The Cursed Phantom

CHAPTER FOUR - The Home Of Hampton Fire

The house had a curvy stair-like road that led to the door of the house and as they were about to start walking, a great wind suddenly blew towards Amber and her father. She felt a bit frightened but didn't hold on to him because she was​ still angry with him. Not quite long after the wind blew past them, the door to the house opened. Hampton came down to meet them and asked worryingly, "Is anything the matter? Did someone die by the ghost?" Amber replied instantly, "Hell no!!!" Gabriel turned towards his daughter.
"Watch your language, Missy". Hampton Fire interrupted his rebuke. "Well, If someone didn't die, what do I owe this unprecedented visit?"
Amber replied, "It's exactly as you told us sir, the ghost of the owner of the house, I believe he said his name was..." "Michael Everlove." Hampton Fire completed.
Gabriel had a lot of questions going through his mind, "What do you actually know about Michael? Why is his ghost still here? What was the cause of his death? What did he do before he died? What was his occupation? Was he married? Did he have children?" he asked at once.
Hampton Fire raised his voice, "One question at a time!" and Gabriel calmed down.
"What you should know is that Michael Everlove wasn't a people person when he was alive and to answer one of your questions, yes he was married. His marriage is the center of his story".
That caught Gabriel's attention. "So he was married?" "Of course he was Dad, Mr. Fire just said that" Amber replied rudely.
"Haha. You two are quite funny. Come in, let's finish this conversation inside. These parts aren't safe to stay outside when it's getting dark" said Hampton.
They all went up the path and entered the house. In the sitting room, there was a big comfortable chair beside a marble fireplace with a table in front of it. On the wall above the fireplace was a deer's head and at the side of the room was a dark blue couch with a small stool by it's side. Behind the couch was a big window and on the floor lay a rug made from the fur of a polar bear. Amber and Gabriel waited on the couch while Hampton fire brewed coffee for Michael and boiled water for tea and hot cocoa for himself and Amber.
Hampton Fire finally sat on his chair after serving everyone, began rubbing his jaw and asked "How should I start the story?" "Errr? I dunno...Once upon a time blah blah sounds perfect" Amber shrugged.
"Ambergris Monroe! Show some manners!" Gabriel scolded.
"Haha. Not to matter Mr Monroe, she's a youngster," he sipped his tea. "It has been 40 years since the death of Michael Everlove. Ten different families have come and gotten killed. I've tried my best to save them but no one ever listens to the crazy old man" Hampton said while making air quotes.
"Did he give warnings to the other families? By he I mean Michael Everlove." Gabriel asked while dropping his coffee on the stool beside the couch.
"Oh yes he gave three warnings, Michael is not like the fantasy ghost people read in novels" Hampton replied, sipped his tea again and dropped it on the table in front of his chair.
"He is a strange one. I call him 'The Cursed Phantom'" Hampton said, putting his hands together and then spreading them wide open.
"Cursed? Like magic and all that bull...err...I mean bollocks." asked Amber sneaking a look at her father's face. He frowned at her. "Go on Mr Fire" said Gabriel.
"Well, yes Amber. He was cursed by the citizens of this town. The ones who cursed him are now passed on, dead to be specific" Hampton replied looking at the fireplace.
There was a brief silence between the three. Amber was looking into her cocoa while Gabriel folded his arms and looked deep in thought.
"Now let me give you the history of the infamous Michael Everlove and how he became the Cursed Phantom" said Hampton.