THE timing of our move put us directly in the blossoming of spring. The property was lush with apple, plum, and pine trees, surrounded by lilacs, tiger lilies, lilies of the valley, and raspberry bushes. Pollen floated everywhere, cloaking everything in a fine dust.

            After Mom and I finished cleaning and organizing the two bedrooms, Sarah and Harley (our family dog) were napping, and Dad was busy attending to his sea of green, putting the final touches to the lighting system and grow rooms in order.

            "A clean home is a happy home," Dad boasted from the top of the steps, playfully acting as if he commanded his Queens to clean the castle.

            My Mother rolled her eyes, "Thank you for your approval, Ming," she replied with a smile.

            As dinner time approached and the weekend turned cold and rainy, I began to feel unwell. With all the moving, cleaning, and being outside surrounded by pollen, I had developed a fever, as usual. I always seemed to have a fever.

            "Mom, I wanna lay down," I mumbled.

            "Go on up, I'll be there in a few to check on you," Mother replied in her soft and comforting tone.

            I took my Monchhichi and headed upstairs to our bedroom. Sarah's crib was next to the wall, and both of our beds ran west to east. As I laid my head down on the pillow, I could see out of the far right window, overlooking the neighbor's backyard.

            A few hours passed, and Mom put Sarah to bed before coming to check on me.

            "Sit up, sweetie," she gently held a cup of water to my lips and placed her other hand on my forehead, "Awe, you are so warm. Lay back down," she murmured, kissing me before tucking me in. “I'll be back to check on you.”

            As I lay on my back because of the cool cloth on my forehead, I began to drift off to sleep. I turned onto my right side, causing the cool rag and the relief it brought to slip off my forehead. I opened my eyes slightly.

            There it was, a rough hand but only the palm, fingertips, wrist, and forearm, no body; it was a cloudy, several feet off the ground. The fog inside the hand was swirling as it reached for me. I couldn't hold back the fear, and I cried out, letting out a blood-curdling scream, “DADDDDDDDD!!!”

            The mist lingered for a moment and then dissipated. The rain outside was pounding on the roof, but Sarah remained sound asleep. My father and mother rushed into the room, swinging the bedroom door open and turning on the light.

            At the time, my parents thought it was simply a new house, a storm, my fever, and me being a child with a vivid imagination. However, for me, it was the first paranormal event in my life, where I saw a spirit, or part of a spirit, with my own eyes.