Spirits

By Mark Leslie

"People who haven't died can still leave their spirit in a place."

Sally's words set the tone for "Spirits" which is part ghost story, part mystery and partly about the undying passion between two souls.

Fascinated by the ghostly crying of The Phoenix Baby which haunts a repertory theatre house, Sally and Rob begin to unravel the mystery behind the eerie occurrences, while learning about the undying passion that can bind two people together or a person to a place.

Spirits is a 5000 word story. This eBook contains additional author notes regarding the origin of the story, the publication history and the origin of the digital release. Total word count is approximately 8100 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stark Publishing
• Release date: Feb 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386487357

Mark Leslie

Mark Leslie is a writer of "Twilight Zone" or "Black Mirror" style speculative fiction. He lives in Southwestern Ontario and is sometimes seen traveling to book events with his life-sized skeleton companion, Barnaby Bones. When he is not writing, or reading, Mark can be found haunting bookstores, libraries or local craft beer establishments.

Book preview

Spirits

By Mark Leslie

Stark Publishing

June 2011

Spirits Copyright © 2011 Mark Leslie Lefebvre

The characters and events portrayed in this short story are fictitious.  Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author

Visit Mark Leslie on the web at www.markleslie.ca

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Spirits

The Origin of Spirits

The Genre of Spirits

The Digital Release

Update on The Digital Release

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Further Reading: Active Reader: And Other Cautionary Tales from the Book World

Also By Mark Leslie

For Chris, who inspired me

Spirits

SITTING HERE ON the bus stop bench is startlingly comfortable, even though the sheets of misty rain have already cut through my jacket, plastering my shirt to my skin.

The cold dampness doesn’t bother me.

Because my mind is otherwise occupied.

By thoughts of Sally.

I haven’t thought about her in years; ever since I left Ottawa, actually.  But now that I’m back, back here, especially, the vacant lot across from where I’m sitting –- the lot where the old Phoenix movie theatre used to stand –- stares back at me and reminds me of her.

Reminds me of that night.

#   #   #

DO YOU BELIEVE in spirits? Sally asked, the flashlight throwing long shadows up her face.

You mean ghosts?  Rob admired how her features could still seem attractive even in such an eerie light.

No, Sally said, her face disappearing as the flashlight clicked off.  He heard the echoes of her movements in the large empty theatre.  The complete darkness, coupled with the serious tone in her voice, was suddenly unsettling.  Not ghosts.  Spirits.

There’s a difference?

Uhuh, Something touched his hand in the darkness.  At first he flinched and tried to pull away.  Then he realized it was Sally’s hand.

He squeezed.

She squeezed back.

He let out a deep breath.  For a moment he had been uneasy, but things were okay again.  That’s how their relationship seemed to work.  That was why they were in this abandoned movie theatre after all.

Rob was making plans to go away to college and they had been talking about the consequences of his moving to a city four hours away while she stayed in Ottawa.  They each got a bad