Ghosts

Mila narrowed her eyes and glared across the table. "She's a baby," she said. "She's only three years old."

"I'm not!" Chloe whined. "I'm ten years old! I'm ten!"

Mila grinned sardonically, her white teeth shining. "She's a baby," she said at last.

Chloe grimaced but Mila didn't notice. She reached across the low table and snatched a small white ghost from the air, then popped it into her mouth and rolled her eyes. "She's only three," she crooned. "She's a tiny baby, I can't even understand what she's saying."

Chloe reached for a ghost but the tiny spirit wriggled between her fingers and flitted away. Mila picked another ghost from the air, effortlessly, and pushed it into her mouth, staring at Chloe as she chewed. "Baby," she muttered around a mouthful of ghosts. 

New Year 2021

 Jaime woke with a start, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked out into the darkness and screwed up her eyes as she tried to remember the dream that had woken her up. After a moment, she let her head fall back down to her pillow, then fumbled under the covers until she found her phone, hidden deep in the folds of her sheets. She squinted at the glowing screen as she held it up to her face.

January 1, 2021

2:45 AM

She dropped her phone as she felt herself teetering on the edge of sleep. "What a weird dream," she whispered to herself. "It's like a whole year passed by..." The words tumbled from her mouth slowly, falling into her pillow and then sinking away forever. After a moment, she was asleep again.