@connorspiracy[pm] Oh, you think? I mean, it wasn't exactly a fun experience and all, but I know you weren't yourself. You were like, high on the moon or something?
[pm]
Yeah sorry man, I uh
you ok? Like did I hurt you? its hard to remember
Uh, kinna, normally the moon doesn’t affect people like me. But apparently others like me were super-vibed too? So I dunno what the hell is wrong with the moon around here.
[PM] Well maybe he meant the crossing swords thing more figuratively. Yes, I like my house, and my furniture. Please help!
[pm] Figuratively? What the fuck would that even mean if it’s not literal sw-- He’s a kid and like a younger brother. You suggest anything too figuratively and I’m going to let those snicker snackers eat your whole fucking apartment.
[pm] Mate, something weird is going on with Adam. I think cause of the full moon.
[pm] Can anyone in this town get a single fucking bre Adam isn’t a wolf. Alcher can’t turn p It can’t be the full moon. Adam isn’t a werewolf. What’s going on with him?
It was early morning and Julie was taking a stroll through Strawford park. She’d encountered ghosts here, some trying to talk with her but she just lights up a cigarette and takes a shortcut through the park, ignoring the dead. She heard a voice, however and knew right away it couldn’t have been a ghost. Whoever was speaking was living. Turning to the sound, her eyes narrowed until the fog lifted and she saw a young man chatting it up with someone. A ghost. She could tell. Taking a long drag, she walked over, figuring it must be way more interesting than what she was going to do for the rest of her day. It was the ghost that caught her first. He looked equally young, she couldn’t put an age based on his clothing. She met his eyes and that seemed to unease him. “What’s going on here?” She asked, flicking the cigarette down onto the grave. “Having a picnic in the park, huh?”
Cemeteries were always, always loud. Connor tended to try and pass them as quickly as possible unless he was doing something specific there, but since he was new to town, he decided to explore. The sun hadn’t long come up, there was whispering of spirits not yet passed on filling the air around him, but one had stood out more than others, a full body apparition, standing over their own grave. That had been about three hours ago, and he and Connor were still chatting away when the stranger approached. “A picnic would be great, to be honest. I’m starving.”
The ghost, whose name Connor had come to learn as Gerald, gave a snicker. “I miss food. Whenever they bring the McRib back and I can’t eat it, it kills me all over again.”
Huh, so they could see each other. “You can see him?” Julie asked Connor just for clarification. She saw the ghost clear as day but she wondered who this guy was chatting up with spirits in a cemetery. Julie always ignored them - none of them had anything to say worth listening to. The guy looked familiar. She kept her gaze on him. “You look familiar. Who the fuck are you?” Despite the curse, there was no malice in her tone, she was just curious. Out of habit, Julie just ignored what the ghost said, barely even glancing at him. The fuck was he still doing on this plane anyway. Just go and cross over already. Waste of both their time, if she was being honest. She never bothered to help them out. Messing with regular humans was more fun than talking to a ghost most people couldn’t see.
Connor remembered having a conversation (if you could call it that) with this abrasive young woman online. She looked just like her profile picture, except in her profile picture she wasn’t defacing cemeteries. “Course I can see him. You don’t seem very guarded about the fact you can see him too.”
“Keep smoking and you might end up here soon too,” Gerald chimed in. “Then we can see each other all the time.”
Julie was about to answer the live person when that rude bitch ass ghost responded and she turned to look at him. “Please, I doubt you’ll last on this plane for more than a couple of years before someone exorcises your ass.” She said with a roll of her eyes before looking over at the other guy. “I figure since you can see him, you wouldn’t be too surprised someone else could see him too.” Although maybe it brought him some relief, that someone else out there could see ghosts? Then again most supernatural species could, so it brought to question what he was. Because she was starting to recall. “Are you the guy online? Uh… Connor’s piracy or something?”
Connor’s eyes widened and he arched a brow at Julie, letting out a snicker. “Bloody hell. You’re blunt-force trauma in a human body, aren’t you?” He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by it though. Gerald feigned shocked offense, but since she’d already thrown a cigarette on one of his neighbour’s graves, he wasn’t exactly expecting her to be kind and cuddly. “Most people aren’t that honest about being able to see ghosts. Suppose White Crest is different.” He rolled his eyes a little at her getting his screen name wrong. “It’s all one word. Like conspiracy, but with an extra syllable.”
Julie shrugged her shoulders, leaning against the headstone. “Yeah, White Crest is a very different town. Not like anything else out there.” So many supernaturals were drawn to this place. Was there something here? Did something lead her here. Something outside of the mark. “Ah, okay, I get it now. Pretty clever. So do you really like conspiracies or what?” Julie grew more curious about him. Could he be the one that was sent information to? Might as well find out right now. So she could kill him and give this ghost guy a ghost friend.
Connor was a bit of a documentary maker, even if those documentaries were only on YouTube, so he found people in all their forms to be incredibly interesting. That was how he’d got through to so many ghosts over the years. It didn’t matter if Julie was a bit rude. She was still interesting. “Have you lived in a lot of places?” he asked, vaping as he continued talking. “Just a catchy name. I do conspiracy theory stuff, but mostly ghosts.” He looked up at her. “What do you do?”
“A few.” Was all Julie was willing to give. “What about you?” She wasn’t too curious but since he had asked and she answered, it was alright for her to ask too. She was curious if he was a normal human, however. Even if he could see ghosts. “I can see why you’re obsessed with them.” She deadpanned, looking over at the ghost. When you’ve seen them for a while, you get bored of it. It’s becomes more annoying than anything else. At least that’s how Julie felt but maybe he was - no, Julie didn’t know what he could be. A new vampire? Who knows. “I work with security and stuff.” Yeah, that lie wasn’t going to get old soon, was it? She needed to come up with something else.
“London,” Connor answered casually. “But I’ve visited all over. Stayed all over at some of the most haunted places.” Connor chewed the inside of his lip curiously at Julie’s choice of words. “Hm, obsessed is a pretty strong word. I just think the truth is pretty important, and people need to get their heads out of their arses and wake up to what’s around them.” He nodded, smiling a bit at her answer. “Oh yeah? That’s not surprising. You seem like someone I wouldn’t want to mess with.”
“Sounds… like an interesting way to pick your travels.” Maybe if Julie was desperate for company, she’d do that. Chances are she’d never be, however. “If you can see ghosts, why do you try and document them? Usually they do that because they can’t see them and try and document every sound and such to figure it out.” It was stupid but she supposed humans found different ways to entertain themselves. “Thanks, I guess. Despite talking to ghosts, you’re alright. Do you make it a habit, though? Talking to ghosts? Some are… more annoying than others.” She wouldn’t say dangerous because she’s a bad bitch but that’s what she was implying.
“Number one rule of being a YouTuber. Everything is content.” Okay, maybe not everything. Connor still tried to have at least a little respect for people’s trauma and privacy, but within reason. “Where did you say you’re from? Singapore?” he asked casually and shrugged in answer to her question. “I document them so other people can know the truth instead of being bloody ignorant. I can’t talk to ‘em all the time. I’d never get anything done, but… if the ghost is interesting, if I’m making something, if there’s something I can do to help… yeah.”
“Yeah, I’m from there.” Julie responded, not saying much else. What else was there to say? She left a long time ago and hadn’t been back since. Sometimes she thought about it but the thought of running into her father kept her away. She wondered if he was alive or even still in Singapore but he didn’t deserve any more thoughts of hers. “Why, have you been there?” She thought to ask, turning the conversation to him. She wondered what it must be like for him, to see ghosts and try to prove it to others in an attempt not to seem crazy? Seemed like he’d fail no matter what. “You’re not documenting now are you?” Julie hated being on cameras - it wasn’t something she needed right now. Not that she was one to show her face on the job but she’d prefer to keep her digital footprints limited.
Connor shook his head. “No, I’ve never been to Singapore. It’d be a bloody long flight. I’d love to go though. I’m sure they’ve got plenty of cool haunted places.” Every question Connor answered was like water off a duck’s back. No social situation seemed to bother him. “No, I’m not filming right now.” He looked over at Julie with a grin. “I’m not sure your swearing is very ad friendly,” he teased. “Have you been able to see ghosts all your life?”
Julie shrugged, not knowing about Singapore’s haunted history and she didn’t really care to know. She wondered what had this guy so hot for ghosts. “Yeah, pretty much, long as I can remember.” That’d been one of the first things her father had explained and she didn’t really care about them after that. They were dead people who were lonely and clingy and no one needed that in their life.
Connor still wasn’t sure what to make of this person. They seemed rude and yet awfully open at the same time. They had no trouble admitting they could see ghosts to a stranger. Even people who could see ghosts often pretended they couldn’t around Connor, just to be safe. “So are you a medium? Or something else?” he asked.
Julie looked over at him, knowing she wasn’t going to tell him shit but was curious for a second, what he knew about the supernatural outside of ghosts. Most people believed in ghosts in some form. Same as they believed in aliens. She crossed her arms. “What else would I be?” He could think she was a medium all he wanted - or something else. As long as he didn’t know what she was, Julie didn’t really mind what he thought of her.
He didn’t expect an answer. Sometimes people surprised you and were blatantly open, like him, but most supernaturals kept their identities under wraps. For good reason. Still, he was too intrigued to just let the subject drop. Connor shrugged with a slight grin. “Hmm, I dunno? Something that can see and talk to ghosts? A vampire’s off the table considering you’re out in the daylight, zombie perhaps?”
“Perhaps.” Julie said with a shrug. “What else is there that can see and talk to ghosts?” Julie personally didn’t have a clue about the abilities of some species. Her intelligence was really limited, most of it never concerned her after all. “And how do you know all about ghosts and vampires anyway?” It seemed strange for Julie, to want to share the supernatural and know about the supernatural. How could you choose what to share and what not to share? That was definitely not something she would want to do. If it was up to her, she’d keep ghosts a thing of possibility instead of something exact. She was curious why he wanted to do the opposite.
Connor tried to make himself familiar with creatures who could see ghosts, but he appreciated that she was playing it close to the chest. Smart move, even if it made things a bit more challenging for him. “I don’t know, you tell me.” His features were marked with a stupid little grin. Some would have found it charming. Julie probably didn’t. “I try and know a bit about everything supernatural. Which doesn’t mean I’ve succeeded.” He shrugged. “So if you’d like to teach me something new, by all means.”
“The fuck do I look like, an elementary teacher?” Julie asked as she spread her arms out. Why the hell would she teach anyone anything? Human, kitsune. She wasn’t here to teach. “I didn’t know vampires could see ghosts so I guess who’s the actual teacher here?” She wondered how old the guy in front of her was. She was bad with human ages. She didn’t even know what hers was as a human unless she looked at her fake identification. It was 20 something. She’s been 20 something for the longest, it felt like. “Maybe people would be more inclined to teach you about the supernatural if they didn’t think you’d shove a camera in their face and put it out for the world to see.”
“No. Do I look like an elementary student?” Connor answered, then immediately realised he didn’t want to know the answer, because she was definitely going to give him a clapback. “I think it’s because they’re dead. Or undead. Same with zombies.” Connor held his hands up, gesturing that they were empty. “Do you see a camera right now? I was just having a morning chat with my ghost friend. Now I’m having a morning chat with you.”
“I mean since you asked…” the idea of it made her snicker, he looked incredibly young but since Julie was terrible with ages, she doubted she’d get anything close to his age. “Interesting thought,” Julie hardly gave anything a thought. “So is this some kind of morning ritual? Did I interrupt?” Julie definitely wasn’t going to talk to a ghost every day. That only led to clinginess. “You should watch out for them, is all I’ll say. They’re fucking annoying as shit. On and off camera.” She pushed herself off the grave, preparing to leave.
“Yeah yeah, walked right into that one.” Connor shook his head. “Nah, I was just on my way home from a shoot. Talk to ghosts pretty often though.” He couldn’t help but grin at her words. “You reckon? Bet there’s a story behind why you think that.” But a story for another day perhaps. She was sealed up like a drum. “See you around.”
