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Chapter Text

For Dad-

Thank you for showing me a love for adventure, thrills, and dreams

Rest in Peace <3

The house beyond the graveyard

is no place to stay the night

for once it's ancient doors creak shut

there's no escape in sight

The house looks deserted

abandoned and forsaken

but every night, as darkness falls

it's residents awaken

Shadows roam the cobwebbed halls

and whispers fill the rooms

and in the cold crypts far below

the dead rise from their tombs

So if you dare to venture there

leave long before night falls

lest you join the restless ghosts

that haunt it's shadowed halls

-The House Beyond the Graveyard, Nox Arcanna

Chapter Text

Darkness had crept into every corner of what once made a beautiful childhood home. The grounds had dried up from lack of rain and care - the flowers now stalks of gray and black, the vegetables shriveled mounds of dirt, and the trees that once bore delicious fruits were now completely dead. The walkways had cracked over time, the dust kicking up and eroding the pavement away. Overgrowth and weeds spread like roots on great trees in the forests, taking over the gardens and the walkway - pushing their way through like parasites and devouring and choking everything in their paths.

However, the house that sat on the property had the worst - though it was more of a mansion than a house.

Years ago, an earthquake had struck the property - causing the ground to be shifted unnaturally with the manor slightly tilted, as if it was on the edge of something. The paint on the exterior of the manor had begun to peel years ago, revealing the wooden paneling that was slowly beginning to lift from rot and decay. The staircase and the balcony that wrapped around the house was old and rickety, often sounding like inhuman groans should someone seek to step onto the paneling. The many windows were cracked, though two or three were at least shattered, the antique white curtains sometimes rapping against the panes. The window shudders flapped against the wind during heavy storms and such, sounding like hands pounding against the frames.

This had once been the home of the Ravenwood family, all who had passed away in the numerous years prior - all except for one.

The only remaining member of the family was sitting at one of the windows, dressed in white and a bouquet of once red flowers in her hands. Her once fiery red hair had faded into a pale strawberry with locks of gray and silver entangled in her tress that hid within a wedding veil and a crown of white faux roses. Wrinkles had appeared on her features with age as she had remained in the same spot for the past forty years, though her eyes still retained their bright emerald from her youth - though when she lifted them to look out the window and onto the dying property beneath her, she could see the tracks that her tears had left behind as they fell onto the aged-white clothing of her wedding attire.

"Why would he lie to me after all this time?" the woman whispered, "He knew how much I loved him... How could he do this to me?"

"Dear sweet Melanie," a honey sweet voice spoke from the darkness, close but also far, "He cares for no one but himself. Those long lost memories from your childhood were nothing more than tricks to gain your trust, and your hand."

Melanie squeezed her hand in disgust at the thought of what that creature did to her.

"However," the voice continued, "there is a way for you to be free of your torture."

Melanie turned her head, eyes wide with hope.

"Drink this, my dear," a long bony hand appeared before her, a small bottle in its hand, "and everything will be all over. You will be with your love again, your true love."

Melanie took the bottle with care, popping the top off and taking a small whiff of the continents, before turning to her companion, "It's poison."

"Of course, love," another voice spoke, this one more ragged and less smooth than its counterpart, "Jake is in the land of the dead, and you are in the land of the living. It is that threshold that now divides you from the one you love. One little drop, and it will be all over."

"Unless of course you don't truly love him," the honey voice continued when sensing the woman's hesitation, "We could, after all, tell your dear sweet Jake of the lie of your love..."

"No!" Melanie gripped the bottle, jumping to her feet with the chair she had once sat in falling to the ground, "No, I..."

"Then," The honey voice seemed to smile, "Drink up, dear."

Melanie lifted the bottle to her lips, slowing slightly to ask her companions, "What is death like?"

"Don't worry love," the raspy voice broke out again, "you'll soon know enough."

"It's like taking a long sleep," the honey voice continued before urging the woman again, "Now drink. You must hurry before he comes back."

Melanie looked at the bottle again, then downed the contents without a second thought. Her body began to heat up suddenly as if a fever had suddenly hit her. Her breath hitched as she dropped the bottle and grasped at her chest as a sharp spike of pain rocketed through her. Tears sprang to her eyes, gasping, before her knees buckled beneath her and tossed her to the ground.

"There, there, dear," Melanie watched, convulsing, as a bony hand reached out and grabbed the bottle from the ground, "We don't want him to know about our little secret now, do we?"

"How much longer until it's lights out?" the raspy voice cackles with glee.

"A few more moments," the honey voice replied as a set of golden eyes suddenly appeared in the darkness, "Rattlesnake poison will kill her responses, before it kills her completely. And by the time he returns here, she will long be gone - and we will once again have power over him and this house."

Chapter Text

The airport was packed with travelers - both leaving and returning home from extended weekends. Exhaustion hung in the air like smoke as children screamed, parents moaned, and workers drowned on the overhead speakers about flights and cancellations while footsteps sounded throughout the terminals. A lithe red-headed woman appeared from one of the gates, her wide hazel eyes filled with wonder and excitement as she took in her surroundings.

Melody Wilcox pulled a piece of paper out of her worn leather handbag, reading the contents again before returning it to her bag and heading off to find her luggage. Dressed in a pale green cotton t-shirt, blue skin-tight jeans, and brown ankle boots, she looked every inch like one of the tourists that had come to the Sacramento International airport in search of adventure and memories - however, Melody was here for more than just a visit.

Melody Wilcox was the last recently discovered descendant of the Ravenswood estate - a mansion that was built in Thunder Mesa just outside of Coloma in California. Thunder Mesa was a mining town that had grown when the Ravenswood brothers - Arthur and Henry - had struck gold in the old mountain. As the mine slowly began to dry up, so did the family's luck and fortune. Rumors spread about a family curse that still resided within the manor - and that spirits had taken up residence in the house due to this curse. Much of Melody's family believed that the curse was real and had attempted to sway the only child in the family, though she was more strong willed and curious about what really lay dormant behind the estate's doors. 

So, taking her chance, Melody had reached out to the Thunder Mesa historical society and told them about the family history and their connection to the Ravenswood Manor as well as her intention to lay claim to the long silenced building. Though reluctant at first, the society was interested in what she had to offer and she did a DNA test to prove herself as a potential heir - though it was tricky as she wasn't from the Ravenwood line specifically, rather from the Rodriguez line - Gabrielle Ravenswood's family. The interest grew in the young woman and the historical society asked for her to come out to California to speak with them about her family as well what she wanted to do with the house.

Thus, the reason why she had come to California in the first place.

Melody grabbed her luggage from the pick up spot before heading over to the entrance, half wondering if there was a way to get to Thunder Mesa by taxi or other means of travel.

"Miss Wilcox?" Melody turned on her heels to see a tall man standing not too far away from her. 

He was dark skinned - like the damp sand that was buried under the ocean water - with bright azure eyes and dark wavy hair. He wore a white dress shirt, the top two buttons open to permit ventilation from the heat of the California sun, and dark dress pants and dress shoes. His smile was genuine and sincere, kindness radiating off of him like an aura. He was holding onto a white paper sign with her last name spelled across from one end to the other.

Melody smiled and waited for him to approach, reaching out a hand to offer it as a greeting, "Yep! That's me! Are you the gentleman the historical society sent out?"

"I'm one of them," the man laughed, taking Melody's hand as the two of them gripped tightly in greeting. ``I'm Lester Davis, I specialize in the artifact section of Thunder Mesa's historical society. I'm very pleased to meet you, and see that you came all in one piece."

"Thank you, it's a pleasure for me as well," Melody replied, her smile getting even bigger, "I'm super excited to meet everyone and see the manor. I've been told it's quite a sight in person compared to the painting in my grandmother's home."

"Then, I take it that your grandmother told you the story you told us," Lester asked, intrigued.

"Yes. From my understanding, her grandmother was the sister of Gabrielle Ravenswood. I was told that many of the Rodriguez members of our family actually worked in the mine, which was how Arthur met Gabrielle."

"I see," Lester tapped his chin in thought, "it would also explain then how your family have dna ties to the Ravenswood estate, but I am concerned as to why no one has wanted to claim the building for so long. I mean, your family had every right to it before... well, now really."

Melody could only shrug her shoulders, "I have asked my own family about it, but no one would tell me anything, only that it's curse has gone down our family line."

"I think the others would be just as intrigued as I am about this development," Lester smiled, nodding, "Come, my dear. I will take you to Thunder Mesa, from there we'll head to the historical society and go over the finer points with you."

***

Thunder Mesa, though no longer a mining town, was still a little side attraction for tourists visiting on their way to Coloma - the sight of the first piece of gold found during the California Gold Rush. The town still had many of its original buildings - saloons, hotels, and a few stores with at least one gift shop and at least two water towers, the original and a new one that was recently added for the town's sake. Many of the buildings had been renovated and made sturdier instead of just the wood like they did all those years ago - making them safer and less of a fire hazard due to the proximity of the buildings.

Melody was in awe with the way some of the towns' people actually dressed up in the period and asked Lester about it as he drove through slowly.

"There are more than just a few of us that help run Thunder Mesa's historical society," Lester chuckled, "Those that you see dressed up are members and have family history tied to this town, much like yourself, and offer their assistance on days when we need to bring more tourists in by telling stories that have been passed down from generation to generation here."

"And the manor?" Melody asked.

"The Ravenswood manor, or the Phantom Manor as many of the locals call it, is beyond that gate there," Lester pointed ahead, "Beyond the gate is a dirt road that leads down a winding path and up into the hillside where the manor was first built before the earthquake hit."

"It would seem like Nana knew more than she let on," Melody murmured in surprise.

"You didn't know about the earthquake?" Lester asked, pulling his car to a stop outside one of the buildings.

"I know there were a few, er, misfortunes that fell on Ravenswood family before eventually only my cousin Melanie remained," Melody explained, "However, my grandmother never delved too deep into them - maybe because I was only ten when I first found out about the manor."

"How did you find out about the manor?"

Melody leaned back in her seat, inhaling deeply before explaining, "My Nana had an extensive collection of antiques and such - she loved taking me to shows and teaching me about what each piece was used for when she was a child or from when her mother was a child. One of my visits to her home, I found an old family bible with the name "Ravenswood" next to another name I didn't recognize. A few years prior, I had overheard my mom and my nana arguing about that same name, which made me concerned. 

"I asked Nana about it, to which she sighed and gave me the saddest smile I had ever seen on her before she took my hand and showed me the painting of the manor that she had hanging in one of the rooms of her home and told me the story. She never did mention anything in particular, only accidents that had caused the family concern. Since Gabrielle's death following Arthur's, her family hadn't any contact with anyone with the Ravenswood name. 

"It's the reason why I came out here," Melody finished, "I want to know what happened to my great-aunt Gabrielle and uncle Arthur. And what happened to my cousin Melanie? Was she hurt in some freak accident, or did she move on and live a long happy life? And if so, where are her children, and their children?"

"So, it's more of a family connection than anything else?" Lester asked, "You want to find out about that other side of you that you don't know about."

When Melody nodded her head, Lester sighed and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He nodded, his lips in a tight line before he looked at his passenger, "Perhaps, we should head inside. I feel the other members of the historical society may be able to shed a bit more light on the matter than I would."

Chapter Text

Melody found herself in a large room, filled with artifacts and treasures of a history nearly long forgotten.

The building itself was once Thunder Mesa's town hall, where many of the local men had gathered to make rules and form agreements during the Gold Rush. Though it was only one room, from where Melody was sitting, she could make out many of the black and white photographs of the town back during the Gold Rush era - men in heavy cotton shirts with overalls or suspenders and heavy duty boots while ladies with bustles or plain cotton dresses with aprons filled the photos. Artifacts of mining supplies and soil samples filled glass cases that surrounded Melody from all angles, visitors stopping here and there to look at the artifacts and point out something that caught their eye to other visitors or people they were traveling with.

Above Melody were rafters that lead up to the second floor - the main offices for the members of the historical society. Lester had left her near the entryway while he climbed the steps one at a time, hopping over the "Employees Only" sign that had been strung out on a rope like a piece of laundry over the fifth step to prevent anyone from walking up to upper floors. Footsteps had been going non-stop overhead, as if someone had been pacing back and forth for hours at a time before finally stopping.

Melody stood as Lester appeared, indicating for her to approach the staircase and come with him, calling "Watch your step. These stairs are a bit old, we've been meaning to get them replaced for the past few months."

Melody shrugged as she slowly climbed, the stairwell creaked under her feet, "It's okay, I'll be careful," only because she was afraid of breaking something that held a lot of value and had to be at least over two hundred years old.

 She soon joined Lester at the top, the young man leading her into the room.

Four other men and another woman stood in the room, one of the men at the head of an old oak desk. As Melody was brought in, all eyes turned to look at her as a hush fell over the room. As soon as the door was closed behind them with a soft click, the man at the head of the desk stood, leaning forward slightly in greeting, "Miss Wilcox, it is a pleasure to meet you at last."

"The pleasure is mine," Melody smiled, nodding her head in greeting, "I'm grateful that you've accepted my letter and have looked forward to meeting all of you."

The man chuckled heartily, "Well, perhaps we shall sit and introduce ourselves before we get into the meat of the business."

Everyone took their seats while Melody followed suit, intaking her surroundings.

The room was about the size of a small bedroom, the only furniture in the room being the old oak desk, the several chairs that each person had taken a seat in, and the two flag poles that sported California's state flag and the country's flag as well. One the wall on either side were several photographs, no doubt the people within them being current and previous members of the historical society.

One of the photographs stood out to Melody - a black and white photo of two men standing side by side. The first of the two was plump and round, shorter than his companion, and sported a black dress coat, a white dress shirt, and a black cowboy hat of sorts with a scarf wrapped around his neck while the glint of a pocket watch chain hung in his front pocket. The second was a good deal taller, with sunken eyes and dressed in a heavy cotton overcoat with  a waist coat and a top hat. His smile looked sickly while his eyes glinted mischievously, giving Melody a slight shiver as she looked upon his face, suddenly nervous about knowing exactly who he was.

"I see you're interested in those two," the leader of the historical society called out to Melody, pulling her attention away from the picture, "Recognize any of them?"

"I unfortunately couldn't tell you," Melody answered honestly, "My family had cut themselves off from the Ravenswood family so much that we have no pictures of them - my uncle and my mom, even my nana have never seen their faces before."

The head nodded, his eyes watching Melody curiously before speaking, "The two men in the photo are the Founders of Thunder Mesa. The first, being our own Maude Simon's great-uncle, Bert Dread," he indicated to the woman next to him, "and the second being your great-uncle Henry Ravenswood."

"My uncle?" Melody blinked in shock, "Which one is him? The plumper of the two?"

The woman, Maude Simon, laughed. Her eyes twinkled in delight at the young woman's eagerness, "I can see the resemblance in your enthusiasm. I've been told that the Ravenswood brothers would often get that same expression when they were excited or eager. However, to answer your question," Maude pointed to the picture again, "Henry Ravenswood is the taller of the two, the one who looks like he could kill someone."

Melody looked at the photo in awe, seeing Henry Ravenswood for the first time, "I'm not entirely sure what to make of him... he looks like he's up to something."

"Mr. Ravenswood was always up to something," another man spoke up, "Ask anyone, and they would tell you about all the mischief he would pull his poor wife into - it's a surprise that he even had a child with her to begin with."

"Horace," the leader frowned at his co-partner, "we do have a guest that knows very little about the history of the town, as well as the Ravenswood Manor."

"Theo, it shouldn't even be called that anymore," Horace argued, "There's a reason why we call it 'Phantom Manor'."

"I do have to agree with Horace on this one, Theo," another man spoke up, "I'm not trying to argue with you or anything, but we need to face the facts here. That building is of no use to us and has been deemed by many experts we have brought in over the past fifteen years as haunted."

"That is Don Criss," Lester muttered to Melody, "He has been the one in charge of the mansion's grounds since his predecessor retired a few months ago. I don't blame him for believing in the reports either."

"So, then the mansion is actually haunted by a spirit known as the Phantom?" Melody asked quietly.

"I'm not sure," Lester answered, "but there's been more than one occasion where some kids go up to the mansion grounds on dares and have come back down with fear in their eyes and pants wetter than a stream."

"And Horace is?" Melody asked.

"Horace Fusselbottom is a crime historian," Lester explained, "During the Gold Rush era, the rules and laws were very loosely organized, thus there were spikes in criminal activities such as robberies and violence. Some got to the point that some fights got out of hand and were brought into the street. If the diseases didn't kill you, a gunshot wound did."

"Now Horace, Don," the last man of the group spoke up, though he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in the crowded room, "I would think you two would be the most excited about having someone potentially take up residence in the Ravenswood Manor. After all, legend has it that not only do a few ghosts and ghouls reside in there, but also the remains of Henry and Arthur Ravenswood's fortune still lie somewhere within the walls of that building. We can't tear it down, so why can't we have someone move in?"

"Ned Meyer," Theo rounded on the man so fast it nearly made Melody's head spin, "Are you suggesting that we send an innocent soul into that place?"

"If she wants the house so badly, we should just give it to her," Ned replied, chewing on his fingernails.

"Hold on, time out," Maude made a motion with her hand, "Ned, the problem is that neither we nor she knows much about that place, other than its dark history - which she may not really know too well herself. We ought to at least give Melody the grace of knowing what the big picture is before we even think about sending her up there by herself."

"I couldn't agree more," Theo stood from his seat, hands clasped behind his back as he approached the window behind him before addressing Melody, "Lester tells me that you don't know of the Tale of the Thunderbird."

"The Thunderbird?" Melody asked, "No, I'm afraid I don't."

Theo nodded to himself before explaining, "The Native Americans that still roam in this part of the state believe that Thunder Mesa is the home of an ancient spirit called the Thunderbird. The natives believed that it was a being of supernatural power and protected humans from all evil spirits that were brought forth by another ancient spirit called the Great Horned Serpent. When the Ravenswood brothers first started digging in the mountain, they were warned by one of the tribes' leaders that should they disturb the mountain, a great evil would fall upon their family. Although Arthur was willing to let the earth be, his older brother, Henry, roped him into the continuous digging. After they struck gold was when the memory of the warning faded away."

"So this Thunderbird was disturbed by two men digging in the mountains?" Melody asked.

"It wasn't just two men, hon," Maude explained, "As soon as they struck gold, they sent for workers to dig the gold out for them - they had nearly a hundred or more men working for them all through the day and some during the night. As the gold piled up, strange occurrences began to happen - several rock slides killed thirty or so men while a horrific mine collapse killed another forty. Then the earthquake that hit, killing your uncle and great-aunt Martha while they were on an inspection tour of the mine."

"Not to mention the mysterious deaths of four suitors to Melanie Ravenswood before the earthquake," Horace nodded, "Then, as the fortune was drying up, Arthur contracted Typhoid Fever and died of the infection, his wife, Gabrielle, and his loyal dog, Golithe, followed shortly after. To make matters worse, even the butler was killed by his own horse on his way to get a doctor to help Arthur!"

"So, this curse that the Thunderbird brought down on the family is legitimate," Melody asked, "not some sort of story that you tell kids to behave themselves."

"Unfortunately, no," Theo nodded, "and it wasn't just the Ravenswood family that was affected either. Maude's uncle Bertie was killed by the townsfolk following the deaths of the four suitors - many of them believing he was involved somehow. Many families lost loved ones in that mine, it was a place that should've never been disturbed."

"However, we can't change the past," Ned said, "We can only learn from it as a way to teach our young ones not to repeat it."

"But what about this Phantom?" Melody asked, "Has anyone actually seen him?"

"Don, that's your department, I believe," Horace nodded toward his friend.

Don sighed, standing as he paced the floor, "The story about his appearance is tricky. No one really knows what it is or where it came from."

"What have you pieced together at least?" Melody pressed, sitting on the edge of her seat at this point.

"We know that the Phantom is some sort of restless spirit that has complete control over the manor and its grounds," Don began, "The experts we've hired have reported seeing things move about without a hand to guide them and rooms shifting, the floors moving on their own, and seeing some sort of character that looks like a skeleton in fine dress clothing from the Gold Rush era. It's never approached anyone, but it reeks of death and fear - and uses some sort of power to manipulate everything around it. Sometimes it will appear and disappear at will.

"Many of us, and prior historians, believe that the Phantom came to the house the day that Melanie was to marry a man by the name of Jake Hutchenson - a foreman of the mine turned railroad engineer. Some believe that the Phantom scared Jake away from the manor while others believed it killed him in order to prevent Melanie from marrying and leaving the manor grounds. You see, those of us who believe in spirits and like, also believe that Melanie had the capability to push the Phantom from her home - however, because of her grief, she was unable to do so, allowing the Phantom complete control over the manor and all who resided in it."

The room was silent as Don finished, all watching as he stopped his pacing and took a breath before returning to his chair, finally collapsing into the hardwood.

Theo turned to Melody then, "You've heard all we've had to say. I would like to know what it is you intend to do now that you know the truth - as much of it as we could provide of course."

Chapter Text

Lester's vehicle rocked as it made its way up the old Boot Hill path toward the Ravenswood Manor.

Prior to leaving the town hall, Melody still held firm belief in wanting to obtain the old property, arguing that the mansion itself would be perfect as a historical puzzle piece to Thunder Mesa. She also argued that when, not if, the place was renovated, it could be used as a tourist attraction to bring in more revenue to the town, helping it to grow and build. Theo was in agreement with the proposal, alongside Lester, Maude, and Ned - out numbering Horace and Don, who were in disagreement. 

Now, Lester was driving up the rocky path toward the Manor with Melody, Maude, and Theo in his car, the four leaving Don and Horace back at the town hall to prepare paperwork for the contract that was to be drawn up later this afternoon.

"I'm curious to see this place," Maude said from the backseat, "this would be the first time seeing it for me."

"The painting that my nana had in her home described it as an off white victorian style home with green shutters and a burgundy colored roof," Melody replied to her companion, "and my understanding is that the grounds of the manor were once breath-taking with a large fruit orchard, flower gardens, and long paved walkways all over the grounds."

"I fear that the painting of the home is only a memory of what it once was," Theo consoled, "The manor has fallen to ruin over the past century or so. The grounds are dead and the walkways have been reduced to rubble. As for the house, it's in poor condition."

"How poor of a condition are we talking about?" Melody asked, "Is there a possibility of it still being livable?"

"I'm not sure," Theo answered, "I've only been to the grounds at least once, and that was when I was made head of the historical society."

"So, you've never been inside the walls of the manor?"

Theo didn't reply as the car lurched to a stop.

"Hey, Lest!" Maude looked at the driver, "What the heck?"

"Sorry, but we'll have to walk the rest of the way," Lester pointed out the front window, "we're here."

All eyes turned to where Lester was pointing before Melody pushed open the car door and stood to stare in awe at the building that stood before her.

Unlike the painting, which described a beautiful well-cared for home, the Ravenswood Manor had fallen to ruins. The manor's grounds were brown and yellow, with plant stalks the color or ash, though few bushes and weeds still held onto the emerald green of life. The walkway that once was white and full had crumbled from the many seasons, eroding the stone away into dust. The fencing was cracked and bent, paint peeling from the posts and bald spots showing the age - some posts and pieces of the fencing were missing altogether.

As for the house, the manor seemed to have slumped over the years, like something was weighing heavily on its roofing. The roofing tiles had faded into a near black, parts missing with several shingles hanging in odd places and several broken on the ground below. The shudders had lost all shades of green, now a deep brown and at least two of them hanging against the windows - which had cracks and missing pieces of window pane. A few of the windows were also shattered, in dire need of replacing. The red framing of the house had started to fade as well, turning into flecks of burgundy that still clung to the wood. The white of the house had also faded, making it more of a tan with the dirt, moss, and mold that had clung to the siding of the house.

But to Melody, it was the greatest sight she had ever seen.

The house may have been in ruins, and she could sense the presence of pain and anguish on the property, but a part in her heart told her that it would soon have a sense of love and kindness in its place again.

"That's Phantom Manor?" Melody turned to see Maude close the car door as she stood in surprise, "I was half expecting it to look... well, ghostly?"

"It's not the property that should scare you," Theo answered, "It's what's beyond those double doors that have frightened all of us."

 Melody followed the trio up the walkway to the staircase of the front balcony. She noticed that there were a few overturned ceramic planters turned over and several lanterns still hanging from the wooden ceiling beams of the porch as they stopped at the front door.

"Shall I let you do the honors, Miss Wilcox?" Theo held out a heavy wrought-iron key to her.

It was gray and felt heavy in Melody's hand, the head of the key the shape of a skull with rubies encrusted into the metal.

"Are these real?" Melody asked, pointing to the skull's eyes.

"Yes, I believe your Uncle Henry had the keys made specifically for him and Arthur to have," Theo nodded, "The second key, which is what Don has for the house, has a poppy with an emerald encrusted into it - which he had made with his wife, Gabrielle, in mind. Apparently, she was quite fond of flowers, specifically the California Poppy, and had a garden bed in the back of the house filled with them."

"I didn't know she liked Poppies," Melody looked down at the key and smiled, "I'd like to rebuild that garden bed for her, and replant the Poppies there in her memory."

"I think that can be arranged."

Melody twisted the key in her hands, approaching the door and inputting the key into the lock. As she twisted it, a gust of wind blew the doors open and led the four mortals on the edge of a dark house.

"Shall we head in and give you a bit of a tour?" Theo rested a hand on Melody's shoulder in comfort, "Unless you want to head back to town if you're too tired."

"No, I would like to see what we can do in this manor," Melody nodded, her courage coming in full force, "We'll have a lot of work to do in the next few months, I want to be able to see what needs to get done."

"Of course," Theo turned to look at Maude and Lester, "Are you two also coming?"

"Heck yeah!" Maude grinned, "Screw the ghosts for a moment, I want to see how these people lived way back when."

Lester nodded in reply as the four of them stepped inside, the doors closing softly behind them and allowing life for the first time in forever to enter. 

***

Unknown to the four intruders, there was something else within the manor that no one had known about since the last of the Ravenswood's demise.

Deep beneath the manor, through long winding tunnels, was the entrance to a place only known as "Phantom Canyon" - the home and prime residence of many of the haunts who used the Ravenswood manor as a passageway from their world into the land of the living.

The canyon was a nearly identical copy of the town in Thunder Mesa - the roadway that was surrounded by old western saloons, homes, and faux storefronts. Ghosts and ghouls of all shapes and sizes - as well as time - resided here, enjoying each others' company and causing a ruckus from time to time. Skeletal horses lined up outside, their reins loosely tied to keep them from wandering off, while others pulled carriages - the hooves leaving no trace in the dirt beneath. Children would run from buildings, some chasing others while the adults looked on in content. Some of the spirits worked, preferring to keep some familiarity with their former life - whether it be within the Pharmacy on the corner or in one of the saloons.

However, one of these spirits had one of the higher jobs in the canyon.

A voice shouted as a head rolled in between several children, a headless body chasing after it, "Dodgasted little brats!" the voice from the head shouted.

The head was lucky to be stopped by a familiar figure, stepping in front of the rolling head like one would a soccer ball before picking it up, "Why Bertie, have you lost your senses again, old friend?"

"Fredrick! What is the meaning of this?!" the head demanded, looking up at his friend, his eyes wild.

"Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?" Fred chuckled, "After all, you're the one rolling downhill on a flat slope."

"Why you little-"

"Calm yourself, I only tease. Now, what has gotten you so upset that you would lose your head from the shoulders it balances on?"

"I have received word from above and need to speak with him immediately," Bertie replied.

"He's still here? I thought he had gone back up months ago?"

"No, no, you know how the woman in red is," Bertie rolled his eyes, "Always luring him away with promises of comfort and attention - nevermind that she would have no one else but him."

Fred nodded in agreement, "Then, we must make haste. The sooner he receives you, the better. Though, I do fear that she will have both of our heads for taking his time away from her."

"I will be the lucky of us two then," Bertie grinned, "for I have already beaten her to the punch!"

Chapter Text

Bertie's head and Fredrick made their way into one of the saloons of Phantom Canyon.

This particular one, unlike the others that lined the main road, was always much darker and more crowded - filled to the brim with the darkest of spirits. Demons, thieves, and monsters all flocked here, keeping to themselves as they drank, smoked, and talked in hush tones under the heavy fumes that had filled the room.

"Lawrence," Fredrick greeted the bartender, a skeleton of a man with sunken eyes and thinning hair.

"Fred," Lawrence nodded in return, "Are we having the usual?"

"No, Bertie here needs to speak with the master," Fredrick answered, "I know that he was seen here recently in the company of the woman in red."

Silence fell on the room as the floorboards creaked, a cane tapping the ground as its owner walked from the shadows.

The figure was that of a skeleton in a white linen shirt with a double collar. His cravat was a deep violet silk with a gold pin in the center of the knot. He also wore a deep purple waistcoat with a black evening coat. Black trousers fell down his legs, stopping short of his black dress shoes as they dug into the earth. He held a gold tipped cane with a gold handle, an emerald in the center surrounded by gold. A large top hat perched on his head, tilted forward to cover most of the being's skeletal face as ruby eyes glowed from the darkness.

"Speak," a dark voice filled the silent room as the skeleton stopped before the two, "know that I am listening."

Fredrick felt Bert gulp in his hands as he looked up at the master before stuttering a reply, "M-Mortals have been sighted by s-several of our demons on the M-Manor's property, entering the house. They i-intend on renovating the house into some sort of m-museum."

"They have neither the power nor will to perform the capability, nevermind that the caretakers above will most likely be able to drive them away from the grounds with little to no issues," the Phantom amused, approaching the head and patting the bald spot mockingly, "You've lost your head over nothing Bertie. The grounds are safe and the manor is still in my control."

"That's not it, though," Bertie continued, "Apparently one of these mortals, a young woman with red hair, is the heir - a descendant of the family."

The Phantom stiffened, "How is that possible? Arthur had no children, and Melanie died years ago without bearing any child!"

"It was Gabrielle, the wife of Arthur," Bertie answered, "Her sister was the next in line, and this mortal is a descendant of her - making her the rightful heir."

The Phantom turned, now in thought, while voices whispered in the room. He knew that if the Manor recognized this mortal to be the true heir of the Ravenswood estate, it would give her the power to toss all of them out - push them and evict them from the place they had claimed as theirs all so long ago.

The Phantom grabbed his cane, rubbing at the emerald, "Who is this mortal and what does she look like?"

"All I know is that her name is Melody and has the hair of fire," Bertie answered from his spot, "And she has the strength of a thousand oxes in her stubbornness to boot."

The Phantom's eyes flashed, his cane hitting the ground as a clap of thunder echoed in the room.

A low growl filled the room as a large dog appeared, following the call to its master. It was about the size of a great dane, though thin and spindly as if it had been starved. Drool dripped from its mouth, elongated teeth bared as it snarled. Its eyes were bright yellow, opaque from age.

It stopped before the Phantom, who reached out and grabbed the scruff of its neck, "Goliath, be my eyes and ears. Find the mortal that I see clear. Kill her if you must, but in you - I place my trust."

The demon dog howled before bounding out of the building, following its master's command.

"Will he do as he's told?" one asked.

"Do not doubt a dog who obeys well," The Phantom smirked, "but know this will all pass in time. No one, mortal or otherwise, will take our home from us - this I promise on ol' Henry Ravenswood himself."

***

The first week of the manor's renovations had started out smoothly.

Much of the furniture was packaged up and hauled into large trucks to be taken to restoration centers in Sacramento to be restored before being brought back some time later - including two desks, a piano, chairs, bed frames, and even several paintings. The historical society, then, took samples of the wallpapers and paint - taking them to local shops to have painters and specialists come up with fresh stock and recreations of the originals. They also had carpenters and electricians come into the home and look over the interior, making plans to replace the old flooring with new wooden boards, rugs, and even ceramic tiles in certain parts of the house as well as install electricity to bring more light into the place. They also needed to get the windows replaced - following the outlines of the frames to find glass that would fit within.

But, before even a wall could be touched, cleaning needed to be done. The house was covered in dust and cobwebs from top to bottom and certain parts of the house had been sealed up, making it hard for the workers to figure out where they had started out originally. Melody had inserted herself in helping with the renovations alongside Maude and Lester, the three of them in charge of checking to make sure every room was discovered while Theo, Horace, and Don oversaw the reconstruction of the house. 

Melody pushed a door open, peering into what looked like a dark, dirty bedroom.

"Here's another bedroom!" she called down from the top of the grand staircase.

"That makes bedroom number four," Horace jotted it down on a plan before looking up at the young lady, "How many people lived in this house again?"

"I would assume that the Ravenswood family had some sort of maid or caretaker here to help keep the place looking nice at the time before the fall of the family," Melody answered, coming down and wiping her hands on a rag, "So, if you include Melanie's room, Henry and Martha's, then Arthur and Gabrielle's, the fourth room may have belonged to the grounds keeper or a maid. There may be one more bedroom in here somewhere - unless of course there is another room for guests."

"I doubt it," Don said, looking up at the two of them from his own paperwork, "Henry wasn't exactly the most house-warming of men. From the history we know of, he seemed to have an over-protective stance on Melanie as well as had a bit of a love for shooting."

"Did he have a collection of guns that I should know about?" Melody joked.

"One record indicated that he owned a rifle and a revolver of sorts," Don explained, "However, there's been no trace of either. Perhaps they're hidden in this house somewhere."

"Well, thank you for letting me know," Melody nodded, heading back toward the stairs, "I'll keep my eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary."

Following the first week of renovations, just as the electricians and carpenters began to arrive, several instances started to cause concern for those working on the massive project.

Power outages would occur regularly, with generators being halted by short circuits. Supplies would go missing before reappearing in another place all together. Wildlife would appear out of crevices, frighting the workers when they were caught off guard by bats, rats, or a snake - specifically several rattlesnakes being found in the outhouse not far from the house itself, though many of the workers and the historians believed it was because of the broken windows and cracks within the interior of the house. Other workers began to hear voices and whispers within certain rooms, making shovers travel up their spines. Some of them reported seeing ghosts appear before them, warning them to leave and never return.

When Melody went to investigate the most recent sighting of one of the spirits - a woman in a black dress with a white apron - she could see nothing in the room save for an old mirror and what looked like a stool in the center of the room. She cautiously approached, following the same steps as the worker did. She stood on the stool, which she realized was once used for a wedding dress fitting - most likely something Melanie once stood one only hours before her never-marriage.

The mirror itself was three mirrors combined to give the onlooker the ability to look at all angles of themselves, something that one would find in a dress shop during the period. Melody looked at her reflection - the image of a woman covered in dust and dirt from the long-sleeved flannel to the denim work jeans and the tops of her heavy composite work boots. Some strands of her fiery-red hair - which had been pulled back into a ponytail to keep her neck cool - had escaped its confines, flowing freely on the sides of her head. Her body looked sore and tired, but her eyes were still bright.

Melody sighed, tucking a stray strand of hair away from her face - no ghosts here. As she turned to leave, something caught her eye.

Though the mirrors were cracked, a white gown had replaced her work clothing - a beautiful victorian-styled dress with white beads and embroidery. A white veil with a white rose crown had been placed on top of Melody's head with her red hair free of its confines, falling around her shoulders in little ringlets, all the while framing a golden locket that had appeared around her neck. When Melody looked down at her person - half expecting to see the wedding dress now on her - she discovered that she was still wearing her work clothing.

However, when she turned to the mirror again, the visual of the woman in a wedding dress was gone.

***

A month following the incident with the mirror, Melody had found herself in what once had been the Ravenswood's private study with Theo. Both of them were going through the books and packaging them up to take to the main offices for restoration and safe keeping until the house was complete, with Melody taking her time to look through the books and allowing her fingers to trace over the signatures and figures written in ink.

"I still can't believe this is Uncle Arthur's signature," Melody placed the book on the table, tapping at the cursive letters, "It looks like it was printed."

"Arthur had more of a way with figures than Henry did," Theo smiled, looking at the book, "This seems to be a receipt of sorts or order for more supplies - most likely just before the earthquake hit. Look at the date."

Melody smiled, looking from the book to Theo, "I know I've said it a thousand times, but thank you for allowing me to come out here and become the new caretaker of this place. I've learned so much about this side of my family during my time here, and I just can't help but want to know more."

"It's quite alright, Mel," Theo nodded, "You've done a splendid job in assisting us with the restoration of the home. I can only hope that eventually your curiosity will settle and will want to teach others about their past."

Before Melody could reply, a loud blood-curdling scream broke through the house. 

The two historians raced from the room as more footsteps from below met them outside the room.

"What happened?" Theo scurried down the stairs to meet Don, Horace, and a few of the workers in the main entrance - Melody still on the landing above. From where she could see, two of the workers had pulled a third from what may have once been the family's sitting room - the third gripping at his right leg and hissing in pain.

"We were working on the flooring in the room and something big came out at us and attacked Alex," one of the workers said, fear evident in his eyes.

"It looked like a dog, but it wasn't!" the second cut in, "No dog looks like that! None that I've ever seen!"

"A dog? Or was it some sort of wild animal?" Theo asked.

"It was no wild animal," the first spoke again, "There's no wild animal that looks like skin and bones with red eyes and fangs."

Melody slowly came down the stairs, just as a low growl erupted from the room and heavy thumping came from the other side of the doors that lead to the family room.

"Whatever it was, it wants out," Maude spoke from the back, "Is there a way we can remove it without it attacking someone else?"

"Let's call animal control and see if we can get it out of here," Theo answered, "We'll need to call and ambulance as -"

Before he could finish, the doors flew open as heavy paws landed on the ground.

The creature that stared out at them was a little bit bigger than a great dane - all skin and bones as the workers described. Its face was covered in scars while it bared a large mouth of razor-sharp teeth, drool dribbling down and onto the old wood floors. Its eyes were golden, but opaque, as if blind, its nose moving rapidly as if to figure out what it was looking for.

"What the hell is that thing?!"

The dog-creature growled, making a move to pounce on the owner of the voice when it stopped, its nose picking up a familiar scent.

Melody watched as the dog turned toward her, growling low, before lunging at her.

"Melody!" Maude screamed.

But when the dog had taken after her, the young woman bolted up the staircase, moving as fast as her legs could carry her with the creature following close behind her. She could hear people yelling and screaming below her, but she knew that if she turned around the animal would be upon her. Ducking into one of the bedrooms, she threw the door shut - causing the creature to yelp in pain at getting hit in the face. Melody twisted the lock in the door, moving away as the animal continued to throw itself against the frame. It would only be a matter of time before the door gave way to the creature's strength, Melody knew she had to find something to protect herself.

She ran to what appeared to be a wardrobe of sorts in one of the corners of the room, pulling the doors open wildly and reaching for something long and heavy in darkness. The door burst open, the animal racing in at lightning speed before stopping at the sight of Melody with what appeared to be a gold tipped cane in her grasp - the cane held in her hands like a bat waiting for the creature to strike at her.

 However, the creature didn't lunge.

Instead, Melody watched as its face softened before its nose was pressed into the floor, snuffling around as if searching for something. She stayed still, just in case it had lost her smell among the dust and mildew in the room. The creature shuffled around, sniffing from one corner to the next, eventually stopping at an empty spot where a bed once had been. The creature whined softly, rubbing its nose into the floor as if it had lost something important.

Melody felt her heart break for the poor creature, lowering the cane and getting low on the ground. Perhaps if she was quiet and quick enough, she could get out of the room and leave it to its misery.

However, a floorboard creaked under her weight, making the animal focus on her. Melody held her breath, watching as the dog sat on its haunches and looked at her with interest - its head tilting to the side and one ear titling upright, a curious look on its face. After a moment, the animal approached slowly, no longer with a look of hate - but with a look of hope. Melody was shocked when it sat down again only a few feet from where she was crouched, the animal lowering itself to lay before her with front paws outstretched and head in-between them as if to say 'Trust me.'

Melody licked her lips as the dog did the same, it's opaque yellow eyes watching her every move. Melody lifted her hand, thinking about reaching out to it.

'What if it's a trick?' her mind asked.

Melody steeled herself - she would not allow this creature to scare her or any other person again in this house. She shifted her hand to have her palm upturned, waiting for the animal's next movement. It wagged a bony tail before crawling over to her, its nose pressing into the palm of her hand and snuffling at it before licking it. The dog lifted its head, eyes brightening up, before a soft 'boof' came out of its mouth.

Melody smiled, slowly resting the hand to rest on the top of the dog's head, scratching it affectionately.

Chapter Text

"HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE?!?" Glass shattered as a table was overturned in anger, frightening those in the town halls offices as they watched their master pace the room, gloved fingers rubbing together in irritation.

The master had sent word to his most personal advisers, requesting that they meet him the town hall for an update. The main advisers were Bertie Dread - the ghost who had lost his head and had warn the Phantom of the mortals' arrival at the manor, Fredrick - the Pharmacist who specialized in the cures and killings for the demons and ghosts of the canyon, and the Lady in Red - The Phantom's constant companion and adviser. When it was revealed that Melody had escaped death by befriending the demonic dog, The Phantom had flown into a rage unlike any they had seen before. Thunder crackeled when his cane hit the floor boards, forcing several objects to go flying and smash into the walls, leaving broken glass, wood, and spilt liquor in its wake.

"What is it about that mortal that has made the dog turn on me so?!" The Phantom demanded.

"Well, it once was Arthur's faithful companion," Fredrick gulped, "and apparently still is."

"He must've recognized the scent on her," Bertie held his head in his hands, "From what it looks like, Goliath is now at her side at all times - though he doesn't seem to care too much for the other mortals that hang around her or get too close."

The Phantom growled lowly, his footsteps turning more into stomping as he paced the floor, tapping his cane as he walked, "What to do... What to do... We need to get her out of there... or at least eliminate her. The dead can not kill the living by any means, however there must be something we can do..."

"And the caretakers of the manor most likely won't be of much help," The lady in red spoke from her seat, not at all bothered by the Phantom's sudden outburst, "However, I propose a new idea."

All turned to her as she explained, "Lure her in, let her think that you are a sort of ghost that is trapped in the manor. Make her feel for you, and when the time comes - frighten her away. You are excellent, a specialist some may say, when it comes to that."

The Phantom tapped his chin in thought, "I will have to kill all signs of life up there anyway... Perhaps it may not be a bad idea. I could study her that way as well... watch how she interacts with the caretakers first before making an introduction."

"And frighten the others away as well," Bertie spoke up, "Goliath is already keeping many at bay for you already, it should be easy to seclude her away from the others."

"Yes... yes, we'll seclude her... then we'll eliminate her," the Phantom grinned at the thought, his eyes brightening with glee, "You, my dear, have a knack for these things."

The woman in red smiled, standing and approaching him, before resting a hand on the Phantom's chest, "I did learn from the best after all."

Fredrick coughed, reminding the two that they were still in a public setting, before speaking, "I take it, then, you'll be heading upstairs for the time being, master?"

"I will," The Phantom turned back to his companion, "but only until this little matter is resolved, when it's done I will return."

"Of course," she sighed, "I will wait until you return or send for me."

It took not even a thought and the Phantom had disappeared from their sight.

"Oh, quite the little actress you've turned out to be," Bertie grumbled, "Just when we were getting comfortable..."

"Fear not, boys," the woman returned to her seat, lounging with a satisfied grin on her face, "My power over him is strong yet, and will continue to grow as time goes on. Should this mortal try anything, I will do the same thing I did to Melanie all those years ago."

"Then, I should prepare your special brew?" Fredrick asked.

The woman in red winked, folding her hands in her lap, "I think we'll wait and see what happens first. I want to see her reaction when the keepers introduce themselves."

***

The attic space of the Ravenswood manor was dusty and crowded - a place where many of the family's treasures and keepsakes had gone away, never to be seen by the light of day again. Family portraits, trunks of clothing and jewels, even furniture had come here to be forgotten  by everyone save for the two spirits that lived there.

Alice Jones - the former housekeeper and Melanie's nanny - was a short, plump woman in a black and emerald green dress, her golden curls covered by a bonnet with a rose poking out from the side. Her heavy cotton dress coat kept the chill at bay, her scarf that was tied around her neck swaying with the movement of her ghostly body as she shifted around in her position by one of the many paintings.

"What is wrong, my sweet?" a deep voice called, "You seem anxious about something."

"Jasper," Alice sighed, "You really shouldn't be sneaking up on me like that."

A tall man soon joined her, wrapping a long hand around her neck. Her husband and constant companion wore a white shirt with a back cravat tied around his neck, a black and emerald striped vest dropping to a little past his waist. His dress coat, pants, and shoes were the color of coal, though the hat he normally wore had disappeared - most likely set somewhere else in the crowded space.

"At least I have the decency to call out to you by name," Jasper argued, "but what is wrong? Are you concerned about our, er, new neighbors?"

"If one could call them that," Alice answered, "but yes, I am concerned - mostly for the youngest."

"You mean the one who looks like our Melanie?" 

When Alice nodded in reply, Jasper sighed, "I know what you mean... Goliath was sent to scare her or worse, but seems to have taken a liking to her. I have no doubt that the master is displeased about that."

"That's why I'm concerned," Alice explained, "I don't want a repeat to happen the night Melanie took her life... I just want to live in peace without fear."

Jasper clasped her hands in his, "Fear not, love. Maybe this is a fresh start for us. Perhaps we can make them see that we are not so frightening after all."

"Not unless I have something to say about it," the two spirits turned as a third joined them. The Phantom made his appearance from the darkness, making his way toward the two.

"Your grace," Alice and Jasper spoke in unison, one bowing and the other curtsying before speaking together again, "How may we be of assistance?"

"Jasper, Alice," The phantom greeted them, "I'm certain you've already heard about the new intruders and want to know what you have seen and heard about them thus far, specifically the red-head girl called Melody."

"Melody, from my understanding, is a historian apprentice," Jasper spoke, folding his hands behind his back, "She has been studying about the Western frontier fro some time as well as has a knack for what the mortals call "technology." She's very knowledgeable and resourceful, making fast friends with everyone she comes to know."

"Alice?"

"She's quiet, but is also quite talkable when one asks a question regarding something," Alice answered, "She good at keeping promises as well as keeping animals."

The Phantom tapped his fingers on his cane before replying, "Then I have a task for you. I want you to focus on her - interact with her, if you will. No scares, just find out more about her - what she likes, what she fears... that sort of thing."

"And, why would you want us to do so?" Jasper asked, "Never before have you given an order like that before."

"The spirits of Phantom Canyon have been told she is a descendant of the Ravenswood family by marriage," The Phantom explained, "I want to rid the house of her and the infestation of life that she has brought with her. Should the Manor recognize her as it's true heir, then we shall all be without a home - even you two."

"As in, evicted from the property?" Alice asked, "But, wouldn't that be a good thing? Our souls would finally be free, and we wouldn't have to worry about being trapped in this place with the memories of a previous life..."

"Most would not find comfort in that," The Phantom spoke harshly, "We all would face an eternity of damnation for what we have lived and done - even you two. Do not forget about what happened that night nearly one hundred and fifty years ago."

Both ghosts fell silent before nodding in unison.

"Now, here's all you have to do," the Phantom spoke, "Lure this Melody in with promises - I don't care what - and separate her from her friends in the mortal realm. Then, persuade her to have them stop the work on the house. When that happens, I will have the strength I need to undo all of their hard work and rid her of this manor." 

"What do you intend to do to her?" Alice asked with worry.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," the Phantom replied, "Just follow my orders, and perhaps I will spare you of my presence for another fifty years or more. Capiche?"

"Yes master," both ghosts spoke in unison before bowing and curtsying again.

When the Phantom vanished, most likely to his hiding spot in the uppermost part of the attic to make his plans, Alice turned to Jasper, "Oh dear, what are we going to do?"

Jasper tapped at his chin in thought, pacing with one hand still behind his back, "We cannot refuse his orders now that he has made it clear what needs to be done, meaning we will have to follow through with his command."

"But I don't want to hurt anyone," Alice argued, "I've already done enough of that in this eternal lifetime."

"I know love, but we must do it just one last time. Should we succeed, perhaps things will get better."

"If only Jasper... If only."

***

Goliath sat at his mistress' feet while Melody idly flipped through a few manuscripts found in the library of the old mansion. The others had left for the day, leaving Melody alone with her new-found pet and her thoughts while she searched in the records for blueprints of the manor's interior and gardens. 

The Manor had three rooms completed - specifically what had once been the study, the family library, the family room, and one of the bedrooms that would act as Melody's room once everything was completed and she had taken up residence - but there was still so much to be done. The furniture wasn't due to arrive until next month, the floors still needed to be cared for on the upper landing as well as the electricity up there, the shingles on the roof still needed to be replaced, the outer side of the house needed a fresh coat of paint, the gardens needed to be weeded and replanted - the big things that had been finished was the windows, the painting on the interior of the house, and the ceilings panels replaced with fresh ones. 

Melody snapped her book shut and sighed. Goliath lifted his head and licked at her hand as a form of comfort.

"Thanks, G," Melody rubbed the top of his boney head, "Though, it doesn't help with all this paperwork that I need to find while the others go over the antiques for the home. I bet it's bothering you as well, seeing everything get moved around, huh?"

Goliath only sneezed, licking his lips and nose while his tail thumped on the floor.

Melody stood from her chair, placing the books on the table top next to her and stretching as Goliath followed suit, stretching out and opening his mouth wide with a whine before shaking himself.

"Let's get some sleep, boy," Melody grabbed her sweater and water bottle, "We can go over this stuff tomorrow with Theo when he gets here."

The young woman left the room with the dog following close behind her as she switched out the light and made her way toward the family room where she had taken up sleeping on a cot while waiting for the rest of the furniture to arrive. With only the cot and herself, plus Goliath, the room seemed much bigger than she initially thought. 

As she took a seat on the cot, preparing to lay down and rest, a floorboard creak and a growl alerted her of another's presence in the room.

Goliath had stood, the hairs raised on his back, as he snarled into the darkness of the room - eyes fixated on something in the corner.

"Come on out if you don't wish to be attacked," Melody called out, "He's got a bit of a temperament."

"That old dog belonged to Arthur," a male's voice broke out from the darkness, "He was my master and friend long before death took him and I away from this world."

Goliath barked as two figures appeared from the darkness, approaching Melody as she stood wide-eyed at them.

The first of the specters was that of a short, plump woman in a black and emerald green dress, her golden curls covered by a bonnet with a rose poking out from the side. Her heavy cotton dress coat kept the chill at bay, her scarf that was tied around her neck swaying with the movement of her ghostly body as she shifted, a smile on her friendly face. Her cheeks were a rosy pink and Melody noticed a small mole on her cheekbone, just below her right eye. A tall man walked alongside her, one hand in the pocket of his coal-colored dress pants and his other arm wrapped around his companion. He wore a white shirt with a back cravat tied around his neck, a black and emerald striped vest dropping to a little past his waist. His dress coat and shoes matched the color of his pants. A top hat sat on his head, covering the dark locks. He, too, wore a smile under his pencil thin mustache, eyes ginting with joy at the sight of her.

Melody stood again as Goliath ran over, barking at the sight of the two with the woman kneeling down and scratching the dog under his chin.

"Why, hello Goliath! Did you make a new friend?" the woman asked. The dog could only pant in reply, his tongue lolling out of his mouth at the scratches given to him.

"I'm sorry if I meant offense," Melody spoke, "I didn't realize the dog was yours..."

"Oh, he's not ours," the man spoke, "He was Arthur's... and he seems to have chosen you as his new master, thus is the reason we have come - both to introduce ourselves as well as offer our services."

Melody cocked her head as the woman stood and came next to the man before curtsying, "I am Alice Jones, wife of Jasper and keeper of the hearth here in the Ravenswood Manor."

"And I am Jasper Jones," the man bowed low to Melody, "husband of Alice and keeper of the home here at Ravenswood Manor."

"Both of us would like to extend a helping hand to you, as you are the new mistress of this house and will do anything you wish of us," Alice smiled.

Melody blinked in shock, "Well... uh, that is, uh, quite an offer. However, I'm not any sort of mistress or master - I'm just a regular woman with an interest in my family's history and who wanted to help the historical society rebuild the manor for educational purposes."

"You're no regular woman, my dear," Jasper indicated toward Goliath, who had returned to Melody's side, "Goliath has chosen you to be his new master, which means there must be something extraordinary about yourself that you may not even know."

"I doubt it," Melody asked, "Unless of course you're referring to the idea that I can talk to ghosts and spirits without running away in fear at the sight of them - which, mind you, I did with Goliath here until he showed me mercy."

"Goliath must know that you mean no harm to us and the rest of those who live here, then," Alice answered, "That could be the only reason he would stop in his hunting state."

Melody looked down at the dog, a brow raised, "What do you think, G?"

The dog barked as Melody nodded, "Yeah, I think so too," she turned to her companions, "I have no wish to harm any of you - speaking of which, how many spirits are in this house exactly?"

"Nine hundred, ninety-nine," Jasper answered, "and there's still room for one more."

"O-okay, that's a lot..."

"Not to worry my dear," Alice clasped her hands in delight, "The others are rather mortal-shy. Jasper and I were curious about you, so we decided to introduce ourselves with hopes of maybe becoming an aid of sorts."

"Even at the risk of the Phantom's wrath?" Melody asked cautiously.

Jasper and Alice stood dumbfounded, "How did you know?"

"I know of it," Melody answered, "but not about it - though it is a character that I want to know about."

"Please do not ask that of us," Jasper begged, "That is a creature all spirits here fear and would rather die again than be at his mercy."

"Then you know of him?" Melody sat back on the cot, "Have you seen him?"

"Do not answer that Jasper," Alice hissed under her breath before turning to the young woman, "Melody, there are many things we fear, the Phantom being the greatest fear for all of us. We have seen his rage, both alive and dead. He is a creature that we never discuss - nevermind that we haven't had company since nearly a century and a half ago - and are afraid to talk about. We would be happy to enlighten you a little more about your family, but please, do not ask about the Phantom."

"I can respect that," Melody answered, nodding in agreement.

"Good," Alice waved a hand, creating two chairs out of mist for her and Jasper to perch upon as she smiled at Melody again, "Perhaps, you would like some company this evening before bed?"

Chapter Text

A week passed since Melody's contact with the caretakers of the manor, the two now forever in her company alongside Goliath as she worked and repaired rooms. Though, it came to no surprise to Melody that the others couldn't see her ghostly companions - other than Goliath of course - but she was curious about the reason they allowed her to see them and not the others.

"We spirits are particular about who we allow to see us," Jasper explained one evening while they sat together in the sitting, Melody with a cup of cocoa in her hands, "We allow you to see us because we trust you. The others, however, that live within these halls may not be so forthcoming."

"Can you see the other spirits if they are in the room with us?" Melody asked.

"Even some spirits will choose to hide themselves from their own kind as well," Alice sighed, "The Phantom is one who can appear before spirits and mortals as well as hide from us. We never know when he will make his appearance."

Melody hummed in thought, setting her cup aside as she pulled her legs to her chest, "I suppose that just keeps every spirit on their toes here, never knowing if he's nearby or not."

"Normally we can sense another spirit if there's one nearby - even when in hiding," Alice corrected, "It's sort of a sensation that crawls along the back of your arms and neck when something is near. We also believe in the saying, 'When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and when strange and frightful sounds echo through the halls, when a candle light flickers when the air is deathly still, that is the time when spirits are present.'"

"Practicing terror with ghoulish delight?" Melody chuckled.

Jasper and Alice joined in, clucking and laughing in amusement while agreeing with the young mortal. 

Though these conversations were mostly held in the evening after everyone had left, the ghosts did also take the time to show Melody around the manor - allowing her to take paper to make a blueprint of the building. Though many of the rooms the restoration workers had already uncovered, there was still the secret passageway that had lead from the brother's private study to the library - a small narrow walkway that Melody had to duck to get through from one room to the next - and the attic as well as the cellar.

"The attic space is our private room," Jasper explained to Melody when she had asked about it, "There's nothing up there but old junk and antiques that should be forgotten along with the memories tied to them."

"But, what if there's something up there worth discovering?" Melody asked, "After all, one person's junk is another person's treasure."

"Not necessarily," Alice chided, taking on a motherly tone, "the attic is crowded with boxes and other items stacked high on each other, as well as dark and dusty. If you or someone were to go up there, there would be the risk of having something getting knocked over, broken, or landing on you. Some of the items up there are heavy as well - I wouldn't want a box filled with silver to fall and land on you and hurt you or worse. Please respect those boundaries for us and nothing will happen."

"Very well, I promise," Melody answered, "and the cellar space?"

"It's pretty much the same concept," Jasper nodded, "Nothing but storage and stacks of heavy objects that can fall at any given point. It would be best to steer clear of both rooms."

***

All the while the two keepers were slowly growing a bond with the new mistress of the house, the Phantom had been keeping a close eye on everything around them as well as fallen into his old haunting habits he had forgotten about. He rather enjoyed watching the mortals when he snapped his fingers, causing ladders to shift under the workers' feet, or forcing the windows to open to allow a gust of wind pick up papers off the desks to fly everywhere in the room, or even appearing as a reflection in the ornate mirrors that were permanently attached to several rooms of the house to frighten someone who was passing by. After a particular hysterical prank of throwing the paint buckets around the room and at the workers, the Phantom made his way out into the dead gardens.

The garden had always been a soft spot for him - easy for him to suck the life out of, but never did. Memories of her were always the strongest here, the images of a woman running along the pathways and hiding behind the orchard trees, snatching a fruit before snacking on it like Eve did. Long walks and conversations had been forgotten over time as he had forced himself away from the Manor  for so long - prefering to forget about the past life he once had - both as a mortal and a ghost.

He was coming around the bend when an unfamiliar voice broke out, "... and the pear trees were in this section along with the oranges and apples."

The Phantom stopped in his tracks at the sight of two mortals with a ghost and a demon dog trailing behind them.

The ghost and dog he recognized, but the mortals were different. 

The oldest of the two was a plump man with gray thinning hair and walked with a cane of sorts that he leaned against whenever they stopped to examine the property. He wore a light blue dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, with a tie and black dress pants with matching shoes. Wrinkles covered his features with his brows furrowed in thought, eyes hooded downward to keep people guessing what he may have been thinking. 

The second mortal was a woman with fiery red hair - the mortal who must be Melody. Her features were soft and her eyes were filled with excitement. Her skin was sun-kissed and covered in bruises and dirt, no doubt from the work she had been doing prior to the interruption, the dirt covering her heavy blue pants and the short-sleeved shirt she wore. Her hair had been pulled back away from her face, strands getting caught in the light breeze that flowed through the edges of the manor's property.

Jasper noticed his presence, turning to face him with a nod of his head. The phantom beckoned him over, twitching his fingers. 

"Who are they?" the master asked when Jasper stopped before him.

"The elder man is Theo, he's the head of the Thunder Mesa's historical society," Jasper answered, "and the red-head is Melody, who I'm sure you were able to figure out."

"I guessed," the phantom cocked his head toward her direction, knowing that he couldn't be seen by her, "It's remarkable how she looks so much like... her."

"Yes, even though the two of them are from different sides of the family," Jasper nodded in agreement.

"What is your position in this?"

"We've both become accepted by her and Goliath. She allows us to follow her during the day and spend time with her at night. When she needs assistance, we are at her beck and call - though she apologizes quite frequently when she does."

"And what have you found out about her?"

"She is the last of the Ravenswood line, the only one with an inheritance to the manor. Gabrielle's family roots have run dry, essentially. The family's history has always had two children - one boy, one girl - with the girl bearing two children, and the boy bearing none. Melody's mother couldn't have another child after Melody was born due to complications, and her uncle is too old to have children - his wife unable to bear a child and both unable to adapt due to complications. Melody is the only child in her family and the last of the family line with ties to the Ravenswood Manor."

The Phantom tapped his fingers on his cane, nodding, "Very well. Excellent work. Have you or Alice discovered her deepest darkest fear yet?"

"Still working on that one," Jasper nodded, "A few more days should provide us with an answer."

The Phantom nodded, "One more week, Jasper. Remember, time is running out for us. The Manor has already started to refuse my power to control it and the grounds."

***

Melody had locked herself away in the study again, refusing for the first time Jasper and Alice's company.

The two had been stuck to her a lot lately and Melody felt herself suddenly overbeared by them - especially after Jasper's strange behavior in the gardens when he had returned only after walking away from her for only a few moments. Obviously, Theo couldn't see her ghostly companion, but Melody could see the pain in Jasper's features. When she asked him what was wrong, Jasper refused to acknowledge it - instead getting Alice involved as the two suddenly stuck to her sides like glue.

Now, locked in a study with only a record playing classical music, Melody could feel at ease and breathe a bit more easily.

Jasper had designed plans for the gardens, while the historical society had come up with their own variation of what they wanted it to look like - allowing Melody to make the final call on everything. She was busy, looking over the designs, when she felt a sudden chill run up her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end while a tingle crawled through her like a cold sweat. She felt her blood run cold as she felt eyes watching her - eyes that belonged to something other than her ghostly companions and Goliath.

She stood up straight, pressing her pencil into the table before calling out, "I know you're here, whoever you are. Come on out and face me."

Silence remained, though Melody could've swore she heard a soft gasp coming from behind her. She turned, her eyes seeing nothing.

'Normally we can sense another spirit if there's one nearby - even when in hiding,' Alice's voice came back to her thoughts.

"Please come out," Melody called again, "I don't mean to be rude, you just caught me off guard is it."

"Did I scare you?" a voice replied from the darkness. To Melody, the voice was hauntingly beautiful - a strict male's voice that was filled with mirth, as if spooking her gave him joy.

"A little," the woman admitted, "you just startled me."

"Normally a disembodied voice would frighten someone," the voice spoke again, though much softer, "That, or being secluded in a haunted house."

"Are you a ghost, then?" Melody asked, taking a seat at the desk, watching around for something to appear that may give her an idea who it was she was speaking to.

"Yes and no," the voice answered, "I'm a spirit that is the embodiment of this house. I watch over all who enter and protect those who have departed within these walls."

"So, like a guardian then," the woman nodded, "I was half expecting you to say you were the phantom coming to devour my soul."

"And if I am?" the voice prompted.

"I doubt it," Melody giggled, "If you were the Phantom, you would've made an appearance by now. Or at least made some sort of attempt to push us away - though I have a sneaky suspicion that they tried with Goliath and failed."

She could hear the floorboards creak before they stopped, the voice speaking again, "What made the demon dog stop? What makes you so special?"

"I'm not special, at least I don't think so," Melody shrugged her shoulders, "Goliath chased me into a room and began sniffing the floors before allowing me to pet him. But, I don't have any special gifts or talents, I'm just a woman who loves history and learning."

"And projects, apparently. You work too hard."

Melody shrugged, "Maybe it's my way of coping."

The voice hummed in thought, "Coping with what, exactly?"

"Why are you so curious?" Melody asked, "Is there something you wish to know?"

"I want to know why a strange woman - a mortal - who brought others to the doors of this manor, which has been abandoned for over one hundred fifty years. Why is this place so important to you, other than apparently your family's ties to it?"

Melody thought long and hard, but was unable to come up with an answer.

"There must be something that draws you in each and every day. Is it the legacy of this place, or something more?"

"Something more, perhaps," she replied, "How long have you been here?"

"A little over two hundred years..."

"So, you knew the Ravenswoods when they lived here, correct?"

"Yes... though I was closer to Melanie than the others, who didn't acknowledge my presence in the slightest."

"Then you knew this place was once a happy home, filled with love and kindness."

"Not really," the voice answered, floorboards creaking as if someone was pacing, "This place was anything but happy or filled with love. I had seen Melanie's tears when she was refused any sort of freedom by her father, constantly being escorted by either Jasper or Arthur wherever she went. She was a prisoner in this house... and still is to this day."

Melody stood from her chair, "You knew Melanie? Were you close with her?"

The voice cursed softly under his breath, "I've said too much..."

"Wait, please," Melody called, "Look, I know about Jasper and Alice. They've been at my side since they've made an appearance, but they rarely talk about Melanie - only Arthur. I want to know about her."

"There's nothing to know, she died and that's it."

"That's not true and you know it."

The voice chuckled darkly then, "You're playing with fire, little girl."

The fireplace suddenly erupted into hot blue flames, making Melody jump at the sound of the swoosh from the logs catching flame before she turned back to where the voice was speaking from, "If so, how come I haven't been burned yet?"

"You're pushing your luck," the voice growled lowly, nearly animalistic.

"Perhaps I struck a nerve?" Melody raised a brow, "I know that you were close to Melanie, Ghost. Obviously you cared about her, and it hurts you that she's not here with you anymore. I get it, I had a friend like that before death took him too."

The voice was silent, urging Melody to continue.

"My proposal is simply this, let us talk. You can ask me any question you like, and I will answer to the best of my ability, then vice versa. And if you can't give me an answer tonight, at least take time to think about it."

The voice was silent for a while, making Melody wonder if she had been left alone again.

"Very well," the voice answered, "I will think about your offer. Be here tomorrow night at eight pm sharp. If I arrive, you will have your answer."

Chapter Text

The smell of coffee, bacon, and eggs woke Melody from a deep slumber, the young woman opening her eyes and inhaling deeply before yawning and stretching herself awake.

"No, Goliath! That's not for you!" Alice's voice pulled Melody from the study and into the hall to see the ghost in question hovering above the ground to prevent a tray of food from the demon dog's snapping jaws as he jumped about.

"Goliath! Down boy!" Melody giggled as the dog heeled enough to allow the poor maid to reconnect to the floor.

"My apologies, Melody," Alice sighed, her shoulders dropping, "I was hoping to surprise you with a bit of breakfast, but it would seem Goliath was more keen to have a taste first before you."

"It's alright, Alice, it's a pleasant surprise. May I ask where the food came from?"

"Shall we say Jasper left to have it prepared?"

Melody cocked her head, "Really? I didn't think any of you could leave the mansion's grounds."

"We can't, not physically at least. Jasper's case, however, is different from mine and the others. He was... well, his death came to him while he was leaving the manor's grounds, thus he has the capability to travel off the grounds and a little ways away from where he met his demise before he can go no further."

"Please tell me he didn't spook anyone to get this."

Alice gave a crooked smile, saying nothing as she offered the tray to Melody, who took it and allowed the ghost and dog to follow her into the study again. Melody perched on the cot again, tray in her lap, while Goliath laid down before her and Alice perched on the air itself, one leg crossing over the other while the young woman ate.

"Where is Jasper, anyways?" Melody asked, after taking a sip of the coffee, "I want to thank him for bringing me something."

"Jasper's busy with something at the moment," Alice waved her hand in dismissal, "I will give him your message when I cross paths with him again."

"Are you two not going to be around today, then?"

"We're always around, but today - we won't physically be near you," Alice explained, "There are other obligations we must still hold up - even if we no longer are alive."

"And they would be?"

Alice gave her crooked smile, tilting her head toward Melody's tray as a way of saying, 'Eat up.' The two sat in silence a bit longer, the only sounds being Goliath's smacking whenever Melody gave him a small piece of her bacon or egg.

"Alice? Can I ask you something?" Melody asked after a moment.

"You may ask me anything you like," the maid smiled, "As long as it is within reason, of course."

Melody bit her lip before speaking, "You had mentioned that there are other spirits that reside within the house, some that have been here longer than you and Jasper."

"I can't say I remember that last bit, but yes. There are several spirits that have been here longer than any of us - even longer than the Ravenswoods."

"Did Melanie have any friends that were ghosts when she was, you know, alive?"

Alice shrugged her shoulders, unable to answer, "Your distant cousin was very secluded from the outside world by her father, which I'm sure you know already. When she was a child, Melanie would make up stories to tell us about whenever Jasper or I weren't busy and could interact with her. Your uncle Arthur would encourage this, wanting her to have an open mind and not feel like she was trapped in this house - even though she was. 

"As time went on, her stories became more elaborate, almost to the point that it actually scared Henry that she was sneaking out of the house to have adventures when no one was looking. Melanie would write down all of her thoughts and ideas in a sort of journal that she kept hidden somewhere in this house, as well as drawings she did that went along with them."

"I would've loved to read what she wrote," Melody smiled, "She seems like a woman who would've written an action-adventure over a romance any day of the week."

Alice chuckled, "She did have a way with words, I suppose. I never had a chance to read any of her works, personally, but I do know that her mother, Martha, did see what her daughter wrote from time to time and was pleased with her daughter's hidden talent."

"It seems that everyone in this house, save for Uncle Henry, was a good person," Melody answered, looking down at her nearly empty cup of coffee.

Alice's face twisted in a grimace, licking her lips, "Not necessarily, my dear. There are many dark secrets that lay dormant in this house, some even darker than the Phantom himself."

"What sort of dark secrets?" Melody asked.

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Alice shifted to a standing position and patted Melody on the head like a child, "Finish your breakfast, your friends will be arriving shortly and you will need your strength for today."

***

When the others arrived, arms filled with packages of baked goods and coffee from the local shops, Melody and the other historians gathered in the renovated study to discuss the remainder of the restorations while Goliath took a nap in the center of the room, grisly paws crossed over each other as the hound slept.

Don and Horace both gave their reports - the restoration of the antique furnishing and paintings were going as expected, the first of the furniture planning on being returned to the manor in a few weeks time. Maude gave input about the lower levels of the house - the ballroom, the foyer, the grand hall, and library (which was off of the family room on the opposite side of the house) was nearing completion with a few more kinks to work out specifically in the foyer and the ballroom. The remaining two bedrooms on the upper floor along with the music room, conservatory, kitchen, servants’ quarters, dining room, and the portrait corridor were still in shambles. Theo decided that whichever workers were done with their respected rooms first would start immediate work on either the bedrooms, the music room, or the conservatory and then go from there. Lester discussed the progress of the grounds - most of the plants, specifically Martha’s California Poppies and Gabrielle’s Marigolds, would take some time to arrive. The Fruit trees - pear, apple, and orange - would arrive later in the week and the gardeners would plant them behind the house after they dug out the dead ones. The walkways were still in shambles, but the beds that lined the walkway were mostly identifiable. He had also ordered replacement ceramic holders to replace the ones up front. The exterior of the house, to Melody’s relief, was also nearly finished - the sidings replaced and repainted a beautiful shade of pearl white, the emerald window shutters slowly being reattached with ease, and the scarlet roofing nearly complete. 

“I don’t know how much I can thank all of you for your hard work,” the young woman smiled, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“We’re not out of the woods just yet,” Theo smiled, “We still have a lot of ground work to cover still, but it would be nice to see this place become full of light and love again.”

“It would be a blessing if we have it completed by the time of ‘Noche de Bodas’ too,” Maude smiled.

“‘Nocha de Bodas’?” Melody asked, “That’s Spanish for ‘Wedding Night’.”

“Indeed,” Horace nodded in agreement, “You see, Mel, even though we hate this manor, we cannot forget about the innocent lives that were lost to it - specifically the night of Melanie’s wedding.”

“So, we celebrate what is called ‘Nocha de Bodas,’” Lester continued, “On the eve of Melanie’s wedding night, everyone in Thunder Mesa lights a single candle by their window along with a bouquet of Redwood Sorrel, Indian Paintbrush, and Tidy Tips. When the sun rises the following morning, we bring the bouquet of flowers to the edge of the manor's property and lay them to rest in memory for the groomless bride. We, then, return to town where a celebration is hosted - a makeshift wedding party, if you will.”

“We line the main road with tables and chairs and feast on home cooked foods of the time, as well as specialty dishes only served during special occasions such as weddings or on holidays,” Maude finished.

“Can I ask why?” Melody asked.

“I think the tradition started because several of the townsfolk believed the Phantom wasn’t just confined to the Manor,” Theo explained, “thus, ‘Nocha de Bodas’ was created to ward off the wicked spirits of the manor and leave us in peace for a year and to honor the innocence that was Melanie Ravenswood.”

“I wonder how you folks celebrate Halloween or Dia de los Muertos,” Melody asked as the group laughed.

The joy quickly died when Goliath jumped to his paws, the demon hound growling madly and looking around the room.

“What’s up with him?” Horace had leapt from his sitting position to standing on his chair, fear of the hound clear in his eyes.

Melody felt a tingle of dread creep along her spine, making her skin break out in goose pimples and the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She could feel a coldness sweep into the room and practically hear the sound of footsteps thumping along the wooden floors.

‘There’s only one ghost I know of that can do this,’ she thought to herself.

Goliath growled again, moving to stand beside Melody, before turning his attention to the space in between Maude and Lester.

“Mel, what’s gotten into Goliath?” Maude asked, looking fearful for the first time.

“I think he senses another’s presence in this room,” Melody answered.

“You mean, like, a spirit or ghost?” Don asked.

Melody nodded, “I was told recently that sometimes ghosts or spirits are particular about who they allow to see them. Most of the time, you can sense them in the room with you. I think one of those spirits is here with us now.”

“Melanie maybe?” Horace asked.

“I doubt it,” Lester answered, looking back at Goliath with an eyebrow raised, “If it was the spirit of Melanie Ravenswood, I don’t think the dog would react this way.”

“Then I suggest we adjourn our meeting until later,” Theo answered, slowly standing and looking around him, “If it is the Phantom lurking in the darkness, I personally don’t want to tick him off more than he may already be.”

***

Melody waited in the study around the appointed time Ghost had asked to meet her. The others had left long ago, leaving the young woman with several pastries leftover from earlier in the day. Goliath had helped himself to a few before taking a nap on the study’s rug while Melody perched on her chair with a cup of coco in her hands. 

It had been a hard day following the scare this morning, especially with Goliath now glued to her side and consistently in contact with her leg as if he was afraid something would snatch out and take her away from him. Melody did attempt to seek out Jasper and Alice to see if either of them were behind the scare, but was unable to locate them. She thought that both of them may have returned to the attic for the day and had wanted to go up and confront them, but Alice’s fearful warning of her getting hurt while looking for them stopped Melody from attempting to open the attic door - never mind locate it.

So, she was left to her devices for the remainder of the evening, nibbling on a sandwich that she had purchased from town before settling in for the night. She looked at her phone, the screen flashing 8:01.

‘He’s not coming,’ she thought, leaning back against the chair, eyes closing in frustration.

“Greetings, Melody,” a voice called from the darkness.

“Ghost!” Melody couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face as she jumped to her feet, “You came!”

“Yes I did,” the voice spoke, “Though why, I couldn’t tell you.”

“Well, for whatever the reason, I’m glad you did. I was hoping you could explain what happened this morning here.”

“This morning?”

“I know that it was you that made Goliath upset and scared the living daylights out of him,” Melody answered.

“How do you know that?”

“It’s weird, but I could sense your presence in the room. The shiver that ran along my spine and how my hair stood on end - I knew that it was you.”

Ghost was silent, a tapping noise coming from one corner of the room like he was tapping his foot in thought before replying, “Yes, it was me there in the corner of the room. As I have watched over this house for so long, it is common for me to frequent the rooms I most cherish. This study was always a place of warmth and comfort for me… and Melanie.”

“Did she write a lot of her stories here?” Melody asked.

“Write? No. Listened? Yes,” Ghost explained, “The stories that she copied down were my own.”

“Yours?” Melody asked in surprise.

“Yes, it was a way for her to escape her prison,” Ghost answered, “I would tell her stories to humor her, keep her company. As she grew up, she took my stories and wrote them down in a journal she hid in the floorboards of her bedroom. It… made me happy to think they were a source of comfort to her.”

“I think all stories are to kids,” Melody answered.

Ghost hummed in reply, “But, onto more important matters, I’ve answered several questions for you, but I want to know about you specifically.”

“Shoot.”

“Why are you here? What is it about this house that draws you in?”

Melody fell back into her chair, one leg crossed over the other and arms folded over her chest as she fell in deep thought. Her first thought was that she was here to find out more about the missing side of her family - the one everyone refused to talk about, though that didn’t seem true anymore. The second thought was to help the historical society and the town of Thunder Mesa revitalize a historical part of their history, but that didn’t seem completely true either.

Melody looked to Goliath’s form on the floor and thought of everything she had been taught so far - about the history of the house and how it was built, the Thunder Mesa mine and the family curse, the ghosts and spirits that seemed to linger among the living - but it seemed all like a back drop to something much bigger than she expected.

“I’m not sure anymore,” she answered, “At first it was the unknown family history and the design of the house itself, then it became about the Ravenswood curse, and finally settling on the renovations. Don’t get me wrong, the manor is beautiful, even in it’s decayed state. But, it feels like there’s something else within these walls - like someone or something was calling me to the property every time I would look at the painting in my nana’s home. Even as I stand here in it’s walls, the voices of the building are all around me, calling to me. It feels like… like I was meant to be here.”

A cold breeze traced over Melody’s fingers, like a ghost had reached out to grasp her hand, but couldn’t.

“I think I may understand,” Ghost answered after a moment, “Perhaps, maybe… the house needed someone living within it’s walls again, as dangerous as this place may be.”

Melody didn’t need the unseen specter to elaborate on whom he was referring to. She cocked a smile in the empty room, thinking that perhaps, she had made a new friend with an unseen spirit - one who was close to Melanie once upon a time.