Ghostly Plea

Ashlyn

When I was 11 years old, I went to Disneyland for the first time. It was amazing. Different worlds that I could explore based on some of my favorite movies? Heck yes! I loved adventure land, I felt like a real-life explorer in the amazon. When other girls were getting their princess makeover, I was on the jungle cruise pretending to fight off a swarm of piranhas. Don't get me wrong, I still loved the princesses, they just weren't on the top of my list.

That trip was the first time I discovered how much I love adventure and exploring. While most of my friends would have been too scared to go on The Haunted Mansion, I relished seeing the spooks and haunts of the ride. It was all fun and games after all, but here and now is not a ride. It is not fake. The ghosts and ghouls dining in the ride were merely animatronics, but the ghosts I'm dining with tonight are completely, and utterly real.

My friends try to act normal, conversing over topics any regular teenager would during dinner. They all have strained smiles on their faces, their laughs never fully real. It's all a facade to keep Geoffrey happy. It looks like they are all a-go on Bella's plan to play nice. I keep my promise to Bella by keeping quiet. I push the food around my plate, not being able to stomach it. I politely listen to conversation, not feeling up to joining in.

Everyone has finished their dinner and moved to dessert. I stare at my pudding in a fancy crystal cup. Glass butterflies dance around the brim. Everyone's cups are the same, except for mine. I don't know why but it makes me uneasy. This whole dinner arrangement makes me uneasy. Being the last to the table I had the "honor" to sit at the head of the table. Right across from Geoffrey.

He's been glancing my way all through the night, sending prickles up my spine. Earlier in the evening Poppy asked where his wife Martha was. He simply replied she didn't want to scare us more by seeing another ghost. She was just happy she could cook the food for us. That all happened an hour ago. The sun had started to set and soon darkness would come. I have never been fond of the dark. You never know what could be hiding inside.

That chatter has started to die down, everyone drained from acting like everything is fine. I'm swirling the smallest spoon I have ever used in my chocolate pudding getting lost in my own jumbled thoughts when Geoffrey speaks.

"Miss Staco?" He questions, hands twined on the oak table.

I take a deep breath, paste a smile on my face and answer, "Yes?" He stares at me, questioning eyebrow raised.

"You haven't touched any of your food. Was it not to your liking Ashlyn?" I grind my teeth at the use of my first name.

"It was great, I'm just not very hungry." At least that's basically the truth.

A dark shadow falls over his face. "That's strange, I would have thought you would have been starving, since you have not eaten anything since yesterday afternoon." His eyebrow raises again.

"That's true, but the shocking events of the past two days have ruined my appetite sadly." I shake my head and shrug my shoulders as if saying, 'what can you do?'

"I can understand that. You should at least try your putting though. I once knew a girl, and that was her favorite dessert. She would only ever eat it in the same crystal glass you have." He gestures to my cup with the butterflies. "She always did want to have wings..." He looks down at the table, lost in thought.

"I've always liked butterflies," I say, he meets my eyes. "I wish I were one right now."

"How so?" Light dances in his eyes, they sparkle with hope. I have no idea why they do, if he keeps asking questions, he's not going to like my answers.

"If I were a butterfly, I could fly far away from this demented house." I smirk and look him dead in the eye. "And you would be trapped here forever. Like you deserve." Bella's head whips in my direction. Her gaze is full of daggers. Whintle kicks me slightly under the table.

Geoffrey's already pale face starts to get even more so. His hands start to shake with rage. He stands from the table and slams his hands down. Everyone jumps in their seats terrified of his wrath. The blood drains from my face. I messed up, I'm supposed to keep a clean nose, not put my friends in danger. I'm about to apologize when Geoffrey takes a deep breath and clasps his hands together.

"You are all dismissed. Enjoy the rest of your evening." He begins to fade and disappears.

I'm the first to leave the dining room, trying to avoid the wrath of Bella. But I'm not fast enough. She walks up to me and yanks my hand, pulling my outside. She basically shoves me behind the rose bushes, so we are out of sight. I don't know who Bella's trying to hide from. Geoffrey could be watching us without us even realizing. I shiver at the thought.

"What was that Ashlyn?!" She all but yells.

"I'm sorry-"

"You were doing so well! And then you had to mess it all up over pudding!" She starts to pace. "Apparently your junior high acting classes have left you, because all you needed to do was take a bite of the pudding and say it was delicious. He would have left you alone, but no. You have to do what you always do when you feel threatened. Say something sarcastic and mean!" She throws her hands up in the air in a 'what am I going to do with you?' gesture.

I really don't know what she's going to do with me. I messed up. I look at the ground hating it when I disappoint Bella. She's like my second mother. Making sure I'm okay and doing the best I possibly can.

"I'm sorry." I whisper not meeting her eyes. She walks over and hugs me.

"Just try more next time, okay?" I nod and she leaves me behind the rose bushes.

I kneel on the ground and think about the situation I'm in. I made a promise to myself I would be a good little girl and do what I was told. And I will from now on. I swear. I stand back up and walk back to the ladybug bench I found earlier. I sit on it and stare at the beautiful, yet dangerous flowers holding me prisoner. White roses are the only thing that grows in the garden. I start to think about another rose I've seen recently.

I put the locket I found earlier around my neck. It was thankfully long enough to be hidden by my dress. I unclap it, and realize a single rose is singed in the middle of the heart outline. A diamond is placed in the center of the roses' bloom. A memory flashes across my mind. The letter from Eleanor was sealed with a rose stamp, a dead white rose also fell out of the envelope. The roses are a clue. Now I just need to figure out how.

***

Everyone was getting ready for bed. Bella and Poppy were changing and washing their faces in the bathroom I got cleaned up in earlier. I had already changed into the pajamas I packed. Arthur decided to stay with the boys, now knowing Whintle was okay. I quickly stash the letter under Bellas mattress. I wear the locket, not wanting anyone to take it from me if they come upon it.

I get a bed tonight thankfully. I lay down on the bottom bunk waiting for Bella and Poppy to get back. I start humming a song trying to stop myself from fearing being alone.

You were just fine earlier when you were snooping. I scolded myself. The difference is then it was light, now it's dark. I have no idea what horrifying things lurk in the dark corners of this house. I close my eyes and try to think of home. I picture myself in my bedroom sipping hot chocolate and reading one of my favorite books.

I continue to hum and realize I don't recognize the melody at all. I try and think of where I could have heard it before. But nothing comes to mind. I hum it again, still trying to remember. Soon my eyelids start to droop, my breathing evens. As I drift off to sleep, lyrics intertwine with the melody.

Little girls in a row, knowing they will leave one day,

Little girls at play, not knowing what is coming their way,

Little girls do not know that they are going to die someday...