What, you still do not understand who I am? Oh, bother. Here, this story explains it. It may even startle you a little bit. Perhaps that will teach you some respect...

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Ghost Stories

(Written in 2021)

"Here kitty kitty!" I crouch down and call to a silvery cat with blue eyes that seems almost see-through.

The cat stops grooming and looks up. "I'm not some stupid cat, you know."

I jump backward. "What in the--"

The cat raises a paw, interrupting me. "Yeah, yeah, talking cat. Scary."

"Who--What are you?" I stammer.

The cat sighs. "Your guess is as good as mine. I don't really remember," the cat lowers its paw and licks it thoughtfully. It pauses and looks back up at me. "Go ahead, ask your questions."

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I'm here for the stories."

"Stories? What do you mean?"

The cat purrs, but the purr doesn't sound friendly at all, it sounds sinister. "The ghost stories of course!" Its eyes are ice in the moonlight.

I scratch my head, "I'm still confused..."

The cat flicks its tail angrily. "How about I just tell you a story, then you'll understand."

I nod and the cat begins the story.

*       *       *

Isaac swung his stick around, slashing through the air. His mother thought he was at a friend's house for a sleepover, but he didn't have any friends, so how could he be there? His mother was so gullible.

Crash! The stick slammed into a tree to Isach's right and shattered into little splinters. The sound was as loud as thunder.

"Whoops," he grumbled. Isaac sighed and started wandering farther into the woods. As he walked he started feeling the odd sensation that something was watching him. Isaac felt a shiver go down his spine. He quickened his pace, walking deeper into the woods.

He wanted to turn around and go straight home, but he felt that the thing was stalking him from behind. Turning around to see if there was anything behind him, he saw only trees. He squinted into the darkness and noticed something strange. It was the outline of a human, but huge and entirely black.

He gulped and backed away slowly. Then he suddenly spun around and dashed into the trees but quickly skidded to a halt. There was another shadowy figure standing a few feet in front of him.

The forest slowly became enveloped in the figures. It went darker and darker until there was no light at all. It was hard for Isaac to wrap his head around this.

With shaking hands, he grabbed the nearest thing to him which happened to be a large stone. He fearfully threw it into the darkness. It disappeared into the figures and a moment later it came hurling right back at him.

Isaac screamed and leaped out of the way. The rock skimmed the side of his face, slicing it open. Blood poured from the wound, spilling down onto his shirt. He wiped some of the blood off his face, trying to calm his nerves. He'd been a boy scout for five years, so he knew all about shock. He raised his fists, ready for whatever the things would throw next.

The silence was unbearable, even the crickets had gone quiet. Isaac's blood ran cold. He watched in terror as the shadows slid toward him silently and slowly. They crept across the clearing, inwards toward Isaac.

Once the shadows were at least a yard away they grew from the darkness up into the humanoid figure from before. As they moved closer he noticed their chests were rising and falling, as if they were alive. But he could hear no sort of heartbeat.

They raised their hands as if to grab him and stalked closer.

"It's just a dream, it's just a dream," he whimpered, trying to stop shaking.

One of the creatures leaped at him. Screaming, he dove out of the way. He slid under the legs of one of the other things. He picked up a stick that was next to him and leaped to his feet. He held it in front of him, pointing it at the beasts.

The shadow things turned to him, and instead of slowly gliding over to him they dashed at him, arms outstretched.

Right before they reached him they paused.

"Stay back!" he yelled, hoping to scare them off. They tilted their heads in confusion.

Jabbing the stick at them he yowled, "Go away!" He slammed the stick through one of their chests with all his might. The stick went right through and Isaach toppled over into the shadow beast.

It reached down and picked him up and started choking him. Isaac tried to pull the thing off of him but his hands went right through it. And yet it was still able to hold him. His lungs were beginning to run out of air. Panicking, he tried to kick the thing, but to no avail.

Tears began to stream down his face and his arms felt wimpy and weak.

The rest of the creatures began to gather around him. Isaac's vision began to blur.

His vision faltered. Then the world vanished.

*       *       *

I have goosebumps up and down my arms. "N-nice story," I tremble. The shadows around me seem much more threatening than before.

The cat gives me a wicked grin, "They're my specialty," the cat meows sinisterly.

A shiver goes down my spine. My heart pounds out of my chest.

"That was a fake story...Right?" I ask, knowing the answer I want to hear will never come.

A mocking laugh is my response, "Of course not!"

Suddenly the dark of night seems much more unnerving. "Where d-did you learn that one?"

"From Isaac," the cat replies.

I look down and notice that my hands are shaking quite noticeably. "H-how?"

The cat snorts. "I can see ghosts, of course."

Nothing can calm me down now. A cat that can see ghosts? Creepy shadow figures killing boys alone in the woods? What next?

I look down at my watch to see what time it is, but it isn't showing a time.

The moon passes behind a thick gray cloud, plunging the town into darkness. Out of the blue, the street lamps flicker out. I can barely make out the cat's silhouette.

Even in the darkness, I can still see the shape of the cat's wicked grin. "I can't wait to hear your story," it begins walking away, "See you soon!"

"Wait! No! Don't leave me here!" I call, but it's already gone.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps from behind me. I want to turn to see who it is but I'm too scared to move. Then, the footsteps halt, and all goes quiet. After a moment of silence, I feel hot, sticky, breath on the back of my neck, I know what's going to happen next.