Ghost (199 words) – written 3/4/16

The felt brim of a hat was pushed up with a single finger, the rest gripping a mostly empty glass of gin. The face beneath the brim was old, deep wrinkles forming a lattice of time that spoke to the years this individual had seen.

Connor Darby was taken aback by that face. The question he had been ready to ask frozen on his slightly parted lips.

The man looked at him and swirled the clear liquid slowly before taking a sip. He swallowed the liquid with a grimace, then looked at the young man. “Well?”

Connor didn’t respond – couldn’t. Instead, he shook his head slightly and turned from the man. It was suddenly clear to him that someone like that had no interest in anything he had to say. And why should he? As old as he was, what care did he have for someone like Connor.

Moving a few steps down the bar, he signaled the bartender.

“Couldn’t ask him?”

Connor shook his head.

“That’s okay.” The bartender poured Connor’s drink with a grin. “You aren’t the first that’s balked and won’t be the last.”

“So no one knows?”

“Nope.”

“And he never leaves?”

“Not this ghost…”