Throughout the day, the atmosphere between Leah and I was a little frosty but it didn't last long. We sat on the couch watching TV when she suddenly said.

"Hey, Darell."

"Yeah?"

"Should we tell Sandra I'm here? I can't stay cooped up in here forever."

"...That's actually a good idea Leah. But how will we explain the situation to her?"

"Just call her over here so that I can jump-scare her (chuckles)."

I chuckled a bit before I caught myself and said.

"I'm serious Leah."

"Okay, just call her over and tell her you have something to tell her and when she arrives we will both receive her at the door. We can only hope she doesn't panic too much."

I thought about her plan and nodded, it sounded logical so I did just that and called up Sandra. She currently wasn't home and said she would be back in 30 minutes to an hour.

Leah and I rehearsed what we would say to pass the time and calm our nerves, even though Sandra was a great friend we had no clue how she would react.

As we rehearsed for about the 10th time, I heard the doorbell ring and said.

"Coming!"

We walked to the door with our stomachs in knots. I reached for the door and opened it to reveal Sandra who looked slightly tired.

She looked at me, not acknowledging Leah by my side at all, as she said.

"So, what's up Darell? You sounded urgent over the phone."

I turned to Leah in slight confusion and she returned the expression.

"What are you looking at?"

"Umm.. nothing. Why don't you come inside first."

"Okay. Can I get some water though? I'm parched."

I just nodded and went over to the fridge to get some cold water. I turned back to see Leah reach out and touch Sandra but her hand phased through her and I stopped moving as I froze in shock.

Leah pulled her hand back and called out Sandra's name but to no avail, as her voice seemed to have vanished. As I stood there and watched, Sandra called out.

"Why are you just standing there like that?"

"Oh, it's nothing... I just zoned out, let me get that water for you."

I opened the fridge and got the water while questioning the events that had gone on this past week.

As I handed her the bottle of water, Leah was now trying to take it from her grasp but her hands phased through it. She was getting frantic now, she tried to flip over the table but she phased through it and fell to the ground due to her own momentum.

I turned to her and reached out a hand to help her up but my hand phased right through her as well. I heard Sandra ask again, this time her voice heavy with genuine concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

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"Yeah I'm fine... just thought I saw a... shard of glass but it's fine."

"Oh.. okay. But if there's any problem you can tell me, Darell, you know that right?"

"Yeah Sandra, I know. As for what I wanted to tell you..."

I made up a random, not-so-believable lie that pacified her. We talked for a few minutes then she left. Leah immediately turned to me and asked with an expression of pure confusion on her face.

"What just happened?"

"I... I don't know."

______

We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what happened, the most likely explanation was me going through some kind of mental breakdown and hallucinating Leah being here. Even though I didn't entertain the thought too much, This was all too real and if I actually was going insane how would I even know?

By the afternoon, Leah slept on the couch while I went to our computer room to do some research. Even though I knew most facts about ghosts on the internet were hoaxes, I just had to attempt to find out something.

I got on the computer and scoured the internet for any information on experiences similar to mine. About 2 hours in, when I was already contemplating stopping, I stumbled on an anonymous forum that discoursed the paranormal and cryptids.

I made my post about my experiences over the past week while leaving out some details like the blood thing and who was experiencing all of this and left the computer alone and went to grab something to eat. When I got back with a sandwich in hand and sat down, I noticed I already got a reply. I opened it up and read through it.

Cryptidhunter99:That sounds like a grief

phantom.

WallowBarell12:Grief phantom?

Cryptidhunter99:Yeah, they are an extremely rare type of apparition. In fact, I know only one person who has had a similar experience, the rest are recountings of recountings. They only appear to those in deep grief and manifest as their dead loved one, only the bereaved can see and interact with them.

WallowBarell12:How do you know all this?

Cryptidhunter99:Read my username dude.

WallowBarell12:Okay..? Anyways can you tell me any other facts about them?

Cryptidhunter99:Well... they tend to have various negative influences on the bereaved like causing emotional irregularity which stops them from thinking straight, the bereaved gets increasingly ill the long it grows hungry and the bereaved's self-inflicted injuries heal abnormally fast but that's about it, the really insidious part about them is that, to sustain their existence they have to feed on the bereaved or a loved one of the bereaved who the bereaved killed with their own two hands. Each time they eat, they require more and more from the bereaved until they have no more to give.

WallowBarell12: What happens if it doesn't get fed?

Cryptidhunter99: It will eventually fade away. It can also be dispelled if the bereaved lets go of their grief.

I suddenly heard someone walk over and close the tab pulling up an Amason page instead. Leah walked over and asked.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing really, just window shopping."

Her eyes brightened as she continued.

"Oh, let me tag along."

She sat on my lap and we window-shopped for a bit. She eventually stole my sandwich a few minutes in and as we play-fought over it, the atmosphere between us became much more relaxed compared to when Sandra just left. I wanted to spend the rest of my days just like this.

_____

Another week passed, and Leah still hadn't vanished. Anytime she got into the range of perception of others she immediately entered her 'ghost' mode which seemed to really bother her. I also started coughing up blood which I carefully hid.

With all of this going on, I, of course, comforted her but I began to notice a more pressing issue, Leah was getting hungrier. Her hunger grew the more of my blood she consumed. The few drops I gave her previously barely did anything for her anymore.

She is very upset at this fact and tries to get me to stop feeding her but I don't listen her hunger eventually wins her over but I knew this could not go on forever.

Leah needed a more satisfying meal, which was why I went to Sandra's house. According to Cryptidhunter, killing a person I care about should be able to sustain her so I steeled my will and rang the bell.

"I'll be right there!"

"Oh Darell it's you. Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, can I come in?"

"Sure, come on in."

She turned her back to me and I thought.

'This is my chance.'

As I was about to pounce, Leah flashed in my mind and all my murderous intentions died down, I couldn't do it. Leah would never accept to eat her flesh and even if she did, was that something I wanted to do to her? The answer was simple; No.

So I walked in with Sandra and took my seat. We talked for a bit and I eventually opened up about all the grieving I have been doing in solitude all these years. She just listened quietly and let me talk till I stopped.

She then did her best to reassure me I wasn't alone in this but it was needless as I stood up and thanked her and said.

"I know Sandra, thank you for the company."

"You're welcome, Darell."

I promptly left and headed back to my home where I found Leah lying on the couch and gave her a kiss which surprised her as she asked.

"What's got you in a good mood pumpkin?"

I just wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tight. I would cherish her for the rest of my days, after all, I said the vows