Ghostly Plea

Ashlyn

Some of us are going to die. That's a strange thought. When and how you are going to die. Everybody thinks it at some point of their life, but not this young, and never under these circumstances. When I was a little girl I was scared of the idea of death. Then I learned that everybody's time comes eventually. I was hoping for a long life and a fast peaceful death in my old age. After a while I got used to the idea of death, I was no longer afraid. But now, being here, I am terrified.

We've already tried to escape after Geoffrey left. But the front door was welded shut, as were the windows. The only door that would open was the French doors leading out to the back. There was a moment of hope. I thought, how could a ghost beyond our years be so dumb that he left a door open. We all ran to the back bubbling with excitement, being naive and thinking we could leave. But our story was just beginning, of course we wouldn't be able to leave yet.

The gardens that were already overgrown had become more so. The prickly rose bushes had grown several feet, acting as a barrier between us and the front of the house. Finn grabbed a knife and started to hack into the bushes, but when a whole grew too big, the roses grew back, with more thorns, and the stems bigger and thicker. We are stuck in a living nightmare. The only other way out was the maze, but none of us wanted to risk it. We didn't know if it could come to life like the roses.

And now I'm here, in Liam Turner's study, examining a portrait of himself. Of course, someone like Liam would have a painting of themself in his study. After we tried to escape, Geoffrey came back enraged. He apparently thought we would continue in these murder games happily. He told us there would be rules. Guidelines to keep us safer when poking around the house trying to discover secrets. And one of them was to always be with another person. But I could care less about rules.

I've always loved solving puzzles and mysteries. And if I can do so now, without risking my friends then I will. The room is the epitome of a man's study. Dark walls, a huge oak desk and books line every wall. The portrait hangs above a fireplace. Currently I'm sitting in the huge maroon chair that could double as a throne. If I attract the attention of Liam then so be it. I'm done with being scared.

I stand up, not wanting to waste time being lost in thought. There has to be something in here. I'm surprised the door wasn't locked. That's always how it is in the movies. But if the other ghosts besides Liam want our help, then I suppose they would do anything in their power to keep this door open. I open the desk drawer, but all I find are old cigars, ink, wax, and a wax seal stamp. Where would a guilty man hide his secrets?

I start to look through cabinets around the room but only find liquor. Maybe in the books? One by one I open the books. I toss them in a pile if there's nothing. Liam may get mad that I'm wrecking his study, but I don't give a crap. I look, and look, and look. Nothing. I don't understand! Something had to have caused that night. And Liam seems evil enough that it was him. Or something he did. I abandon my efforts with the books and start poking around the desk again.

I glide my hands around the smooth oak seeing if I can feel or see anything out of the ordinary. I'm about to give up and go find everybody when I see a tiny carved heart close to the bottom of the desk, it seems to be upside down. I kneel on the floor to get a better look. I run my fingers over the edge, and it shifts. A breath leaves my lips, and I try to move it again. I try to shift it to the right, but it doesn't budge. I tried the left, but again, nothing. This time I turn it clockwise, and it moves. I twist it until the heart is no longer upside down.

My heart starts to speed in anticipation. The heart clicks in place and tiny mechanisms in the desk clink and move. With a pop, a secret drawer opens on the underside of the desk. Years of old thick dust puff out of the drawer causing me to sneeze. Looks like this was the only part of the house that wasn't cleaned. In the drawer sits a gold locket, and a letter.