age, sitting roasting marshmellows over a fire.

  "Hey, we wasn't going to build a fire until dusk." Greg said rudely.

  "Shhh, Greg, don't be rude. Was that you that we heard giggeling?"

  "Yes, I overheard the two of you talking. I couldn't help but laugh, but you two are funny."

  "We didn't see you, so how could you have heard us?" William asked curiously.

  "Oh, I have my ways." They sat down beside her and and roasted marshmellows too.

  "I'm sorry to intrude, but I was hungry and I saw the bag of marshmellows in your duffel."

  "Oh, we don't mind, just help yourself. There's plenty. We also have hot dog weenies if you're interested."

  "Thank you. So, did you catch any fish?"

  "No." Pushing away the fact that they didn't catch any fish. Willaim asked, "So, what is your name?"

  "Angelina. But you can call me Angel."

  "My name is William and my friend over there, his name is Greg. It's nice to meet you." William said as he took her hand to shake it.

  "Your hands are as cold as ice." Then he noticed that her hair was wet. A detail that he hadn't noticed because of her surpassing beauty. "Would you like a blanet?"

  "Yes, thank you." William walked over to his tent and got a blanket and noticed that Greg was sitting and staring at her eating a raw weenie.

"She sure is a lot prettier than Tiffany Money any day." Greg whispered over to William.

  "I know." William said as he walked back over to the girl to sit beside her and handed her the blanket.

"Thanks."

  "So, how old are you?"

  "Fifteen. Who is Tiffany Money?" she said changing the subject.

  "Just this popular girl that we go to school with. But how did you know......"

  "I heard Greg talking to you."

  "You must have some pretty good hearing to hear Greg whispering to me."

  "I do, and thanks for agreeing." William blushed. "I have something to tell you William, I'm a ghost."

  "A ghost? You can't be. You look as human as me and Greg." William said in disbelief. William was beginning to think that her brain wasn't as pretty as her face. He started thinking she was a little loopy. "Is this a joke?"

  "No it's not. I can prove it to you. You want me to prove it?"

  "Uh, just a minute, I need to go tell Greg something." As William ran over to Greg who was not paying any attention to them because he was too busy eating, Angelina appeared behind Greg.

  "Oh crud!"

  "What is it William?" He said as he turned to look behind him. "What, it's just Angelina."

  "She's a ghost, Greg!"

  "Have you flipped your lid? Your even crazier than I am!" As the words came out of Greg's mouth, Angelina was disappearing and reappearing all over the camp.

  "Oh crap!" Greg said. The boys started to run down the mountain back to the river to jump in, like it really was going to help them. They jumped in and Angelina was right on their tails and jumped in behind them, then disappeared when she hit the water.

  "Where did she go?" Greg asked.

  "I don't know and I don't want to find out." William said. "Let's get out of here." They gathered their things and headed back home as quick as they could.

  Watching the boys from behind a tree and changing back to her true form, which was a wolf, and then she smiled. She hoped maybe she would see them again, but being the joking kind she was, the chances were slim to none.