Nanny of the house

Chapter 2

Lydia stood in the kitchen and slowly blinked. Her memories were fuzzy, barely available as she slowly looked around the room. While she realised she had gaps in her memories she knew, deep inside that something was different. There was a stale feeling to the air and a close, dense pressure. She reached out to touch the kitchen counter, finding a thick layer of dust. She rubbed her thumb across her fingers as she looked around confused again.

This was not a kitchen she knew. The island of cupboards that was in the middle of the kitchen had a different surface, looking back to the counter top she'd just touched she noticed that too was different. There were now cupboards somehow on the walls above the counter, though she had no idea how they stayed there. The candles that had once been bolted to the walls were gone and there was something hanging from the middle of the ceiling. She hesitantly walked to the doorway that lead to the rest of the house. There was a growing feeling of dread as she came to realise this was nothing like the house she had once looked after. Then suddenly something came to her mind.

"Henry!" She rushed up the stars, dust got kicked up behind her but she didn't waste any time in getting to the boys room. She burst through the door before freezing in place, her dark eyes frantically scanning the now empty room. She could feel her heart beat rise and she grew cold as he mind raced trying to make sense of what was going on. Then she heard what sounded to be a lock opening, it sounded like it came from the front door.

Lydia snapped her head towards the way she came and listened.

"Oh wow, look at all the dust. Must have been ages since someone's been here."

"Well you did say you wanted a project."

"I didn't think it be like...well like this..."

"Oh don't tell me you're already backing out. Come on let's get the stuff inside and see what we've got to work with."

The two voices sounded to come from a man and a woman, but they were not voices she recognised. There was movement downstairs and she cautiously made her way down, treading carefully and lightly. One of the stairs creaked and the movement stopped for a moment, so did Lydia.

"Did you hear that?" The lady inquired. There was then a pause as Lydia watched a man wearing strange clothing walk out of the living area to look directly at Lydia. Or rather, through her. He raised a light eyebrow, blue eyes scanning the stairs before shrugging and heading back to the living room.

"It's an old house, just the stairs creaking." Did he...not see her? Lydia questioned as she waited a moment before continuing down the stairs. Tension raising as she glanced out the front door, seeing a large weird looking shining...cart?... Curiosity took over as she continued to the front door to stand in the doorway.

She blinked as she saw a small boy with platinum blond hair, kneeling down to pet a very fluffy black cat. The cat looked at her and stared as the boy pet it behind its ears. He had an unusual bag on is back she noted and hummed to himself happily unaware.

"Conner?" The woman's voice called from inside. Lydia didn't have time to react as the lady literally walked straight through her. Both women shuddered and blinked, feeling a cold feeling trickling down their spines. Lydia stepped back instinctively, eyes widened in horror as the other woman seemed to just shrug it off and address her son again. "Found yourself a friend have you?"

"Mhm!~" The boy got up smiling brightly to his mum as the cat bolted off.

"Why don't you come inside and take a look at your new room?" She suggested.

"Oka-..." The boys blue eyes looked from his mother to Lydia and he instinctively took a step back confused. "...Who's that?..." His mother blinked in response before turning to look to Lydia, blinking confused and glancing around.

"Who's who honey?" Lydia watched the small boy lift a hand to point straight at her, fear raising in his eyes.

"Right there behind you mum. The lady."

"You can see me?" Lydia blurted out as the mother huffed a little looking back to her son.

"Now's no time for imaginary games, we've still got to unpack the car. Run along to your room while your dad and I sort things out." She went into the living room again and the other two were left staring at each other.

The silence was deafening.

The boy took a cautious step forward and Lydia took one back, he stepped again and so did she. Slowly he entered the house, his eyes affixed to Lydia's as he crossed the threshold. Cautiously he continued across the hallway to get to the stairs before making his way up them backwards. The nanny watched after him, still half in shock. As the boy disappeared from sight she had the sudden realisation.

She was dead.

That hit her hard, suddenly it all came back to her. Being in the kitchen, finding...something and then pain and nothing. A hand reached to the back of her head and the memory of her being hit made her wince. Whatever it was it was big and heavy. Did Julia really...kill her? But why? And what was it she was hiding?

Lydia starting crying uncontrollably, curling up on the floor. Reliving that moment over and over and over again. It wasn't until she heard a small voice that she looked up.

"...Wh-why are you crying?..." She looked around, somehow she was now in Henry's bedroom, it was dark outside. No curtains to cover the window and shield from the moonlight that streamed in. Her eyes landed on the small boy, laying on what looked to simply be a mattress on the floor. His covers were pulled all the way up as if to protect himself. He looked frightened. "...Wh-who are you Miss?..."

She was lost for words. Sitting on the bare floor of what used to be Henry's bedroom, now practically empty, with a child seemingly scared half to death.

"...My name is Lydia..."

"...A-are you a ghost?..." She paused for a moment and choked back tears before nodding. So this was really real?....Really happening? Lydia's eyes fell to the floor. But she felt so real... She lifted her hands, turning them over to inspect them. She wasn't sure if it was the way the moonlight shined on her that made her glow or if she was simply...just glowing. Surely if she was...dead...then she wouldn't be able to feel?

Lydia jumped a little when small hands reached out to hers, she looked to the child as he held his hands just hovering over hers. She must have had transparent eyes to how she was feeling due to the boys next words.

"It's okay Miss Lydia, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Conner." She could tell her was still scared, well if he wasn't an this was real then she'd be worried if he wasn't. Lydia could clearly hear his heart racing as he put on a smile for her. She felt the corners of her lips twitch up in return as a soft smile graced her slightly transparent face.