A Haunted Passages Poem: “The Red Kickball” by Jason Melvin

We thought it’d be fun
not waiting for nightfall
sticky summer afternoon séance
sun high up in the sky
eight of us     just kissing the teen years
hanging out on my back porch
always in search of a thrill and a scare

We circled up      discussed next moves
When all four grandparents and your father
are dead by time you’re eleven
there are plenty of spirits to conjure

We strayed from specific’s     offered commune
to any wayward ghosts     who happened
to be strutting down our suburban dead-end street

Hands clasped     eyes closed      we pooled
our collective teenage energies      we asked
If you are here, move the red kickball
it rested in the center of our circle    no movement
We asked again     louder this time    our voices throatier
It moved           one slow rotation
hands broke free     some jumped to their feet
all hearts raced behind the gasps and laughter
I tried to assure all      it was just the wind
another full rotation     same direction
silently, we watched as the red kickball picked up speed
the collective sweat     no longer from humid Pittsburgh summers
ten to twelve feet now from it’s start point
the red kickball stopped in front
of the back porch screen door
We echoed earlier proclamations of the wind
we laughed
exhaled held breaths
we gathered at the opposite end of the porch
and secretly side-eyed the red kickball

That was freaky
it was the wind
what wind?

When the red kickball began rolling back towards us
a little faster this time     all skepticism subsided
screaming      friends jumped off the porch
ran back to their neighboring houses
I had no where to go      this was my house

I stood frozen on the porch     opposite end of the door
sweat traveled down by back    teetering between goosebumps
minutes went by     as the kickball continued
lap after lap
it rolled briskly up and down the porch
the tiniest crunches heard as it compressed
the blue indoor/outdoor porch carpet
each turn     a confirmation of the unnatural

I watched         awed    
and one word came to mind

Hi

Jason Melvin writes words, takes photos, hates broccoli, loves his family, and is often gassy. His work has appeared in some really cool places, check them out here: jasonmelvinwords.weebly.com. His first chapbook, Wrong Things, was published by Bullshit Lit in 2023.

Image: reddit.com

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