Living in a spooky house.
William Warren was a rather average teenager. Well- if such a thing really existed. Though it certainly was the persona he had adopted after being forced into moving to a new and unfamiliar place. With short black hair and a tanned look, he had brown eyes and thin eyebrows that sometimes made him look constantly surprised. Well, he was picture perfect in his expression when he saw the new house he was to live in.
“So that’s the spooky house,” he quietly obesrved at the top of the hill. It was honestly something out of the Addam’s Family with its porch and odd windows. It was certainly very big.. “Living in such a big house could be fun though,” He thought to himself. It was a step up but...was this really going to be it?
His father Thomas Warren glanced to his so with a smile as their car rolled into the drive space. A black bird seemed to watch them and gave a squack before flying to the top of the house. “Hey Kiddo, come on I’ll help you unpack. You want to claim one of the rooms for yourself right?”
William glanced back. “I’m not a kid,” he huffed. “Why are we moving anyway?”
“We won the house on a raffle,” Explained Thomas. “I know- it’s weird… never heard of anyone selling a house in such a way. Sure It’s a bit of a fixerupper, but look at it! It’s a mansion and it’s all ours. Once we fix it, it’ll be fine.”
William sighed as he picked up his stuff. His mother was already anxious to look in the kitchen.
Janice was a buisness woman, often wearing a suit. She tended to be dressed for success and had curly blond hair. She was annoyed at first that her husband had bought the raffle ticket but to actually win an entire house? “Marvelous,” she giggled. “The kitchen does need a dusting but I see potential here! We could have house guests and maybe even act all snooty if we wanted to,” she joked.
Thomas glanced back to his son. “Well, i’m sure Will’s got the itch to explore the place. Why don’t you go ahead while we try and fix up the living room…
“Uh… sure.”
William quietly poked his head into what was to be his room. He set his luggage down… a bit of dust coming out from the wood work. The bed was going to need some assembly, but the matress was at least on the floor. He picked up his game console, setting it to the wall.. his clothes… something about this felt depressing.
He looked out the window and realised how far the view extended. He could see practically the entire town with all the buildlings. Strange really to see so much and yet nobody would ever see him. Who would want to even visit him here? They would think he was some creepy vampire or something. Or worse…
Something in the room caught his eye. Some kind of strange mirror… it was an ornate silver in colour and was hanging off the wall. A round opal that needed a bit of a clean. He started to run his hand through it and clean it off-
“What the heck!?” Looking back at him in the mirror… was a girl.
The girl was quite young, perhaps no more then twelve.. maybe thirteen years old. She had strawberry blonde hair in curls. She was wearing a white dress and was at the moment matching his shocked expression. The girl was mirroring everything he was doing… he waved his hand and so did she… “Okay.. this is creepy,” He said watching as the girl in the mirror seemed to lip sync to him.
Peering past the girl he saw his room… and it was a girl’s room too? Furls of pink carpet and a bed with a matress of lylac.
“Um… Hi,” The girl suddenly de-synced herself and smiled.
“… hi?” william tilted his head.
William suddenly saw the girl just floated out of the mirror. She was floating! Her body now blue and ethereal. “So… you’re a ghost?” William asked.
“Uh huh...” She smiled back. “This used to be my room. I thought I might welcome you here. Oh! My name is Shelly,” She offered her hand. “Can we be friends?”
William stretched out his hand. “Sure… though you know, ghosts are kinda… supposed to be scary?”
Shelly blushed. “H-hey, that’s not true! I mean you were scared a bit when I was your reflection for a bit right?”
“.. not really. I was just sort of intrigued. I thought it was a trick or something...” He continued to stare at her. Without the miror her form was far more translucent. Her hair now just snow white as her face. “So… do you need my help?”
“Help?” Shelly asked. “With what?”
“You know...” He made a flying gesture. “Moving on.. finding the light.. uh… working out what killed you… sorting out why you’re still here?”
Shelly rubbed her head. “Um… no...” She said plainly. “I’m happy here. It’s been just really lonely… the other ghosts- well- those of them that do speak don’t want to talk. So…”
“Other ghosts?”
“If they reveal themselves to you. I can’t really force it- to be honest I rather they didn’t… I don’t want you to run away...”
“Oh...” William sighed. “I guess that’s why we won the house.” He rolled his eyes.
“Still it’s great to have you!” Shelly said exhuberently. “I don’t mind having you here.”
“Uh.. I can’t really share my room with a girl...”
Shelly pouted. “We can share!” She smiled. “I’ll have the room on this side of the mirror you can have it on that side. Fair is fair, we don’t even have to interact with eachother if you don’t want to.” She looked with another pleading smile.
William looked taken aback. “Hey- come on, I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to help- what am I doing, I’m talking to a ghost.”
“-and taking it really well,” Shelly said with approval. “I’ve scared most people who come here. You’re the first person that didn’t scream and run away. Please let’s be friends? I promise I won’t do anything! If you like I can show you around the Manor. There’s lots of hidden places.”
“As long as I don’t end up a ghost too,” William rubbed his nose. “So- what’s the deal.. can my parents see you?”
“Do you want them to?”
“… not really.”
“Then no.” Shelly nodded. “Come on, I’ll show you the best room in the house...”
