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Vivien's POV
Times could be much worse, she reflected. Once upon a time her life had been falling in shining chunks around her. A miscarriage, an unfaithful marriage, a rebellious daughter. Blessings come in mysterious disguises. Maybe the haunted house that had ultimately led to so many peoples' deaths could be her salvation. Vivien knew in her heart she could change the way the ghosts lived their lives, in the past all the ghosts had lived separately but now maybe they could join together as a dysfunctional family?
Several people had come together to join the Harmon family, people who were sick of living alone and in misery. Misery can't last for eternity, Vivien knew that much. Moria, Maria, Gladys, Travis, Chad and Patrick helped take care of William on a regular basis.
She walked through the house, feeling along the walls and the soft wallpaper. Sunlight filtered through the windows and fluttered around her, warm and buttery it soaked into her bones. The voices of the other ghosts whispered in the air so faint that she could barely hear them, just a reminder that they were there.
She walked into her bedroom hoping to find Ben. She hardly ever used the space except to keep William and put him down for naps. The room was empty. Where could Ben be? It was rare not to bump into someone or easily find them. But it was important that they each had their own personal time, especially in house that was so lacking in privacy. Sighing she wandered out of the room.
As Vivien crossed a section in the hallway where it crossed with another, creating a four corners intersection she spotted someone standing at Violet's bedroom door. She froze staring at him. Tate's head jerked up to stare at her. The expression on his face yanked at Vivien's gut, it was a look of horror mixed with concern. She stepped towards the door, he glanced back through the crack then disappeared. Vivien stopped at the place Tate had just stood, feeling the lingering chill that he had left. Violet's door was cracked up only enough that Vivien had to lean forward and press her eye against the crack. Squinting she could make out the lower half of Violet's body sprawled out on the floor. Vivien hesitantly knocked. Her stomach was sinking, a sink feeling consuming her. When Violet didn't respond she shoved the door open.
The bedroom was empty as always, picked clean like the bones of a deceased animal. The corners of the room seemed pooled with shadow. The room was surprisingly cold; Vivien wrapped her arms around herself. She stared down at Violet. Her arms lay straight next to her, her head dipped to one side and the soft sound of Violet breathing calmed Vivien. She was sleeping, Vivien thought in relief staring down at her daughter. But the longer Vivien watched Violet sleep she noticed something. Violet's hands and feet were fading in and out of visibility, pulsing like a heartbeat. Vivien reached down to touch her daughters hand but felt nothing. Her hand was completely gone. Gasping she reached to shake Violet's shoulders but before she could make contact her eyes snapped open. Violet stared wild eyed up at Vivien.
"Mom!" She gasped. Vivien grabbed her daughter and pulled her to her chest, holding her firmly there. Now that Violet was awake her body was solid and stable. Violet leaned against her, taking deep breaths and shuddering.
"Are you okay?" Vivien asked, petting back her hair.
"Yeah it was just a nightmare…" Violet trailed off. "You can let me go." She shook off her mother and stomped out of the room. That was Violet, always trying to be fierce. Vivien stared around the bedroom. What had just happened? One person might know the answer.
Vivien stayed away from the basement, she never one stepped down into the dark trenches. Evil lived there and it was better to stay away. Marching determinedly down the steps she held her head high. She was a ghost now, Vivien knew that, and Hayden or anyone else could not hurt her anymore. The basement was gray and depressing, the walls were soaked thanks to the dripping pipes. Vivien stood still at the bottom of the stairs, hoping that he would come to her, but after several minutes of waiting she gave up and moved farther forward into the darkness.
After checking several rooms Vivien found him sitting on a crate leaning his back against the wall. He turned his head slowly to penetrate her with his eyes. Her heart stumbled and quivered, fear gripping her. This boy who appeared so charming and innocent on the outside was truly a monster, the father of her only living son and her rapper. She swallowed thickly.
"What was that?" she managed to say. Her tongue felt thick and heavy, like lead in her mouth. He looked away, fiddling with a piece of string in his lap. His shoulders bent down around his body, trying to hide himself. Good, Vivien thought, the tiny amount of guilt and sorrow he felt was nothing to her crushing anger and the filthiness she felt. "What was that?" She repeated, this time the words snapped off her tongue like daggers.
"I don't know," He said. "Is she okay?" His eyes turned to look at her.
"She's fine, but I want to know the truth. What was that?"
"I don't know, I've never seen that happen to anyone before." He said.
"You're no help." She snarled. Turning sharply on her heel she started to march out. Tate jumped up from the crate and lunged forward, his hand almost grazing Vivien's arm.
"Wait! Vivien, I'm sorry! I'm so –"
"Come near my daughter or my family again and I'll torture you for the rest of your miserable existents." She cut him off. Her words fell like cold stone. He flinched but she was already gone, hardly caring about him.
As Vivien mounted the first stair she heard someone catch their breath behind her. Turning she saw Ben coming closer to her. She stared at him, puzzled.
` "What are you doing down here?" She asked.
"I could ask you the same," He grinned. "I came looking for you." He said as he passed her on the stairs, back slightly turned towards her. Vivien stared as he walked up the steps leaving her behind.
