Ghost In The Mansion

Chapter 1

"So I'm hearing that there's been activity in that old house again," Kori leaned on Nathan while they watched a horror movie.

"That house again... please Kori spare me the details, he gently moved her away.

"But it's local lore, we gotta talk about it!"

'No, we don't, you have other friends you can go ghost crazy with."

"You're my bestie, though," she whined.

"But I don't really believe in the stuff," he mock whined back.

"Just indulge me... you know you're going to."

"We all know the story of the Deceived Lover; she was in love with a man that left her after lying to her about their life they were supposed to have and she took het own life."

"And ever since then, she's haunted the family home angry at him."

"Yep. That's the gist of it, been hearing it since we were kids."

"Yeah but apparently activity is happening again, I suspect it may be some sort of anniversary that warrants more activity than usual- although it seems to have been a few years since anything or anything reported."

"Probably because people pretend that eye sore doesn't exist. You should stop watching those ghost hunter shows."

"Speaking of ghost hunter shows..."

'Nooo."

"What‽"

"Kori Spangler, we are not risking our lives in that dilapidated house," he glared.

"We don't-"

"And at night when it's even more risky? You're crazy. Go with your other friends and scare yourselves."

"I can't, they're too scared."

"Then go by yourself."

"I don't want to."

"Tough, guess you can't go."

"Nathan... Nate, c'mon!"

He simply shrugged.

"You really want me in there by myself? What if I get hurt?"

"Then don't go."

"I'm going if I have to alone, then I will."

"You just said- fine... I'll go with you."

"Yes," she hugged him, "I wanted you to be with me, anyway. I'd feel safer with you and you'll keep me calm."

"Show you it's all bullshit," he muttered.

"If it is, then I'll give up the ghost stuff."

"No you won't."

"I'll try, so we'll scope the place out tomorrow," she stood up.

"Yeah... can't wait," he rolled his eyes.

"Oh stop! You're doing this for me, we can check it out after work. I like spending time with you and it'll make me happy."

"I do like you happy. Okay, let's get you home," he turned the movie off.

At work he thought about it, he didn't believe in ghost or that what alleged proof was actual proof, no matter the claims and footage, the explanations of said entities just didn't make sense to him. He would humor her, they would see the house- what of the inside they could see, when there was nothing really to see, the issue would cease, as far as Kori goes. For some reason the house seemed to be the talk of the city, like there was nothing else going on. He could care less about that ghost, nearly everybody who came in tried to converse with him about it, talking about what he already knew and had heard for the umpteenth time that day, simply giving them a smile and nod with noncommittal responses as a parent does their child with nonsensical stories. Nathan figured once Kori saw it was nothing but an old house, that once she accepted it, he would at least have some reprieve from the nonsense with her.

"Nate didja hear about the Deceived Lover," a co-worker asked.

"Nooo, haven't heard a single thing about the ghost everybody is talking about."

"Really? My cousin said they went up there after they heard some homeless people high tailed it out of there. They said they heard crying when they went in the back door, then she screamed at them to leave her alone and get out! It was crazy! He said they were being pushed and shoved towards windows and doors out the house!"

"And you believe it," he rose an eyebrow.

"Why would they lie?"

"Because everybody believes that ghost is real. As old as that house is; it was probably the floorboards hitting them in the ass, as they walked on'em, like some old ass cartoon."

"Man, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired of hearing about it. Even if it was real... why start acting up after all these years- bored of doing nothing... sleep the whole time? People will fall for anything, I swear."

"Okay, but the noises they heard, huh?"

"Probably an orgy between a raccoon, opossum, and cat. Wind in the rafters. A warning the damn things about to collapse," he listed off.

"You must be real fun at parties," he scowled.

"I am fun, excuse me for being a realist. Sure that stuff was fun and scary when we were in elementary, but we're like halfway to thirty, dude. There's real stuff in life to enjoy, top much of it to worry about something that already lived its life."

"I bet your girlfriend is all in it."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Sure, Nate," he smirked, "plus how can you not believe- you and your girlfriend are always into horror movies and shit."

"Much like those movies- which is entertainment, the ghost is fake man! Kori's not my girlfriend, we are not each others type," he explained in a matter of fact.

"How can she not be your type‽ Dude, her body is bangin'; big titties, nice big booty... maybe not big, but it looks like there's enough there."

"Looks ain't everything."

"Oh... is it because she's a ginger? You got something against gingers?"

"No."

"You must only date black chicks, huh?"

Nate sighed.

"She could just be... what do yall call them; red bone, right? That's black, or half black?"

"She's not- no bruh, she's ginger, white. I've dated white chicks. We're just friends, we know each other well enough that we know there's no way we would ever date."

"Yall talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Shit... she might be waiting on you. Never know, she might dying for that chocolate."

"Can we go back to the ghost, does the ghost like black dudes, or whatever?"

Nathan went to pick up Kori from her job, she was sitting outside talking to two of her co-workers, most likely about the ghost, no doubt in his mind.

"There's your boyfriend, Kor!"

"He's not."

"Might as well be. You two are always together, might as well be married."

"We're just friends, Julia. We aren't always together."

"a brotha like that, you bettah snatch his ass up before somebody else does. He a lil weird, but I might throw it back at'em. Mmm... cuffin' seasons here too! If you don't want'em, lemme get at him!"

"Nate's not weird and you're not his type, Tanosha."

"How you know‽"

"I've known him since middle school."

"He's weird, Kori, ain't got no hood in him at all."

"Leave him alone, he's fine just how he is. For your info; he did grow up in the hood."

"Listen tuh her defend her man," Tanosha cackled.

They followed her to the car.

"Hi Nate," she got in.

"You gotta real one right here, Nate-dog!"

"Aye, whassup Tanosha... Julia?"

"Not much. About to go home and smoke this blunt after hearing about this damn ghost all damn day."

"I know that's right."

"Why do you always get this girl, you know she can afford her own car, right," Julia asked.

"It's tradition and he doesn't mind."

"Yeah, it's no bother, she'll get one eventually," he replied.

"Girl said tradition, if you don't stop being cheap and get a car, running this mans bucket in the ground," Tanosha scolded.

"This ain't no bucket, it's a hot rod," he corrected.

"You should ride in it sometimes, then you'll see why I like riding with him," she smiled.

"I saw the video of him racing it at an autocross, it's pretty fast," Julia explained.

"It'd be dope with some twenty-twos on it."

"Nope. I'm all about performance."

.Okay ladies... we got plans. See yall tomorrow," Kori said.

"Plans? Just say yall gon't go fuck."

"We're going to see the mansion," Kori replied flatly.

"The ghost house‽ Girl bye. Better leave that demon alone," Tanosha walked away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kor. Bye Nate."

"See ya Julia."

Nate drove to the street, sped out with his sedan, the rear end kicked out and off they went.

"Show off," she gave him a friendly glare.

"Called my shit a bucket."

"Awe your poor pride. So to the house, right?"

"We just got off work."

"I wanna see it!"

"Does anything even happen in the day time?"

"Ah dunno."

"Thought you were the expert?"

Kori scoffed, "that's why we're investigating."

Nathan drove towards the house, it sat on a street in a neighborhood that was fairly busy, not the only Victorian mansion on the block, the house hasn't been lived in, in years, save for homeless people. Time hadn't been too kind to the exterior, yet it still stood in defiance. The yard is kept trim to make it easier to see anybody sneaking about, although it isn't too difficult to move out of sight. Nathan parked on a side street a few houses down, Kori was excited to begin as they walked up to the property, they waited for clear traffic, walked through the missing gate right up the front walk, she walked right up the side of the house.

"Slow down," he whispered.

'It's time to begin," she stood on her toes to peer in a window.

Nathan looked inside and saw what was left of what could be any of sitting room.

"I thought it'd be like untouched or something in the inside," Kori spoke.

"What? Why? Have you not seen the house before?"

"No, have you? I've never walked up to it."

"I think we tried once when I was a kid, but I've never cared much for it."

"Poor house," she went to walk to another window, "you deserve to be fixed up."

"Raised is what it needs."

"No, it looks like it was beautiful at one time, why doesn't somebody fix it up?"

"Nobody knows who owns it, from what I know."

"We should own it! It'd be awesome to fix this up!"

"Shouldn't you be looking for the ghost instead of what used to be décor?"

"I am. I'm not seeing anything."

"That's a surprise," he rolled his eyes.

"Wish we could get inside."

"She doesn't know," he thought.

They looked at the remains of the large kitchen, worn counters, missing appliances, a somehow shifted island. Nathan thought he saw something moving in the next room over, stared intently and thought he saw something solid move about, such as piece of furniture.

"Are you-," he turned to see he was alone, "Kori?"

He went to move and nothing that he could see hit the window pane and made him jump. Nathan walked towards the backyard hoping to see her. There was the remains of a patio, a rundown gazeebo in the backyard with overgrowth what was left of a stone path. He looked around and stared at the back door as if expecting anything to come walking, or worse, running out.

"Nate!"

"Fuck Kori," he jumped, "the hell were you‽"

"Calm down, I was checking the carriage house. Were you worried about me," she smiled.

"You disappeared."

"You thought the ghost got me, didn't you," she gave a teasing grin.

"No, you were just gone."

"I was seeing if maybe the ghost probably goes in there, or something."

"I doubt the ghost would go in there. How did you even get in there that fast?"

"The door was kinda open... I just went in. It's a mess up there."

"Just don't do that," he huffed.

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again, Nate. Why wouldn't it go in there?"

"If it's real and lived here, then the help would live in it, why would she ever go there?"

"You might be right, but I checked anyway," she walked to the back porch, "tell me you wouldn't want this house? If it was fixed up it'd be worth millions, we could probably buy it for cheap."

"If something hundred thousand is cheap."

She looked in the large window, "how much do you think it would cost to fix it up?"

"Probably something hundred thousand."

"So negative. I wish we could get in."

They spent more time peering through the windows, not seeing anything else, made their way back to the front where the large covered porch was. Kori tried the storm door to find it locked, curtains were drawn shut on the front windows.

"I love that bay window. Would you buy this with me, if we could? It'd be the ultimate hang spot."

"Yeah, have all our friends over to the haunted house... we'd be running around that thing like the Scooby gang if we don't get Sam and Dean to clear it first."

"That hallway gag would be funny," she laughed, "think you could hide in a umbrella stand?"

Nathan started laughing, "zoinks, get in this end table drawer, Scoob."

"You meddling-"

"Hey, what are you kids doing up here," an old man stood at the bottom of the steps.

Both of them jumped and gave him a frightful stare.

"We were just looking at the house," Kori calmed down.

"She wants to buy it and fix it up," he added.

"It's not for sale," he spat, "you must not be from around here, this house is haunted and dangerous to enter. There's a-"

"There's a ghost of a woman, who was killed by her lover that used her, or whatever, then disappeared in the night to skip town. We know, we live here," he said in a bored tone.

"No you don't know. Nobody knows the truth."

"And you do," Kori asked.

"I do, young lady."

"Pfft... everybody thinks they know what happened. What makes you different?"

"Stop being rude," she slapped his arm.

"Everybody just likes the drama about the stories. It's still tragic, but more of a romance."

"Can you tell us? See, he might know what really happened."

"Lisandra Engelhardt was in love..."

"Everybody knows that," Nathan said.

"With a black man."

"Never heard that part," Kori said thoughtfully.

"Yep. You know how rumors are... like the telephone game," he nodded, "she was in love with a black man, kinda favored you, kid."

Nathan scoffed.

"Back then that wasn't okay, which is why there isn't much on it. They were going to leave this place when they had enough money... somewhere it wouldn't be too dangerous to be together. One night the man left on a steamer where he worked and didn't come back for days. Lisandra was worried and heartbroken. When he came back, she had already passed away under mysterious circumstances. The family didn't like that she was in love with the man, they didn't tell him what happened to her, lied to him."

"Wow, how do you know that?"

"He was probably there."

"Nathan Schneider, you stop being mean!"

He squinted his eyes at Nathan

"That name shit only works on white people, Kori Spangler."

The old man held his face, "I knew the family- our family knew the family... close friends."

"What about the guy, what happened to him?"

"Well... most likely he moved on and started a family with somebody else," he shrugged.

"I've been hearing about this ghost nonstop and I ain't heard none of that. How come you haven't told anybody else," Nathan asked.

"I've tried and given up. Most people don't care for the truth, it's not what they want to hear. They don't even know the man was black- you'd think they'd care about a forbidden interracial relationship and the struggles, but no."

"Do you at least know his name," Kori grew invested.

"Hmmm... I wanna say it was... Roland something or other."

"Maybe that's why! Maybe this is an anniversary- the one of when they last saw each other! Lisandra is in pain, she never got the life she wanted."

"Here we go."

"See... that's why we should investigate! Sir that is a romance, almost like Romeo and Juliet. We need to help her move on! We have a mission, Nate!"

"Naw... we don't."

"He's right," the old man walked up the steps, "you don't need to be anywhere near this property," he grew angry.

"She needs to rest and move on!"

He started to push them down from the porch, "leave this place!"

"Dude," Nathan shouted.

"Stop pushing," Kori shouted.

"It's for your own good! That ghost is dangerous, not to be trifled with. Now get from here, go on now!"

"She needs to be reunited with Roland!"

The old man forcibly ushered them through the missing gate, "never you mind that! Don't let me catch you trespassing around here again- I'll call the cops, Kori and Nathan. Leave that ghost and this house alone!"

"Man, we get it! Calm down before you have a heart attack, or something... shit," Nathan spoke.

Nathan and Kori gave the house one last look and thought they saw something shut a window upstairs.

"Look," Kori pointed.

"Go home," the man ordered.

"We're going, dude," Nathan yelled.

He watched them walk down the sidewalk.

"Did you see that window‽"

"What about it?"

"I think I saw Lisandra."

"You saw a raggedy window shut... coulda been from age or some homeless person," he opened his door.

"No, that was her, I can feel it."

"Sure."

"We gotta come back and see if we can talk to her," she got in the car.

"Did you hear that old man?"

"Fuck that old man! He almost pushed me down the steps!"

"You'd have really met Lisandra, then," he joked.

"Shut up," she crossed her arms.

He laughed.

"With or without you... I'm going back."

"What he said could be as fake as everything else."

"Then there's only one person to ask," she huffed, looked out the window as he pulled away.

"You're really doing this? If we die, I'm gonna kill you, woman."

The old man walked up the steps and the front doors opened.

"Sorry about all of this. Those nosey kids... I had to leave town a few days. I know, I know... how're you doing aunt Lizzy," he walked inside.

Chapter 2

"Well... what do you wanna do before we get arrested for trespassing?"

"Nate," she scoffed.

"Hopefully he as Alzheimer's and forgets he even saw us."

"I'm just trying to figure out how to get in. If we see her, it'll be awesome, I wonder if she'll show up on video? We could be the first people to actually see her and get a ghost ascension on video! That'd be so cool!"

"You're really into this shit."

"Maybe we could get her to tell her side of the story- get the truth out there. Oh, let's stop at my place so I can change clothes."

"You wanna make a good impression on the ghost?"

"Oh stop! I just wanna get this work shirt off, I hate polo's."

They walk in her house to find her mother at home.

"Hello Nate!"

"Hi Donna."

"Everybody is going on and on about that house and that ghost... this and that, you figure people my age would grow out of that by now."

"I know. All day at work," he rolled his eyes.

"What are you two getting into today?"

"We're going to investigate that ghost," Kori stated.

"Not you too," Donna sighed.

"That's all her. I don't even believe in ghost."

"It's just a house, Kori, those stories aren't real. Me and my friends went there once and did a séance once, and do you know what happened- not a damn thing."

"We ran into an old man who claimed to know what really happened. He said that her boyfriend didn't kill her, that she died in a mysterious way. I think her family did it because the guy she wanted was black."

"And who is this old man?"

"Ah dunno, he never said his name. He did say his family was close friends with the Engelhardts," she explained.

"He looked old enough to have been there when what ever happened," Nathan added.

Donna chuckled, "you staying for dinner, Nate?"

"You might as well, now come on," she took his hand.

"No hanky panky!"

"No hanky panky," Kori mocked when she was in her room.

"Old people."

Kori pulled her shirt off revealing her sizable chest.

"Oh, guess we are about to do some hanky panky," he smiled mischievously.

"You wish," she opened her closet.

"Yeah... I can wish."

"Nate," she sighed.

"Don't take it to heart, I'm just joking with you."