You Did Good

Six

The air is thick with a promise of darkness. The walls whisper at the group as they follow Lorraine deeper into the crawl space. Their footsteps echo back to them even long after they find a resting place. Sitting in a circle, facing each other, they wait for Lorraine to explain to them what they are doing.

In the middle of their silent vigil sits the spirit box and a purple diamond ring. When asked about it, Lorraine explains: "This was found laying on the steps when the girls' bodies were discovered. There is a belief that it belonged to one of them and that if you offer it to the house, Phoebe may present herself."

"No shit?" Benji calls, his smile widening.

She nods.

"Have you ever seen them?"

She smiles, only to falter with a shaken breath. "I...have, but it's not something I like to talk about."

"How come?"

"Rude. Ass." Renata reaches over to smack the side of his head. "Did you hear her? She doesn't like talking about it, you inconsiderate thot."

"No, it's okay." She chuckles. "I'm pretty sure I saw the other girl one day, actually. Her name was Elise Mortley, and she was the second girl to get killed." She reaches forward, beginning to mess with the purple diamond ring. In flips over the knuckle of ome finger, then the other, the steady rhythm fascinating them all as she fidgets. "Many investigators have concluded throughout the years that Elise watched her best friend get shot, only to be kept alive for hours afterward with Phoebe's body laying by her feet."

"Oh my God." Renata gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. "That poor girl."

Lorraine nods. "Elise is sometimes seen around here, reliving those hours. If she sees anyone here, she attacks them because she thinks that, well, they're those murders that killed her friend. She wants revenge."

"What does she do?" Benji asks.

"She likes playing mind games." She smiles. "We call her Sneaky Elise a lot, actually."

"We? Who's 'we'?"

"The housekeeper and I."

"Wait..." He turns towards the others who came with him, his face questioning. "I thought she said there were only two spirits, Phoebe and the evil apparition. Why didn't she ever mention Elise?"

"That's because, um-"

Creeeeeak.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Seth muses, shaking his head. "Now the house starts making noises? Really?"

"I've got chills," Renata says, her voice grave. She turns to him, exposing her arm.

"That's the stairs." Lorraine states. "Someone heard us talking about them and has decided to come say hello."

"I don't like that at all." Benji teases. Finding this a good opportunity, he clicks the dial of the spirit box to ON. "If that's true, can you talk into this spirit box? We just want to talk to you."

They still for a moment, allowing Benji to entertain this for a minute or two. When nothing comes through the frantic static, Renata laughs.

"Okay, someone is definitely fucking with us." She shakes her head. "I told you guys that there's nothing here."

"You don't believe?" Lorraine hikes an eyebrow.

"Why should I? It's insane."

"Hey, I've experienced things I can't explain." Benji defends.

She frowns. "My point exactly."