Where is he?  Blaire walked around her local school in search of Cory.
“Cory?!” she was calling, trying not to draw too much attention to herself as there were classes in session. She walked into the noisy lunch arbor filled with screaming 5-year olds trying to be contained by teachers. She almost ran into one while they were skipping over to the trashcans.
Not seeing Cory, Blaire walked over to the cafeteria, her heels clicking on its tile floor. She squeezed past the concrete-colored wall of felt that separated the cafeteria from the small, seat-less auditorium.
“Cory?!” she called walking across the carpeted floor. She glanced up on the old creaky stage and didn’t see him. So, she walked up the stairs and pushed the thick, navy blue curtains out of the way. Disappointed, she turned around and headed back into the cafeteria, now with the last couple of Kindergarteners scurrying out the door.
On her way out, she glanced at Miss Linda, one of the lunch ladies, and flashed her a friendly smile. “Hello” Blaire said to her.
Miss Linda was a thin, older woman who had a soft, friendly looking face. She was fixing the netting that covered her short curly hair and then she handed a kid his juice box.
“Good Morning”, she kindly replied. “Is it Dia de Los Muertos tonight?”
This surprised Blaire because she had never heard Linda say more than a couple words in the 8 years she had known her.
“Yes, it is” she answered.
Dia de Los Muertos is a day to celebrate and honor those who have passed. And, at Yomega Brain Academy, they had a celebration every year.  It is a grand festival complete with dance, music, crafts, delicious food and even a parade put on by some of the students. There were also classroom altars scattered around the campus. These tables were covered in pastries, candles, flowers and pictures.
“Well then, I hope I don’t see a ghost this year” Miss Linda replied, a worried look on her face.
Blaire gave her a look of confusion, the one where you scrunch your forehead and raise your eyebrows.
“You have never heard the story?” Miss Linda asked, assuming everyone had heard this surreal story. “I thought the principal emailed the PTA about it”.
“No. If the principal sent something out… I didn’t get it.” Blaire was still shocked by Linda being suddenly so talkative.
  “Well, it was the morning after Dia de Los Muertos and I got to the cafeteria at about 6:00 AM. I usually am the first person here.” Miss Linda told her story and Blaire listened politely. “I came in and all the lights were on in both the cafeteria and the auditorium” she continued. “I went and turned off some of the lights. I assumed they were left on from the night before. I started to prepare breakfast when I heard a door slam. I went and looked and realized it came from the office. There was no one else in the school.” She repeated for emphasis. “I thought there was someone who wasn’t supposed to be here, like an intruder, so I called the principal. She came a little earlier than she usually did. I told her what happened and she decided to check the security tape…”
“Wait. The school has a security tape?” Blaire interrupted.
“I guess so” Miss Linda replied. “Anyway, the principal watched the tape while I was back in the cafeteria where breakfast was being served. Toward the end of breakfast, the principal came in and exclaimed “You should see this!”  I followed her to the office where one of the computers had a frozen picture on it.”
Miss Linda continued her story by explaining the scary surveillance video. “It was one of those videos that you see only on those ghost hunting shows. There was the empty office for one instant and the next, there was a white blur that flashed across the screen.” When Linda said this, her eyes grew wide, remembering her experience.
“Wow. Ok.” Blaire sarcastically commented. She was not good at hiding her feelings and Miss Linda could tell Blaire didn’t believe her.
“I just won’t be the first one here tomorrow” Linda declared, ignoring Blaire’s attitude.
“Yes, it was nice talking to you but I have to go”.
“Oh…sorry. I didn’t mean to hold you up. Have a nice day!”
“You too”
Blaire set off, completely forgetting about her search for Cory. What did I need him for anyways? She thought. Her mind was racing, not sure if she was believing the story she just heard. It’s not true, is it?  But she knew she had to tell someone, and she did.
As she was walking away, she tripped over Cory, who was tying his shoe.
“Oh, sorry. Are you ok?” she asked, glancing around to make sure nobody saw.
Cory got up and looked at her, his eyes sparkling. He was a handsome young man (in his early twenties): brown hair, blue eyes, perfect smile and slightly muscular. But those eyes… they were a medium-blue color that you could see your reflection in…and they were almost hypnotizing.
“I’m fine… Hello? Are you ok?” he asked in a concerned tone.
Blaire had spaced out for a moment.
“Oh, yes. Sorry. Hi….I’m fine. I was just deep in thought. Miss Linda just told me her ‘ghost story’”
“Oh, yes. I remember that. The story’s true, you know” he said. “I think I might still have the video on my phone”.
He took out his smartphone, scrolled for a minute and then played the video for Blaire to see. It was true. There really was a mysterious looking white flash in the office surveillance video.
“Oh. Now I feel bad. I didn’t believe her” Blaire told him “What should I do?”
“I think you should figure this one out yourself”.
“Ok. I’ll talk to her in the morning. I have to help set up for the festival tonight”.
“Alright, see you later”
The next morning, Blair came back to Yomega at about 6:30 so she could apologize when Linda was just beginning to work. She walked into the cafeteria and found it empty. She came back out onto the lunch courts, it looking completely different in the early morning darkness. Out of the corner of her eye, Blaire saw one of the custodians.
She ran over and asked “good morning. Do you have any idea where Miss Linda is?
“No, I haven’t seen her yet. She’s usually the first one here.”
“Oh… well thanks anyway.”
For the next half hour she walked around searching for Linda, asking anyone she saw the same question. And she always got the same answer.
Blaire gave up and decided to leave. It’s too early anyway. She entered the office and immediately saw Miss Linda coming in through the other door.
“Good morning. You’re here early!” Miss Linda greeted her.
“Yes, I know. I was actually looking for you.” Blaire replied.
“You were?”
“I wanted to apologize to you about being rude and not believing you…Where were you this morning? You are like an hour late!”
“Apology accepted. And I’m late because I didn’t want to be the first person here. I think I told you that yesterday.”
“Oops… I forgot. Thank you for forgiving me. I believe you now.”
“Yes. Well, I should probably go. Breakfast starts in a half hour.”
“Ok, then. Bye”
They went out opposite doors of the office. Blaire went home to rest before she had to be back at school later that day. Linda got back to work in the cafeteria.