Title: The Helping Ghost
In a quiet village surrounded by mango trees and misty ponds, there stood an old blue house that nobody dared to enter. People said it was haunted. Windows creaked at night, doors opened by themselves, and sometimes a lantern glowed inside even though no one lived there.
One evening, a curious boy named Rian decided to find out the truth. Carrying a small torch and a brave heart, he stepped inside. The air smelled dusty, and the floor groaned under his feet. Suddenly—tap tap—he heard footsteps behind him.
"Hello?" Rian whispered.
A soft voice replied, "Don't be scared. I won't hurt you."
Out of the shadows floated a pale, glowing figure. It was a ghost—but it looked gentle, not frightening. Its eyes were kind, and it smiled shyly.
"I'm sorry if I scared you," the ghost said. "My name is Arlo. I used to live here long ago."
Rian blinked in surprise. "You… you can talk?"
Arlo nodded. "Of course. I've been waiting for someone brave enough to visit. I need help."
Instead of running away, Rian felt curious. "What kind of help?"
The ghost pointed toward the attic. "There's a small wooden box hidden up there. Inside is a letter I wrote for my family before I… disappeared. I want it delivered."
Rian climbed the narrow stairs. Cobwebs tickled his arms, and the roof rattled in the wind. After searching, he found the box. Inside was a faded letter tied with string.
The next day, Rian followed the address written on it and delivered it to an old woman in the next village. When she read it, tears filled her eyes. "This… this is from my brother," she whispered. "He vanished years ago."
That night, Rian returned to the blue house.
Arlo appeared again, glowing brighter than before. "Thank you," he said softly. "Now my message reached home. I can finally rest."
His form slowly shimmered like mist in moonlight.
"Wait," Rian said. "Will I see you again?"
Arlo smiled. "Whenever you help someone, I'll be there—in spirit."
With that, he faded away, and the house became silent forever.
From then on, people noticed something strange about Rian. Whenever someone lost something, needed courage, or felt lonely, Rian always appeared at the right moment to help—just like a friendly ghost no one could see.
And sometimes, on quiet nights, a faint glowing light could be seen beside him… watching proudly. ✨