Mary closed her eyes tightly, willing the apparition away firmly with her mind. When she opened them again the man hanging from the tree had vanished. In his place an old rope swing creaked in the breeze. She tucked a wayward strand of her black hair behind her ear and glanced furtively around. Good nobody seemed to have noticed. Gripping her books to her chest she quickly crossed the street and jogged up the uneven brick of her walkway and leapt up the steps of her parents crumbling Victorian. Shoving her key in the lock she jiggled the handle at just the right angle until the door unlocked with a muted click. She entered the large foyer and tossed her lunchbox onto the polished hardwood floor. Ignoring the flickering Emelia, she walked through her and up the stairs

"You know I hate it when you do that dear." The old lady said plaintively floating after her up the staircase.

"And I hate it when you move my stuff." Mary muttered as she opened her bedroom door ditching her backpack and then flopping onto her bed.

"But everything is just so messy." Emelia whined as she smoothed the coverlet of Mary's bed. "I like things tidy."

"This isn't your house now Emelia " Mary reprimanded. "You cant just move things, I was late to school again because you moved my cell phone. I spent twenty minutes looking for it this morning."

"But I put it beside the other doohickeys." Emelia protested weakly.

"You put it beside the remotes in the living room. I literally never go in there." Mary countered, and then gently added. "Look I know you're trying to help and I appreciate it. But its really weird sharing my room with a eighty year old lady who just so happens to walk through walls."

"Do you think I like being here?" Emelia asked sadly. "I'd much rather be in heaven with my darling Albert. But instead I'm forced to coexist with moody teenager who listens to insane clowns and worships the Dark Lord."

Mary sighed dramatically. "For the thousandth time I don't worship Satan. I'm a witch. A good witch who likes Insane Clown Posse." she quickly added.

Emelia went to pat her shoulder and Mary winced as a blast of cold ran through her body. "I know dear I know but you must admit their music is so foul!." Emelia whispered as she vanished. It took a lot of her energy to touch something living and Mary knew it could be several hours before she reappeared.

Mary moved to the window and peered out across the street. Sure enough the man was back. His corpse was swinging gently in the fall breeze. His dead milk white eyes met hers through the branches. Mary leaned closer to the window, her nose pressed against the glass. She squinted at the corpse. Was he smiling?

It had been happening more and more lately, the dead were constantly demanding her attention. It always freaked her out a little when they popped up. On more than one occasion she had actually shrieked, startling her friends and mother. People were going to think she was crazy unless she got it together. She had combed her spellbook looking for a permanent banishment spell but had been unsuccessful. She was unsure if it was because she wasn't strong enough, or if the spellbook was missing a vital step. But through trail and error she had found a temporary fix.

Mary spun from the window muttering "Vanishima el spectora". The hanging man vanished. Then Mary unzipped her backpack and pulled out her advanced calculus textbook with a groan. She hated math. If there was a only a spell for homework she thought ruefully.