The Mask That Always Smiles

A concoction of panic and exhilaration coursed through my veins as I traversed the depths of Heart-ling Forest. Rumours reached my ears about the sighting of a ghostly girl near the radiant tombstone that graced this area. The girl supposedly met her demise by drowning in the lake or through some other unknown fate. Details eluded me, but they hardly mattered. Such things easily slipped from my mind.

The forest engulfed me in darkness—armed with only my torch and a night-vision camera, I ventured forth without any means of defence. No one but my viewers knew of my nocturnal explorations in this ominous forest, and that was part of the thrill.

"Why am I doing this alone?" you may wonder. The answer lay in prestige. For I was Lillian Steele, renowned as the most timorous ghost hunter in the world! I didn't view it as a flaw; on the contrary, people revelled in my screams, tears, and frantic attempts to escape even at the slightest provocation. Footage of supernatural spirits and ghostly apparitions garnered mind-boggling views and clicks! Such content was devoured by the masses. They particularly relished witnessing my sheer terror!

Despite numerous sightings of the ghostly girl's ethereal presence lurking in those dense and foreboding haunted woods, the truth surrounding her existence remained veiled in mystery, whispered tales of the supernatural. No one managed to capture even a single photograph of her! It was utter madness, wasn't it?

Something seized my attention—a moving mist drifting towards the abandoned house in the distance, far from the tombstone where most sightings had been reported. I refused to flee—fear would not consume me. With my camera in hand, I advanced cautiously, ready to document what lay ahead.

As I peered through the viewfinder of my camera, a figure materialised out of thin air, right before my eyes!

A hyperactive ghost startled me, leaping into my face and exclaiming, "Don't follow her! I want to be famous! Please capture my image! Let me strike a pose for you!"

Before me stood not a girl, but a fully-grown woman. Well, not precisely a woman—a semi-translucent being adorned with long, luscious silver hair and skin radiating with glittering particles. She seemed too angelic to be a mere ghost. Despite the logical impulse to be petrified, her endearing smile banished any trace of fear I felt towards her.

"I'd heard of other ghosts gaining fame on the internet, and I, too, yearned for recognition," declared the peculiar figure with gleaming eyes, brimming with excitement.

I stood there, lost in thought for a few seconds, captivated by her eyes. They resembled glistening drops of snow, radiating a crystalline brilliance that added an ethereal touch to her gaze. Swiftly, I snapped out of my trance and retorted, "How on earth did you hear that?"

I should have been terrified right now, but this ghost looked so otherworldly. There was something about her that made me feel safe, despite the nagging feeling it might be a trap. I needed to shake off this enchantment—she might cunningly attempt to abscond with my soul or devour my very essence.

"I wouldn't be able to capture a clear photo of you... it would only turn out as a blur or mist. Your spectral presence isn't very photogenic."

"Whaaat, am I not beautiful?" she questioned, leaving me at a loss for words.

After a moment, I replied, "You possess a unique charm, like that of an adorable pug dog."

"So I'm pugly?" she asked.

"No, you're pug-ti-ful," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

The absurdity of our conversation dawned on me. "This whole conversation is quite ridiculous," I remarked.

"I am Larisa! While all the other ghosts revel in fame, my existence has remained unnoticed! For over a decade, I've haunted these woods, longing to be acknowledged. Please, take notice of me!" she pleaded.

It took a moment for her words to sink in, and finally, I responded, "Why does fame matter to you?"

A hint of sadness crept into Larisa's eyes. "I just want to be remembered, to feel like I actually existed in the world." Larisa continued, "Why did you think we moved objects and created spooky noises? We thrived on this attention. Doing spooky things was the only way we could instil fear in others."

She might not have been terrifying, but I didn't dare publicly disagree. Why wasn't I fleeting? This was the first time I'd encountered something paranormal without sprinting for miles. I had been mercilessly mocked online on eBunnee for fleeing from a bird rustling in a bush.

Summoning my courage, Lillian asked, "For centuries, you've been elusive, appearing randomly in photos here and there. Yet now, you reveal yourself to me without hesitation. Um... reasons?"

"As I caught a glimpse of your eBunnee account while you approached, I realised there was no one else worth revealing myself to. They couldn't compare to yours. I patiently waited for someone worthy, someone like you, to provide an exclusive experience. Your 20k followers were simply astounding, with their ever-loving devotion. I longed for them to love me too," Larisa explained, a tinge of wistfulness in her voice.

"W H A T? How do you even know what eBunnee is?!"

"Of course we do! We all have an account!"

"A ghost has an account?"

"Even Nira has one."

"Who has one? Who is Nira?"

"She is the girl you scared into the bathhouse over there." Larisa fully extended her arm to point at the building two feet in front of us.

"She was scared of me? She is scared of strangers, unless they are animals. She can make animals do anything she wants."

"Quite the irony for a ghost to run away from me."

"Why is that? I thought you came here to see us!" Larisa asked in confusion.

"Because... because... some ghosts are malicious and unpredictable."

"Lies! We are all nice!"

"Is that true at all? Even the ghosts of criminals who perished in prison, some of the most hardened, malevolent, and unrepentant people on the planet? I can't imagine them being very nice."

Larisa hesitated for a few seconds before replying, "Ummm... I'm sure they are wonderful people if you get to know them. I am not one to judge. WE SHOULD TOTALLY VISIT THEM SOME TIME!"

Larisa's sudden burst of energy, shouting the last sentence, made me jump out of my skin. What an unusual ghost Larisa was. The way she shouted it made it seem like she'd just won the lottery or something, or just got the new phone she'd been waiting weeks for. Her overreaction made me forget for a second that she'd even mentioned having the silly app, eBunnee.

"So you have eBunnee? So you're just another 'mainstream' person?" I sighed.

"Yes, yes, yes! Calling me a person is such a compliment! I haven't been near a physical person in so long. I'm just happy to be here to bring some magic to your world!" Larisa replied with great enthusiasm. It didn't occur to me before how childlike and innocent her behaviour was. She emanated a captivating aura of self-assurance, making it nearly impossible to harbour any dislike for her. Her eyes held the excitement of a child unwrapping a birthday gift, brimming with unadulterated wonder for the world.

"Show me!" I exclaimed.

"Sure." Larisa pulled out a mobile phone seemingly out of nowhere. "But I don't use it, we just lurk"

"Do you follow me?" I questioned.

"Do YOU want me to follow you?"

"Sure, why not?!" I then followed up with, "Okay then, if you have magic to showcase, you can show my disciples... ahem, followers right now on eBunnee. Do some magic. I can make it go live as soon as I click this button."

Larisa stood still, looked around for a few seconds, and then launched into a bizarre dance routine—a cross between a zombie and a drunkard. Whatever it was, it looked crazy F U N!

I saw nothing through the viewfinder; all I could see was the grass moving rapidly where Larisa's feet tapped as she danced away. My viewers were saying it was all just wind:

Metagirl444: least she is not running away this time. #teamlilly

Cowgoesmoo: Thanks for showing us the trees and grass. Is this a natural documentary or wot?

DJ-Beatdrop: Cowman, you should go eat the grass -_-

Cowgoesmoo: ffs noT you again DJ!

MSMinx: IC NOTHING SHOW ME THE GHOSTS!!

EmzluvsStu: I am going back to Jess's stream. Least stuff happens on his stream.

"Larisa, please, stop, they can't see anything you are doing!"

MSMinx: Now the crazy girl is talking to herself

Metagirl444: EMZ am reporting you for being a hopper

Feelingblue: Larisa? The infamous Larisa. She isn't there, Lilly, stop faking your stuff. Jeez.

"Larisa, please stop! Are you listening?"

Larisa is continuously dancing and ignoring her, seeming to be in a trance. "Okay, I am going to leave you to it. Bye-bye. I'm starting to feel a little humiliated."