Ghostly Plea

Charlie

I shouldn't have done it. I know I shouldn't have. When I agreed I knew it was a crappy idea from the beginning. But he said he'd help. He said he would make Finn like me, not Bella. Just thinking about the two together fills me with jealousy. I've been throwing myself at Finn for years. And what does he do? He runs to Isabella Ramsey.

Finn and I are alike. We watch out for ourselves and do whatever the heck we want. He should want me. Not that princess. I've compared myself to her since she first came to this group. She's spoiled, while the world craps on me. Well, I'm done with comparing. Finn's going to be mine.

So maybe it wasn't a bad idea at all. Maybe the deal was a great idea. When he offered it to me, I jumped on it the first chance I got. All I had to do was pretend I found the silver dagger and present it to everyone. He would take care of the rest. It's a done deal. There's no going back now. Maybe if I was smarter, I would have asked why the silver dagger? Why was he helping me? But being me, and being the selfish person I am, I agreed. And now here I am.

***

Ashlyn

I creep silently into the house only to find Danny sitting by the back door waiting for me. "Danny? What are you doing?" He jumps up and gives me a hug.

"You worried me!" he accuses. His r's sound more like a w. So, it came out more like wowied.

"Why? I wasn't gone that long."

"You were gone fwee hours."

"I was gone for three hours?!" I ask, shocked. It couldn't have been more than one. "How do you even know how to tell time? You're five."

"I may be five, but I'm not stupid." He crosses his arms and pouts. I guess that's true. He may look five, but he's been alive way longer than me.

"Come on buddy, let's go back upstairs." I take his cold hand, but he stays where he is. He shakes his head fast.

"Geoffwie's wooking for you. He knows you snuck out."

"What? How? What time is it?"

"Fwee in the morning, dummy. You weft at one, and came back fwee hours water." I glare at him. Why is a kid calling me dumb.

"Don't call people that, it's rude."

"You called me stupid." He says matter of fact.

"I did not call you stupid." I whisper harshly.

"You said I couldn't tell time." he huffs.

"But I didn't call you stupid, did I?" He sticks his tongue out at me.

He huffs, "Geoffwies's wooking for you because Charwie found something."

"What did she find?" A key? Hope starts to swell in my chest.

"If I knew, I would have told you aweady." Man, this child is a piece of work.

"Fine, where are they? And do not say if you knew you would have told me already." He crosses his arms.

"I was not gonna say that at all. I was gonna say they are in the wiving woom."

"Then let's go." Danny's eyes widened in fear.

"No, Geoffwie's mad at you!"

"So?"

"So?! Geoffwie's mean! He used to be nice, but now he's not." His mouth scrunches to the side. "Martha's nice though."

"I'll be fine." I assure him. Geoffrey needs me, so he can't hurt me. At least, I hope.

He shrugs and walks into the big foyer. "Your funewal."

"Where did you learn that saying?"

"Audwey." Of course.

Everyone's sitting on the furniture, gathered around Geoffrey with an object in his hand. As I get closer, I realize it's a knife. No, a dagger. The room's light glistens off of the silver dagger. It looks brand new. Danny squeezes my hand. I look down at him and smile reassuringly.

"Look who finally made it, Miss Staco." Geoffrey says. "Your friends were worried, they thought you had wandered off while sleeping again. But here you are, looking fully aware to me."

I try to smile but it looks more like a grimace. Danny hides behind my legs. "Well, I'm here, perfectly fine."

"But there are rules, dear Ashlyn. You have a curfew, and it looks to me you've not slept a wink." He sets the dagger down and clasps his hands together.

"You never said there was a curfew."

"With you sneaking out, maybe I should enforce one." His face starts to drain of color. I know the signs; he is starting to get angry.

"Be careful Geoffrey, you're starting to sound like you care." I smile sweetly, and tug Danny with me towards the couch.

His eyes narrow. "Is it too much to ask that all I want is for my guests to be well rested?"

I laugh darkly to myself. Guests? "More like prisoners." I mumble to myself.

"What did you say my dear Ashlyn?"

"Nothing."

"No, that is not what I heard." He suddenly appears in front of me. I jump back a step. "Now, what did you say?" My eyes dart to Bella. She shakes her back and forth. Keep your mouth shut Ash, are what her eyes are saying.

I clench my jaw and look Geoffrey straight in the eye, saying nothing. "I would speak if I were you, Miss Staco." I grind my teeth, not opening my mouth. He looks at me for a moment and grabs my face forcefully with fingers. His nails dig into my cheeks. "SPEAK!"

I jerk away from his hold. "You called us your guests, but I said we were prisoners." I bite out. His face becomes expressionless. His hands start to shake. "You are keeping us locked here, aren't you?! We can't leave when we want! That sounds like a prisoner to me!" As fast as he appeared in front of me, he slapped me across the face.

I stand there, stunned. My fingers brush over the slightly puffy tingly skin. I look to see where Danny is making sure he's okay, only to find him gone from beside me. He's now in Bella's lap, crying. She holds him close to her. Whintle has stood up from the couch looking like he wants to hit Geoffrey like he did me. I put my hand out stopping him. I walk over to the couch and take a seat. Geoffrey stands where I left him. His whole body is rigid. He takes a breath, smooths his hair back, picks up the dagger and stands in front of us. He pastes a smile on his face.

"I have asked you here this morning because Charlie found something." So, she can wander around during the night but not me? Charlie stands up and tells all of us that she found the silver dagger in the library. How have I not thought of that before? The key could be in the library! "Thank you, Charlie, and to celebrate your first clue, tonight we are going to have a banquet."

How exciting...