The Haunted Refrigerator

Word count: 403

“Aunt Lora,” K.C. rushed into the living room her eyes wide with terror and stopped between her aunt and the T.V. set. “The refrigerator is haunted.”

“Then clean it out,” Lora smiled realizing she hadn’t cleaned my fridge out in a couple of months, so creatures were probably growing in the Tupperware containers setting at the back of shelves.

“I’m not talking about that! It emits weird noise, like it’s making ice cubes, but no cubes are dumped. In fact, the container they go in is always empty when I check it.”

“The icemaker doesn’t work, K.C. If you want ice then empty one of the trays in the freezer. The ice cube trays are setting on the top shelf, behind the frozen lima bean.”

“This is winter, Auntie L., I don’t want ice; I want you to hire an exorcist to dispel the ghost living in your fridge.”

“There is no ghost in my fridge, Sweetie,” Lora took a deep breath, got up from the couch and taking her niece’s hand led the sixteen year old back into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, her mouth agape, Lora stared at the open refrigerator doors. Every item the appliance contained was wetting neatly on the floor in front of the Frigidaire. Picking up the twenty-pound turkey, Lora put it back in the freezer and closed the door.

“Why,” she turned to her niece, “did you take everything out of the refrigerator, K.C.?”

“I didn’t, Auntie L.! The ghost must have done it while we were in the living room.”

“Fine,” Lora scowled, “then help the ghost put the stuff back in and, while you’re doing that, clean out the refrigerator, as well.” Walking out of the kitchen, she went into the bathroom and turned the water on in the bathtub. Following her aunt, K.C. watched as the older woman poured lavender scented bubble bath under the flowing water.

“Sweetie,” Lora glance quickly at her niece, “go back into the kitchen and help the ghost clean out my Frigidaire. Put everything that’s editable back in and then fix the two of you a sandwich. After all, cleaning out a refrigerator is hard work, so after you’re finished you’ll both be hungry.”

“But, Auntie…”

In the meantime,” Lora smiled weakly as she turned the water off. “I’m going to take a bubble bath and relax.” Shaking her head, K.C. turned and walked out of the room.