The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

Laura was still sleeping when little Ashley entered her room, she walked furtively to her bed without making a sound. She sat down beside her sister as she began her experiment. She touched Laura's hair, then brought it up to her nose and smelled it, "smells nice but not as nice as mine". She commented while perceiving her hair too. She then went to Laura's eyes and opened one of her eyes with her hand. "Golden-brown eyes. I guess she's got Mom's eyes while I got Dad's.". As if that were not enough, she walked towards Laura's nose, snooping in her nostrils and making Laura sneeze slightly.

"Hello," Ashley smiles briskly.

Laura turned around to get a good insight into her sister who was dressed for school and didn't let her enjoy the rest of her sleep. "Seriously Ash! Must this be done every time?"

"I couldn't find anything better". She shrugged. "Mummy and Daddy need you downstairs". She moved to the door before she left, and she said to Laura, "You better shower first, you stink". Laura quickly grabbed a pillow and threw it at Ashley but the little girl was too fast, and the pillow fell to the ground. Ashley peeked at her sister. "You missed". She mocked, sticking out her tongue.

"Get out of my room Ash!". Laura grunted. Ashley knew her mission was successful so she left, shutting the door behind her. Laura looked at herself in the mirror not believing that she slept and had no nightmare. I hope all my nights end up like this. She thought to herself. She went into the bathroom and heated the water a little. Looking out the window of her bathroom, she could see the snow melting and the sun was finding its way to shine despite how snowy it was. Ashley was set for school. "No fighting in school today Ashley". Her mom warned, handing her the food flask.

"And less experiment". Her dad- Jones added, his eyes not leaving the newspaper he was reading.

Ashley gave them a strange look, but still, she said, "I'll keep that in mind". Before her parents could say anything, she had zoomed off and the only sound they heard was the sound of the door shutting.

Laura came downstairs, but was surprised to see only her mom and dad so she asked, "Where's Ash?".

"Good morning sweetheart". Both parents greeted sending Laura warring looks.

Laura smiled when she realized she didn't greet her parents. She walked up to her dad and pecked his cheek. "Good morning dad". She greeted. She went to meet her mom who was setting up breakfast in the kitchen. "Good morning mom". She pecked her mom's cheek as well.

"You look and sound better than you did a few days ago". Her mom remarked.

Jones took his eyes off the newspaper to look at his daughter and he asked, "No more nightmares?"

Laura took a while before she replied. She thought for a while if she had any dreams or maybe she did but forgot about it but nothing, her mind was blank." I slept well, I guess". She said, taking a bite of her pancake.

"I'm glad you did," her mom said happily. "It's been a long you were this cheerful," she added

Laura wasn't that much of a foodie so she only ate two pancakes and she was satisfied. "I will go to the shop now,". They own a flower shop where they sell different kinds of flowers for different occasions and they have lovely cards too made by their daughter, Laura. ".... Besides, I still have to make more cards". She said as her parents nodded.

"I'll join you shortly," said Madeline.

Laura nodded as she pecked her parents goodbye. "You should come sometime to see it to dad," Laura said but her dad just laughed it off.

"I can tell you guys are doing a good job even without seeing it". They all laughed at Jone's remark.

"Be careful on the way there, OK?" Her mom advised.

"I will". Laura said as she shut the door behind her.

"You should come to check out the shop". Madeline told her husband.

Jones knew where his wife was going with the discussion and he wasn't ready to argue with her so he pulled her close, cupped her face in his palms, and said, "I don't need to check it out because I know how amazing of a florist you are. You know the right flowers for every occasion..." he paused. "... Remember when I came to you and told you I needed a flower for my mom's birthday?" Madeline smiled because she remembered vividly that moment. "... Without knowing, you gave me her favorite flower, that's how I figured you're an amazing florist". After he said that, he looked into his wife's eyes and planted a kiss on her lips.

Madeline had a lot of questions, she couldn't understand why her husband wasn't interested in coming to see her shop. He doesn't even go out with the kids for family picnics. It's more like he was hiding, but she couldn't tell why. She decided not to push on with the matter and just go on with it. If there's something he wants us to know, he'd tell us about it, right? She asked herself. She decided to forget about anything and focus on her husband's lips on hers. The kiss gave her a new assurance that her husband has nothing to hide and all she needs to do is believe him. She pulled away from the kiss, took the plates, and was about to do the dishes when her husband stood behind her and grabbed her waist.

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"You can leave for work now, I'll do the dishes". Jones offered with a smile.

Madeline pulled his face closer and kissed him, "You are such a darling." she said before leaving for work.

************

"I am serious Theresa, I slept like a baby". Laura said in a video call with her friend.

Theresa was Laura's favorite customer when they opened the shop. She helped Laura boost her mom's business by telling people about it, she and her boyfriend Jason has been amazing to her and they are like the only friends she's got in Texas.

"I just can't believe you were able to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night screaming. Did something happen last night?". Theresa asked. Theresa knew about the nightmares and she felt sorry for her.

Laura thought about last night, "Nothing much happened." Laura finally spoke up after a few seconds of thinking.

"Well, maybe you weren't meant to have those nightmares in the first place". Her friend said as she nodded in agreement.

Laura looked at the time and saw that she needs to do something first so she told Theresa she would call back, as she was about to end the call, someone brushed past her, hitting her on the shoulder, making her almost drop her phone on the ground but good thing she was quick enough to grab it. "Hey! Watch where you are going, will you?". She turned to face the guy. The guy turned to face her when he noticed what he had done. The moment their eyes met, Laura froze. She couldn't believe her eyes. The shock was so great that she didn't even know when her phone fell from her hand, her eyes were still fixed on the guy in front of her. She remained motionless and her mouth was left agape. His fair skin, green eyes, black hair, slim body with prominent shoulders, and his small face made Laura take a step back. How can he look so familiar? She thought.

The guy walked up to her and helped her pick up her phone. He was about to give the phone to her when he noticed she was motionless. He waved his hands across her face multiple times before she blinked her eyes, returning herself to reality.

"Are you OK?" he asked He tried coming closer to her, but Laura took to her heels. She didn't know why, but she knew she had to leave, without looking back, she took to her heels, straight to the shop. She shut the door after her while her back rested on the door with her hand over her beating chest,

Why does it feel like I know him? Like I've seen him before. She asked herself. She needed someone to talk to and the person that came to mind was Theresa. "She will know what to do." She muttered. She looked in her hand for her phone but was surprised to see it wasn't in her hand. She checked her pockets and on the floor, but no phone. She got a flashed back and she remembered her phone fell off her hand when she saw that stranger which means that she left it with that stranger. How am I going to get it from him now? She asked herself as she opened the door to check if he was there but he wasn't

Reed looked at the phone in his hand and wondered why she ran off like that. He had better give the phone back to her, but how would he get it across to her? He didn't even seem to know her name or anything. Then suddenly her phone rang revealing the caller to be Theresa. He was doubting whether to pick up the call or not. After the call ended, he decided to start searching for her. He was about to begin his search when the phone rang again and this time the caller was Jason. He mustered up the courage to pick up the call. "Hello". He answered.

There was a long silence on the other side of the line." Who the hell are you and what are you doing with my friend's phone? Where's the owner of the phone? What did you do to her?". The question came from a girl. He was shocked that he had to look at the caller again, but it was still Jason that was written there. Is Jason a girl? He thought.

He placed the phone to his ear, he spoke gently saying, "I have no idea where your friend is, she ran off and left her phone behind. I was thinking of getting it to her, but I have no idea where she is".

Theresa became silent as that voice calmed every wrecking nerve. She cleared her throat and asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Reed Fletcher and believe me, I do not have any bad intentions towards your friend, I just want to return the phone to her. Can you tell me where she is?".

Theresa became silent. How was she supposed to trust a stranger? "How am I sure I can trust you?" she asked.

"If I don't return the phone to her, you're free to call the cops". He suggested.

Theresa felt it was a good suggestion. If anything should happen to her friend, she can call the cops besides she knows his name. "She should be at her mom's shop. It's a florist shop, in fact, the only florist shop you'll ever come across around the Town coast".

"Thanks. You can call her later to confirm". Reed hung up and began his search.

Theresa prayed silently hoping that this Reed guy isn't a bad person. She can't risk the life of her friend by doing something so stupid, but what if he's really a good guy and he meant well?

A lot of questions and doubts were rising, but the only thing she could do was hope for the best.