happy-haunts

[happy-haunts]

Emily DeClaire Pt.3

EMILY DECLAIRE Pt. 3

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

As soon as the sun was down I had grabbed my only other dress - the one I wore when I first arrived in this dreaded town. I opened my windows and fumbled with the lock- with all my urgency and panic I hadn’t heard the door open.

“Emily!” My grandfather snarled, but I was already out the window and off the overhang.

I didn’t land in a bed of wildflowers this time but instead in the arms of a man.

“Looks like I caught a little birdie.”

“Henry, put me down I have to get to Mister Topper!”

My grandfather raced into view in the doorway, ravenous with anger.

“No can do, see I’ve gotten paid a pretty penny to teach you two some respect.” He rolled his head from side to side, “No hard feelings I hope?”

“Yes! Yes, hard feelings! Henry if William knew-!”

“Well he won’t.” He snapped, “So long as Charlie keeps his mouth shut, it was hell trying to get him to agree to grab the old man.”

I was frantic now, thrashing about in Henry’s arms till he finally lost hold of me and I dropped to the ground, grandfather caught my wrists and pulled me toward him.

“Emily, I’m starting to get upset.” He growled, but I spat in his face and glared.

“IF YOU HURT HIM I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU.” He slapped me across the face so hard I saw stars, then looked to Henry.

“Go get the old man, your co-worker should have been here by now.”

“Leave it to Charlie to have a hard time grabbing a senior citizen.” Henry grumbled and marched through the house.

“As for you.” He pulled me inside and brought me to the living room, grandfather pushed me onto the couch and glared down to me. “I was hoping to discuss this the night you were gone, but it seems I must do it now.”

“What do you want to know? If I’ve kissed him? If I’ve given myself to him? And for what? Because you will never have me as I would let Mister Topper have me!” He slapped me across the mouth but I turned my face back to him, I narrowed my gaze.

“You’ll shut up until I ask you to speak.” He trailed his gaze down my body and ground his teeth together, “I was going to inquire about your alias, little canary.”

“I am the canary, I helped those poor people when you wouldn’t, I listened to them when you wouldn’t, I SAW THROUGH YOUR LIES WHEN THIS TOWN COULD NOT!”

“Because you have slave blood in you!”

“BECAUSE I AM NOT SO BLINDED BY IGNORANCE AND HATE AS YOU!” He squeezed my cheeks so I could not speak.

“You’ve gone too far you wretched girl, do you know what your stunt has cost my reputation? What will it do to my career?” I felt his grip loosen as he stared into my eyes, leaning closer.

“Oi! We got him!” Henry shouted from the door, Mister Topper hanging between Charlie and Henry.

“Miss Emily?” Charlie gasped, “Henry we shouldn’t be-.”

“You’ll shut your mouth, this is good money do you understand?”

“Horatio!” I screamed and hurried to his side, Henry and Charlie dropped him, I pulled his head onto my lap as tears trickled down my cheeks.

“I won’t have anymore part in this, you never said this involved Miss Emily.”

“What? It’s not like we’re beating the crap out of her, just her old man - but you know what I just needed you to grab the geezer so by all means I’ll take your share.”

Charlie shook his head and walked over to me, I could see from the corner of my eye that he was hesitating to comfort me.

“What is the matter with you?” I screamed.

“I suppose you should have listened to me, now I have to show you what happens when someone touches my things.”

“I don’t belong to you.” I felt Mister Topper’s hand weakly try to wipe away my tears, “Horatio…” I smiled and clutched his hand close.

“I love you… little flower.”

“I love you too.” I felt the sinking feeling in my stomach, I can’t let him take Horatio from me, I won’t.

“Enough!” My grandfather grabbed me and I pulled back, on my feet now I took hold of his hand and bit him. “WRETCHED GIRL!” And he slapped me, Charlie pulled me against him quickly while glaring at my grandfather.

“Don’t.” Charlie was built the same as grandfather, large and tall as he met his gaze. I hadn’t seen my grandfather actually look intimidated before, but he turned to Mister Topper instead of pursuing the matter further.

“He’s lucky he lived this long, the Toppers have already been on my list before.” I wanted to grab his throat and dig my nails into his flesh to make him stop talking, to keep him from Horatio. “It’s a town-wide mystery what happened to the Topper’s, why they left their sons in the middle of the night?” He looked back at me with a cruel smile, “But I know what happened to them.”

“You’re a horrible man.” I hissed.

“It happened just as tonight would have, had I not intervened. This man’s parents decided to help Claude and that temptress leave the town since I had forbidden him from being with that girl, that disgusting slave. I was going to give her to my officers and let it be done with - but instead I had my men grab up the Toppers and dispose of their bodies.” He shrugged his shoulders, “They shouldn’t have interfered, and now my son is dead just like theirs is about to be.”

“You’re an awful man, Charlie let me go.” I growled while trying to wiggled out of his arms. “I won’t let you! I won’t lose him!”

“If I let you go and you got hurt William would have my head.”

“LET ME GO! I DON’T CARE ABOUT ME! I’VE CARED TOO MUCH ABOUT MYSELF ALREADY!”

“No!”

“Both of you shut up!” Grandfather looked me over and then ran his hand along my cheek. “You have slave blood in your veins, you belong to me, I won’t throw away my slaves that easily.��� He turned away from me and stalked around Mister Topper who seemed more than a little disoriented, but he still made an effort to glare at my grandfather. “Typically, you would lose your hand if you were a thief. But I think I have a better idea for you.” I watched in horror as Henry grabbed Mister Topper’s hair and placed his neck against the edge of an opened hatbox.

“No!” I screamed and tried to pull away from Charlie.

“I love you…” Charlie quickly grabbed my head and turned it away, forcing my face into his chest.

“Miss Emily it will be alright, don’t you look, I am here and William is here-.” He was trying to muffle the sounds behind me, I could hear Mister Topper still screaming.

“Emily I love you!” Before a horrible crack, they didn’t finish the first time around so they had to hack again before I heard his head land into the hatbox with a wet ‘thud’.

“I love you too…” I whimpered as I clung against Charlie, I couldn’t stop sobbing. “Mister Topper… I love you too…” I wanted him to hear me, I wanted him to know I would do anything for him- anything.

“There now, Henry I’ll have you dispose of the body in the location we agreed on. And soon enough I’ll have gotten two birds with one stone.”

“Don’t worry Miss Emily I’ll remedy this, I’ll help you.”

“If you want to help me…” I pushed away from Charlie and looked him in the eyes. “Then you’ll kill me.” I grabbed his arms while my legs quivered beneath me. “PLEASE!”

Charlie was too shocked to respond, so my grandfather took my wrists and met Charlie’s gaze.

“I’ll ask you to leave my home before I have you arrested, your bastard captain must be quite worried about you no doubt?” Charlie ground his teeth together but hurried out the door, leaving me alone with my grandfather seeing as Henry had already dragged off Mister Topper’s body, leaving his head and hatbox behind.

My stomach turned as my grandfather walked me up the stairs, there was so much blood… my dress was stained with it and the house smelled of it.

Once I saw my door I shakily reached out for the knob- I wanted to get away and be alone.

Grandfather took hold of my hand and pushed me against my door frame, kissing my collar and my neck.

“Get off me.” I sobbed weakly, using the hand he didn’t have a hold of to push against his face. “Are you deaf?” I growled, tears were coming again.

“Don’t speak to me that way.” He kissed up to my ears and took hold of my hips, the sadness I felt for Mister Topper was becoming overshadowed now by the hatred I held for the man who killed him.

“What will you do?” I snapped, almost choking on my words as I sobbed. “Will you kill me like you did him? You cannot scare me!”

“I will not kill you.” He smiled- that horrible smile. My grandfather opened my door and pushed me in, throwing me on my back onto my bed and standing before me. “I don’t have to kill you, I can break you my own - as I should have with William.”

“You’ve lost any hope to ‘break’ me.” I sat up and glared to him, “Because you are exactly like all those you fear, you’re a murderer, a common criminal.”

“Shut up.”

“You steal what you like, a filthy thief.” He pushed me into the cot and began ripping apart the front of my dress.

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” He was kissing me as I attempted to push against him, his hands tore at my skirts revealing my undergarments. Tears, there just seemed to always be tears running down my face.

I bit down on his lower lip which enraged him further, he was ripping the skirts of my chemise.

“You stupid girl! I would have thought killing that hatter might have taught you manners!”

“Go to hell!” I dug my nails into his neck as droplets of red trickled down my fingers.

“Dammit!” He snarled and finally got off me, punching the wall beside my door. “Damn slave! Dammit!”

I sat there with the fabric of my dress around me, his screams stopped once he was downstairs and I was left in silence.

I was left to cry just as I always did, I was pathetic really, I was an awful girl.

———

I attempted a few times to carve my wrists open with my nails, but my grandfather had Delilah check on me regularly to make sure I hadn’t left out the window so she stopped me every time.

He had tried to put his hands on me again as well after that night, but I clawed and bit him.

I would just sit in that room with red rimmed eyes, and when I wasn’t trying to pull the veins from my body I was sobbing.

I ran out of tears before -but now it seemed they were endless.

I would gather it was only a day or two before Delilah came into my room and told me to get dressed.

I had a visitor.

I had nothing to wear really, other than that awful red dress.

So that is what I wore to walk down the stairs to William, who happily announced that we were getting married.

I couldn’t believe it… I was leaving? I was getting out of this awful house?

I looked to my grandfather whose cheeks were like tomatoes, I then looked at William who pulled me into his arms.

“I know about what happened.” He whispered, making my heart strain.

We did everything that day, I was trying to stay as upbeat as I could but looking at the cakes and flowers made me think of Horatio.

I wanted him to be the one to whisk me away in a bridal gown, I loved Horatio.

“Here this one looks lovely and it will match your viel.” William smiled while looking at wedding gowns.

“It’s perfect.” It really was perfect, everything would have been if Mister Topper was there.

“Emily… Is everything alright?” I grinned and hugged William’s arm tightly.

“Of course! How could I complain?”

“Horatio-.”

“Yes, I can’t say I don’t miss him… That I don’t …” I sucked in a breath and swallowed down the lump in my throat.

“Hey… let's go home and see the gypsies, I’ve invited everyone to dance and drink in celebration! Moving those feet will bring that smile back!”

He was just trying to help, he wanted me to be happy again but I just couldn’t do it.

That night at the party was exhausting, I felt hollow in my chest as though all of those things which I had at one point loved now only drained what little life I had left.

And then Madame Leota stopped me.

She drunkenly took my hands and insisted that she was invoking our deal, if I had felt drained before I was empty when we touched hands.

I could feel something inside of my heart moving around, like hands were inspecting my feelings and all of my memories.I was so strangely aware of this feeling I thought I could feel myself pushing against whatever magic she possessed, I could feel her looking somewhere I never wanted anyone to see.

And wherever she had went I could feel it - I could feel my grandfather’s touch all over me, I could feel his eyes on me, I could feel his lips on me.

I grabbed onto her hands and pushed back, I shut out that part of me until I couldn’t feel it anymore and I loosened my hands once more.

She opened her eyes and I had decided to try and act as unassuming as I could.

Nothing was wrong.

Nothing at all.

I just wanted to be alone.

You can’t hurt anyone when you’re alone.

But William pulled me up the stairs and flopped onto his bed, drunk.

“I can’t wait to be married, just as we promised when we were young.”

“William…” I whispered, making him sit up on the mattress and look at me. He could tell something was wrong and dropped his smile. “I have to tell you everything, everything I should have told Mister Topper … I have to get this out of me.” I walked toward him as I unbuttoned my red dress, he quickly covered his eyes but I grabbed his hand and pulled it down. “No, not that…” I had to giggle because he reacted just as Mister Topper had. “I knew about your brand before… Because I also had one.”

“What?!” He clenched his fists. “Who the fuck would dare-?”

“Shh…” I placed my finger over his lips.

Those tears just couldn’t help themselves as I kept going, I told him absolutely everything that had happened since I arrived in Liberty Square, once I told him about the events after Horatio’s death he looked to my ripped chemise and pulled a blanket over my shoulders.

“Dear God Emily, and you’re still so happy.” I tightened the blanket around me and glared.

“No, I am not. I haven’t been happy - I have lied to everyone because …” I wiped my eyes on the blanket.

‘Don’t say it, don’t say it, you’re asking for pity.’

“I don’t deserve happiness, I’ve hurt you, I’ve hurt Horatio, I’ve hurt my parents … I just want to … I want to die.”

“Stop it.” William held me against him and kissed the top of my head, “I’ll do what I can to help, but I won’t let you die Emily … I won’t let that fucking moster hurt you anymore, after tomorrow we’ll leave this place and we’ll see the world…” He pulled back and looked in my eyes, “But only whenever you’re ready to … I will be happy so long as you live on- if not for me then Horatio?” I smiled a bit, giving a slow nod.

For Horatio.

“I suppose I should let you get some sleep then, you’re going to have an awful hangover tomorrow.”

“Oh but first! I had to get this from Horatio’s shop, I had him make something for you.” He rummaged through his wardrobe and pulled out a white hat box. William walked it over and placed it upon my lap, I proceeded to unbuckle it and finally saw resting inside was a crown of flowers with a veil tucked beneath it.

“Oh William…”

“I just thought it was appropriate since you have wildflowers in your hair all the time.” I leaned over and hugged him, lingering on the embrace as I felt the weight on my heart start to lift. I knew there was no magic spell to lift this pain, however just the fact that it was somewhat better made me feel like I had climbed a mountain.

------

William and I slept in the same bed that night, after he had gifted me a new chemise. I wrung my hands all morning because I just felt as though something would go wrong - I’d never gotten away from my grandfather so easily, and he was not a man to just let this go on.

But William assured me everything would be fine, he had me get ready in the attic - thinking that it would be the last place anyone would look for a bride.

I took in my appearance in the dusty mirror and gave a soft smile, “You would have loved this dress, mother.”

“Your father would have as well.”

My blood ran cold and I quickly turned to see my grandfather standing in the attic doorway, holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

“Do not look at me like that, I am merely here to celebrate your marriage.”

“William!” I screamed as grandfather slammed the door shut behind him.

“Here, this will calm your nerves.” He set the glasses on a trunk and began pouring, “And you were so set on the hatter … yet here you are opening your legs once again to the bastard of the Gracey’s.”

“At least I didn’t kill them.”

“I didn’t either, it is one of the many strange deaths of this town.” he grinned, “Here.” He offered me a glass and when I didn’t take it he took a sip from his own. “There, are you satisfied?”  I was hesitant but still reached out and took it, giving a sip and as I watched grandfather drink more of his I began drinking more.

“Why are you really here?”

“I was envious, I wanted to see you in your wedding dress first.” His gaze swept over me as it had many times before.

“I never wanted you to touch me like that.”I blurted, no doubt due to the nature of alcohol being liquid courage. “I just wanted you and grandmother to treat me and love me like my mother and father did, I wanted you to treat me like a granddaughter not an object.” He took a long drink from his Champagne till the last of it had cleared his lips and then sighed, looking at his glass with satisfaction.

Then he turned his gaze to me.

“You were an object, you were my slave blooded prize. I hated you in the beginning, I even told your grandmother not to worry when you refused your meals because if you died we would finally be at peace.” He poured himself another glass, the room felt like it was spinning and I backed away from him, till I knocked into another trunk. “Oh Emily, you’ve not drank before have you? Have a seat.” He took my free hand and guided me to sit on the trunk as he refilled my glass in my other hand. “Where was I? Ah, yes, when I hated you. The only redeeming thing about you was that your eyes made me feel closer to Claude, I couldn’t have cared less about your safety, your feelings, or your words.” I took another gulp of champagne as I listened, my fingertips were tingling. “But then I started to notice things, the way your dress cling to you when I found you with William soaking wet, how you sang so sweetly and so beautifully, and how gentle you were in all you did. That was what ended my hatred, your soft hands plucking flowers from the yard and your voice which soothed my mourning heart.”

“Why didn’t you care for me then?” He looked at me rather astonished.

“I did care for you, you were my prized possession - keeping you in your room was no longer out of shame but out of greed. I would not let anyone else have you and one day I would finally take what no one else could, I would hear you beg for me to take it from you and your gentle face would be filled with ecstasy, and you would be mine.” He got to his knees before me and slipped his hands along my ankles and calves. “I was patient, I waited for eight years to hear you say it - to hear you tell me to take it. But that day never came and instead I find you’ve moved onto another man, I got jealous and irrational.” He cooed as he pulled up my skirts to reveal my legs which were thankfully concealed by pantyhose. “But you kept taunting me, you were not gentle as I once knew you to be as I loved you to be, if you wouldn’t have said such things I wouldn’t have tried to take what I wanted from you - to show you where your place was meant to be. We could be having dinner tonight in your red dress, but you did this… You made me have to drug you.”

“What?”

“I powdered your glass with something that will help you relax, to clear your mind, and if you give yourself to me I won’t have to show you the secrets of this attic.”

“S-stop…” I dropped my glass and attempted to push him but my hands missed, making me fall forward. “I can’t think… I can’t…” Grandfather wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest, his lips on my neck, his awful kisses. “William…” I gasped as I tried hard to concentrate.

“Don’t say his name.”

“WILLIAM!” I finally managed to scream, “WILLIAM! WILLIAM!” Grandfather clamped a hand over my mouth and glared.

“So… This is your choice.” He stood up and allowed me to fall onto the floor, my hands were numb as I tried to find my legs, what was it that he put in my drink? “Well then if you’re so set on being married I should give you your wedding present, I was saving it to frame William for murder and have him hanged but this will do.”

“WILLIAM!” Grandfather threw Horatio’s hat box before me and his head rolled out.

I screamed.

Grandfather took my shaking hands and lifted me up, but I couldn’t feel my legs either, he sighed while meeting my gaze.

“Such a shame, I would have made you a Queen among slaves.” My head was spinning and I wasn’t sure if it was the drugs or … or just everything?

But grandfather walked me over to the doors of the attic and opened them, he placed my feet on the ledge while he held my hands. “Last chance, give yourself to me Emily and all of this will stop.” I could feel the breeze against my back and looked behind him to Horatio’s head still laying on the attic floor.

I narrowed my gaze and looked into my grandfather’s eyes.

I slipped my hands free from him and fell backwards right as I saw William open the door, screaming. “Emily!”

I hit the ground hard, my body seemed to pull back out of the ground among the hill of wildflowers which had grown over remnants of a burned building.

I wasn’t sure where I went at all seeing as I was sure that I had just fallen from the attic? I turned my gaze towards the Gracey mansion, and I heard my heartbeat not to exaggerate seeing as my heart was quite literally glowing through my chest.

“William?” I called and began … floating?

I was dead?

I raced to the mansion, floating right through the window where I fell and looked around the attic which was seemingly the same. “William?” And then I caught my breath as I looked for Horatio’s hatbox. “Mister Topper? Mister Topper?” No one.

I sat by the window and began crying once more, no one was here, I was alone as I was unsure if this was a blessing or a curse.

“Emily?” I looked up to see William in shades of blue, he opened his arms with a smile.

“William!” I shot through the air and right into his arms, he spun me around with a laugh while looking me over.

“Now I KNOW you’ve gotten smaller.”

“That’s not true.” I floated above his head with a giggle, “How about that?” He gave a devious smirk and floated in the air with me.

“I’m relieved to see you’re safe… you wouldn’t have died if it wasn’t for me.”

“William…” I whispered as we came back to the ground, “It wasn’t your fault it was…” the pain and fear surged through my heart making William blink, tears were falling from his eyes as he clutched his chest.

“E-Emily?”

“I can’t stop it… I just…” Why were the memories so much more vivid as a ghost? I held my arms and crouched down by the window. “I don’t want to remember… I don’t want this…” I looked up to William as we both cried.

“I … I  know I can feel it.”

“Make it stop … Make them stop coming…” I saw my grandfather a dozen sets of hands reaching for me, I saw Horatio’s decomposing head, I saw a window as I cascaded to the ground. “Stop…”

And then they did, I looked up to William with his hand atop my head.

“There, is that better?”

“Yes it is.” I remembered dancing by the river and grabbed his hands, “William! Teach me tango!”

“You know how to already, don’t you?”

“No, you were going to teach me, but I suppose we fell into the river.” William placed his hand on my head and the bad memories flooded back.

“Emily, I don’t think-.” I grabbed William’s hand and placed it on my head again, tears starting once more.

“No, please… Take it all out…”

“This might not help though.”

“No matter what, you must make me forget … I can’t live like this, William, make me your bride if you still want to - but I just want to be rid of all the pain.”

But I wasn’t, I remembered nothing of Horatio, I remembered nothing of my grandfather, but still the pain persisted in my heart.

I had forgotten so much that I wasn’t quite sure who I was most of the time, but it only lasted for a short time before I had looked through the window to the hill of wildflowers in my grandparents old yard.

I was entranced by it and couldn’t help feeling some kind of pull towards the beautiful plot of land.

Once I had left the mansion I began to remember everything again, and by the time I had reached the flowers I sat right down and let them hit me.

I let myself cry for days.

Ghosts aren’t limited by water when they cry, so I sobbed, and I sobbed until finally I flopped onto my back and sniffled. The stars were beautiful … The sound of the water was calming, and as I calmed myself I began thinking more of my memories.

This of course resulted in me going back into the mansion until I was drawn to the hill once more.

But every time I visited it got easier to remember, it took several years before I could sit on the hill and relax, but eventually I was at peace.

All the things I endured were horrible, awful, and unforgivable.

But I could not change time, I could not erase the events from being true, sure I had allowed myself to forget but the pain still lingered in my heart.

I nervously picked at my fingers as William placed his hand over them, giving an encouraging smile.

“And here we are, I’m ready to stop forgetting.” I looked at William, who gave a small nod.

“As long as you’re happy.”

“Oh Emily!” Red and Constance wrapped their arms around me.

“You sweet little thing! I'll tell you what!” Constance leaned back with a smile, “How about we have a party in celebration? Dancing and singing all night?”

“Well I haven’t been dancing in awhile, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt!”

“Then it’s settled!” Red stood up and held her hand out to me, “We’re celebrating your memory!”

[happy-haunts]

Emily DeClaire Pt.2

EMILY DECLAIRE Pt. 2

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

!! WARNING THEMES OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE !!

I can recall one night when I was eighteen, still hurting after William left, his stepmother and father were downstairs arguing with my grandfather about trying to bring William home when they heard about a rising threat in mutiny in the Naval forces.

“If you bring that bastard back to this town I will kill him.” I was relieved to know he was at least not dead, that meant he could return on his own.

“You have no power over the Gracey name.” Another man’s voice, Mister Gracey. “If you try to stop us we will ruin you, you may be the mayor but we have the town’s trust.”

“Do not cross me George, I would hate to see you and your dear wife get hurt.”

The next week I looked out my window and saw Vincent and Dorian in the graveyard at their parent’s funeral.

It had been eight years since then. 

Eight years since I left the house.

Eight years since Grandfather started to love me.

This house had become a sense of complacency, it felt as though this was the safest place for me.

If I never left I was never hurt, if I never left no one else would be hurt, if I never talked to anyone else they wouldn’t disappear.

My grandfather and I had begun having dinner together at the beginning and the end of every month, since those were the only dates when no parties were thrown or events seemed to be held.

He would have Delilah bring me a red dress, it had clearly been worn before so I suspected that it once belonged to grandmother.

We would eat and he would hold my hand, and then he would bring me to the living room where I would sing for him.

Grandfather would smile, his eyes taking in all of me.

I didn’t like it when he looked at me like that, but he assured me that it was because he loved me.

He would escort me back upstairs with his arm around my waist, then kiss me before leaving me to go to bed.

One night I had pushed him back, I told him I didn’t like when he kissed me like that.

“You wanted me to love you, Emily.” He held my arm tight as he pressed my back against the doorframe. “Or would you prefer to upset me?”

“No…”

“As I thought.” He was much more aggressive when he kissed me that night, pulling me close to him by the waist.

It all felt so wrong, my parents loved me and they didn’t treat me this way, not even William had treated me as such when I was young.

But still I stayed, because I had a family now that I had lost. Grandfather wouldn’t hurt me as long as I didn’t leave, as long as he never saw me leave.

The day was warm, even inside my room as I rested my head against the window the rays of the sun scorched me. But I didn’t much mind it, the warmth was a comfort to me.

But while I sat there I began to hear things which, I assumed might have just been my mind slowly creeping into insanity.

I was happily wrong about that though, for the sound became more clear and I made out a tune which sounded like it was coming from the street in front of the house.

“Damn it all!” I heard grandfather scream downstairs, “Those damn gypsies are going to disappear!”

Gypsies? I had never met a gypsy before, I wondered what they were like, they already seemed to have wonderful music.

I stood up and started to count the beats, then I stepped in time. Oh it felt so wonderful to dance again, I almost felt the shadows in my room materializing around me and joining in the dance, moving me around them as I kept rhythm, moving and moving until I bumped against my window.

Luckily it had been closed otherwise I may have fallen, although, as I looked down at the roofing above the porch I assured myself that even if I would have fallen it would have caught my landing.

It would have caught my landing.

No, I wouldn’t.

I won’t.

Even so the music called and I opened the window.

No.

I leaned out and felt the warm summer air stroke my cheeks. The feeling of the sun and the breeze felt like when mother and father would run their fingers through my hair.

Yes.

I stepped up onto the window ledge.

I jumped.

I stumbled a bit at first but soon found the edge of the overhang and wobbled off the edge, falling into the wildflowers which decorated the hill in grandfather’s backyard.

As I gathered myself I realized I had lost my shoes, but I brushed that off and headed toward the music.

The town was so full of people! Children pointed to the band of gypsies which danced in the street just beyond the front of Grandfather’s house. Couples glanced at them with silent amusement, I could tell from some smirks and gawking they were impressed by the group.

Unfortunately the awe was short-lived when the authorities showed up, they knocked over boxes and hats used to collect money, they poked and antagonized the gypsy entertainers, and when one of the men began raising his fist they hit him with a club.

I covered my mouth to muffle my gasp while onlookers hurried to walk past the scuffle, they were ignoring them.

I had to duck into the shadow of a building when I noticed grandfather come out of the house, he surveyed the scene and smiled.

“Officers, I trust you have this handled?” He tipped his head as thanks and the officers replied in kind with eager nods.

‘I should go back to my room while he is out of the house.’ I had thought, ‘No, he’s gone into the town square, you should stay.’

I pressed my back against the building I hid beside, panic was filling my chest as I urged myself to not do something reckless.

But I am selfish, and I did not listen.

I hurried toward the scuffle and stepped between an officer and a gypsy man, the officer was confused for a moment and then gave a devious grin.

“Look at the little canary boys,” I instinctively clutched the fabric of my yellow dress. “What’s a little birdie like you gonna do?” That was an excellent question, I hadn’t thought that far. I knew I needed to act but how I would act never crossed my mind.

“Why did you hit him?”

“What is this your daddy?” I furrowed my brow at his taunt.

“My father is dead, I want to know why you believe physical violence would suit you better than words?”

“They are not allowed to be here, in the town.”

“And who says that?”

“Mayor DeClaire, which means you and your little gypsy friends had better get out.” He leaned closer to me, making me arch myself backwards.

“Is it a law?” He hesitated for a moment, I took advantage of that. “If it is not a law then how can you enforce such an act? Would you do the same to the townsfolk?”

“Of course not! You are gypsies! You’ve come here to rob us and ruin our town.”

“Are you?” I asked the gypsy man behind me, he seemed rather shocked that I was asking at all.

“N-no! We are entertainers, we have nothing else to sell but our talents!” I looked back to the officer who I could see was under pressure.

“The mayor told me about these thieves and they are not allowed in this town!” I saw him adjusting his club as though he was itching to strike me.

But the town was crowding around and some of the amused on-lookers from before started in on the officers.

“If there is no law forbidding gypsies then why are we barring them from our town?”

“Why does the mayor believe they thieve and ruin our town?”

The discourse had begun now between the town and the officers- I took this moment to turn to the group of entertainers and file them away to the woods.

“Thank you,” the man I had stood in front of said to me, “I am Joshua, I lead this group of misfits.”

“A pleasure to meet you, I’m Emily, it’s my first time in town.”

“Well that much is obvious, you could have gotten yourself killed for speaking out like that.”

“But why?”

“Because of this town’s beloved mayor, you’ll need to be careful not to run into him after this- he’ll have your hide.” I began squeezing my fingers, Joshua didn’t know the half of it. “But if you need to seek shelter you are more than welcome to stay here, if you had not have stepped in we would have brawled with those damn corrupt trash.”

“Now, it’s not their fault it seems to be that they’re only doing what the mayor says. I’m sure if I talk to him then-.”

“Have you forgotten what I’ve said? He’ll have your hide!”

“Well I would like to help somehow, if you are not allowed to go into town then I will.”

“Ha! They will have a manhunt out after you! You’ll be caught within a week.” I gave him a playful smirk and crossed my arms proudly.

“I like those odds, I wager I’ll raise money for you and have you living like kings!” Joshua couldn’t hold back his laughter, he slapped me on the back.

“You got a deal Miss Emily, say, if you win then I’ll make you a gypsy like us.” As we approached the camp I began to take in the area, wagons with busted wheels which needed repair sat in a semi-circle around a large fire, clothes hung pinned to strings that were attached between wagons, and the people… Oh the people… They were dancing.

I took an excited step forward but stepped back - not wanting to intrude on their festivities.

“We don’t have much, but we celebrate every day nonetheless.”

“How wonderful!” The excitement was building in my chest, I grabbed Joshua’s hand and met his gaze. “Won’t you join me in a dance?”

“I am more of a look-out-.”

“Just one dance?” I begged, the music called me just as it called me this morning.

“Alright, one dance.” He chuckled.

It was liberating.

I twirled, pivoted, and glided.

I soared.

Before I knew it the sun was going down and the light turned all the trees golden, I bid the entertainers farewell and danced all the way home. People on the streets would whisper about me and called me ‘gypsy’, in response I would take their hands and have them join me in a dance. This would either result in flushed faces or reluctant laughter, I climbed the tree in the backyard which was planted close enough for me to walk up the overhang and back into my room.

I flopped onto my bed with a satisfied smile, what a wonderful day.

———

The coming days were similar, I would go out of my window and into the streets of Liberty Square and perform.

I would stand near the back of the town by the tree line which held the gypsy camp inside and sing.

“Alas my love you do me wrong,

To cast me off discourteously;

And I have loved you oh so long

Delighting in your company.”

People would gather near and throw coins, some would throw coins and continue listening. It felt good to sing to someone else, even more satisfying was that it would provide for the gypsies.

As the days turned to weeks I grew bolder and began asking the butcher for leftover meat he could not sell, I bought stale breads, and stale cakes.

I had won the bet, and I was now an official gypsy.

I remember one of the best days I had was when I had seen grandfather in the town, he was arguing with the officers about me.

“If I paid you for your morality, Gail, I would have given you a cross not a badge! Find that gypsy and rid this town of her lies!”

So I ducked into the only shop beside me, which was the Haberdashery.

That was the first day I met Mister Topper, he tried to keep as busy as he could and ignore me but I convinced him to see me the next day! And the next day.

And the next day.

But I think you get it.

Right from the start I had slipped and told him I was a DeClaire, but I told myself I wouldn’t say anything about grandfather just like before. If he didn’t ask then there was no sense in bringing it up.

However, that was what set Mister Topper apart from William, he always asked about me. Topper would be working on his hats and I would sit beside him asking about his family, his life, and of course hats.

“Well, my life is rather boring I suppose.” He had said while he brushed one of the hats, “When I was sixteen or seventeen my mother and father disappeared after leaving to help a friend of he family - he’s died young from what I heard, god rest his soul.” Topper sighed, “So I took over the family business and my brother, Ezra, hitchhiked out of town. I did everything possible to advertise the Haberdashery seeing as it controlled whether I would eat that night or not, I gained quite a reputation. I’ve been to Persia, Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Egypt, and many more all just to make hats for the rich and noble.”

“Oh! That sounds so grand, what was it like?”

“It was the same as every other country, it was shit, this hat makes my head feel like a pea - this one has too much fabric. Everyone's a critic.” He grumbled and placed one of the hats inside a hatbox to wait for it’s owner to arrive.

“I don’t know, I think it would be lovely to see the Nile river, I hear it goes on for Niles and niles!” Mister Topper chuckled and placed his hand over mine, he leaned in for a kiss and I instinctively drew back.

“Oh, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have-.”

“No! No! It’s not your fault! I just have a …” I looked away to try and think of the words, “A bad history with … affection.” He was silent for a moment, I could feel his eyes on me- surveying me.

“May I ask why? If it’s not too much?”

“Oh no, no!” I laughed and waved my hand, giving a small shrug. “It’s just this man I know … He …” I was shaking, as though speaking about it might cause me to drop dead. “He kisses me … And I’m too scared to stop him.” I winced thinking about it, “I’ve tried before and he -.” I looked at Mister Topper now and was unable to speak, his brown eyes were warm as they intently kept attention on me. “I don’t want to think about it anymore, I … I can’t think about it anymore.”

“Of course, Emily.” He took my hands and gave my knuckles little pecks, “We’ll take all the time you need, I promise.”

“Thank you, I’ve never told anyone about this before, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? Silly girl.” He laughed and gave my knuckles more kisses, “I can’t say I don’t want to know, I can’t say that I wish you would have told me sooner, but I can say that I am glad you are comfortable enough with me to tell me.” He smiled, his smiles were more than comforting - they told me someday all that I worried about would be gone. “And I’ll be here when you’re comfortable enough to finish the story.”

“I love you.” I blurted but pursed my lips when I realized I let my words get away from me. Mister Topper turned red and he tightened his grip on my hands.

“I love you too, Emily.” tears rolled down my cheeks as I smiled.

“Thank you, thank you…” He hushed me and pulled me into his arms. “Thank you, Horatio.”

Everything was perfect, my life was as close to perfection as it was humanly possible to get. I was in love, I had wonderful friends and making more!

Even that evening when I was getting dressed for dinner with grandfather I didn’t feel as drained, in fact as we sat at the dinner table I listened to what he was saying.

“And those damn gypsies are still pestering me, they’ve recruited one little whore to seduce my officers and render me powerless.”

“But why do you hate the gypsies?” Grandfather paused as he was about to eat a mouthful of stew, I normally only nodded when he spoke to me. “What have they done?”

“They’re thieves and vandals.”

“How do you know?” I could tell he was getting annoyed, but if there was a chance I could change his mind I would try.

“Because of their blood, they were born from poverty and thieves - so they will always be in poverty and resort to thievery.” He grabbed his wine and began angrily gulping it down.

“That’s not true.”

“What did you say to me?” He snarled.

“I-I just think that perhaps they’re more than that.” I smiled while stirring my stew, “Maybe some of them strive for more, like being great musicians… And as far as the canary goes -.”

“I never mentioned the canary.” I quickly ate a spoonful of my stew, grandfather had set down his spoon and took off his napkin. “They say she has an exceptional voice, a little gypsy girl …” He stood from the table and walked around behind my chair. “With a crown of wildflowers decorating her hair, and a yellow dress complimenting her frame.” He placed his hands on my shoulders, which had begun trembling. “Emily… Won’t you sing for me?”

“I-I’m not quite finished-.”

“Emily.” He growled.

“Yes, sir.”

Tonight was different as I sang ‘Greensleeves’ to grandfather, usually his gaze looked dreamily over me as if I were a serving of juicy steak. Tonight his gaze was filled to the brim with rage, but more than that his rage was unsure. Grandfather was more than ready to lash out at me, but could not confirm that I was the person he wanted to lash out on.

But then he relaxed, he smiled, and escorted me to my room as he usually had - moving to kiss me but I placed two fingers on his lips.

“Oh-um… Sir, I think I must be coming down with a cold from the dust in my room.” I said rather sheepishly, “I would hate for you to catch it.”

His rage began creeping up once more, as red began spreading from his neck to his face. But once more he was unsure if his anger was rightly placed and he took hold of my chin tighty. “Fine then, I will take double once you are better.” I said nothing and instead slipped into my bedroom, he did not leave just yet. Instead grandfather gave a long look over my barren room before resting his gaze upon my yellow dress which rested on my bed. “Goodnight, Emily.” And he closed the door.

------

I decided to lay low for a day or two before heading back into town to collect more money for the gypsies, when I went to deliver my goods to them they had invited me to stay and dance - and who was I to argue?

I danced with them till the sun went down and then began my walk home in the dark, swinging myself around lantern posts and humming. The last thing I expected on my walk home was a group of pirates, they were grouped together along the sidewalk holding sacks filled with something. What’s worse is one of them looked at me and gave a hoot and holler.

“Oi! What is this we have here? A pretty little treasure walking all on her own?”

“Henry, leave her alone.” A large man said, to the other who had a face like a turtle.

“No, no Henry’s right! She’s wearing gold, Charlie, so that means she’s free to take with us.” They circled me while I backed up to a lamppost.

“Like that little canary everyone is talking about, tell me little birdie do you sing?”

“Guys! Come on let’s go.” Charlie insisted.

I mustered up every ounce of courage in my body and belted out a song I hadn’t had a chance to perform just yet.

“Got a whale of a Tale to tell ya lads! A whale of a Tale or two!” They looked rather astonished, but more so when I began dancing around them. It was my turn to be surprised when they even joined in the song with me.

I heard clapping once we had finished and when I turned to see who it was, I couldn’t believe it.

William.

“WILLIAM!” I screamed and ran for him, tackling him in a hug as we laughed.

----

“Wait, that’s not how He told it.” Terra furrowed her brows in confusion.

“No it’s not.” I looked at the pirate which had been put on trial, he was glowing a deep blue while he refused to look at us. “William is rather private when it comes to emotional moments, but I …” I linked my arm around his, “I don’t mind.”

-----

“Emily! You’re much shorter than I remember!” He twirled me around in his arms, I giggled.

“I think you’ve gotten taller!”

“After all this time, I can’t believe I would find you here.” He set me back on my feet and placed his hands on my shoulders. His ocean blue eyes were so much brighter than when he was in that house, he was different now than before - matured perhaps? “They’d convinced me you went to a convent and you will not BELIEVE the nunsense I’ve been up to.”

Still William.

“Oh? You’ll have to tell me.” He cocked his head to the side as he examined me.

“What’s wrong? You’ve gotten so serious Emily.”

“No I haven’t!”

“Dancing with pirates aside, you don’t seem as carefree.”

“Well we were children then, I’m obligated to grow into a young woman.” He looked me up and down and grinned.

“You surely are, and I’ve enough gold to take us wherever we want to go! I have a ship now, and oh! Remember how you always wanted to go to Spain?”

“I wanted alot of things back then, William, I was a rather selfish child.” I rubbed my arms and gave a little smile, I didn’t like thinking about when we were younger.

“Emily?” He smoothed my shoulders with his hands, “You can say whatever you need to, okay? Like if… You moved on.”  

“Well, I have… His name is Horatio Topper, and he is so sweet, you would love him William.”

“Horatio, huh? Sounds like a priest I probably pissed off.”

“William!”

“What are you doing out here so late anyway? Do you know what kinds of goons you could have come across? Bandits? Gypsies?”

“Oh stop it, the Gypsies are wonderful people, I just got done dancing with them.”

“Ah, dancing with gypsies and pirates - there’s the Emily I remember!” We started walking back to grandfather’s house, reminiscing on old times and filling each other in on our lives as of late. For me that meant telling William about the gypsies and the canary.

“I’ll have to stop by one of your shows, I missed hearing you sing.” He lingered a moment as I stood before grandfather’s house, “Well, I ought to let you go- I know how protective your grandfather is.”

“Yes… I’ll try to visit you William.”

“You’d better, little one!” He chuckled and gave a small wave before leaving.

----

The next evening was important to me for two reasons, I had met Madame Leota that evening and we made our deal, as well as Mister Topper and I …

I had been watching him work, his hands glided over the smooth fabric, sewing, mending, and determined to make this hat - which looked similar to all of his fantastic hats- the best hat among them. He always strived for perfection in his work, that is what made him the best.

But as he glanced over to me and smirked, I knew I was ready… I knew.

I placed my hand on his cheek and kissed him.

The kiss was long and deep, it felt as though it only lasted a few moments but the reality was we were kissing so long that we had not heard William come in to purchase a hat.

Perfect.

My life was perfect.

The coming days Mister Topper and I danced, we visited William, we were in love.

I stayed till closing with Mister Topper one night and went with him upstairs to his living quarters, we had dinner and I laid with him on his bed while I hummed to him.

“Lovely, you have a lovely voice, Emily.”

“That’s what they pay me for.” I stated rather proudly, I snuggled closer to him and bit my lower lip. Was I ready to tell him? Was I ready to show?

I sat up on the bed and began unbuttoning my dress, making Mister Topper panic and grab my hands.

“E-Emily!”

“No, Mister Topper please.” I whispered, my back to him. He hesitantly released my hands and I took off the yellow dress, I sat before him in my undergarments the Chemise I wore scooped low enough that the ‘B’ which decorated my spine was visible.

“Dear god … Emily what is this?”

“When I was Seventeen.” I shut my eyes while I focused on getting the words out. “My grandmother was grieving over the loss of my father and I know she … she must have been missing him so much, and she must have hated that I have his eyes. So one day after she had been pushed too far, she branded me.”

“Emily …” He held me close to him, rocking me back and forth while kissing my head. “I’m so sorry that this happened to you.”

“It’s okay,” I smiled up to him, “I’m okay now.”

What more could I say?

I didn’t want to make him anymore concerned.

“Can I stay with you tonight?” I whispered, resting my head on his chest once more.

“Of course, my dear, would you want me to sleep on the floor beside you?”

“No!” I gripped his shirt, “Please, I want to hold onto you.”

I had never slept so soundly, I had never felt so satisfied, I could never go back to that house.

I should have never gone back to that house.

The sunlight filtered into the room, Mister Topper and I woke in eachothers arms. We made breakfast and I had spent the day with him once again, keeping him company on his work bench and exchanging kisses every so often as he worked.

As the sun set I gave him one long kiss on the lips before leaving to the house, climbing into my window and flopping onto my bed with a delighted sigh. I didn’t even bother to shake the wildflowers from my hair as I slept and dreamed of being back at the Haberdashery with Mister Topper.

———

The next morning I woke by hearing my door opening, thinking it was Delilah bringing in the leftovers from breakfast I rolled onto my side with a dreamy smile.

“Good morning.” Came my grandfather’s voice, I snapped my eyes open and saw him standing there with his hands clasped behind his back- face a bright red. “And where have you been, I wonder?”

“What do you mean?” I could only whisper now it seemed.

“The late Mrs. Harper could not host her party this week, due to the disappearance of Mr. Harper, so I had thought we might have dinner together as a treat.” My heart sank, I thought perhaps I could vomit. “But when I came to your room you were not here, and again still in the morning you were gone.”

“I’m sorry I just … I was just…” I couldn’t think of a lie.

“It was remarkable timing as well, since I had just been to the Haberdashery this week…” I could feel my eyes widen as I sat up on the bed now. “I was hoping to ask you about it over dinner, but I have my answer now.” He stepped toward me, plucking a dry petal from my hair and pulling a small journal from his pocket. Within the pages of the journal he revealed wildflowers pressed inside, the petals matched the ones in my hair. “You must be quite infatuated, staying there for two days.” He snapped the journal shut, but I reached out for it- to grasp the only thing of Mister Topper’s. Grandfather grabbed my hand and pulled me up to his face, placing the journal under my chin to keep my eyes trained on him.

“Please, you said you loved me, then love me enough to leave him alone.”

“You dumb little whore.” He growled and threw me back onto my bed. “You belong to me, how dare you!” He dropped the journal as he grabbed my throat, his fingers burned on my skin, my vision had white sparks flickering within it’s corners. “I PROVIDED FOR YOU, I GAVE YOU A HOME! YOU BELONG TO ME!” He threw me on the ground and pressed his boot on my leg, I thought for sure he would break it. “I’ll do better than I did with William, I’ll make sure he can’t return.”

“No!” I screamed and grabbed his leg in an attempt to push him off of me- but he was built like solid brick.

“You wanted this.” He growled, “You wanted me to love you.”

He stepped away and picked up Mister Topper’s journal, walking out of the door.

I heard the lock snap into place.

My throat hurt but I wasn’t going to waste any time, I jumped from the window, stumbling down the overhang and landing on my back in the wildflowers - I ran to the Haberdashery and burst through the door.

Mister Topper dropped the bowler he had been working on and looked at me, “Good lord Emily I-.” He looked me over a little more and hurried to my side. “Emily what’s happened?”

“We need to leave, we need to leave now!”

“What? Why? I can’t just leave … My work…” But he trailed off as he touched my neck. “Emily, what happened? Who did this?”

I shook my head while tears rolled down my cheeks, “There is no time! We must leave!”

“You must tell me why! Someone has hurt you Emily please, just explain.”

“Because… He’s coming to kill you Mister Topper and I won’t let him take you away from me.”

“Who? The King of Persia? Because he is the only one who actually stood a chance.” Mister Topper chuckled but I grabbed his coat.

“We must leave, you have to trust me.”

“Emily, who hurt you? Who is coming to kill me?”

“My grandfather! He’s stolen your journal and he is coming to kill you!” I felt like a thread that had been pulled taut and split in half. “He treats me like a possession and you’ve tainted it! He puts his lips on me and no one else! He makes me feel DISGUSTING!” My voice was shrill as I stepped away from Mister Topper, “AND HE IS COMING TO KILL YOU!”

“Good god Emily…” I rubbed away the tears with my palms, avoiding his gaze.

“Please don’t tell anyone, I just want to leave here with you.”

“And we will, Emily, I’ll leave here with you tomorrow evening.”

“What?” I finally brought my gaze to his, “But what if he comes here? What if he takes you?”

“I’d like to see him try, he may be built like a redwood but he’s still older than I.”

“I-I suppose… But I don’t want him to find me here, if he catches me out again I…” Mister Topper rested his hands on my shoulders and kissed my head.

“My sweet Emily, I can’t believe all this… So much has happened and how your spirit is still so alive.”

“It hardly feels like it..” I whispered, “I must go before he discovers me again, you promise I’ll see you tomorrow evening?” I hesitated a moment before adding, “Promise me everything will be alright?”

“It will, everything will be fine, Emily.” He gave me a long kiss and I went right back to the window.

[happy-haunts]

Emily DeClaire Pt. 1

EMILY DECLAIRE Pt. 1

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

!! WARNING THEMES OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE !!

I walked with the group out to the hill by the river, along the way Constance and Red were telling me about what they learned from Madame Letoa as well as Terra was telling me all the rather mean stuff William had said to her. I enjoyed this- I enjoyed listening to everyone and how excited they seemed over their adventure. I enjoyed not having to speak, not having to explain just yet all of the things I was hesitant to share.

“And he told me the character I liked from my books was ‘boring and predictable’!” I looked at William who was standing beside me like a bodyguard, all this time without my memory had that made William fall into such a sour personality? 

I shouldn’t have been so selfish.

I kept my smile lifted as they shared, but the closer we got the more reality sank in. I couldn’t tell them the truth, about my past, about losing my memory, about anything! Maybe I could just lie? No… That wouldn’t be right, especially since Constance and Red went through all that heartache to find me.

“Hey, don’t worry.” William nudged me and gave a small smile, “It’ll be okay.”

“Are you even the same person?” Terra exclaimed, examining William as if he had grown another head.

I couldn’t help a giggle but it was halted as I got to the hill, the river was reflecting the moon perfectly and the breeze that blew through my form felt like fresh springtime.

“Wow… this is a really great view.” Constance gasped.

“Yeah, maybe I should bring you out here for a date one night?” Red wrapped her arm around Constance’s shoulders with a smile.

I took a seat in the grass, my large dress laid out around me and everyone else following suit, there was a long span of silence before William finally cleared his throat while looking at me - as if to indicate that I needed to start speaking.

“Um, yes … Well where to start?” I laughed nervously, “I should preface this by saying this story is not for the lighthearted.”

“Most of us have murdered people, Emily I think you’re the only one we’re worried about.” Constance said, “If you’re not ready we can wait until you are?”

“No! No! I’m ready! I’m overdue actually…” I couldn’t help it, whenever my heart hurt I had to smile because if I didn’t smile I might break down. “Let’s see I’ll start with … My parents.”

-----

I was raised in New Orleans Square with Claude and Dinah DeClaire, they were the best parents that anyone could ask for.

They worked tirelessly to make my life better and in return I stayed home and tried to keep our apartment cleaned as well as tried to cook meals for them when I was old enough.

One day when I was seventeen, I decided my parents worked too hard and they should take some time to themselves. New Orleans Square had so many places to eat and enjoy yourself so I encouraged my parents to come home early that day, I helped them both get dressed up and sent them out to have a lovely dinner while I stayed home - waiting to hear about their magical night.

But they never returned.

Instead the only ones knocking on my door were the officers who discovered their bodies, who had to tell me my parents had died.

I was selfish.

We were getting along just fine without evenings out, without getting dressed up, and without fancy meals! So why did I have to ruin it?

The officers found out I still had living relatives in a town up the river called Liberty Square - a grandfather and a grandmother known as Howard and Elizabeth DeClaire.

At least I would have someone to mourn with, someone to work through the pain with.

When I arrived at their home it was very clear that - contrary to what I had thought - we would not be mourning together.

I stood at the door while they took me in, my grandmother was beside my grandfather, both of them had shocked looks on their face as though they were seeing a ghost.

“Howard. Get her out of my sight.” My grandmother finally said and turned away from me, holding her arms tightly, from how her shoulders shook it seemed like she was crying.

“I’m sorry, I know this must be an inconvenience but I can clean and cook -.”

“No.” My grandfather’s voice was deep and though it was only one word it still shook me. “You’ll be staying upstairs.”

“Of course, I appreciate everything-.”

“Follow me.”  I had decided that perhaps talking could wait until later, after all I might have lost my parents but they lost their son.

I was taken to a dusty room on the second floor, all that inhabited the space was a cot, a wardrobe, and a desk with a mirror hanging above it. It was almost as big as the entire apartment my parents had, which felt like I had an entire house to myself - sure the dust wasn’t ideal but once I was back up to it I could clean it all off.

“You are not to leave this room.” I turned to my grandfather who I didn’t notice had been standing right behind me - an intimidating realization seeing as he was built like an oak tree and I was more of a sapling.

“But surely you don’t mean to keep me up here? I was hoping we could go see the town together.” I started pulling at my fingers nervously, “Like a family?”

My grandfather’s eyebrows rose as though what I was suggesting was some kind of disgusting taboo, he struck me across the face. “We are not a family, you might have Claude’s eyes but you are not my granddaughter.” I cupped my cheek while salty tears began to streak down my cheeks. “As far as I’m concerned if you died in that carriage accident I would have been blessed.”

I was overwhelmed with emotions as I dropped onto the floor, gasping for breath as I tried to calm myself down. But he didn’t care, he walked out the door and left me there sobbing .... broken.

I balled my hands into fists and pressed them onto my temples, I wanted to carve out whatever it was about me that wasn’t good enough. Why couldn’t they love me? Why couldn’t they comfort me?

“Mom… Dad…” I sobbed looking to the ceiling, “I wish you were still here, I wish you never left … I need you…” I curled up in a ball on the floor as the crying only increased. “Please… I need you.”

----

It was like that for several days until I eventually ran out of tears to cry, Delilah was the servant who came to take care of me which meant she brought me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I hoped that meant that perhaps my grandfather was wrong and they hadn’t hated me enough to let me die.

I didn’t eat anyway.

It didn’t matter if I did or not, however, my grandmother saw this as a problem it seemed. And she remedied my “act of defiance” with pain. When throwing the food at me didn’t seem to work she slapped me, when that didn’t work she whipped me with a switch, and when that didn’t work still she had one more trick.

My grandfather had come into the room that day with my grandmother close behind, she looked sickly almost - her frame was fragile but in her hand she held a long iron rod. I was sitting beside my window as I had for … Well to be honest I’m not sure how long? Days perhaps? It couldn’t have been more than a week, could it?

“Get up.” She commanded.

“What is the point of treating me like this?” I couldn’t scream so my voice merely came out cracked and hoarse. “If I starve myself then I’ll die faster.”

“Howard.” Grandfather grabbed me and I was taken to the kitchens where servants parted to watch me be thrown to the floor, my dress was ripped down the back as grandmother put the iron in the kitchen fireplace. Grandmother’s cough was dry and even I could feel how it scraped her throat, as she hacked she pulled the iron back out and I saw what it was.

It was a brand. A brand in the shape of a letter ‘B’

I clutched my chest as hard as I could to brace for the pain as it seared into my skin, the worst part was when she pulled it back and part of my flesh came off with it. My screams were more like weak wheezes, my tears just phantoms.

It seemed it was too much for grandmother as she collapsed holding her iron, the group of servants all getting down to grab her as my grandfather began shouting for them to let her breathe.

I looked to the kitchen door and saw the sunshine, the grass, and the river. The warm air wafted over my face - giving me the strength I needed to bolt for the door.

I wasn’t sure if they had noticed my absence by the time I raced to the neighboring house, but I squeezed through their fence and stumbled into a rock. Not a rock. It was a graveyard?

I was gasping from the sprint and took this opportunity to duck behind a larger headstone, my back was burning from the pain but it also helped me feel something, something other than this deep pit which had formed in my chest. After awhile of hiding I checked to make sure my grandfather or any of the servants weren’t near, I began to walk through the graveyard noticing that first - there seemed to be hundreds of graves, and second- some had their names washed away from their headstones.

I knelt beside one and traced my fingers over the small indentations where words once used to be, how sad that they could no longer be remembered…

I was selfish.

Here I was forsaking the life I have been given when these people had all been forgotten in their deaths. I pressed my lips onto the cold stone and tears came once more, my arms creeping around the headstone till I clutched it so hard against me I might have broken it in two.

“I’m sorry.”

“And what are you sorry for?” I jumped and ducked behind the headstone, noticing that the man looking at me was … Odd. He had startling white hair although he looked rather young, a noose was hanging around his neck, and his clothes looked halfheartedly draped over his figure. “Are you the one who killed them? If so then I commend you on how young you look for your age.”

“Well no, I didn’t-.”

“Then don’t apologize.” He waved his hand to me, “Now, let's take a look at that brand.” He took a step toward me but I crawled back while shaking my head.

“Don’t, please, I…” I hugged my arms and sucked in a breath, “I deserved this.” He placed his hands in his pockets and looked me over as I said so, he contemplated his next words.

“That’s not what the apparitions say.” He walked toward me and took a knee before me, reaching out his hands to inspect my brand. “They saw you running into the graveyard terrified, but they claim you have been separated from your guardian ghouls.” I wasn’t sure what he meant, or what he expected me to think as he told me all this.

“I was just… I overreacted.” I didn’t want him to concern himself, especially once grandfather and grandmother found out I was out of the house.

“Hm.” His smile was ghoulish on it’s own, but somehow charming. “Well, I do hope you won’t overreact while I go retrieve some bandages for that nasty wound.”

“Of course.”

I found myself almost longing for him to return, as though however long I had gone alone made me desperate for some kind of companionship. When he finally came back he was joined by a gorgeous man who had a gown in his arms.

“Dear god Vincent! Where did you scrape her up at?”

“She came here actually, I was unfortunate enough to get the grim news from Cousin Mel - and right in front of Granny.”

“Oh lord whatever will you do…?” The gorgeous man rolled his eyes, “She needs a new dress that much is certain, however now that I look at her I think I should have gotten her a yellow one.”

“How garish! The black is perfectly fine Dorian- she is wearing black so replacing it with another black gown is preferred.”

“No, matching a color to her is much more important - ugh, I would brand her for looking so washed out.”

“Dorian!”

“What? She looks like she’s been living in a cave!” Dorian crouched down to me, “Sweetheart, how long has it been since you got some good sunlight on that rather exquisite complexion of yours?”

“Um … I’m not sure …? A long time?”

“Just as I thought, you have to get out more - doctors orders.” I had been paying so much attention to Dorian I hadn’t noticed Vincent behind me as he patched up my brand, his cold hands making me jump.

“Just a moment, I need to get this covered up so you don’t get an infection. That’s what happened to our great Uncle Hector - one papercut and a month later he was in the grave.”

“That’s awful, I’m so sorry.”

“It really was awful, ugh, it looked like he needed to die.” Dorian made a gagging sound.

There was a clearing throat from beyond us and I grabbed onto Dorian’s hand on instinct, he dropped the dress to grab my hand back - no doubt he thought I was falling or perhaps fainting. I didn’t want to turn around to see who it was, I wanted to assume this may have all been a dream and I was still seated beside the forgotten tombstone.

“Ah Mister DeClaire, what brings you out this way?” Vincent beamed, but his eyes seemed to wander a moment as though someone was whispering in his ear and he had begun trying to concentrate.

“I’ve come to retrieve my …” Grandfather rolled the word around in his mouth a bit before finally growling, “Granddaughter.”

“You?” Dorian furrowed his brow, but then looked to my hands and back to my face. I could tell what he was thinking and I didn’t want him to say anything.

“I should be going, I’ve inconvenienced you enough.”

“Here, take this gown that one is ruined and I’ll try to find you a more suitable color another time.”

“Mister DeClaire I can only imagine how you feel, seeing your granddaughter in such a state.” Vincent looked hardened. “You know we are Gracey’s, we can find who did this and ruin them.” It sounded more like a threat than an offer for assistance.

“How very generous of you, but I don’t think there is enough evidence to even prove she lives here, other than your word - so finding who did this would be all for naught.”

“That’s a strange thing to point out.” Dorian grumbled, but I hurried to grandfather’s side and hugged the dress against my chest.

“Thank you Vincent, Dorian, but I think we’ll be alright.”

And without another word we had left.

Grandfather walked me all the way up to my room and closed the door behind him,I took a seat on my bed with my back facing him as I listened to the floorboards creak beneath his feet while he stalked closer to me.

“Your grandmother has passed.” My heart sank and I slouched harder into the dress I clutched against my chest. “You killed her because of your stubbornness.”

“No I-!” He grabbed my jaw and pulled me closer to him, his blue eyes were exactly like mine, exactly like dad’s.

“But now you are mine alone and I will not tolerate defiance, nor will I be intimidated for the lies you told the Gracey boys.” He pushed my face as he released my jaw, his eyes looked me over and I heard him take in a sharp breath. “Get dressed, you look like a devil’s temptress.” I looked at myself sadly and saw that my sleeves had slipped off my shoulders- so I quickly pulled them back up.

Once he was gone I changed into the new black dress, it was a little big but still fit somewhat correctly, looking in the mirror I saw that Dorian was correct about my face. My normally vibrant brown skin was now an ashen and pale muted muddy color, I had deep bags under my eyes, and my cheeks were sunken in slightly from lack of nutrients.

But for the first time something stirred inside my chest, as though the kindness Dorian and Vincent offered gave me something back that I had once lost. A hum came from my lips as I shakily got to my feet and rubbed the fabric of my skirts between my fingers.

“Sing sweet nightingale, high above me ….” I cooed, “Oh Sing sweet nightingale high above… ah…” I held the note as I felt the last of the sunset on my skin.

Perhaps things were not as bad as I once thought, perhaps this was just a chapter I would have to get through.

----

I was wiser for that day, I was much more cautious, I was filled with hope.

So I began sneaking out of my room regularly at night, picking the wildflowers behind the house and taking them to the graveyard to mourn for the nameless, I reserved two flowers for Dorian and Vincent every night as thanks.

One night as I was placing flowers and humming I stumbled across another Gracey brother, he looked about my age with striking resemblance to Dorian. (although not as handsome, since Dorian seemed to take much better care of his skin.) The boy was sleeping hunched on one of the forgotten graves, I saw one of his hands had a bandage wrapped around it, it seemed to cover most of the back of his hand. I tried not to wake him but the flower I placed had ended up brushing against his hand, his eyes snapping open and the boy grabbed my wrist.

“I-I’m sorry!” I shouted, he seemed suspicious of me.

“Who are you?”

“E-Emily!”

This boy was definitely not like Vincent and Dorian, he was much more on guard- harsher it seemed. “What the hell are you doing here anyway?” Much harsher.

“I’m placing flowers on graves.”

“Why? They aren’t your family.”

“Because my family is… far away… so I thought I would remember the people here.”

“How ridiculous none of these people would care about you when they were living - I wouldn’t give them the time of day.” This was his family, surely he didn’t really believe such a thing about his own family? Even though my grandfather was rough with me I was sure he just needed time to know me.

But still I persisted they must be good people, until I started crying… It was foolish of me but I began thinking about my parents and if they were forgotten like this? 

I didn’t mean to start crying but it seemed his cold attitude washed away, instead he began trying to remedy the purpose for my tears. But I knew there wasn’t much that could be done, he still asked and tried to help as best he could.

How sweet.

I made sure to ask if he would be back tomorrow night as well because I wanted to see him again, I wanted to talk to him more, I wanted to see more of the boy beneath all that ice.

And we did, every night after that I came to see him and we placed flowers in the graveyard while we talked about his family. I found out his name was William and that he dreamed of leaving this town someday and being in a place no one knew his name- so he could make a new one.

We lay in the graveyard looking at the stars one night, my fingers inching closer to his before I finally gave his hand a tight squeeze.

“We should leave this place.” He mused, “Together, we should run away and see the world.” I pulled my torso up to look at him now, the moonlight washing over his pale skin, I pursed my lips with concern. “Emily I’ll show you the world, I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

“I’ll go with you if you promise to make me your wife.” I could see William turning red even only illuminated by moonlight. “I love you William.” I said softly, leaning down and pressing my lips against his as I stroked my fingers against his hair. When I pulled away he caressed my cheek with his thumb, smiling at me.

“Alright, I’ll make you my wife and we’ll leave this place.”

“We should practice dancing! Tomorrow we can go down to the river and you can teach me how to tango!” William laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist, rolling me over onto the grass beside him.

“Well if that’s what you want then we will! How can I say no?”

We seldom met each other during the day but I loved when we were out in the sunshine, especially when it was for dancing! The rocks were smooth beneath my feet as I slid them into the shallow water, William came down the hill beside the river holding a box in his hand.

“Ooh! Have you already gotten your suit?”

“Hardly, this is for you from Dorian.”

“Aw! Dorian is so sweet, did he say what it was?”

“No, so open it up quick! I need to know if I have to kill him for it.”

I gave William a playful nudge and flipped open the box, it was a yellow dress and on top of it was a note in beautiful handwriting which read:

“Doctor’s orders.”

 The dress wasn’t overwhelmed with embroidery, nor was it made from fine silk, it was a simple canary yellow which was soft to touch.

“Oh my goodness it’s gorgeous…” I felt tears already welling up in my eyes, William chuckled and pulled me into a hug.

“Hey, hey it’s just a dress.”

“Just a dress? This is wonderful, please tell him I loved it!”

“I’ll tell him, now didn’t you want to learn to tango?”

I set the box safely off to the side where it wouldn’t get wet and slid into place in William’s arms, he instructed that the dance would be rather fast but I wasn’t much concerned. I knew I had a talent for dancing - I could feel the music in my body as it told my feet to move or my arms to extend. Every movement felt like another flap of my wings till I would be free from the four walls of my room, free from rules, and free to be who I am just like when mom and dad were alive.

I stepped back and William stepped forward, my hips swayed from side to side as they stepped fast in time as William kept count. As we step - turned I lifted my leg against his hip, William grabbed hold though I could tell he had been caught off guard. I grinned and flung my body backwards and he slowly turned me, I was brought back up to William’s face and I kissed him. I ran my fingers through his hair - pushing him back more while he returned my advances.

And then we fell into the river, I couldn’t hold back my laughter since I felt rather silly for not realizing we were falling sooner.

“Good thing you have a new dress I suppose.” William chuckled, I splashed him.

“I can’t change in front of you! Don’t be so devious!”

“I didn’t mean I wanted you to change out here!” His cheeks blazed red as he helped me up from the water.

“I can’t believe my betrothed is so eager to undress me, I bet Dorian and Vincent would scold you if they knew.”

“That’s it!” He grabbed me by the waist and walked into the river till we were waist deep, then he released me.

“WILLIAM!” I screamed only to be muffled by the water, when I bobbed back up I tackled him into the river till we were equally soaked.

As we walked from the edge of the river I noticed the bandage on his hand was missing, the wound made my stomach turn.

It was the same ‘B’ which my grandmother branded me with.

“William… Who did this to you?” I gently took his hand and turned my gaze to his ocean blue eyes.

“Oh that? I got it from… One of the boys in town, there is this annoying hatter that always hassles me about ‘rules’ in his ‘shop’ and -.”

“William,” I smirked and stroked my thumb over the scarred tissue. “Tell me the truth.”

His expression turned grave as he sucked in a breath, “My mother had talked with your grandmother a while back…” He held up his palms, “N-not that it’s her fault, rest her soul.” I had never come around to telling William about my grandmother or my grandfather, it never came up in conversation so it didn’t need to be stated.

And I wasn’t going to bring it up now, not when William was in such a state.

“William, what happened?”

“Yes, anyway, my step-mother calls it a… ‘reminder’ and she believes that it will make me behave better.” I kissed his hand and pulled him into a hug.

“You shouldn’t have to go through something like that.”

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t matter.” He stroked my wet hair, “How about we go dry off and … forget about my step-mother?”

We lay on the grass behind one of the tree’s in grandfather’s backyard as I hummed to William, his head resting on my chest while I ran my fingers through his hair. “Sing Sweet Nightingale, High above me…”  I hummed while the warm summer breeze ran through the air, the blue sky had never been a prettier blue, and all the elements combined caused my eyes to close.

I could lay here forever.

I could keep this moment forever.

But moments are nothing more than that mere minutes before they are over.

I opened my eyes and my grandfather was standing there looking down at us, terror filled my body as I realized the dream had ended.

“Emily.”

“Grandfather!” I shook William awake and quickly got to my feet, still wearing my soaking clothes no less.

“Ah! A pleasure to meet you Mister DeClaire.” William stood with me and offered his hand, grandfather did not take it.

“You are not only disobeying my orders but you have whored yourself out to the bastard of the Gracey heirs.”

“What did you just call her?” William wasn’t quite my grandfather’s height at the time, he only reached his shoulders, and he was not built quite the same either width-wise.

“William…” I stepped between them, standing tall as I met my grandfather’s cold gaze. “It’s time for me to go.” I turned to William now with a smile I had hoped was convincing, “I shouldn’t have snuck out, but perhaps I’ll see you another time.”

“Unlikely, your mother has told me this is not the first time you have snuck out Emily, I’ll see that you and this bastard-.”

“William.” I snapped, “Had nothing to do with this.”

“No, this is unfair! Emily was just-.”

“Shut up boy.”

“William, I have to go now … I’ll be alright I promise.” I pecked him on the cheek, but William pulled me back and kissed me deeply, when we pulled away he looked at my grandfather and saw himself home.

I sighed with a dreamy smile as I watched William leave, only to have my grandfather grab my wrist and pull me into the house, throwing me in my bedroom.

“You stupid child.” He growled as I stepped back from him, trying to put my bed between us - but it seemed he was following my movements. “But then again slave blood must attract slave blood alike.”

“Stop it, please, I really do care for William and I know you saw that.” I bumped against the wall but my grandfather proceeded to approach me. His frame towered over me and his eyes were wide with rage. “If you could just take the time to get to know him-.”

“There is nothing I need to know about that bastard, you act as though I’ve concern for your virtue!” He snarled and slapped me, “You’re nothing to me but an inconvenience, it is by my pity you still breathe.”

“You can’t believe that.” I whimpered as I pressed the back of my hand on my cheek, tears were starting to fill my eyes. “We’re family, please - please! Can’t you realize I just want us to be a family?”

“We are nothing!” He grabbed my throat and I thought my head would burst, I couldn’t breathe, his fingers seemed to be burning into my skin. “Your blood is nothing like mine!” He released me as I dropped to the ground gasping for air.

My grandfather stepped away from me and slammed the door behind him.

---------

I hadn’t worried too much about that night like I should have, I told myself that nothing was wrong as long as William was alright. I could handle anything from my grandfather - so long as William was there waiting for me, smiling and reaching out to me for another dance.

I was selfish.

I slipped out of my room, tiptoeing down the stairs, and finally stepping out of the kitchen door to the backyard to pick flowers as an apology to William for yesterday.

I had decided to go out during the day so that I might also grab my dress from Dorian, which was still nestled against the tree in the back.

As I held the box in my hands I started selecting the flowers, one after another as I hummed to myself and daydreamed…

I could see William now, laughing at my silliness because he understood that my grandfather was just worried about me. He had to be worried about me.

Because we were family.

Family means that you love each other.

I hadn’t seen him behind me, I hadn’t noticed that he was listening to me sing, I hadn’t noticed that he had begun looking at me differently.

Flower petals burst into the air when I crashed into him, but I could still make out his face through the petals. His eyes were wide but not with anger, he looked at me like I was something he had lost - as if I could replace all that he lost.

He kissed me.

I couldn’t help trembling as he did so - if not because he held my arms so tightly that it hurt, then it was surely because I feared he might do it again. It was much more terrifying than the branding, the hitting, and any insult I had heard.

When he pulled away from me he lifted his hand to my cheek which made me wince on instinct.

“I did that, didn’t I?” I wasn’t sure what he was talking about but, I gathered that perhaps he had bruised my cheek when he slapped me yesterday. “I shouldn’t have, but you made me so angry.”

“I’m sorry grandfather.” He clenched his hands into fists.

“Stop calling me that, Sir will be satisfactory.” Grandfather ran his fingers through my hair, “Sing to me again.”

“What?” I stepped back but one of his hands still gripped my arm and kept me near.

“You’ll sing for me tonight, you’ll sing to me after dinner.” But he could still see I was hesitating. “I will love you, Emily, if you sing only for me.” I still didn’t feel right, something felt wrong, dirty… As if he meant something more. “You wanted me to love you, you wanted this.”

“Y-yes Grand- sir.”

“What are you doing out here? When I forbid you from it?” He tilted my chin up to him more now, I must have given it away in my eyes because he glared at me just as I was used to. “William.”

“I’m sorry I wanted to see him after what happened yesterday-.”

“There is no need to worry about yesterday.” Grandfather’s smile was far worse than his glare, it was as though I could once again feel the brand burning my back. “Because William is gone.”

“What!”

“He is a bastard, it has been a long time coming, but seeing his lips…” He grabbed my throat and I felt his grip tense. “But… There is no more to worry about, you have me now.” That smile, that terrifying smile. “And that is all you wanted.”

“Yes, sir.”

He escorted me back up the stairs and I sat on my bed, the box covered in flowers was still pressed against my chest. As soon as I heard the door close behind me I faltered, dropping the box and covering my face with my hands while I sobbed silently.

William.

William.

WILLIAM!

But what could I do? Where has he gone? Another horrifying thought trailed through my mind.

Was he dead?

[happy-haunts]

Captain Blood (pt.2)

CAPTAIN BLOOD Pt. 2

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

She grabbed her skirts and turned away from me, sliding her bare foot over the ground in a half circle, looking over her shoulder at me with a mischievous grin, I sighed and watched as she began a solo tango- but you know what they say about tangos? It takes two.

I slid in behind her and spun her around, we twisted and slid across the cobblestone, I leaned her over my arm and swung her just over the street and then she was pressed back against my chest as we looked into each others eyes - our chests heaving.

“Now may I get down to business?” She rolled her eyes and slipped past my arms, walking down the street- she looked back to me.

“Are you coming? Captain business?” I came up beside her as we walked. “I swear, first Mister Topper and now you, why is everyone so concerned with business? There is a whole world staring all of you in the face and yet you choose to subject yourself to one place.” I chuckled as I listened to her rant,

“I take it you’re used to traveling with the caravan then?” She looked to me, confused.

“No, but I would if I could…” she looked longingly at the stars, “Can you imagine? They’ve probably been to Spain… England… China?” She held herself and twirled as she walked.

“I can see why the Mayor wants to meet you.” I smiled, but her upbeat attitude fell as soon as I mentioned him. “I have to say it was rather simple putting together who the canary was, I mean … yellow dress?”

“What? The Mayor is looking for me?” She was becoming panicked, “Please, you can’t tell him you saw me out here.”

“Whoa, whoa calm down - I already told him I wasn’t interested in bird hunting some gypsy for him.”

“I’m not a gypsy.” Emily whispered, “I live here, in this town.” I can honestly say I was rather shocked by that considering what normal person walks around barefoot?

“Well you’ve caught my interest, a lady from the town that dances with gypsies, dances with pirates, and is sought after by the most powerful man in town… well second now that I’m here.” I puffed up my chest and hoped she would be impressed.

“I’m flattered Captain, but I am already seeing someone.” I deflated my chest.

“Well could you at least do me the honor of escorting you home? Wouldn’t want you running into any undesirables.”

“Oh no?” Emily giggled and linked an arm with me, “I would like it very much to walk home with you, Captain.”

“Please, Call me William.”

❧

It was easy to establish myself in the town as a wealthy aristocrat seeing as my parents had attempted to groom me into the lifestyle for my entire childhood, and I already had all the treasure I could possibly ask for so I could look the part as well with minimal effort.

I was invited to several different parties - all of which were a means of gaining a higher status in the community, it was hilarious to attend such parties because I absolutely loved messing with the upper-class to see what it was they would do to keep their status.

I can recall one evening where I was entertaining and a group of ladies had gathered about me while one tall glass of blonde stood back - looking rather bored I must admit. The ladies were all asking me about how my skin was so perfectly smooth and I attempted to win the attention of the blonde by toying with the girls a bit.

“Oh I went to see a painter about my skin.”

“A painter?”

“Yes, you see I asked him to paint a portrait of myself, something that made me look radiant.”

“How did that help?”

“Well I took that portrait to a witch-doctor and he cast a spell on it to make me look like that forever, the portrait is in my parlor.” I gestured behind me and surprisingly the girls weren’t appalled by the joke I made in such poor taste.

“What was the painter’s name that you commissioned?”

“Was it that Cavanaugh girl that lived here?”

“No I’ll bet it was Eddy, he is so talented.”

I turned my attention back to the blonde, her blue eyed gaze had settled onto me now but as soon as our eyes met she rolled hers.

“If you can excuse me ladies.” I moved through the girls and slid beside the blonde. “I couldn’t help but notice your doubt in how I treat my skin, William Gracey, and you are?” I took her hand - kissing her knuckles.

“Constance Harper.” She groaned and rolled her eyes again, “Married.”

“Ah, no wonder you’re onto me, married women always know better. Especially happily married women.” Her eyes began wandering over the dance floor, I had to observe closer to notice. “Unless you aren’t happily married? Mrs. Harper?” She looked to me quickly and straightened.

“I am perfectly happy thank you very much Mister Gracey.”

“Well I was just thinking if you were then you would be wearing your wedding ring.”

“My Husband went missing, if you must know.” She avoided my gaze, “And I am assuming the worst - so is my mother.” I followed her gaze to see an older woman talking with a few gentlemen and pointing back to Constance.

“I see, well then what are you doing tonight Miss Constance?”

“Not joining you.” She gave a tired sigh.

“My that hurt, did you have someone else planned for this evening perhaps a nice gentleman?” I prodded and gave a playful smile, “Or a nice girl?” She looked at me in a panic and slapped me across the face.

“You are out of line!” I rubbed my cheek as I looked at her in shock.

“It was only a bit of fun, I apologize if I struck a nerve.” Constance sucked in her breath as she composed herself, giving a small nod.

“I understand but you will forgive me if I don’t find any of your jokes that entertaining.”

“Aw, even the painting joke?”

“Even the painting joke.”

“Well then I think I’ve run out of my best material.”

“So who is it?” She had her arms crossed while she looked me up and down.

“I don’t know what you mean?”

“The girl, you have no interest in me or any of these ladies here, I can tell by your lack of remorse- you poke fun at us no matter if it is making fun of us or not.”

“Well I didn’t think I was an open book until now.” I laughed, but Constance remained straight-faced, I cleared my throat. “I suppose there is a … um … other love.”

“How did she reject you?”

“She didn’t!” I said it louder than I intended, a couple people turned their gaze on us. “She… I … We were separated.”

“I see, so she has moved on but you haven’t.” I could feel my lips tightening into a thin line, she was trying to get under my skin … And it was working.

“It doesn’t much matter really, say I’ve been talking to the mayor and he says you have a local legend? The Canary?” Constance’s cheeks turned red and she shrugged her shoulders in response. “Surely you’ve heard of her? Apparently she’s really starting something in this town?”

“Yes I know of her, she’s …She’s just a very kind girl that’s all, regardless if anyone else is nice to her.”

“And what makes you say that?”

“Because, she seems to get along quite well with the Haberdasher from what I understand? The town says that she is constantly going in and out of his shop.”

“Really? Are they courting perhaps?”

“Please, she wouldn’t be interested in someone like you.” Constance snorted and shook her head to me, “I think you should stick to a girl who doesn’t see through all of … this.” She gestured to all of me and walked away.

I made a mental note to make time to visit the Haberdasher- you know just to see if he was right for Emily? Not that I was bothered by him, not bothered at all, not that I was really in love with emily either- no way.

Not at all.

❧

I stood before the Haberdashery now, a little hole in the wall shop with a sign hanging out front in the shape of a hat … No text on the sign but I suppose that customers could figure it out themselves.

Not that I was being critical or anything.

Just that it could be better.

I stepped inside and caught the yellow dress of Emily in the back where the Haberdasher himself was working on a hat, she had picked out a ribbon and held it against the velvet material as the Haberdasher turned and kissed her.

I cleared my throat to let them know I was inside before it got too involved.

“William!” Emily grinned and hurried over to me, giving me a big hug.

“Well Hello there! I was just coming to order a hat but it is lovely to see you little one.”

“So this is William.” The man working on the hat now stood behind Emily as he cleaned his hands with a rag, his brown eyes looked me up and down suspiciously.

“William this is Mister Topper!” She placed her hands on her cheeks as she blushed. “We’re courting.”

“I could kind of guess.” I chuckled.

“Emily has told me alot about you, Mister Gracey, forgive me if I don’t trust you since you have a background of piracy.”

“Emily, did you let in Mister Topper on my secret?” She gave a small shrug.

“I can’t help it! I can’t keep secrets from him.” I couldn’t be frustrated, not to mention it was bound to get out sometime while I was here.

“And to think I got to meet the famous Captain Blood?” Mister Topper chuckled, “You’re alot more scrawny than I expected.”

“Well you’re much older than I expected, the town holds you in such high regards Mister Topper.”

“Why don’t you order a hat then Captain, and I can show you what I can do?” I cocked an eyebrow in response to him, this old man had a spark to him.

“Oh yes! What kind of hat did you want?” Emily was sitting on his workbench in the back while kicking her feet. “I think a nice traditional black top hat?”

“Perhaps, I would like one with wildflowers on the rim though.” At the mention I saw Mister Topper stiffen, he worked his jaw a bit.

“Flowers are usually a fashion worn by ladies.”

“What does that matter? I’m sure it will look wonderful in your hands Hatty!”

“It’s Topper.”

“That’s what I said, Hatty.” I nudged the man as he wrote down my order in his little journal. “If that’s all I think I’ll be on my way, but both of you are invited to the mansion - it’s usually my turn to host the parties on the third Thursday of the month.” I paused and flickered my gaze to Emily still seated happily on Topper’s work bench. “But both of you can show up anytime, you will always have a place at my table.” I looked back to Topper who seemed to soften a bit at my mention.

“We will keep that in mind, thank you Mister Gracey.”

“We’ll try to stop by William!” Emily waved, “Take care of yourself an you had better stay out of trouble!”

I stepped outside where things began to get a bit more complicated, it seemed that my brother Vincent sent a gypsy woman here to get me to visit him in New Orleans, it was a good thing I had run into her since the Mayor was about to throw her in jail by the look of his blood pressure. I quickly took her in and found her a place inside the mansion.

❧

The next few weeks consisted of Leota and I getting to know one another, but it was the day she read the mayor in one of her sessions that really caught my attention.

“Wow, I’m the only one who can get the old man’s face that red.” I called from my front door. “What did you tell him you saw?”

“I saw his truest desire.” she stated matter of factly.

“Well whatever you guessed - it hit close to home.” I took Leota’s table and followed her back to her wagon as I began putting her things away.

���I don’t guess, he was after a young girl’s heart and kissed her while she was gathering flowers.” she reached back to me from her wagon to take her table.

“Gathering flowers…?” I mumbled, “What was she wearing?” Leota rolled her eyes and leaned on her wagon before me- arms crossed.

“It hardly matters what she was wearing, he had no right to touch such a young girl like that.”

“T-that’s not what I meant!” I turned red and ran my hand through my hair. “You know what never mind, do you need help with anything else?”

“That should be all of it… William let me give you a reading, I’m curious to know what dirty deeds you have resting inside here.” she poked my chest making me cock an eyebrow to her, but I rolled my eyes and held out my palms.

“Alright but hurry up, dinner is ready and I don’t want my roast to be cold.”

she placed her hands on mine and closed her eyes, I felt a little shiver go up my spine which I assume was unrelated, curses and magic weren’t real as much as he world wanted it to be.

Once she came back to reality she was smiling (shocking really).

“You knew the girl in black!” She was so excited, she wanted to know all about her and what the Mayor had done or if I knew anything about it, she wanted to know about my days of piracy as well, and she also had the gall to threaten me.

“You know…” I remember telling her after a couple glasses of wine, “I got this B by pissing off the Pope himself, he thought even when I died I would have this scar to show God that I was unworthy of Heaven.”

“You pissed off the Pope?!” Leota cackled and leaned back inn her chair while sloshing her drink about, “Is that why you were on your way to raid a church in my vision?” she was still laughing as she took her next gulp of the merlot.

I looked into my dark red wine and smirked, “I raided several convents but none of them had the treasure I was looking for, because… I was looking for a girl.” I looked up from my glass but Leota was slumped over the table and falling asleep, I smirked and lifted her up- taking her to her room and setting her on her bed while I sat on the edge of it. “The girl in black… Was the only girl… I have ever loved, and I only wished that I could have said so before I was sent away from her.”

❧

The next thing I can remember is what happened to Mister Topper, I had come back to the Haberdashery to pick up my hat and found Mister Topper scrambling to pack his things between customers.

“Um, do you mind if I ask what is going on? And if you tell me you’re skipping town from Emily I swear to -.”

“No! No, I am taking Emily with me…. Have you seen Emily lately? She is supposed to be here in an hour or so and I wasn’t sure if maybe you had passed her on the way here?”

“I haven’t…” I blinked while looking him up and down, something was wrong. “What happened?”

“I- Well…” Mister Topper ran a hand through his hair, “She came into me the other day with bruises on her neck and I … I’m getting her out of here, out of this town and away from these people!”

“Whoa, whoa!” I grabbed onto Topper’s wrist as he kept trying to pack. “You’re going to tell me who hurt her and we’re going to take care of them like they ought to be.”

“I won’t say, I promised her I wouldn’t say…”

“Topper at least take some of my men, they’ll do anything for you if you pay them as much … Except Charlie- that boy has a heart of Gold.”

“We’ll be fine, I’ll have Emily write you as soon as we get into the next town I assure you.” He placed a hand on my shoulder with a smile, “But thank you for the offer, you’re a good friend to Emily.” And he shooed me off onto the streets, I don’t think I had ever drank more in my life than that night, ranting to Leota about ‘How could anyone hurt such a sweet person?’ or ‘I should burn this town to the ground!’ And when I saw Mister Topper’s ‘Closed sign in the window the next day I figured it was all over, that I was going to hear from them any day now when they got to the nearest town to us …

But of course things aren’t ever so simple.

Charlie, a former crew-mate, came to me as I sat in the dining hall waiting for Leota so we could begin dinner.

“C-Captain…” He mumbled, wringing his hands as he stood beside me.

“Charlie, call me William we talked about this.”

“Captain this is important, the other night Henry and I got a job and … Well we got a job to … well it involved….”

“Just tell me! For god’s sake!”

“It’s Miss Emily, the Mayor had us teach her a lesson the other day and I thought it was just an old intimidation job on this Topper fellow but it turns out….” Charlie shut his eyes as he thought back to what happened, “Henry and I were beating the daylights out of him all while Miss Emily was there, when I noticed I tried to help sir I really did! But Mister Topper sir-.”

“What happened, Charlie.” I growled, standing up now.

“The Mayor… Mister Topper… He’s dead.” I slammed my hands on the table and ran my hands through my hair, I wasn’t sure what to do exactly, the Mayor needed to b dealt with but at the same time I needed to get Emily back.

“What happened with Emily?”

“That’s the thing sir, the Mayor is her grandfather and I … I think he’s doing something unsavory to the little Miss.” I inhaled deeply as I thought, despicable.

“Thank you Charlie, please leave…. I need to think.”

The Mayor had everything he wanted, power, admiration, money … yet he was still after more. And what could I bring to the table to take him down- my family’s name could only get me so far in this town but not far enough to bring down the mayor.

“So did you want to talk about it or am I going to be eating alone tonight?” Leota asked as she pulled up a char beside me, I threw my glass at the wall in response. “Mature.” She nodded with a chuckle.

“I can’t say I just… I’m stuck in a situation where there is little I can do.”

“With your reputation? I would have thought you could get away with anything.”

I was nodding expecting her to be giving some long speech about ‘putting your mind to it’ and nonsense like that, but she actually had a good point. My reputation!

“Leota! You’re amazing!” I hugged her making her spill her wine all over her shirt, and then hurried out of the room to begin planning.

❧

I knocked upon the Mayor’s door the next day, he was the one who greeted me at the door, his blue eyes looking down on me as though I was a bad taste in his mouth.

“William Gracey, what can I do you the pleasure for?”

“I came to discuss business with you Mister Mayor, I hope you don’t mind if I come in?” I stepped past him and looked around the familiar space with all of his son’s pictures hung on the wall, now knowing his blue eyes looked just like Emily’s.

“I thought our business would be over Mister Gracey, you refused my offer before I-.”

“Well, I have a new offer Mister Mayor.” I turned on my heels and looked him in the eyes now, “I can either take your reputation from you or your granddaughter’s hand in marriage.” He stepped toward me as if he were about to attack but composed himself.

“My son is dead, Mister Gracey, I don’t know-.”

“Don’t try that with me, I know the Canary was a way to keep track of Emily, I know you killed Mister Topper, and I know you will do everything in your power to keep your records as clean as a whistle.” I Got into his face, “So I wish to marry your lovely granddaughter, if not then I will let this entire town know about my history of piracy and how you had a hand in the murder of Mister Topper as well as the mistreatment of Emily DeClaire.”

His face was blistering red with rage but I could tell he was giving up, I had won this, he called a servant named Delilah to fetch Emily as she was escorted down the stairs in a different dress… a scarlet dress.

She looked stunning.

As soon as she came down to stand beside me I took her in my arms and held her as tightly as I could, my heart almost broke in two as I felt her arms tugging me against her and her head bury into my chest.

And we were out of the house - shopping for a dress and flowers all at once as well as my tux. We planned the ceremony to take place in the ballroom of the mansion and transition to the reception- we would travel the world after we were married and I would show Emily everything she desired, I would let her be free.

We announced our engagement to the caravan and then after a long night of partying I left with Emily up the stairs to get ready for bed.

I flopped onto the mattress and sighed with a smile, looking at Emily as she stood beside the bed- I jolted upright and got to my feet. “I didn’t mean to presume…” She placed a hand on my lips and shook her head

“It’s okay, I just…” she wrapped her arms around my torso and rubbed her face into my chest. “I don’t want to be scared anymore… I want to already be gone.”

“Everything is going to be okay, Emily.” I whispered and smoothed her hair down, “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

But I did.

I was too late.

I let her die.

I couldn’t even save her.

So much of that day is all a drunken stupor now, but the days to come… Those I remember clear as day… Those I take great pride in.

The mayor tried to start talk in the town that I murdered Emily and her lover, they erased themselves entirely from her story - calling her a gypsy that entranced men with her beauty, calling her a harlot.

They convinced the town her image was nothing more than a seductress, not that she was kind, loving, or gentle! Not that she suffered in silence! Not that she had such a big heart that she believed no one was ever what they seemed.

She never believed I was what I seemed.

I remember how they died even more clearly than when I died.

I had heard the whispers in town and decided to make a complaint to the mayor himself - at night so most of the town would be asleep.

When I knocked on the door Delilah answered but I grabbed her by the arm and whispered in her ear. “Grab all the servants and wait outside, I have a show for you all.”

The mayor himself graced me with his presence then, there was a sick grin on his face.

“Can I help you Mister Gracey?”

“You surely can! I have been getting several accusations thrown my way, accusations I feel are better suited for you.” I poked his chest, he didn’t move.

“I cannot stop the town from talk, and what the authorities believe… well…” he shrugged, “From what I’ve heard they are quite convinced you’ll do time.”

“Ah I see, I see… Although there is something I would love you to do for me before I must go away.” He took a step back from me but I grabbed his coat and knocked him in the face. “I want to hear you beg.” I snarled and punched him again.

He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down on the ground then began pummeling my face, I grabbed both of his fists and spat the blood in my mouth on his face- whacking him in the head with his own fist and kicking him off me into the stair railing.

I found my feet as did he, but as he gripped the railing I came up to him and stomped on his leg- hearing the stomach turning crack of his bone followed by the scream of pain.

“Beg for me Howard!” I laughed and broke the other leg. “Come on now! Surely you know how to beg! You listened to Emily for EIGHT DAMN YEARS! IT’S YOUR TURN NOW, BEG!”

I pressed my foot on the mayor’s leg.

“Beg.” I growled. “Isn’t this better? Don’t you feel how small you are? Don’t you feel how helpless you are? I want you to feel the same as you made her feel every single day.” The tears rolled down my cheeks, but this was no use. I skipped to the end and tied Howard up to a chair and poured the oil from he lamps onto his head and then lit a match. I continued with curtains, carpets, mattresses, pillows, and anything else that would set the house a blaze.

I paused only as I saw Emily’s room, I knew it was her’s because there were dried up and dead wildflowers scattered on the floor, inside was only a cot, a mirror, and some books. I wondered how she could stand it in here for so long, then I noticed the largest thing in her room was her window - the moonlight filtered inside like a spotlight and the stars reflected off the view she had of the river, the wildflowers dancing with the breeze.

I opened her window and stood there on the ledge but when I jumped I rolled off the over hang- landing softly in the flowers below, sparks were flying from the house and fading into the night sky as I lay there.

I had hoped with the fall that I might also die, that I could be with her but it was almost as if the soft cushion from the flowers were her arms- keeping me from harm. She would have wanted that, to try and keep me safe - that’s how sweet she was.

I slinked back to the mansion as the authorities took stories from witnesses, I had made it all the way back to the stretching room, standing at the top above where a few pictures were hung - just beneath the glass ceiling.

“Mister Gracey you are under arrest for the murder of Howard DeClaire, I order you to come down immediately.”’“If I come down then I’ll have to do it my way.”

“As long as you come down, we need to take you back to the cells and then we can discuss your sentencing.” I strolled a bit as I tied my knot and gave a small nod, walking up to the ledge.

“Alright then.” And I stepped off.

But time seemed to have stopped, I was standing in the air- moonlight poured into the stretching room… There were new paintings on the walls?

I walked down on the air as though they were stairs and then moved my way through the halls of the mansion- everything was old as though it had been left abandoned for several years.

Was this hell? Living in my mansion alone? Remembering Emily.

Oh Emily…

As I thought it, then it became, I heard sobbing from one of the rooms and I materialized accordingly, it was the attic and sitting by the window with her glowing heart beating in her chest- was Emily.

“Hurry…” she whimpered, “Hurry back … Please Hurry… I’m scared.” I felt the pain in my chest as I knelt beside her.

“Emily…” I whispered, “It’s alright now, you’re alright… At least I think you’re alright?”

“William?” She looked up and her glowing blue eyes lit up, “You came! William!” She wrapped her arms around me. “He was here and he was about to push me- when…”

“Emily…” I stopped her, “You are dead … we’re both dead… I didn’t…” I kissed her hands gently as I shut my eyes. “I was too late, I couldn’t save you…”

“He… Killed me?” She looked at herself and the sound of her heartbeat was deafening, “But… He wouldn’t… why… he would.” It’s as though she was coming back to the realization of who her grandfather was. “Oh god…” her transparent hands were shaking as she began to sob once more.

I wished I could make her forget… I wanted her to forget she was ever hurt and to just be herself.

And as I wanted it to be… It was.

She blinked the tears away and looked at me with a smile as if just realizing I was there, she hugged me. “William! I heard you let Leota into the mansion! Topper told me when we were…” she thought a moment, “I don’t remember what we were doing but anyway! We should dance! I love dancing!” She flew into the air and lifted me up with her. “We can have a swinging wake!” She laughed and spun herself around.

I pressed my luck, commanding that the dead of this mansion rise- but I couldn’t risk the thought of Hatty telling Emily what he knew so I slid into the walls, I became the mansion, I could hear the chatter in the house in the back of my mind and materialize when needed- but as soon as my form disappeared Emily would cry and beg for me to hurry back for what I made her forget was controlled by her bright beating heart.

And so when she moved through the halls alone she would call, waiting and wailing until I or another apparition appeared to calm her or distract her from her tragic death.

❧

They all stared at me as if I was a completely different person, all except Emily who hugged me with tears pouring down her cheeks.

“Oh William! I didn’t know I hurt you so much!”

“It wasn’t you at all weren’t you listening?” I sighed, patting her head. “I’m just sorry I acted so rash and made you forget everything Emily…”

“I know you wouldn’t hurt me William!” She smiled up at me with her chin on my chest, “I trust you.”

Constance and Red both made faces, not understanding why exactly since I had done so much to prove otherwise. “But you did leave a good bit of details out of your story, so I’ll tell them mine! That is if everyone is okay with going to my favorite spot for it? And luckily I think it’s a full moon tonight!”

[happy-haunts]

Captain Blood (Pt.1)

Captain Blood (Pt. 1)

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE!

 Constance moved toward me first but with a wave of my hand she was knocked back.

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” I lifted my arms on either side of me, “Surely you weren’t just planning to attack me? I thought you ladies had questions!”

Red got up and I waved my hand again but this time nothing happened, she walked toward me as I kept trying to propel her backwards and then punched me in the face, now if I wasn’t a gentleman I would have retaliated.

And I am not a gentleman.

I grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall - we went spiraling through the insulation till we were back in the hallway, Red’s form solid now as I pinned her to the ground.

“You killed Emily and you’re making everyone in the mansion miserable!”

“Red!” Constance and the Hostess were in the ‘Cast members only’ doorway, I looked as Constance followed her shout with a gasp.

“What is going on?” My body went rigid which gave Red ample time to flip me off of her and pin me down herself, I looked past the red glowing woman to see Emily standing just down the hall - I had to reach her before…

I felt a cold sensation in my chest and I reached out my hands.

“Let me up! Before she-!”

“Before she what? Remembers everything you’ve done?” I was overwhelmed with the feeling in my heart.

“It’s too late, Emily can… passively influence someone with emotions.” Emily waved her hand and smiled.

“Oh that’s just a little party trick, my real talent is that I can cry on command!” Her smile remained on her face as Red and Constance both looked very concerned. Red let me up and we all returned to the Hostesses bedroom - since it seemed we had all calmed down. “So what WERE you two doing on the floor?” Emily nudged my ribs while wiggling her eyebrows in a suggesting manner.

“Why are you so chummy with him? He’s been forcing you to forget the life you lived! And it’s effecting the other members of the mansion.” Red placed her hands on her hips, “And I’m not into guys, especially not murderers.”

“Hey!” Constance shouted.

“Except you, my deadly dame.”

“I already knew he was making me forget, but he had good intentions! I promise!”

“You knew?” I was even shocked, I had thought she would forget no matter what.

“Yes, but that is no reason to fight!” She wagged her finger at the lot of us, “Do you two want to end up like the dueling brothers? Permanently damaging each other for all eternity?”

“No…” Red and I responded in unison.

“What was that?”

“NO!”

“And YOU mister, you need to explain yourself to these ladies! And stop brainwashing me if it’s hurting the mansion! You’re job is to try to keep us all safe, like Terra, alright?”

“Fine…” I rolled my eyes while crossing my arms.

“Don’t give me that tone!”

“Hold on,” Constance chuckled, “Why do you let HER talk to you that way?” I could feel heat filling my cheeks but tried my best to keep my expression taut.

“Why don’t you mind your business?”

“William!” Emily jabbed me in the gut with her finger, “Be nice! Why don’t you just tell them about your mortal life?”

The two girlfriends were laying on their chests on the bed, chins in their hands, and legs kicking back and forth while the Hostess sat on the floor holding a pillow to her chest.

“Yeah, go on William!”

“Tell us!”

I tried to fight the urge to tell them anything, but the coldness in my chest turned warm - turning my gaze to Emily I saw she was eagerly awaiting my story as well.

“Fine…”

❧

I had a painstakingly boring upbringing, learning from the same tutor everyday, practicing the same instruments, and hearing the same criticisms.

“William I don’t understand why you’re slacking, your brothers never had test scores this low.” or. “William I don’t know why you aren’t picking up the violin - Dorian plays it like a professional.” And even, “William I just don’t understand why your papers are so poorly written, Vincent’s writings are just so fascinating.”

My brothers were fantastic at everything as far as my parents were concerned, you would think this would reflect into my two older siblings but… no.

Dorian was the middle child, he never once even mentioned to me how he excelled in certain subjects. No, Dorian rather spent his time asking me about outfit choices and if his hair looked okay - not exactly humble but he wasn’t cruel either.

Vincent wasn’t boastful either, he spent his times musing about the afterlife or what the ghost of our grandmother had to say regarding my parents poor furniture choices. You see my brother believed he could speak and see the dead - which lead him to fantasize about one day joining the afterlife and wearing a noose around his neck.

The start of things changing happened when the town heard the news.

“So I saw Mrs. Hatchaway this evening in town.” My step-mother said as we all were sat at the dining table.

“Did you?” My father was cutting into his pork chops, “Has she considered marrying her daughter to one of our sons?”

“No dear, she told me that the Mayor’s son has passed away.”

“Claude? Why he couldn’t have been much older than Dorian … What happened to the poor boy?”

“Seems he was mixed up in a carriage accident with a slave woman.”

“Such a shame, people are dying more and more these days.”

Vincent nodded in agreement, “Yes the lucky ones get to go out so much sooner.” He leaned on his palm as he popped part of his pork chop in his mouth. “What a blessing to be young and dead.”

“I have to agree with Vincent,” Dorian chimed in as he wiped his cheek while inspecting his reflection in a steak knife. “I would much rather be young and dead than living long enough to get all…” He shuddered with his tongue sticking out. “… wrinkled.”

“Well it’s too late for that, it seems.” I pulled on the corner of my eye - indicating to Dorian who shrieked and looked closer at his knife.

“That is not funny William!” My step-mother scolded. “Apologize.”

“I’m sorry Dorian’s face looks like a raisin.” I shrugged and wiped my mouth with my napkin.

“What a good joke!” Vincent patted my back, “And a very accurate depiction of decaying skin.”

“YOU THINK MY SKIN IS DECAYING?!” Dorian was breathing heavily, “I need to be excused!” He threw his napkin down as he hurried to the washroom, leaving Vincent and I to snicker.

“Both of you that is enough, William I have no idea what to do with you.” Step-mother sighed, her hazel eyes glaring at me. “I would have thought we reminded you well enough to act better.”

I rubbed my bandaged hand while looking down to my empty plate.

“George, perhaps we need to try again, Elizabeth says that usually once isn’t enough.”

“Mary … I don’t know.”

“I wouldn’t worry mother.” Vincent chimed in, “William is still so young - personally I think you didn’t even need to remind him the first time … PERSONALLY I think it was rather cruel you reminded him at all -.”

“Excuse me, I don’t think I need to sit in on this conversation seeing as no one has once asked my opinion on the matter.”

“Sit down William, of course we would like your opinion on the matter.” My father tried his best to be understanding of the situation I found myself in.

I was a bastard.

My mother was a ‘slave’ as the town called her, they also called her a harlot and a temptress. Because apparently my parents COULDN’T have loved each other since they were of two different social classes, no, instead my father was a victim to a devil woman.

And I was the result of it.

But my father persuaded my step-mother to keep me, since I looked nothing like my birth mother. This also meant I never got to know my mother because that woman sent her away.

“I don’t think we do.” My step-mother corrected my father, “He’s hardly earned the right.”

“Just like we had no right to cremate dear Granny.” Vincent sighed, “And yet we did, now everyday when she coughs a little bit of her ash comes out.”

“Shut up, you can’t talk to ghosts.” I grumbled while rolling my eyes, “If you can then why don’t you find the Topper’s? They were ‘mysteriously’ never found right?”

“I don’t think anyone would believe me if I did say.”

“Because you don’t know, is there anything your imaginary friends CAN help with? Other than reminding us we messed up Granny’s burial?”

“Yes actually, they told me we have a visitor during the night in our graveyard.”

Father and Step-mother seemed rather alarmed, “A grave robber perhaps?”

“No … It seems our visitor is mourning.”

“That can’t be, there are no Gracey’s visiting.” Step-mother mumbled, I couldn’t fathom why it was they insisted to take Vincent so seriously! I excused myself from the table again and headed out to the graveyard - at least if there really was a grave robber or something I had somewhere to place my frustrations.

❧

Hours passed while I sat leaned against an unmarked headstone, inside the house I could hear them shouting, father and step-mother.

“You baby him too much! That is why he isn’t excelling!”

“I’m trying! Lord Mary can’t you see I’m trying?”

“Obviously not hard enough!”

I closed my eyes while they screamed, trying my best to fall asleep instead of listening to them argue about what was wrong with me.

I felt something brush against my hand in the grass - making me flicker my gaze open and grab onto someone’s wrist.

“I’m sorry!” A girl dressed in black shouted, she winced as if I was about to strike her.

“Who are you?” I looked at what brushed against my hand, flowers?

“E-Emily …” She whispered, “I just… I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“What the hell are you doing here anyway?” I released her wrist and leaned back on the headstone with my arms crossed.

“Oh, I’m just placing flowers on the graves.” She gave a sad smile, if I hadn’t have been looking so closely I would have missed it. Her lips tilted upwards but her eyes remained tired and dark.

“Why? They aren’t your family.” She took a seat beside me now, holding a bouquet of wildflowers, her tanned fingers were caked in dirt.

“Because my family is … far away… So I thought I would remember the people here.” Emily traced her fingers over the faded headstone letters.

“How ridiculous, none of these people would care about you when they were living - I wouldn’t give them the time of day.”

“You don’t know that, this one could have been the kindest man you had ever met, and that one with the purple flower could have been an amazing opera singer.” She paused a moment as she considered the two headstones beside each other. “They could have been lovers, but they were only brought together by death.”

“Or they were stuck up rich people who only choose to talk to someone if they’re the same social class.” She bowed her head sadly, picking at her flowers.

“Maybe they were loving parents…” I thought she was trying to take a jab at me initially, but then I noticed the tears watering the flowers in her hands. “Maybe they shouldn’t even be in a grave … Maybe they should be walking through the door, apologizing for taking so long.”

“Hey, are you okay?”

She lifted her head and wiped away the tears with a smile, “Of course! It’s my fault really, I have allergies and here I am picking flowers.”

“Don’t lie to me, was that … did you lose someone?”

“It’s nothing really.”

“Hey! I said don’t lie to me!” She chuckled and gave a sad nod.

“My parents passed away about a week ago maybe? I honestly can’t tell, I’ve been cooped up in my room most of the time … It was my fault though, I insisted they take a night for themselves and then …” Emily hugged her knees. “They had an accident that night.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s alright, it just feels so good to talk about it.” She smiled, a genuine smile, I was almost knocked backwards when I saw it. There is little I can do to describe it, it was a smile that conveyed such a feeling inside me as if I were enveloped in warm arms - as if I was just told everything will be okay, that things will work out.

As if I were falling…

“I’m - um - glad I could help.”

“Will you be here tomorrow night? I’d love to see you again.”

“Y-yeah I’ll be here!” I answered so quickly, what was even the matter with me?

❧

I hardly got any sleep that night - because when I dreamed I dreamed of her, she was in a white sundress in a field of those flowers she picked, Her blue eyes were turned to me as that smile kept me entranced. I walked toward her, taking her soft hands only for her to move toward me and right before she would kiss me.

I would wake up.

I had entirely given up on trying to sleep the rest of the morning so I headed into the dining hall where sounds of the servants preparing breakfast could be heard.

“A bit early for you isn’t it William?” Vincent was already sitting at the table with a glass of orange juice in his hand, beside him was another glass which had already been emptied. “Just in time! Granny was telling me all about your date last night.”

“And was ‘Granny’ watching through the kitchen window?”

“Now William, I would never spy on your entire conversation … Just the interesting bits.”

“There wasn’t anything interesting anyway, just some girl leaving flowers in the graveyard.” Vincent leaned over to me as I took a seat beside him.

“Just a girl that is keeping you from getting any sleep right now.” I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. “I had a love like that once, and then she went to study abroad … Ah what I would do for just one more conversation.”

“She’s not my love and I’m not IN love, if mother and father have shown me anything it’s that love creates nothing but bitterness.”

“You have your own life to live, don’t let anyone keep you from what makes you happy.” I couldn’t help it but I actually smiled to Vincent.

❧

Emily and I met up in the graveyard several times, mostly we would talk about life and the things that bothered us but overtime we transitioned into teaching each other to dance. I can’t say I was surprised that Emily was so light on her feet, but I was impressed with how fast she could pick up any dance. This also lead to her teaching me new songs since her parents used to sit with her when they had a moment of peace, and sing her to sleep. Her voice was lovely … it was lovely in a way that broke my heart, a tune that sounded warm and inviting but beneath it felt lonely.

Amazingly as days moved forward life at home didn’t seem quite as dreary, my father and I became closer - he would often share stories about my mother … About how much he loved her. My brothers and I even grew closer as I asked Dorian for advice on what I should wear to impress Emily, I asked Vincent what things I could talk with her about? His answer of course was to talk about the family since we were in the graveyard, surprisingly good advice.

Step-mother seemed to have gotten worse, she would silence herself at the mere mention of the graveyard girl - as well as I believe she may have overheard father talking about his affair with my mother.

But that day…

I know she had something to do with that day.

“I don’t understand! What have I done?” I screamed at father.

“Your mother and I agree that you’ll be taught proper discipline in the Naval forces.”

“She is NOT my mother!”

“You will hold your tongue! This is why you need to be sent away! You are a spoiled boy and that GIRL has filled your head with fantasies!”

“FANTASIES? Because someone actually cares about me even if I am a bastard? Because she doesn’t pity me like YOU PEOPLE!”

Vincent had stepped into the library where we were talking, “Finally! Vincent tell them! They think I should be sent away!”

“Well William, given the news I heard it’s better for you this way.”

“WHAT?!”

“You don’t understand the spirits-.”

“OH MY GOD! ENOUGH WITH YOUR STUPID SPIRITS!”

“Fine! Let’s not lie to the boy! He wants it outright!” I had never seen Vincent angry before, but he marched toward me and grabbed the collar of my shirt. “You managed to piss off that girl’s grandfather! And unless you want to end up on his list you’ll leave!” He shoved me into the bookshelves and huffed. “I invite death, brother, but I’ll hang myself before I have you die first.” And as soon as he was there he left.

“What about Emily?” I growled while I looked to my parents, “I’ll go anywhere so long as I know Emily won’t be punished.”

“She’ll probably be sent to a convent, same as your mother, for being a harlot.” Step-mother sighed, holding her arms as she looked at me sadly. I wasn’t happy hearing that but a convent was better than an asylum.

“She isn’t a harlot, and I’ll hurt anyone who harms her.”

❧

The first ship I got on I was worked to the bone, sword training, mopping the decks, carrying produce to the galley, and various other tasks before finally given real sailing experience.

Everyday I worked on that ship I grew more and more tired, we hardly got food and hardly got paid, I could see in the faces of my crew-mates that they were exhausted.

I had every intention of making it to Captain one day - to getting my own ship- but due to the conditions I sprang at the opportunity to start a mutiny.

And once we had the ship we were unstoppable!

It’s amazing what one can accomplish with a happy crew, we went from town to town and took what we pleased! I gained a reputation from my ruthlessness - Captain Blood they called me, for the ‘B’ burned into my hand.

Part time I would also take jobs from the Kings, Queens, Mayors, and Moyoresses whom requested I ‘get rid’ of the undesirables in their cities. Undesirables can be a lot of things, homeless folks, thieves, and even gypsies. So it was no surprise to get a letter from the Mayor of Liberty Square requesting my services to ‘get rid’ of a band of gypsies loitering in their town.

I also considered this letter as a way to perhaps visit my parents and see how they had been getting on as of late.

❧

We made port along the river and I made it my mission to visit the mansion first - only to find out … Father and Step-mother had passed away.

Upon asking the town they had claimed someone killed them in their sleep, taking nothing from the mansion other than its former owners. Vincent and Dorian both had their own mansions by now and so this one was left to rot, I found it rather suitable that I might take this mansion in place of my parents - and seeing as I was on my way to speak with the Mayor…

I knocked upon his door only to have a servant woman answer and lead me inside to wait in the foyer.

I inspected the mayor’s pictures on the walls, most were of his son - Claude I believe? I could hardly remember seeing as I hadn’t been back here for years. There was something familiar about Claude though, he had remarkable blue eyes - I could have sworn I had seen them somewhere before? If he hadn’t passed away I surely would have tried to bed the man, he was quite handsome.

“Captain Blood.” Came a deep voice from the entrance to the dining room, standing in the doorway was a large man with white hair and a white beard.

“Ah, Mister Mayor! A pleasure to make your acquaintance, I heard you had a problem with a little band of gypsies.”

“Just one.”

“One? From the letter it seemed you were referring to an entire band?”

“The issue of the group has been dealt with by other disgruntled townspeople, however there is one that is still pestering my town.” His eyes seemed to glance to the stairs for a moment before he looked back into my own. “The town has begun referring to her as the canary, normally something so minuscule as this could be handled myself but…” He closed his eyes with a frustrated sigh, “Evidently she’s convinced those of the law and citizens alike that the structure of this town and class systems are to just be ignored, which is why I’ve turned to you for help in this matter - a man with murder in his blood surely can bring her here so I can see to it she is dealt with accordingly?”

I scratched my chin a little as he spoke, this wasn’t just any regular job where I could find new homes for some unfortunate people - it seemed the Mayor was more concerned with keeping his position as the top of some class system.

“I’m not sure I completely agree with your logic, one person can’t overturn how a society is ‘structured’ overnight, and besides towns change! People die off! Some things are inevitable!”

“No!” He stepped toward me but composed himself almost immediately after, “We should not let a born criminal roam the streets impacting those around with lies, the lies should be stopped and the criminal punished accordingly.”

“Do you not trust your own people to think for themselves, Mayor?” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back onto the wall decorated with his family portraits. “I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘you can lead a horse to water but cannot make them drink’, correct?”

“Horses can be broken.”

“I don’t think you understood what I was saying-.”

“I understand that you are not willing to proceed with my request, and if you will not change your mind Captain I would prefer if you would leave my home.”

“Well that is the other interesting thing, I am looking to purchase a plot of land here, that abandoned mansion specifically.” I nodded in the direction of, what I could assume was the mansion next door.

“I already have a gypsy pestering my town Captain, I do not need your kind as well.”

“How about this, you let me purchase that mansion and any of my men that stay back with me are yours to pay to find this enchanting canary girl for you? After all I have some rather sketchy lads in my outfit I’m sure one of them has so few morals as to fulfill your request.” This made the Mayor consider me for a moment.

“Alright, agreed.”

“I do have one stipulation, no murdering, you see murder in a little town like this can get so out of hand and I don’t need the heartache of my men going through that - not to mention this canary business is so tedious, so if that stands to reason with you?”

“Why of course, Captain, I would never wish to be so corrupt as to attempt a murder.” His smile didn’t convince me much but I could only really take this man at his word.

“Good enough for me, now if you excuse me I have a mansion that needs renovating.”

❧

I worked tirelessly with my men on building the mansion, bringing wood, wallpapering, and polishing old marble. It was a sight to behold - if my parents could see it now.

And that night as celebration we snuck into the town- I could hear the gypsy caravan’s music in the distance, I think I got through two houses with a sack full of silvers and gold when I heard my men laughing in the distance as well as another voice.

“Got a whale of a tale to tell you lads! A whale of a tale or two! Bout the flappin fish and the girls I’ve loved on nights like this with the moon above! A whale of a tale and it’s all true I swear by my tattoo!” I rounded the corner and almost laughed, my men were clapping and singing with a little gypsy girl. “There was typhoon tessie!” The girl hopped up on a lamppost across the street, “met her on the coast of java! When we kissed I… bubbled up like molten lava!” She acted like she fainted into the arms of the men and hopped back onto the streets, flipping around her yellow dress as she danced and sang. “Then she gave me! The scare of my young life! Well blow me down and pick me up she was the captain’s wife!” And then the men were all singing.

“Got a whale of a tale to tell ya lads! A whale of a tale or two! Bout the flapping fish and the girls I’ve loved on nights like this with the moon above! A whale of a tale and it’s all true! I swear by my tattoo!” I was leaning on the lamppost watching now but I figured I needed to intervene before someone woke up and saw a girl who was possibly 5’nothing dancing with pirates who were 6’0” or more.

“Alright!” I called out to them with a chuckle, “Get your shit back to the ship and get out of my sight, I need a word with our entertainer.” The men all laughed and said their goodbyes while the girl waved them off with a large smile on her face, she looked to me now and held out her hand. As I approached I got a better look at her, her dark brown hair was framing her face as some wisps kissed her red lips, her blue eyes were almost illuminated with the blue held within, warm brown skin that was being hugged by her dandelion yellow dress, and falling from her hair were white wildflowers.

“Hello, I’m Emily.” I shook her hand as well as lifted her knuckles to my lips.

“Captain Blood, a pleasure to meet you.” She withdrew her hand and gave a rather bashful smile, considering she was just having a midnight concert with pirates. “My dear, I thought they taught girls to stay away from pirates?”

“I guess I don’t listen very well.” She shrugged and then placed a hand on her hip looking me up and down. “And what about you?” I was taken aback.

“Me?”

“I just thought a pirate captain wouldn’t be so scared to dance.”

[happy-haunts]

The Hostess

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

I walked with Red and Constance behind me as I held my lamp up beside my head, leading them to a door that said ‘Cast Members Only’ and upon opening they were flooded with the overwhelming pinks, on my walls were several prominent heroes, princesses, magical girls, and fantasy posters. I had bookshelves filled with books- sitting atop them were the animes, manga, and novels of the characters on my walls if not more, hanging in a closet with black beads as curtains were cosplays and an assortment of pastel clothing, my bed was just a standard queen with regular pastel pink sheets(and a body pillow of a really hot anime girl), and last but not least my pink desk with my tiny chibi figurines, pink desk chair, pink headphones, and gaming set up.

I felt rather embarrassed that Red and Constance had to see this side of me but I attempted not to show it as I took a seat in my desk chair. Constance sat on my bed while Red kept standing- she seemed visibly uncomfortable in my room.

“Okay so pushing aside all of the questions I have about just this...” Red gestured to everything, “Maybe you can tell us how you managed to break Constances’ amnesia? Because that would be helpful in the future.”

“I can tell you that but it might involve alot more context.” I poked my fingers together nervously.

Red sighed and sat beside Constance on the bed, “Fine! Tell us your life story!” Constance gave a smile as she poked the body pillow.

❧

I am a twin, but my sister and I aren’t very close since she tends to be so depressing! She asks me if I want to know when I want to die, tells me the world is eternally doomed, and will sometimes quote outdated jokes from the internet. I’m the opposite to my sister, I read manga, cosplay, do seances in my room at 2am because I desperately want a date even if that means I need to sign a pact with a crossroads demon, and sometimes I actually drink the recommended amount of water in a day. Our home life was normal enough, we lived in the suburbs of California which could be kind of dreary at times with how sunny it is, so when my sister and I received a letter to work in a haunted mansion (TM) you could see how we would jump at the chance! It was a dream job for both of us! My sister would get to do more research in the powers of the undead and I could spend all day reading manga and messaging my devil boyfriend who won’t return my summons.

And that was that, I was sent to Liberty Square to await the inevitable rising of my undead ancestors and make sure they didn’t do anything damaging to anyone in or around the mansion.

When I arrived to the rather well-put together mansion I was greeted by a gentleman named Fletcher Hodges who was there to welcome me to the mansion. “Ah you must have been the Hostess assigned to the Liberty Square branch of Gracey manors?” He extended his hand for me to shake as I accepted it.

“Yes, I heard there would be ghosts...? Where are they?”

“Oh they haven’t risen just yet, but according to our calculations they should be due to show in a couple months - if they show at all.”

“You don’t believe in ghosts Mr. Hodges?” He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

“Not exactly, I know they exist since I’ve conducted many experiments and what I’ve recorded is that ghosts are seemingly everywhere - dozens of people who have unfinished business (or in this case cursed) roaming on a plane parallel to our own, but we are unable to see or interact with them without the aid of technology or a highly remarkable gift.”

“Wait if they can’t interact with us then what is the threat of this curse? They’ll all just exist on their own plane.”

“Ah, not exactly! I was reading up on this type of necromancy in ‘Necronomicon on the go’ and there is a footnote similar to this situation -it states that if an apparition gains the ability to raise the dead then it can have a dramatic side-effect, which may cause the user and those risen to exist in the same plane as us mortals while also having their spectral bodies.”

“Well that could be a problem.”

“And as a descendant of the Gracey bloodline we believe it is your responsibility to care for your elderly.”

“Would they really be considered elderly if they’re dead?” Mr. Hodges waved his hand at me and handed me an envelope as well as a box.

“Lets not get into the finer details, here is your first paycheck - you will receive one at the end of every week, and here is your uniform.”

“How will you know I’m even in uniform?” He looked at me with a stone cold expression.

“We know everything.” I raised my eyebrows - that was disturbing. “Now if you excuse me I need to be in Tokyo tomorrow - so I must get to the airport.”

“Wait, isn’t there anything you can give me? Maybe a spirit wrangling lasso?”

“I’m afraid not, but Leota’s headstone is out back so perhaps you can ask her once she’s risen.” He gave me a wave and walked back to his car.

“Well that’s not very helpful.” I opened the paystub and almost choked $400 for doing nothing in an empty mansion! “You know maybe I can figure something out.”

❧

I wasn’t sure how long it would take for these ghosts to appear - or if they even would - but I got started on my room almost immediately, painting the walls myself and buying cheap shelves so I could save up for the books and figures that I always wished I had enough money for.

I remember a very specific weekend when I was putting together a second bookshelf (I had filled the other one up already)and was out of uniform - it wasn’t anything awful just a pink shirt with fuzzy blue pajama bottoms. I heard a voice coming from the hallway and quickly threw on my uniform before walking out to investigate - but we will ignore the fact that I had forgotten I was wearing pink bunny slippers.

Walking down the hallway was a blue apparition, he shimmered like water, his wavy hair floating around his features.

“Emily?” He called, but when he turned his head he only saw me. “Who are you?”

“The Hostess - who are you?”

“William Gracey, is Emily here? Have I risen her?”

“I’m not sure? Maybe die again and come back later?” He gave me a skeptical look.

“I don’t think I can be killed again.”

“I could figure it out probably, I’ve been watching this show about two brothers who fight monsters and -.”

“I’ll stop you, I don’t care.” He then kept walking - mumbling something to himself.

“Maybe if it hasn’t worked you just need to try harder?” William glanced back to me with a dark glare- his glowing red eyes piercing me.

“Fine, why don’t I just raise the entire graveyard!”

“No, no, no, no!”

But I guess I hit a nerve because he raised everyone...

Ballroom dancers were swaying in the parlor, an undead horse charged down the halls, some guy kept throwing around hat puns and making his head appear in his hat suitcase - it was overall a mess.

“Perhaps this is better?” William smirked and disappeared into the walls.

“What a dick!” I shouted, but I had a job to do ... oh crap I had a job to do. “Well lets start with ... A catalog.” So I grabbed a spare journal and began to catalog all the names of of the inhabitants and a short description of them.

Constance Hatchaway : Attic bride - I walked into the attic to try and find that William guy who made my life 999 times harder than it needed to be, sitting on a chest was Constance.

“Hello? I’m making a catalog of ghosts in the mansion, could I get your name and if you can recall - a brief summary of your life?” She stood up and when she turned to face me I noticed the hatchet in her hand.

“Constance Hatchaway - the Hatchaway bride, I killed all of my husbands in life because they were trash.”

“Mhm, mhm, ma’am please set down the hatchet.” She looked at her hand and gave a little chuckle.

“I’m not going to do anything to you...” She sat back on a chest with her chin in her palm. “I just wish I had made some different choices when I was alive.”

“If it helps you have a whole afterlife to do things that you wanted to before? I can come back to talk more with you after the catalog is done?” She perked up and gave me a warm smile.

“That would be wonderful if you did.”

Hatty : origins unknown - I had begun to notice when I approached the inhabitants of the mansion over time a lot of them couldn’t much recall their lives, most of those in particular were quite old ghosts, I’m talking Egypt ghosts which made absolutely no sense! But the puzzling thing was when I approached Hatty - a rather skeletal looking apparition - he couldn’t recall his name, life, or death let alone recall the room he just came out of. I took it upon myself to just go ahead and write down a name for him, Hatty seemed rather suitable given that was his preferred pun.

Madame Leota : Psychic and Scorceress - When Leota finally appeared in her crystal ball she was rather puzzled, not knowing that she would be buried on Gracey soil -thus immortalizing herself within the curse.

“Just call me the Hostess.” Leota eyed me up and down before finally flashing a smile.

“Alright, so what else is it that you need of me?”

“I’m glad you asked, I need to have more power over the mansion’s ghosts than that William guy.”

“Well if you remain inside the mansion’s property you’re out of luck, I gave him all the powers he desires so long as he died and was forgotten.”

“Isn’t there some kind of loophole you can give me just in case this dick decides he wants to go on a power trip?”

“I suppose I could give you something to ward off his presence in a limited manner...” She made a lantern materialize before me, “When a candle is lit inside this lantern, any control William has over the inhabitants of this mansion will be lifted - as well as William cannot step foot into the light to do harm to any apparitions he may wish to hurt.”

“This is fantastic!”

“I could, however, give you all the powers I possess if you want to make a deal?”

“Nah that’s okay and anyway the groundskeeper has been complaining about not having a light at nighttime, so this can double as his little walking light.” I exited the seance room and began looking through my catalog - so far I recorded 998 ghosts, but I hadn’t ran into any named Emily? Maybe William’s attempt to bring this girl back from the dead really did fail?

❧

I walked along the large windows of the ballroom as I watched the dancers spin in circles, but something outside caught my eye - a glowing specter in the distance.

“I am not about to lose a ghost on my first day.” I grumbled and marched outside, it was further away than I expected - sitting atop a hill of wildflowers overlooking the river that reflected moonlight from it’s surface. “Hey! You’re too far from the mansion property, I’m going to need to escort you back inside until I see about drawing up some travel papers - because honestly I don’t think those hitchhikers are going to stay in one place very long.” I placed my hand on my hip with a sigh - I needed a raise.

“I danced with a boy on that river.” The ghost mused, her hair was a dark violet, skin purple, and wearing a white wedding dress with a matching flower crown that left petals scattered through her hair. “I remember that ... I remember everything...” She turned to face me, her eyes glowed blue unlike all the other ghosts, and on her chest was a bright red beating heart.

“I don’t think I’ve met you...” I mumbled, sitting beside her and pulling out my catalog. “What is your name?”

“Emily DeClaire, what is your name?” She adjusted herself so we faced each other.

“I’m the...” I blinked, my heart tugged in my chest as I was about to tell her my job description. “I’m Tera Normal.”

“Good to meet you! But you aren’t a ghost?” She hesitantly reached out her hands and passed them through my arm.

“No, I’m the Hostess I work here to try and keep all of you contained - seeing as you aren’t supposed to be on this plane but rather the one parallel to us.” I sighed “But William really missed you I guess and is looking for you.”

“Oh dear, well I can help in any way that I’m able!” She clenched her little hands into fists, smiling with determination. “But I suppose first I should go see William if he is missing me that much.” She bounced up in realization, “Oh! Is Mister Topper here too?”

“I don’t have a Mister Topper listed...” I furiously flipped through my catalog, “I have an Ezra Topper?”

“No, that’s just Mister Topper’s brother.” She gave a huff as another startling feeling came across my heart, I felt like it was breaking in two. “I suppose he can’t be here can he?”

“Not if he wasn’t buried here.” Another sharp pain pierced my heart. “But maybe William can sort this out?” Part of the aching lifted.

“Do you really think so?” She smiled at me then twirled into the air, “Okay! we can go see William, maybe he knows how to get my Topper back!”

But once we walked back into the mansion I noticed there was something strange going on with Emily. “So does this Mister Topper have a first name or is it just Topper?”

“Who?” Emily turned her gaze to me now.

“Um, Mister Topper? The guy you’re missing?”

“Topper... Top hat...” She mused- but was overcome when she thought about top hat and began crying. “He lost his head!”

“Whoa, okay what is going on with you?”

“Hurry back!” She screamed as her deafening heartbeat made the walls shake. “Please, Hurry back!”

“I’m right here, Emily...”

“Now look what you’ve done.” William scolded as he walked from the walls and wrapped his arms around Emily- who cried in his chest. “Hush, just forget and all the pain will be gone.” His hand slid over her head making her blink - a smile spreading across her lips.

“I can’t even remember what I was doing again, you must think I’m an air head.” She laughed to William, but tears were still streaking down her cheeks.

“What did you just do?” I hissed to the man, he glared at me - releasing Emily and lifting his hand to her.

“Emily can you give the Hostess and I some privacy?”

“Sure!” She sniffled and began floating down the hall, “I sure am crying a lot today.” William watched her disappear behind a door and then turned his gaze back to me.

“You can’t mention that name to her, where did you even hear it?”

“She told me his name! Are you the one making her forget? What is your problem!”

“It’s for her own good, you didn’t see her when she first came back ...” He closed his eyes and sighed, “She can’t remember, just trust me.”

“Well forgive me but I don’t trust you.” I lifted my lantern, reaching into my pockets to find some of the matches I stowed away.

“What you’re going to blind me?” He laughed and made a fist, slipping the hallway rug out from under my feet and knocking me to the ground, I clutched the lantern against me to keep it from breaking- William approached me now, I began crawling backwards in a panic. “I know, how about I have you join the mansion? We are just dying to have you!”

“Or you can shove it six feet under.” I lit up the match and ignited the lantern - shining it on William which pushed him backwards, I could see he was annoyed.

“Fine, you can do whatever it is you do - but leave Emily alone as well as make sure no one interferes with her memory, or there will be deadly consequences.”

“Just keep making death puns, I can sit here all day.” His cheeks glowed with a dark blue as he turned away and walked back into the wall. “He is SUCH a dick!”

❧

I sat at my desk and kicked my feet in my chair, Red and Constance looking at me with great interest. “Fast forward to today I had come across Hatty being crazier than normal, and whatever had been pushed on Hatty was spreading into the other ghosts - they didn’t seem to remember who they were or who I was! The ballroom ghosts were in a panic because they all forgot how to dance, and the Quartet forgot how to sing! So I lit my lamp and decided it was time to find the source - I ran from room to room till I came across you two! And now I know why the mansion is acting strange- because you two are prying into ghost business and William doesn’t want you to.”

“Well someone killed Emily and we think the murderer might *be* William, which means we need to confront him.” Constance had determination in her glowing yellow eyes, “Emily deserves better than to be played like a puppet.”

“Enough.” Came a deep voice, I turned quickly to my lamp to see the nub of my candle was out- the flame had been doused by the wax. “If you are all so curious to have a conversation then lets talk!” The voice boomed and my figurines were thrown across the room making me scream, books flying from the shelves, floor shaking, and lightbulbs bursting leaving us all in complete darkness other than the three glowing bodies before me.

Wait.

Three?

There he was, the first ghost I had laid eyes on when the mansion came to life.

“William?” I whispered in disbelief, Red seemed to be unaffected by this as though she might have guessed.

“What? Cat got your tongue? I thought you wanted to talk.” He grinned.

[happy-haunts]

Madame Leota pt. 2

Madame Leota pt. 2

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS THEMES OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE!

Reading someone was all about tuning into their memories - which were stored best inside one’s heart, for the mind could force a person to forget an event if it were horrible enough but the heart will always remember the feeling of that past pain.

And as for searching...

I stood in a hallway with doors on either side with a white door at the very end- odd considering usually all the doors I had ever encountered were usually the same color. Upon the first step forward there was a squish and I then realized there was blood pooling out of certain rooms leaving the floor coated in the sticky liquid.

I pressed on and opened the first door; he was arguing with a young man holding onto a woman who was covering her cheek as though she had been struck.

I stepped to another door; this one had blood coming from the bottom which was pooling out of two bodies - it seemed to be at night and the mayor was telling two officers to dispose of the bodies.

I shut that door while my heart began racing, this man covered up murder! I ran to another room that pooled out blood, another cover up with the police.

I felt sick as I opened another, this one had no blood but he was talking to a man and woman - with sapphire eyes.

“He’s no longer welcome in this town, I suggest you find some way to get rid of him.” Said the mayor.

“He’s my son and I will not abandon him, I’m all he has!” The man with sapphire eyes pleaded.

“If you don’t have him gone by tomorrow then I will get rid of him, a bastard is a disgrace to this town, make your choice George because you will not me to do it for you.”

I shut that door and looked at all the ones remaining but bypassed them to instead find some kind of softness in such a cruel man.

The door was chipped and hardly taken care of, when I opened it the hinges let out an ear shattering squeal. This room was already so much nicer than the previous rooms- it was a sunny day on a hill of wildflowers, the breeze was soft against my skin while I watched the mayor approach a girl on the hill. The girl had short hair to her chin while wearing a mourning gown and humming... her humming was delightful, though she sounded so sweet the song she hummed seemed to have a rather morose tune.

She plucked flower after flower while placing them carefully in her arms and standing- she turned around accidentally bumping into the mayor causing her flowers to burst in a cloud of petals and pollen.

“I’m so sorry!” She had her eyes clamped shut as if waiting to be struck- but he slid his hand across her tanned cheek and slid it down to her chin- tilting it up to face him as he leaned down to kiss her.

I lifted my hands from his as he sat looking rather unimpressed.

“Who is she?” I whispered, she looked no older than I was when I gained my powers.

“Who do you mean?” But he was visibly uncomfortable.

“I saw a young girl in a black dress picking flowers and you kissed her.” I wrung my hands as if I could get his touch off me. “Is it all young girls or just that one?”

“You’ve imagined a false memory, witch.” He hissed to me while standing from his chair, “Just as I suspected you’re a fraud.”

“And she wasn’t too far from my skin color either come to think of it, seems your distain for ‘slaves’ is just a mask.”

He turned a dark red and walked off - leaving me to pack up my things.

“Wow, I’m the only one who can get the old man’s face that red.” Called William from his front door. “What did you tell him you saw?”

“I saw his truest desire.” I stated matter of factly.

“Well whatever you guessed - it hit close to home.” William took my table and followed me back to my wagon as I began putting my things away.

“I don’t guess, he was after a young girl’s heart and kissed her while she was gathering flowers.” I reached back to him from my wagon to take my table.

“Gathering flowers...?” William mumbled, “What was she wearing?” I rolled my eyes and leaned on my wagon before him- arms crossed.

“It hardly matters what she was wearing, he had no right to touch such a young girl like that.”

“T-that’s not what I meant!” He turned red and ran his hand through his hair. “You know what never mind, do you need help with anything else?”

“That should be all of it... William let me give you a reading, I’m curious to know what dirty deeds you have resting inside here.” I poked his chest making him cock an eyebrow to me, but he rolled his eyes and held out his palms.

“Alright but hurry up, dinner is ready and I don’t want my roast to be cold.”

I placed my hands on his and was taken to a more familiar sight, a hallway without blood pooling onto the tiles.

I opened a door showing a young William sitting at a desk in the mansion library - listening to some woman teach him as he slumped bored over his desk.

The next he was working tirelessly at piano, after that he was barraged by his parents that he was hardly showing the same progress as his brothers, and the next he was lounging beside an unmarked grave sleeping as yelling erupted from his home. I made a face- none of this was very interesting... just typical rich kid stuff.

I skipped to the second to last door, he was ... he was...

What in the actual hell?

William was steering a ship in a red coat with golden details, they landed at an island where the pirates all began unloading.

“Lets go men! But leave the prize to me!” And as he jumped over the railing into the sands I saw he was approaching a church.

I stepped back from that door - now completely thrown off as I reached for the very last door.

Inside it was night time as the moon bathed two bodies among the graves in silver light, it was William and the girl in black.

She was stroking his hair as they lay in the grass humming her sweet sad tune, she pecked him on the lips and snuggled against his chest while William closed his eyes and smiled.

I lifted my hands and looked at William with a little smile. “You knew her, that girl in black.” William stepped back from me, his eyes wide but he made no attempt to validate my claim.

“Lets go, dinner will be getting cold.” He adjusted his coat and turned to walk away.

“Of course, Captain.” I placed my hand on my hip when he turned around with a blush rising to his cheeks.

“Did the mayor tell you? How -?”

“Oh so the mayor knows? What do you work for him?”

He didn’t answer but instead walked inside, I followed behind him to the dining room where a beautiful roast was sitting drenched in it’s fatty juices, steamed vegetables seasoned besides it, and fresh flaky biscuits were prepared and ready in a wicker bread bowl.

“You can’t dodge my questions and you know that my black magic is very real and very powerful - so just tell me! A little piracy is exciting, far better than your dreary childhood.”

“I have nothing to say, Madame.” William sliced off some roast and slid a plate down to me as he began helping himself.

“William, I could make you tell me.” I threatened with a little smile, he straightened and looked at me with a glare.

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” But he set the silverware down as he took in a breath, “Do you want to know how I earned this?” He held up his hand which was branded with a ‘B’. “Do you want to know the people I’ve killed? The towns I’ve burned to the ground? The women I’ve stolen?” I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to say.

“Yes, I want to know, who did you kill?”

William blinked as the silence filled the room but then placed a hand over his eyes while he laughed.

“Leota you are disturbed by nothing.”

“I’m disturbed by your brother’s lack of sense in women.”

“Oh you did NOT have feelings for Vincent!” He began laughing harder as he plopped down in a seat beside me.

“He knew all the right words! And his graveyard was so...” I bit my lip as I sighed, “I bought a dress and everything! But do you know what he did?” William shook his head as he chewed a mouthful of roast. “He heard from the spirits that you were in town and showed me out right after to go visit you.”

“Ha! You expected too much of Vincent- he loves death more than he could love any woman.” And we drank that night sharing stories of piracy as well as black arts- till we both passed out on the table.

❧

The weeks following were similar in that way as William and I kept to ourselves usually during the day while at night we ate and drank till we couldn’t anymore.

The partying came to a halt one night when I came back from a day of ruining people’s lives and found William sulking at the table.

“So did you want to talk about it or am I going to be eating alone tonight?” I asked as I pulled up a chair beside him.

“I can’t say... I just...” He grunted and threw his glass at the wall. “It’s not my place to say... I’m just stuck in a situation where there is little I can do.”

“What? With your reputation? I would think you can do anything.” William was giving a silent nod but stopped - a smile ran across his face and he hurriedly got up to give me a hug, making me spill my drink.

“Hey!”

“Leota you’re amazing!”

I wasn’t sure how I was amazing exactly? But he wasn’t wrong I was rather brilliant on any given day, however I don’t know what about that made him announce his marriage to Emily the VERY NEXT DAY!

If only his brother were that bold.

But the engagement made for a very promising party at the mansion, gypsies were swinging from the chandelier (not sure how they got up there) and others were dancing to their hearts content.

I stumbled over to Emily in a drunken stupor and pulled her off to the hall. “Leota! I was in the middle of a dance, can’t it wait?”

“I wanna ask you for that favor! Since you and William getting married in one day’s time is pretty suspicious!”

“O-oh?” Emily stammered while wringing her fingers. “I assure you it’s a mutual engagement.”

“I invoke my favor! I would like to preform a reading.” She couldn’t refuse due to the deal she struck with me so her hands held themselves out palms upwards.

“W-what does a reading do? Is it painful?”

“Shhh! Shhh... no it’s not painful, I’m just going to take a look into that cute heart of yours and check out your memories.”

I placed my hands atop hers.

As soon as I stepped into the hallway I was overwhelmed as tears began to pour from my eyes, it didn’t help that I was waist deep in water either.

I opened her first door - she was reading with her parents.

Next door - she was asleep by the door when he parents came in, apologizing since they had to work late.

The next door - she was alone in a barren room sobbing.

I swam down towards the end of the hall since all this crying was driving me mad! I almost missed it but there was a room that had blood coming out of it- though you could hardly tell through the water. I went to investigate but a current was sweeping me back to where I entered.

No way, she was not going to push me out that easily.

I turned my attention to the door at the end instead- it was black with veins crawling their way along the wall around it like an infection. As soon as I touched the handle I tried to give it a mighty tug but it refused to budge, so I slammed my hand on it - green smoke seeping into the wood till it finally creaked open.

The water was sucked into the vast dark emptiness of the room it contained until I stood before it - the dripping from my clothes the only sound left.

I wasn’t sure what I should be seeing or if I should be seeing anything since inside was only inky blackness. But after a moment the darkness formed into long hands that latched onto me, the fingers ran through my hair and lifted my chin to inspect me, I was prodded and groped all around as panic set into my chest - I could hardly move my arms as tears still poured from my eyes. Inside of the room I heard a shrill scream, “NO! NO! NO!” Before the water returned and a current forced me back out.

I opened my eyes which had grown wet, Emily pulled her hands out of my own and lifted them to wipe my tears.

“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry! You must have seen when my parents died.”

“Emily did someone hurt you?” I whispered, taking her wrists in my grasp, my fingertips glowing with a faint green. “If someone hurt you I’ll take care of them.”

“Nothing happened! I promise I’m perfectly fine.” She flashed a smile, “But you were crying... Was that because of me? And if it was I’ll make up for it, I’ll ... umm make you something!” I only stared at her while she attempted to offer remedies of arts and crafts. “I’ve never made a birdhouse before but I can always try, or - or perhaps you would like a love letter instead? I’ve never made one of those either but they can’t be very hard.”

“Okay okay, I don’t need anything from you Emily.” I wrapped my arms around her neck and held her close to me. “If he has hurt you or ends up hurting you in any way... I’ll take care of him.”

“H-he? I’m not hurt! I’ve never been hurt except when I hurt myself- which I do a lot but jumping from a second story building doesn’t really help I guess!” She laughed nervously and gave me a tight squeeze before wiggling away. “I had better get going... big day tomorrow!”

❧

I had the worst hangover the next morning, I felt horrible since this was Emily’s big day and I was starting it off on such a sour note.

If only that was the worst part.

I had been talking to some of the gypsies in the parlor when I heard her scream, I remember dropping my glass and running to the open front doors only to see Emily laying on her back in her white gown, her blood trickling down the front steps.

I looked back up to the window and saw William standing there with his hands gripping the window pane.

William.

I ran back inside and rammed right into the mayor who glared at me, “Out of my way, slave.”

I honestly did not have time as I hurried to the attic- out of breath as I gripped the doorframe, I composed myself as I stepped towards William but my foot bumped into something just inside... a hatbox?

I gasped upon seeing the decaying head inside.

“She’s gone ... Leota you have to bring her back, she never deserved this.” William croaked from the window, he approached me and grabbed my wrist.

“Get your hands off me!” I screamed, but he placed my hand on his head.

“Give me the power to bring her back if you won’t!”

“Did you do this?” I growled finally with my hand still on his head, he dropped his gaze sadly.

“I didn’t mean to... I wanted to be with her forever... we were almost together forever.” I removed my hand from his head and tried to steady my breaths.

“I’ll make a deal with you William.” I smiled and extended my hand to him, “I’ll give the Gracey family the power to raise any spirit that has died on their soil, but only under certain conditions, do you accept?” He eagerly grabbed my hand and shook it.

“Anything you want.”

“You foolish mortal...” I cooed and flexed the green aura from my hand- squeezing his hand so hard he dropped to his knees before me. “Your legacy may bring whomever spirit they so choose to come back to our world under some conditions, you must die before you can ever achieve this power.”

“What?” William hissed as I released his hand, still grinning to him.

“You’re right... Emily never deserved that, so I’m not going to let you get away with it.” I turned and walked away listening to him scream and throw what items there were in the attic.

As I walked into the parlor I heard the Mayor shouting, “That’s her! She shoved past me after she pushed the bride from the window!”

“What?” I snapped, but the officers grabbed my arms and shackled me. “I did nothing like that!”

“You should never cross me, slave.” He smirked and I was marched off to a holding cell before my sentencing.

I’m sure you can guess.

It was death I was sentenced to death, beheading to be specific.

I remember the disgusted looks of the people as I was walked onto the platform, I spat on the ground before me and cursed the ground that this town lay on.

I was cursing William as well, that bastard didn’t even get his punishment in the end! Instead he took his own life before he could be arrested...

My chin was propped onto the platform, I closed my eyes, imagining my parents... imagining my caravan, even emily.

And then the blade dropped.

When my eyes opened again I was here and I had all the powers of the universe at my disposal- seated before me was a girl with black hair and dressed in a green and black outfit.

“So your curse actually works.” She stated rather monotone.

“Of course it does, who are you? And what do you want?” I glared at the girl but she remained expressionless.

“I’m here on behalf of the Adventurer’s Club, I am to watch over this mansion in case you decide to in anyway damage or destroy life as we know it, eachother, or any bystanders who think it would be fun to watch ghosts in an omnimover attraction, just call me the Hostess.”

❧

“Wait, the hostess actually has a purpose?” Red gasped and leaned forward - obviously quite engaged.

“Of course she does, why else would she be here?”

“I don’t know I just figured she was a homeless mortal who stayed here and read that ani-may stuff.”

“It’s manga if you read it.” I corrected.

“Who cares?” Red sighed and then rubbed the bridge of her nose, “But it sounds like this William guy is who killed Hatty, probably killed Emily, and is making all of us suffer with him- so where do I find him?”

“You don’t.” I stated cooly, “He is the house and he finds you.” Constance seemed to be lifted from her trance as the door opened to the seance room.

“What? How did I get to Leotas’ room?” Constance mumbled, but no answer was given for instead standing in the doorway was a raven haired woman, her green eyes heavy with disinterest, and wearing a black and green striped dress that hung down to her calves.

“I should have known you two would be the ones to start stirring things up.” She sighed, in her hand was a lantern and it seemed as the warm yellow light washed over Constance her memory remained intact.

“We just wanted to find out who killed Emily!” Red shouted, “I didn’t think it was going to make the house freak out!”

“You what?” The hostess took a step forward and looked around the room, she waved her hand for Red and Constance to follow her. “You two come with me, I can’t believe ... Not even the Adventurer’s Club would pull what you two have tried!”

“Adventure’s Club?” Constance wondered, both she and Red were getting up now as I watched them leave through the door, the last thing I heard was the Hostess responding to Red.

“They’re my employers.”

[happy-haunts]

Madame Leota pt. 1

Madame Leota pt. 1

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS THEMES OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE!

The powers of the great beyond shuddered under the grasp of my incantations as the spirits whispered secrets into my ears- two of our own were approaching and with them were questions of which they sought me to answer. But deeper and deeper still I dug into their truest desires and as I pried prodded my eyes flashed open at the sound of Constance Hatchaway and Red bursting through my door.

I might not have a body but if I did then I would have been tapping my foot at the sudden intrusion. “I expect you both have a better reason for barging in here than just for me to tell you about our Bride?” Red was in awe at my knowledge of their quest.

“Okay so ... We actually do, can you explain why Constance and Hatty can’t remember things? And not like in the ‘we’re super old and lost our orthopedic slippers’ way but in the ‘we’re super old and hot and I can’t remember the story I literally gave a detailed synopsis of one minute ago’ kind of way.” Red took a seat at my table after her long winded speech, my head was resting on a metal stand inside of a glowing green crystal ball before her.

“Of course I can.” I moved my aura on a deck of tarot cards and flipped them up to face me one at a time.

“You seek the answers to the oddities of the Mansion, the force at work which controls the mansion and all inside.” I set down the cards neatly in their stack and then started the dramatic music behind them.

“Controls the mansion? There’s something controlling all of us?” Red asked, Constance was sitting beside her now, her eyes staring off as she was furiously trying to remember what they were doing.

“Not all of us ... I am immune since I am the one who gave the entity their power in the first place.”

“Oh so you just give out otherworldly magic on your off days? Is it just a hobby knotting up all of that black magic and gifting it to customers?” Red crossed her arms and slumped in her chair.

“I don’t give out the powers of the universe like candy!” I growled, but pursed my lips and avoided Red’s gaze. “However I may charge a fee- but we can discuss prices a little later.”

“I don’t want any magic of regions beyond!” Red sighed, “I want to know why this is happening to Constance and how to stop it.”

“It’s not happening to you.” I pointed out, “Surely you’re curious about that?” She fidgeted in her chair but gave a little nod as she pouted.

“Yeah... a little I guess.”

“The entity YOU’RE dealing with only controls the ghosts who belong to the mansion, you don’t belong to the mansion since your remains nor your death involved the manor, therefore whatever it is attempting to do with Constance cannot be accomplished with you.”

“The entity I’M dealing with? Is there more than one?” I grinned.

“I believe I should start from the beginning.”

“Or you could just give me straight answers so we don’t have to stretch this out over several chapters.” I whacked Red upside the head with my tambourine and refused to acknowledge her fourth wall break.

❧

I loved my childhood, my parents were always quite understanding of me even when I would act up - which was quite often - and the caravan would tell them to be stricter with me.

I was ungrateful for what I had and would always want more, I was a selfish child - no matter where we went I would always want to stay in the townsfolk’s houses and want to eat fine meats from the butcher... But we didn’t have enough money to get any of those things.

I began to grow older and as a teen I ran away from the caravan, I would go into the nearest town to dance for money in the streets and buy myself sweets - then refuse to eat the meals they cooked in the evenings.

One day I had done just that and headed off towards the current town we were in near - we travelled all around Europe and Africa so it’s hard to keep track of town names. I was approached by a man on my walk who was rather plump, he had straw decorating his ankles, a skirt that was a combination of a red and white fabric as well as straw, around his neck were beads and ... a shrunken head, his hair was black like coal just as his eyes were, face decorated with red paint, and seated on his head was a black top hat.

“Good evening young lady my name is Trader Sam, and what is a little girl like you doing out here all alone?”

“I don’t see why it’s any of your business.” I said while raising my chin as though he was beneath me.

“You seem rather put together for a girl of your age.”

“Because I am, now if you excuse me I have to get to work.”

“Of course, I apologize.” I gave a little nod and turned away only for him to continue talking. “I was going to tell you how to earn even more money without even having to work ... But I understand.” I turned to face him again.

“How do you do that?”

“Oh I don’t want to keep you from your work, so I had better go.”

“Wait! I asked you a question!” He smiled and propped himself forward on his umbrella. “Tell me how to make money without having to work.”

“Well if you want to really know then we’ll have to make a deal first.” I crossed my arms and leaned back - glaring at him suspiciously.

“What kind of deal?”

“It’s more of a trade really - I take something of value to you and you take all of my secrets.”

“Secrets...?”

“Yes, because you know the only way to make money without working is magic.”

“Oh please, there isn’t any such thing as magic.” He lifted his palm and after a moment a green ball of fire appeared, I gasped and stepped back from him - he extinguished the flame. “How did you do that?”

“Magic.” He shrugged, “And I can give you all that power - all of the freedom to do as you please ... If you are willing to make a deal.”

I let the offer sink in - it was everything I could ever want! No more dragging around the caravan, no more cooking rabbit for supper, and no more needing to rely on nasty rich people to pity us.

“I ... I’ll make a deal with you.” Trader Sam grinned while extending his hand to me.

“Then lets shake on it.”

As I took his hand the shrunken head that hung around his neck opened it’s mouth and a green ball of fire like the one Trader Sam made before floated in the air towards me- absorbing into my chest.

“And now for your payment, I shall take what is most valuable to you.” I patted myself down, I hardly had any money on me - but he seemed to chuckle at my searching. “Oh no, not monetary value ...” He lifted his hands and my parents appeared on either side of him.

“Wait! You can’t take my parents!”

“You shouldn’t have been so careless, they are what you value most.”

“Leota? What is going on?” My mother hissed, but Trader Sam snapped his fingers and my parents were now two shrunken heads in his hand.

“GIVE THEM BACK!” I screamed and blasted one of those green orbs towards him - Sam merely shielded himself with his umbrella and turned away from me. I was crying now while the rage filled my chest, “Don’t walk away!” And he stopped in place, “I want you to be rooted to that spot for the rest of your life.” He peered back to me, now a little nervous.

“I think we can come to some kind of deal here ....”

“Give me back my parents and I’ll set you free.” I was having a hard time seeing him since so many tears were rolling down my cheeks.

“I can’t do that, once a deal has been made then there is no reversing it ... Besides that you parents are...” He lifted the shrunken heads. “Well and gone.” I clenched my fists, screaming while falling onto my knees.

“You’re an absolutely terrible man!”

“Perhaps, but that’s how I became head salesman.” I couldn’t take it any longer, I picked myself up and walked away - listening to his pleas of mercy slowly fade the further I separated myself from him.

❧

I couldn’t show my face in my old caravan after that, I decided that I would travel to a new continent and lucky for me there was a ship leaving for the Americas when I reached the harbor.

I snuck aboard and once I arrived at our destination I set out to find a new home.

I manifested a wagon and I travelled across the Americas for several years before I found a town that hadn’t immediately shown me out upon seeing my psychic reading skills.

This town was New Orleans Square, and being that I was now 29 by the time of finally finding a tolerable town - I was glad to bring my traveling to a halt. The town was nothing too fancy or large with green metal rails decorating balconies, red brick homes, and trees that were decorated with swamp moss.

I set up my wagon near the edge of the town so not to block any paths for the townspeople, and the morning after I brought out my table as well as my crystal ball to sit outside and entice people to my readings.

It didn’t take long before a gentleman approached my table, “So you must be the famous Madame Leota.” He grinned - the man looked young but his hair was startlingly white and he wore a noose around his neck.

“Famous? I only just arrived here yesterday sir - you are my first customer.”

“No, no the apparitions have been speaking about you all night - they hardly get any real entertainment, most of the time they hang around family members and criticize their life choices.” I blinked but smiled to the man, what a very strange thing to say.

“I didn’t know anyone else could converse with the dead - let alone do it passively.”

“Yes it was quite the shock when I was younger! I was at my dear Granny’s funeral when I saw my first spirit - she was quite livid that they had decided to have an open casket instead of cremating her like she wanted to be.”

“I would be livid too, what did you say your name was again?”

“I didn’t.” He said flatly and sat in the chair across from me, “But if you would like to know it is Vincent Beauregard Gracey, eldest in the Gracey line.”

“I didn’t know there was a Gracey line, but it’s good to meet you Vincent.”

“Mister Gracey - please.” I cocked an eyebrow at his boldness.

“Mister Gracey then... I am Madame Leota.” He seemed to pay me no mind as he sat in the chair- his eyes wandering over my wagon.

“Memento Mori ... So you are also a fan of the Macabre?” I gritted my teeth at the mention but eventually relaxed, giving a polite smile to the man.

“Yes, I have a few regrets and because of this I am patiently waiting for the moment when I can cease to exist, thus I will always remember death.” Vincent nodded approvingly.

“If you would like to go sooner I have this.” He lifted his noose that hung around his scrawny neck, “I haven’t the time to get to using it myself but perhaps someday.” He sighed, “The spirits make the afterlife look like such a good time.”

“I would like to see the afterlife if it’s as much fun as you say.” His eyes met with mine for the first time and he leaned his elbows on the edge of my table.

“Well now, if you would like I can show you my graveyard tonight over dinner?”

“I think I would like that very much Mister Gracey.”

“Then it’s a date.”

❧

I slaved away the rest of the day before finally getting to close up shop and go into town to buy a dress especially for tonight.

What a man, He could commune with the dead AND owned a graveyard? He must have been after my heart with a line like that.

I asked around the town for the home of a Vincent Gracey - which greeted me with anxious glances, eventually I was pointed to the mansion at the end of town and I had finally arrived.

I had chosen a blood red gown that popped from my dark brown skin, my brown hair was pinned up and two red droplets hung from my ears.

Vincent was standing at the large iron gate which led to his backyard, he took my hand and kissed the knuckles before leading me into a graveyard filled with what must have been somewhere near 900 graves? Atop some of the headstones were candles that made a path to a table for two, red roses decorated the table.

“I apologize for the florals - it seems my gardener had gotten rid of all my decaying roses.” How considerate!

“No need to apologize, this is still very lovely.”

“Won’t you sit? Feel free to speak with whomever you choose that has passed on - they seem to know quite a bit about you it seems.” I was taking my seat as he said so and looked up in confusion.

“How is that? I’ve hardly done anything of noting.”

“They say you’ve thwarted a warlock by the age of 13.” I unconsciously soured my expression.

“He was hardly a warlock, just a slimey black magic dealer - he swindled me out of having parents.” Vincent considered me for a moment while I took to composing myself, after all it was my fault ... I was a rotten child that had no business trying to act as though she was grown.

“How very tragic for you my dear ...” He placed his hand over my own, his eyes were like sapphires. “I knew a girl who lost her parents once, she was an odd one such as you and I - she romanticized those who had passed on without even knowing that they lived among us nor having any power to know as much.” He stroked my hand with his thumb as he knitted his brow, “I used to live with my parents in their mansion - it also had a graveyard of the Gracey’s whom passed before us, but there were a great deal of them which remained unmarked or were so old the names had faded ... Leaving them to be forgotten.”

“How terrible ...”

“But as if out of the blue, flowers began appearing on those graves every night - naturally my parents thought it was me since I usually strolled through the graveyard to converse with my deceased family. Curious about the mysterious visitor I decided to ask about it to the dead - it was a young girl that visited every night followed by two apparitions which were trying to interact with her. More intrigued than before I decided to wait for her to arrive - she was small with short hair and wearing a mourning gown, the two ghosts behind her were telling her to leave the town.” Vincent pulled his hand back and sighed. “Not long after the flowers stopped being placed on the unmarked grave.”

“Did she die?” I whispered - invested in the story.

“No, not quite.” He tilted his head to the side and looked past me a moment, his eyes lit with excitement. “My brother is home!”

“Brother? Here? Now?” I felt broken hearted when he said so, we hadn’t even eaten supper yet.

“No! No! Some family is visiting from Liberty Square and they said my brother has just arrived home! I haven’t seen him since mother and father sent him off to join the Navy, oh but I don’t think he’ll much like if I visit him - we never got along very well.” Vincent locked eyes with me and grinned, “Leota! You can visit my brother for me and tell him I’m in New Orleans Square! You can tell him to come visit me!” My heart began to sink even more as he proposed the plan.

“Well I suppose I could -.”

“Wonderful! We must cut the evening short and you need to head on your way at once! Oh and if you could send my greetings to the residents in the graveyard as well- that would be just fantastic of you.”

❧

And that’s just how life is - one moment you think you’ve met the man of your dreams, and the next moment he is sending you to a wealthy town to say hello to his wealthy brother and dead family members.

Liberty Square was all brick and white picket fences (with the exception of the Gracey Mansion) the people were suspicious and distant. I needed pointing to where Mister Gracey lived so I stopped a large man who wore a grey suit with a yellow ascot tucked into his vest.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for the home of a Mister Gracey?”

“It’s at the end of the road - I would think a slave would keep better track of her master’s home.” Some of the townspeople near him snickered at me.

“What did you just call me?” I growled, stepping toe to toe with him now. “I think you should evaluate your words before you speak them, otherwise I might hitch you up to a wagon like the ass you make yourself out to be.” The man adjusted himself as he turned a light pink.

“You had better watch your tongue, woman, and recognize who you’re speaking to.”

“My apologies- you must be a pig instead of an ass.” His face turned deep red as he raised his hand to strike but a man in a black coat grabbed his wrist and leaned towards the older gentleman.

“Well now, lets not cause a scuffle right here in the streets.” His hair was curly and black, pale skin, and ... sapphire eyes. “I heard there was a green-eyed woman looking for my place around town, so naturally I went on my own little adventure.”

“William, you had better keep your help in line.” The older gentleman yanked his arm from William and straightened out his coat.

“She’s not my help, Mister Mayor, I think she’s new in town - but allow me ma’am.” He linked his arm with mine and began walking me down the street.

“That man is your Mayor? He’s an insufferable ass.” William laughed and patted my arm.

“Yes, yes he is - but he is like an angel to the town, they all fear the changing times and the mayor is an unmoving stone ... Their only constant.” How sad that so many people could be so fearful of the future and the unknown, that they would just let such a man have power. “On a lighter note, why is it that you were seeking me out?”

“Ah, your brother wanted me to send you his greetings from New Orleans Square, he would like you to visit him now that you’re back.”

William rolled his eyes, “I’m not going to visit that ghost seeing idiot - does he still wear a noose around his neck?” I nodded, “Of course he does!” He unhooked our arms and ran his fingers through his hair. “I apologize, I just don’t much care for my brother ... either one of them.”

“There is another one of you?”

“Yes, Dorian ... He’s the middle brother and he’s full of himself! Probably married a mirror for all I know.” William shook his head, “No, no, enough talk about my family - where are you staying miss...?”

“Leota, I have a wagon that I left in the woods, I’ll probably make camp there tonight.”

“If it’s even still there, we have gypsies that live in our woods Miss Leota so you may wish to stay at my home tonight - if not then hurry back to make sure they haven’t mistaken it for something abandoned.”

“I’ll probably just go back and get it, however I wouldn’t mind sleeping in a real bed - that is if you have somewhere I can store my wagon?”

“But of course, my doors are always open.” He lifted my hand and kissed the knuckles with a wink, before I turned away towards the woods as the sun went down.

❧

Lucky for me my wagon was still seated among the trees where I had left it, as I assessed the inside to make sure nothing was missing I heard music off in the distance, curious I stepped back outside into the night and noticed the light just beyond where I was.

It seemed to be a camp, upon closer inspection I saw it was a caravan of only 10-20 people - how had they gotten so small?

“What do you want?” Called a man, he drew a knife as I came into the firelight.

“I mean no harm, I’m camped just beyond those trees and saw the fire - I was just wondering who my neighbors were.”

“She has witch eyes...” One man whispered,

“I don’t need a witch in our caravan, we suffer enough as is.”

“Calm down, I’m not a witch - witches are far less powerful.” I rolled my eyes, “But everyone is so scared of them because their hats are pointy! Oh no!” I feigned fear and placed my hands on my hips.

“As if a witch wasn’t bad enough, you’re a devil then.”

“Stop it!” A girl stepped in front of the man - she wore a yellow dress, dark brown hair, tanned skin, and flowers knotted in her hair. “She has already said she meant no harm, there is no need to be so mean!” She held her arms out shielding me.

“Emily, you’re too naive! This woman curses people!” The girl named Emily turned around - looking me up and down with her bright blue eyes.

“She seems normal enough to me.” A sly grin slid over my lips.

“Fine, if it will calm your nerves then I’ll make a deal with you...” I held out my hand to the man, “I will not harm this caravan in any way and in return I will ask one favor of you when I need it.”

“No way, I’m not going to risk whatever you ask of me.” He crossed his arms but the girl grabbed onto my hand and gave it a hearty shake.

“Deal!” She grinned and the deal was made. “There, now your caravan is off limits and no one needs to worry anymore.”

The man was pale as he looked to Emily, but in his astonishment he couldn’t find any words to reprimand her so ... he walked away.

“You know that was quite foolish of you, I can ask anything of you and you’ll have no choice but to obey.”

“Yes well, you don’t seem like you’ll make me do anything too bad - I trust you.” She looked behind me to my wagon, “Are you going to be heading back to town? I should start heading back home anyway so I’ll walk with you.”

I almost lost it when she said that, “Are you telling me you live in town? You aren’t even part of this caravan?” Emily seemed confused but she answered regardless.

“No, but they’re good people - they get harassed a lot by the town so they’re a bit more wary of strangers but they really aren’t all that bad.”

“You really are naive ... “ I sighed and headed with her to my wagon.

❧

I stayed at Mister Gracey’s that night - he had his red coated servants take my wagon while William gave me the grand tour. The manor itself was grand in a gothic style, the very entrance had long walls looking like they stretched to eternity- if it weren’t for Williams’ instruction I would have thought there were no windows or doors, it took us to the hallways which were a royal purple - with a wallpaper that felt as though it watched me, then we went off into the grandballroom - it seemed to be set apart from the rest of the mansion since it was decorated in silvers and whites with white billowing curtains over the windows which were as high as the house itself, and then he showed me the backyard where members of his family were buried and where I told the residents that Vincent said hello.

“He really wanted you to talk to the dead for him?” William scoffed.

“What is it about our abilities that you doubt?”

“Hm, perhaps the existence of magic in general? It’s all just observation and parlor tricks.”

“Well maybe I’ll be able to change your mind while I’m here... but for now, goodnight Mister Gracey.”

“For fucks sake just call me William, I hate all that title crap- er and goodnight Leota.”

Getting up the next morning I decided to entice the young Gracey by setting up my reading table not too far from his front door. I also wasn’t sure how this town would take to such an occult dealing on their streets, but I was happily surprised when I had quite the line of folks wanting to know their desires or if their husbands were cheating on them.

One young lady sat at my table wearing a mourning gown, her hair was blonde, and eyes dark blue.

“Why such a beautiful young woman, what is your name and what do you ask of Madame Leota?”

“I’m Constance Hatchaway, I wanted to know... if I ever find true love?” She blushed but the harsh look on her eyes never faded.

“Let us look, may I have your hands?” She reached out and I closed my eyes.

Seeing into the future was much easier than reading a person - all it took was a conduit made of some kind of stone or glass(my crystal ball) and the physical touch of the person whom wants to know their fate.

I walked on top of a river made of stars as I searched for her request, leaning down every now and again to reach into the river and inspect the stars which contained every moment in her life. I searched until I came to an abrupt halt from the stars ... This was the line of death, where the river stops then so does ones life - but amazingly beyond the gap were blue stars! It was impossible but I was seeing into her afterlife, upon further inspection there was a certain star among them that glowed a warm red color and as I picked it up I was overcome with such joy I couldn’t help but laugh.

I released Constance’s hands as I was still laughing - now wiping away a tear.

“It’ll take a long time but you will find true love.” I leaned close to her as she leaned in with me. “And she will be beautiful.”

“T-thank you!” Constance blushed and scrambled to stand as she stuffed money into my jar.

It was rather nice to know at least one person in the town was normal.

My relief was short lived as the Mayor stood before me now, his hands clasped behind him as his sky blue eyes evaluated my set up.

“And what can I help you with?” I growled.

“I was just wondering if you had permission to set up shop here? But of course I know you don’t since you would have had to ask me personally.”

What a jackass.

“I don’t believe you have jurisdiction over someone’s private property.”

“Oh but I do.” He leaned down with his hands clutching the edge of my table, I was lucky it didn’t snap under his weight. The mayor wasn’t a fat man but rather built for someone of his age, and taller than any man I’d ever seen - the best way I could describe him was a brick wall. “You see I run the town and the town pays their taxes which means they pay me... to live here. You wouldn’t want me to evict your master now would you?” I sucked in a breath and glared, giving a glance behind him - hoping someone was there to perform a reading on but it seemed he waited till everyone had gone for the day, but a thought crossed my mind.

“Dear Mister Mayor...” I cooed, “Won’t you let me give you a free reading to make up for this? I can search deep down to your truest desires - things you may not realize you have been denying.” He seemed to think about it a moment before taking a seat across from me and placing his hands palm up on either side of my crystal ball.

I placed my palms atop his and closed my eyes.

[happy-haunts]

Horatio Ernest Topper ( Pt. 2 )

Horatio Ernest Topper pt. 2

WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS THEMES OF VIOLENCE!

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

—————

It was work as normal the next day, I got up and washed then went downstairs to unlock the door as well as switch the sign to OPEN. I would say it was only five minutes after opening the shop - I was adjusting some of the displays in the back when I heard the ring of the door. “Welcome to Horatio’s Haberdashery how-“ I blinked as I was greeted by ‘Miss’ at the very front desk, she was in the same canary yellow dress and her hair was once again adorned with the flowers. “I told you I don’t want any-“

“Nonsense! I know!” She threw her fist down onto the counter. “I would like a hat.” She puffed up her chest as if to look important.

“Oh...?” I mused and walked to the front counter.

“Mister Topper I would like you to know I am here for your work and not nonsense.” She had a sly grin on her face now.

“Well then.” I straightened as best I could, “Miss I would need to know your name for my records?”

“Fine!” At that point she lost her composure and flopped herself on the desk, I grinned and watched with my hands folded in front of me. “Emily.” She pouted in defeat, I started to jot down her order into my journal.

“And last name?” She stood back up and refused to meet my gaze, “You DO have a last name don’t you?” Emily held her arms - she almost seemed a little scared.

“DeClaire.”

“You’re a Declaire? Now I know this is a joke.” I chuckled, “They are far too old to have a 21 year old child!” But as I looked at her face I saw she was serious.

“I’m not their daughter... I’m their granddaughter.”she still smiled even though her eyes... they weren’t as vibrant as before.

They weren’t as vibrant, they were dark, his eyes were dark as he glared at me.

He glared at me.

He killed me.

❧

“Hatty?” Red clapped a second hand over mine, “Hatty what else happened?”

“Don’t mess with me Hatty!” Constance growled at me but I laughed in response.

“Better watch it Constance you might take off a head!” I laughed and popped my head into my hatbox, Red yanked it from my hands.

“Hatty you freaked out before, who killed you? Hatty are you okay?” Her hands on the sides of the hatbox jolted my temples and I blinked at the memory.

“Are you alright? What’s going on with you?”

What...

What is going on with me?

Not me.

❧

“What is the matter with you?” Her hands were holding my head while it rested on her lap, my body felt weak and limp like I had been pummeled by rocks.

Not rocks

Like I had gotten the crap beaten out of me.

“I suppose you should have listened to me, now I have to show you what happens to anyone who touches my things.” It was a tall man, what was his name? My head was throbbing with pain as I tried to force myself to concentrate - his blue eyes looked down to me from the dim room, he was glaring at me, behind him was a fireplace and there were elegant red armchairs sitting beside it.

This wasn’t my shop... where was I? I could only recall that the two men in red coats dragged me here for my beating, they dragged me here to this man.

“I don’t belong to you.” Emily growled through clenched teeth, tears were running down her face and I weakly lifted my hand to wipe them away, a small smile lifted from the corners of her lips as she looked down to me. “Horatio...” she placed her hand over mine and rubbed her cheek against it.

“I love you... Little Flower...”More tears streamed down her cheeks as she shut her eyes- squeezing them as if she was in pain and then opening them once more.

“I love you too.” Emily croaked.

“Enough!” The man boomed from in front of the fire, he grabbed Emily by her wrist and pulled her back, I heard a slap- my eyes unable to follow her around the room, their voices were becoming muffled as if my eardrums were filling with liquid.

I rolled my body over onto my stomach and tried to stand, but could only bring myself to my knees. Looking ahead of me I saw Emily being held back by a man in red... a man in red... A pirate, those two men were pirates.

The tall blue-eyed man was running his hand across her cheek, “You belong to me, you have slave blood in your veins, which makes you mine.” The tall man turned to me now, my jaw was slack and as much as I wanted to scream I just couldn’t find the energy. “And I know the punishment for thieves usually involves cutting off their hand...” He paced around me now, circling me like prey. “But I have a much better idea.” He pulled a hatbox before me and the other pirate grabbed my hair, placing my neck against the edge of the box.

“No!” Emily screamed but the pirate holding her pulled her back, he turned her head away as she sobbed and screamed.

He seemed to be whispering to her.

“I love you...” I managed as I felt the blade touch the back of my neck for aim. “Emily I love you!” There was muffled screaming before it all went dark.

I was in the mansion, my hands pulled my body from my hatbox and I stretched although my back seemed to be hunched over from the cramped living space. Looking around I was specifically standing in the hall outside of the attic, I wondered how exactly I got here... and where was Emily?

“Emily?” I shouted and walked through the halls, making my way to the confusing stairs, I paused while amongst them and began scratching my head. “Who was I looking for?”

I didn’t know who she was.

I don’t know who she is.

Who?

“Hatty?” Constance was now looking me over, hatchet at the ready. “Why did you stop?”

“The end!” I extended my arms with a grin, “And we all lived Hauntingly Ever After.” Red took her hands back and looked worryingly at Constance.

“Hatty this is odd even for you... although he did LITERALLY lose his head.” Red rubbed the back of her neck, almost disappointed that my story was so vague.

“I think it’s time to ask Emily about...” Constance blinked mid-scentence and then rubbed her temples. “About... um what we were ... whatever we’re doing.”

“Jeeze, both of you must have died when you were old folks because you can’t remember anything.” Red chuckled but started to grow more serious as Constance wasn’t recalling anything more about Emily. “You know we’re trying to figure out what happened the night Emily died?”

“Who?” Constance and I both looked at Red, confused.

“Oh boy... there is something not right happening right now.” Red then considered something. “Happening... to you two... not me.” She took hold of Constances’ hand. “There is only one chick that can explain the unexplainable.”

[happy-haunts]

Horatio Ernest Topper ( Pt. 1 )

Horatio Ernest Topper pt. 1

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

—————

Getting information from me is like asking to talk to a Sphinx and expect her to not give you a line of riddles. But alas the beautiful Red and that deadly Constance DID come down to talk to me to see if I knew of how our dearest Emily died, sadly I do not know how Emily died and in fact I’ve hardly gotten the opportunity to talk to her besides when Red is next to her. Just to be clear that is not my saying that I haven’t tried to get to know her, it’s just when I seem to approach she’s already gone.

“Hatty - fantastic! We wanted to speak to you about Emily!” Constance greeted me, but had her hatchet in one had as if ready to strike.

“I may be mad but I don’t think you need THAT to have a conversation.” She motioned towards me with a glare.

“You’d be surprised...”

“Anyways!” Red shouted, breaking the tension. “You’ve been here awhile so by chance is there anything you know about lil’ Emily?” She slapped an arm on my back and as she did I got a jolt of clarity.

“Oof!” I blinked and turned to Red, “Do that again!”

“Hatty...” Constance warned while raising her hatchet.

“Not like that! I remembered- you made me remember something.” I took Red’s hand and impossible as it may seem- I don’t think I was as mad anymore. “My name...”

————

I am Horatio Ernest Topper

I worked in my parent’s Haberdashery as a young boy with my brother - who was more of a wanderer really- Ezra Topper.

It wasn’t much to a young boy but having a loving family was something I could say that I was lucky to recieve- I thought so at least until my parents seemed to just leave when I was in my 20’s.

I reported them missing and looked for them as long as I could but the bills were starting to come in and I couldn’t afford to lose my home as well as my parents. So I propositioned Ezra to come work with me and help me keep the haberdashery running until we found mother and father.

He left as well.

With being a young man and now having to make up the work of a whole family of Toppers it’s no wonder as the years piled on me that I became so cranky, often times I would have young ladies of wealth and status trying to waste my time by talking to me as I was working on the next hat - it was almost like they refused to see that I was trying to keep from being on the streets.

But there was one day, I heard the bell to my store ring as I was putting the final touches on a gentleman’s top hat. “One moment and I’ll be-“ A soft hand covered my mouth and dragged me down beneath the table- caught off guard I was knocked onto my rump with a grunt.

“Shh!” It was a young woman, her hair was deep brown, skin a golden light brown, and her eyes were like looking at a Summer sky - Our faces were just a breath apart, white wildflowers were knotted in her hair making her smell of springtime.

And in a moment she was on her feet beside me- looking out my shop windows and locking the front door then giving a sigh.

“Oh my goodness that was close!” The girl was leaning on my desk now, “Thank you for helping me! Mister-?“

“Topper is fine.” I grumbled and rubbed my back, stretching and popping all the joints that had gone stiff. I plopped back down on my stool and then began examining the hat I had been working on - I was holding up several different feathers to the hat when her golden brown hands draped over mine and placed one of her flowers on the hat.

“How’s that?” She was smiling at her handiwork but my eyes were on her hands which were covered in dirt, I gently took her hands and inspected them.

“Look at you, come with me for goodness sakes...” I took her upstairs to my room and grabbed a wet towel from my sink- wiping away all the grime.

“Oh, thank you ...” I glanced up to her face and it almost looked as though ... No ... Was she really blushing? “So, Um... Mister Topper...” A smirk played over her lips. “You live alone?”

I dropped my hands and roughly washed up my own dirty mitts with the towel as I grumbled, “O-of course I do, I run a business Miss ... Miss...?” She was turning another shade of red as she looked around the room in desperation.

“Miss is fine.” She grinned playfully.

“Miss...?” I tossed the towel back on the sink, “I wasn’t born yesterday young lady, if you can’t give me your name I don’t believe we have anymore business here.”

“Hardly a young lady I’m 21!” I was walking down to the shop now with her right behind me, her yellow dress pulled up to reveal her ankles - no shoes?

“Is that so? You had better go into town and find yourself a suitor yet or you’ll die an old maid.”

“I don’t care if I die an old maid, I’d rather be out seeing the world.” I faced her when I got to the bottom of the stairs, she was rather tiny for a 21 year-old woman. “And what about you? A young man living alone?”

“I’m 40.”

“What?” She looked me over, from the tired wrinkles on my face to my large bony hands, my hair was a salt and pepper brown, skin pale as the moon, and eyes a darkened brown almost black. “How did you manage that?”

“Time.” I said rather bluntly, “Now Miss I’ll bid you farewell especially since I don’t know your name.”

I sat at my stool, put on my glasses, and looked through a few of my orders coming up, she was next to me in no time. “If you DID know my name then would you not bid me farewell?” I sighed and took off my glasses, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“I would, because I must get back to my work.” She seemed quieter at this but it only lasted a few moments before she was back.

“Would you at least invite me back?” I looked into her eyes, her blue eyes.

“I am a public establishment, you’re invited back as long as it’s during my normal business hours - just like everyone else. And just like everyone else I expect you would be coming back for my skills and not for nonsense.”

“Oh no! I would never dabble in nonsense.” She giggled and straightened up, I cocked an eyebrow at her and fought a smile. “I’ll be back then I guess, with business.” She had a mocking stern voice when she said that, the mocking only lasted a minute before she ran into the door after attempting to open it- only to find it was locked. She laughed nervously and unlocked it before leaving.

Once I was alone again I covered my eyes with my palms and ran them down my face with a deep sigh, looking back to the hat I saw her flowers were still seated atop the rim - wildflowers... I picked them up and took in the scent before shaking my head and throwing them onto my journal’s pages.

[happy-haunts]

Emily is sensitive

Don’t know why but I figured this is something that probably happens.

[happy-haunts]

Constance Hatchaway ( Pt. 2 )

Constance Hatchaway ( Pt. 2 )

WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS THEMES OF ABUSE AND VIOLENCE.

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

She spoke the last part quietly but perked up the instant after, there was something different about her appearance today... looking closely her blue eyes were bright - so filled with warm happiness, but they were rimmed red?

“You’re very beautiful.” She blurted, catching me off guard and making me turn red.

“Oh... Why thank you Miss DeClaire, you are quite exquisite yourself...” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “DeClaire you said? Such as Howard And Elizabeth DeClaire? I had no idea they had a daughter.”

“No, no, I’m their granddaughter. I apologize I should have clarified.” She began blushing. “And I heard you were to be arranged with a gentleman in town?” This took me back.

”Why yes... I have already married him actually, did you not know?”

“How awful...” She took my hands and met my eyes, “I don’t know what I would do if I was arranged a marriage ... Is there anything I can do?” You could understand that I was thrown off by this notion, Ambrose was widely adored by the town because he was the son of a wealthy farmer who made him sound like his child was made of gold.

“No, no ... I’m handling this pretty well- you know being cooped up in a house and treated like a servant rather than a wife.” I gave her hands a squeeze, “But that’s just normal I suppose ... I have to just ... realize that.” I smirked at Emily - giving her a shrug.

“Who is the one that dictates what normal is?” She straightened a bit and knitted her brow to me. “No one thinks I’m normal, not that they’ve outright said so but I can see it in their eyes - but here I am.” Emily placed a hand over her heart, “All I can do is be unapologetically myself and hope one day they see ... not being normal isn’t so bad.”

“You don’t understand.” I felt my voice shaking, “How much they would hurt me, how they would treat me if they knew ... I’m not normal.” I pulled my hands away and gulped down the burning in my throat, but I felt her hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t mind if you’re not normal.” I gritted my teeth as the burning filled up my throat again and I finally hissed.

“I want to marry a woman, not a man not any man.” I kept my voice low as I told her and the weight from finally letting someone in on my secret was ... so uplifting... But it came crashing down when I realized - I let someone in on my secret.

“Well ...” Emily blinked placing a hand on her hip. “I’m even more sorry to hear about your arranged marriage.” I turned bright red now, if I had looked at all put together before I was a mess now.

“B-But the town and - I’m not normal ... I’ll never be able to -“

“There is more to every story, and yours isn’t over yet.” She took my hands again, “And until your story ends I believe you’ll find your happy ending.” I couldn’t hold back and I hugged her right there on the street.

“CONSTANCE!” I heard my name shouted from behind where we were and pursed my lips - pulling myself away from Emily. I remember his face as if it were happening now... Deep red unlike I had ever seen before, his pupils almost seemed to shrink to nothing, and his breathing was fast - did he run here? “I came home half an hour ago and I thought you had been swept away by some maniac!” His furious eyes looked to Emily who was now standing somewhat behind me. “What are you doing talking to that gypsy thing?”

Curiously I looked back to Emily and then to Ambrose - thing? This girl? This literal angel! (Might be an exaggeration but she didn’t spit in my face when I told her about wanting a wife so.) “I don’t know who you think you’re talking to but if you ever address her like that again I-.” Emily placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t ... Constance, I’ll go...” She gave a curtsy to Ambrose. “Mr. Harper, good day.” And I watched her leave down the street till she turned a corner and left my vision. I blinked a ew times as though time were stilled - the town people were quiet as they continued to watch the scene before them- Ambrose had made his way across the street to me as I was in a trance watching Emily leave- he grabbed my arm and squeezed.

“We’re going home, dear.”

————

Home was worse, he slapped me across the face and threw me to the ground. “You weren’t here and what’s worse you talked to that gypsy!”

“I needed air Ambrose! She isn’t a gypsy she is a DeClaire!”

“Oh please, the whole town talks about her- we’ve all seen her dancing with them! And how many times have you slipped away to see that... that...” He shook his head. “I saw how you looked at her, the whole town saw how you looked at her!”

“What is so wrong with her?” I screamed down from where I was cowering on the ground. “And are you angry at the fact that she doesn’t act the way you want her to? Or the fact that I will never look at you like that?” He reared up his foot and slammed it into my face.

“Don’t try to compare me with that ... that... ARGH!” He kept stomping on me as I screamed, I was reaching for anything I could beside the fireplace now - anything! That’s when I grasped onto it ... It was as though fate was bringing me towards it ... My hatchet.

I am humble enough to say that I missed the first time - but the second time I landed a hit to his stomach... He was so shocked that it was happening it gave me ample time to get to my feet and pull out the hatchet for a second swing. “Till Death do us part.” I growled and hacked away till his head rolled off his shoulders.

I should have felt something- anything! But my body was numb... guilt overcame me - I killed him! And then realization... I killed him. Then anger again... He hurt me. I sat there- breathing heavily- and I screamed covered in the red blood from my handiwork, I began punching his limp body and clawing at it out of fury.

How could he do something like that ... How could he ... Sweet Ambrose my mother said, what a gentle boy everyone had said.

Garbage, he was garbage ... Just complete garbage...

I took him outside just like that as well - I waited until night time and threw his body in the trees along the Mississippi, I then scrubbed down the house till there was no stains in the house.

I couldn’t just go to the authorities right then ... I waited until the next night and went down there in a mess and sobbed to the authorities, “He’s not come back! He’s left me he must have left me!”

“Easy now Constance, are you talkin about Ambrose?” The more stout man questioned.

“Yes! we - we got into a fight last night ...” I touched my face for effect, “He went out for a drink is what he said ... And he hasn’t come back! Oh please! Can you look for him? I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t come back!”

“Don’t you worry Constance, he’s probably just stayed at the bar all night if the fight was that bad...”

It was just the start.

I should have listened to Emily and found my happy ending - I should have ran away somewhere to where there were people like Emily who didn’t care if I wanted to grow old with a woman and would celebrate how different I was from all these people. But my mother had another man lined up for me every time, and I remember hearing her voice in my ear man after man.

My mother insisted -“He is in good health this one - such a gentleman and so kind.”

Frank Banks, he was kind for a week after I married him and then when I told him I didn’t want to have children or touch him in the way he wanted me to ... He tried to make me. He should have stopped at infatuated for now he’s decapitated.

My mother again insisted - “Surely this gentle soul so sweet and sincere would be better suited than that old Frank.”

The Marquis De Doom, he spent no time telling me my duties as his wife and I remember when I first told him I was going to relax that day, he dared lay his hands on me like Ambrose did. He shouldn’t have tried to act so much taller, for without a head he’ll surely be smaller.

And she insisted -“He has been widely talked about in town for his great sense of humor at the pub- I’m sure he’s finally your match.”

Reginald Caine, he was actually genuinely a nice man ... He didn’t pressure me into anything nor did he raise a hand to me! But unfortunately his times drinking at the pub may have lead him to an early grave...Apparently he was a wanted man and let it slip to someone while he was drinking and was taken in to face his sentence ... A beheading. Although his death was not done by me, I’ll take the fall for the guillotine.

Once more she insisted - “Very stocky - close to your age and has such a love for children!”

George Hightower, it’s true he loved children and since I had gotten so old he had given up thinking there was still time for him to have a son. But I had hope with George ... We had gotten to know each other well enough through the years that, when I found him cheating on me with a younger woman to attempt and creat an heir to his business, I told him about how I didn’t like men and I was fine with him doing what he wanted with any woman he wanted as long as he stayed being reasonable to me. Sadly though it wasn’t so and dear George’s head had to go.

————-

I had been going from suitor to suitor, man after man... I had been planning weddings and murders so much so that I never got the chance to catch up with Emily and find out how she was... I brought her up to my last husband, George, he had bought the Gracey mansion and recounted how she died falling from the attic window. Everyone had a different story, she killed herself, her lover killed her, her fiancee killed her, or even that her grandparents killed her. I had a hard time believing the last one since not long after they passed in a house fire, alot of people said they had a hard time believing it was an accident - that they must have felt so guilty about their granddaughter dying so suddenly they burned themselves alive.

I tried not to dwell on it too much, although I wished I had come by at least at one time... If I knew she would die so suddenly... I just wished.

Years passed and I grew into an old woman, no grandchildren just an old cranky lady who soon passed peacefully in her sleep, imagine my confusion when I was pulling my form from my grave.

You could understand the confusion since I had lived in this house and never realized it was filled with all this ... activity? Ghosts were everywhere! Drinking, dancing, and singing?

I made my way through the halls and reminisced to all the years I spent here alone ...

Then I got to the attic and heard her crying.

“Hurry...” she sobbed, “Hurry back...” A girl - adorable purple and blue bride with a beating heart that was thundering in the attic so loud I could feel my non-existent pulse.

“Excuse me are you okay?” I leaned down and placed my hand on her shoulder gently- then I noticed her crown of flowers, petals fallen into her hair like she rolled through them. “Emily?” I whispered - shook to my core.

Her eyes were glowing blue - blue like her eyes used to be ... Tears were pouring down her cheeks. “Who...? Who are you?” I had to sigh because of course she might not remember me.

“Constance - Mrs. Harper remember? I was married to Ambrose all those years ago ... I heard you jumped from the window...” I looked over to the dusty attic window and pursed my lips, “It must hurt you so much to remember...” She was staring at me hard now, as if in deep concentration. “Constance...” I pointed to myself, “Hatchaway? Maybe you remember my serial killer name?” She turned a pale shade of purple. “No, no, no! Not like- I would never kill YOU just my husbands! But they were mean except one... and to be fair I wasn’t the one who did the beheading that time.”

“I- I’ll just take my leave...” I grabbed her hand.

“Wait! I won’t hurt you, I promise I chopped off their heads because of-.” But at the mention of it she yanked her hand away and placed her palm on her head.

“His head ... They chopped off his head...” tears were streaming down her cheeks.

“Who? Emily tell me what’s wrong... I want to help, I’ll stay in the attic-.”

“Take it!” She screamed at me, “I’ll go! I just - my head!” I watched her leave through the door as I plopped onto a trunk in the attic.

I waited for her to come back but she never did... That was until she brought Red with her.

And Red was the blessing I had always hoped for in life... She made me smile, she would let me be myself unapologetically -occasionally she would tease about my beheading of husbands (when you’re a ghost those jokes don’t carry as much weight to them). We are inseparable...

———

I was lounging in the attic with Red as I reminisced my humanity and origin- she was playing with my hair and made a face as I revealed my first meeting with Emily.

“I mean I can understand her having a hard time remembering things since she took a dive from the attic, but she must have known one of your victims.” I shook my head.

“No way, I would have know... I’m so sure I would have...”

“Well what are the chances it’s just some random dude who got beheaded?” I flopped my back atop her chest and gave a heavy sigh.

“True... We should investigate.” Red looked down to me and laughed.

“I’m up for any adventure you have, sweetheart... and if anything it will make for a great series of stories.”

“Lets start with someone who is bound to know something, maybe ... Let’s start with Hatty.”

And as we left the attic- for the first time in the mansion I felt as though someone was watching me.

[happy-haunts]

Constance Hatchaway (Pt.1)

Constance Hatchaway (pt.1)

WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES OF ABUSE AND VIOLENCE! WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES OF ABUSE AND VIOLENCE! BE AWARE BEFORE YOU CONTINUE.

Chapter one | Constance pt.1 : Constance pt.2

Chapter two | Mister Topper pt.1 : Mister Topper pt.2

Chapter three | Madame Leota pt.1 : Madame Leota pt.2

Chapter four | The Hostess

Chapter five | Captain Blood pt.1 : Captain Blood pt.2

Chapter six | Emily DeClaire pt.1 : Emily DeClaire pt.2 : Emily DeClaire pt.3

Chapter seven | Finale

————

Most of us in the mansion were actually around at the same time - that is the original happy haunts of course. If I had to put it in order I would say - Disembodied Voice was first, followed by Emily, Hatty, Madame Leota, The ballroom ghosts, the graveyard ghosts, The Hitchhikers, Myself (Constance), and then our lovely Red. At this point of course you may be wondering why this is important? And that is a very good question but I implore you to keep reading since you will soon be wishing the questions only stopped at the first.

For now my story starts in that little town of Liberty square, I lived in one of the small houses there along the river with my mother- a widow to my late father whom of which had died in the Civil War fighting to keep the South alive, the way my mother tells it she says he died a hero but I remember reading his letter ... He was running away from the battle and was shot in the back.

Nevertheless I hardly knew my father when he died and as rude as it must sound I never thought much about him.

My mother was always there for me and she seemed to act as both parents just fine - making her own money and living in the house that father left her in his will. It wasn’t until I became a young woman that her compensation for the lack of a father turned into “Have you been seeing any new boys recently, Constance?” Or “You know that Ambrose boy seems to think quite sweetly of you.”

But I didn’t care about Ambrose, I didn’t care about any of the boys in town - unlike the other girls in town I didn’t want a husband... I wanted a wife.

And my god was there a girl in town I couldn’t take my eyes off of! She was so small and her skin was a light brown - the color of caramel from the sweet’s store, her eyes looked like the sky, while her dark brown hair draped heavy over her shoulders that framed her heart shaped face. If I would have known ... I would have tried harder... If I just would have known...

But I suppose it wouldn’t have actually mattered, mother wouldn’t have it if I started courting her, all she talked about was Ambrose this and Ambrose that! The farmer boy from California - the boy who was pining after me and how rude I was for not giving the boy an inch. It wasn’t MY fault that he was pining after me, so why should I indulge his advances when I didn’t want them in the first place?

But that didn’t matter to mother - she eventually told Ambrose that he may have my hand in marriage (because evidently my permission didn’t matter) and wouldn’t you know I was married off just at the beginning of my eighteenth year.

Ambrose did his “best” as a husband, he insisted on my staying home and that I didn’t need concern myself with the town’s life anymore - he was effectively shutting me inside to clean all day and wait like a dog to bring him his dinner.

About a month or two into the marriage and I was going mad from staying inside, the walls felt like they were closing into me and I could have sworn I heard whispers of the townsfolk in my ears! I had to leave that day- I had to!

———-

Today was my lucky day, The girl I had been longing to ever talk to was making her way down the street in a purple and white striped gown, in her hair she had knotted several white flowers - almost like she tumbled down a hill covered in wildflowers - She was breathtaking. It was the kick in the pants that I needed to finally make my way across the street and talk to her to at least find out her name.

“Hello, um are you new to town?” I asked, finally catching up to her fast pace - she turned to face me with a flustered red blush coloring her cheeks.

“Er- YES! Um no! I meant no, I didn’t mean yes as in Yes I’m new I meant like Yes? How can I help you? Eh...” She was fumbling over herself - it was kind of cute to watch but I decided to chime in to keep her from her embarrassment.

“Oh no- no! I understand don’t worry! I also apologize - I never caught your name? I’m Constance Hatch- um Harper.”

“A pleasure to meet you, I’m Emily ...DeClaire.”

[happy-haunts]

The Redhead

WARNING THIS POST IS LONG.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

“Where These Legs Have Been”

I wouldn’t say I had the worst life growing up in the American Colonies but I also wouldn’t say I had the best life either. You see my mother and father still believed there was wealth in Britain, so they urged me to marry a wealthy merchant when I was of age, even though I had a younger sister (Scarlet) who was more than willing to marry a wealthy man. And you can imagine the shock they had when they found me tasting the lips of one of the girl’s whom parents often socialized with mother and father.

I didn’t hate the company of a man but I didn’t hate the company of a woman either, I understood that my parents saw this as some kind of sin - but how much could they count my actions as a sin when they were planning to have me wed to some wealthy British man? And to me that should count as a sin, forcing someone to do something they don’t want to … If I had it my way I would be the ultimate sinner, I would show my legs to anyone who wanted a peek, I would explore other countries, I would flaunt all of my fine silks, I would have an adventure.

As one could probably guess my eighteenth birthday arrived sooner rather than later and without hesitation my parents, sister, and I sailed to Britain, the smell of the salt water air was intoxicating on our voyage and if I had to choose a place to die well I would hope it would be on a boat in the water.

Once we docked in a boring port of Britain my parents had decided upon going to find somewhere to stay the night - my sister and I on the other hand went about trying to find something to do in this town. Which was when we found the Drunkin’ Boar - most of the men entering the bar were either the usual sloppy drunks or whole crews of sailors.

Scarlet was interested to have a go at some of the sailors while they were in a drunken stupor, she had such a tomboy nature about her - wanting to wrestle the boys at home all the time and urging father to teach her how to shoot a gun. And you would think that mother and father would scold her for being so bold, instead she was commended for her feminism - why shouldn’t a girl be able to out-wrestle a boy? A woman should be required to shoot a gun just like a man! Heaven forbid if I want to make-out all day and wear my dresses a little shorter.

But I’m getting carried away, we had decided to head into the bar and see if it was worth our time. Scarlet noticed a few men arm wrestling ,and decided to go see if she could get them all worked up over losing to a girl. I on the other hand wanted to see if I could work up a crowd in another way - so I walked over to the bar and held out my hand to the man on the stool beside it, he gawked at me and took my hand to help me up onto the end of the bar where I took my seat. Once I was seated at a higher level then more of the patrons were starting to spot me, the place was getting silent now as if these slobs had never seen a woman before in their lives! So I sat up straight and proud and said “You boys keep your mouths hanging open like that they’re sure to collect dust.” a couple guys chuckled while another handful shut their mouths and quickly wiped away any kind of drool.

“Hey Red, what brings you to this dump - a fine lady like yourself?” The man beside me asked.

“Well my sister and I just got into town and while my parents look for a place to stay for the night we decided to see what this place had to offer, while we were walking we got so thirsty and our legs were so sore …” I lifted my red cotton dress to expose my fine smooth legs, rubbing my muscles and giving a depressed sigh. “I don’t suppose any of you fine gentleman could help?”

It was a riot in seconds, as soon as they all started trying to throw their money at the bartender- one man stepped on another man who punched him and caused him to run into another man … Basically it was a whole mess. And while that mess was going on I decided to slip behind the bar and grab two bottles of rum and walk right outside where my sister was already standing, oddly enough? She introduced me to a gentleman whom she had won her arm wrestle against- the Captain of one of the British ships which were currently taking down any Spanish ship they came across due to the disagreements with … part of Spain at the moment.

“I see he bartender has taken a liking to you.” He commented and gestured his head towards my bottles.

“Ah- Yes! I have that effect on people sometimes.”

The Captain had looked back to the bar with a confused look on his face, then back to me. “Is everything alright in there? It sounds like a brawl.” ”Oh well, you know how men can be with the Devil’s poison in their system!” I turned away from the two of them and began to start for the main street, but my sister kept the conversation alive even when I was trying to let it die!

“You know Captain I’m sure my parents would love to meet you.”

“I’m not so sure I could impose on your family if you have all just gotten into port like this.”

“Oh no they wouldn’t mind at all, right Red?”

I shrugged in response.

“...Eh… Right.” Scarlet sighed and grabbed onto the Captain’s arm. “Lets call it my prize for winning at arm wrestling.”

“Well when you say it like that how can I say no?” He chuckled and that was that, we were taking some strange man home to our parents, like finding a purebred stray and asking mother and father if we could keep it.

My parents of course loved him, he was British blood and he was wealthy from plundering all those Spanish vessels. And if no one has guessed by now - yes he did ask me for my hand in marriage as arranged by my mother and father, but I made a deal with my fiancee that I knew would enrage my parents once they found out. I asked my fiancee to take me aboard his ship because I must first know him as a Captain before I can know him as a husband, and what do you know.. He agreed, that is as long as I would bring my sister along for … “safety reasons”.

After that most of the time we spent on the ship together was basically me being his trophy, he told me about how much he despised working under the crown since he had to always look a certain way or act a certain way because as the Captain of this ship which is sailing Britain’s flag then he is representing the people of Britain and her King. It sounded boring, after awhile looting the Spanish ships got boring as well … Because it was all about “the king” this and “the king” that.

Thankfully the dispute with Spain had ended and we could go back to port where my parents were waiting for us, but my fiancee had a better idea. He proposed that we forget the King, forget the navy, forget all of their rules and plunder other ships instead - we would wave a black flag and take what we wanted without anyone telling us how we could act or what ships we could touch.

I loved it.

They were fighting off British ships one day and the next they were in the Caribbean, we would take their food and their drink, take their gold and their pearls, and I would get to be more than just a trophy! I lounged in the crows nest with my skirts up to my knees, I strutted across the deck with my heels clicking on the floorboards, and my sister learned how to sword fight.

Yes, scarlet was still on board when the Captain decided to leave Britain but it wasn’t as if my sister was a total bore- she would join the crew and the Captain in fighting and plundering, and I never needed to worry about my sweet little fiancee because she was already talking his ear off and keeping him occupied.

Years went by and our days of piracy would start to grow repetitive, we had begun to ransack ports and towns to try and show some variety but in the end a pirate’s life was starting to not be for me. So maybe I was starting to want to settle down? Maybe to go back to something more permanent, but every time I considered this I laughed at myself - settle down? Me? Of course not!

But the Captain was considering something like this as well, he was getting old and fighting through ports was starting to tax him, but before he wanted to retire he wanted one last great theft. The theft of his crew.

He had confided in me about this and told me he would split the treasure with me so we could go off to an island and live forever surrounded by our gold. And while it wasn’t my ideal way to sped the rest of my life it surely was better than baring his children and cleaning his suits.

The plan was to raid a port and distract the crew with something while we loaded all their loot onto the ship and sailed away into the dead of night, I was prepared with a distraction already because I knew exactly what at least %90 of these men wanted and that was a woman.

So we had an auction, I talked to the women of the town and had them play along with me as the auction took place - none of them would be going home with the crew since I had their finest iron pans, rolling pins, and brooms tucked away under their dresses so they could cause a commotion after the auction and after the Captain loaded the ship so I could sneak onto the ship as well. You can be sure that I was flattered how the crew shouted “We wants the redhead!” as I exposed my superstructure so to speak.

Once the women began to fight back I started running back to the ship in my fine silk red dress, only to stop as I saw Scarlet standing by the row boat to the ship with the Captain.

“Are you coming with us?” I asked, but Scarlet didn’t say anything in response, she was clenching and un-clenching her hands like she was on edge. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

“Your sister and I are engaged.” The Captain spoke with his voice low, almost as if he was disappointed in himself.

“Alright… That’s fantastic but we can celebrate after we get along with the loot.”

“No, Red …” The Captain sighed, “We’re not getting along with the loot, your sister has confessed she has loved me since we met in the bar, and since we started fighting side by side she wishes to do this until she dies by the blade.”

“Fantastic then let me at least be off with my half of the loot.”

“No. Red. You know of the betrayal against the crew …”

“Yes but it’s not like I’ll tell, I’ll be on an island!” ”We can’t take that chance, harlot.” Scarlet spoke now, “You think you can just hypnotize man after man with your body and your words but how does it feel, how does it feel to have your prize taken from you?” I was almost sorry I didn’t have more of a reaction for her to feel proud that she might have broken me.

“Prize? He is hardly my prize, none of those drooling animals in this crew is my prize, none of the idiots we had stolen from were my prize, I was told if I had a prize it was a sin … So I apologize sister but I’ve never had the chance.”

“You SLUT!” she shrieked, she became even more enraged at my indifferent shrug and beat me unconscious.

The next thing I knew my head was covered by a sack and I heard whispers while we rocked in a boat.

“Why do we have to dump her here?” it was the Captain’s voice.

“Because she is still my sister and it is only right that we dump her at our hometown.”

“This has been an inconvenience to the whole crew to do this.”

“They’ll get over it, I can’t believe how many of them actually got choked up over hearing about her death! She didn’t even care about them.” the rowing seemed to stop then and I felt hands on my back as well as behind my knees, then a grunt and I was engulfed in cold water only to be plunged downwards by something heavy right afterwards.

My hands were bound together behind my back as well as my ankles tied together to whatever was keeping me below, I struggled to try and grab the rope at my ankles but with the bag tied around my head I was fighting a loosing battle.

And then the cold water filled my lungs, and then there was nothing.

Bad Love

I was surprised to open my eyes again and to be on the grassy bank of a river, it was then I put together the river was where my sister and her fiancee dumped my body to die. But if I was dumped to die then how am I alive right now? I looked at my hands and screamed, they were glowing with a red light and I could see the grass through them, I could feel my body- I felt solid … I took in my surroundings, it seemed like I was in a graveyard…? A graveyard that surrounded a rather dark intimidating mansion.

“Well… Might as well ask for help.” I made my way to the front doors and walked through, inside was just as macabre. Everything was covered in cobwebs, bats were the decorations of choice for most of their furniture and candelabras, and a dark feeling seemed to settle upon me.

I heard talking from behind two grand doors, walking through them I saw a tiny little ghost (I presumed) and she was being put down by several other “dancing” ghosts apparently. It was all about how she was a handicapped ghost with no legs, and I am not the nicest person but I am not so cruel to discriminate someone who has no legs … And she was kind of cute.

So I decided to take the dancing ghosts down a notch and leave with this little cutie - whom I found out was named Emily.

We started a tour which turned into a mission to deliver a key chain to some murderess in the attic from the Ghost Hostess of this mansion, I was mainly on board with going to the attic because Emily was so small and she seemed terrified of this hatchet woman.

Once we got to the attic was when I knew I was staying in this mansion for the rest of my undying days.

Her ghostly aura was the color of a deathly blue hue, her yellow eyes sparked with murder, and her smile was so sinister that I knew she was up to no good. The way that Constance Hatchaway spoke about her husbands that she killed sounded like everyday of my living life- her parents telling her who she could and couldn’t court and they were only allowed to be a man. This was also when I realized how many years had gone by and metal inventions were ruling this world and if I wanted to I could have as many women as I wanted.

I could have Constance if she would have me.

Thus began my attempts at courting her.

Courting Constance was maddening! She was intelligent and knew that I was hopelessly in love with her ever since we met in the attic. I brought her books from the library - since the disembodied voice told me that they have the worlds most famous ghost writers in their collection, but she seemed to giggle at the books as if my attempt was childish! Another time I brought flowers to her with all the heads snipped off, and upon her asking where the flower part was I said “They’re your axe-husbands!” She placed her head in her palm and shook her head.

I confided in Emily for help trying to win Constance’s heart, since Emily was obsessed with romance.

And what she suggested was … Something only Emily would suggest.

“Oh, well she is still a woman so she wouldn’t want anything from you, she would want to know how you feel about her! Tell her how beautiful you think she is, not a pick up line but actually how you see her, tell her how you really feel about her - about how your love makes you feel, and be your long legged self.” She placed her rather tiny hand on my upper arm since she struggled to actually reach my shoulder.

“Feelings are pointless.” I had stated, which seemed to break Emily- if her glowing heart wasn’t showing through her chest I swear it would have actually shattered.

“If you don’t tell her your feelings then she will never know how you feel about her, no about of headless flowers are going to do you any good.”

I rolled my eyes in response and sighed, I might as well try it at least once.

And so I made my way up to the attic to Constance and pushed open the door, she was standing by the window as always and watching the graveyard below where the ghosts were drinking, singing, and doing things that only dead people could do. (removing heads, shooting each other in the face, and ect.)

“Come with more gifts?” Constance laughed lightly and looked at me but was puzzled when there was nothing in my hands.

“No, I just came with … me.” I could feel myself getting warm, could ghosts blush? If they could then I was sure that I was doing it right now. “You’re beautiful.” I blurted out as fast as I could, this felt as if I was taking off all my clothes in front of her - as if I was even more transparent than I already was, I walked through my life completely closed off to anything outside of me, but at this moment I was so willing to show her in my heart where no one has touched me since I was a child.

“Red?” Constance was stepping towards me and took my hand, “What did you say?”

“You’re beautiful, like sea-glass reflecting against the bluest ocean - your words dance out of your mouth like a ballet and they have dance through my head even now, but even if I went mad from hearing you speak everyday of my life- er … death, I would be glad to have gone mad by your doing.” She was blinking as if not expecting what was happening, but I couldn’t stop now. “I love you, Constance Hatchaway, and if loving you means I must have my head removed then so be it, I will part with any of my limbs if you’ll love me as well-”

“Oh! Yes!” It was my turn to be surprised then, she was so quick about her answer.

“Y-yes?”

“Of course Red! What? Did you think that I wouldn’t?”

“You never seemed to respond to any of my other attempts at courting is all.”

“It was charming! You were always charming!” She threw her arms around my neck and I tasted her lips- softer than any lips I had kissed when I was human, and even more alive.

If this was a sin then I was sure I was sinning just right.

[happy-haunts]

Lose my mind 29/30

[happy-haunts]

Wish you were shouting my name 27/28

[happy-haunts]

It took a week to get here 25/26