Two am found me in the backyard, digging up Tate's father's body. It was hard work, since Constance had apparently dug a pretty deep hole.
But Maria had pointed out the locations of her's and his bodies, so I knew where to dig to find Hugo Langdon.
I dug in the dark, alone, the only light to guide me was the porch light.
"What the hell are you doing?" Tate's voice sounded from the back door, causing me to jump in fright.
I placed a hand over my heart and shot him an untrusting glare as I thrust the shovel's spade into the ground again. "Digging up your father." Came my simple, yet vague reply as he sat down on the ground, leaning his back against the house.
He eyed me with a frown, and I noticed he kept fidgeting with the ring on his index finger. "What do you hope to achieve? We're all bound to this house, this place of hell."
So he knew that I knew. Good, that saves me from explaining why I don't want him around. "Go away." I instructed him.
He let out a heavy sigh and vanished from my sight, only to return moments later with another shovel. "I know what Violet told you, okay? I'm seeking redemption." He thrust his shovel into the earth, joining me on digging Hugo up.
I snorted. "Redemption?" I stopped digging and stared at him. "How can I trust you? From what I've heard, you're psychotic! Practically border-lining on sociopathic."
His knuckles turned white with the force of how hard he was gripping his shovel. "I know what I've done!" His voice was rising. "But I want to be forgiven! I want you to give me a chance, Fox!"
I shook my head. "Do what you want. But I'm not easily fooled or manipulated, so if you try anything, and I mean anything, I'll hurt you. I'll find a way." I promised him, giving him his chance to prove himself.
His lips quirked into a grin. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."
We dug in silence for the next ten minutes before bones, corroded with time came into view.
The skeleton of Tate's father lay uncovered at our feet.
I climbed out of the hole we had dug and wiped sweat off my brow, smearing dirt across my face in the process. Tate appeared at my side. "Now what's your plan? Call 911 and lie about why you were digging up a body at two am?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm going to try to force his spirit into the after life." I walked over, back towards the house where I had laid kosher salt, matches, and lighter fluid.
Tate gave me a disbelieving look. "What are you doing with those?"
I grinned as I returned to the hole and poured the whole container of salt onto the bones below. "Salt and burn." Okay, it was possible I had seen too much Supernatural, but I might as well try everything.
I poured a little lighter fluid into the hole at my feet and then lit a match. Hugo appeared in the doorway of the house, watching as I flicked the match into the hole and set his bones aflame.
I watched Hugo in hopes he'd vanish or die again or something but the spirit only shrugged his shoulders, meaning I had failed.
Tate grinned at me as his father vanished. "Guess salt and burn didn't work. You'll have to try again."
I stared into the flames and sighed. "I guess so..."
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Constance came rushing forward, a watering hose in her hands as she rushed to water out the flames.
The flames went out fairly quickly and Constance looked into the hole in horror at what I had uncovered. "You better watch yourself, little girl." She pointed a perfectly manicured nail at me, the hose still spurting water.
I narrowed my eyes at her. "You can't scare me. I don't know what you want, but I'm going to right the wrongs of this house. No matter what." I growled at her.
"You better rethink, missy! I'm no stranger to murder." She threatened.
I decided, in that very moment, what I had to do. The souls in the house lingered because they needed something. Solace, forgiveness, many things. They just didn't realise it. And that's why the house was able to keep them all.
Some of them, like Moira and Hugo, needed proper endings. They needed their murders solved, and goodbyes to be said.
I turned to Tate, ignoring Constance. "Where is Moira buried? And where will I find Violet's body? I know what I have to do now."
Tate pointed his finger. "Moira is only a few feet lower. Keep digging. Her bones were somehow buried deeper than his."
I nodded and jumped into the muddy hole, resuming my digging.
"Stop it!" Constance screeched at me. "Stop it, you little slut! You won't ruin things for me!"
I uncovered Moira in moments. I looked over at Constance as I climbed out of the hole, Tate helped pull me up. "Run." I told my neighbour. "Run as far and as fast you want. Because that's all you can do. If you kill me, I'll kill you." As I made the promise of mutual demise, I could feel the darkness of the house seeping through me.
It was a dark and evil power, sliding through my veins, summoned by the threats and promises of an equally evil act. A primal part of me loved the feeling of power, but the rest of me was disgusted at it. I knew if I let it, it would warp me, ensuring my death, ensuring the loss of my soul.
I closed my eyes and willed it away.
"If you touch Fox, I'll destroy everything for you!" Tate threatened. He seemed to almost grow in stature, towering menacingly over his mother.
I could see now, why Violet had warned me away. He was worse than the other spirits. He accepted and understood the evil in the house in ways the others couldn't fathom. He used it, as if it were a tool. And I wondered briefly as I looked into Constance's fearful eyes, if he even realised what he was doing.
The older woman backed off, retreating quickly from my view, back into her own home. But I knew it wasn't a victory for me. She'd return, I could tell.
I knew she'd do anything to keep herself safe.
Dropping the shovel, I went to turn off the water for the hose and then I headed inside to wash up.
I decided quickly that my plan would be to call the police in the morning. I'd tell them I had been digging a hole in order to create a fire pit, so I could roast marshmallows and hotdogs at my convenience.
I trudged up the stairs and into my bedroom, where I was met by Vivian. "What are you planning, Fox?"
She wore a worried expression on her face.
"I'm going to fix everything. Every single spirit in this house needs solace and peace. I'll find a way to bring it." I replied.
Ben stepped out of the darkness, coming to stand at Vivian's side. "Many of the residents won't leave without a fight. If you were in danger before, you're in over your head now." Ben spoke.
I shrugged. "The hardest things to achieve, are the ones worth doing." Plus, Tate wasn't the only one who sought redemption.
Before California... Well, I had done things too. Things I needed forgiveness for. And this was my way of earning that forgiveness.
"Cool, we'll help if we can." Came Violet's voice. I turned to see her leaning against the door frame of my room, a smile on her lips.
"I feel I'll need all the help I can get." I replied in thanks. "But for tonight, I need a shower."
The Harmon family disappeared, leaving me to my own privacy as I walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I peeled off my muddy clothes and turned on the shower.
Once the water was hot, I stepped in, allowing the warm water to wash mud down the drain.
I closed my eyes, but the enjoyment was short lived as I felt myself being knocked into the wall.
My eyes shot open as I stood up, staring at a brown haired woman.
"If you think I'm just going to go willingly, you're wrong!" She grabbed me by the neck, forcing my face to smash into the wall hard.
I bit through my tongue and tasted blood. She made to force my head into the wall again, but I jammed my elbow into her face and forced her away.
I spit blood out of my mouth as she charged at me. I weaved away from her, aiming a kick to her face at the same time.
I had done a lot of fighting when I was younger, I wasn't a stranger to this.
But the fight was cut short when Tate appeared, grabbing the woman with a shout of "Go away, Hayden!" And she vanished.
He turned the shower off and handed me a towel, which I wrapped around my body. "I guess that's the kind of thing I have to look forward to." I mumbled. "Thanks." I told Tate.
He nodded. "I won't let anything happen to you." He replied.
I winced slightly, becoming aware that I had popped my shoulder out of place during the fight. "Shit." I grumbled.
I held my right arm tight at my side, Tate gave me odd looks as I grabbed my right arm in my left hand and snapped the bone back into place with a small scream.
His eyes widened. "What are you doing?"
"I had to reset it..." I mumbled in pain.
He chuckled. "Too tough for help, huh?" He gazed at me with a soft look.
I just shrugged. "I'll probably have to deal with worse by the residents of the house later." I sighed heavily. "I'm going to sleep."
I walked into my bedroom and put on underwear and pyjamas before falling into bed.
Tate started to walk out of the room, but I threw a pillow at his head. He turned and gave me a questioning glance.
"Come protect me so I don't get killed in my sleep?" I asked, scooting over to make room for him. "And bring the pillow back!"
He grinned and kicked off his shoes and socks, sliding into bed with me. His arms wrapped around my frame as I rested my head on his chest. "I'll keep you safe no matter what, Fox." He whispered in my ear as I fell asleep.
