A Spirit by any Other Name

"And I thought morning classes were bad," Mason managed to cry out between pained breaths. He rushed down the hallway searching for any means escape, quickly looking for a stairway. He was the new guy, the schoolgrounds were unfamiliar. Lost without a hope in the world Mason stopped running to catch his breath. His head was swirling. He had to think, fast.

Should he continue trying to find a stairway, hide, or maybe look for another way out? The window. He could manage a fall from this height. He checked for a latch but found they were all bolted shut. Made sense—probably a dumb plan anyway.

"Hello," The ominous disembodied voice bounced throughout the hallway, impossible to track. To hell with that.

Mason eyed a nearby fire extinguisher. Now he had a new dilemma in his hands, one of masculinity. Was he really going to go for the fire extinguisher to use as a blunt weapon or to continue his escape plan by using it to break the window open? On one hand staying and fighting seems manly. On the other hand, Mason didn't want to die and didn't have a set of rippling muscles to fall back on for a fight.

"Dude you're creeping me out leave me alone," Mason demanded. This is where office hours got him. Hunted down by a creepy voice. If it was a freshman prank it had gone too far. "Show yourself."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." This time the voice sounded like it was right behind him sending a jolt of electricity up his back and making him shudder instinctively. He twisted around on his heel ready for anything but saw nothing. The urge to run was now being replaced by a Jell-O like feeling in his legs.

"What's going on here? What are you talking about? Who are you?" Mason blurted out his questions in rapid succession.

"It's been a long time since I've had a visitor like you, you know."

"Visitor? You're the one following me around."

"That's not how this works." The voice came from above this time, but Mason swore he only glanced up to confirm the ceiling had sprinklers—it did.

"So, you're a ghost who doesn't understand how visitation works? We're not in Ghostland." Something slammed against a locker behind him and again he darted to the noise. "Only proving my ghost theory."

"I'm not a ghost I'm a spirit." Mason now heard the voice all around him. He found himself moreso fascinated than scared now. What would the school have done if he had broken the window?

"What's so special about me? I've never heard of this school being haunted. What if I spread rumors about you myself, what would you do to me?"

"No one would believe you, and it's a complicated spirit world matter involving bloodlines. I wouldn't expect a mortal like you to understand."

"Mortal? You're going to use that as a derogatory term? Maybe when I'm dead I'll be the type of spirit that can explain the science behind hauntings. The world must know, damnit."

"You're taking this quite well. Others in the past weren't as receptive as you."

"Well what can I say, you're a creepy sounding voice. You know, I almost broke a window trying to escape you. So, what happens now? Do I get instant A's, superpowers?" Mason rubbed his chin as he felt his heart rate return to normal.

"No, but I need your help."

"Great."

Worst school ever.

"So, there's this girl. I want her. It's love, spiritual love."

"I think we have different definitions of spiritual love," Mason said with a raise of his brow. "People usually reserve that for meaning, like, platonic relationships not ghost love."

"I told you, there's a difference between ghosts and spirits! And I know what the saying is usually for—I live inside a school after all. But this obviously isn't the platonic type of love and what's worse, it's with a mortal I can't interact with."

"The same sort of mortal you bagged me for being? Say it aint so. Also, I'm this sure your sort of unrequited, supernatural, totally-not-hopeless sort of love is super common."

"I could still make your life here hell, lay off the sarcasm sandwiches. But alas, I know you're right. Why couldn't you be female?"

"Wait if all I have to be is female for you to want to date me what makes this woman of yours so desirable?"

"She's hot. I want you to keep guys away from her." Mason couldn't believe he was actually scared of this spirit at one point.

"So, you want me to interfere with the machinations of her would-be wooers on your behalf?"

"Exactly."

"Too lame, not happening."

"Don't fight me on this," the spirit growled, his voice pinging through the hallway just like before.

"Look, you don't give me anything and want a whole lot in return. If you try and haunt me then you'll just be ostracizing the one person you can interact within this school. What's her name anyway."

"Why?"

"Just curious," Mason found himself grinning slyly then realized he looked completely crazy doing so. Come to think of it—this probably all looked very crazy if anyone were watching. "What if I dated her? Then you could at least be close through proximity."

"I'm starting to regret reaching out to you."

"You should, you got some problems my ghastly friend."

"I'll allow ghastly in principle."

"Ugh, why don't you just tell me the difference between a ghost and a spirit already."

"I would but I'm pulling the plug on this whole operation, I can wait for another." Mason was in disbelief.

"Are...are you dumping me? We just met. And I never even wanted to meet!"

"It's just not working out, so let's go ahead and say our goodbyes"

"Well, bye then," Mason said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Thanks for scaring the piss out of me, not answering any questions and then being creepy about a girl." Mason waited for a response, but one never came.

"It's going to be a great year," Mason said with a deep breath.

Hopefully no one checked the school cameras.