Dream for the Dead (Completed/Editing)

5

I'd already began to doubt that the situation in the basement was just in my mind, and Elias just so happened to show up at my door. How would I talk to him without acting weird?
"I'm coming!" I called back, despite not wanting to see him right now.
"Hi," he smiled when I got to the door.
See, it was just your imagination, I told myself, he's totally normal. You need to act normal, too.
"Hey," I smiled back, though I still felt uneasy.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out or something?" he said, bashfully.
"Oh, okay - yeah, sounds fun."
Meanwhile, my mum was stood next to me, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
When I went to leave the house and Elias had turned around to walk, Mum whispered to me, "a boy from school?"
"The boy without the watch," I corrected, dread in my voice.
Mum immediately lost her smile.
"If he's horrible, you know where to kick."
I laughed, and jogged to catch up with Elias.

*

"So, how are you?" Elias asked as we walked.
"I'm good, except we had an intruder last night," I laughed, "you?"
"An intruder?" Elias appeared concerned.
I explained what had happened and how there were no signs of a break in, and Elias voiced something I had been considering in the back of my mind.
"Have you heard about the history of the house? You superstitious at all?"
"I've heard a little." I grinned. "I was actually reading about the history when you called for me."
"Sorry to interrupt," he said jokingly, "want me to fill you in?"
"You know a lot about that house?" I asked.
We stopped walking and Elias sat under the same tree he'd been sat under when I'd met him.
"I do."
He patted the ground next to him and I sat.
Then he began, "I find this house really interesting. What do you know about the house so far?"
"About the creation and the psychologist. That's about it."
"Well," he started, and leaned in closer, hushing to a whisper, "the next story might just be more horrific than the last. That goes for most of these stories. It's as though the previous owners had an... an influence, if you will, on the next owners and their already twisted minds."
"You don't have to be so theatrical. Just tell me what happened," I laughed.
"Well, young Tabitha," he growled.
Young Tabitha. I lost my smile and shivered.
"What's wrong?" He asked, losing his smile, too.
"Nothing," I said quickly, "carry on."
"No. Did you see something?" he looked ahead of us, into the trees opposite.
"Or -" he turned back to me, "- has something else happened in the house? You've seen something, haven't you?"
"I haven't."
It wasn't a complete lie.
He gave me a look that suggested he wasn't entirely convinced.
"Alright," he grinned, "but I'll get you to tell me somehow."
His grin turned mischievous and he shuffled closer, "are you ticklish?"
"N-no..." I stuttered.
Really, I was one of the most ticklish people I knew.
"How about here?" He jabbed my waist and I immediately started laughing and fell backwards, holding my middle.
"Wow, I've never met somebody who crumbles so easily," he mocked, and began tickling me again.
"Stop!" I screamed with laughter, "I'm not ticklish!"
"Of course not," he chuckled, "tell me what you saw!"
"Nothing! I didn't... see... anything."
He stopped tickling me for a moment and raised an eyebrow as he asked slowly, "but you heard something?"
"Right, yeah. The intruder."
I thought I was being smart, but he wasn't satisfied.
He started to tickle me again.
"Your giggling is sweet," he laughed, "now, tell me what you heard!"
I'd had enough.
"Okay. Okay!"
When he let go of me, I sighed, "you're strange. I mean, really strange."
"Yep." He lay back in the grass, looking rather pleased with himself. "Now, if you don't want that to happen again, tell me what you heard."
I told him about what had happened in the basement, but changed the fact that it was his voice and instead said it was mine, using it as evidence for it all being my imagination.
"You sure it wasn't mine?" he asked.
"W-what?" My heart pounded.
"My voice. It was me."
"How? You're just trying to scare me." I moved away slightly.
"Isn't it obvious?" He moved closer and there was a crazed look in his eye, as he muttered, "I used to live in that house. I'm a part of the history."
His expression was completely serious.
"You're crazy. I bet you're from that hospital." I jumped to my feet. "I'm going to call them. You're insane!"
I began to run back to the mansion, but he grabbed my wrist to stop me.
"Okay. Leave. But when you get home, make sure you read about the history of that house. Make sure there are pictures."
He let go of my wrist, and I didn't hesitate to start running once more, and as fast as possible.

*

"Mum?" I called, "you were on the right track. He's crazy! Properly crazy!"
"Who's crazy?"
I gasped, turning to the source of the voice, to find Elias stood in the doorway to the nearest room. He raised an eyebrow as I locked eyes with him.