Haunted Souls

Chapter 3

"Dad? Where did they go?" Ethan asked from Will's back, gripping onto his father as tight as he could as they walked down the dark hallways. "Where are the lights?"

"There is only electricity in some parts of the castle," Will answered. "We're trying to find that part, okay? I don't know where they went. We'll meet up with them later."

"Are we going to get eaten?" Ethan asked, as serious as ever. "Ghosts are going to come eat us."

"Where did you hear that from?" Will asked, using his phone as a flashlight. "Ghosts don't eat people."

"The ghost on Ghost Busters ate lots of food," Ethan replied. "If he can eat food then he can eat us."

"Why would a ghost eat us?" Will asked, getting to an old staircase that seemed more stable than the last. He started to look at the walls, praying that he'd find an electric switch soon. "Our bodies probably taste disgusting."

Ethan buried his head in Will's shoulder. "That's not what you said last week about dad."

"WHAT?!" Will looked back at his son as his face darkened. "What are you talking about? What did you hear?"

"Dad was reaching for your cereal so you bit him." Ethan replied. "Remember? Then you said he tasted like blood and he said that blood tastes good."

Will felt his heart drop into his stomach. Of course, it had been innocent. Nico was getting to him. "Right...sorry for freaking out, Ethan."

"It's okay." Ethan reached over Will's shoulder and flipped a switch on the wall, illuminating the dusty room around him. "There. No more dark."

"Thank god..." Will looked up the staircase as he turned the flashlight on his phone off. "This looks nice, huh? Not like all those things falling apart when we first came in."

"Maybe your grandma only lived over here." Ethan leaned his chin on the top of Will's head. "Maybe the ghosts live in the other part."

"There's no such thing as ghosts." Will started up the stairs, hesitant at first as he tested his weight. "They're a myth, Ethan."

Ethan sighed. "That's not what Bianca said."

"Bianca was just trying to scare you." Will looked around them in awe. As they walked further up, the room became more magnificent. The sparkling chandelier, the floor so far down... "Look at that, Ethan. Beautiful, huh?"

"Scary." Ethan yawned. "I'm hungry."

"Me, too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dad...you're lying, right?" Bianca asked for the fifth time. "There's electricity, right? You're just teasing me."

Nico smirked, carrying his candle around as if he didn't have a phone with a flashlight in his pocket. "Hmmm... I don't know."

"Dad!"

"Let's focus on finding Will and Ethan." Nico waved the questions aside. "We really need to set up some sleeping bags or something for the night."

"What about Maria?" Bianca asked, her arms crossed.

"We have that blowup crib for her in the car." Nico felt around the wall for a light switch but didn't find any. "It'll work until we put the other one back together."

Bianca huffed. "This place isn't as fun as I thought it'd be."

"That's cause it's too dark to see shit." Nico glanced away. "Sorry for the language."

"Dad, I go to high school." Bianca patted him on the shoulder. "I hear much worse."

"You're still not allowed to say it." he walked through another doorway, leaving her no choice but to follow.

"Why not?" Bianca complained. "You and dad do. All the kids at school do."

"Because I said so," Nico replied, feeling too much like his own parents. "I know you've heard that before but too bad."

He stopped when he heard footsteps, his eyes lighting up. "Will? You there?"

Silence. The footsteps were gone, Will never responded. As Nico started to feel a cold chill crawl up his spine, Bianca gripped onto his arm. "Dad...what was that?"

"I don't know." he looked around warily. "Just stay close to me."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Bianca muttered. "This place is creepy as hell."

"What did I say about cursing?"

"Hell is a place."

"I could say this place is a shithole. That doesn't mean you can say it."

"They say hell in the Bible." Bianca pointed out.

"So...?" Nico handed her Maria. "They also mention prostitution. You aren't allowed to do that, either."

Bianca looked down at the baby in her arms. "Why'd you give me Maria? She liked you better."

"Cause." Nico got his phone from his pocket. "I'm using my flashlight. I give up on this candle."

Bianca smirked. "Told you so."

Nico turned the flashlight on, the hallway in front of him lighting up. In that light...

His candle dropped to the floor, the flame distinguishing before it could set the carpet on fire. As it did, Nico watched as the shadow figure disappeared, as what looked to be a man vanished into thin air.