Encounter with a Ghost// The Ink Well Fiction Prompt #131

That night, Miguel worked overtime, but it was very late, it was almost midnight, the bike would not start, so he had to walk back home, he decided to take a shortcut, to get there faster; On a narrow road, leading to the avenue, he met a girl, she kindly smiled at him and he responded with another smile.

"Hello, I am Dalila".

"I'm Miguel, it's nice to meet you".

Miguel wanted to shake her hand, but the girl left him, with her hand outstretched, and kept walking.

"A girl shouldn't walk alone in the street at this hour," said Miguel.

"I live in these streets, only at these hours I can go out."

"And why is that?"

The girl did not answer.

"Sorry for the intrusion, I just wanted to make conversation".

"Just walk, I will accompany you, until you get to a safe place".

"It is I, who must accompany you."

The girl walked forward and Miguel followed her. When they passed through a park, the lights on the poles went out, a strong breeze moved the trees.

Miguel lost sight of the girl, but he saw the shadow of a man with a hat approaching him, everything was very dark, he could not see well what was around him, he already had goosebumps, his heart began to beat rapidly. It began to beat rapidly.

"Come this way," he heard a whisper.

She was afraid to turn around, but slowly she turned her head, there stood Delilah, her newly acquainted friend, who seemed to glow in the dark.

"Why do you have that strange glow?" she asked.

Once again, the girl ignored him, just turned around, her back to Miguel.

"Let's keep walking, this place is dangerous."

Miguel, heeded the girl and was walking behind her, when suddenly, a dog jumped in front of them, he had big bright eyes and gleaming teeth, behind him, came a tall, slender man, with a big hat on his head.

"Dalila, introduce me to your friend!" said that man, his voice hoarse and booming.

The girl, quickly stood in front of Miguel and said:

"Leave him alone, he's a good man".

"For you, they are all good".

"Hermes, let him go, I promise, get one, that if you can take it".

"If you go on like this, you'll never stop being a Phantom, Delilah!".

The man turned around, walked a few steps and vanished; Miguel was terrified when he saw this.

"A ghost? How is it possible, if you look like a normal girl".

"What Hermes said, it's true, I am a ghost".

Miguel felt, short of breath, he didn't know what to do, whether to run or to continue there, with the girl.
"Let's go on, I'll get you safe and sound out of here".

They walked about a block, but Miguel stopped and asked her:

Really, are you a Phantom?

At that moment the electricity arrived, Miguel watched the girl stealthily, looking for something different in her, but apart from the glow that radiated from her skin, she looked like a normal person.

"Yes, I am a ghost, 150 years ago, I lost my life in a lagoon that was right where that park was built, but it was not yet my time to die, so my ghost is wandering around here, the only way I can stop being a ghost is by catching 1,000 souls for Hermes", said the girl.

Miguel kept staring at the girl, he could not believe that this could be true, then, he tried to touch Delilah's face, something more surprising happened, the hand went through her face, as if she was not there.
"It can't be, it's true, you're a ghost".

"Let's stop, of games and go on, you are still in danger, in this place."

The girl explained to Miguel, that Hermes, was a hunter of Souls, who had many ghosts, who were in the same condition as her, and needed to get people, so that this one, would take their souls.

"How many souls have you accumulated?"

"Only a few".

"And why didn't you give me to Hermes?"

"Only, I give him to bad people and you, you are good, I can feel it".

They continued walking, until they reached an avenue.

"Here, you are already safe", said the girl.

Miguel turned to thank her, but Delilah had already disappeared.