#BRAINYBRATS21 LEVEL 3 BIGWIG: JHANVI GANDHI
THE GREGARIOUS GHOST
On Halloween, Alice dressed up as a sagacious witch. Her bosom buddy, Lisa, was an amiable alien. They went trick or treating in their neighbourhood and collected truckloads of saccharine sweets. When Alice asked Lisa if they ought to count their candies, Lisa moaned terrifyingly. Alice sighed and said, “Stop acting silly, Lisa!” Lisa responded with a spine-chilling groan and Alice’s hair stood on end. Alice reached out to pull off Lisa’s mask. It was then she realised that the creature behind this mask wasn’t Lisa at all - it was a floaty face made of ectoplasm! A ghost had donned Lisa’s alien costume!
Alice was filled with consternation. Her heart thudded in her chest and she screeched at the top of her lungs. The hovering ghost under Lisa’s costume was taken aback. Alice noticed that his protuberant eyes were cerulean blue and he had a long white moustache. He didn’t seem threatening in the least. His gregarious features slowly drooped and he buried his head in his translucent hands. Alice realized that she wasn’t in any danger and stopped shrieking. The ghost spoke in a hushed, breathy voice, “I’m not going to hurt you, Alice. Lisa had fallen asleep and I was longing for some fresh air, so I decided to put on her costume.” “Wh-Who are you?” Alice stammered in a bewildered fashion.
“Come follow me,” mumbled the ghost, mysteriously. Alice had realised by now that the ghost seemed like quite a genial soul and was curious to see what he was about to show her. Alice followed the levitating ghost to Lisa’s abode. They walked up the creaky stairs in Lisa’s home and made a beeline for Lisa’s room. A dazed Lisa opened her eyes slowly and suddenly sat up straight in her bed.
“A-Alice?! You met Uncle Jim?” Lisa asked with a quaver in her voice. “But your Uncle Jim passed away a few months ago!” Alice replied, astounded. “He’s not just any ghost, Alice. He’s my guardian angel. When Uncle Jim left for his heavenly abode a few months ago, I was down in the dumps. Nothing could lift my spirits. As I lay in bed looking at our pictures, he suddenly appeared by my side in the form of a ghost to look out for me. Mom and Dad have gone out to run errands and they don’t know about him. Let’s keep this a secret, please?”
Alice nodded quickly, too shocked to respond. Uncle Jim regaled the girls with stories about angels in heaven while they snacked on the sugary Halloween candies. When Mr and Mrs Greene came home, Uncle Jim vanished into nothingness. “How was Halloween, girls?” asked Mr Greene. “Absolutely GHOSTLY, Mr Greene!” replied Alice as she looked at Lisa with a twinkle in her eyes...
