Hii, this is my very first Huanting in Connecticut fanfiction. I recently watched the movie and became obsessed with it. I know people don't really write Jonah Aickman/Matt Campbell fanfiction anymore but I thought I'd try it even if nobodies reading. Also if anyone is reading this, sorry for any mistakes it's currently four in the morning and I can't really see straight so yeah. Here goes nothing, a fanfiction from a sleep deprived teenager.
Anyways I don't own Haunting in Connecticut, I am merrily a teenage girl with a manifesting crush on Jonah Aickman.
My name is Sophie Popescu, my father is, Reverend Popescu, but I just call him dad. Ever since I was younger my father has been helping people around town with their paranormal problems, he never tells me where he's going but I am not stupid and I know exactly what he does. My mother hated this, when she was still alive, that is.
But she also despised the idea of me tagging along, which could be for the simple reason I could see ghost's or just because my mother didn't want a freak show for a family. Even though being a medium wasn't as frowned upon as it was before, it still freaked my mother out and people had less than kind things to say about it. Yet it never bothered me too much, I never really thought about it.
Even though I can see ghosts, I don't see too many. Which is due to the fact I rarely go anywhere besides school, my mother forbid me to go to church because sitting right outside was a cemetery and she was absolutely terrified I'd come into contact with a ghost or something. She however didn't know that it doesn't quite work like that, the ghost chooses you, not the other way around.
That being said, it didn't mean I wasn't religious. My father was a reverend after all, I spent every Sunday lingering over a bible, while my father was off preaching. Something I'd assumed he was close to retiring, after all his cancer was only getting worse and he was only getting older.
"Sophie, I'll be back soon I have some things I need to do." His face was solemn, his lips pressed into a tight line. Wrinkles accentuating his age, his graying hair a small fragment of what it once was. He was always so vague when he left, or went out to do things. He'd never tell me what he did, he played the part of the protecting father and I'd be the oblivious daughter.
"Can I come with?" I was hopeful, that one day he'd take me along to one of his mystery jobs, - which I knew to be a paranormal investigation or something along those lines - I asked every time or at least almost, every time. He'd always say, 'maybe one day'. Which was basically a, 'never in your wildest dreams, kiddo.' He was good about honoring my mother's wishes, which I appreciated but still found the tiniest bit of resentment lingering in my chest as I watched him leave. He wouldn't return until late, and when he did get back perhaps would be the word of the evening.
"I don't think that would be a good idea." He heaved, it was then I noticed how ill he looked. I suddenly felt against him going at all, and it might have been because he'd said I couldn't go but something inside of me twisted and I needed him to stay behind. My father was once a healthy man, but lately his cancer had been getting worse. Cancer was slowly consuming the time he should spend doing something worth while, it'd claimed my mother a few years back.
"I think you should stay. I know this is probably important but you don't look too good, I think you have a fever." I pleaded, I know I didn't sound very convincing, and I was in no place to assume he had a fever, which I could only tell by pressing the back of my hand to his forehead, which was clearly not going to happen. My false fever accusation had caused him to roll his blue eyes, and shift on his experienced old feet.
"I have to go, I want you to stay here, I'll be back later." With that he waved away my concern's and limped out the front door. Pssh, like I had anywhere to go. My gaze lingered on the car keys he'd left behind, and you could literally see the light bulb go off above my head. Quick, eager foot steps carried me over to the coffee table the keys resided on. I would have to hide them in a place he'd be able to find, but a place that would give me enough time to sneak outside and into the car. If he wasn't going to stay in, I would go with him. Which was of course against his orders, but he was going against mine. Not that I was in any position to boss him around, after all he was my father.
I decided to put them beneath the hat he almost always wore, so if he didn't come back in for his keys - which, let's face it he most likely will because he kinda needs them to drive -he'd come back in for his hat. I quickly made my way out the back door, my bare feet colliding with the dry grass, that sent chills up my spine. I'd probably need shoes for this operation, within a few minutes I had gathered up my sneakers and was hoping around the backyard trying to put them on. When my shoes had finally made it onto my feet, I bounded to the other the side of the house - which was basically me running to the edge of the house trying to be all ninja like. I peeked over the side of the house a grin forming on my lips as I found my father opening the front door and I knew this was my chance. With a giddy laugh I made my way over to the car, I think I was pretty stealthy, if I do say so myself.
By stealthy do you mean, you half ran, half jogged to the side of the car nearly falling on your face?
No I mean, I went full on ninja and no one knew I was there.
My attention I had shifted from the argument I was having with myself, to the excitement I felt at the thought of actually getting away with something like this - because if anyone knew me they knew I was a good little girl and did what I was told - I didn't even notice the cold air nipping at my skin, or the white puff of carbon dioxide I'd released.
I quickly pulled open the car door, I barely took notice to the cool metal that bit at my warm skin. I threw myself onto the car floor, quickly pulling the door shit behind me. I'd have to be as quiet as possible and maybe he wouldn't notice me, this was probably stretching my luck just a little too far.
I couldn't bite back the smile that seemed to permanently etch it's way into my skin as I heard the front door open, and my father's heavy breathing as he made it over to the car. I found myself holding my breath as I waited for him to climb in.
Within minutes, the car had started and it was on it's merry way, if my father noticed me at all he gave no sign of it. I did however feel extra uncomfortable laying on the car floor, finding my limbs crammed into awkward positions, not to mention the fabric was now irritating my skin. Maybe this wasn't worth it.
Looking back on it now I probably should have put more thought into my little plan, after all I was wearing still dressed in the nice clothes my father insisted on me wearing every time we went out to eat, which we'd done earlier. I still had yet to change, finding the lacy fabric comfortable. I tried to ignore the icy air.
Remember, you wanted this.
Yeah but I am cold, I just thought when it happened I'd be a little more comfortable, and strapped into an actual seat.
Beggars can't be choosers.
I mentally cringed at the internal fight I was having with myself, I didn't have too much time to be disappointed in myself for the car came to a halt and I was lurched to the side, I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips.
"Sophia, is that you?" My father's voice rang out and I knew for a fact I'd been caught, that is to say he hadn't known I was here this whole time. I shamefully lifted my head up, regretting tagging along as his eyes widened in disappointment.
"I am sorry I just really wanted to come." I offered but it was clear my apology had fallen upon deaf ears, for he was pulling open the car door a sigh escaping his parched lips. I don't know if it was just me but I think I heard him mutter an, 'what's done, is done.'.
I lifted myself out of the car my eyes widening at the house in front of me, I quickly followed after my father, questions leaving my mouth faster than I could comprehend, excitement shinning in my light blue eyes, that had been passed down from many generations of Popescu's.
"I am here on a favor, okay? Please don't get into anything and stay calm. I didn't want to bring you here, I thought I'd ease you in with something a bit easier but I guess that's not going to happen." He spoke calmly, giving no sign of fear, leaving my unanswered questions to linger in the bone chilling air.
He'd actually had thought of bringing me along one of these days, I felt my lips tug up excitedly. If my mother knew she was here she'd probably turn over in her grave, I was hopeful that maybe one day I'd see her at the cemetery - which my father would take me once every year. He honored most of my mother's wishes and when she passed nothing really changed, besides the body racking sobs that had claimed the occupants in the Popescu residents.
I figured once she did you know, die I would be granted more freedom and I could tag along with my dad but turns out nothing much changed and I still had that tight reign wrapped around my neck, threatening to choke me half the time. But I couldn't complain too much because he kept me safe, and that was a father's job, right?
The air became thicker as we became closer to the house, my mood shifted completely and I was no longer excited more like on edge. It just didn't feel right and I'd almost wished that I could have stayed back home, but alas this was my own fault. If my father noticed the obvious shift in atmosphere he didn't say anything, as he brought a wrinkled hand to the wooden door and within seconds it'd been opened.
I was greeted by two teenagers, or at least they looked like teenagers. My age, or perhaps a tad older. A girl and a boy, even though they didn't say anything and a polite smile had been painted onto their faces I could tell they were curious as to what I was doing there.
"This is my daughter, Sophie. I didn't plan on bringing her, but she insisted." Actually I hid in my dad's car, and he didn't know until we got here, so it was too late to go back. He was sugar coating the situation, and I didn't want to correct him so instead I stayed quiet following behind him, feeling just as eager as I once was despite the heavy air weighing down on me.
"Hey, I am Wendy and this is my cousin Matt." The dark haired girl, who I know knew as Wendy introduced and I offered a polite smile, as they both got down to business leading us into a large dinning area, an almost empty table lingering in the middle of the room. That along with a few chairs being some of the only furniture in the almost empty room.
I breathed in, my eyes lingering on some scratch marks that had been etched into a wall, a dark figure lingering in the corner, it's head tilted to the side. I immediately tensed up when it's electric blue eyes made contact with mine, my eyes adjusted and I could see that this was a charred and burned creature whose cause of death was most likely was fire. I tensed up and my father must of noticed as his eyes made it's way over to the corner, narrowing slightly.
"We asked you to come, because we found these in the floorboards. We decided to go to the library and check it out, this place used to be a mortuary, Ramsey Aickman's to be exact. He had an apprentice, Jonah Aickman. A boy that Matt claims to see, or has seen almost every day since we've lived in this house. In 1967 when they'd meant to redo the road relocate a few graves, they found over a hundred missing. We think Ramsey and Jonah took them, We were hoping you could tell us why, or at least shed a little light onto the situation." Wendy started off, her words blurring as I found my attention drawn back to the charred figure in the corner who was wheezing, his head tilted, and the sickening sound of dead skin rubbing against more dead skin filled my ears and I just wanted to get out of here.
I could tell my father was hesitant about the next few words he spoke, his eyes scanning the objects in the metal box. "My daughter is a medium, or she can see ghosts. My wife didn't like taking her anywhere in fear she made contact with ghosts, therefore I haven't brought her on any of these little trips, but she hid herself in the back seat and here we are, she is very inexperienced but I think she could help us."
My attention was once again relocated to the disgusting creature in the corner, I felt awful for even thinking it disgusting but I realized as it came closer I didn't want it anywhere near me. I felt very wary of this whole situation, and the hair on my neck stood up on end. When I returned my gaze back to my father he was explaining Aickman's weird reason for having a small box full of eyelashes.
I thought coming here would be fun, and I'd finally get to see what my father did and watch him at work but I realize now that had been a mistake because I couldn't take my eyes off of the burnt figure slowly creeping closer. It occurred to me then, that he must know I am watching him, after all ghosts choose whether or not they can be seen. Perhaps, he was trying to tell me something.
"We should prey, for all of the poor souls that died here," He held out his hands, which Mary gladly took, but Matt looked at hesitantly before accepting it, "and the boy too." My hand made contact with Wendy and Matt's, my eyes lingering on the dead boy lingering over Matt, his face close to the other boys. It was clear, almost immediately that Matt wasn't alright, for his hand tightened around mine, making it almost impossible to pull away. Wendy had to literally yank her hand away and that hadn't even been enough, his eyes were empty and I think that most of all scared me. My father was quick to take action, he used his hands to tilt Matt's head upwards.
"Who are you, what are you doing in my house?" My eyes widened at the sight of a blonde woman her eyes narrowing in anger at my father, Matt had by now returned back to reality and the blonde woman I was only left to assume was the mother of Matt, who was glaring at my father murderously. "Get out, now!" My eyes widened as my father tried to explain our situation to her, it was clear she wasn't buying it and wanted my father and I gone, something I was more than happy to oblige.
"Of course." My father spoke softly, pulling out his business card and handing it to the blonde woman his eyes softening slightly. "You're not alone in this," He directed to the blonde. Seemingly for the first time all night his attention was directed towards me, "Come on, Sophie. Let's go." I nodded quickly making my way to my father's side.
I couldn't help but watched the blackened and burnt boy standing in the midst of the chaos, watching and observing carelessly. It then occurred to me that this boy who was blind to the naked eyed was always watching, always observing. He was always there, whether anyone knew it or not, and I couldn't help but smile at the thought of someone watching over me like that.