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missania · 1 year

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Modern Day AU: Haunted Mansion

Anna decides to drag a reluctant Elsa to an allegedly haunted mansion. Surely there is no better way to spend Halloween than to try out her newly acquired ghost-hunting devices, right? Needless to say things don't go exactly as expected...

AO3

" This is such a bad idea, Anna," Elsa said for the hundredth time since the beginning of the evening.

She hung behind, taking cautious steps on frozen leaves. Anna could imagine her eyes darting around the darkness, looking out for any possible danger hidden behind the dense foliage surrounding them.

She herself was skipping ahead, trying not to think about how the shadows seemed to stretch after them wherever they went.

" Oh, come on, relax! If the ghosts - and yes, I say ghosts because there might be several in there - even show a hint of bad intentions, we're out of there, I swear!" She looked back at Elsa and tried giving a reassuring smile. She ended up grimacing instead.

Of course, Elsa's apprehension was understandable. Heck, she already halfway regretted her decision to go to this place at midnight. Especially on Halloween, when the veil between the living and dead was said to be the thinnest. But they've already come so far. If they were to turn around and leave now, Elsa wouldn't let her hear the end of it.

Besides, it's been so long since they'd gone out and done something together. Elsa was too busy with her work, and Anna had her own problems to sort through. It's been more than a year since they'd last seen each other. Now that Elsa had finally taken some time off, it would be a waste to stay inside and watch the same old horror movies as they'd done before.

So why not try something new? Something way more exciting?

That was why they were currently making their way down a hidden pathway.

After a couple of twists and turns, they finally reached their destination.

" I'm more worried about breaking into this property without a permit than supposed ghosts." Elsa clarified. She then levelled a sceptical look at Anna's shaking hand, which was holding the flashlight." And it seems to me that you are the one who is scared of ghosts, not me. Are you sure you want to do this?" She gestured to the foreboding building in front of them.

Said building was the old, abandoned mansion located on the outskirts of Burgess - the little town Anna had moved to a month prior. With everything going on at the time, it was only recently that she had overheard a group of children talking about this place. They had spent the night there as a dare, and apparently, something had happened because they were absolutely convinced that the mansion was haunted. They were also very adamant about never going there again.

Standing in front of it, it was not that hard to see why they had been so spooked. The dark house towered over them, and from close up, it looked even more unwelcoming than from afar. It was apparent there hadn't been any renovations in a long time because the colour was peeling off the old wooden structure. One of the windows had cracks stretching like spiderwebs over its glass. White curtains were blocking the view from the inside. All was completely silent around them. Only the full moon made it possible to see anything.

And their flashlights.

" Sure! It was my idea, after all! And you know I never go back on my word!" To demonstrate her sincerity, Anna marched up the stairs, ignoring their groaning. Once she reached the top, she turned around and stood proud right in front of the door. " Are you coming?"

"Only if you stop shining the light into my eyes."

" Oh, sorry!"

Anna redirected the light to the door. She was about to reach for the door handle but froze mid-movement.

It was already open.

For a moment, she just stood there staring at it. Then she giggled. " Seems the kids forgot to lock it last time they were here." Shaking her head, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. She heard Elsa following right behind.

The inside of the mansion looked even creepier than the exterior. It felt like entering a completely different time, seeing as nothing had been touched for decades - possibly even more than a century. There were thick layers of dust and cobwebs everywhere. The once beautiful tapestry was partially torn down, leaving the wall behind it bare. Some of the furniture was lying on the floor, overturned, making it hard to navigate the rooms.

The only sound they could hear was the creaking floor under their footsteps.

Anna let out a shaky breath as she took in their surroundings. The smell of old wood permeated her senses and left her lightheaded. All of a sudden, her backpack weighed heavily on her shoulders. Not for the first time did she question her sanity in compulsively buying some ghost-hunting equipment on Eway for this particular night. It had seemed like a stellar idea at the time, but now that they were here, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to use them anymore. The deeper they went into the mansion, the more insistent a little voice inside of her whispered to leave and never come back.

Her sister's quiet cursing startled her. " There's no signal here!"

When she checked her own phone, she got the same result. No signal. What a coincidence.

" Ah well, I'm sure everyone's busy anyway, so there won't be any messages," she said airily.

" This is not good... What if someone from work contacts me?"

Anna raised her eyebrows. " This late? And on Halloween? I know your superiors are crazy, but surely not to this degree!"

"You'd be surprised...," muttered Elsa, frowning at her screen.

Anna pursed her lips. She knew too well, in fact, how much of her sister's time was monopolised by her work.

But instead of a reply, she just continued her trek through the old mansion. After a moment, she heard Elsa's footsteps following her again.

Once they reached the living room, Anna's eyes lit up with an idea. She went straight to the middle with no hesitation. " Right! Before we begin, it is important to know the history of this mansion! Have you heard of it?"

" No, I haven't." Elsa still looked a bit irritated, but Anna deliberately ignored that.

Instead, she continued: "Perfect! Let me tell it to you then!" She cleared her throat dramatically, and shone her flashlight so it would illuminate her face from beneath. All humour left her expression.

" So apparently, this mansion was built in 1857 and home to the Pitchiner family, " she began with a sombre tone. " For someone so wealthy, they were open and kind to the townspeople and thus very much liked by them. All was well until Kozmotis Pitchiner was called away to war. Seraphina Pitchiner and their daughter, Emily Jane Pitchiner, were on their own for several years before the war ended. Or at least they were supposed to." Here Anna lowered her voice. " A month before Kozmotis Pitchiner returned home, the neighbours noticed the mansion was empty. There was no sign of either the family or the servants. Allegedly everything was left behind, and nobody ever returned to retrieve anything. It's as if they had vanished into thin air."

Elsa raised her eyebrows at that part but did not interrupt her.

" When Mr Pitchiner finally came home, he was dismayed upon discovering this and promptly started looking for them. He searched for them tirelessly, day and night, but to no avail."

A faraway look settled over Anna's eyes. She could envision the desperation Mr Pitchiner must've felt with each day that passed without any results. But still, he had refused to give up despite the bleak outlook. Slowly she lowered the flashlight away from her face and back to her side.

She continued, her voice strained. " Another month passed. That was when Mr Pitchiner stopped leaving the house. Remembering the strange disappearance of the rest of the family, the neighbours immediately grew concerned over him. And for a good reason. Because the next day, they found him lying in the middle of the floor in this very room. Dead." She cleared her throat when her voice failed her at the last word. " Some said it was from a heart attack. Others were sure it was of heartbreak." She trailed off as she reached the end. " And that was the dark tale of this mansion's very first owners."

For a moment, all was silent. Anna looked to the side toward where Mr Pitchiner had been found dead. A shiver ran up her spine when thinking about how close she probably stood next to that exact same spot. But there was also a sudden deep sadness tugging at her heart. Yes, it was an unsettling story about the first family that had lived here. But it was also a sad one. Until his very last moments, Mr Pitchiner had never found out where his family was or what had happened to them. He had died alone in his empty home.

Suddenly she heard a whisper right next to her ear. She spun around and shone her light around the room.

" Hello?" she called out.

" What is it?" asked Elsa, shining her light in the same direction as her.

" I thought I just heard something."

"I didn't hear anything..."

They spent the next few minutes in complete silence, listening for anything else, but nothing happened. No matter where they looked, there was no indication of what could've caused that noise. Everything looked the same.

" Maybe it was just a mouse," suggested Elsa. " There's probably quite a few here."

Anna shook her head. " No, no, it was very close to my ear. Almost like someone whispered something."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. " Someone? What, you mean a ghost?"

Her eyes widened. Of course! Why did I not think of that? Another shiver raced up her spine at the possibility of a ghostly presence near her.

She hesitated.

There was no way, was there? They had just entered the house. Maybe this was just her imagination playing tricks on her. She could admit that she was a bit jumpy this night. Maybe, it was just a mouse. Or maybe, it wasn't.

There was only one way to find out.

That was, after all, why she had spent all that money on her little ghost-hunting devices. That was also why she had spent so much time convincing Elsa to come here with her. To find out whether this was a haunted mansion or not. And to have a good time. Though, that last one was pretty much out the window now.

Slowly she sat her backpack down and started rummaging around inside it.

" What are you doing?"

" Trying to find- Aha!" She procured something that looked a lot like a flashlight. Something Elsa was quick to observe.

" Oh, it is! But you can also use it to communicate with spirits!" Anna placed it carefully on the edge of a nearby table. "You pose a yes or no question, and the ghost can answer by turning the light on and off." Stepping away from it, she came to stand next to her sister.

She took a breath to calm herself. Okay, you've seen how this works. You ask a few questions, and it may or may not give a reaction. No biggie. When she opened her mouth to speak, Elsa interrupted her: " This is a Maglite, Anna. It is known to turn on and off at random."

" Well, this is why the answers should be on time to our questions," she explained. "There's only so often the light can turn on and off for it to be a mere coincidence."

"Hm..."

It was apparent that Elsa did not buy any of this, but there was no use in convincing her with words only. So instead, Anna refocused her attention on the Maglite.

" Alright. Uh, hello! Good evening! I am Anna, and this is my sister, Elsa. We only came here to visit and maybe even chat for a bit? I-if you would like to, of course." It felt weird addressing the empty room, but she did not let this deter her. " That is if there is someone actually here with us. If you are, could you turn on that light, please?"

A minute passed, and nothing happened. Elsa shifted next to her. Anna waited just a bit longer before she cleared her throat.

" Or maybe you don't want to talk? If you don't want to talk to us, turn the light on then, please."

The light turned on so quickly it startled Anna. She couldn't help but let out a surprised laugh. " Oh wow, okay, I see. Do you want us to leave as well? If so-"

The light turned off before she could finish giving instructions.

"I-is that a yes?"

The light did not turn on again.

" Could you turn on the light, please, if you want us to leave?"

No reaction.

Anna shared a look with her sister. " Guess we're free to stay here for a bit longer, right?"

Before Elsa could answer, the light turned on again.

" Oh! T-thank you, that's very kind of you!" Anna's heart was beating fast still after her initial surprise, but she did her best to calm herself. Instead, she tried to smile at whoever - whatever - was in the room with them.

Being polite was probably the best way to go about this. They did break into this house, after all.

She was about to take back the Maglite when something occurred to her. Yes, the light gave a distinct "no" to any possible conversation, but her curiosity was a relentless beast. How could she just let such an opportunity go to waste? She had watched countless videos about ghost hunting, and the Maglite did not always provide such a ready answer.

Just one more time.

She would ask one more thing to be sure this was not a fluke.

" If I may ask one more question..." She watched the Maglite with bated breath. Would it answer without any instructions?

Sure enough, the light slowly dimmed until it turned off completely. Almost as if whoever was communicating with Anna yielded to her request reluctantly.

She couldn't help but smile at that mental image. " We did introduce ourselves before, and I would really like to know who you are. I have a guess - and I'm sorry if I'm wrong - but I want to be sure I got it right-" Oh God, Anna, stop rambling before you aggravate the ghost! You only have to ask! " A-are you Mr Pitchiner by chance? If yes, then, please, one last time, turn on-"

The light was on before she could finish her sentence.

Mr Pitchiner. The original owner of this mansion. The one who had died in this very room.

She swallowed. " Nice to meet you, Mr Pitchiner! And I won't bother you any longer. Thank you again for letting us stay here!" Even to her own ears, her voice sounded unusually high-pitched.

She then quickly took the Maglite and turned it off. Once she put it away safely into her backpack, she turned toward her sister. " Okay! Do you want to go upstairs?" It was then that she noticed Elsa looking at her strangely. " What?"

Her sister shook her head. " Nothing. You sure you want to stay here?"

She gave an emphatic nod. " Yes." There was no way they were leaving after getting permission to stay - and from the original owner, no less. So what if she was a bit spooked? She would be a fool to give up now!

Elsa sighed when she saw the look of determination in Anna's eyes. " Fine. Let's go. But we will be quick about it, alright?"

"Sure."

Once they left the living room, Anna felt like she could breathe again, though that tight feeling in her stomach didn't leave her. And on top of that, she felt like someone was watching her. Maybe it was Mr Pitchiner making sure they weren't up to no good.

They soon reached a dark, wooden staircase. One after another, they went up, the stairs creaking under their weight. The noise was so loud that it almost echoed.

" So, what do you think?" asked Anna.

" About what?"

" Well, with what happened in the living room. That was pretty exciting, wasn't it?"

" Anna...," Elsa sighed. " I admit, it was a bit strange, but that was most likely a lucky coincidence. You do remember what I told you about the Maglite."

" Yes, and you probably remember what I said. The answers were clearly on time with my questions. I can't believe we actually got to meet Mr Pitchiner!" Her hands were still slightly shaking from that encounter, in fact. " It's a shame he didn't really want to speak to us..."

Elsa gave her a sidelong glance. " The flickers weren't always on time."

Anna only rolled her eyes. " Sure, it was all very random with no pattern to it. The conversation didn't make any sense at all," she drawled.

" You can't possibly call that a "conversation" back there."

Anna only gave her an annoyed look but didn't press the matter. It was impossible to prove something to her sister when she believed she was right. Stubbornness was a trait both of them shared, which wasn't always a good thing - especially not when they were at odds with one another. But something inside her told her that Elsa might change her mind this night. Maybe.

Once they reached the top, a long, narrow hallway greeted them. Ghostly rays of moonlight shone through the window at the very end of it, making everything look unreal - almost like a dark painting. There were doors on each side of the wall, each one closed. The one near the window was especially noticeable because of its peculiar shape. Upon a closer look, it became apparent why: several wooden planks were blocking anyone from opening it.

Anna hummed. " I wonder what could be behind this..."

Before she could reach for one of the planks, a sudden loud creak echoed through the hallway. There was movement out of the corner of her eye, and she spun around to face it. What she saw made her blanch.

A door had opened. Eyes wide open, both sisters watched as it moved a little more before coming to a halt.

Several seconds passed, but it didn't move again.

" So, how do you explain this?" asked Anna breezily.

Elsa gave a shaky exhale. "Probably a draft. I'm sure the door was already open." Despite the logical explanation, she sounded unsure.

Anna cleared her throat. " Mr Pitchiner, is that you? D-do you want us to go in there?"

The door creaked again, opening a bit more.

That's insane! That is so insane! He is actually responding to everything I ask of him!

She took one step forward before a vice grip on her arm held her back.

" Wait. What if someone is behind that door? " hissed Elsa.

" You mean we would be able to see Mr Pitchiner?" asked Anna. Usually, people could see ghosts only through photographs or special ghost-hunting equipment. But Mr Pitchiner was very present. He didn't seem to have trouble manipulating the Maglite, and now he's even able to push doors open. Would it be too far-fetched to believe he could manifest his physical form?

" No, I'm not talking about some ghost but an actual human being!" Elsa continued with a harsh whisper. " What if there's a homeless person in here? Or someone else? We're completely on our own! We can't call the police because there's no signal here!"

" Oh." Anna's cheeks burned with embarrassment. She hadn't even considered this possibility. " W-well, we still need to go past it if we want to leave, so... might as well investigate."

" Anna..."

" Don't worry! You know, I've got a mean right hook in case someone tries to attack us!" She winked, then freed herself from Elsa's grip.

Together they approached the open door with cautious steps. One look inside revealed an empty bedroom. They both checked for a possible attacker but found nothing. There was no sign of anyone else - besides them - being there.

Anna slowly walked around, taking in her surroundings. She noticed immediately how tidy everything was, compared to the chaos downstairs. There seemed to be even less dust here, and she had yet to see a single cobweb.

Elsa noticed it, too. " This room is too well-preserved. Someone must've been looking after it."

She agreed. There was no way it could have stayed in such good condition without help.

When she passed the dresser, which stood opposite the bed, she heard a faint scraping sound. She stopped short, wondering if that had been her imagination. Elsa didn't seem to have heard anything and wasn't paying attention to what Anna was doing. She was too preoccupied with studying the book collection at the other end of the room. But no, there it was again. Anna shined her light towards the source and found a framed photograph. It was standing right next to her on the dresser. Curious, she stepped closer, reaching for the frame to get a better look at the picture.

It was the portrait of a young girl - maybe around twelve years old. Her beautiful raven locks cascaded down her back like a waterfall forming a sharp contrast to her pale skin. She almost looked like a porcelain doll if it weren't for her eyes, which twinkled mischievously at Anna as if she was really looking at her.

" That must be Emily Jane," whispered Anna. Her heart sank thinking about how, after all those years, it was still unclear what had happened to her. How there was no trace of her and how much her father must have grieved for her. " She's so lovely." Her voice sounded all choked up when she said that.

Something ice cold passed the back of her hand, and her flashlight flickered. Her breath hitched.

After a moment, she continued gently:" You must've loved her very much."

Again, the light flickered, almost turning off in the process.

Anna bit her lip in contemplation. He was very responsive for someone who claimed he didn't want to speak to them. No matter what she asked of him, he would try to give a clear answer.

And then there's the way he had guided them into his daughter's room. As if he had wanted them to see it. Now that she thought about it, the scraping sound that she had heard must've come from the portrait. Maybe he had moved it so she would see the picture of Emily Jane.

Would it be too far-fetched to think he might want to speak about his daughter?

She decided to take a chance. After putting the portrait back where she had found it, she sat her backpack down to search for a different device. One she had been eager to use back when it had arrived in a package. It didn't take her long to find it.

" This is what we call an Ovilus," she explained softly. "I know you didn't want to speak to us, and I won't force you to. I just thought-" She faltered for a moment, searching for the right words.

She didn't get to finish her sentence.

" What is that? " asked Elsa.

Anna startled. She hadn't even heard Elsa approach. " Oh, this?" She showed her the device. " This is called the Ovilus. I read that spirits can control the temperature or electromagnetic fields. And this device takes environmental readings and converts them into actual words! I have it on Dictionary Mode right now, so the words should show on the screen."

Elsa studied it with furrowed brows. " Where did you find this? And how many devices did you buy, anyway?"

" Ah well... I found it on Eway. And there's just one more device in my backpack. But I didn't want to use it because it's rather loud."

" How much did all of this cost?"

" Oh, definitely less than what they usually cost! Don't worry about it!"

Elsa gave her a doubtful look, not at all calmed by her assurances. Anna sensed she was about to scold her for the reckless spending of money, so she decided to change the subject quickly.

" Here, " she thrust the Ovilus into Elsa's hands. " Try it."

" Wha-!" Bewildered, Elsa grasped at the device before it could fall to the ground. " What do you want me to do with this?"

" Ask a question."

" I thought your ghost didn't intend to speak to us."

Anna shrugged. " I wanted to give Mr Pitchiner another chance to speak, but this time with words." She glanced briefly at the portrait of Emily Jane, and her expression softened. " I feel like he might want to tell us something."

Elsa sighed. " Fine. How do I use this?"

Anna gave her a quick rundown of the essential functions. Afterwards, she stepped slightly behind her sister, watching the screen in anticipation.

" Alright... Mr Pitchiner? Do you want to speak to us?" began Elsa with a clear voice. She held the device out to the empty room, waiting for a reply.

Seconds passed by with no words showing.

" Ask him about his daughter," whispered Anna. " Ask whether he wants to tell us something about her."

" Do you want to speak to us about your daughter?" she asked, following her sister's advice.

Another minute and still nothing.

Irritation seeped into her voice at her next question: " Are you even here with us?"

Anna pressed her lips into a thin line. Strange. By now, there should've been at least two or three words, even if they would've been nonsensical ones. She had had a test run back at home, and it had worked to a degree. Yes, the words hadn't made sense, but that was because there were no ghosts where she lived. She'd read that that was normal because the device needed some time to get accustomed to the environment once turned on. But here, it did absolutely nothing. No matter how long they waited, the screen stayed empty.

She got goosebumps, only thinking of the possible implications.

" Well, " Elsa turned sharply towards Anna, " seems like Mr Pitchiner doesn't want to talk to us after all. Or maybe he's not even here with us. Or most likely," she raised her eyebrows pointedly, " this whole thing is a scam, and you should've known better than to waste your money on this."

Ah, there she went, scolding her about how she was spending her money. Anna rolled her eyes as she took back the device. " It's my hard-earned money, and I do with it whatever I want. You can worry about your own money."

" There's not much to worry about because I don't spend it carelessly."

Anna ignored her. Instead, she studied the device with her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She turned it this way and that, trying to see what might be wrong with it. Maybe there had been a good reason why it had been so cheap. She couldn't help but feel disappointed. How could it have broken so quickly after being used only once?

" Oh no! No, no, no!"

Anna blinked at the sudden interruption. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Elsa fumbling with her phone.

" What is it?"

" My phone died! Which doesn't make any sense because I had it fully charged before we went here!" Elsa pressed several buttons but to no avail. It would not turn on. She scowled as if its unresponsiveness had caused a personal offence to her. " We should really go, Anna, " she said with a tight voice. " Nothing good will come out of us staying here any longer, especially if we get caught."

" But we've only been here for a short while! And so far, we haven't seen anyone patrolling the perimeters!"

" Oh, come on, you've also noticed that this room is far too clean, which means someone does come here. Besides, we're just wasting our time. I'd rather we stay at your home and relax instead of sneaking around inside a creepy house."

Anna averted her eyes and bit her lip. " I just thought you might want to do something different...," she began hesitantly. " And it's Halloween, so I thought coming here would be at least interesting."

"I know, and I appreciate your effort, " Elsa responded, her voice more gentle this time. " But I enjoy a calm evening way more. Especially since I need a good rest before I have to get up early in the morning."

She stilled. " Why would you want to get up early?" she asked, confused. They had planned to go sightseeing around her new little town tomorrow. There was no need to get up early for that. It was supposed to be a calm and enjoyable walk where they would finally catch up on all that had happened after the last time they had seen each other.

" Because I need to go back to my place."

Anna looked up sharply. " That's the first time I hear about this..., " she said slowly. Confusion transformed into a whirlwind of emotions, making it hard for her to keep a straight face. Of course. Why hadn't she realised this sooner? All the signs had been there from the very beginning. It now made sense why Elsa had been so reluctant to go out with her, why she had wanted to leave even before they entered the mansion.

Elsa sighed. " I'm sorry. I know I promised to stay this week, but-"

" But something came up," Anna finished tonelessly. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather herself. She should've known better. After all, this hadn't been the first time it had happened. Elsa's job in the corporate world was incredibly demanding, and more often than not, there would be a problem that she had to help solve. Her hard-working nature wouldn't let her rest. Of course, Anna understood the importance of what Elsa did and that she didn't mean to hurt her in any way. She cared for her in her own way and to the best of her abilities.

Still, Anna couldn't help but feel dejected. She felt like they had been drifting apart from one another ever since Elsa had left for college. Even more so after their parents' sudden deaths. Try as she might, she had no idea how to bridge this rift between them. That never stopped her from trying, though. No matter how difficult it turned out to be.

Elsa cleared her throat. " Right. " She opened her mouth, hesitated, then slightly shook her head. She tried again. " Look, I'll do my best to deal with this as fast as possible. Then we can meet up again, and this time, I'll really stay for a week, alright?"

" That sounds great, " Anna said with no enthusiasm. " You told me so the past three times, and one of them had been on my birthday. Who's to say you won't have to leave again?"

" And I told you that I am sorry for that. I really am." Elsa sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose. "But understand that I also can't ignore my superiors. That would be a sure way to lose my job."

" You could take a vacation for a change. Surely there's nothing criminal about that? When was the last time you had one, anyway? And I mean one where you didn't even look at all those emails from work?"

" It's not that easy, Anna."

" What the hell is not that easy about it?" Anna clapped a hand over her mouth. She had not intended to react so harshly. " I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that."

" Then how did you mean it? " asked Elsa, a disapproving frown making it clear what she thought of her little outburst.

" I mean... whenever I talk to you, you seem to be in the middle of something. When we meet, your thoughts always circle back to work, even on your supposed days off. One email is enough to make you go back, forgetting about your free time. That can't be healthy."

Elsa crossed her arms. " I can look after my own health. But this is not about my well-being. It's about our meetings."

Meetings. As if they were attending business meetings and not spending time together as sisters. " Well... yes, " admitted Anna. " That, too. I can't even remember when you stayed as long as you said you would. It always ends with you having to leave for something work-related."

" Look, I'm sorry, but as I've told you, I can't exactly ignore it when I am needed. You could also visit me for a change. Then I wouldn't have to go back and forth so much, and we could spend more time together."

" But I did!" protested Anna. " And you know why this didn't work out? Because it seemed like I always arrived at an inopportune moment, despite you inviting me. Either you're working home-office and don't want to be disturbed, or you need to pull some extra hours at work and don't come back until late. And I'm left to sit in your flat, not knowing what to do. It's not any different from me sitting alone at home." But at least there, I don't feel like I'm intruding, she added silently.

She didn't like fighting with her sister. They didn't get to spend much time together, and it seemed like a waste not to treasure those moments. But over the years, all those empty promises started to pile up. She couldn't help but feel treated like an insistent distraction rather than a beloved sister. It felt freeing to voice what had been eating away at her for years.

Even if it was at the risk of them fighting.

" Why didn't you say something then?" asked Elsa, exasperated. "I can't read your mind, you know! I won't know how to do better if you don't tell me what's wrong!"

" Don't you think I tried to? But it's always "I'm tired, Anna" or "I'm busy, Anna, can't it wait until later?" and "later" you're too tired for it. Rinse and repeat. There's simply no chance to say anything! I kept quiet every time because I didn't want to add this to your never-ending list of problems. But it's hard to ignore at this point because I hardly get to see you anymore!" Anna's voice rose with each word. " Last year, we didn't see each other at all! Not once!"

" You know exactly why!" cried Elsa. " Back then, we had trouble meeting any deadlines for our elaborate project, and it was hell! I even texted you about it! I wouldn't have had the time to focus on anything else, and it would've been unfair to you! That's why I kept declining!"

"Yes, I know! But my point is: there's always something that comes up! We hardly ever talk to one another because of it. And text messages aren't helping! Either you turn off your phone because you're working, or it's turned on because you're working off the clock. And when you finally get around to answering my texts, it's always in such a curt manner-!"

" What are you even talking about? My text messages are fine! I text like that with everyone!" protested Elsa. " Maybe it sounded rude at the time because I was tired, but it's never intentional!"

"But it makes me feel like a bother to you! Sometimes I wonder if you dislike me because I annoy you so much! That's why I keep my texts at the bare minimum nowadays! That's also why I think twice about asking you to meet up again!"

" That's ridiculous! Why would you even think that? Of course, I do not dislike you!" shouted Elsa. She made an exasperated hand gesture. "Don't you think it's also hard for me? With how much work I have to do, I still try to make time for you! Sure, it's unfortunate how our meet-ups get interrupted sometimes, but I thought you understood! Apparently, I was wrong! From what I hear from you, I'm beginning to think that no matter what I do, it will never be enough for you! You will always take it personally!"

Anna's mouth hung open. The last two sentences ran through her head on repeat like a broken record. She could not believe what she had just heard. She didn't even know what to say. The only thing she knew was that it stung. Badly.

Wordlessly she turned around and stormed out of the room. She did not know where she was going, but she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was to get away from Elsa as quickly as possible.

" Anna!"

Anna picked up her pace, quickly descending the stairs. Her surroundings began to blur until she could hardly see anything.

" Anna, come back!"

" Please, leave me alone, " she whispered, blindly stumbling into the next best room she found and quietly shutting the door behind her. Elsa would surely think she had left the house and no doubt go after her. That is why she, on a whim, decided to hide inside the house. She wanted to be left alone until she could calm herself.

In her distracted state, she did not notice the additional clicks coming from the door she had just shut.

Slowly, she sank to the ground, resting her arms on her knees and burying her face in the soft material of her coat. Her body shuddered with suppressed sobs. Outside, she heard her sister's hurried steps rushing down the stairs. They passed the room where she was hiding.

" Anna, wait!" called Elsa again, her voice growing fainter. A few seconds later, a loud slam echoed through the house - probably the front door.

Anna continued to listen with bated breath, straining to hear whether her sister would return to the house. But nothing happened. All of a sudden, it was deathly quiet.

Probably for the best.

Angrily, she wiped away some of the tears that had managed to escape.

Great. Only then did Anna notice the absence of her backpack. In her hurry, she must've left it upstairs. But instead of going back to retrieve it, she remained sitting on the ground.

She didn't have the energy to get up right now.

The only thing she had taken with her was the Ovilus she was still holding in one hand. The Ovilus that didn't seem to work anymore. She grimaced, thinking of all the money she had spent on all those devices. Maybe, Elsa was right. Maybe, this had been a waste.

She was about to put it down next to her, but a quick glance at the screen made her freeze.

» Selfish. «

One word. One word which seemed to glow incredibly bright in this permeating darkness. Anna stared at it for so long the letters started to lose shape. They seemed to almost dance as if they were mocking her.

For a moment, she felt a spark of anger return. " Selfish? Me? After all those years of her brushing me off no matter what I did? I-"

" Don't you think it's also hard for me? With how much work I have to do, I still try to make time for you!"

"...no matter what I do, it will never be enough for you! You will always take it personally!"

" I mean..., " she faltered. " Yes, maybe I could've brought this up later. But to be completely honest, it's never a good time because she's always so busy. O-or maybe I shouldn't have said anything at all in the first place- "

One look at the Ovilus made her go quiet.

» No. «

» Selfish. «

» Her. «

» Not. «

» You. «

One after another, the words appeared, almost forming a coherent sentence. In all the videos about ghost hunters she had watched, this was something she had never seen happen before. That was too much of a coincidence - as were so many other things that had happened tonight.

She became very conscious of what had transpired in this house and what kind of a commotion she and her sister must've caused. She swallowed. " I'm sorry I snapped at you, " she began quietly. " And I'm sorry I caused such a scene in your house. I will understand if you want me to leave."

It answered immediately.

» You.«

» May.«

» Stay.«

" T-thank you, " she breathed.

Dizziness overcame her, making it hard to form a coherent thought. She realised only then she was alone in an abandoned, haunted house.

Her eyes darted around the room, trying to make out her surroundings. There wasn't much she could see. The full moon must've been overcast because scarcely any light reached the inside, despite the curtains being open. She could vaguely make out the shapes of the table near the window and the bookshelves looming near the walls. Nothing was out of the ordinary, yet she felt this prickling sensation as if someone was watching her.

He was here somewhere with her.

She drew an arm around herself, feeling cold all of a sudden.

" Mr Pitchiner?" she addressed him with a small voice. " W-was I wrong? Upstairs? Did you want to speak to us again? I didn't want to force you, but I did it anyway..."

» Only.«

» You.«

Crap. " O-oh, so it was only me who had wanted to talk..." She let out a nervous giggle. " I'm sorry, I tend to be very talkative-"

» No. «

» Talk. «

» To. «

» You. «

» Only. «

Her throat ran dry when she finally understood. Mr Pitchiner had wanted to speak to her specifically. Not Elsa.

She didn't know what to make of that.

Why her?

She must've thought out loud because the answer was immediate.

» Because.«

» You.«

» Care. «

It quickly added:

» Because.«

» You.«

» Are. «

» Polite. «

As if he had wanted to drive away the previous words before she could read them. It was too late, though.

A quiet laugh escaped her. She couldn't help but picture the way he quickly tried to backtrack after disclosing more than he had wanted to.

" I do try my best, " she admitted, a bit of tension leaving her.

So it hadn't been her imagination. Mr Pitchiner had truly wanted to speak to her back then. But why not Elsa? Not that she minded communicating with him. However, she wondered at his rather decisive refusal to acknowledge Elsa in any way. Was it really because of politeness - or lack thereof? Or was there a different reason?

Anna decided against asking him. Now that they could speak to one another undisturbed, she could finally find out more about him. Ask about his past, maybe even the afterlife.

There were so many possible ways to start she had no idea where to begin.

In the end, she settled on his family.

" Mr Pitchiner, I wanted to ask... are you alone? Or are your wife and your daughter here with you?"

For a while, nothing happened. Anna began to worry whether she had been too forward, but then Mr Pitchiner answered:

» No.«

» Gone.«

» I. «

» Remain. «

" Oh." There it was again, that heaviness in her heart. " I am so sorry. I can't imagine how much you must miss them..."

She was about to change the subject but paused. " So, they moved on, but... why didn't you? Why didn't you go with them?"

» Do.«

» Not.«

» Know. «

» Where. «

She furrowed her eyebrows. "You don't know where they went? But didn't you see each other after... a-after you... well..." She took a deep breath. " I mean, didn't you find them?"

» No.«

» Never.«

He never saw them again. Not even after he had died. Until this day, he still didn't know where they had disappeared to.

" That's why you're still here," she whispered in realisation.

He didn't answer. He didn't need to.

She leaned slightly forward, eyes searching the room for an indication of his presence, trying to find out where he might be. For the first time, she felt frustrated not being able to see him.

" I wish I could help somehow, " she said, her voice laced with regret. " When I researched the history of this manor, I also looked into what might've happened to Mrs Pitchiner and your daughter. But from what I've read, there are many theories and no definite answers. Nobody knows what is true."

She felt terrible not being able to give him any more than that. Worse yet, she probably just took away his last hope of finding his family ever again.

" Anna?"

She froze.

No, it couldn't be. Not right now.

Somewhere in the house, a door opened. Quick footsteps followed soon after, going from room to room, judging by the sound. As if someone was frantically searching for her.

Anna slowly stood up, her free hand reluctantly dusting off her clothes.

The footsteps drew nearer.

" Anna? Anna, are you in here?" Elsa called out. This time her voice sounded more desperate than angry. Clearly, she had been searching for a while now.

Anna bit her lip. Despite their fight, she felt slightly guilty for hiding away like that. She had no idea how much time had passed, but had the roles been reversed, she would've been out of her mind with worry. Hopefully, Elsa hadn't called the police yet.

» You.«

» Want.«

» To. «

» Leave. «

She sighed, defeated. " Not really, to be honest. But I can't hide away forever. It would be unfair to make Elsa worry so much. I need to talk to her and settle this argument once and for all. It would be childish of me to avoid this any further." Besides, she usually didn't shy away from something difficult.

" Very well then."

The soft and decidedly masculine voice startled her. She whirled around, eyes wide and searching for the source. There. In the middle of the room stood the dark figure of a man. The edges of his silhouette kept shifting around, and the moonlight streaming in from the window made his body look almost translucent. It was hard to make out his face except for his golden eyes, which glinted at her from the darkness.

Her lips parted at the unexpected sight, her body frozen in uncertainty.

She couldn't move.

Not even when he slowly approached her. There was something elegant about the way he moved toward her. Something captivating about the way he was watching her. And she, in turn, watched him, not averting her eyes even for a moment.

He stopped right in front of her, and she had to tilt her face upwards to meet his gaze.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed him raising his hand and reaching passed her. Breathlessly, she watched him lean closer - so close, she could feel the temperature drop. His cold breath brushed her cheek, and she couldn't help but shiver.

Absentmindedly, she noted the few clicks as if someone was turning a key. It was only when the door opened that she broke away from her trance and turned around.

There stood Elsa, swinging her flashlight around at the sudden noise. Anna had to shield her eyes against the blinding light.

" Oh, Anna!"

Before she knew it, she found herself enveloped in a tight hug.

" Thank God, I found you!" Then she leaned back and grasped at Anna's shoulders. Her expression turned thunderous. " Don't you ever do something like that again! I thought something had happened to you!"

" I'm so sorry, Elsa. I-" She glanced back into the room and stiffened. There was nobody there.

That couldn't be right.

She could've sworn-

" Let's just get out of here. I've had quite enough of this house." Elsa was already guiding her towards the entrance when Anna remembered something.

" Wait! My backpack!"

" Alright, I'll get it, " Elsa assured her. " You stay here. Don't move!" she added emphatically. After one last warning look, she hurried upstairs.

Despite her sister's order, Anna quickly returned to the room where she had stayed. She frantically searched for him in the darkness, but there was no trace of Mr Pitchiner's ghost. Nothing to indicate that he had been there at all.

" Mr Pitchiner?" she called out softly.

No response.

There was no way she had imagined it all. Right?

When she heard her sister come down the stairs, she quickly whispered: " I know, you're here. And I will come back here, like it or not." She paused. " Of course, I'll leave right away if you don't want me to-"

" Anna! What did I tell you?!" Elsa shouted once she found her missing. Again.

"- stay." She finished. Then she spun around to rejoin her sister quickly.

Once the sisters had walked quite a distance away from the house, Anna chanced one last look back at it. It still looked eerie in the moonlit night, but somehow it felt less intimidating than it did before.

Some movement caught her eye, and she squinted, wondering whether it had been a trick of the light. But no, the front door was definitely moving!

And there he was, standing at the entrance like a shadow, watching them leave.

So she wasn't crazy! He'd really been there with her!

Making sure her sister couldn't see, she tentatively raised her hand - the one still holding the Ovilus - and gave a small wave. It was only then she noticed new words appearing on the screen.

» Farewell. «

» Until. «

» We. «

» Meet. «

» Again. «

She smiled.

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