Haunted Or Not?

• Sabita Latchman, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2015

What is it going to be like? What will people think of me? Those two daunting questions dawned on Jane. She firmly sat in the back of her mums blue jeep gazing out of the window, onto her new home town. A vast landscape with all types of buildings: shops,stations, houses. However, one house caught Jane's attention the most: a tall wide, weathered. With a red sold sign outside. This must be our house, she thought, relieved that she didn't need to stay longer in the car.
The jeep came to a halt next to the house. The garden was surrounded by lovely, red roses, bearing sharp, thorns.
Jane stepped out of the car, her long black hair blowing in the harsh wind and the sun shining on her olive face.
"Come on Jane inside we go. Everything should be there. Better get some rest for school." A voice said, it was Janes mum, a plump, cheerful lady. Jane nodded her head looked left then glanced. Both the houses on either side had been sold. Something was going on...

Jane stood in front of thirteen wondering faces.
"My name is Jane," she nervously started, "I am 15 years old and have moved here from Cancun,"
"Alright Jane take a seat next to Wishful," a man with glasses and a bored look on his face gestured towards a white haired short girl. Jane anxiously sat next to Wishful.
"Jane, your house is haunted,"
"How do you know where I live?"
"In this whole town there was only three vacated houses,"
"Was?"
"You live in one of them now,"
"How do you know which one is mine?"
"The one with the rose bushes is haunted, that's the cheapest one. Your house,"

Jane was eating her lunch in the isolated corner. She was thinking of how to get their attention. Ah! She knew.
Jane got up and walked towards a group of people.
"In my house I hear screams and ghosts," Jane said bravely to one of the girls.
"We know your house is haunted it's been like that for ages," the girl concluded and turned back to the group.

Jane lay in her bed, crying. It was obvious no one liked her.
Out of the blue, a scream pierced the cool night. Jane immediately stopped crying and sat up. Chills ran down her spine.
"Ooo," a spooky voice said.
"Is anyone there?" Jane asked.
"Only death," it replied. Another shrill scream pierced the air. She wasn't going to sleep.

"Jane!" someone was shouting.
Jane quickly popped pane found herself in class. How was she going to get rid of the ghost? How? She had it! Because she said something bad about the house, she would have to say something good.
"My house," Jane turned to Wishful "is friendly,"
"Ok.." Wishful said.

Jane lay in bed waiting for a scream but nothing came. Then someone said
"Hi,"
"Mum?" Jane asked.
"Mum? I am a friendly ghost,"
The house was haunted after all...