With Love, From the Other Side

A New Beginning

Calie stood on the stoop of the old Victorian home she had inherited from her recently deceased grandmother, taking in the crisp autumn air. Leaves swirled around her feet in a vibrant dance of reds and yellows. The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the weathered shingles and intricate woodwork, making the house feel almost alive, as if it were whispering secrets of its past. Every summer and holiday spent here with her grandparents flooded her mind—learning to bake with her grandmother, Gwen, and tinkering with gadgets alongside her grandfather. She cherished those moments, even the quiet afternoons spent doing crosswords and watching Westerns in the living room.

As she gazed up at the grand building, a small hand slipped into hers. Looking down, she saw her oldest daughter, Syrenety, gazing back with wide eyes. "Look at this place, Momma!" she exclaimed. "Can I explore?" The curious eleven-year-old dashed past her, her wild hair bouncing as she hurried toward the front door. "Come on! Let's check it out!" she called, excitement bubbling over.

"Sure, sweetheart, but be careful. We don't know how much the house needs love, so watch for soft spots in the floor," Calie replied, taking a deep breath. "Look at this place," she murmured to her husband, Ryan, standing beside her.

"It's a bit..." he hesitated, trying to tread lightly. "Well, it definitely needs some love."

"Love that we'll give it. Isn't it perfect?" Calie's eyes sparkled as she turned to Ryan, who stood with his arms crossed, a skeptical look on his face.

"I don't know, Calie," he said, eyeing the ivy-clad walls. "It looks a little... haunted, don't you think?"

Calie laughed, dismissing his concerns. "Haunted or not, it has character! Just imagine all the adventures we can have here." She envisioned explorations in the sprawling garden, nature trails nearby, and countless stories waiting to be uncovered within these walls.

"Let go, Momma!" Their two-year-old, Briallyn, raced into the house, gasping at every new sight. "Wow!"

"Yeah, baby. Wow," Calie said, scooping Briallyn into her arms. "Let's explore our new home! Want to pick out your room?"

Ryan sighed, knowing that resistance was futile. "Alright, but if I see a ghost, I'm out of here."

As they entered the house, a chill swept through the hallway, sending a shiver down Ryan's spine. Sunlight streamed through the dusty windows, illuminating the intricate woodwork and faded wallpaper. "It just needs a little love," Calie said, touching the wall gently.

Briallyn's eyes wide with wonder, wiggled in Calie's arms and begged to be let down to play. She giggled as she spotted a fluttering curtain, reaching out as if to play with the invisible breeze. "Boo!" she squealed, clearly unfazed by the eerie aura of the old house.

"I think she's found her first friend," Jareth muttered from the back, arms crossed and eyes scanning the room. The fourteen-year-old was still grappling with the idea of sharing his space with ghosts—if they were even real. He had always been the cautious one, preferring the predictability of his video games to the unpredictability of real life.

James, Jareth's twin, lagged behind, his phone in hand. "Can I set up the Wi-Fi first?" he asked, barely looking up. "I need to check if I can download the new game while we unpack."

"Priorities," Jareth scoffed, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.

"Let's explore!" Syrenety insisted, leading the charge up the creaky staircase. Each step echoed through the house, as if the floorboards were whispering stories of those who had walked before them.

As they reached the top, Syrenety opened the door to the attic, revealing a dimly lit space filled with old furniture, cobwebs, and dust motes dancing in the air. She stepped in first, her heart racing with excitement. "Look at all this stuff!"