Chapter 6

Here without the dreams

Rinoa ran the steaming clear water into her bathtub and poured in some pink bath-bubbles, which she had salvaged from a forgotten, unpacked box. The perfume from the thick pink liquid quickly filled the air, and it wasn't long before the bathroom was completely steamed up with the hot water droplets. Rinoa smiled at the cozy atmosphere and lit a few of her candles, which surrounded her bath in strategic places. The soft light that shone all around her, bounced off of Rinoa's skin, giving her an angelic, glowing tint as she lay in the bubbles and hot bath water.

        Rinoa's mind strayed to Squall in the romantic setting that she had created for herself. She smiled secretly and blushed at her traitorous thoughts. Her mind drifted on its secret feelings, and for once she allowed herself to indulge in them. There was nothing to disturb her here, nobody to tell her that she wasn't allowed to think or oppose what she secretly whished. Inside the dimly lit room she was safe from her guilt at admitting to her fantasies. 

        Rinoa giggled and imagined him walking through the bathroom door with a bottle of champagne and confessing his love in many poetic ways. This was preceded by other fanciful notions and silly thoughts.  

        Rinoa pulled herself out of the bath using the sides and wrapped a white towel around her back, folding it at the front to make it stay. The bath water drained away in a swirl, and the bubbles died quickly without their watery host.

        Rinoa discarded the damp towel onto the floor and pulled her silk nightdress over her head and adjusted the tiny straps on her shoulders. The mirror was clouded with silver steam and Rinoa peered into it, recognizing her hazy outline before wiping it away with a fluffy hand towel. Something dark darted out of the view of the mirror and disappeared behind her. Rinoa caught its departure with the corner of her eye and jumped in shock as it landed with a thud.

        Rinoa spun around in a panic and looked wildly for an explanation to calm her confused, fast beating pulse. Her jacket had slipped down off of its hook, and Rinoa convinced herself that this is what she had seen. Cautiously she reached down to retrieve it, her heart was still beating fast, but it was slowing rapidly. She had almost regained her composure when something cold passed over her cheek, like a hand touching a lover's face in a smooth personal gesture. Rinoa started, and snatched the jacket before hurrying out.

        Instead of going to her room, Rinoa continued passed it and ran down the stairs. Her mind was racing with primitive fear at the strange events that were happening, and her usual rational explanations couldn't find sense. A dull ringing began in Rinoa's ears, and her surroundings became audibly blocked out. Rinoa felt as though she was about to pass out, and she asked herself why. Worse things had happened than this encounter before. But this time it was different, this time the thing was in her house without the aid of dreams.

        She could feel it moving around the house although she couldn't see it. It was searching for her, she could tell. It had lost her in her rush downstairs, but it was coming, it would find her soon.

        Rinoa's head snapped upwards as a heavy object was knocked over in the room above. It landed with a boom that reached Rinoa's bones with it's shaky vibrations. Rinoa let out a strangled sob and started trembling uncontrollably. The light switched on in the hallway, and Rinoa held her breath as the impenetrable presence swept into the room.

        It circled once, taking everything in with echoing footsteps. Rinoa squeezed shut her eyes and prayed that it would leave her in peace. But it seemed that the phantom had no intentions of leaving. Something of an almighty force would be needed to banish this demon from her home.

        The presence stopped still and watched Rinoa with hot eyes that burned into her back. Slowly it moved forward until Rinoa could feel it's cold breath on the back of her neck.        

        Rinoa whimpered as the breath on her neck remained. Tears filled up her eyes until her vision was blurred to a point of blindness. The tears fell down her cheeks and she gasped at the air as if her heart was failing.

        A pressure was felt on Rinoa's middle and it took all the strength she could find to look down. What she saw was enough to cause her mind to shut down in fear. Rinoa was certain that her blood was now ice, as it no longer seemed to be pumping her heart. Her shocked, rigid body felt the room drop in degrees, as her warm breath became visible in front of her eyes.    

        A skeleton hand worked its way over her middle in a seductive movement and tugged at her nightdress. Rinoa felt her heart and lungs come back to her with a sudden thud, and she thrust herself forward and away from the ghostly hand. The spectre glimmered in a silver haze where she had stood seconds ago. It glowed brightly as if in anger before disappearing into the black air.

        Rinoa heard her heart pumping in her ears, and she welcomed the sound as a sign that she was still part of this world. The presence had moved, but Rinoa could still not feel safe. Her heart took over all the other sounds with its beat until it began to subside. Not sooner had she calmed, when the TV jumped to life behind her. Rinoa screamed and whirled around in panic.

        An unrecognizable and distorted face leered back at her through the glass screen.

        "I told you to leave." It said clearly. Rinoa stared at it in shock.

        "Who are you?" She asked backing away as far as she could. The face smiled in a twisted smirk.

        "You know who I am."

        "I...do?" Rinoa stuttered.

        "I'm the being that has haunted your dreams." It answered still smirking.

        "Yes, I know you."

        "This is my house, I walk these floors not you!" It said changing its singsong tune for a darker one.

        "No, this is my house." Rinoa replied determined. This statement only angered the spectre.

        "GET OUT!" It screamed smashing the screen and sending tiny pieces of glass towards Rinoa. Rinoa screamed, flinging herself down onto the floor in an automatic reaction. But it seemed that the haunting hadn't finished yet, as the light above her grew in brightness until it exploded into tiny sparks. "Look above Rinoa, above."   

        Rinoa squeezed shut her eyes and covered her head with her hands. The silence of the house was eerie and Rinoa felt her pulse beating once again with violence. After a moment Rinoa uncovered her face and looked around the room. Everything looked normal with the exception of the TV and light. Standing up carefully to avoid the scattered glass, Rinoa stumbled towards the doorway. Grabbing a coat and a pair of shoes, she opened the front door and hurried out.

        Once outside there was time to calm herself down with the chill of the evening air. She couldn't go back into the house just yet; even looking back at it was enough to send shivers up her spine. With the resolve not to return inside, there was only one other option. She'd have to find Selphie.

        Wandering down the road in her nightdress and her coat probably wasn't a good idea but she was feeling reckless. Rinoa doubted that fate could have something else in store for her tonight, not even fate could be that cruel. Eventually she came to the door that she believed was Selphie's.  After ringing the door bell all Rinoa could do was to wait.

        "Rinoa!" Selphie exclaimed as she opened the door. "What are you doing here so late? Come in, come in."

        Rinoa hurried inside, a warm comforting feeling of being safe hit her as soon as she was inside the walls of the house.

        "I need to ask you something." Rinoa said. Selphie nodded confused.

        "Ok, would you like a drink?" Selphie offered. Rinoa shook he head.

        "No, but thank you anyway. Selphie who lived in that house before I did?" Rinoa asked abruptly. Selphie looked a little taken back.

        "Why do you ask?"

        "I just...I just need to know."

        "Well, it was a young man. I never knew his name, he apparently wasn't a very friendly guy." Selphie said smiling. Rinoa considered this while her brain formed new questions.

        "So, why did he leave?" Rinoa asked.

        "Why does anyone leave?"   

        "But there must have been a reason. People don't just leave." Rinoa said reasonably. Selphie sighed.

        "One day he just disappeared." Selphie answered shrugging. Rinoa looked shocked.

        "But didn't you inform the police?"

        "Sure we did. But he was such an unstable character, you know disappearing for long periods at a time. I guess it wasn't considered a high priority case. I suppose it just got pushed to the back and never followed through." Selphie explained draining on her memory for anything she could remember.

        "Oh how horrible to be forgotten like that." Rinoa mumbled thinking out loud. Selphie looked at her confused.

        "Sorry?"

        "To be never missed enough by anyone. Why didn't they look for him?" Rinoa said becoming angry. Selphie shrugged.

        "I don't know. I was very young when all this happened; I only know what I've told you because of things I've been told myself."  Selphie said. Rinoa forced a smile and stopped the enquiries.   

        "Do you think I could stay here tonight? I'll be gone really early in the morning; you won't even notice I'm here." Rinoa asked hoping for an agreeable reply. 

        "Sure you can stay here." Selphie said smiling. "There's a spare room upstairs, come on."

        Rinoa smiled gratefully and followed Selphie upstairs.

        "The bathroom is down there." Selphie said pointing. "And I'm in here. If you're hungry make whatever you like in the kitchen, just don't be hurrying off in the morning; you can stay as long as you like."

        "Thank you Selph, I know this must seem really odd me turning up and everything, but I'm not sure I can explain just now." Rinoa said. Selphie shook her head.

        "It's ok Rin, you can tell me when you're feeling better." Selphie replied smiling. "Well I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning." 

        Rinoa gazed up at the blank ceiling of the unfamiliar room from her bed. Being in Selphie's house made the earlier occurrences seem so distance, as if she had exaggerated them all to a point of delusion. But whatever had happened, it wasn't going to find her here. But despite the assurances that she was safe, Rinoa couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Squeezing her eyes shut in a hope to banish the feeling, Rinoa held onto the covers tightly and curled herself up. It was in this way that Rinoa finally found sleep, although it brought little comfort. There were none of the strange dreams that usually disturbed her, but nethertheless the sleep was not peaceful.

She imagined herself in far off places, until one dream took over all the others. She was alone and yet, she wasn't. Turning around at the sound of her whispered name, she saw the shadow of her company, before he appeared.

"Squall what are you doing here?" Rinoa asked looking at him questionably.

        "I came to see you."

        "Why?"

        "I missed you. You left me all alone." Squall replied moving closer. Rinoa looked around her, they were in her house but something wasn't right. Then she realised what was different, the furniture of the room had changed dramatically.

        "What's going on?" Rinoa questioned worried.

        "I don't know. You tell me." Squall replied. Rinoa became frightened and started to panic. 

        "Oh god, Squall you're bleeding!" Rinoa screamed looking at Squall's shirt, which was covered in blood. Squall looked down slowly and smiled.

        "Yeah, so are you."

        Rinoa sat up abruptly and found herself still in Selphie's house. The sun was shining in through the window and the trees outside were creaking in the light breeze. Rinoa lay back down on the soft pillow and breathed in deeply. After lying down for a few more minutes, Rinoa decided it time to get up and go home. If she was to remain here any longer she would probably just get in the way. After slipping back on her shoes and coat, Rinoa made her way down stairs. 

        "Selphie?" Rinoa called from the hall.

        "Yeah?" Was the happy reply she received from the direction of the kitchen. "You ok?"

        "Um, I think I'm gonna go home." Rinoa said her voice still sounding dazed.

        "Well alright. Do you want me to drive you back?" Selphie offered appearing from the kitchen. Rinoa looked at her with glazed eyes and shook her head firmly.

        "No, no I think I'm gonna be ok." Rinoa answered walking to the door. Selphie looked at her puzzled, but let her go.

        "Ok, but make sure you hurry back. It looks cold out."

        Rinoa opened Selphie's front door and stepped out into what Selphie had correctly perceived as a cold morning. What was going on with her, was she crazy? No she couldn't be crazy, not until she got to the bottom of this haunted house mystery. It was definitely haunted, there was no denying it now. Why hadn't anybody warned her before she moved in? It seemed cruel to not tell someone the fact that their house had the added feature of a ghost. But the more she thought on this, the more it seemed silly. Ghosts weren't considered real, anyone who saw one was quickly admitted to the nearest insane asylum for 'a rest'. Nobody confessed to believing in ghosts these days, so why would she be told upon purchasing the house?

        Rinoa stopped walking and looked at her house that had just appeared in the distance. Ok, so she had cleared the woman who'd sold her the house of guilt, but it still didn't solve the problem. Perhaps she was on her own in this one.