Haunted Guitar - short story

“Ah, finally! A nice Friday evening, all to ourselves!” Sebastian told Joanna. “Ever since our honeymoon, we haven’t been able to have much time together at home, relaxing,” she replied. She got a blanket from the bedroom and they sat on the couch to watch a calm, romantic movie together. What else would a new couple do on a Friday night?

They played the classic, Titanic and wrapped themselves up in the sheets because of how cold it had become since winter arrived in Poland. Just then, they heard the guitar from the storeroom, strumming in a very distorted tune. Shivers went down Sebastian’s spine. “What was that? We’re home alone, I don’t think a guitar strumming on its own is a common thing to hear…” he said. “Oh come on, it’s probably just the song playing in the background of the movie. Now keep quiet and watch,” Joanna told him while shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

About 10 minutes had passed, and tears were streaming down Sebastian’s face. “Is this your first time watching this movie?” Joanna asked Sebastian. Offended, he replied with, “Of course not, but the Titanic’s sinking always hits hard.” Just then, they heard the strumming once again. He jumped in his seat, more scared than earlier. “It’s that sound again!” he screamed. By now, Joanna was slightly disquieted as well. “Go check what it is, please!” Sebastian told her. “You know I just finished a marathon this morning, my legs are sore. Go do it yourself,” she replied.

He walked to the storeroom on his tiptoes, with bated breath. The room was dark, as there were no windows to emit light from, but the light from the door happened to spotlight the guitar that made the eerie sounds. Too afraid to turn the light on, he walked over to it with his heart skipping multiple beats. Just as he was about to reach it, he tripped on a vacuum cleaner’s pipe and fell on his back. The “thud!” sound filled the room and about 3 seconds after he hit the floor, the guitar started strumming again. His memory of bruising his back completely left his mind as he got up in the blink of an eye to dash towards the couch.

He whined with his hands together and coaxed Joanna to go see what was causing the sounds by herself. She kept refusing as her legs were still recovering from her 6 hour marathon. But after at least 5 minutes of Sebastian’s non-stop complaining, she finally decided to go see what it was that kept interrupting their movie, when they get a chance to relax like this only once in a blue moon.

She walked at a snail’s pace due to her footache. Just when she opened the storeroom door, the guitar started strumming again. Sebastian shrieked in the living room, wrapping himself up in the blanket, covering his face. Joanna rolled her eyes and went inside. She turned on the lights. She reached towards the guitar when it started strumming vigorously. She took one look inside, and yelled “SEBASTIAN!” She stomped her way to the hall and looked him dead in the eye, holding the guitar in her hand. “Don’t hold that haunted item here! Throw it out! Burn it!” he told her, panicking. She held it out towards him, and he peeked inside as it was strumming like crazy. In the soundhole was a little moth, stuck, trying to get its way out. Sebastian’s face froze as he realized what he would have to undergo from his wife after she set it free.

The End