Every now and then, a ghost comes to visit our little town.

He haunts the house just next door. But the neighbors insist there's no such thing.

"our house is haunted? oh man, that's news to me," one of them said.

"THE ONLY SPECTER MENACING THIS HOUSE IS THAT LITTLE WHITE DOG!!" the other said.

Only my sister believes me. Whenever he visits, I peek out from behind her and watch him lurk around town.

He never says a word to anyone, and no one says a word back.

It's like nobody can see him at all.

But he still wears that creepy smile... The kind that's so wide it hurts.

Maybe he held it for so long, it got stuck that way.

Sometimes, though? I think he realizes we can see him.

Peeking around corners, just out of sight.

His whole body freezes up.

And he raises a hand, like he wants to say something...

But my sister is brave. She holds up her bat and glares at him before he can scare us.

After that, we don't see him until he visits again.

That was, at least...

Until one day.

Right before Christmas, I was building a snowman outside our house.

And just as I was about to put the antlers on,

A hand suddenly tapped my shoulder.

It was the ghost.

I almost SCREAMED when I saw him, but I cupped my hands over my mouth before it came out.

If he was a ghost, then why could I feel his hand...?

"NOELLE."

I was scared. Too scared to speak.

But then, he held out two gift boxes, one large and one small.

"PLEASE DELIVER THE OTHER ONE TO YOUR SISTER."

"Wait... what?" I sputtered out. "But... but you're..."

"NO ONE IMPORTANT," the ghost said. He gently set the boxes in my hands.

But just as he turned to leave, I realized something.

All this time...

I'd never even thought to ask his name.

"Who... should I tell her it's from?"

He thought for a moment,

then simply replied,

"SOMEONE WHO CARES,"

before he walked away.

...

And so,

the next time he visited,

Dess sat on our doorstep and played her new guitar.

And I waved at him, pointing to the silver watch on my wrist.

And for the very first time,

I saw him smile for real.