Corruptable

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Calling in the Spirits

Sally wasn't sure if she was dreaming, but at this point, she didn't care. The evening had already been so beyond normal, nothing that followed could confuse her further. She was terribly nauseous, but clearing her head did her some good. She no longer knew the difference between reality and fiction. The ambassador put it best as he mumbled, defeated, "We are at the mercy of the spooks".

His observation was confirmed by the pale severed head of their hostess. She had sharp features, with cheekbones that could slice through glass. She wore a thick layer of spectral green eye shadow to match her sea green lips. Her nose seemed pointed upward in disdain, and her eyebrows affixed in moderate surprise. Her hair seemed to disappear in a swirl of turquoise fog around her head.

"Who-who are you?" The ambassador was the first to speak up.

"My name is Madame Leota. I've been the mansion's resident medium for over a century."

"A century?" Said Robert, "That'd make you almost as old as her!"

He gestured to Abigaile, who raised an eyebrow at the remark.

"Are you dead?" questioned Thomas, politely.

"I'm undecided," replied Madame Leota. Sally spoke up,

"Pardon me, Madame, but what is this place?"

Leota smiled.

"It is my great honor to say welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion," The instruments began to stir in reply. "I've always wanted to do that!" she added, quietly.

"Well," scoffed Abigaile, "That certainly clears it up!"

"Excuse me?" said Leota, half offended, half surprised.

"Oh, I don't mean to sound rude," Abigaile looked to the others for validation, "It's just, I feel we've already established that fact."

"Yes," Nitrokoff butted in, "We each get letter to come here, we want to know who and why. See?" He pulled the invitation from his pocket.

"I was summoned to give speech."

Sally pulled the letter from her purse.

"And I was to attend a ball.

Abigail retrieved an envelope and said with a morose expression,

"And I was called here for the funeral of a relative."

They each placed their invitation on the table. Leota looked down at the letters, then up to the chauffeurs.

"And what of you three," she asked them, "What brought you here today?"

"Money" they replied in unison.

"That is to say, uh," Robert chuckled uneasily, "We drove the two ladies and the lump of grump over there." He quickly added, "Uh, separately, that is."

"Hmm" replied Leota. "Virgil," she called out, "is the tea ready?"

The curtain which once hung over the doorway sprang to life in the black void. Out of thin air, it seemed to summon a tea tray. It looked almost like a man in a purple sheet costume, were it not for its flotatious nature. At its head, wrinkles in the shroud seemed to form somewhat of a mournful face. It went to each of the guests and politely offered them a cup. When it came to Sally, it placed a hand on her shoulder. She recognized the icy touch as the same she'd felt in the foyer.

"Well, see here," Leota said, "It's obvious this was no misunderstanding. You are all indeed at the right address."

"Whaddaya mean?" said Bill with a childlike curiosity.