Beef Stroganoff and Phones

“How was school today? Did you make any new friends?”

“Sorry, Mom, but I didn’t. School was normal today.”

I had just arrived home in time for a dinner of beef Stroganoff. It was a favorite of mine, in part due to the strong nostalgia I had for it. Across from me at the dinner table was Mom and… my dad, with his face buried in the daily newspaper.

Hearing my voice, Dad put the paper down on his lap, then took a few forkfuls of dinner. “You know, you say that every single day, but you always spend a few hours after school before coming home. Did you join a new club or something?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“So what have you been doing then? Something that you don’t want us to know?” By now, it was obvious that his breath reeked of alcohol.

“Clint!” Mom slammed the table with a closed fist, sending some of the cutlery flying into the air. “If she has something to do, then leave her be. You want her to be an adult, yet you still treat her like a child. She can take care of herself, and that’s final!”

“Yeah? Well, you should care about what she does after school; she could be doing illicit things for all we know!”

I exited the row without a word and headed upstairs with my plate. By now, I was accustomed to their weekly drama. It did little to phase me. Within the comfort of my room, I began to watch the latest episode of my favorite paranormal series, Spirit Journal, but was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. The source was an unknown number, possibly a scam. I ignored it and continued watching.

A few seconds later, it rang once again.

“Listen, if you don’t stop calling, I’m going to—”

Blasting my eardrums was the loudest scream I had ever heard. “So it is you! Paige, it’s me, Maple!”

“Maple!? How did you find my number, and why are you calling me?”

“I wanted to call to add you to my contacts. And I found you by digging through the grapevine. I stumbled upon your friend, Daniel, who then handed over your contact information.”

“Daniel is not my friend, he’s just an acquaintance!”

“Are you sure? He talks about you all the time in my classes with him.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“He’s gone on about how you’re an amazing friend who helps him and that he wishes you were in every class with him. I would say you have a contender for your biggest fan—but I’ve already taken the title!”

Biggest fan? We knew each other for less than half a day, barring any basic interactions at school. How could she like me so much already? Yet, as scrambled as my brain was, I oddly didn’t mind the attention. It was gratifying to have someone show genuine interest in my work, but the concept of “biggest fan” puzzled me.

“Can you elaborate further on what you mean?”

“It’s nothing! Nothing at all! How about we discuss something else? Such as what made you believe in ghosts?”

Was it just a slip of the tongue? If so, then it probably wasn’t worth probing any further.

“Hmm, it’s a long story—are you sure you want to hear it?”

“Of course, I don’t mind!” I could almost hear the anticipation in her breath.

“Alright, here goes: When I was 15, my family and I went to a water park during summer break. Allegedly, the hotel we stayed at was the subject of several hauntings, but I was the only one in my family who knew.”

“How come you didn’t tell them?”

“I was confident that they would have labeled me crazy. It wasn’t their business anyway; I’ve always kept to myself.”

“But you didn’t think I would?”

“You’re around the same age as me, aren’t you? I figured you would be understanding to some degree.”

“Maybe, who knows. I could be 20 years old after failing some grades.”

“That’s not true! You’re just teasing me again… I think. Wait, are you? Please tell me you are.”

“I am! You’re far too easy to mess with!” There was a pause between her next sentence. “Sorry, I got us off topic, haven’t I?”

“It’s fine.” Clearing my throat, I resumed speaking. “I stayed behind in the hotel room while my parents went off to join their friends. I was already interested in the paranormal, so I scoured the web for information on the hotel and discovered that our room was haunted. Then out of nowhere, the bathroom rang with a loud thud, almost as if someone flipped open the toilet lid.”

“Hold up, what if it actually were someone? Maybe someone snuck in, lying in wait to make their move.”

“Maple! That’s not funny!”

“Hehe, gotcha there!”

“I’m going to ignore that and move on. So, as I was saying, I went to investigate the bathroom. Upon entering, I witnessed a mind-boggling spectacle unfolding before my very eyes. Drawn in real time on the foggy mirror were the letters: H-E-L-L-O :P. It shook me to my very core and left me terrified, even petrified. Ever since then—”

“Wait a minute, that left you scared? Paige, you have to be tougher than that!”

“Are you joking again? If you were there, you would have certainly experienced the same dread I did.”

She let out a hearty laugh, unfazed by anything. “Oh, I’m Paige, I’m scared of a greeting and an emoticon! Ahh, someone save me from the horror!”

“M—Maple! Not again with the imitation!”

“Alright, alright! That’s the last interruption from me.”

“You sure?”

“Yes…” Maple said with an exaggerated sigh.

“Long story short, that incident made me a believer. That’s all there is to it, so I hope you’re satisfied.”

“I sure am, you can go enjoy your dinner now. Byeeee!”

“Thanks, by—”

The call ended before I could finish. I sat in my chair, staring at my phone before adding her contact information. With each interaction, I learned more about Maple, yet nothing at the same time.

* * *

Now in bed, I stared at the ceiling. What was in the attic? Who was “Emily”? And why was Maple so… Maple? The last thought faded into obscurity as my consciousness fell into a deep slumber…