You wonder whether you aren't simply a phantom in other people's minds. Say, a figure in a nightmare which the sleeper tries with all his strength to destroy.

你想知道自己在别人脑子里是否不仅仅是一个幻影，比如一个人梦魇里拼命想消灭掉的形象。

youdao

These were the real ghosts, he would say, the phantom limbs, phantom minds, phantom loves that haunt us, because they were used, then abandoned, because they were desolate, because they were violent, because they were merciless, because they were out of choices, because they did not want to be driven away, because they were poor.

NEWYORKER: Ghosts