Nora Norry meets a ghost!

1855 Arizona

Ten year old Nora Norry crouched beside a shallow stream, her eyes scanning the dusty riverbed for arrowheads.

Summer camp in Arizona was her favorite adventure.

Nora was not alone at the summer camp. She was with her family, including her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Norry. They had traveled from their home in Pennsylvania to experience the rugged beauty of the Arizona Territory.

As Nora explored the stream, her family was busy setting up their tent and starting a fire for dinner.

“ Don’t wander far Nora! Dinner will be ready in about an hour.” said her mother.

The blistering sun beat down on her wide-brimmed hat as she searched the dry riverbed for arrowheads.

Suddenly, a faint whisper echoed through the canyon. "Little one."

Nora's heart skipped a beat. She spun around, but no one was there. The whisper seemed to come from all around her. A faint figure materialized beside the stream. Nora gasped. It was a Native American girl, translucent and ethereal, with piercing brown eyes.

"Who are you?" Nora asked, her voice trembling. "I am Grey Deer," the ghostly girl replied, her voice barely audible. "This land was once my home."

Nora's fear gave way to curiosity. "What do you want from me?"

Grey Deer's gaze drifted to the riverbed. "You seek arrowheads, but do you know their stories?"

Nora shook her head.

Grey Deer floated closer. "I will show you."

Together, they walked along the stream, Grey Deer pointing out hidden artifacts and sharing tales of her people.

Nora listened, entranced. She cried a little bit at the sadness in Grey Deer’s voice as she told of how she and her family had perished during a skirmish with an enemy tribe.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Nora heard her mother calling her for supper. Grey Deer vanished as suddenly as she appeared.

Nora returned to camp, her pockets filled with arrowheads and her mind racing, unsure of what had really just happened . She hesitated to share her story. Would her parents believe her?

Her father was strictly no-nonsense!

She decided to keep Grey Deer's secret, for now, and simply showed them the arrowheads she found.

As they sat around the campfire, listening to the night sounds, Nora wondered if Grey Deer was watching from the shadows. She whispered softly into the night “Thank you Little Grey Deer, for sharing your story with me. I hope we meet again someday.”

And was that an answering voice she heard, softly murmuring “ We will my friend! Goodbye for now!” Or was it just the wind?

This was Nora Norry’s first encounter with the supernatural.

BUT… it wasn’t her LAST!