The Haunting of Ravenswood Manor

Chapter 6

Back at the house, it was completely empty. It looked like everyone had left the minute the lights went out. Yet as they stepped back in through the threshold of the front doors, Jasper and Marion could sense something in the house. Gripping the necklace in her hand, Marion walked forward to the stairs, she was determined to get the necklace to Melanie. Following right behind her, Jasper grabbed an old cane that was in the umbrella stand by the door. He knew it wouldn't be much protection but he felt more comfortable having it rather than nothing at all.

Marion reached her room, Melanie's old room and could hear sobbing coming from the inside. That had to be Melanie. Opening the door, the bride turned from the window and looked at her great niece. She was confused as to why Marion was back, Melanie had thought the phantom has chased everyone away.

"He'll find you, please you have to leave." the bride begged as she floated from her spot at the window to being right in front of Marion.

"I have something for you, something from Jake." Marion said as she held up the necklace.

Marion gasped as she reached out her delicate ghostly fingers and examined the necklace that Marion held. It was emerald, her favorite. She smiled for the first time in a long time as the necklace was placed into her hand. At first Melanie was afraid she would drop the necklace but she felt her hand materialize and hold the necklace. This was the first thing she held in a very long time.

"He told us to have you call out to him when we got it to you." Jasper spoke up as he watched the two before him.

Closing her eyes, Melanie gripped the necklace and held it close to her chest. She had hoped and prayed to see Jake again and now she may even have the chance to.

"Jake...Jake can you hear me?" Melanie called out.

"Right here darlin." Jake's voice came from behind her.

Jake appeared solid, not in a ghostly form like Melanie. She turned and gasped as she saw Jake standing there was a smile on his face. He hadn't aged a day, not that she expected him to. Melanie appeared in Jake's arm in an embrace. Holding her tight, Jake hugged her as tight as he could.

"I thought I would never see you again. That phantom, he mocked me! He came here on our wedding day and told me you left this earth! You died with the townsfolk in the ravine!" Melanie exclaimed.

"What phantom?" Marion asked shocked to hear some of the story.

"He was dressed like a gentleman but had the face of skeleton. He laughed a devilish laugh and mocked me. He said I would never find Jake." Melanie began to cry again.

Then something came to Marion, an idea on maybe why Jake's body couldn't be found. What if someone had the same idea as she and Jasper, what if someone moved the body? That way anyone, including Henry, could day that Jake ran off and never wanted to see Melanie again.

"Are the other's buried near here?" Marion asked running with an idea.

"Other's as is in what?" Melanie asked.

"Uh...suitors I guess is what you would call them? The other four men."

Melanie was silent for a moment, as though she was trying to remember as well. It took her a few moments before any words were spoken by anyone in the room.

"Their graves are here, that's all I know. Father took care of all the arrangements." Melanie answered.

"I bet he did. Jasper we need to find those graves, Melanie and Jake may not be the only ghosts here in the house, what if the other suitors are trapped here as well?" Marion asked making a good point.

"There is a private cemetery my father had not far from here, its surrounded by a black iron fence, you can't miss it. That's where the graves are." Melanie made sure to point out.

Marion took Jasper to the tool shed first, grabbing two shovels they both headed out to the ''Family Cemetery" and just like Melanie said it was surrounded by a black iron fence. There was 7 graves out on the plot. Going forward, Marion hunted down the first suitor. There on the stone was the name 'Captain Rowan D Falls' according the information that Liota gave her on the suitors, he died by falling off a waterfall in a rowboat. Horrible way to die and one that didn't seem very possible, he was a captain after all.

Jasper and Marion began to dig. They had to make sure the body was in the grave, if it wasn't then there was no doubt he too was one of the spirits haunting the house. Marion was barefoot and still in the wedding dress as she dug with Jasper deeper and deeper. Finally Jasper hit something, he pushed Marion out of he grave and opened the casket.

"Son of a-" Jasper started as he stared down at the empty casket.

"He's not there. No doubt the others are the same. That's four more ghosts in that house Jasper." Marion sighed wiping the sweat from her forehead.

Jasper nodded as he climbed out of the grave. He wondered why the ghosts hadn't done anything. Were they eve at the house? Where were the bodies? So many questions came to play as they went back to the room. Jake and Melanie stood there shocked at the dirty state of Marion and Jasper.

"I'm guessing since the first suitor's body isn't in the grave, neither are the others." Jasper sighed leaning against a wall.

"Why would he want their bodies?" Jake asked shocked.

"No clue, maybe to control their spirits or something?" Marion offered up a answer.

"I haven't seen them, I've only seen the phantom and now Jake." Melanie held onto Jake.

"We have to find out who this phantom is and why he wants to do what he's doing." Jake commented.

"I have a good idea who he is, this is just a guess but I am assuming it's Henry. He was too obsessed with his daughter, he didn't want anyone to marry her but he was more than willing to accept their money and offer, until he could find a way to get rid of them." Marion said as she took her shoes off and tossed them aside.

"Sounds convincing to me." Jasper agreed with Marion.

Jake took Melanie to another room as Marion quickly got in the shower and washed off the dirt from the day. Jasper would take one after her, he didn't want her to be alone and he had no plans on leaving either. Marion was out and dressed when she walked into her room and found Jasper undoing his dress shirt.

"Shower's free, I wonder where my mom went? I thought she would have come back by now." Marion asked as she went to the window.

"I'm sure she'll be back, she's probably just making a new deal." Jasper said as he stood and went to take a shower.

Sitting down, Marion could sense a spirit in the room. Turning to her left she saw Melanie and for once she wasn't crying. She sat in a chair on the far side of the room.

"Forgive me for not talking earlier, I have been hiding in the shadows from the phantom, however the moment you came here it was as though he went into hiding." Melanie said with a sigh.

"I understand, I don't blame you. After all you didn't know who I was or why I was intruding in your home. However do you know where my mom went?" Marion said towel drying her hair.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't seen here since she was chasing after a man with what appeared to be a camera." Melanie answered.