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Affection of a Ghost
By Mary Clark, Marvin Paracuelles Trafford Publishing
Copyright © 2014 Mary Clark
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4907-4935-8
CHAPTER 1
In a dull, lonesome graveyard, there dwelled a young ghost named Todd. He had been a ghost for several years. He envied the living; however, he did not frighten or harm them in any way. Todd merely yearned to be among the living again. In a cottage right next to the graveyard, hidden by the thick trees, weeds, and bushes, lived Vincent, a mysterious warlock. Todd knew it was very well possible Vincent could make him alive again, but he was too scared to ask. What if Vincent had a cold personality or just simply wouldn't do it?
One day, a young girl and her parents moved into a big house not very far from the graveyard. Of course, Todd was curious to see them. He saw the family moving their belongings into their new home, and before long, they got settled in. Todd noticed the girl and started having a crush on her.
After she and her parents got settled in, Todd went by their home one day and noticed the girl by the pond next to her house. This time, Todd got a better, longer look at her and was love struck. She had long light-red hair, bright-blue eyes, and rosy-pink lips. "Wow," Todd thought to himself, "she's gorgeous!"
After a few moments, the girl leaned over the pond to look at her reflection. Unfortunately, she leaned too far and fell in! She frantically splashed and screamed for help. Todd flew over to save her. He grabbed his crush's shoulders and pulled her back on land. Just before Todd reached the girl, she passed out, and he stayed by her side until a minute later when she began to wake up. The ghost quickly flew behind a nearby tree and watched her get back up.
"Whoever you are, thank you so much!" she called out and went back to the house. If Todd still had a beating heart, it would've skipped a beat when he heard the girl call that out. Not only was she thanking him, but her voice was like a dove singing.
Later that evening, when the sun was about to set, Todd returned to his crush's house and saw her in her room, resting for a bit. He entered and gazed at her while she napped. The girl looked so angelic! The love-struck ghost gently stroked her hair and then her cheek and shoulder. Since Todd was a ghost, his touch was a bit chilly. The girl twitched for a few seconds then rolled over and pulled her blanket farther up. Todd then went back outside and returned to the graveyard. Finally, he had the courage to ask Vincent if he could revive him.
When he arrived at the warlock's residence, Todd knocked on the door. The warlock came and opened the door and told Todd, "Come right in!" After Todd had entered the cottage and Vincent had closed the door, the warlock said, "I know you've wanted to rejoin the living for quite a while. Now you're in love with a living girl and want to be with her. Yes, I can assist you!"
Vincent got out his spell book and found just what he needed on making a ghost alive again. He mixed together some herbs, spices, a few mysterious liquids, and other secret ingredients. When he was done, Vincent poured the potion into a vial and put a lid on it then recited a special chant. After the chant was complete, he gave the potion to Todd and told him, "Go to her house and drink this. It will make you mortal once again. However, you have until the stroke of midnight on the night of the next full moon for this girl to love you in return. If she does not, you'll become a ghost again."
Hearing that part made Todd nervous, but nevertheless, he was very excited! "Thanks so much!" he exclaimed.
"My pleasure!" the warlock replied. "But let me inform you of a few other things. Obviously, it's been a long time since you've had a living body. After you transform, you'll be a bit flimsy and shaky for a little while, but you'll recover soon enough. Plus, the transformation itself will give you a sharp jolt, and you'll most likely pass out. But it will only be for a brief time. Now, the next full moon is one week from tonight, so go to her now, and good luck!"
Todd cried, "Okay, and thanks again, Vincent!"
"You're very welcome!" said the warlock, then he chuckled as Todd left his cottage and rushed to the girl's house.
Todd arrived at his love's home. He took the lid off the vial. "Well, here goes," he thought, then quickly chugged down the potion. Sure enough, a piercing jolt coursed through him, much like shock. As he trembled, the vial and its lid flew into the bushes by the porch. Then, he passed out.
Before long, Todd slowly regained consciousness. He felt very different, feeling a soft warmth throughout his body. Just then, Todd heard the front door of the house open, then a pair of footsteps rushed up behind him. Before he could turn around to see who it was, a pair of hands carefully turned him over. Todd slightly jumped since he was nervous, plus he wasn't sure who was there. Then he saw it was the girl's father.
"Don't be afraid!" his crush's dad said gently. "I'm not going to harm you!"
After a few seconds, Todd raised his hand and rubbed his neck. He had a pulse! Next he looked down at the rest of his body while gliding his hand over his abdomen, legs, and side; he also patted his flesh a few times while doing so. Yes, Todd was now a living mortal.
"It's okay, you're still in one piece!" the girl's dad laughed. Todd smiled shyly. His love's father then helped him stand up. Just like Vincent said, Todd was flimsy and wobbly. Luckily, the father had a firm grip under Todd's arms. "Hold on to my shoulders for a minute, okay?" he said to Todd.
"Okay," Todd said weakly. After he grabbed and held on to Todd's shoulders, the dad draped and wrapped a long yellow blanket around Todd. Then the man led him inside the house.
Todd immediately saw that they had quite a spacious living room. The father had him lie down on a soft green velvet couch. Then he draped another blanket over Todd. Next he called into the next room, "You can come in now!"
The girl and her mom entered the living room and joined her dad at Todd's side. His crush asked, "Who are you, and where are you from? Do you live around here?"
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Affection of a Ghost by Mary Clark, Marvin Paracuelles. Copyright © 2014 Mary Clark. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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