Hauntingstoriesand unfadingechoes
Volume I: Beneaththe Rain
ThomasJohansson
Foreword
Thebook you’re holding is my debutcollectionof publishedshortstories.Withinthese pages, you’ll encounter ghostlyapparitions,philosophicalreflections, momentsofhorror, andglimpsesoflove. Thesetales walk thelinebetween what we cansee andwhatliesjust beyond perception –and they’remeant to make youfeel.
Thestories arearrangedtooffer arollercoaster of emotions andmoods. Iwrote them becauseI hadthings on my mind –ideas,questions,memories, that wanted to getout.
Reader discretion is advisedfor My Baby Dolores and Peaceful,astheyexplore darker themes.
So,buckleup. I’ll be your guideonthisjourney –through shadows, wonder,and everything in between.
Best wishes, Thomas
Haunting storiesand unfading echoes
Volume I: Beneaththe Rain
Automatiseradteknikvilkenanvänds för attanalysera text och data idigital form isyfte attgenerera information,enligt15a,15b och 15c§§ upphovsrättslagen (text-och datautvinning), är förbjuden.
©2025ThomasJohansson
Publisher: BoD· BooksonDemand, Östermalmstorg1,114 42 Stockholm, Sweden, bod@bod.se
Print: LibriPlureos GmbH,Friedensallee273, 22763 Hamburg, Germany
ISBN: 978-91-8080-151-5
AboutHughie
Afew days ago, Igot acallfromCara, an oldfriendof mine.She askedifI hadseen or heardfromHughielately. IsaidthatI hadn’t heardfromhim in months,eventhough we wereclose friends. Shetoldmethatshe’d methim abouta week ago, when shewas outonthe town.
They dated fora while aboutten yearsago,whenwewere in ourearly twenties, buttheybroke up when shemoved abroad.Well, Iguess it wasreallyCarawho brokeupwith Hughie,since he didn’t want hertomove, andhedidn’t want to come with her. Ithink it wasa fair break-up, consideringthe situation.
Hughie didn’t seem to care alot in thebeginning,sohe wentout andpartied alot—drank,smokedsomeweed, andhooked up with differentwomen when he hadthe chance.I know he used it as acoping mechanism, butit wasn’t good forhim.I told himso, andafter awhile he stoppedprettymuchaltogetherwithbothalcohol and drugs. Icould stilltellhewas upsetaboutCarathough.
She’dreturnedtothe countryten days agostaying with her parentswhile searchingfor aplace of herown.Asshe told me,she bumped into Hughie abouta week ago. They spent severalhours talkingand walkingalong thebeach.The leaves on thetrees hadjuststarted changing colorfrom greentothe reds andyellows of autumn.
They stoppedbya coffee placeonthe beach, andCara offeredtopay fora latte, Hughie’s favorite coffee drink.
He politelydeclined butthanked herfor theoffer.Asthe sunstarted to set, they walked back into town.
Hughie said he hadtogo, andCararepliedthatshe really enjoyedseeing himand askediftheycould meet up again. He repliedthatitwould be some time untiltheymet again, becausehehad to go somewhere. He wouldn’t tell her wherehe’dgobut assuredher that they wouldsee each otherinthe future.Hetookher hands, leaned in,and kissed hersoftlyonthe cheek.
“I’ve missedyou”hesaid. “I’llsee youlater”she replied with asmile,asshe startedtowalkaway, leavinghim once againonthe corner.She turned back—hewas gone.
Today, Igot aphone call from Hughie’s parents. They apologized fornot callingsooner, buttheyhad been busy dealingwithHughie’sfuneral.Itturnedout he’d been hit by atruck two weeksago.I couldbarelyprocess it.I thankedthemfor calling, offeredmycondolences,and hung up in adaze. Afterthe call,I searched online, and thereitwas—his obituary!
I’msitting here with my phone in my hand,Cara’snumber glowingonthe screen.How am Isupposed to tellCarashe spoketoa ghost?
