Layton Drownout 2020

The (Not Very) Haunted House

Summary: There have been strange occurrences around the Layton household. Alfendi and Katrielle think a ghost might be responsible, but could there be a more conventional explanation for the scratching, wailing and doors swinging by themselves?

"Hey, Daddy?"

Hershel picked up his little daughter's empty plate.

"What is it, Kat?" he asked.

"I think this house is haunted," Katrielle said simply.

He hesitated halfway to the sink.

"What in the world makes you say that?" he asked.

"Seriously?" asked Alfendi. "You can't tell me you haven't heard weird stuff around this place!"

"My door keeps swinging open all by itself!" Katrielle complained. "Every time I close it, it gets opened again!"

"I hear weird scratching noises in the middle of the night," added Alfendi. "Just take a look at my bed's legs, Mr Layton! They've got scratches all over them! My door too! And last night, I got woken up by... I don't know what it was! Some kind of wailing!"

"You heard that too?" asked Katrielle.

"Of course I did!" Alfendi replied. "I don't know how anyone couldn't!"

The other adult man in the room looked to the youth yet to speak.

"How about you, Flora?" Des inquired. "Have you noticed any supernatural happenings around this house?"

Flora took a small sip from her orange juice.

"I didn't want to mention it," she admitted, "but sometimes I'll go to the toilet or to get a drink of water while I'm working in my room, but..."

She twitched her fingers on her glass.

"I'll hear a kind of crashing noise," she went on, "and when I get back, all my fabrics will be on the floor!"

"Good grief!" gasped Des. "And you're sure they didn't slip off by accident?"

"I'm positive!" replied Flora. "I'd never put anything where it could fall on the floor!"

"None of us are saying you are, my dear," Hershel assured her, stacking plates in the dishwasher, "but I believe we should discuss this further this evening. As it stands right now, most of us need to get to some form of schooling."

"Joy," Alfendi deadpanned as he got up from the table.

"Quite frankly, part of me hopes this place is haunted," said Des. "I've always wanted to live in a haunted house."

"But that's coz you're weird!" Katrielle objected.

"It's a sign that the building has history!" Hershel pointed out. "Perhaps I'm only speaking as an archaeologist, but to genuinely communicate with a person from long in the past could easily prove fascinating. Who knows what we'd hear if these walls could talk?"

"They'd say you all need to get a move on!" Des swept up from his seat. "Like you said, we can talk about this later! I won't see any of you being late for your classes!"

"Yes, yes, alright," said Hershel. "The usual split?"

"Shotgun!" Flora piped up.

"Hey!" Alfendi complained.

"Too slow!" Flora giggled.

Jackets, hats, and bags were snatched up as the family ran to complete their daily obligations.