The house at the Crossroads (BxB)

Between Nightmare and Reality

Despite having just woken up from a nightmare, Karlos was certain he was in another one. As his eyes flew open, blurry from the tears, a face that should not be there, appeared. So he screamed, scrambled away, and threw the sheets over his head.

"Lola!" he shouted, calling for his grandmother. "Lola, help!"

He heard a door creaking open, and then the sound of footsteps rushing towards him. He could not tell when his grandmother arrived as he shut his eyes tight, his trembling hands gripping the blanket tightly as if the action would make him any safer if there was indeed an attacker.

"Karlos, what is it?" a familiar voice came.

"Lola, is...is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Karlos. Jesus Christ why are you screaming this early in the morning?" That being said, his doubt of whoever came flew out the window.

Karlos lifted the blanket open. When he saw the wrinkled eyes, scrunched eyebrows, and crossed arms, relief washed over him.

"So, what is it?" his grandmother asked, clearly annoyed that Karlos woke her up for nothing.

"Someone...someone was here, Lola. I-I saw someone, and he was watching me sleep," he turned his head in every direction, searching for the ghost he woke up to.

"There's no one here, Karlos. What do you mean?"

"But... but I saw him the moment I woke up. He was here, he was watching me."

For a moment, his grandmother stared at him. Sighing, she said, "Maybe it was just a nightmare. You keep on thinking that this house is haunted since we came here, maybe that's why."

"No, Lola. I swear, someone was here just a moment ago. Let's just leave, Lola." He attempted to plead, through he knew it was in vain.

"No, we can't, Karlos. We've already talked about this, haven't we? "

"But the ghost-"

"This house is not haunted, Karlos. See? The thing you thought you saw is not here. You're eighteen, why do you still believe in such nonsense?"

"You're only saying that because it wasn't you who saw him. And I just had a nightmare, Lola. I saw someone dying here. There was so much...so much...blood," he felt himself tearing up. From fear or from grief, he was not certain.

His grandmother sat across from him and looked at him seriously. She said, "Karlos, it was just a nightmare. Believe me. Stop thinking of ghosts so you won't dream of them."

"Can't we just leave?" He tried one more time.

"Again, we need to stay here until summer ends. I have to have this house fixed."

"Then just ask someone else to manage renovation!"

She sighed for the second time and her lips formed into a thin line. That is how Karlos knew the conversation was over, "Leave if you want, but I will not allow any stranger to be in charged of the place-"

"-that holds too much of your late brother's memory," he finished. It was the line that her grandmother has spoken of for years before Karlos's father finally allowed her to stay at the house and manage the renovation. "I know."

"Thank you," said his grandmother.

"But if I proved to you that this house is indeed haunted, will you leave with me?" Karlos challenged. There was determination, underlined with desperation, in his tone.

"Do as you wish," she said as she stood, "If you do see a ghost, I hope it's my brother. I wish to see him."

Karlos felt the hair on his neck rise. "Lola, you're creeping me out."