How to Make a Ghost

We will make this house haunted
together, bring Bloody Mary in through the bathroom mirrors
hold séances in every room of the house
pray loudly to Satan in the back yard at night.

We will drag demons in through conjured portals
resurrect roadkill via ancient aboriginal rites
print stationary with voodoo symbols for business purposes
make love in a cemetery to arouse the dead.

We will make this house haunted together
push at the thin membrane between worlds until it pops
fill this house with noisy, angry spirits
that rattle and screech until we, too, are dead.

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Shh.

The tiny moth bumps against the window again
drawn to the light of the overhead lamp.
I debate whether to turn the light off
or open the window and let the moth in.

It thumps at the glass like a persistent bird
or a concerned angel that can’t work the latch
watching helpless through the glass as I do terrible things
protesting my decision to make tonight my last.

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Holly Day’s writing has recently appeared in Analog SF, The Hong Kong Review, and Appalachian Journal, and her hobbies include kicking and screaming at vending machines.