PHANTOM (THE ARRIVAL) | J.A Madison

Chapter 1: The Smiling Man

"Hailey, where are you? " Joyce says playfully in a sing-song voice. "Boo! " Hailey jumps out of a closet onto Joyce. "I scared you! " Hailey giggles. "No! I knew you were coming! " Joyce laughs. "Girls! Time for dinner! " Their mom hollers from the kitchen. "Coming! " They both holler back. They run downstairs tripping over unopened boxes in the kitchen.

"Be careful! That stuff is fragile" Mary says to her daughters.
"Mom, why did we have to move here? " Joyce asks. Mary hesitates and gives her a look. "You know why, Joyce. " She sighs. The girls sit at the table patiently waiting for food. Joyce's eyes wander around the room.

"Dinner is served" Mary smiles as she hands the two young girls chicken and rice on a plate. "Ew! " Hailey pokes her food with her fork. "You have to eat dear" Their mother sits down with them. A long moment of awkward silence grows upon them as they eat.

"So, are you excited for your new school? " Mary breaks the silence. "Meh... " Joyce replies with very little enthusiasm. "You're gonna be in fifth grade" Joyce doesn't reply, she stuffs food in her mouth as an excuse not to talk.

"Come on Joyce.. You know why we had to move here. I.." She stops and sighs. "I don't like it here, it's scary. " Hailey jumps in the conversation. "What? How? " Mary asks. "Last night I saw a man looking through my window" Hailey starts. "He was smiling at me, it was creepy" Mary and Joyce stare at Hailey.
That's not a normal thing for an 8 year old to say, was there actually someone looking through her window? No...that's impossible, she sleeps upstairs, and there's no way someone could reach up there... Mary thought to herself. "What?" Joyce asks.

"I was trying to sleep last night, and a man was smiling at me through the window"
"Hailey, you need to tell me when this stuff happens... " Mary says urgently. "I didn't open it, you told me not to let strangers in. I just went back to bed. " Hailey explains. "Okay, girls stay here I'm going to make a phone call"
Mary gets up and walks away, leaving Hailey and Joyce in the dining room.

"Hello, what is your emergency? " The 911 dispatcher asks. Mary hesitates. Should I really be calling the police about this? I shouldn't be wasting their time..."Hello? " The woman repeats herself.
"Hi, sorry. My eight-year-old daughter Hailey says she saw a man looking at her through her window last night. This concerns me, I mean.. I don't know if it was real or not, that's not something an eight year old would say.. I'm genuinely concerned about this, Is there anyway your people can help?"
"I understand Ma'am, we can send some officers over to inspect the house-" "Yes, that would be great, thank you. " Mary interrupts.

"Okay ma'am if you could just tell me your address, they will be with you in the morning" " 544 Donner Ave. Bonham Massachusetts" "Okay, we will send some officers over tomorrow morning, I suggest sending your children to another family member for now while we look into this. "

"Okay, I will do that. Thank you" "No worries" The dispatcher ends the call. "Mom, I'm done, can I go to bed now?"
Joyce pulls on her mother's sleeve. "Actually Joyce, you and Hailey are going to be with Aunty Max for a little while okay? " "Okay" Mary hugs Joyce and takes out her phone again, Joyce skips to the dining room to clean up.
Mary dials a number on her phone.

"Hello? " A female voice comes from the speaker. "Hey, Max. I need you to take Joyce and Hailey for a little while" "Oh, Mary, I'm sorry I have work. " "You mean the work that you never tell me about? You know we don't keep secrets Max" "I've tried telling you, but you don't believe me" "Fine, I'm listening. What's this super secret work that you have to attend instead of spending time with your two nieces? " Mary says with a snappy tone. Max hesitates. "I'm.. a ghost hunter" "Really? " Mary asks, unconvinced.

"Yes. I work with three other people, even ask them! " "Seriously Max?! We're not five anymore. Stop playing games with me. " "I'm not! And this is exactly why I don't tell you! " She snaps through the phone. Mary sighs. "I'm sorry.. I.. I just really need help right now, we haven't talked in forever. " Mary says in a more soft and mellow tone. Max sighs. "I'll come pick the girls up tomorrow. " "Wai-" Mary tries to speak but Max hangs up. "Hello?Max? " Mary puts the phone down and sighs. "Who wants to have a sleepover with Mommy!? " She shouts playfully. "Me! " The girls shout back in sync.

Mary wakes up to Hailey and Joyce playing patty cake on the floor beside her bed. "Good morning Mommy" Hailey jumps up and hugs her mother. Mary smiles. "Aunty Max is going to be here to pick you girls up soon-" She stops herself. Oh, no, I forgot to tell her we moved... "I'll be right back girls" Mary gets up out of bed and walks into the hallway. Her phone rings and she picks it up. "Hey, where are you? I'm at your house but there's no one here. " Max sounds confused. "I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you we moved. " "You moved? Where? " "Bonham, 544 Donner Ave." Mary replies.

Max doesn't answer for a long moment. "Hello? " Mary asks. "Get out of there.. " Max sounds serious. "What? Maxine what's going on? " "I can't explain, I just need you and the girls to leave that house right now" "Uhm, no. I'm not doing anything until you explain to me what's going on. " "You're living in a haunted house Mary. " Mary laughs. "Really Max? What is going on with you lately? " "I'm coming to pick you up right now. How long have you been there for? " "Wha- Well at least a few days" "Have you seen anything? " Max interrupts.

"What does 'anything' mean? " "Anything weird or... Paranormal? " "You've got to be kidding me, no! I haven't. " "I'm on my way-" "No, this is crazy Max. You can't just call me and tell me that my house is haunted and we have to leave, you're crazy! " Mary hangs up.