Feels Like Home

Haunted House

The lights on the path have an orangish glow. The wind has picked  up and eerie sounds are pumping through the speakers They lead the way to the haunted house. Every once in a while, someone jumps out of the bushes and tries to scare us. She jumps every time.  She also jumps closer to me.  close enough for my arm to move around her was it and close enough that I can lean into her hear and whisper.

"Amateurs," I say to her in a low voice. "I will protect you, scaredy cat." I giggle at her.

She is adorable in every way.

Her arms cross in front of her chest and I can tell that my term of affection irritates her.

"I do not like that name, sir."  I smile.  I knew that she would have words about that one.  

"Noted."  I say and hide the grin.  She snuggles into my side and I cherish her warmth.  

There it stands in the middle of the square. The oldest house in town and the tallest. The Blythe Mansion is a old house, but not decrepit and quite beautiful in its own way. Painted black, its yellow overhang is slightly askew and gives the feeling of an old timely horror movie. The windows are clouded over so that shadows and light are all that is visible. The tombstones placed in the front yard along with the smoke created by a machine and the fog that seemed to roll in from out of nowhere add to the ambiance. In the front yard,  a metal fence with spikes surrounds the property. The oak trees in the front yard cooperate with the theme as they sway and moan in the wind.  The owls hoot and the clouds roll across the sky ,the wind dragging along leaves from the maple trees that are shedding their weight for the winter. Two weekends a year, this mansion in a little town in the middle of the forest, one which was presumed to be truly haunted, gets to shine.

"I know it is something that I should have said earlier, but I don't like to be scared." She confesses. "I mean, I really don't like it."

"Then why on Earth do you want to go to a haunted house, my silly girl?" I kiss her cheek.

"Because I've never had some one that I trusted enough to go with me. I never want to let fear control me. With you, I know that I will be safe." she says, looking shy.

"I am honored. I promise I won't let you go. I will keep you safe, no matter the manner of demon or monster."

She smiles and kisses my cheek. "I know I will be safe with you".

"Let's get some coffee to drink while we're in line," I say.

"I love you for many reasons, but your desire to fill me with coffee is high on the list." She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the coffee cart.

We grab drinks and notice how long the line is. I didn't know how popular this event would be.  If she wasn't this close to me, I don't think I would know what to do with myself,  This was good for me.  It was a way to get more used to the real world.  I look around for Betty and Phillip, but I don't see them anywhere. I guess we're are going through this just the two of us.  That doesn't;t bother me.

"Perhaps we should have gotten here sooner? I don't see Betty or Philip." I apologize. "Do you want me to try and track them down?"

"It's fine. We have all night. Besides, waiting in line gives us more time for this." She wraps my arms around her from the back and leans against my chest facing out. Our fingers interlace and she occasionally raises my hand to her mouth and kisses my palm. I kiss her head and generally enjoy this feeling of closeness, one that I thought I had found and then lost and then thankfully  found again.

I hold her as the line slowly moves. We joke as I continue to kiss her forehead and whisper in her ear. She laughs. It is nice. These little moments that lead to a real love. These little moments are what makes a life. They are what I dream of keeping.