The Tidy Ghost in the Dairy Queen

Suzie loves Rob, but Rob has a crush on Lois. Lois isn't interested in Rob; Jessi has caught her eye. Jessi has adored Sam ever since they were kids, playing in his sandbox, but Sam has had his eye on Alicia since those sandbox days. And Alicia? Well, the object of her affection

was someone they never expected. One day, when they all were hanging about after school, Alicia confided in her friends that she was in love. With a ghost. Her friends stared at her in disbelief. A ghost? Do they even exist? Alicia assured them that they did and she wasn’t crazy.

"I'll prove it to you." Alicia declared walking away from the school in a huff. Her friends, Ace, Tank and Lacy scuttled after her. In silence, and with a determined grimace on her face, she lead them to the edge of town. There, draped in vines, was the old Dairy Queen.

Alicia put her hood up and swiftly made her way to the abandoned drive-thru market. With a deep sigh, she wiped away the cob webs and turned the handle. It was unlocked! The old metal door creaked open. Alicia made sure to move only in the shadows. Who knows who was watching.

She nearly gasped aloud once her eyes adjusted to the light. She’s never been in an in-looted store before. What were these things on the shelves? “Rubber gloves”, “Swedish Fish”, “Crisco”, “Swiffer”, “Fabuloso”, “Spam”? Then ancients we’re mysterious.

She stepped carefully. Strange things dwell in dark places. Even by match light the floors shone like they still held wax. She heard movement and recoiled, knocking a glass bottle of CranApple to the floor. Lights flickered on. “Cleanup on aisle 4,” came a voice from above.