Prompt: Write a story with the words Ghost and Rope

Vanessa came into the room and paused. She was unsure what to think. She had had a very long day. All she wanted to do was come home and relax. Take a nice hot bubble bath and read until she fell asleep. Was that so much to ask for? Clearly it was. Clearly her roomate had other plans in mind.

“What are you doing, Grace???”

“It’s not obvious? I’m trying to hang myself, but I keep slipping through the rope!”

“Grace, love, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’re already dead. You have been for decades.”

“Ugh! Why do you keep having to remind me of this? Isn’t it bad enough that I died in the most embarassing way?”

“You had Scarlett Fever. I would hardly call that embarassing. Besides, look on the bright side. I got this house super cheap because you kept running people off. Which I still don’t understand. You’re so bright and cheerful. Well, usually. What’s bugging you today?”

“I just keep thinking about the fact that I’m stuck here. Just here. My whole family has probably moved on. They are in the afterlife without me.”

“You don’t know that. For all you know they could be harassing some other poor unsuspecting person.”

“Excuse me! I do not harass! I am just very persistant when it comes to getting what I want.”

“That’s the same thing!”

“No! It’s not. Just think how lonely you would be if I hadn’t kept bugging you and trying to befriend you when you first moved in.”

“That’s low. I would never rub it in your face that you’re alone and miserable.”

“That’s the thing. I’m not. I have you. And you have me. We’re great!”

I sighed. I couldn’t think of a response at all. Grace could be so incredibly weird sometimes. I did adore her. I had been living in this house for five years. I almost left once Grace first appeared to me, but she just kept pestering me, and here we are.