Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2009 Ghost Brian Phillip Whalen Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, and the Rhetoric and Composition Commons Recommended Citation Whalen, Brian Phillip, "Ghost" (2009). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 10617. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/10617 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Ghost by Brian Phillip Whalen A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF FINE ARTS Major: Creative Writing and Environment Program of Study Committee: David Zimmerman, Major Professor Steve Pett Marwan Ghandour Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2009 Copyright © Brian Phillip Whalen, 2009. All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE 1 Ghost in the Valley 2 Bridge 17 Trick 25 Sheriff 34 Playhouse 46 Secrets 58 Chateau 66 Contracts 75 Escape 86 PART TWO 95 Ghost 96 Kayla 102 Knead 103 PART THREE 130 Susan 135 Gone 148 Alone 159 Dogs 170 Imbroglio 181 Panic 190 Ghost in the Water 196 Burn 208 1 PART ONE 2 Ghost in the Valley “Tell it again, Wardell." Kayla stood beside Wardell, watching him wave his flashlight in and out of drawers, over and around the tops and sides of furniture in the otherwise pitch black room.