Ghostly or Just Ghastly

Judith meets Sam's relatives 300-word flash

Ghostly or Just Ghastly

“I think I saw a ghost!” Judith gasped to Sam, out of breath from running.
“Where?” he asked.
“In the bathroom.”
“Describe it.”
“Older lady, dressed to the nines and made-up within an inch of her life.”
“Oh, that’s Aunt Katie. She was always a fashion plate.”

“How many ghosts live here?”
“It’s hard to say, they never come out at the same time except when it’s time for the annual family reunion.”
Judith gulped and asked: “How do you feel about that?”
Sam shrugged. “You get used to it.”
“Tell me more about your relatives.”

“They're actually centuries worth of them. Some in the attic are pre-19th century. Some in the basement are prehistoric, except for Uncle Gus. He made hooch there during prohibition.”
Judith studied Sam, looking him up and down. “You’re having me on, aren’t you?”

“On the contrary, this has been my family home all my life. I actually had real imaginary friends, like Lavinia.”
“Who’s Lavinia”
“According to family lore, she died of typhoid at twelve years. She’s one of the graves in the old family cemetery.”
“Can I see it?” Judith said eagerly.
“Sure, follow me.”

With that, Sam led the way out of the house to a winding path through an overgrown part of the property. Judith had trouble following fast enough because she kept stopping to read the tombstones. She soon lost sight of him.
“Sam, wait for me!” she kept calling as she moved forward. She finally arrived at a newer gravestone. Judith stopped to read it. It even had a photo on the stone that made her gasp in surprise.

“Sam?” she whispered incredulously. A head popped out of the grave.
“Oh, there you are! I thought I’d stop for a jacket.”
Judith fainted dead away.