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A Fortuitous Meeting by Shelley J Alongi Aviation Series story 1. An emergency landing brings a pilot and a teacher together in a m... [16,996 words]
The Attorney's Assistant by Shelley J Alongi About a relationship between a U.S. attorney and an assistant. Emphasizes positive co... [7,617 words]
A Taste Of Death by Frank Dunsmore Dective Schmidt with Homicide of the Chicago PD is baffled by several arsenic poisonings. He a... [5,669 words]
The Animal Prison by L J Milakovic A zoo from an abused tiger's point of view. The abuse is too persistent for the tiger, and he... [823 words]
Resistance by Shelley J Alongi The actions and thoughts of a boy facing the bleak certainty of death in a Jewish ghetto in 1943. [1,414 words]
Hill Number 18 by Shelley J Alongi A major recalls taking his platoon out of a mine field in Vietnam. [1,225 words]
Timmya The Totter - And The Rise Of The Dead Part 2 by Rose Trimovski This next story has to deal with the next adventure that Ti... [6,731 words]
The Perfect Gift by T J Richards A woman goes to the middle east and finds the most unlikely of things while there. [1,681 words]
The Old Horse by Joan Bentley I wrote this one for my Dad and Arnold Palmer, believe it or not. Every year I would watch the U... [1,915 words]
The Magical Publishing Pen by Mila Strictzer Vegas and the devil. [4,596 words]
The Last Leaf by Abby Steed - [1,875 words]
The Gnome From Alaska by David Soriano A humorous short story involving... a gnome. [1,427 words]
The Cold Afterglow At The West End by David Soriano A short story involving mystery and some element of truth. [1,666 words]
The Band Played On by Sue (Sooz) Simpson - [1,486 words]
Tangled Web by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Treat `em mean and keep `em keen. [596 words]
Taking A Chance by Leigh Berry A story about facing fears while traveling in the post September 11 world. [679 words]
Sweet Child Of Mine by Sue (Sooz) Simpson The old lady had been brutally mugged, her son was sucjh a good boy, but would his thoughts... [1,843 words]
Scorn, Thy Name Is Woman by Norman A Rubin This is a story of murder committed by a meek little man upon his nagging and complain... [2,360 words]
Room For One More by Sue (Sooz) Simpson The dream was haunting and wouldn't leave Mike alone. [1,728 words]
Return Of The Hellcat (Erotica May Be Offensive) by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Please do not read this one if easily offended. Or even not so... [3,390 words]
Pact Of Joy. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Don't we all just want to be happy? [2,497 words]
Out Of Print by Sue (Sooz) Simpson A man, a boy, a love of reading and echoes of the past. [2,007 words]
One-Man Race by Sue (Sooz) Simpson He had only his nerves to rely on. One slip and the race would be lost. [664 words]
Etagere by Karen L Snyder �tag�re--Set in the 1920's during Prohibition, a lady's husband is killed in a saloon brawl. She is wit... [9,649 words]
Dreamscape by Mila Strictzer A story about dreams. [4,963 words]
Death At The Conservatory by Frank Dunsmore John Benson watched Charles Manning sip from his water bottle. Throwing a smug, disda... [3,239 words]
A Darker Night by Albert Davis I think that in this world people all have dual identities and what you see is seldom the truth ... [1,507 words]
A Brush With Death by Frank Dunsmore Homicide Detective Schmidt with the Chicago PD visits the Art Institute to take a break from... [5,169 words]
Would You Like To Swing On A Star by Lisa Petro A short story of less than 1000 words about what is and what might be. [568 words]
The Pirate Ship by Kurt Kitasaki A short satire on employment practices. [230 words]
The Origin Of Our Five Senses by Stephanie Siegfred A children's story of how we came about to have the sense of taste, touch, hear, ... [591 words]
The Night Dancers by Moya Green What do you do when your best friend gets himself captured by the fairies? [1,522 words]
The Fantastical Adventure Of William Solney by Daniel Birnbaum A story to relive that freedom of youth which touches your heart an... [9,401 words]
The Elves And The Preacher by Norman A Rubin A modern version of the fairy story which tells of a goodly cleric and how he copes ... [1,603 words]
Roch by Sunny Cybersex. [289 words]
Mourning Glory by Sue (Sooz) Simpson One of my favourite pieces. Please note *This is not a children's story* It's the tale of a litt... [1,786 words]
Mortar Doesn't Breathe. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson The house was inanimate, dead ... because her child was gone. [1,114 words]
Making My Way Back To You. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson She'd told them a thousand times to keep the front door closed, now tragedy had stru... [1,926 words]
Madness Becomes You by Sue (Sooz) Simpson She used to be someone, now she's several people, or maybe she's nobody at all, it makes no... [394 words]
Little Bird by Sue (Sooz) Simpson He liked fragile things [1,406 words]
Knockers by Sue (Sooz) Simpson It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. [2,210 words]
Just The Ticket by Sue (Sooz) Simpson You pays your money and you takes your chances. [5,177 words]
I've Always Wanted To Write... But! by Sue (Sooz) Simpson There's always an excuse if you want to find one. [510 words]
Is The Toilet Roll Half Full Or Half Empty by Sue (Sooz) Simpson It's hard when you're at bursting point. [423 words]
Airport Interrogation by Bryan Caron Susan thinks all men are jerks and doesn't feel she will ever find the right man until on... [2,579 words]
A Story With No Beginning by Bryan Caron A young writer wants to tell a fantastical tale but canot come up with a good beginni... [2,120 words]
A Date With Destiny by Stephanie Siegfred A suicide victim reflects upon her life and her fatal decision to end it when she is given ... [1,996 words]
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The Waiting Man by Dave Furniss - [577 words]
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The Midget by Nathaniel Perhay A story about a midget! [604 words]
The Heart Of The Storm by C G L Davies A bad storm makes me think. [586 words]
The Ghost Story Of Yotsu-Ya by Norman A Rubin The reader is brought to Japan during the era of the emperors - The story, based on... [1,961 words]
The Day I Killed Ryan Watts... by Lawrence Peters Just a joke inspired by a fellow poet. [157 words]
Story Of My Life by Ryan Watts A very short story with a meaning so shallow you'll puke. But read it anyway! [246 words]
Sixteen by Eloise H Anson Story about finding love, and the confusion, pain and angst that walks hand in hand with it. [3,411 words]
P.S.-I Love You by Pauline A White Frankie was just a good old country boy.He felt honored when Della became his woman. She was sm... [6,861 words]
Peter by Nathaniel Perhay A boy and his day! [1,100 words]
One More Fallen' by Jordan S Wilson a shrt overview of the tragic shooting of Tupac Shakure threw the eyes of his bodyguard. [1,944 words]
Noone To Nowhere by Alina Marquez Short story about a woman on a Greyhound bus to El Paso. [1,294 words]
Jacks, Or Better To Open by Lawrence Peters - [2,139 words]
Ghosts...
From The Backbay Chronicles - Revival Week by Pauline A White Sundays in August were special times in the South. You had Revivals... [1,551 words]
From Backbay Chronicles - Mama And The Po-Lice by Pauline A White This is a story for pre and teenagers. It is part of a series o... [2,981 words]
From Backbay Chronicles - Visiting Day by Pauline A White Sometimes the Spirit can hit you really hard... [1,337 words]
Eyes by Lawrence Peters For Parker. [339 words]
Dogsbody by Moya Green It was during the great thunderstorm that George decided to become a dog [940 words]
Blood And Honour by Bradley Postma A tale of skinhead life and death... with a killer twist. Critiques are welcome. [10,135 words]
Backbay Chronicles - Randy And Sandy by Pauline A White 'A boy and his dog' is an old theme. Love is even older, and more rewardi... [2,696 words]
Baby Secrets... by Lawrence Peters Something you always want but should never have. [762 words]

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TITLE (EDIT)
Ghosts...
DESCRIPTION
-
[572 words]
AUTHOR
Lawrence Peters
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-
[April 2018]
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL ADDRESS
[email protected]
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (30)
10:15 (Short Stories) A short story about fate and speed and the things that bring people together. [713 words] [Action]
And... (Short Stories) For Andrew, whether you like it or not, it's yours. written in Los Angeles, where writers go to become rich, lose every drop of their talent then die horribly in the gutter like Poe... thanks for show... [129 words] [Mystical]
Angel Turns Pro (Short Stories) A Paranormal Parable. [472 words] [Humor]
Baby Secrets... (Short Stories) Something you always want but should never have. [762 words]
Bog (Short Stories) A tip of the hat to the cousin's back o the hand. [387 words] [Humor]
Brooklyn Cowboy (Short Stories) - [2,364 words]
Eyes (Short Stories) For Parker. [339 words]
Fever Dreams And Memories (Non-Fiction) My first ghost story. [649 words] [Mystical]
For B. (Songs) A song for my sister Betty-Ann on her 38th Birthday. [202 words]
Fortress (Songs) - [116 words]
God's Hiding Place (Short Stories) - [230 words] [Spiritual]
Gorilla (Poetry) - [169 words]
If But For A Moment... (Poetry) - [126 words]
Jacks, Or Better To Open (Short Stories) - [2,139 words]
Love X 2 (Poetry) - [101 words]
Once (Short Stories) For you. Always. [317 words]
Once Again, With Feeling (Poetry) - [134 words]
Papa (Short Stories) For one of the greatest there was. [473 words] []
Promise (Short Stories) For Monica. [355 words] [Humor]
Syberg (Short Stories) Part one of a science fiction story... [956 words] [Science Fiction]
The Day I Killed Ryan Watts... (Short Stories) Just a joke inspired by a fellow poet. [157 words]
The Dragon And The Tiger-Bob Gets His W.I.S.H. (Short Stories) Humorous wildlife adventure [1,614 words] [Fable]
The Last Song Of C S H (A Reprise) (Short Stories) If you need to know... [578 words]
The Last Song Of Cold Steel Heart (Short Stories) - [3,382 words]
The Stone: Man Or Myth? (Short Stories) Continuing story of a legendary childhood friend, which will be updated as time and the man honors. [1,956 words] [Adventure]
Time Enough For You (Poetry) - [103 words]
Waiting... (Short Stories) - [249 words] [Humor]
Waiting For The Rain (Poetry) - [118 words]
'fly (Short Stories) Freedom [426 words]
'ticement 18 W. I. S. H. (When I See Her) (Poetry) - [91 words]
Ghosts...
Lawrence Peters


I don't remember there being a great flash of light of instant understanding, of all the pieces of a puzzle coming together. No it was more of a growing feeling, a gradual surfacing into my consciousness, a proud and deadly shock of realization of what I'd become.
I am a ghost.

I can now see the slow gradual disappearance of my self from the world, like a fist opening after the rage has dissipated.
And I saw the path that I'd taken only because of something unrelated:
Nicknames.
Never really had one that I could ever say I liked.
You can't give one to yourself; it must start with someone or something else.
Variations of your name are a given.
Descriptive bodily attributes are not nicknames, except to the Mafia.
Or calling giants "Tiny", fat guys "Slim", and old men calling everyone "Sonny."
So, when I came across the name "Renzo" for an old Italian motorcycle racer, I thought, "That's cool. Short for Lorenzo?"
I thought then that "What if I had a nickname, now, what would it be?" I heard a voice deep inside say "Ghost."
Ghost. It came firmly from the recesses of my mind, although to admit it even now, it was always there, waiting for me to say it-
Ghost.
I'm still feeling the ripples today of this psychic transaction.

Questions, questions.
So, how long have I been a ghost and when did it start?
How does it feel to be a ghost?
What do your friends think?
When were you first able to hold up your hand and see through it?


I wondered if the passing of my mom had something to do with it? No, although our psychic connection was broken it was never severed; she is always there if I need her. Past tragedies came out of the closet and walked again. No. Not even the sum of those moments held sway. I'd beaten them and was the stronger for it, stronger from it. So I looked to other aspects of who I was and counted them off. Work? Career? Home? Love? Hate? Toys? Wants needs hopes?

All this was tearing me apart and in that I found the source of my endeavor was the reason behind it all. I had created a self fulfilling prophecy: the more I dealt with the problem the more remote, the more invisible it made me. Took the shine from my smile, the reckless abandon that drives the engine channeled too tightly in the pursuit of only one narrow goal. I had become what I worst feared: I had taken myself our of a game I wasn't really in at exactly the wrong time.
Now the steps upward seem harder and higher and the will to walk them keeps me wandering at the bottom stair, uncommitted.

So I've wandered around the country, living (living? but I'm a ghost) and trying to find a way back. Loved ones still see me; it is the new ones that I leave no impression with, no lasting lingering memory to place me by.

No thing gives me any lasting pleasure. All the things I've treasured and cherished leave me cold. Undead as of yet, I walk the world looking for those things again, the remnants of what brought me alive in the first place.
And I've even evolved.
By taking this moment and spilling my guts about it here, I have become something more...
The Ghost in the Machine.
For as long as it lasts.

 

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2001 Lawrence Peters
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
June 2002
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
2424
 

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