Written by Mikaila Manesh. Check out her website and follow her on Twitter!
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I swore my heart was pounding a mile a minute. I could hear the blood flowing in my ears and my palms were so damn sweaty that I could barely hold my flashlight. I swept the pitch black house with the little light that I had. I hated Danny for daring me to walk into the Old Edgar house. People had died from walking in here. I shined the light on the wall and looked at the really old picture. The little boy looked slightly familiar. Then again who was I kidding? This house was from the 1930’s.
I sucked in a deep breath as I heard a creak in the house that wasn’t from my footsteps. I froze instantly in my spot and closed my eyes. “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. This. Isn’t. Happening.” I repeated to myself with my eyes squeezed shut. I didn’t even see Danny or his flashlight.
“Gotcha Maxine!” Danny said as his warm breath danced on my neck and his arms wrapped around me.
I screamed loudly and would’ve thumped him in the head with my flashlight if he hadn’t been hugging me so tightly. “Danny you shit head!” I snapped even though I relaxed against him. I couldn’t believe that he talked me into this.
I felt him playing with my hair that I had curled since I hadn’t seen him in almost four months. We have a long distance relationship since we both chose to go to different colleges. We were home now for summer vacation, “Come on, let’s go to his bedroom. I heard that is how people actually see him. You have to make out in order to attract attention from Old Man Edgar.”
“No! No! No! I most definitely will not! This is so stupid and I do not want to die. I prefer to graduate from college first. “That was the most opposite Danny and I was. He was the risk taker, me not so much.
Regardless he wove his fingers with mine, “Come on,” He said and bribed me to follow with his lopsided grin that gave made my stomach flop.
“You’re lucky I love you,” I said with a scowl, even though the corners of my lips were twitching upwards.
“I love you too,” He smirked and led me to the bedroom like he knew this place like the back of his hand.
“How do you know this place so well?” I said and I tried to light up this house with a stupid little flashlight.
“Cause you’ll see,” He grinned and then added, “Close your eyes, I promise I won’t scare you anymore. And my hand won’t leave yours.” He said with a promise.
I bit my lip and nodded. I trusted him, but this house was so old and creaky. There were layers of dust everywhere and cobwebs in every corner. Walking up the stairs was not fun at all considering some of the steps were rotted out. I let my eyes close and I followed his steps and strained my ears to make sure I didn’t hear anymore sounds that weren’t coming from out steps and breathing.
When I felt him stop walking, he dropped my hand. I felt myself instantly seize up, “Can I open my eyes…please Danny?” I said, sounding somewhat winy.
“Yes.” He answered me in a soothing tone.
When I opened my eyes, I slightly gasped. There was a blanket on the ground and candles everywhere, “I planned this for us,” He grinned, “A creepy date. Every couple has to have one,” He sat down and pulled me into his lap.
I couldn’t help it; I instantly mashed my lips to his. I enjoyed that he made me feel so alive and made me get out of the comfort zone that I built around myself. We couldn’t have been kissing long when the bedroom door slammed shut. I jumped away and looked at Danny, “What’s happening?” I whimpered.
“It is about time you brought her,” The deep voice bellowed.
I felt my eyes widen to the size of quarters as a faint human outline came out of the wall. I jumped up and twisted the knob like a crazy woman. I felt tears beginning to slide down my cheeks. “Danny help me damn it!”
I felt him wrap his arms around me, “Calm down,” He said softly in my ear.
“I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!” I screamed at him. I turned to look at him and felt all life drain from me. Danny was paler than anything. He looked like a dead person. “Wh-Wha-What?” Before I could stop, I turned and felt my dinner come up.
“Relax, its okay,” He said softly and patted me back, his hand felt cold against my back now.
“You’re an animus?!” I whimpered. He was a solid ghost that was able to interact with humans. It was always a legend that I thought wasn’t true. It explained how he was able to go at it for hours without ever getting tired or why he said he was never hungry.
“I knew you would react like this. Edgar is my dad.” He said softly, “I want you to join us.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Edgar said like this was the most normal thing ever.
“You are a monster!” My voice cracked, “Stay away from me.” I said and tried to shrink as much as I could into the wall even though I was in a corner already. I tried to sound mean and intimidating but Danny knew me better than anyone.
I heard Edgar sigh, “I guess you were wrong, you know what we have to do son.” He said gravely, “We can’t let the secret out.”
“But Dad, I love her.” I heard him plead desperately.
I felt the wind around me pick up violently and felt my hair whip into my eyes as the dust started to choke me, “Then you should have never brought her here.”
