Wolves and ghosts

"Everything ready Allie?" My dad asked me.

"Yeah, all good" I answered.

I take the last box of what used to be my room, ready to leave everything I knew behind. We had to pack everything way too fast for my liking but that's what happens when your dad gets a new job.

I honestly don't care as much as I feel I should, it's just a house, my dad on the other hand is sad, this is the house he bought with my mom when they got married, I hope he doesn't feel like we're abandoning her memories.

I exit the house, put the box with the rest of my stuff and look back, my dad is still looking at the property, I walk towards him and put my hand on his shoulder, he looks nostalgic, maybe even a little sad.

"She's no longer in that house" I murmur. Shit, I shouldn't have said that but what's done is done, also I know my dad won't take it to heart.

"I know, she's in heaven looking after us" he says, I think he was grateful I said those words.

I look up at the attic window, there's a dark shadow waving goodbye and I smile a little. I wave back discreetly.

'Yeah, she's no longer in the house but my friend is…'

"Do we have a buyer for the house?" I don't need to know but I'm curious.

"We have a couple, this is a good neighborhood so many of the buyers are young couples looking for a place to raise their children" His answer makes me happy, if a new family is coming and they have children then my friend will have someone to play with again, she will not be lonely. She loves taking care of babies and toddlers.

"You're happy?" My dad asks me tenderly and I nod "I'm glad. I'm sorry we had to move so abruptly".

"Dad, it's a good opportunity for you, don't overthink it".

"Alright Allie, get in the car, this will be a long ride".

I do as he told me, and he starts driving. We start talking to kill time, well, more like my dad talks and I just nod, smile, and say 'yes', 'mmmhm' and 'cool' on repeat.

He keeps talking and doesn't force me to talk, my dad knows I'm not much of a talker, if I have to describe myself, I'll say I'm taciturn. My social battery sucks.

After couple minutes more into the ride my dad stops talking and slow down, we were already in the highway and a police officer was making signs to stop the car.

"Hi officer, any problem?" My dad asks relax.

"Sorry sir, there was a car accident a little further and we need to stop the traffic, but we're almost done moving everything and soon you'll be able to continue" The officer explains.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?" My dad asks him. I'm sure his worried, he's a really nice guy, also he's chatty person.

I'm worried as well about the safety of the people involve but I'm not worried enough to initiate a conversation with an unknown person, I rather hear them talking.

They keep talking but I stop listening, a little girl next to the passenger door takes all my attention.

She looks sad and is crying, poor girl, she was so young… She taps the window but neither my dad nor the officer pays her any attention and that only makes her cry louder.

Her cries bother me a little, so I talk to my dad "Dad, I need to… ummm" I need to think of a good excuse… Nah, I'm too lazy to think of a good excuse "I need to pee, be right back" I say calmly.

"Sure, don't stray too far and be careful of animals, we don't want something biting your butt!" My dad says cheerly.

I wonder, should I be embarrassed? Meh, don't know, don't care. My dad and I are far too blunt for our own good. "I will be careful" I say before getting out and signaling the little girl to follow me.

Her face lit up the moment she realizes I'm paying attention to her. I can't help but sigh, this is going to be uncomfortably hard.

I walk without uttering a word and she follows behind me while doing little hops, that makes me smile, she looks so innocent.

'I think I'm far enough' I turn to look at her and start talking.

"Hi" I say, my voice sounds a monotonic, hopefully that will not make her sad.

"Hi!" she answers cheerly but then her face changes to one full of desperation and sadness "I'm lost! Please help me! I need to find my mommy!"

'Ah shit! This part never gets easier' I groan unconsciously.

"I can't help you" I say honestly, and she flinches, I think she was not expecting that answer.

"WHY!?" she whines "You're an adult! Aren't adults supposed to help children!? My mom always tells me I have to ask for help from grownups when I'm lost!"

I'm unimpressed at her lash out, if I were in her situation, I think I would act the same or worse.

She keeps going but I need to end this fast, I must return to my dad's car.

"Do you remember how you got lost?" I ask interrupting her.

"W-what?" she flinches.

"I'm not repeating what I said" I'm tired of dealing with this type of things but I already started and I'm going to finish it.

"She… we were driving home from my grandma's… and… and… a car hit us… I-I screamed… and I felt pain" she says weakly while her body slowly changes, her once clean green dress is starting to show red stains of blood, her face starts to show burn marks and one of her eyes fades leaving only an empty bloody eye socket.

"I… I died…" she says while gasping as if she was missing air in her lungs.