The Ghost's House

Treasure

Treasure

Void
Pheobe sat in the middle row of the ancient, rattle-trap minivan, staring out the window at the grey, wet world passing them by. The rain drizzled wimpily, adding an extra sheen to everything, yet it failed mightily to glitter. Brick was a major building material around here, it seemed. Immovable, coarse, and unimaginative. Unlike her three brothers pushing each other back and forth in the row behind her. She heaved a sigh and pushed her suitcase out of her hip once more, only to have it shift the next time her father turned a corner, and it ended up with a corner in her ribs. That was worth another sigh as one of her brother's cases smacked into her ankle.

"Ah, here we are!" Dad called from the driver's seat. All four kids crowded to the windows on the left. He slowed to a stop in front of...

"It's a brick," Icelos stated with a frown, peering up at the three-story building.

Pheobe had to agree with the statement. The house could not possibly get more square, and the pillars leading up to the front door did not help much. If anything, the tiny porch all but disappeared between the four pillars and blended in. The windows were all dirty and had those weird shutter things that were just for show and probably did not work. The massive place reminded her of an apartment building or a motel and devoid of all personality. Oh, please let this be the wrong house!

"How do we get in? I don't see a driveway," Morpheus asked, leaning over Icelos to see.

"Oh, that's easy! We just... um..." Dad hesitated as he looked around. The white fence was neat, beautiful, and showed plenty of wear and tear, but no signs of a gate.

Mom stepped in. "I think the pictures showed it around the corner."

"We just go around the corner!"

Pheobe glared at the house as Dad pulled around and awkwardly pulled up in front of the garage. They had actual cobblestones as a parking spot. She didn't think she'd ever seen actual cobblestone before. It was weird, and so was having the garage so far from the house. The car had its own house! She shoved the suitcases out of the way and reached over to slide open the door. No sooner was it open, then her three brothers piled out of the car and dashed to the house. She gave them a minute to get a head start then followed them out onto the road. She stretched out the kink in her spine and tried to straighten her rumpled black shirt and tangled red hair. Travel did not treat her well. Transversely, her brothers looked like they'd only been in the car five minutes. She glanced over as her parents got out of the car. Her trim mother, at least, echoed a bit of what Pheobe felt, and her heavier set father just looked a bit wrinkled. All of them were stretching and trying to remember how their legs worked.

"Okay, everybody!" Dad bellowed. "Let's go look in the house!"

The family gathered behind him like a bunch of ducklings and followed his lead through the creaking little metal gate, through the shambly little "garden" with it's broken fountain, and up to the white back door. Dad made a big show of putting in the key, turning it, and flinging open the door. The boys charged in eagerly and came to a stop. Mom followed the boys with Phoebe behind her. They all stood in the... entryway? Phoebe wasn't even sure where they were, and from the looks on four of the five other faces, neither did the rest of her family.

"Isn't it great?" Dad grinned enthusiastically.

Mom smiled that tightlipped smile she got when she was definitely not going to argue with Dad in front of the kids. "Dear... I thought you said this place just needed a little TLC. This is not a little. Can we even sleep here?"

"Of course we can!" Dad assured her. "The first floor is in the best shape, and the kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms down here are in the best shape! The rest of it just needs some paint and airing out."

Mom said nothing. Phoebe couldn't blame her as they walked through the rest of the house. The place was MASSIVE!! Also a massive wreck. No one had been in here for who knew how long, and while at one time this place must have looked amazing, the glitter had clearly tarnished here with dust and dirt everywhere and all visible wallpaper peeling. To its credit, nothing seemed to be badly damaged or irreversibly broken, but it was going to take a lot of cleaning. She sneezed. And probably by them, knowing her father's "do-it-yourself" philosophy.

"I think it's fantastic!" Phantasos stated, grinning. He and his brothers took off running to explore. "It's like our own castle!"

"Atta boy!" Dad grinned. "Go on, Pheobe. Take a look around and pick out your room. Just stay out of the cellar for now, and tell your brothers to do the same. The pest control people haven't gotten here yet."

Phoebe nodded and started walking. Behind her, she heard her mother's strangled hiss, "Pest control people??" Yep. This was going to be a fantastic adventure in Salem, Massachusets. Maybe the stupid witch stories were true and she was cursed with this family.
 
Daemon heard it and thought it was just people passing by again. But when the voices got louder and louder, he decided to investigate. Of course, he knew they couldn't see him but he would like to know what his new housemates would look like.

Walking down the old stairs, Daemon looked to see a huge family. Well huge to him at least. Three boys and one girl. The boys seemed the same while the girl seemed to have this aura to her. Daemon stared at her as if he were trying to figure out a puzzle. He did agree that the children shouldn't go to the attic. As the girl walked past him, he felt a pull but he stayed as planted as his ghostly body could before looking at the other people.

So a mom, dad, and four kids. "Interesting. What is in your heads..." Daemon trailed off. "Ugh why must I be a ghost! Why couldn't I be a demon or an angel!" He kicked a small peddle before trailing after the girl. He was very interested in who she was. She seemed more closed off.
 
Phoebe wandered toward the back... no, wait, she was at the back, the front of the house? Or was this the side? Honestly, with everything the same shade of grey and no furniture, all the directions looked the same. It was like being lost in a forest but a lot less pretty. She saw no appeal to this house, and from the sounds of the strained, definitely-not-yelling voices from the "entryway," her mother was of the same mind. And yet... She stood in the middle of the front entry and looked up.

The sweeping stairs curved pleasingly, following the wall up only to turn 180 degrees halfway up so you ended up walking in completely the opposite direction. There were little metal arms by the doorways where small lamps had once stood. The... boarder thingies - she didn't know the name - of the doorjambs were carved and looked like they'd once been pretty. Yes, once upon a time, this whole place had been pretty.

But if this place was so astounding, why had it been allowed to get so run-down? Who'd abandoned it to the dust and grime?

A little farther on, she found the dining room with a little door leading to the kitchen. She paused and stared at the wall. Was that... She moved closer to the wall and used her sleeve to scrub a spot clean. Yes! There was some kind of mural painted all around the dining room from about waist high up as far as she could see. She moved from wall to wall rubbing spots in the dust to try to see what was underneath. It seemed to be some kind of mountain scene with trees and a few buildings. Okay, now letting this get destroyed was just sad. Maybe if her father really did want them to clean up this dumb old house, he'd let her do this room so no one would scrape it off by accident.
 
Daemon walked up next to her and tilted his head when she started rubbing. "You are one quiet person. Haven't heard much of a peep out of you. Maybe you left a boyfriend or girlfriend behind? Did it hurt? Never understood those kinds of relationships." Daemon looked at the mural. "Me and my mom painted that while Rachel fling paint at my face. I think there is still paint under the floorboards if you scrub them hard enough."

He gave a weak chuckle before looking at the mural with fondness. "I only talk to fill this big space you know. Not that you can hear me that is so it's really just me speaking to myself. Your brother was funny when he said it was a brick. Probably would get along with Rachel. Will they go to the same school? Will you see Rachel? Maybe you two will be friends? Oooo. What if she dated one of your brothers? Wouldn't that be odd."

Daemon flicked his hand and the rest of the dust flew off the mural. After all, dust was very light so he could move it thankfully. He coughed when the dust got in his mouth and used his sleeves to wipe his eyes. "Dang it. I need to get my powers down."
 
Phoebe paused, listening. She frowned. What was that? She thought she heard something. Then there was a bang from upstairs and she shrugged it off as one of her brothers. Probably yelling and it echoed weird in this mostly empty building.

Suddenly, a gust of wind exploded the dust, and she was lost in a storm of grey. She covered her eyes and started sneezing violently as she staggered toward the door. Ugh, what was that?? NO! Now she was going to have to try to figure out a way to get this dust out of her hair in this manky building! No way was she taking a bath or a shower. The pipes were probably all copper and rust.

"Boys! Come down!" Dad yelled from near the stairs. "Phoebe, where- oh, there you are. Come on. We're going out for dinner as a special treat!"

Phoebe dusted herself off and glanced at her mother, who was smiling again. Not the happy smile, the other one. "Out? Where?"

"Somewhere that offers take-out since none of us are fit to be seen in a restaurant," Mom replied as the boys thundered down the stairs. "Good gracious, what happened to you? Did you fall in a dust pile? Turn around."

"I think one of the windows is open, and it blew up a bunch of dust," Phoebe explained as she turned obediently so her mother could brush her back.

"Hmm, well - boys, stop it. We're going to unhook the trailer and leave it in the garage for now. Go grab your bags and take them to your room. You'll all have to share tonight." Mom pulled the elastic out of her hair and started redoing her ponytail.

"All of us?" Phoebe squeaked. "But-"

"Hey, it'll be like old times!" Morpheus grinned before following his brothers outside.

Phoebe groaned and followed them.
 
"Pff- Not used to being a family?" Daemon chuckled at the encounter. "Your parents are trying their best. Better than Rachel's parents that is for sure." Daemon walked after before spinning around to walk up the stairs to the attic. He flew through the floors and checked around. He hummed after he saw his little bed. Weirdly he still gets sleepy sometimes and hungry.

He shrugged it off and went back to the new family to see what they have done so far. Thanks to his own ghostly abilities, he made the girl's appearance worse. He started to take the dust bunnies out of her hair which was the only thing he could touch since she didn't believe in him. Yet. He is so hopeful that this family won't run away this time. Why did the house seller want to give tours at night sometimes? He didn't know.

Daemon shook the dust out of his own hair before going to stand next to the redheaded girl.
 
"Do we really have to go out?" Phoebe asked.

"Maybe you want to make dinner in that kitchen?" Mum asked.

Phoebe shuddered. "Ugh, nevermind. Everyone back on the bus." She followed her brothers outside.

It took a while to actually leave. First, Dad had to find the keys to the garage - or "carraige house" as some called it around here - and then he had to back the trailer into the garage thingy. Phoebe was busy going in and out and steadfastly ignoring the weird random cold spots she ran into as she carried the luggage from the van into the bedrooms. Mom alternated between helping with that and offering Dad advice while the triplets yelled out directions.

In the end, nothing got broken, and Dad was finally able to get the trailer backed into the garage. Then they all piled back into the van and headed out to eat. They were able to find one of the nicer fast food joints then ate at the Salem Common. The boys could hardly sit still as they wandered around, staring at everything. They all came to the agreement - and Phoebe privately agreed with them - that they'd somehow gotten teleported all the way over to Englend when entering Salem. It didn't resemble the America they knew at all.

About two hours after they'd left, the family returned to the new house in much better spirits.

"I suppose it isn't so bad," Mom decided, looking around again. "Other than the pests, of course, but we're going to have to give it a good scrubbing to see if it has any real issues hiding under the grime."

"I was assured the house is in perfect shape, just ill-managed," Dad assured her. "We'll have it gleaming in no time!"

"Sure. Just in time to leave again," Phobe grumbled as she went to the bedroom she was going to be sharing with her brothers. She looked the giant bed over. Well, at least they didn't skimp on the furniture. Then she opened the windows and started trying to excavate the rest of the room out from under a healthy layer of dust.
 
When the family left, Daemon pouted. "Sad times here. We be crying." Daemon chuckled at his own joke before going back to the attic.

Moving his bed to the corner with his ghostly magic, He hummed a song. When he heard the family was back, he perked up and floated down to the main room. The smell of food was making himself hungry. He decided to get some food when everyone was asleep in fear of scaring them further.

"It is not bad. It's a beautiful home! A brick-like how the boy said! A beautiful and gorgeous brick that is for sure!" Daemon pouted again and waved his hand so the dust raised a bit. He growled before following the redhead to the room she would be sharing with her brothers.

When the wind came through, Daemon floated towards the window with a smile. "Ah. I missed the wind. Or at least the feeling of oxygen." He paused. "Welp! Positive vibes only today! Let's hope they go to bed soon so I can steal some of their candy or ice cream! Hopefully, they brought some with them."
 
She gathered up all of the bedding and anything that could be washed and tossed it out into the hallway. A few minutes later, Mom came by to get the bedding and took it to the washing machine while all the boys - Dad included - worked on clearing out enough of the living room and sweeping out the cobwebs so they could bring in their stuff.

Meanwhile, Phoebe cleaned the bedroom with broom, dustpan, and all-purpose cleaner. If she was going to sleep in this ratty bedroom, then it was going to be clean! It would give her fewer nightmares of having a spider crawling around on her. Once that room was satisfactorily clean, she went to help Mum with the bathroom. The women of the household needed a shower! One not covered in slime.

Finally, the living room, both bedrooms, and the downstairs bath looked liveable. The bathroom was in shockingly good condition, all things considered, and needed only a heavy-handed scrubbing to get it clean. Mom went first, then Phoebe, then Dad, then Morpheus, Icelos, and Phantasos. By the time Dad finished his shower, the water was lukewarm. Icelos and Phantasos both squeaked their way through fridged showers, but Mom was adamant. Either they showered, cold or no cold, or she would scrub them clean, herself. With that threat, they showered.

Then it was time for bed. Time for four teens to fit on one large bed. Without shoving each other off.
 
Daemon floated to where the kids were going to see how they would fit. He was very curious after all. Before he was watching the bathroom fiasco but he left because he didn't want to see naked bodies at the moment. He tried to steal some ice cream which thankfully they got a lot of. He made a weird chuckle that he was not proud of at that moment but back to the present.

Daemon clapped when they all got together and waved his hand to make all the dust go out the window to hopefully make them at least be able to breathe. He went back downstairs, using the stairs which creaked. "Why is it sometimes I am all floaty but other times I am so heavy..." He whined with a pout, blowing his snow-white hair out of her white/pale lavender eyes. He walked down to go see the parents to make sure they go to sleep before he goes to the portable freezer for some nice ice cream. He didn't want to scare the bones out of the parents. Especially when there is four kids who need tending too.
 
"I get the left edge," Phoebe stated once they were all ready for bed. "And don't you dare try to push me off."

Icelos shrugged. "Then I want the right outside edge. Called it first!"

Morpheus and Phantasos grumbled, but they agreed then flipped who laid next to which sibling.

"I feel so loved," Phobe griped, pushing Morpheus into bed so she could climb in next to him. "Everyone's used the bathroom, right?"

"Yes, Mom," Phantasos said, rolling his eyes.

Phoebe snorted as she settled in. "I'm so sorry that I have no desire to get crawled over or elbowed in the face in the middle of the night because one of you needs a pee."

They blew a raspberry at her, but it wasn't long until all four lay side by side staring at the ceiling. Now that all was quiet, even the hyper boys had to admit what they were all thinking... They missed Home already. Home, school, their friends... all four sighed as one. Adventures were not all glitter and gold.
 
Daemon watched the four kids. "You may miss them but like, try being dead- Wait no that's too mean." He made a noise before leaving again. Going back down the stairs to go to the bathroom and look in the slightly broken mirror.

His appearance was as ghostly as when he was a human. His pale skin, white hair, bandages from falling too much, and the fact that his eyes were pale lavender. Well, he called them pale lavender since it was a cross between purple and a lot of white if it were mixed together. The outside of his appearance had little wisp-like things that licked his skin. It looked similar to fire but he never questioned it and went on his mission to get the delicious delicacy that was ice cream.

Noticing the parents went to their own room and were probably too invested in their own conversation, Daemon opened the portable freezer and took out a chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. He hummed in delight and sat upon the counter as he used a spoon that he hid under the floorboards when he was younger, and started to eat. He moaned at the feeling of the cold clashing with the heat that was currently in the house.
 
Morning dawned clear and bright. The family gathered in their PJs and shoes in the corner of the kitchen Mom had cleaned up and had cereal in an assortment of cups and bowls. They didn't complain, just happy Mom had managed to find the spoons in al the boxes or else they would have been drinking their cereal. The next obvious family task was to get the kitchen clean.

The triplets had the task of wiping down every countertop, crevice, and cupboard in the kitchen, and they set about their work with buckets of soapy water, old toothbrushes, and a highly competitive spirit as they created challenge after challenge for each other. Mom took the appliances and scrubbed the sink, stove, and refrigerator. Dad got the walls and the ceiling, and he had to try not to trip over anyone else. Pheobe had the exciting job of scrubbing the floor then helping Mom.

The time flew by, but by lunchtime, they had a sparkly clean kitchen to eat in. Now if only they could find the rest of the dishes.
 
Surprisingly, Daemon decided that he would go to sleep for once. By the time lunch came around, he was cuddling the stuffed animal Rachel gave him. He whined but got up nonetheless. He was hungry and wasn't very conscious to realize people were in the kitchen. As he went in, he opened the fridge.

To others, if they were watching, the fridge just opened by itself and shut again. Then a cabinet opened and if you heard closely, a bag of chips was being stolen. Daemon grabbed the bag of chips and yawned before flying back up to the attic. He grabbed the blankets and pillows and made a fort. A comfy fort he likes to call it. He hummed and grabbed his 3DS and plugged it in while he ate chips.
 
Phoebe froze. "Uh... did anyone see that?"

"Did anyone see what?" Morpheus asked, looking up from trying to eat mac-and-cheese out of a coffee mug.

"The fridge. It just... opened and then closed all by itself," Phoebe said, setting aside her square tupperware container and walking over to the fridge. She opened it and closed herself, feeling the magnetic strip catch. "It feels solid."

"Maybe the fridge isn't level and a breeze nudged it," Dad said with a shrug before upended his own mug with a picture of a kitten on it. Well, once it had been a kitten. The wear of the dishwasher and collisions in the kitchen sink had over the years worn it down and scratched it up so it resembled a demented gremlin more closely than a fluffy kitten. "I'll look at it later," he promised once he'd fished the last of the noodles out of the mug's crevices. "And I'll check out the cupboards for, uh, infestation."

Mom's lips thinned at the mention of "infestation," but she didn't say anything.

Phoebe frowned at the fridge, but the fridge just sat there and was very fridge-like, so she didn't bother questioning her parents. Instead, she requested the privilege of cleaning the kitchen walls while the boys went through the upstairs bedrooms and picked the ones they wanted. Well, one. Dad had said they could have separate rooms in the new house, and they had nodded and discussed the idea, but everyone knew they'd end up sharing the same room. As long as Phoebe got her own room, she didn't care what the trio of troublemakers did.
 
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