She smiled weakly, not feeling proud at all. In fact she felt rather embarrassed and confused. She had been so scared and yet for what? For all she knew it was theatricality and deception that had caused this, it could have been a pure act of showmanship. And yet…and yet…it felt so real that she had a difficult time denying it to herself. She couldn’t simply dismiss the way the air had crackled around her or the way her skin had tingled. Stefan was right, she had felt their presence either side of her and it felt like something wonderful. Yet it was devastating to have her whole belief system crumble by an experience that lasted a matter of minutes. She had to have more evidence, she had to know for sure.
For the rest of the day, she followed Stefan around dutifully and took notes. To his credit he kept checking that she was alright, and she started to believe that it wasn’t simply showmanship because to commit to such an act would have been a total lie, and he seemed too kind-hearted for that. She interviewed a number of other people and they all praised Stefan for his drive and vision. Some of them even confided in her that they had thought of this only as a job and hadn’t believed in it at all, but after the things they had seen they had changed their opinions dramatically. Part of Rita was still hoping that this would all turn out to be a big con but the more she spoke to the people the more she was becoming convinced that it was all too real.
At the end of the day she went back to her car and collected her notes. She got deeply into reflecting upon the day, when a knock on the window disturbed her. It made her jump, for she had been consumed with thoughts about the phantoms. It was Stefan, who invited her to stay with them in the tents they had set up. She had intended to sleep in her car, and although sleeping outside the haunted house wasn’t an ideal situation, she had to admit that it was preferable that she be around other people. She agreed and joined them. They had a small fire going and grilled some meat. Soon enough, alcohol was passed around as well, and the mixture of Scandinavians and Americans soon crossed the cultural divide as they got drunk. Conversation flowed freely and Stefan’s eyes appeared glazed over. Rita sensed an opportunity to get to the truth. She sidled up to Stefan and took a bite out of a hot dog. He was swaying along as another member of the group played a guitar softly, lulling him into a trance.
“So be honest with me Stefan, do you actually believe what you’re doing here? Like, this isn’t some big con, is it?” He smiled and gazed at her, but it was a strange gaze, almost as though he was looking straight through her.
“Do you deny what you felt today?”
“I…I’m not sure. It felt real but my senses can be deceived. You’ve been doing this a long time. Are you really telling me that you’ve never faked anything?”
Stefan sighed. “Are we off the record now?” Rita reluctantly agreed for her need to know overpowered her need to tell the world, and no matter what she may have done in the past she wasn’t going to breach her professional ethics. “Very well. For the purposes of entertainment, yes, I have had to fake some things, but that is the nature of making a television show. I am not proud of it but the producers want entertainment, and when the show ends with nothing happening it’s not good for the audience or the sponsors, so I have to do a dance with the devil and make a compromise. But it’s all worth it because when something real does happen, like today, then I get to capture it on camera and I get to make people see the world in a different way. Like you, I knew when you came here that you did not believe. You might have thought you were hiding it but I saw the way you looked when you were writing things down. I have had to deal with those looks all my life so I know them well, but I do not blame you because it is not an easy thing to believe. Yet now I see you have changed. There is belief in your heart now. Your eyes sparkle with the truth, and I know it is difficult but for your own sake you must accept what happened. The easiest thing is to deny, deny, deny, the harder path, the one that takes more courage, is to believe.”
His words echoed in her mind and they stirred something powerful within her. She leaned back and continued to chew on her food as she pondered the events of the day, and remained sitting in silence while the party continued around her. Eventually the fire dwindled into soft embers and everyone went to sleep, but Rita still had something she needed to prove. She had to know for sure whether the ghosts were real or if it was just a trick. She wasn’t like Stefan, she couldn’t just accept it on blind faith.
In the stillness of the night she crept out of the tent. Soft snores emanated as the gluttonous crew slept in their drunken slumber. The silvery moon hung high in the sky, framed by a few isolated stars. The vague outline of the house loomed in front of her, and her stomach began to twist. Electric lights that the crew had set up provided some ambience but mostly the only source of light came from the moon. Shadows danced and hairs stood up on the back of her neck as her eyes darted back and forth. The floor creaked, and the walls sang with pain and misery. She thought of what it must have been like for this place to house those murderers. It filled her with revulsion and it was her pure determination that made her continue through up to the point where the encounter had taken place. There was a large hole in the wall, which she assumed came from a lightning strike a long time ago, and through the crack a chilly breeze blew through, along with a wide shaft of moonlight. Her breath turned to a fine mist as she stepped further into the passageway. She made sure to tread lightly, and she could feel the floor buckle beneath her, but it held steady as she moved forward. Her eyes had adjusted to the light by now so she could make out more details. She found a doorway and entered. The knob was cold against her skin and it made an unholy screeching sound when she twisted it, and dust fell around her when she opened it. Inside, she saw a large four poster bed that must have been empty for a long, long time. She stepped closer to it and coughed through the dust, then felt the mattress and pillows. They were soft and cold, but the bed seemed perfectly fine.
Then she felt the air crackled around her and she inhaled sharply. Her eyes widened as she froze in utter fear. She felt the same tingling sensation as before and her mind screamed at her to turn and sprint back to safety, but something held her in place. A pale glow appeared in the corner of her eye, and when she turned her head, she saw a phantom.
Chapter 4
He was young, with tousled hair and soft features. He wore clothes that had gone out of fashion a century ago and yet there was something about him that drew Rita to him. She staggered back at seeing him, and blinked multiple times just to make sure that she was really seeing what she was seeing.
“I’m glad you’re alone this time,” he said. His voice had a hollow tone to it yet it was unmistakably human. He glided towards her and stood inches away from her face. Her hair began to float towards him and she felt electric sparks surge along her skin. She looked down as her clothes and jewelry were being attracted to him too, and her chest heaved with frantic breaths.
“It’s okay, there’s no need to be scared,” he said, and held out a hand towards her. As he touched her own hand she gasped for a sharp jolt shot through her body. Instinctively she withdrew her hand, but as she got used to the sensation she let it linger before him.
“I’m Edward,” he said, “we saw you earlier and we could tell you were different than most people we just…we just wanted to say hello. We don’t tend to get much company around here…”
“Who’s we?” she asked. Edward smiled and looked to his side. From the wall another pale glow emerged, and another young man entered the room. He had sharp features and in life he must have been an impressive physical specimen.
“This is my friend, Michael,” Edward said. The two of them hung in the air before Rita, and as she looked at them closely she could see the marks around their necks, indicating that they had been hung. She relayed the story Stefan had told her, and watched as they glanced at each other uncomfortably.
“It’s all true. It’s sad that this place was ruined because of family. I never wanted that to happen. We had so many ha
ppy times here. I remember a girl, she looked just like you.” He reached out and caressed her cheek. A powerful surge of pleasure crackled through her and she jumped back.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“We’re not used to this. Most people only want to chase us away or torment us. You seem different,” Michael said.
“I just want to understand. I never thought this was possible. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
“Are you scared?”
“A little.” The two ghosts settled next to her and she could feel the air crackle around her again. Her heart began to race and the fear mixed with excitement. Adrenalin pumped through her body, sending her into a state of arousal. She gasped and her lips parted as she felt them grow closer and closer to her body. She wasn’t sure what was happening but she knew she didn’t want it to stop for anything. She opened her palms and felt them press against her. It was cold and warm all at the same time and it sent a shuddering sensation coursing through her body. Ordinarily she would never have surrendered herself so quickly and willingly to something like this but it was so new and so different she found it irresistible. Michael and Edward went to either side of her. They leaned in and she felt their touch on her neck and shoulders. The fine hairs on her neck stood on end, and goosebumps broke out on her exposed flesh, running down her dress into her plunging cleavage. She arched her neck back and felt the ghosts move around her neck like a necklace, then trailing down over her soft curves. She moaned and flung her arms back, as she did so they passed through the ghosts and she felt the cool ripple, it was like passing her hands through a crystal waterfall.
“It’s been so long,” Edward whispered. Rita could only offer a strained moan in reply for she was caught in the throes of passion. Lust overwhelmed her mind and made her feel hazy and delirious. She was intoxicated by the sizzling heat that was coursing through her veins and wanted more and more. A ravenous hunger growled within and she wanted to gorge herself on all the lust that was being offered. As the ghosts drifted around her and their hands swept over her body and soul she began to undress, peeling off her clothes piece by piece.
As each inch of her became exposed the ghosts rushed down to explore. Instantly her skin tingled and she writhed until she was standing in the room, completely naked. The chill night wind blew through but she didn’t feel its effects. She was shielded from everything by the crackling, shimmering aura that emanated from the ghosts. It caught her in a bubble that drove her closer and closer to intense delights. She unclasped her bra and her nipples stood out, erect. She trembled as the ghosts brushed their phantom fingers over them, and then moved down to her stomach. Her lithe, slender body couldn’t take the pleasure any longer and it collapsed on the sheets. She rolled and twisted around, guided by the sharp shocks that sparked against her skin.
It was a whole new world and she had flung herself into it. There was no doubting the sensations that were throbbing inside her, and she had to throw away all her preconceptions. Ghosts existed, and as she moaned again she knew that she was glad for it.
Her hands gripped the sheets as Michael and Edward melted down her body. She felt them all over her, covering every part in their bright sexual energy. They ran down her stomach and hips, all the way down her slender legs and then back up through her inner thigh, teasing her by getting closer and closer to her warm, wet, inviting lips.
Rita’s legs parted instinctively for them and she had no idea which one was which but their ghostly essence swam over her pussy and entered her. Her eyes shot wide open as she felt the phantom tendrils enter and stimulate her. It made her body writhe and as it did so the other ghost came up and ran his spectral fingers over her lips. It was like a thousand fireflies were dancing along her lips, and then she felt him enter her mouth as well. She sucked and muffled moans escaped her lips. It was like a constant stream of popping candy exploding in her mouth and the pleasure was swarming through her body from both ends. It felt like a hundred hands were over her, and then her sweet spot was found and she was forced into silence by the overwhelming pleasure. All she could see through bleary eyes was a fine mist covering her like a spider’s web, and yet she did not feel threatened or in danger at all, she just felt happy and satisfied as they ghosts stimulated her, pressing themselves against her skin so much so that they seeped through her pores and entwined themselves with her. The three of them melted into one entity and Rita felt completely whole, as if she really knew them and knew herself.
She broke out in a wide smile as waves of pleasure rippled through her, building to a strong tsunami. The ghosts were deep inside her, deeper than anyone had ever been and most likely deeper than anyone else would ever get. Her entire body felt more alive than it had ever been and her soul was on fire. She moaned and gasped at the delirium cracking her mind, and the pleasure gushed through her, building up to a thunderous release of orgasmic energy. She screamed so loudly it echoed through the broken walls of the house and her hands twisted into tight balls that gripped the sheets firmly. The ghosts remained over her, provided soothing presence as the afterglow of climax dissipated. She laughed and breathed deeply as she sought to calm herself after the rush of energy, and looked at the two ghosts floating over her.
“That was amazing,” she said. The ghosts looked down at her with pleasure dancing in their eyes.
“We will always be here,” they said, and then they drifted off, leaving Rita alone in the bed.
Chapter 5
The next morning, Rita appeared fresh-faced and well-rested. She was eager to get on with the day, and even more eager to venture back into the house during the night for already she was missing the touch of the ghosts. Many of the crew were feeling the effects of the alcohol the night before, but none of them suspected that she had gone back into the house. When Stefan saw how enthusiastic she seemed he came up to her.
“So, Miss Doubter, are you opening yourself up to believe?”
Rita allowed herself a secret smile as she thought of the previous night’s wickedness, “Oh yes, I’ve been thinking about it a lot and there’s no doubt left in my mind. What I experienced was real.”
THE END
Taken By Two Ghosts
The steam train rolled through the English countryside. Plumes of smoke billowed out of the funnel and the train left a trail of grey smog behind it. When it had departed London, the skies had been clear and blue but now it was early evening and stars were twinkling in the dusk. Marion was wedged tightly against the window in a small carriage. Her flaming hair was tightly tied back and her eyes were tired. As the train continued its journey, she was occasionally jostled by the rotund gentleman next to her as the old couple opposite gazed upon her with kind and sympathetic eyes. Yet Marion was oblivious to all of this. The rhythm of the train lulled her into a numb state where she did not care for anything. The carriage and the people in it were amalgamated into a blurry beige scene that was on the periphery of Marion’s vision as she stared absently out of the window. The lush, fertile landscape rushed by before her and although her eyes were seemingly locked on it, she wasn’t aware of anything in her line of sight. Instead she was focused on the tragedy that had befallen her, and as the overwhelming emotions surged through her, she managed to restrain herself so that merely a single tear trickling down her cheek was the only evidence of the turmoil that raged within.
It had all happened so suddenly. One day they were all a happy family and then in the swiftest of flashes her parents were taken from her by an intoxicated driver. The doctor said they hadn’t suffered, that it had all happened too suddenly for them to realize what had happened, but Marion had seen the mangled bodies and the expressions of sheer terror on their faces and she felt nauseous every time she tried to imagine what their last thoughts must have been. Did they feel shock that their lives were ending so abruptly? Did they feel guilty that they were leaving their little girl alone…?
It was strange. Just a few days before the accident Marion had been ar
guing fiercely with her father, demanding that she be treated not as girl but as a young woman for she was done with her schooling and wanted to choose a career, although he wanted her to wait and find a suitor so that she could carry on the family’s legacy. Yet for all her bluster she now felt utterly alone and despondent and she would have given anything to crawl into her father’s arms and be rocked to a sweet sleep just as in her childhood.
There was so much left unsaid, so much that she could never say and it gnawed at her. It took all her effort to remain composed and not completely break down in front of the strangers in the carriage but she felt as though she was on the brink of collapsing. The train trundled on and as the scenery passed by so too did the memories of the aftermath of the accident. She barely had a chance to process everything before she had been told that she had to go and live with an Uncle she had never met, or if she had she couldn’t remember. Before she knew it she was traveling from London to a small town in Hampshire to begin a whole new life. It was a period of extreme upheaval and as she clutched her bag on the train she sat there, paralyzed, almost willing herself to reverse time and somehow prevent the accident. But she could not.
By the time the train reached her destination the dim light of dusk had given way to darkness and the stars were out in full force, although much of them were blanketed in the grim smoke that poured from the train. As the locomotive ground to a halt the pistons wheezed and the brakes screeched. When it came to rest there was a final sharp stop, which jolted Marion forward and out of her despairing thoughts. She murmured as she rose and the rotund gentleman beside her huffed as he had to adjust his position to accommodate her movements. Her case was heavy and it was a struggle to get it down without it falling on her but she managed. The rotund gentleman, who had been entirely unhelpful, seemed chuffed after she vacated her seat as he was able to spread himself out. She offered a weak smile to the older couple as she slid past them and then she was out of the carriage and onto the concrete platform. She hopped down and landed with a thud. One or two other people got off with her but they quickly disappeared into the darkness. Marion looked around for a porter but there were none in sight. Behind her, the train began to get ready to depart. She heard the hiss of water and then smelled the bitter scent of coal and steam as the train slowly pulled away, gathering speed until it rattled along the tracks. She was left alone with just the disappearing plume of steam for company.
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