One blood.

A vision of forever.

Claire.

'Shane!' I shout as i unwind the thick scarf from around my neck and take off the hat and glove set Eve had gotten me as a treat. Black with sparkles running this way and that- dark but fun! Stomping through the front door, the heat hits me like a furnace and my chilled skin tingles in relief, the Glass house may be a mess but at least it's warm and cosy; I dump my backpack in the parlour as I pass; the house is quiet. 'Michael? Eve?' No answer, come to think of it I'm sure Michael said something about guitar lessons and didn't Eve get a phone call this morning from Oliver? As for Shane he could be anywhere; my husband is as hard to catch as a ghost! Although saying that the Glass House's current ghost, Teen physic Miranda is no where to be seen either; maybe she is still at Jenna's...although saying that I haven't seen her in a few days, maybe even a week...

Well at least with a free house I can fit in some study; that hasn't got a background noise of zombie killing or guitar strumming. I pull the books I dumped last night on the much abused dining table; the place really is a tip..we're going to have to talk cleaning rotas again... I make the most of the empty house and sit in Michael's chair, the comfy worn armchair and open the new physics textbook Mr I-don't-actually-know-what-I'm-teaching told me to buy. I'm just beginning the chapter on force-field manipulation when i hear a noise that's unmistakably the creek of a floor board above my head.

'Just great.' I sigh, only in Morganville would the creak of a worn floorboard, mean something possibly needs staking. Rising from the chair, I dump the textbook and marker on the coffee table and grab the handy wooden stake from the bookcase where it has obviously been dumped on one occasion or another when we've played pin the stake in the vampire... My wedding band make a soft noise as it clinks against the polished wood of the stake, that's a nice sound. 'wedding ring' that still sounds weird, to think i'm married- and not just play married but proper married! After everything being married to Shane is like a reward for surviving; for overcoming everything human or not that has been thrown at us over the past few years. I creep up the stairs, careful of the creaky spots. The picture that hides the switch to Amelie's room is moved, off to an angle as if shoved off place in a hurry. I can't help my sigh, it's always that place... Carefully I click the button, and leave the picture off angle so at least if I don't make it out, my roommates should at least know where I went. The door makes a sound as if it is releasing compressed air, I cringe as i take the first step and the polished wood squeaks underneath the toe of my sneaker; I take the steps with care- readying myself for whatever is to come... I hear someone breathing, heavily as if they have run a very long marathon in blazing heat... wait they're breathing! I move quickly and at the top of the stairs, see the slight frame of the Glass House's fifth member...oh and also full time ghost Miranda; lying on the velvet couch with a hand pressed over her eyes.  

'Mir you scared me!' She waves her hand, casting off the question and as I stand watching her I see her colour is anything but healthy. 'What's happened?' I say rushing to her side and kneeling at the edge of the couch taking one of her pale hands in both my own. 

'Left...it...to...long...' She manages to say breathlessly. 

'Oh Mir!' Miranda is a ghost, but somehow with the help of Jenna, ex-ghost hunter, she can live outside of the Glass house; she even has a room at Jenna's house...Jenna has became the first real parental figure in Mir's life and in truth I'm pleased for. Its the first good thing for a girl who has had a lifetime of bad; the only problem is that her being a...well a ghost means she has to keep her connection to the glass house strong... apparently this time she hasn't.

'I know...' She sighs, her chest seems to be moving less fast and her breathing certainly doesn't sound as ragged. 

'You need to keep that connection Mir!' I urge.