When Vic woke she found herself wrapped in a blanket in the fetal position, sitting in the chair next to a dead fire. All her joints were stiff and sore from sleeping in that position for several hours. She grabbed her phone to check the time, but it was dead. She’d left it on all night and hadn’t charged it. She extricated herself from the blanket and stood. Her muscles protested. She plugged her phone in, went to her laptop, and woke it up. It was just after nine am. She had slept in. Great!

  Vic descended the creaking wooden staircase, the lingering scent of fresh paint and sawdust filling the air as she made her way to the main floor. Megan was hunched over the dining room table, sketching plans and muttering to herself amidst the sounds of construction that reverberated through the house.

  "Morning, Vic," Megan glanced up briefly, her eyes tired but determined.

  "Good morning," Vic replied, trying to sound more upbeat than she felt. She continued through the chaos of workers and construction, moving toward the library where she hoped to find Michael. The workers nodded in acknowledgment as she passed, their hammers and saws forming a rhythmic symphony of renovation.

  In the library, she was met with an emptiness that contrasted sharply with the surrounding hustle and bustle. Determined, she backtracked, spotting Michael engaged in conversation with a couple of workers in the drawing room.

  "Michael!" she called, her voice cutting through the ambient noise. He excused himself from the workers, following Vic back into the relative quiet of the library.

  "What's up?" Michael asked, leaning against the doorframe.

  Vic hesitated for a moment, glancing around to ensure no prying ears lingered nearby. "Have you talked to Megan about getting a priest or someone to bless the house?" she asked in a hushed tone.

  Michael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, she agreed to a blessing, but I didn't mention the whole ghost cleansing thing. I don't want her to get more upset."

  "I understand. But, Michael, I really think we need to do something. The kids are seeing things, and the nanny left in a hurry. It's not normal," Vic insisted.

  He nodded, a furrow forming on his brow. "Alright, I'll call the church, see if we can get someone. Maybe we can convince Megan to take the kids out when they come. That way, she won't have to witness it all and get even more worked up."

  Vic felt a mix of relief and anxiety. "Thank you, Michael. I appreciate it. We need to figure out what's going on in this house before it gets worse."

  He gave her a reassuring smile. "We will, Vic. We'll get through this."

  Michael, his expression tense, made his way to the computer, his fingers clacking on the keyboard as he searched for nearby Catholic churches. Vic positioned herself by the door, eyes scanning the room for any sign of Megan.

  After a moment, Michael found a list of churches and began dialing the first number. Vic watched the door, a knot of anticipation tightening in her stomach.

  "Hello, this is Michael Williams. I was wondering if I could speak to someone about... a situation we're having at our house. It's… um, a bit unusual," he explained, glancing at Vic.

  Vic could see the furrow deepen on Michael's brow as he listened to the voice on the other end. It wasn't going well.

  "Oh, you don't handle that kind of thing? Okay, thank you anyway," Michael said, disappointment evident in his voice as he hung up.

  He moved on to the next number, Vic's eyes still on the doorway, waiting for Megan. The second call didn't yield any better results, and frustration edged into Michael's voice as he explained the situation once again.

  "No, I understand. Thank you for your time," Michael sighed, ending the call with a somber expression.

  Vic could see the weight on his shoulders as he dialed the third number. Her attention was divided between the conversation and the hope that Megan would appear and perhaps offer some solace.

  "Hi, this is Michael Williams. I, uh, I need to talk to someone about... paranormal activity in our house. Yeah, ghosts," Michael admitted, a touch of awkwardness in his tone.

  Vic could only catch fragments of the secretary's responses, but Michael's expressions reflected a mix of desperation and determination. He explained the children seeing apparitions, the nanny's sudden departure, and their growing fear.

  "Okay, okay. Thank you. I appreciate it," Michael said, his voice softer now. He hung up, meeting Vic's eyes.

  "They're going to give the information to a priest, and he'll call back when he can. We just have to wait," he said, weariness evident in his voice.

  Vic nodded, a mixture of relief and anxiety settling over her. "Let's hope they can help us."

  As the afternoon sun shined its rays through the tall windows, the house echoed with a hum of activity. Michael was hands on in the construction zone directing workers and demonstrating techniques. Vic had her head buried in her architectural sketches while sitting with Megan in the dining room surrounded by fabric swatches and measurements. Occasionally Megan would ask her a question, which she answered astutely.

  The Atmosphere in the house buzzed with the work of construction. Every movement, every tool echoed through the house’s cavernous spaces. It was a symphony of tools.

  Lunchtime came and ended the orchestra of construction and the crew gathered around a makeshift table in the drawing room. The smell of various takeout containers mingled with the scent of sawdust lingering in the air.

  The workmen ate sandwiches and drank soda while they shared stories. Their laughter and banter could be heard down the hall. It temporarily dispelled the tension that had gripped the house.

  One man mentioned Larry, the crew member who was injured. He now sported a broken arm. Another sheepishly admitted to hearing whispers and weird noises that very morning. The others teased him mercilessly, and they all laughed it off as if it were just one big joke. They continued eating and joking, then changed the topic to sports. The Lions were on a roll and they couldn’t wait until the next game.

  After lunch, the work continued, and the house’s interior was slowly being transformed under the careful supervision of Michael and his contractor. Megan left to pick the boys up from school.

  She arrived back at the house later that afternoon, the children’s laughter echoed throughout the halls. Vic smiled at the boys as Liam and William told her all about their day, their friends, what they did on the playground, and about what they learned.

  "Did you have a good day, Dad?" William asked, turning his attention to Michael, who crouched down to their eye level.

  Michael tousled his son's hair, exchanging a warm smile. "It was a good day. What about you two? Anything exciting at school?"

  The boys repeated their tales to their father while he smiled and listened. Vic was pleased with the familial warmth. It was a subtle shift from the tension that had recently infected the house. She felt good to be included.

  Megan took the books to the kitchen for an afternoon snack, while the construction crew finished up and left for the day. A lot of work had been done today, and the restoration would bring back the beauty of the past while merging it with today’s function. Soon, a new chapter will begin for the house.

  The day's bustle settled down after the workers left and dusk grew the shadows. Megan, Michael, and the boys descended to the kitchen, happy laughter echoing through the hallways. Michael asked Vic to join them despite a fleeting expression on Megan’s face. She agreed and followed them down to the basement.

  Once in the spacious kitchen the boys were sat at the table while the adults cooked. Michael cooked the meat. The scent of sizzling steaks filled the air. Megan put together a vegetable dish that she popped into the oven, and Vic constructed a salad.

  The atmosphere in the kitchen was light and playful, which was a nice change from the recent tension. The boys chatted with them while they snacked on veggies given to them by both Vic and their Mother.

  .Once the meal was ready it was placed in the dumbwaiter and they all went upstairs to the pantry, where the meal was retrieved, and then they continued on to the breakfast room.

  The faint glow of the antique lights made it seem as if they were in another time. The scent of the meal was mouthwatering and the wine they picked out went well. Vic thought it was nice to be included and for once felt like she belonged.

  The boys told them all about school again when William expressed his desire to follow in his Dad’s footsteps. “I want to be a construction guy just like Dad.”

  Liam interjected, “Not me, I’m going to stay a kid forever. The “pretty lady” said I could. I’m going to stay with her.” He continued eating.

  Vic exchanged a knowing glance with Michael, their unspoken acknowledgment went unnoticed by Megan. The meal continued as conversation took a more normal tone.

  Amid bites of food and sips of wine, Megan turned her attention to Vic. “What are your plans once the renovations are complete?” She inquired. Vic shared her hopes to work on restoring other historical homes in the region.

  As the night wore on their laughter and stories lingered, and when the plates were cleared, Vic expressed her gratitude for being included. She then excused herself and left to return to her room.

  As Vic ascended the grand staircase, the great hall below transformed into a cavern of shadows. The radiant glow of the stained glass window, adorned with imps that had seemingly vanished the day before, played tricks on the edges of her perception. Each step felt like a tentative dance with the unknown, the imps lurking in the grass reappearing to leer from the glass.

  With a wary glance, Vic continued past the window, a shiver tracing its way down her spine. The expressions on the imps' faces creeped her out and she was happy when she reached the top of the stairs without incident.

  Vic entered her room, a sanctuary amidst the chaos of the house. She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She turned the lights on, banishing the shadows that lingered at the edges.

  She sat at the desk and opened her laptop. She took notes about the days happenings, and then sat and mused over being included in the Williams’ family meal. Since it was only her and her mother it was quite nice to spend some time with a larger family. She smiled as she thought back on it.

  She glanced toward the window and half-expected the imps to have made their way there. A hint of uncertainty lingered in the air and the room became claustrophobic to her. With the unknown pushing in at her from all sides. It suddenly felt hard to breathe.

  She had to get out of here. She was starting to feel closed in. She texted her friend Allie and told her to meet her as soon as possible at a bar called The Nightcap. It was only a few blocks from the house, so she decided to walk. She left her purse but tucked her wallet into her pocket, and donned her coat. She made her way downstairs using the creepy servant’s staircase in the hope that she could avoid running into Megan and Michael. She didn’t want to see them right now. Dinner was awkward.

  The light in the stairwell was still dim and bleak as she descended to the main floor. Why did Michael invite her to have dinner with them? The look Megan made before smiling showed that she was not happy at all. She needed a drink. Come to think of it, she'd been drinking a lot more than usual since she took this job. If she’d known how jealous and insecure Megan was she would not have taken the job. The last couple of days of work it felt like you could have cut the tension with a knife.

  Entering the great hall it was dimly lit. She didn’t see the light on in the Breakfast room across the hall. They must have gone upstairs. She turned to the left and made her way to the front door. Outside she made sure to lock it behind her. They had enough craziness going on inside the house that they didn’t need curious people entering the house and doing who knows what. She turned right and headed up the sidewalk. It was close to 7 o’clock, but there was still traffic. The clouds in the dark sky looked like they were going to bring more precipitation soon, but would it be rain or snow? At the corner, she waited for the light to change and when it did she turned left and crossed the street. Headlights blinded her as she walked. She pulled her coat tighter, it was getting colder. It would probably snow again. The snow from the other day had melted when it rained.

  The street here was lined with office buildings, some new, and some old. Two blocks up she reached The Nightcap with its bright lights and trendy sounds. She checked her phone to see if Allie had texted her back, only to look up and see her walking towards her.

  “Vic! It’s been like what? A couple of days?” She came up to Vic. “Are you turning into a workday partier?” Allie hugged her.

  Vic hugged her back. Today Allie was wearing shiny leggings, with furry boots, and the same fur coat that she loved.

  Vic smiled and said, “Being at that house is getting difficult.”

  They walked to the door together and went inside. A bar ran along the back of the inside wall, with shelves behind it showcasing all the mixers. Several people were behind the bar pouring drinks. The front of the bar was all windows so you could look outside and passers-by could see inside. The floor was a mixture of different-sized tables and chairs. In one corner they found a couple of comfortable armchairs around a coffee table.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Vic stripped off her coat and draped it over the back of the chair. Allie plopped into hers.

  “So what brings you out for the booze tonight?”

  A waitress came by and took their drink order.

  “Shit just keeps getting weirder and scarier.” She sighed. “Megan seems more distrustful of me, despite the fact that I haven’t given her any indication of being so. But Michael came to my room the other night to talk about ghosts. He brought books and wine. This was right after I saw you last. I didn’t drink much since I’d drunk plenty when I was with you. He got hammered. After he drank the rest of the bottle I helped him out of his chair because he was unsteady. He said I was pretty. I got rid of him fast. I made sure Megan was not in the hall when he left. That’s just what I need. I think she’d probably murder me, and him.” She took a breath.

  “Seriously? Why are you doing this to yourself? You like him, he likes you, and his wife is crazy. Are you going to listen to reason and leave? You’ve been there what? A week? I’ve never seen you like this except when you found out your ex was cheating on you. If he’s as hot as you say he is you should hit it and then get the hell out as fast as you can before his wife finds out. It sounds like she has it in for you whether or not you do it.” Allie said.

  The waitress returned with their drinks. They both grabbed them and took a sip. Vic's rum and coke was strong.

  “I should have a conversation with Michael about that. Though he hasn’t done anything forward. The other day he sat too close. I moved away to see if it was on purpose or not and he moved closer. But that’s it. He’s not coming on to me, or anything. I should talk to him tomorrow so that he knows our relationship is merely professional. Though I don’t know how to reassure Megan I’m not gonna steal her husband. I don’t want him. He’s just gorgeous, and nice…and funny. Ugh! I think you’re right. I do like him, but I have to stick to my guns. Otherwise, it’s going to be a bigger mess than it is now.” Vic was sitting forward and flopped back into the chair. “What am I gonna do?”

  Allie smiled and took a sip of her black and tan. “You know exactly what you’re going to do you little minx.”

  Vic took a sip of her drink. “Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. Once we get this house cleansed I’m gone. This is too much for me. I didn’t tell you, but creepy shit, really creepy shit is happening in that house. Last night when I went up to bed I was lured to the third floor by what I thought was one of the boys giggling. I went up there. There was no boy. This…thing flew at me. It was a face made out of mist. It was grotesque. I flew down the stairs to my room so fast.” She drank more.

  Allie listened to her, mouth agape as Vic told her the rest of the story. About how she had a dream where her mom said they were cursed and her visit to her mom.

  “Why was it a secret that one of your great-grandmothers got knocked up out of wedlock? I mean of course, it would have been a scandal back then, but why now? And your mom believes this curse?” Allie took another sip.

  “It’s preposterous I know. But with ghosts being real who knows what else is real? I had another nightmare last night. They’re tied to the house. I keep chasing Edward Charles through the house. He’s leading me somewhere and I keep thinking I can get answers from him about something, but at the same time, I’m chased by this beast that looks like a woman with red eyes and long claws. She absolutely terrifies me. And then I wake up in the same cellar every time. The imps in the stained glass window disappeared from it last night when I dragged myself back to my room.” Vic chugged the rest of her drink and flagged down the waitress.

  Allie sat forward in her chair. What do you mean the imps disappeared?”

  Vic told her about the stained glass window on the grand staircase and about the imps hiding in the grass.

  cc“Not a one remained in the glass. They weren’t there. I didn’t stop to investigate. I was already frightened enough. I spent the rest of the night wrapped in a blanket and sitting in a chair by the fire. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up all stiff and sore.”

  The waitress came by their table again and took their order for new drinks. That new hip-hop song came on over the speakers and Allie swayed to the music.

  “Michael called a church today and we’re just waiting to hear back from them. We’re hoping they can come out and cleanse the house. I think I could handle it if that happened. If the haunting stopped. I wonder if my nightmares and sleepwalking would stop. I don’t know how they’re connected, but they seem to be somehow.” Vic looked at all the people around the room. People drinking and laughing with their friends. Single people looking for their next new ex. She wished everything was that simple again. She didn’t think life was ever going to be that simple again. Her whole worldview had changed and she was going to have to do some research to figure out what was what. But how did you find scholarly material on ghosts and hauntings in a world where people thought it was fake? Maybe she had been the only person to think it was fake, or the world of academia thought it was fake. This was all too much.

  A few minutes later their new drinks arrived and they put in an order for more drinks to come when they finished these.

  Vic grabbed her Moscow mule and took a sip. This was what she needed right here. She needed to become foggy, so she could stop overthinking everything.

  Allie took a sip of her hanky panky, a gin martini made with gin, sweet vermouth, and fernet-branca liqueur.

  “Do you think a cleansing by the church will help?” Allie asked.

  Vic was fuzzy now. The alcohol doing its job. “I have no idea. I hope it does because I don’t want to think about what happens if it doesn’t. If a priest can’t banish spirits who can?”

  “If it doesn’t work maybe we can find some paranormal experts.” Allie swayed to the music. “Aren’t there stories about hauntings that stopped after people brought in paranormal experts?”

  “I don’t know. I was never into those kinds of stories.” Vic took another sip and fidgeted with her glass. Maybe I’ll do some Google-foo and see what kind of information about ghosts and hauntings I can drum up.” Vic looked across the bar and out the window to see snow flurries coming down.

  The two women changed the subject and talked about clothes, music, and Allie’s career as a salon owner. Catty hairdressers and eccentric clients seemed much better to her at this moment than ghosts and jealous wives. The activity in the bar escalated as more people came in. It was Friday night in Detroit and everybody was out to have a good time. Now that Vic had gotten everything off her chest she was having a good time. After another drink, the two women got up to dance and more than one attractive man bought them drinks. Vic got more than one phone number to call if she was interested. Allie found herself a companion, said goodnight to Vic, and left with him in tow.

  Vic called an Uber and waited near the door for it to arrive. She was too drunk to walk a couple of blocks through the snow. A few minutes later it arrived and she hurried outside before somebody else took it.

  The Uber dropped her off in front of the looming house. She looked up at it through the falling snow. It really was a grand house. It was a mansion, but it had always been called the Charles House. She walked over the curb to the sidewalk and went to the door, fumbling for the house key. Once inside she closed and locked the door behind her.

  She could hear faint music coming from down the hall in the direction of the library. That man spent all his time in there. She wondered if Megan was in there with him, or if she was upstairs with the kids. She was going to head straight up to her room, but she decided that she was going to ask Michael to lock her in her room. She was not going to wake up in the cellar again. She didn’t want to have more nightmares, but if she was going to have them she might as well wake up in her own room.

  She found him sitting in the library on his laptop as she walked in. She stumbled before reaching out and straightening herself up on the door frame. He looked up.

  “Are you drunk?” He stood and came around the desk towards her.

  “Yesh. But I can handle myself.” She burped and wanted to die she was so embarrassed.

  He reached out his arms to help steady her. “Come sit down before you fall down and hurt yourself.”

  She backed away unsteadily before he touched her. “No,” She said too harshly.

  Michael stopped, not used to seeing Vic like this.

  “I mean, no, I don’t want to sit. I wanted to ask you a question.” She said softer.

  He looked at her quizzically. “Okay, what is it?”

  “Can you lock me in my room?” She frowned and looked scared. “I don’t want to wake up in the cellar again. It’s terrifying and I can’t stand it.” She let loose a few tears. Dammit, she didn’t want to cry in front of him. She hurriedly wiped them away, hoping he hadn’t seen them.

  “Yeah, sure.” When he reached for her arm this time she didn’t pull away. “If you want I can stay and watch for a while and make sure you don’t get up and go anywhere. Do you want me to do that?”

  She wanted to say no but was terrified of being left alone to sleepwalk. She was worried that even with the door closed she would still find a way to get out and wander down to the cellar again. She nodded yes to him.

  “Okay, let’s get you to your room first. How many drinks did you have?” He opened the door to the servant's stairs. Neither of them wanted Megan to see him escorting Vic to her room in a drunken stupor.

  The narrowness of the stairwell made it difficult to help Vic up the stairs. Michael had to hold on close to her to keep her from falling down the stairs. She was that unsteady. She held on to the railing and went up in front of him. His hands on her back and sides to guide her and keep her from falling. His hands on her body felt nice. She tried to squash that thought, but it was hard. He was right there behind her, so close. She stumbled not paying attention to what she was doing and he brought his hand up to steady her and he touched her butt. He jerked his hand away and she froze and started to tip over again. This time her managed to grab her around the waist and steady her. After a few precarious minutes, they made it to the second floor.

  This end of the hall was shrouded in darkness. They rarely ever came up these stairs after dark. The stairwell came out right around the south corner to Vic’s room. Peering around the corner the hall stretched into the distance, dim light spread from the wall sconces. All was silent. Michael helped her down the hall, his arm around her waist to steady her. The darkness felt oppressive and they hurriedly, but quietly walked down the hall towards Vic’s room.

  He opened the door, helped her inside, and sat her in a chair. He asked her what she wanted to change into and her eyes grew big.

  “No, no, no, I didn’t mean that. I meant, I’ll find your pajamas for you and then I’ll leave for a minute and you can change. I’m going to check on Megan and the boys. Then I’ll come back and watch over you for a while.”

  She blushed and stammered incoherently before telling him where her night clothes were, which he retrieved for her and set them on the bed.

  “I won’t be long. A few minutes, ten at most. I’ll rap lightly at the door in case you need more time to change.” He left the room.

  She felt dumb for thinking he was going to stand there and watch her change. She stood unsteady on her feet, but she grabbed the pillar of the bed to steady herself. She removed her clothing from the day and pulled on her sweatpants and t-shirt. She did her best drunk walk to the bathroom and brushed her teeth before doing the walk back to her bed. She climbed in under the covers and waited for Michael to return. She felt ridiculous. Like a child wanting her mom to stay with her because she had a bad dream, but she was an adult woman having terrifying nightmares and sleepwalking. She wanted him here, even if Megan found out.

  A few minutes later a light rapping came at the door. She told Michael to enter. He cracked open the door quietly and peeked his head through. Seeing her in the bed he walked in and closed the door behind him. He pulled up a chair next to her and sat down.

  “Megan and the boys are asleep. She usually sleeps like the dead. You can sleep safely. I’ll stay as long as I can. If you start sleepwalking I’ll wake you up.” Michael grabbed the blanket she left on the other chair, wrapped it around himself, and sat back down in the chair he pulled over to her bedside.

  “I feel silly, but I’m glad you’re here.” She said awkwardly.

  “Don’t be. The stuff we saw the other night was enough to turn my hair gray and I can’t say I wasn’t unnerved by it.”

  “Thank you!” She rolled over and closed her eyes.

  She heard Michael crack open a book. Her head still spun and she felt like she was spinning back and sinking into the bed. She was warm and comfortable, which caused her to quickly fall asleep.

  ~

  She walked down the east hallway outside her room and around the corner. The hallway stretched into the darkness beyond. The cat walked out of the darkness and right up to her. It meowed and she bent down to pet it. Walking into the darkness didn’t seem like a good idea. She didn’t know how, but she knew the beast lay that way. She turned around and looked down the other end of the hall. It stretched away, dim lights aglow casting a myriad of shadows that seemed to dance with a life of their own. Unease settled into her as she and the cat walked down the hall passing doors on the left and right. A painting on the wall at the end showed Edward Charles in a fine suit, his eyes gleaming menacingly. She could feel its eyes watching her as she approached it. The hall split again to the left and right. To the left the hall stretched away, dim light showing a threadbare carpet, peeling wallpaper, and crumbling plaster. To the right, a staircase descended into the house. She found it odd that the house was always changing. Houses didn’t do that, did they?

  She asked Kitty which way they should go and Kitty meowed and started down the staircase. Vic followed. The stairs creaked as she descended to the main floor, coming out into a large room with pillars. A piano made of bones sat in a corner, keys being depressed, but there was nobody sitting there. The sound it made sent anxiety coursing through her. The cat hissed and ran off into the darkness leaving Vic alone. She saw Edward Charles in his top hat standing at the far side of the room. When she noticed him looking at her he turned and walked out of the room through two double doors. She was going to find out where he was leading her once and for all. She set out after him, charging through the double doors after him, and fell into a pit. The air was frigid against her skin as she fell and a scream was torn from her throat. She couldn’t feel the sides of the pit, but she could tell that the sides were close. She braced herself for the impact that would occur soon.

  She hit the floor with a thud. She squinted in the bright light as she looked around to see where she was. Her legs were twisted in blankets. Hands grabbed her and she jerked away. She looked up to see Michael trying to help her up. Her room, she was in her room.

  “That didn’t sound like a pleasant dream.” He helped her up and back into her bed.

  “What happened?” She rubbed at her elbow which hit the floor. It hurt.

  “You let out a blood-curdling scream and threw yourself out of the bed.” He said.

  Footsteps could be heard running down the hall. They both looked at each other concerned.

  “Hide,” was all Vic could say.

  Michael threw himself under the bed just as the door began to open. Vic sat there on the side of the bed and noticed that the chair and Michael's book still sat close to the bed. Megan ran in brow furrowed, ready to find Vic in trouble. Seeing Vic sitting on the edge of the bed, seemingly unharmed she looked puzzled. She glanced at the chair.

  “I heard screaming and a thud.”

  Vic hoped she didn’t question why the lights were on, or that it looked like she’d had a visitor.

  “I had a nightmare that I fell down a pit, and then threw myself out of bed.” She looked embarrassed.

  “Are you hurt?” Megan walked to her and sat down next to her on the bed. She looked her over.

  “Other than a bump on the elbow? Only my pride.” She lifted her arm to show Megan the bruise that was starting to form on her elbow. “I’m sorry for waking you.”

  Megan stood and walked a few paces away. “You didn’t wake me. I woke up and Michael hadn’t come to bed yet. I checked on the kids and was getting ready to head down to the library to see what he was up to so late when I heard you scream and then a thump.” She gazed around the room.

  Was she looking for clues that Michael was here? “I’m tired, I’m going to go back to sleep.”

  Megan nodded and headed towards the door, opened it, and turned to look around the room one last time. Then she walked through the door, closing it behind her. Vic heard her footsteps as she walked away in the direction of the main stairs.

  Michael crawled out from under the bed and looked at Vic grim-faced. He quickly, but quietly moved to the door and carefully cracked it open and looked out. He looked back at her and then opened the door fully and stepped out into the hall. The door closed behind him.

  They hadn’t done anything wrong, but Vic felt like Megan almost caught them cheating. She hoped Michael could get to the library before she did. She was sure the woman thought he was here. Now that he was gone it wasn’t her problem anymore, though if he can’t convince Megan that he wasn’t here…Gah! She wanted to go back to sleep. She laid back down, pulled the blankets over her, and stared at the ceiling. A couple of minutes later she heard two pairs of footsteps walking down the hall. She grumbled to herself, frustrated with the mess her life had become in only 5 days. She rolled over and attempted to fall asleep again. Though she thought she would lay awake for the rest of the night ruminating over everything.

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