✔ | PAINTED IN CRIMSON | T. SHARPE

SEVEN | BLUE BLOOD

 ❝To nice, to pass you by,
I can't believe you been here the whole time.❞

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SEVEN | BLUE BLOOD

The fire in the fireplace rose wildly as the house groaned and the floor boards trembled underneath my feet. The piano played beautifully and every note filled the cold air. I didn't dare to go to the back and find out who was at the piano stool, playing the melody, so I began to climb up the stairs to the bedroom and get my stuff out of there, trying not to be noticed.

I had carried my suitcase and the bag downstairs and had returned to the bedroom to double check I wasn't forgetting anything, I stopped at the door, only contemplating my surroundings -especially the hole in the ceiling- when something brushed my leg, making me choke a scream.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, relieved to find out it was only the cat, "Look at you, all covered in coal dust again," I said to the cat and picked him up. He couldn't stay there, "you're coming with me," I said softly as stroked his back and smiled as he purred.

Before walking into the bedroom again, I watched how the snow fell and landed in the foyer. The feeling of being in that house was strange, I liked to be there, it was odd considering the circumstances, but there was something about that house that made me want to stay a little longer. Maybe it was its beauty, maybe it reminded me of all my father wanted to do with it, maybe it reminded me of my mother, maybe it reminded me of the family I had once, or maybe I was just a hopeless sentimental. I sighed and turned around and walked into the bedroom.

"Lucky you," I continued, "your new flatmate Josh loves cats, this won't be a problem at all-" I stopped dead in my tracks when heard the noise coming from the bathroom. Tell me it's another cat, I thought. I put Coal on the bed, he ran away. I hurried to grab the poker by the fireplace and thought of using it as a weapon.

"Who's there?" My voice came out as a whisper, so soft that I had to say it again, louder, but no one answered. I was about to take a step forward when the sound of splashing water was followed by the sound of a knife and my eyes widened. I startled and felt the shivers running up and down my body when the horrid scream travelled through the room. Nothing more was heard by then, I stayed there for a few seconds, panting, shaking and gripping the poker with both hands not knowing what to think except how to hit whoever walked through that door.

When I finally took control of my body, or at least enough control to move my feet one in front of the other, I began to walk towards the bathroom. Slowly, I pushed the ajar door and as soon my eyes met the figure in the bath, I could only stare in horror at the scene before me, stare at the woman with the cleaver sticking out of her head.

She remained still, with her hands placed on both sides of the bath. Her entire body was red and she was bleeding from her wound, the blood came out of it as if it were smoke, red smoke and it floated in the air just like the other ghost.

When I realised, I was standing a few steps from the bath and out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of something moving next to me. The little relief I felt when learned that it was only my reflection in the mirror vanished when the woman in the bath jerked and began to moan as she got on her feet and with clumsy movements she stepped out of the bath.

I took several steps back as I watched how the creature moved and reached out in my direction and a guttural sound emerged from her throat, "Adeline . . ." she said.

"How do you know my name?" I muttered to myself.

". . . leave! You must leave, Adeline!" My back hit the door frame and it made me react. I turned around and got out of the bathroom, closing the door behind me and quickly running out the bedroom. She didn't seem to be after me so I tried to calm down a bit once I stepped out of the room. There, I met the ghost from outside, but this time he was different.