2 Half (2/2)
The girl's expression changed from bewildered to suspicious to just confused by the time the man had closed the doors behind him.
”Are you the only ghost haunting him?” The man asked with a soft smile.
”...in this house, probably,” the girl replied.
A trace of relief passed the young man's features. ”You know, he's already married and old…”
Her jaw dropped. ”What-- are-- you s-s-s-saying, I-I-I-- ”
He laughed.
She pouted. ”Listen here… ”
”Raegan,” he dropped his name.
”Reagan. I'm not interested in that old man in--” She was clearly embarrassed. ”...that way.”
”Oh, that's a relief,” Reagan said, his eyes were smiling, even if he tried to fake a relieved expression. ”What's your name, by the way?”
”Hilary,” the girl replied. ”Don't say it - I know it doesn't fit…” She added.
”Pleased to meet, you, Hilary.” Raegan kept smiling but this time without any fake expressions overlaid on top.
”Likewise,” the girl slightly bowed her head, her hand shifted a little and it seemed like she might have curtsied, had her hands been free.
”Since you've made it clear that you don't see the old man in ”that way”, does that mean I might have a chance?” Reagan asked.
She pursed her lips, then glanced away. ”Stop joking around,” the girl said, pouting again and looking at her hand that was being firmly held.
”I'm not.” he said all that with a straight and open face. ”I'd be open to be haunted by you anytime~” He winked.
”Pff” She laughed.
”Ah, don't laugh about my feelings,” he replied with an amused expression, yet there was a serious tint in there.
”It almost sounds like love at first sight,” She said, tilting her head lightly. ”For a ghost at that.” She felt unsure, her eyes seeking for any trace of deceit.
”What if it is?” He asked, no trace of deceit present.
Her eyes flickered as she looked up at him. She had a hard time believing him, this was too sudden, yet he didn't seem to be lying either. It didn't help that they were amongst a beautiful scenery, under the moonlight and that his face was very much to her liking.
It took a moment before she could part her lips and say… ”I can't leave this house. I have tried but…”
He raised up his other hand and put a strand of her hair behind her ear. She trembled a bit at the touch, but relaxed as he retracted his hand.
He was smiling still. ”As long as you wish to follow me more than stay here, you will be able to go.”
Her eyes widened first, then she finally smiled as well. Those words that sounded so much like a beautiful lie - she couldn't help but believe them.
~~~
With that the writer finished his tale. His pride as a writer had him retell the story it in this manner. And seeing the story told in this manner Mandy refrained from interrupting him even if she had a lot of questions.
”That is so-- romantic,” the ghost in the present day turned around in the air. ”What happened after?”
”You are out of questions,” the writer said.
”That's unfair!” she thrashed in midair, but the writer did not budge.
A bell at the door rang and the writer got up. ”Finally.”
He had ordered some pizzas for breakfast. Not the healthiest choice, but there wasn't anything about August that would scream 'health concerned'. Mandy, of course, poked him. ”At least answer some bits about the story you told!”
”Why was your dad in that old man's house?”
”Work.”
Mandy squinted her eyes again.
”He's an exorcist.” Other replies among the munching included:
”Dad could always see ghosts and other astrals, family lineage has some other astral creatures mixed in, so most of my relatives can see.”
”Astrals are spirits, monsters, gods, what have you - not humans.”
”What do you mean - of course they exist - if ghosts are real shouldn't other oddities be real too?”
”I've never heard of Easter bunny being real, no,”
(To that Mandy seemed sad)
”His gloves are widow silk: stuff both physical and astral things can touch, woven by a spider monster with female upper half.”
”I have no idea how he got them.”
”Mother hated the old man, so she gave him nightmares and had him pee his bed all the time.” (To which Mandy laughed)
”Yes, you can haunt humans rather than houses, but you need to really like the human for that. Hatred doesn't do the trick.”
August finished eating and went to work. Mandy made him coffee and in exchange got more books to read. These weren't by August, however.