Saturday 6 February 2016

Novel:Dance Hall, Chapter 2, The Competition

First week back at uni where I have ended up with all morning classes. Ar...nightmares. Also my lectures have taking to making false statement to/about me. One asked how I was, I mumbled fine. Then he said that I could speak (to paraphrase). This is of course is not true as I have Select Mutism and therefore can't speak sometimes. Then another Lector said that I looked like someone was not big  on technology or something, which is just an odd thing to say to someone who clearly grew up in the 90s. Also borderline sexist to say to a girl. Also straight up not true. He then asked for my name so I never responded to this. He then show us a pin-point camera, which is not impressive or interesting due to every child science show, showing how to make them.  

Anyway, another chapter has been written. In terms of structure, this should probably be two chapters but then it be really short. The same as the last chapter so have fun with that. 

Chapter 2, The Competition


“I can’t believe you agreed to stay here.”

“It’s only one night,” she gets out the car. “I promise.”

It better be. This place is a medium’s nightmare. As Necromancer, I can control ghosts enough to get them to leave me alone. Mediums are weaker but have a similar ability. Though, I might just leave my mother repeatedly having to tell the ghost to go away till she looks crazy.

I had only recently found out I up my mum on the Death Contracter scale. She was a high level medium meaning she could banish and summon ghosts if she had the right equipment, but only one at a time and it could make her sick for days. Well, ghosts just love me. I can accidentally summon them but don’t have to bless myself to get them to leave me alone.

Still it was annoying having so many ghost around looking for you to help them or just chat. Seriously, you’d be surprised by how many just want to discuss 19th century politics. I sit in the car brooding till my mum bangs on the window. I get out and take in the Victorian detached house.

It had been built as home for a rich family. It was more of B&B than a hotel but that didn’t have the same ring to it. I grab my backpack from the open boot and slam it back down.

“Watch the car,” I just mumbled back. The gravelled parking lot only had one other car in it. It looked spooky enough surround with a black metal fence sticking out of stone wall. The gate was missing meaning you could be trapped in by the ghosts.

My mum had left me in the yard and was in the house. I followed her before the ghost came out to get me. The house opened to hallway and stairs that lead to the upper floor. There was a small desk at the end of the hall that recognised as one of mum’s finds. Haunted by doctor who had died on it. In some ways this could be seen as one of the worst things mum had ever been part of.

Collecting haunted objects without helping the ghost inside them didn’t seem right to me. Some of the objects she sold were hard to get rid of sprits but that didn’t mean you sold them to some weirdo.

Said weirdo was behind at the desk with my mum sorting out rooms or talking about trapping more ghosts here, both likely possibilities.

“Here’s your lovely daughter now,” I stare at him as a response. I know I should probably be more friendly as he’s mum best client but a creep a creep.

“I would like you least haunted room please?” I say blandly. I doubt he knows what one that is. One noisy ghost is better to handle than two quiet ones. He laughs as if I’m joking. My mother gives me a glare he grabs keys off the hooks behind him.

“It’s the off season so I can give you the best room.” I doubt that involves no ghosts.

He leads us to the upstairs. The place is dark despite the big window at the end of the hall, the walls are covered in familiar nick-knacks. Haunted paintings, ornaments, display cabinet between doorways.

We go right to the hall. He hands mum two old fashion keys.

“Opposite rooms for you two. Dinner will be ready at 6pm.” He says cheerfully and leaves in the hall.

“This place is weird,” I half whisper once he out of sight.

“A room a room,” she says opening her door. I can tell she annoyed with me. I sigh, I know I should be happy she wants to settle down in a town with a magic community but a haunt hotel just doesn’t seem right. I think she hiding something from me.

She hands me the other key.

“Keep yourself out of trouble till dinner,” she tells me like I’m still 4. “I’m going to make a few calls, but I’ll have to go out later.”

I don’t say anything and go to open the door.

“Nova, please,” I look back. “I’m sick of the road. This is just one more sale and then we’re set.”

“If you say so,” I go into the room and shut the door.

She said that before. Then something happens she won’t talk about and we leave for another place. I made it through a whole school year once, first year secondary. Friends and everything. Just acquaintances on the internet now.

The room is empty for anything except the stands of a B&B. A double bed and clearly ensuite sticking out of the wall. I’m surprised by the lack of ghosts considering the house itself is meant to be haunted, never mind the objects its filled with.

I dump my bag on the bed before doing the same with myself to stare at the plastered ceiling.

***
It’s dark when I wake up. I’ve strangely not moved in my sleep. I was once rolled out of bed and not woke up. I pulled the string to turn the lamp at the side of the bed. It typically didn’t turn on. I dragged myself out of the actual bed. This is when I feel the hand on the back of my ankle.

It makes me jump, like those pathetic jump cuts in modern horror films do, but after like in those films, I’m just annoyed.

“Be gone now and do not return until I am gone.” Banish spells ain’t complicated. The hand tightens and doesn’t let go. A crazed laughter comes from under the bed. Of course, this place would have a super powerful ghost. Then I realise the hand is warm. Not ice cold or burning hot. It’s not a ghost, they only do extremes.

“Let go,” I stick my nails into their fingers.

“Ow,” they let go. I jumped off the bed to face at them.

“Get from under there.”

A long haired figured pulled themselves out and up. I flick on the switch next to the door to clearly reveal a girl about my age. She looks content.

“What are you doing in here?”

“I was sent to get you.”

“By hiding under my bed?” She stumbles for answer for moment.

“You left your door unlocked.” I had, I hadn’t been planning to sleep.

“So you go under my bed?”

“Well, I don’t know you well enough to get in with you.”

“MUM,” I shout leaving the psycho in the room. I bang on her locked door.

“She not in there,” I take her word for it and go for the stairs.

“See it worked.”

“Hur?”

“I got you to go down on your freewill.”

I ignore her and in the hopes my mother will be down there continued on my way.

I head to the only room with lights on.

The walls are full of nightmares. Dolls, dolls of all types and sizes stare at me. They’ll be haunted, but they were creepy enough on their own without the presence of some spook. Once I turn my eyes away for from hundred blank ones staring at me, to the long dinner room table.

My mum is sitting across from me looking uncomfortable. Haunted dolls is not one the thing she had sold to the hotel.

“I see Ayita finally got you,” is her greeting with a fake smile. I doubt that Mr Creep was the most simulating conversationalist going off the walls of dolls.

“Hmm,” I mumbled, looking down at the table. It long table designed for banquet or awkward hotel dining, each seat has a place setting in front of it, with a steaming pot in the between Mum & Creep. Thankfully the empty seats are not taken up by dolls. I grab an empty one from across my mother.

The girl, Aytia I guess, sits in the seat next to me and helps herself to the pot. It’s a green soup. God, I hope it’s not meant to ectoplasm. I see now my mother has an untouched bowl of the stuff. It’s probably just pea soup,

“Mav was just telling me that you and Aytia are in the same year as each other.” I don’t respond as I have nothing to add. I don’t even know what the number of local schools or size. It could literally mean nothing.

“How do like the school?” I glance over at Aytia, she smiling politely.

“The local school was okay, but I go to a specialist school.”

“Specialist for what?” I ask, facing her.

“Magic,” she says looking into my eyes, as though that normal and I guess maybe it is. She started to laugh after I said the banish spell. Mr Creepy starts laughing. He precedes to start talking but I ignore him because I really don’t care about the school.

“The high school was great when I went there,” I turn to stare down Mav. For that to be possible, it must be a magic school. I open my mouth for a sarcastic comment when Aytia interrupts me.

“Soup?”

Next Chapter: Night Time Visitors

No comments:

Post a Comment