Three Ghosts

First Haunting

Jack sat up in the dark with a start, the sound of heavy boots and trail spikes scraping along outside the bedroom door.

A hiker appeared in full winter pack, wearing snowshoes, his goggles layered in frost. His hiking clothes were ragged and covered with ice, as if he had been buried in the deep snow a long time.

In a cold voice he said, “You will be haunted by… Three Spirits.

The spirit of hikes past, of present, and hikes yet to come”…

He held a large black trekking pole in his right hand. He waved the pole over his head. Suddenly Jack stood in bright sun on a winter’s day.

“Ah, I remember this!” exclaimed Jack. “My first true winter hike, more than a decade ago. Lead by Old Joe. He’s been gone many years (true) and was one of the hike leaders that introduced me to the love of winter hiking.”

They stood in the deep snow pack watching a younger Jack and a line of bundled up hikers breaking trail on a mountain ridge.

“This was my first 4000 footer mountain,”said Jack.” I had hiked some lesser peaks and trails in southern New Hampshire, but it was the beauty of the snow covered Balsam trees and spectacular views from elevation that won my heart.”

” I never saw Old Joe after that winter,” mused Jack. “I wanted to hike more winter peaks, and fell in with a group of AMC hikers for a few years.”

Jack slipped on some icy ledge, and the spirit released his hand. He felt himself falling, only to open his eyes and find himself in his own bed.