Chapter Four

"Maybe you should show us where the activity is," Cassidy said as Lord Cummings nodded his head and they headed for the stairs. Going up the stairs, Peter looked at the portrait when he noticed again the sadness in Lady Angelica's eyes and he titled his head to one side. "Peter, we're going this way,"

"Coming," Peter said as he half ran up the stairs to the left and they walked down the hallway. After going up to the fourth floor, they walked down the hallway when they stopped at the twin doors and Lord Cummings turned, looking at them.

"This is the master bedroom," he said as he opened the twin doors and they walked into the elegantly decorated bedroom. At the back of the room was a large bed with dark blue bedding and canopy and to the right of the room was a large, marble fireplace with vases filled with flowers on the mantel. Cassidy watched while Dougal and Peter walked to the large, marble fireplace then stood inside the fireplace as the cameraman laughed and Dougal and Peter looked up the chimney flue, barely seeing the clouds moving across the sky.

"Will you two get out of there," Cassidy scolded as they stuck their tongue out at her and walked out of the fireplace. Cassidy was relieved to see they didn't leave any footprints on the oriental rug and they stood next to her while she gave them a stern look that made them feel like scolded three year olds. "What the history of this room?"

"Well, from what I have been told, Lord Henry died in this room after suffering a near fatal stroke and no one can sleep in here due to loud moans, things moving and there have been reports of a red mist that floats around the room," Lord Cummings said and Cassidy nodded while Dougal wrote on a pad of paper he had with him. Peter had noticed him writing things down as Peter looked at the bed and slowly walked closer. The air was ice cold as he stood in front of the trunk at the foot of the bed and Peter held his right hand out. Suddenly it felt like someone had picked him up when he flew backwards then landed hard on the floor and the cameraman swore as he got out of the way.

"Shit, Peter, you ok?" Cassidy asked as he sat up on his elbows and shook his head out. She was amazed that the wig had stayed on as Lord Cummings knelt next to him and Peter growled, glaring at the bed,

"I am sorry," Lord Cummings said as Cassidy carefully helped Peter off the floor and Peter straightened out the leather coat, nodding his head.

"Did you catch any of that on camera?" Cassidy asked and the cameraman nodded. Cassidy and Peter walked to the cameraman while he found the footage and Peter winced when he saw himself being lifted into the air and thrown like a ragdoll. "Wait, what is that?"

"I really can't tell," the cameraman said while looking at the screen and Peter looked back at the bed. He wasn't sure if he had seen something moving above the bed when he sighed and folded his arms over his chest. Lord Cummings led them out of the room as they went down the hallway and Peter felt like they were being followed. The hair on his neck rose under the wig as he sighed and they stopped in front of a door.

"This was Gretchen Miller's room," Lord Cummings said as he tried to open the door, but the door stayed shut and pushed on the door. "Funny, it seems to be locked."

"Let me try," Peter said as he walked to the door and tapped on the wood. "Gretchen, come on, open the door. It's alright. We just want to come in and say hello."

They watched as Peter opened the door and looked into the room. The walls were a soft ivory color and the elegant furniture was done in a white wood. The room had a feminine feel to it as he walked in and looked at the portrait over the fireplace. Lady Angelica was standing next to a young woman with long, black hair and gray eyes and both of them were smiling. He walked to the fireplace as he looked up at the young woman and titled his head to one side.

'Hello, Gretchen," he said softly while the others walked into the room and the door suddenly slammed closed behind them.

"What activity is in this room?" Cassidy asked.

"People have seen a woman in gray walking around in here and the woman seems to be weeping," Lord Cummings said and Peter placed his hands behind his back while looking at the portrait.

"Why are you weeping?" he asked softly when he felt something tugging on his leather coat and he spun around in a small circle.

"You ok, Peter?" Cassidy asked as he looked at her and placed his hands on his hips.

"Something just tugged on my coat."

"Are you sure?" she asked and he nodded his head. He then felt what felt like tiny fingers stroking his pinkie when he moved his hand up and frowned. "What happened?"

"Someone's touching me."

"Did they scratch you?"

"No, just touching my pinkie."

"Sounds like someone is trying tae get your attention," Dougal said and Peter frowned, blinking his eyes a few times.

"Great," Peter sighed as they walked to the door and he turned, looking back at the portrait. "Thank you, Gretchen."

They headed down the hallway while Peter felt like someone was holding onto his pinkie and a cool tingle moved up his arm. Whatever it was seemed to be comfortable with him as he looked down to his right and his right hand was slightly swinging back and forth. As they approached the twin doors, whatever it was violently pulled his hand back and nearly spun him around to face the other way.

"Peter?" Cassidy asked as he looked down and felt a tight pressure on his pinkie.

"Someone doesn't want me to go in there," he said then knelt down and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Hey now, it's alright."

"No go." was what he heard in his ear as a cool breeze moved over the right side of his face and he smiled, tilting his head to one side.

"You don't want me to go in there?"

"No go."

"Peter?" Cassidy asked as he looked at her and she walked closer, standing next to him.

"I'm right. Just conversing with my little, invisible friend," he said as he stood up and Cassidy looked at Lord Cummings.

"What is that room?"

"This is the nursery," Lord Cummings said as she walked closer and he opened the twin doors. The room was elegantly decorated with storybook characters painted on the walls and wooden toys and children's books sat on the shelves. Sitting on a small, brass bed was an old rag doll and a small tea set sat on the small, wooden table. Peter stood in the doorway as his right hand shook and he bent his pinkie in a bit.

"What happened in this room?"

"Well, from what I have been told, shortly after Lord Henry died, they found his second wife, Rebecca, in here and she had committed suicide. The maid found her body here," Lord Cummings said as he stood between the small beds and he pointed toward the wall. "The maid said Rebecca had slit her wrist and had written something in her own blood before she died. In fact, the stain on the rug is supposed to be her blood."

The cameraman walked closer as he filmed the red stain on the carpet when something made him pan the camera up to the wall and his eyes widened. He nearly dropped the camera when he backed up, handed Cassidy the camera and ran out of the room. Puzzled, Cassidy moved the video back when her mouth dropped open and Lord Cummings looked over her shoulder at the small screen. Written on the wall in what appeared to be blood was MAKE THEM STOP CRYING, but there was nothing on the wall and they looked at each other with stunned looks on their faces. Dougal took the camera as he pushed the button and Cassidy softly coughed, trying to get her composure back.

"What, uh, what goes on in this room?" she asked and Lord Cummings sighed, looking at the wall.

"The doors slam open and closed, the toys and books sail off the shelves and a black mist is seen floating around the room," he said when, as if cued, the toys sailed off the shelves and slammed into the far wall. A loud screeching sound filled the air as they covered their ears then ran out of the room and the twin doors slammed shut in their faces. Peter was looking at them while Cassidy noticed his right pinkie was hooked like he was holding onto someone's finger as he walked closer and saw the fear in her eyes.

"Is there any more hot spots of activity?" she asked.

"This way," Lord Cummings said as he led them to the stairs and Peter looked down at his shaking hand.

"Come on now, it's alright," he said as whatever it was squeezed his finger and he turned, walking down the hallway to catch up with the others.

Lord Cummings has given them some rooms for the night as Peter stood at the window, watched Cassidy's crew taking equipment out of the black vans and sipped on the Midori in his silver flask. That tiny voice in his head was screaming for him to get the fuck out of Dodge as he saw Dougal and Cassidy talking with some of the workers and he could tell that she wasn't happy with what they were telling her. Turning around, Peter placed the cap on the silver flask while walking to the coatrack and placed the silver flask in the pocket of his leather coat. He then noticed the full length mirror while he walked closer and looked at his reflection. He removed the wig, makeup, sideburns, moustache, eyebrow ring and goatee when he thought he saw movement behind him as he spun around, but there was nothing behind him and a small smile spread across his face.

"So, someone wants to play, eh?" he asked then heard a little girl's giggling and he smiled, arching his eyebrow. He stalked the room as the giggling grew louder when he saw the curtains fluttering in an invisible wind and he grinned, moving closer. "I see you!"

Peter moved closer as the curtains fluttered back and forth when he pulled the curtains back, but nothing was there and a small blast of cold air moved by him. Peter ran around the room while whatever it was kept one step ahead of him when he stopped near the fireplace and heard the giggling coming from behind him. Quickly, he turned around, but nothing was there and he scrunched up his face, scratching the back of his head.

"You're tricky!" he said as the giggling grew louder then stopped when the door slammed opened and Peter's heart raced after seeing something in the doorway. Whatever it was had no human shape, but was solid black and the black shape drifted closer. Peter felt something behind him as whatever it was hugged his lower legs and Peter stood straighter, balling his hands into fists. "I don't know what you are, but I want you to get the fuck out of here! Go on! Get!"

The black mass floated inches in front of his face as he watched the black tendrils of mist floating before his eyes and he clenched his jaw tighter.

"I said get out!" Peter shouted as the black mist retreated back out of the room and the door slammed shut. Peter felt whatever was hugging his lower legs let go as he reached behind him and felt tiny fingers in his hand. "Don't be afraid. It's gone."

"Bad word." was what he heard as he smiled then shook his head and gently squeezed the small fingers.