Friday-Fictioneers 19 April 2024.
The Night Creep
Shop staff called John the night creep.
He had been a salesman during the day and a security officer at night.
The CCTV recorded his patrols; hood up and his shoes squeaking on the parquet.
Sometimes, he was at three places all at once, squeak, and squeak.
He insisted the system must be faulty.
Then jitters ran up and down his spine when he heard howlers.
Hoods up reflecting in the windows; cotton pickers moaning around the mall; squeak, squeak.
When challenged, they became invisible.
There were no thefts.
One night, John vanished.
The CCTV still records him.
Squeak, squeak.
James McEwan 
Nicely spooky
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Many thanks.
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Ghosted … are shoes sold at the store haunted?
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Yep, creepy sneakers. Thanks
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This is creepy. Great ghost story.
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Thank you. Squeak.
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it appears that he had died and was haunting the place.
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Yes, many thanks.
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Gosh! That was scary and well-written. What are ‘cotton pickers’?
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I assumed that since this mall, in the picture, was once a cotton exchange market that the ghosts from the cotton fields picking the cotton would haunt from the past. Just my take. Thank you.
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Intriguing! Gone but never to be forgotten.
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Perhaps, he saw something in the howlers and joined them. Thank you.
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That cottonball photo is pretty amazing :) Wonderful take on the prompt.
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Thank you
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Something squeaky going on there…I mean sneaky, err no maybe squeaky was right.
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I got the goosebumps reading this one. Maybe he was one of the cotton pickers after all? I wonder who that is squeaking about now? Creepy!
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That squeaking sure set up a ghostly echo in your story. Plus the ‘howlers’ and ‘cotton-pickers’ outside. I wonder if the customers know about these goings-on after hours. Very spooky story.
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Thank you, the ghosts of the past will always haunt us, well some people. Not me, I don’t believe in ghosts.
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No, neither do I. 🫣
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PS I love your title.
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Ghosts…or ghost shoes. Squeak squeak. Nicely done. Squeak squeak. Great story, and love the title.
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Thank you.
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Well, that gave me chills. Nice and spooky!
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Ooooooo love this. Intensely spooky. Squeak squeak
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It seems he’s still there in spirit. What more can one ask from a security guard?
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Spooky!
Fun story.
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Dear James,
Squeakingly creepy story. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A haunting squeak! Loved it.
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You’re welcome 😊
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