Haunted Escape | ONC 2022

.14.

Chapter 14

"First the ghosts and now nightmares?" Jonah asks, bringing his mug of steaming coffee to his lips. "You're getting it tough, girl."

I told Landon all about my dream when I woke up. We stayed huddled together under the covers as I spoke and he listened to every word, comforting me when I reached the point of the dream where I almost died. Or... I did die. I'm not sure.

Then we went downstairs to make breakfast and Keely and Jonah came round to join us. I decide to tell them about the dream too, hoping that we can come up with some sort of meaning behind it, but there's nothing. It was just a dream about my childhood. A childhood that I don't remember, at that.

"This house is cursed," Landon mutters. My eyebrow quirks up a little but I don't say anything, instead taking a sip of my own tea.

"Are you sure there's nowhere you can go, Ember?" Keely asks softly. She places a reassuring hand on my arm. "It might do you some good to get out of this house."

I shake my head. "I'm going to stay here while I make some money. Then hopefully I can find somewhere different."

"You'll stay in the village, though, right?" Jonah asks, seeming a little concerned.

"I'd like to," I smile. My eyes subtly travel to where Landon is sitting and I see him also grin at my answer. I can tell that he's worried that I'll end up moving again, somewhere that would make it more difficult to see one another, but I wouldn't want that either. All I have to do is earn enough to get myself a small house in the village. Maybe then I won't have the issues that come with this damned house.

"We should have a picnic or something," Keely decides out of nowhere. "Get some food and just sit outside in the garden. Have you even explored all that land you have yet?" she directs the question at me.

I press my lips together. "I actually haven't."

"Then it's settled!" she declares, spinning around to grab some food from the cupboards.

"You like picnics too much," Jonah grumbles. His sister ignores him.

The picnic ends up being a great idea. I haven't had the chance to see the garden yet, so sitting out in the midday sun eating a whole bunch of junk food with my new friends is the perfect way to do so.

The garden is like a small field, outlined by dense trees and decorated with patches and bushes of varied colours of flowers. There's a few rose bushes that catch my eye that are well-maintained and I still can't believe that, technically, all of this is mine.

It's a shame that the ghosts of the house are driving me away. I really could have seen myself living here for the rest of my life.

Landon plays with my hair as I lay beside him on the picnic blanket before the four of us get into some very competitive card games. Keely wins the first game and I win the next, and when Jonah tries to change the rules during the next one, Landon starts a play fight with him and they end up chasing one another around the garden like puppies.

"What muppets," Keely snickers, laying down beside me on the blanket. She glances over at me and smiles a little. But for once her smile doesn't radiate confidence. It seems more embarrassed. She takes in a deep breath before looking back up at the blue sky. "You know, Em. Sometimes I don't know whether I want to be you or... be with you."

I give her a questioning look, eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You're pretty. And kind. You've been through a lot but still have this gorgeous smile. And... you're alive. That's a pretty beautiful thing."