by Unknown
Henry looked over at his friend and realized that they were back to their somewhat immature word fight. He asked Matthew to quit acting the idiot and scolded Laura to keep her mind as open as she claimed she did. He argued that just because Matthew had a different idea and an awful way of stating that idea did not mean his idea was any less valid.
Laura apologized and asked if Henry ever went on sits outs at haunted locations.
'Vigils? Been cut from the course schedule. Too expensive.'
'How come?' Laura inquired.
Henry continued by telling his attentive entourage about how paranormal T.V shows became popular and owners began to charge for sittings which made it almost impossible to get a sitting. He told them about the house Collin had asked him to look into and why. Laura couldn’t help but ask to join him for the thrill. Besides, she would finally get to validate her arguments with Matthew. Henry was not buying that. He said something about not wanting a crowd.
'We aren't a crowd! Laura fired back. 'It'd be just us. You, me, and Captain Sceptic over there.'
'Wait. Why would I want to go to some old house?' Matthew asked.
'Are you afraid you're going to see something your precious Boyce can't explain?' Laura teased.
Matthew gulped what was left of his beer. He was being challenged and that didn’t seem to go down well with him. It gave him the jitters. He didn’t like the jitters. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have accepted such a challenge, but he couldn’t resist the urge to prove how delusional Laura was either. Even when Henry had re-affirmed his stand on the issue, they literally bullied him into accepting their proposition.
Henry sighed and took out his small notebook. He used a pen from his coat pocket and began to scribble something which Matthew later found to be the address of the mystery home. “15 Rose View”. He then asked them to meet by 9pm on Friday night.
'Why Friday? Are the ghosts too tired to come out and play tonight?' Matthew asked.
'Investigations are usually all-nighters. That's why it’s Friday. You obviously have to get home before curfew or your sister will have your hide.'
Laura got up to leave, her beer nearly full. She had a bus to catch. She assured Henry and Matthew of her attendance at their next meeting. Laura did promise to buy Henry a drink some other time.
'Strange girl. Bright. I'll give you that. Although a bit feisty. Think she fancies me.' Matthew announced as the door closed behind Laura.
Henry smiled, 'That's one way to look at it. Twisted granted, but a way still.'
Matthew smiled as Henry picked up his coat. 'At this point of my life, a way is a way. Know what I mean?'
Henry shook his head in disbelief and left his friend sitting at the bar.
Chapter 26
Matthew turned his key in the door and pushed. He moved quietly through the doorway and shut the door behind him.
His sister called out from the living room.
'Is that you, Matt?'
'No.' Matthew replied as he took off his coat and hung it on the hook. He walked towards the living room and saw his sister curled up on the sofa. She had a cup of tea in her hands. The telly was on, but her attention was mostly on a catalogue of colored charts.
'Look at this, what do you think? Satin White or Magnolia?' Jenny asked.
Matthew looked over his sister's shoulder and pointed at the Magnolia. 'That one! Hey, you'll never guess who I ran into today.'
'Paula?' Jenny asked.
'Very funny. No. Henry Bradshaw of all people.'
'What? Your old friend Henry?'
Matthew sat down next to Jenny. 'The one and only. Hey, is the kettle still hot?'
'Yes. Oh, I suppose you want me to get you one, don't you?'
'I mean you don't have to, but a wonderful big sister would...'
'Oi! Who you calling big? I'll get you one if it would shut your cakehole'.
Jenny put her cup down and went into the kitchen. She asked about Henry and how they had reconnected. He told her Henry was a Parapsychology lecturer at the college where he was studying.
Jenny came back with the tea and handed it to Matthew. He set it down on the coffee table. She glared at him and pointed to the coaster. Matthew begrudgingly shifted the cup from the table to the coaster.
'Parapsychology? Ain't that to do with ghosts and stuff?'
'Yep.' responded Matthew.
Jenny took a sip of her tea. 'Like on T.V.? Didn’t know people did that as a course to be honest.'
'Complete waste of time, if you ask me.'
'What'd you mean?' Jenny asked.
'Psychics! Charlatans and cranks, the lot of them.' Matthew said, picking up his cup.
'Oh, what do you know? Kate does tarot...'
'Not Kate again! You always bring her up. Please! She's a nut case.'
Jenny did a good job reminding Matthew about how the same Kate once predicted that his estranged Paula was going to leave him. Matthew knew he had fallen into his sister’s preying hands again and there was no saving him. Besides, what could he do? He got up yelling that Kate only mentioned something about Paula “expanding her horizons” which only caused Jenny to burst into laughter.
'Well, two blokes at one time, I'd definitely say she had her horizons expanded a bit.'
'I can't. I can't believe! Ugh! My own sister!' Matthew said as he walked away. 'I'm going to take a shower.'
'Something I say, baby brother? Just don't use all of the hot water this time. Some of us have to work for a living.' Jenny said and continued to sip her tea with the most innocent face ever.
Chapter 27
Laura sat alone in her bedroom. The lights were dimmed and she could barely make out a shadow on the wall. She walked over to her wardrobe and took a box off the top shelf. It was a small shoe box that had already seen more years of use than the trainers it contained. Laura opened the box.
The lid came off easily and Laura placed it next to her on the bed. Inside, were a bunch of old newspaper clippings and a few scraps of letters. She rummaged through the box a bit deeper until her hand grasped the blue envelope she was searching for. She pulled it out and traced the poor handwriting on the front. It had her name on it.
She opened the envelope and took out a small note. The handwriting on the note matched that of the envelope. She started to read it.
'Henry. You are my friend. My only Friend. Something happened. Something bad. I will not write any more. I want you to know I will always remember you. And that flower you gave me that day, I shall give back to you.
'Remember Me Always.
'Abigail.'
Laura's hand carefully picked up the dried flower and gently placed it back into the fold of the letter. Laura sat in the near dark, staring at the envelope.
Chapter 28
Henry sat in his parked car and scribbled into his notebook. He took a look at his watch and then back out on the street. He could see the headlights from Matthew's car cut through the darkness. Henry got out of his own car to greet his friend. While they exchanged pleasantries, Henry confessed he was surprised to see Matthew arrive ahead of Laura who seemed to be ecstatic about their planned adventure the last time they spoke at the pub.
Since it was getting a bit chilly outside, they decided to take a walk up the pathway. A small sign that said ‘For Sale’ in great bold red letters that ran alongside a photo of the estate agent's face was hammered into the front lawn. Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out the key Colin had given him earlier in the week.
The key turned in the tumbler and the door pushed gently open. Henry pulled out a small blue torch from inside of his pocket and asked Matthew to stay put while he fetched the lights. He waved the torch around and found the switches. The hallway lights sprung to life and illuminated the entrance way. The furniture was untouched from the last time Henry visited the house. It appeared that the electrician fixed the light, but the heat was still an issue. The sofa was ice cold to the touch, although central heating ran throu
ghout the house.
'So, this is the infamous Rose View Screw, huh? I don't suppose you can show me the bleeding walls.' Matthew was looking all over the house trying to find nothing in particular.
'No, apparently, Colin had them painted over immediately.' Henry replied.
'What a disappointment for you then. Proof of life after death wiped out by a coat of brown paint.'
'Did I miss much?' The voice was Laura’s.
'Jesus, you about scared me half to death. When did you come in?' Henry asked.
'I came in just long enough to hear dear Matthew here make an arse of himself.'
Henry smiled.
'Whilst you two bash on me, I think I'll have a pop over to the sofa. Bleeding hell! This thing is like ice.' Matthew said.
'Cold spot. Paranormal activity brings temperature changes.'
'Yeah, and so does bad insulation. These windows ain't even sealed properly. Probably a draft.'
'A draft? Localized in just the sofa? Yeah, that's a rational thought for you.' said Laura.
'Better than your answer of Demons or God or the Bogeyman or whatnot.'
Laura pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels and headed towards the kitchen to get some cups while Henry asked Matthew to help him plant the sensors he had brought around the house. By the time they returned to the living room, Laura had made herself at home on the stuffed chair next to the sofa. Her hand held a glass that featured a Manchester United logo. She had two other similar glasses lying next to each other on an end table.
'So, you boys done being mysterious yet? Almost thought I had to send for a search party. Come, your drinks are getting cold.'
'Don't you mean warm?' asked Henry.
'No. Cold. I put them near the sofa. It's like a freezer there.'
Henry picked up his glass and the cold bit his fingers. He blew on it to warm up his hands and saw Matthew handle the glass with his shirt.
'Still think it's just the windows?'
'Night's still young, like you said. So far the only thing not normal here is a girl who brings a bottle of whisky to a stranger’s house. Probably spiked my drink with something so I'll see ghosts.' snipped Matthew.
'Hun, unlike you, I don't need to spike anyone's drink. Cheers.' Laura retorted.
They raised their glasses in salute. Henry took a shot of his drink and set the cup down on the other end of the table. The end away from the sofa. He went over to where he set his stuff and pulled out a laptop from his bag.
'So, what's that in aid of? Ghost hunting seems to have gone high-tech.'
'The lappy? Have it rigged. Remember those sensors? Well, they are beaming data here as we speak.'
Laura asked if the sensors could capture ghost images and after Henry had told her no, mentioning that parapsychologists made more use of gathered analytical data which had hard evidence recordings on certain variables like temperature, audio variations, and others, instead of using photos which often produced weak evidence as it could be easily faked. He concluded that it was better to have a camera trained on the sensors with a running time code.
'Gotcha. Photos would be too fuzzy, too unclear, or too good to be true.' Laura added.
'You mean too fake like someone dressed up in sheets with holes poked in for eyes?' Matthew said.
'Funny man.' said Laura.
'The thing funny here is three of us adults sitting around in the dark trying to tell ghost stories. Jesus, it’s freezing on this thing.' Matthew started to rub his arms to warm up.
'Maybe you should get off the haunted sofa?' Laura suggested.
'Haunted? Or just want the sofa for yourself. Not my fault you two were too chicken to sit on it.'
'If not wanting to have my soul taken over by an evil entity is chicken, then bawk bawk.' Laura said.
'So what's the deal with this house anyway? Besides the obvious window insulation problem.' Matthew asked.
'Can’t tell you. That'd be front-loading. You know, disclosing information before an experiment. I'd hate to influence the accuracy of the results.' replied Henry.
'What results? Of me freezing my willy off? You needn't worry. I won't be converting anytime soon.' Matthew remarked.
Matthew wouldn’t stop asking questions if Henry simply ignored him. From what he had observed so far, Both Matthew and Laura were both inquisitive. This, he found appealing. The genuine will to learn as much as they could. So it wasn’t a bad idea to give more updates about the house they were in at least. He asked Laura to listen if she wanted to and he soon got both their undivided attention as they both locked their gazes on him, anticipating his first words.
Henry told them the house was built in the late 1950s. The house wasn’t a typical source of activity neither was it built anywhere sacred or the whole neighborhood would have been affected. He explained that what must have happened was a bit more local, more personal to the house and it all started 30 years ago. He was interrupted briefly by a curious Laura who asked what happened.
Henry simply smiled and resumed his story telling. A father had returned home from work in a drunken rage and battered his young child to death. The kid wasn't found until the mother came home. When she saw the broken body of her son, she completely lost it, grabbed a knife from the kitchen and headed for the room her husband had slept off drunk on an armchair where she stabbed him repeatedly to death. It was indeed a horrible case. He recalled seeing it in a lot of newspaper clippings.
'Bullshit. Next you're gonna say that this sofa was where the armchair sat. Aren't you?' Matthew asked.
'How would I know? That was 30 years ago. I'm just inside the house for the second time in my life.'
'So why this house? Why you?' Laura asked.
'A friend I know, name's Colin, you might have seen his picture on the way in.'
'The one with the two-tone hair?' asked Laura.
'Yeah, that’s the one. He rings me up saying he needs my help selling this place.'
'How does a teacher become an estate agent?' Laura was confused.
'He doesn't. He wants me to write up a statement saying that I checked it out and it was fine. Said he'd give me a 20 percent finder’s fee if anyone bought.'
'So, are you hoping to find evidence or will you write up saying everything was fine no matter what?' asked Matthew.
'I'm a scientist. I won't dirty myself with trying for a specific conclusion to my experiment. If nothing happens, then that's what I'll write up. If something happens, well...' Henry stopped. He assumed they understood what he wanted to say quite well.
'I'll save you a heap of time. Nothing is going to happen, mate. It's what? Almost 1 in the morning.' Laura ignores Matthew’s protest and Henry does also, his attention on the laptop screen. Matthew sighed and after complaining a bit more, he announced he was going to call it a night. He stood up and stretched.
Laura sighed. 'Maybe you're right. It's been a quiet night.'
'You know it's bad when she agrees with me, Henry!' Matthew was grinning now.
'Lightweights.' Henry said.
'Hey, a duck's a duck whichever way you describe it. You need help packing?' Matthew asked.
Henry closed his laptop. The battery was low already. He asked Matthew to fetch the sensors they had placed upstairs while he got the one fixed at the back room.
Matthew started up the stairs. He made the way up to the top and moved towards the bathroom where he and Henry laid the sensor a few hours earlier. As he bent down to pick it off the floor, he heard a growl. He thought someone had a dog put up the stairs as he looked around in the dim lighting. The door at the end of the hallway opened slightly ajar and a small human-like shadow darted past the opening. Matthew turned towards the door and made his way slowly in the direction of the shadow.
'Henry's got some nerve trying to spook me like this. I'll show him.' Matthew muttered.
He edged closer to the door and got ready to jump into the room. The sound, now more of a primal growl from a Puma than anything a dog could make,
got louder. Matthew’s fingers clasped around the door frame. He felt the cool wood warm against his hand.
'Come on out...' whispered Matthew.
'Got it, Matt?' Henry's voice rang out from the ground floor.
Matthew looked at the door he was about to open and then back towards the stairs where his friend's voice came from.
'Jesus...'
Matthew could feel a cold creep into his fingers. A shape started to leak out from the doorway. Matthew pushed the door shut and backed away. The door blew back open with enough force to knock Matthew back on the ground. He kicked it shut hard with his feet and made his way quickly downstairs.
'I got it! I got the sensor.'
'Took you long enough.' Henry said.
'Hey, don't rush perfection! Here you go, mate. I guess I'll be seeing you two a bit later. I should go now.' Matthew hastily handed the sensor to Henry and made his way out the door.
Laura followed and Henry went over with his torch to the kitchen, flipped the fuse box switches to shut the house down and exited, locking the door.
'I guess I'll have to live with getting 20 percent then. You better sell!' Henry said to the empty house.
Laura went on about how she couldn’t wait to get home to sleep, yawning intermittently to prove her point. Matthew announced he was leaving for the second time as he approached his car. Laura was disappointed he didn’t offer her a lift or at least, allowed her to keep warm in his car till she got a ride home.
'Yeah, looks like you two really hit it off, haven't you?' Henry said as he took out his car keys. 'That's just Matt. He's always been like that. Always. Think nothing of it. He doesn't mean anything by it. He's just tired.'
'He's an arrogant arsehole. That's what he is.'
'Hey, chill out. Come on, I'll drop you off. See, chivalry isn’t dead!' Henry teased.
Matthew drove up to them and slowed down to throw a wave at the two. As he passed them, Laura could see a pale girl in his back seat. The girl had a smile on her face.
