My Brother’s Vanishing Shadow

I was about 10 years old, home alone while my family was at a bonfire next door.

I woke up in the middle of the night and saw my brother standing in my room — staring out the

window. I called his name. Nothing. I walked up behind him and reached

for his shoulder. My hand went straight through him. Cold air. He faded away.

Right after that, I heard a four-wheeler take off outside. Later, my family came home

— dropped off by the neighbor on that same four-wheeler. My brother had never been in my room.

To this day, I don’t know what I touched.