from "ghost & thief" by emily paige wilson

7/24/2019 from "ghost & thief" by Emily Paige Wilson

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Emily Paige Wilson

The Ghost and the Thief Share Breakfast

Tuesdays are the best days for hauntings, said the ghost to the thief. No one

suspects a specter on a Tuesday. The ghost broke the yolk of his soft-boiled egg,

a pouch of liquid pollen. The thief nodded, reached across the table for the

bottle of creamer. He poured a sweet stream into the mug he clutched, smelled

the coffee in his cup. I thought you said, said the thief to the ghost, youd get

the hazelnut flavor next. Hmm, said the ghost. The thief had been living with

the ghost for quite some time at this point. The ghost had been living once, too,but now the ghost was a ghost. It wasnt on sale, said the ghost, who himself

preferred his bitter roast kept black. The thief handled his spoons handle

briskly, brown circles in his cup swirled blonde. He knew of the coupons stashed

in the cabinet. Rising for work, the ghost placed his breakfast dish in the sink.

Tuesdays, said the ghost, are the best days for confession. The ghost said this

to the thief but stared past the window, past his pollen-coated car.


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The Ghost and the Thief Share Lunch

The thief was working in the garden when the ghost came home for lunch. The

ghost liked how the thief lurched his hands into the dirt, kneaded soil as if

admitting his need for all that is soft. The ghost thought this was probably theonly time the thiefs hands had ever given something back. This is probably the

only time your hands have ever given something back, huh? said the ghost,

aware now of how much louder than the birds his voice had become. The thief

sat back on his haunches. Huh? said the thief. The thief couldnt acknowledge

how the gold band around his finger choked his fingers throat, left it all blue

with bruise and bulging veins. How he knew hed have to amputate to get rid of

the pain but couldnt let go of the garnets red burn, the pomegranate stone andhow light shone through it. Huh? said the thief, happy to have the ring hidden

beneath his garden gloves. The ghost noticed he could smell the smell of grass,

green and clean and non-toxic. Well, I guess Ill go fix us some sandwiches,

said the ghost, promising to save the thief the last slice of cheese.


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The Ghost and the Thief Share Dinner

The thief found himself interested in veganism but knew he couldnt give up

sour cream. This is why he did not object when the ghost served roast beef and

baked potatoes for dinner. Eat the skin, said the ghost. Thats where all thefiber is. Ghost, said the thief. He was afraid to ask his question. The ghost

sliced chives, placed them in a small bowl. Ghost, said the thief. The ghost

turned off the oven. Ghost. What? said the ghost. He hated feeling harassed

at home after a long day of haunting. He rubbed his tired wrists. I have a

question, said the thief. You know the rules, said the ghost. We cohabitate

until you confess your theft, live among our miseries and Merlot like an aging

couple too afraid of change. This is the way of curses. The thief slid a handbeneath the linen napkin in his lap, ignored the burnt end of the roast. Some

record rolled out sounds in the background. Ghost, asked the thief, how long

ago did you pass away? The ghost, who had once had a name, did not like being

called Ghost. He turned to face the sink, wondering whose turn it was to buy the

next bottle of apple-scented dish soap.


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Emily Paige Wilsonis an MFA candidate and graduate teaching assistant at the

University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her work has appeared or is

forthcoming in The Adroit Journal, Haydens Ferry Review, PANK, and The Raleigh

Review, among others. In addition to Kert Green and Brauer fellowships, she hasreceived the 2012 Emma Howell Memorial Poetry Prize, was first runner-up in

the 2014 Indiana ReviewPoetry Prize, and was a semi-finalist in Tinderboxs first

annual poetry contest. She rules her life like a fine skylark and her favorite color

is mango. Tweet her @Emmy_Golightly.

from "ghost & thief" by emily paige wilson

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