018: ghost

The phone call was brief; muffled sobs over a static-filled line, cut short by a battery's final breath. Now there was no one to listen, not even the slightest stirring of some creature lurking beneath the floorboards. Only the echo of sobs, as water poured freely from behind tightly-clenched eyelids.

A memory seeped-out between tears, of a child curled-up in a quivering ball, frightened of the thunderous noise outside; within moments, a gentle, warm hand found the quivering shoulder, and with its touch stilled the fearful soul.

With a familiar touch, the sobs started to fade.