{NSFW} I Didn't Mean to Haunt You. (Sky and Kos)

[Kosmik_Khaos]

1328 Kernodle St. Friday August 13th, 1993

"Theo!"

"Theo! Please wake up!"

The shaking more than the panicked whispered roused Theo from his sleep. Squinting in the darkness he did his best to make out Lydia's face. She was sitting up in bed, on her knees in fact. "Theo baby wake up!" She hissed at him shaking him harder. "I'm awake Lyds." He grumbled at her noticing how scared she was now. "What's wrong?" Suddenly Theo found himself wide awake and sitting up in bed. Taking hold of Lydia's shoulders he held the shaking woman still. "Lyds love, I need you to calm down and tell me what is going on." Lydia started to glare at him for telling her to "calm down" but he was being reasonable and asking for an explanation, not brushing her off. Taking in a shake breath she collected herself. "I heard something downstairs." She said looking him right in the eyes. "Okay love, I'll go down and check it out."

Just as Theo went to get out of bed Lydia grabbed his arm. "Theo baby, please be careful." She sounded so scared for him, and for some reason that made him smile. "I will be. I promise." Leaning in Theo kissed Lydia on the forehead and got out of bed. He was wearing only a pair of loose pajama bottoms Lydia had gotten him as a joke, but he wore all the time because they were the most comfortable damn things ever. Never mind their hideous orange color with green rubber ducks.

Moving as quietly as he could Theo crept to the closet first and pulled out his baseball bat. He smiled down at the familiar object, finding comfort in it's weight. He had never used it as a weapon before but Theo had played baseball in some capacity since he was able to swing a bat. He even played for his company's yearly team. Turning back to Lydia he gave her one last reassuring smile before opening the door just enough for him to slip out of and closing it behind him. Once in the hallway Theo listened careful for any sounds. At first he didn't hear anything, but after about two minutes of waiting he though he heard something moving in the kitchen downstairs.

As carefully as he could manage Theo crept down the hall, thankful for the thick carpets Lydia had insisted on. Easing down the stairs Theo started to hear more sounds, like someone trying to quietly shift things around. The sound was coming from down the hall in the kitchen. Making his way to the source of the sound Theo raised his bat in preparation, pausing at the corner where the hallway wall opened up into the kitchen and dining room. Peaking around the corner Theo saw the back of someone opening drawers and rummaging through them quickly before moving to the cabinets above. It was clear they had done this for half the kitchen already. A fury Theo had never felt before burned in his chest, who was this person to break into HIS home and try to rob from him? Without a word of warning Theo swung his bat like he was trying to hit a Grand Slam. The crack of wood on skull echoed through the house followed right after by the sound of a body hitting the floor.

Theo stood in shock over the now limp body of the burglar his heart racing, pulse rushing in his ears. "Bad move." Theo whipped around at the gruff voice that came from behind him. His eyes immediately fell to the greatest threat facing him. Time seemed to slow for Theo and everything sounded far away from some reason. The ringing in his ears was telling him that he had just heard something very loud, and the sudden feeling like he couldn't breath concerned him. Reaching up with both hands Theo realized he had dropped the bat somehow. Pressing his hands to his bare chest he felt something warm and wet. Looking down he discovered the source of the wetness. Four holes were in his chest and stomach, each bleeding freely. As if seeing the wounds was the trigger, Theo collapsed to the ground gasping for air but finding he couldn't get enough.

Sound started to return as the pair of legs left Theo's view. Theo wished dearly the ringing would have stayed. As everything started to fade to black around the edges of his vision, and a comfortable numbness began to take hold of his limbs Theo wept. "THEO! THEO! WHAT'S HAPPENING!? ANSWER ME THEO!" The screams of his love were momentarily drowned out by the hammering of a body against a door before a splintering crash and renewed screaming. "THEODORE BABY HELP M-"

---

1328 Kernodle St. Friday November 13th, 1998
​

Theo stared at the front door of his house. Well it used to be his house. "Five and a half years and I still remember every detail but her face." The words were for Theo himself. Nobody was around for him to talk to, and even if they were, the dead couldn't speak to the living. One of the big rules and all that. Theo never did find out what happened to Lydia. He died on the kitchen floor and when he opened his eyes it was two years after and he was standing outside much like he was now and she was no longer living there. No one was. To him though it had only felt like a handful of minutes had passed. "I guess time isn't so important anymore." Shrugging Theo finally moved from his place after over three years of standing watch.

Walking through the front door, literally in this case, Theo stepped into his previous house for the first time since he died. "Hmm. I thought I would feel different." Theo didn't feel much of anything being in the house again. Wandering around he stopped in each room, noting how the furniture was different and the walls had been painted a new color, but it was all a set up for show. The For Sale sign out front was a dead giveaway.

Theo unfocused his attention and the world seemed to move like it was in a time lapse, days whipped by in seconds, and he watched as people came and went making offers on the house until it was bought finally after two years.

---

1328 Kernodle St. Friday October 13th, 2000​

Theo came out of his fugue like state when he realized the house was now purchased. He was a bit excited to see who the new tenets would be but was quickly disappointed to find it was some rich man who was buying properties to rent them out. He did approve of the renovations to the house, having accepted long ago the world was moving on around him even if he was stuck in place. Over the next two and a half decades Theo watched over the house, never interacting with the residents, but always taking the time to get to know the new people that moved in before slipping back into his time eating fugue. During those years Theo also discovered he could slow time to crawl from himself, making seconds last days if he so desired, but he could not completely stop the passing of time.

---

1328 Kernodle St. Friday June 13th, 2025
​

The house was being sold again, not rented this time. The curious thing to Theo was it was a single young woman who was buying the home. It was a nice sized 3 bedroom house, a family home, but it appeared she wasn't in the market for making a family from what he had observed of her during the walkthroughs and talks with the realtor he listened in on. She was the most curious tenet yet as she didn't seem bothered at all by the report of his murder in the kitchen. Something they had to disclose when selling the house for some reason or another. The shady man who rented the place never did.

Theo spent the rest of the week watching her move in and get settled. He was genuinely curious about why she chose this place and he had all the time in the world to just watch and learn. "Who are you and what brought you out here all by yourself?"

 

[sky.]

It was the first rainfall she had seen since moving, making it no better of a time than to slowly nest. Placing the last touches to make this place her home. The final one at that. Constantly on the move since childhood, Mason was no stranger to well .... strange houses or new places. "Under full disclosure I must inform you of the prevent tenant's passing on the property." a middle-aged, exuberant woman had stated towards the end of the tour of the house. Still, she held that plastic smile trying her damn hardest to make the sale. Mason could imagine how many people, families, had turned the place down due to its colorful history to say the least. "Oh, right. I'm well aware of what happened Mrs. Witney. I like to do my own research," she paused to admire the large structure, " - always a catch when a place like this comes up for sale at such deal, no." Her round eyes beamed with flooding ideas. This was her fresh beginning, the first chapter to her own story.

"Besides, I don't believe it ghosts."

Mason discovered how easy it was to settle in the quaint harbor front town. The difference between the quiet, neighborly attitude was much different than the bustling city life. Fresh out of college, this was the perfect place to settle - perhaps making that dream of writing a book an actual reality. The possibilities were endless. Within a week of being there she had picked up a job as a waitress at a local cafe' downtown. When her coworkers found out she was now the proud, new occupant of 1328 Kernodle Street they began making wagers on how long she'd last. Telling her the horror story of what had happened. Still, the young woman simply shrugged it off. It had happened a long time ago ... and again, she was a skeptic.

Saturday morning did not stray from the usual aside from the steady storm rolling in. Mason brought inside what plants needed to be shielded from the elements, placing them around the sunroom located off the back of house. Inheriting her natural green thumb from her grandmother each room looked like the garden section at your local hardware store - a phrase friends and her brother had said many times. It was the massive backyard which had her intrigued when the listing came through an email. Building a greenhouse was first on the agenda. After the death of her grandmother, she inherited enough money to securely support herself without work for the next serval years. However, that wasn't a trait she possessed, always having a strong work mentality. Staying home would drive the woman completely ape shit unlike her brother who seemed to be basking in the world of unemployment. He was a few years younger than her, still switched on party mode .... the death of the woman who raised him was hard on them both.

"You can't drown out your sorrows by blowing through Gran's money, Miles. She left that for your for a reason - ."

"When are you ever going to stop trying to parent me, huh? We've gone more than half our lives without them Mason, I sure as fuck don't need one now. Especially in my sister. I'm sick and tired of your need to control over everything. Gran is gone. She's not coming back, and we both knew this was coming. Despite your sad attempt to fight the inevitable. arguing with doctors. Telling them how they should be doing their damn job. Enough Mason. I've had enough."

Those were the last words she heard from her twin, stopping midway through helping her move. The suborn side of her let him stomp out like a child, holding her ground in what was stated. That wasn't what they money had been left for, it was to ensure their futures. Why couldn't he see that? On the other hand, the blunt truth was that he was correct. Her need to have both hands on the reins at all times had bitten her in the ass numerously. Also, she was guilty of trying to replace that hole their mother left when she decided to leave them as toddlers in the hand's of her own mother. If the woman was still even alive herself, Mason didn't know, nor did she care. Thoughts of her deceased grandmother made a lump form in the back of her throat. Where would she be if Gran hadn't been there? To help her through school, press her into college. That was her real mother.

Now, she wasn't. A hard pill to swallow.

Time would only heal, god how Mason despised that quote. Yet, it was true and as the months went by her heart slowly began to repair itself. Moving was the best decision she had made so far in her fresh adulthood. Not many could say that they owed the type of property she did at such a young age, haunted or not. Mason laughed to herself, thinking about the possibility of the town rumors being true. When it boiled down to it, Mason wasn't what she let on others to believe. She knew there was more than life after death - she had seen it as a child. Thinking it was imaginary friends Mason encouraged her gift unknowingly, finally putting a stop to it in her late teens. Not wanting to be dubbed as the crazy girl who claims to see "the dead." Treating it as if it were a light switch on the wall Mason solely turned it off and shut the door. Leaving that part of her in complete darkness.

Cornflower orbs watched the trails of water droplets chase one another down the glass. Placing a single digit between the pages of The Bell Jar Mason reached for a steaming cup of lavender tea, sweetened by local honey. Savoring the sweet, floral taste against her tongue she debated on giving her work a ring. Before her free hand could dig around the heap of pillows and blankets the dark brunette paused, hearing - a voice? Her eyes darted around the bedroom, making sure not to miss a single inch. Like the many times before she thought she heard something, or someone there was no body attached to the voice. Coming to her like a brush against the ears. This time was .... different. Sounding as if it could have been someone passing by her window even. No one was outside in this weather, right? Pulling herself up on the tips of her toes in order to glance outside.

Not a soul.

"You need to get out more and socialize," Mason chortled, rolling her eyes as she flopped back down on the center of her bed. Pulling the book back to her face she soon found herself lost once more in it's pages, plugging her ears with a set of earbuds before completely sinking away.

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

For the first time since him waking up as a ghost Theo was surprised. Was she looking for him? Had she heard him? Walking closer to the curious young woman Theo focused on her slowing his perception of time to a crawl. Getting right up in her face he squatted down to be level with her sitting position. His faded blue eyes searched here cornflower blues, for what Theo was not quite sure. He had encountered other dead before and there was always a missing quality in their eyes. No spark of life he guessed. Theo stretched out the seconds into minutes as he began to study the rest of Mason's face.

Theo still wasn't sure what he was looking for, maybe something to jog his lost memories. Why could he remember the voice of Lydia but not what she looked like? How can he remember the gun but not the face of the gunman? All faces before his death were stripped from his memory. He could remember the faces of every person that lived here after with no issues. "So curious." He mused aloud. The had picked up the bad habit of talking aloud to himself, not that anyone could hear or judge him for it. Not finding answers in his questions, or the initial question she had asked Theo stepped back and let his perceptions return to normal.

Stepping back from Mason he observed her check the room further and then look out the window. "So you did hear me." If he could, Theo would have smiled in that moment. "This is interesting." Turning away from the woman Theo closed his eyes while taking a step his foot never coming down onto the bedroom floor.

Nowhere A.K.A The In-Between. Timeless.

Cirrus clouds moved across the grey sky like waves searching for a shore never to be found and a breeze that didn't exist. The clouds were the only thing about the colorless landscape that stretched endlessly around Theo that ever moved or changed. Looking around at the dead trees doing their best to fill the emptiness of this place. Theo shivered. Not from cold, the dead didn't feel cold. He shivered due to the nearly overbearing sensation of isolation in this place. In all his time dead Theo never was able to get comfortable in the In-Between, but he didn't think anyone was meant to linger in this place for longer than necessary to get to the next. Staring off into the distance Theo thought he could see someone else walking far out on the horizon but it was too far to tell. "This place is too creepy." He murmured hugging himself and finding a sturdy enough looking tree to sit and rest against. It was another mystery to Theo, why he had to spend time here in there place. It was one of the things he woke up just knowing. Some rules of the afterlife stuff he didn't understand, but he did know that if he didn't spend time here he would start to loose himself in the living world.

Theo sat in the uncanny stillness of the In-Between and watched the clouds glide by, no sensation of time passing, but Theo knew in the real world time was still moving, but he wasn't sure at what pace it was passing for him here. What could have been hours, days, or even years later Theo felt better. Getting up from the ground he dusted himself off out of habit. No dust stuck to him from this place. Nothing but the clouds ever changed. Closing his eyes Theo took a step.

1328 Kernodle Drive, Friday 13th, 2025
​

Opening his eyes Theo knew it was the same day, just much later in it and he was standing in the Kitchen. Theo could still hear the rain falling outside and a quick look out the kitchen window let him know night had fallen and the street lights had come on. Leaving the kitchen Theo wandered the house until he found Mason again. Standing across the room from her he crossed his arms over his stomach and leaned against the wall settling himself in to watch her more.

 

[sky.]

Wherever she had drifted off caused Mason to wake up in a fever. Limbs kicking about, no direction ... only to get away. The book that had rested open on top of her chest now sat on the other side of the room. It took several seconds for her to realize she had even fallen asleep in the first place. Remembering her eyes growing heavy as the sound of gentle rain soothed her into a sudden slumber. What the hell happened? Gliding an unsteady hand from her racing heart to her sweat riddled hair Mason's orbs searched the room. Expecting the same … shadows from her dream to crawl across the ceiling. Scuttle along the floor like roaches. She couldn't recall the last time she had a nightmare, not one that left her on edge after her eyes opened. They didn't return, of course. She sighed, feeling ridiculous at the sinking sensation lingering in her gut.

After backing out on her idea of a "outing" Mason curled up on the couch instead. Deciding takeout would be on the menu, again. Chinese. She still had things to unpack, not to mention she had been putting off sorting through the basement long enough. She wasn't a child anymore, even if the mere sight of that damn door made her feel like one. Each time she passed by her eye was caught by the dusty glass doorknob, a part of her wanting to reach out and twist it open, if only to see what gave her the feeling of missing a step on a flight of stairs. What did she truly expect to discover down there - other than forgotten or unwanted belongings left behind by previous owners?

Leaving the sticky palm of her hand over her face two fingers squeezed between her eyes. Mason dragged downwards, forcing out a laugh. It was only a dream, you should be used to them by now. Nightmares followed her since childhood - so much for growing out of them. They had improved for the most part, until moving into this place it seemed. Each night she had one, growing more disturbing and obscure.

No. Mason finished sliding her hands down, removing the small droplets. Moving here was going to be, would be, the best thing to happen. Local gossip hadn't rattled her away the first time and it wouldn't now. "Every location has a story to tell."

As her Nan would say, "a handprint."

Mason stretched her toes towards the hardwood floor, sucking back at the unexpected chill. Without looking for her cellphone she assumed the time by looking out the window, the once grey hue turned into a coal black sky. Arching her head upwards she noted the missing stars, most likely hiding behind thick clouds. Subtle thuds against the roof told her the rain had appeared to lightened up for the time being.

According to the weather this storm was supposed to survive the rest of the week. Fortunately, she wasn't scheduled at her new job until the beginning of next.

Looking over her shoulder Mason grabbed the knitted blanket from the back of the furniture and draped it over her back. Bringing the corners in to help cover her front, blocking the draft. Was there a window left open? Forgetting how big the place was she had formed a habit of leaving them open.

Allowing the rich fragrance of nearby lavender bushes to reach inside. Settling on that being the explanation she made her way past the dining room and into the kitchen for a drink. The coldness didn't let up, in fact - it only increased upon entering. Nervously her fingers ran along the wall, stopping on the switch to flick it upwards.

Rolling her eyes Mason huffed and stomped a foot, resting her head on the back of the wall as her darts bounced to the only window in the room. Closed of course. The inky brunette narrowed her pale orbs and moved away from the entrance, making a direct route to the sink where she chugged down a glass of water. "Maybe some real sleep will-" her verbal thought broke. Spinning around Mason dropped the glass, the drumming of her heart against her ears had drowned out the sound the shattering object. Her chest rose and fell visibly, the blanket pooling around her bare feet. The house stayed silent, taunting in ways. Before she turned to leave the window, a reflection showed someone gazing at her from behind, a man. Despite what she thought she may have seen, there was nothing to back it up. Nothing had been disturbed or broken and there certainly was no one else with her, knowingly.

The window was far too high for anyone of natural abilities to get to unless they scaled the gutter which was holding on by its last life. Surely she would have heard it, even asleep.

Mason held out an unsteady arm, one hand planted on the edge of the sink and the other reached out. The further her fingertips stretched the more the atmosphere changed. She pressed her lips together to make a hard line and took her arm back, holding it close to her chest. Finally, she dropped to the ground to clean up the mess, once again covered with frustration. It was late. She was tired. Muffled curse words followed each shard of glass she gathered, forming a pile before retrieving the broom and dustpan. Before Mason could make it to the trash can she stopped in her tracks. The name coming to her as a whisper, soft and abrupt she watched it form in her mind clear as day.

"Theo."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Theo watched the sleeping woman and smiled internally. She had fallen asleep where he had last seen her while reading it appeared. He took a couple steps closer before she jerked awake, launching the book across the room and performing an impressive series of flailing swats and panicked kicking. "What's got you spooked?" He asked stepping further into the room, a sense of concern he hadn't felt in a long time. As he got closer he could see the tell-tale signs of her being truly afraid. He started to reach out to her but stopped halfway there. What was he going to do? Comfort her? How? "You're being an idiot Theo." He chastised himself and stepped back from her.

"If you only knew the stories that went on here, well I guess you know some of it." He replied to her comment knowing she couldn't hear him. "Hmm, I like that, a handprint." Theo turned the idea over in his head. It was better than thinking of his new existence as an echo. It made him feel more....solid.

Mason moving again pulled Theo from his thoughts and again he found his eyes locked on her following her every movement. He drank in the sight of her legs reaching for the floor, how she stretched out her feet to the cold floor, the action causing her feet to arch and her calves to flex. Pale blue eyes trailed up those elegant curves to her thighs and hips where they lingered for a short moment as she finished standing before continuing his admiration of her. Again his eyes lingered, this time on her neck as she exposed it to him. Without realizing it his fingers slowly started to reach out towards her and he moved a step closer. Mason turning to grab the blanket broke his trance and Theo realized that he was reaching out for her again. "Damn Theo, what's gotten into you?" He questioned. Never since the night he came back had Theo felt something like this. Usually his feelings were dulled, washed out. But this was a clear desire to reach out to this beautiful stranger.

Moving out of Mason's way he followed her down the hall a few steps behind her. He could feel the nervous energy coming from Mason and again he found himself wondering what it was that had her so scared.

He shook his head in amusement at her little outburst, finding it quite endearing. Hanging back in the doorway Theo watched her cross the kitchen, stepping in the very place he had died to make herself a glass of water. A rogue thought ran through his mind, shouldn't he feel a chill or something from her walking over the place of his death, or was that when someone walked over your grave? He couldn't recall and quickly dismissed the thought for what it was, a distraction. Theo didn't really care to go into the kitchen often. There was just something about being in the room he died in that felt weird to him.

Mason's cut off words followed by the shattering of the glass was like a starter's pistol for Theo. Without conscious thought he was across the kitchen and once reaching out to Mason, this time to stop her from stepping on any of the broken glass. Right before his hand reached her he jerked it, and himself back. There was nothing he could do for her and Theo felt a twinge of helplessness. Moving back he looked her over, seeing that she was now terrified, not just nervous. He could see her pulse hammering in her neck, the heavy rise and fall of her chest and the shakiness of her entire body.

Theo almost stepped back further when she started to reach out but stopped himself. He watched as she slowly reached out towards him, taking in the details of her hands and nails. She had pretty hands he realized. Reaching up himself, Theo almost let their finger tips touch before she pulled her arm back. "You don't have anything to be afraid of here." He assured her moving back to the doorway so she could clean up the broken glass while swearing to herself. She was almost as bad as he was about talking to himself. Then she said something that caught Theo so off guard he flinched. She said his name. Shock rocked Theo as he gaped at the woman who had no business knowing his name. "How?" He asked while walking back to her. This time he wasn't careful about how close he got to her.

Stopping with just inches between them he stared into her eyes searching. "Who are you?" He asked in a whisper looking into her eyes for the answer to his question.

 

[sky.]

"How, is right."

Mason expelled a heavy sigh, lifting herself up onto the granite countertop. She jolted her head in the direction of where the question came from, nearly leaping out of her own skin. One hand hooked under the edge of where she sat and the other clenched the handle of the cabinet above her. Looking, and feeling crazy she glanced around a quiet ... very empty kitchen. This is fucking impossible, I know I heard someone. The male voice glued in her mind. Mason took a trembling breath, there was no gathering herself. Either the rumors were true, or she was going insane. I choose option B. Could this night get any .... weirder? She almost didn't even want to think it, fearing of provoking anything more.

The awful dream. The name. The voice.

Though she now sat wide awake Mason rubbed her eyes, hopefully pushing off whatever sleepy delusion held her captive. What made it worse was that she knew she wasn't tired, nor lacking on sleep. In fact, she hadn't felt this rested in her life. Until now, she loved this house, more so it felt mutual. Seeing photos online was no match when she saw it in person. After she stepped through the elegant archway and past the beautiful wooden front door it felt right. Not getting the vibe one might expect from a location where someone was murdered. No. If anything, she felt warmth. Mason could confidently say that it was this house chose her.

Until now, what had happened in the past was left right where it needed to be. In the past. Now, it was all she could picture. Recalling the articles available, which wasn't much to start with oddly enough. She had learned more from neighbors than anything else, Mason ruled it out to be gossip mostly. Oh nooo, I don't scare easy. She mocked herself in bitter silence. Finally removing her hands from their offensive position, she settled them in her lap, twisting the silver ban around her thumb.

Calling her mom came and left quickly. Already knowing exactly how that conversation would go if she did. Better yet, how the argument would go. She didn't want her daughter moving to another state anyways, let alone to a house where such a horrible act was committed. Mason cringed thinking of the moment she told her what had happened here. Spiritual and headstrong her mother warned her against going. Taking it to the extreme, like always. One reason the young woman wanted to get the hell out of there. They should have burnt it to the ground, no living soul needs to live there again, she told Mason with a sorrowful gaze. Much like her mother, she was stubborn and when her mind was made up there was little anyone could do to shift it.

"I don't want to be in this city anymore! Can't you understand that? I'm sick of moving. I'm ready for my own forever." - was her final words. Mason despised her mother's gypsy lifestyle as a child, finding out fast there was no point in forming friendships. They weren't meant to stay. She was never lasting in anyone's life, only passing by. By the time she was a teenager Mason detached from developing any type of relationship, always ready to uproot and leave. Since making personal connections checked off her list, she focused on her studies instead no matter where they went. Graduating at the top of her class in the end.

This was her change to make up for time lost, find those connections. Maybe even date a little, another foreign subject. Plant her roots for once. Or so she thought - it wasn't just tonight that had her on edge. For the past week she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched within the house. Eyes unseen by her, she could still feel the heaviness of a gaze upon her. Each time she turned, expecting to eventually catch a being in the flesh there was no one around. However, an actual ghost hadn't crossed her mind. This wasn't some paranormal show or movie, it was real life and she stopped believing in ghouls and monsters long ago.

It's just like a handprint. Mason calmed her panting lingering on the edge on the counter. Nothing more. Nothing less. Deciding tomorrow morning she would call her aunt and tell her about what has been happening the last few days, the nightmares, Mason slid off the smooth surface. Talking to her about "this" type of thing was easier than her mother and would cause less drama. Considering the woman as her second mother, she had helped raise Mason and her siblings during times when her mother ventured off to find herself.

Mason tapped the end of her nails, listening to the series of clicks before dropping down completely. "Hey, Aunt Elle. I think my house might be haunted." She fought back a laugh. Saying it out loud would be even more comical. She had educated her aunt well before her mother about the move and how she nailed such a deal. "What do I do about it?" Mason practiced, this time allowing a chortle. The chance of it being the move beginning to wear on her, being away from family, and the countless town members reminding her of her purchase was more likely the issue than not.

Why couldn't she remember the name of the previous owners? Any of them.

She wedged her bottom lip underneath her teeth, chewing gently in a nervous habit. When she thought back to the impressive list of old occupants she simply drew a blank. Afraid to utter the name that came to her moments ago Mason shook it off, not wanting to freak herself out all over again. Still, the tiny hairs on her arm stood at full attention and room held an unchanged temperature. It's a large house, can't expect all rooms to be warm. Pulling a black hair tie from her wrist she flipped her head over long enough to scrunch the dark locks into a messy bun, running her hands back a couple times to smooth out any lumps. In the morning she would head to the local library, if finding out each detail was going to bring comfort - she'd spend there all day. Online research really went only so far in this case, almost as if the town wanted to keep it under wraps.

It wouldn't come as a surprise, the town did seem that way, wanting to keep up a neat ... untouched by the real-world appearance. Mason couldn't fathom how it was during the summer months when people drove from nearby cities, taking their families to escape in beach rentals. The last thing a small town like this needed, wanted ... was that secret to get out further. Contacting the relator was another option, not being able to help but wonder if any others had experiences while they lived here. And so soon. Looking back on the tour of the home the man had been rather anxious, in a hurry to leave. She had been too preoccupied with the beauty of the place pay much attention to anything else.

Unless I plan on camping out in the kitchen, Mason's blue hues wondered from the small dining table to the far corner where her grandmothers hutch stood. Sucking in her lip she slowly inched towards the archway leading out to the hallway where she'd find the staircase. Wanting nothing but to wake up to a new day her steps quickened. Who are you? The same exact voice from earlier came without warning. This time causing her to freeze mid-step. The invisible whisper came out confused, almost startled. Mason fought against running, fleeing up to her room to hide. Instead, she ignored it. Don't feed into it.

Holding her chin up her wide orbs went unblinking as she passed by, through him. If she felt it. She didn't show it. Continuing past the wide archway and towards the spiraling steps. From head to toe she shook. The burning inside her nose told her told her the promise of tears. Before her bare foot hit the bottom step Mason turned to look over a slender shoulder. A compelling sensation pulled her sights back towards the kitchen. Standing in the darkened doorway was the perfect silhouette of a man leaned against one side of the frame. Mason parted her lips to shriek, letting nothing out louder than a gasp she felt frozen. Swallowing back against a large lump in her throat she took a step backwards, taking a firm hold on the railing.

"H-How. Who-" she asked breathlessly, collapsing into a seated position on the third step.

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

She could hear him! No one had ever been able to hear him before when he was just idly talking to himself, it just didn't work like that. He had to put energy into being seen or heard by the living and that was something that was frowned upon by the dead. Against the rules that Theo just instinctively knew after coming back as a ghost. For over 30 years Theo had walked and talked in his house and none of other tenets ever heard him. They felt him, maybe even heard a muffled whisper for those that were more open to idea of the dead staying around after life, but never had be been heard so clearly or responded to.

Theo flinched when Mason suddenly walked though him, not being able to step out of her way in time. It didn't hurt, but it was something he had never quite gotten used to. He didn't mind passing though objects, but it felt wrong somehow to pass through people. She didn't seem to notice walking though him either and he turned to watch her go, debating on following her more or leaving it be for the night. So much was happening all at once and clearly, to him at least, Mason was shaken by tonight's events more than he was. Posting back up against the door frame he watched her start up the stairs, his decision to leave her alone for the night made.

That was until Mason looked back over a pale shoulder and looked right at him. Theo could feel her eyes on him, not just looking in his direction by mistake, but looking dead at him. Her full lips parting into a failed scream confirmed it. Even though he wasn't revealing himself to her, she was seeing him. As far as he knew the restless dead could only be seen or heard if they made the effort to be, which was something he never did. All the same this woman could see and hear him somehow.

With an small push of will Theo solidified his image as he took a step out of the doorway. As he stepped closer to Mason, who had stumbled back and taken an involuntary seat on the stairs, his silhouette filled out into his true image. Slowly he continued towards Mason, lifting both hands to reveal open palms, the universal gesture of meaning no harm. "That's what I would like to know. How were you able to hear and see me before? How did you know my name?" Theo stopped several feet away from Mason and searched her large blue eyes for his answers. After a long moment Theo spoke again, his thoughts catching up to him and gently reminding him that the scared lady in front of him had asked him a question that he didn't answer, just repeated with more words. "Sorry, that wasn't an answer." Sheepishly Theo rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm Theodore Lambert. I was the man that got murdered in this house." He gave Mason a weak smile and a half shrug. "I really didn't mean to scare you. I've been hanging around here for thirty years and no one has seen or heard me before." Theo could feel himself starting to ramble. It seemed that even in death he hadn't gotten over his nervousness when talking to pretty women. A pang hit him with that thought, a long accepted feeling of loss. Even though he couldn't remember what she looked like, he could remember being just as awkward with Lydia when they first met, and for a long time afterwards.