*ring ring* My phone went off as I was lying in the park, reading Bruce Dickinson's biography. My indulgent into the world of musical legends cut short for a moment.
Ok, that's a little too pretentious!
Even then, I half expected it to be a phone call rejecting my music from another indie label. Maybe another musician leaving my group, saying they're going into the mainstream business of retail or law or whatever.
"Hello, is this Matilda Sutcliffe?" spoke a calm yet old voice.
"Unfortunately." I spoke, same amount of care I had to everything else in this world. "Who is this?"
"Miss Sutcliffe, I think we need to have a discussion…
I opened the door to Mr Goldtree, the solicitor's, office. Finding my mother and sister, I sat in the chair between them, feeling very out of place. It didn't help that everyone else was wearing suits whilst I was still in ripped jeans and band shirt, as per usual. Mr Goldtree took out some papers, including a weird looking family tree.
"I know it seems out of the blue Miss Sutcliffe, but the situation is quite…unusual."
"I understand, sir." I said. I held my hand out and my mother held it.
"It's alright, Tilly." She said as I tried to calm my nerves.
"You'll have to excuse my sister, sir." Cheryl spoke. "She's anxious around new people, especially people in law and what not."
"Haven't been in an office like this for…some time." Mum said. I knew what she meant, though I didn't want to think about it.
"It is a shame that your cousin Alison has disappeared. But Button House needs someone to look after it." Mr Goldtree said. I miss Alison so much – I haven't seen her since her wedding to Mike, though I did hear about how she inherited this Button House.
"But why me? Why not Cheryl, or mum?" I asked.
"It's what is dictated in your cousin's will, and as it has been over a year since her disappearance, her husband thought it best that someone close to her would take care of the house." At this, I looked at my family, a little unsure of what to make of it.
"But how will I afford to renovate it and upkeep it?!"
"I'm sure what your father gave you after he died would help." Mum responded, but I wasn't sure. Although that money is a wealthy sum, and already within my bank account, it didn't feel right to spend any of it. Just didn't feel like it belonged to me.
"And it might be good to be out in the country, sis." Cheryl added. "It might help with your music writing."
"So, Miss Sutcliffe, what do you say?" I paused.
"Al-alright."
Moving out of my dodgy flat in the dodgy side of East London was quickly done, I don't think I've ever moved my stuff faster. Unfortunately, the journey did take a while, especially as I had to make a stop so my sister could do my midday therapy routines (I don't want to mention why I have them just now, but they are important that I do them). Finally, after being sent to almost every corner of Surrey, we finally made it to Button House. Even with all of the vines at the front, and what seemed to be like smashed up walls, I did feel connected in some way to the property. Though I wasn't sure just yet.
As Mum stopped the car at the front, Mike came out, looking a little sheepish.
"Hi there," he said. We said hi back. He helped move my stuff in, and then quickly headed off after giving me the keys to the property, almost as if he wanted to get away from the property as quickly as possible. I looked around at the house; so grand yet so homey, even with the many cracks in the ceiling and walls.
"Take it Mike is not one for DIY?" Mum asked.
"Absolutely not!" my sister and I replied.
"Anyway, I've placed some food in the kitchen for you, and Tesco should hopefully find the property if you need anything further." Mum then grabbed me and practically forced me into a hug, something I was definitely not prepared for! "I can't believe you finally have a house, especially with today's financial climate."
"Sure mum!" I managed to say once I squeezed my head out of her grasp. "Do you mind if I quickly use the loo before we do the whole 'goodbye' business?"
"Of course not." With that, I sped up the stairs and into the bathroom. After using the facilities, I opened the bathroom door to find…Alison?
I was about to yell her name, but Alison put her finger to her lips.
"What are you doing here?!" I whispered. Alison looked quite surprised.
"What am I doing here? How come you can see me?!" she answered back.
"See you?! You've been gone for a year!" I started to speed walk back.
"Tilly, wait!" Alison called after me. I stopped.
"What is it, cousin?"
"No one can know where I am. And you can't tell anyone." She responded. I placed my hands on her shoulders and rubbed them with my thumbs.
"Look, I know Mike is the biggest idiot we know, but hiding from the world, especially from him, is never good at all!" I kissed her on the cheek and ran back downstairs.
"No Tilly, stop!" Alison still followed behind me as I reached the stairs looking down at my family.
"I found Alison!" I exclaimed.
"What?!' They both shouted.
"How?" Cheryl inquired.
"She was standing there as I came out of the bathroom." Alison walked down the stairs, making motions for me to be quiet. "Look!" I pointed at her. "She's just right there!" Strangely, Mum and Cheryl looked at where Alison was standing, and frowned.
"There's nothing there, Tilly." Huh?
"Yes, there is! Look! It's Alison!" Mum smiled.
"Aw Tilly, I understand that you miss your cousin, and you can pretend that she's there with you if you so wish." Pretend?! Why would I pretend something like that?! Cheryl looked at her watch.
"Ah, Mum, I need to go home today." She said.
"Best be off. Love you darling!", and like that, I was left alone in a decaying house with just myself and Alison on the staircase. I turned to her in ferocity.
"Why didn't you tell them that you were here?!" I asked. She just looked awkward.
"Look Tilly, this isn't the best time to talk about that, please!" She followed behind me as I went upstairs.
"Why couldn't they see you either?" I reached the landing, and made my way to one of the doors, but Alison jumped in front of it.
"Tilly, please, it's best if you remain oblivious."
"Alison, you left the house to me, so I will see this house!" I pushed her out of the way and entered the room to find…I wasn't alone!
In the room, there were a few other people. Someone that was wearing a World War II uniform, an uptight Edwardian woman, a smiling Georgian woman, one that looked like a caveman, a kind of cute Victorian man, a sooty peasant woman, a pleasant Scoutmaster who seemed to have an arrow in his neck, and a politician without any trousers. I knew who they were immediately…
"Alison!" I raised my voice at her. "I didn't know you were housing an acting troupe!" Alison looked at me, confused.
"What?"
"An acting troupe! Wow, they must really get into character!" The caveman looked at me with strange intrigue.
"Boo!" he yelled. I just laughed.
"Nice how you've included a caveman in the group – not a lot of people seem to include the Stone Age" I continued. The Georgian woman then came up to me excitingly.
"Hi, I'm Kitty! Can we be best friends?" I took her hand and shook it, which seemed to shock the rest of the troupe.
"It's lovely to meet you, Kitty, and sure." I said, playing along.
"How is this woman able to touch Kitty?" the Edwardian woman said in disbelief.
"Tis witchcraft, it is!" the peasant woman shouted.
"What are they talking about, Alison?" When I looked back at Alison, she looked as though she was ashamed of something. "What is it?" As I turned around, a headless man phased through the wall! This was no acting troupe!
I screamed out of the room and into my own room, panting, shaken out of my wits. Alison came behind me.
"Tilly! Tilly! It's fine!"
"Alison! The house is full of zombies!"
"Zombies! Huh, if we should be so lucky!" spoke a slimy voice, and all the others phased through the walls. The Scoutmaster came up to me smiling.
"Hello." He spoke. "I'm Pat. Welcome to Button House. As you might have guessed, we're ghosts!" Ghosts?! GHOSTS?!
"Alison, why didn't you say about the ghosts in this house?!"
"Oh, didn't Alison say?" The politician began. I could tell Alison wanted him to stop but he continued on with "She's also dead! She's one of us now! Another member of the party, as it were!"