"This is fucking boring." Karkat complained. All there was to see was trees, trees and more trees.
"I kinda like it." Tavros said. Karkat rolled his eyes and Gamzee patted Tavros on the head.
"Me too. Come on Karbro, there's gotta be something that'll interest you." Karkat shook his head.
"Well, at leatht it lookth like there'th thomething up ahead." Sollux said, pointing ahead of them. Their tour guide had stopped in front of something, but Karkat couldn't quite make out what. Probably because he was short.
"Let's see what it is." he said. He started shoving his way through the crowd of kids. Sollux and Gamzee followed, along with Tavros. When they got to the front of the group they found themselves in front of a burnt building.
"What'th that?" Sollux asked.
"This used to be a house." the tour guide said. "According to the local legend or whatever, a guy lived with his girlfriend here about fifteen years ago. But one day he killed her and burned the house down and ran away. Supposedly, the girl's ghost haunts the place now, looking for her ex-lover. And she kills any guy who comes here at night."
"Why did he kill her?" a kid asked.
"I don't know. It's just a legend after all."
"We gotta come back here at night!" someone said.
"I'll ask the others to patrol around to make sure no one does." the tour guide said sternly. "Now come on, this is where we head back for lunch."
When they got back they met up with Calliope and Roxy in the eating hall. Lunch that day was chicken-caesar salad wraps. They all grabbed theirs and sat down together.
"So, how was it?" Roxy asked. "We didn't get to go after all."
"Boring." Karkat said.
"There was a haunted house." Tavros said.
"Cool! Did you go inside?!" Roxy asked.
"It wathn't actually." Sollux said. "It wath a burned-down houthe that ith thuppothedly haunted."
"But what's the ghost story?" Roxy asked.
"Apparently a guy lived there with his girlfriend, then one night he killed her and burned the place down. Then he ran." Gamzee said. "And now her ghost supposedly haunts that place, looking for her motherfucking ex."
"Cool!" Roxy said.
"How ith that cool?" Sollux asked. "It'th a thtory about thomeone getting killed by thomeone they love."
"Yeah, but it's just a story." Roxy said. Sollux nodded.
"Okay, yeah. That'th true."
That night Karkat and the others stayed up talking again.
"Did you all notithe Roxy and Calliope'th behaviour change?" Sollux asked.
"Yeah." Karkat said. "So I guess they're together now."
"Good for them." Gamzee said. Tavros nodded and Karkat noticed he was looking at Gamzee. Tavros was just too shy to say anything. Karkat was pretty sure that could be a problem if he wanted to tell Gamzee how he felt.
"You kids should get some sleep now." their chaperone said. "We've got a busy day tomorrow. We're all going sledding."
"Cool!" Gamzee said. Karkat nodded and lay down and closed his eyes. He wasn't all that excited for sledding. There weren't many activities he found entertaining. He sighed and let his mind wander, and he eventually fell asleep.
Sollux couldn't sleep. He'd had something on his mind since they'd gotten back from the hiking trip. He stood up and took a peek at Karkat. He was sleeping peacefully and calmly. Sollux smiled and rubbed his nose. He was rather sweet when he was asleep. Sollux smiled and glanced at their chaperone. He was asleep. So Sollux quietly snuck outside. Making sure nobody saw him he made his way down the forest trail. Eventually he could see the burnt-down house ahead.
"You know the legend isn't real right?" Sollux turned and saw the girl who had been their tour guide standing there. "Guys of all ages have gone there at night and nothing's happened."
"I know." Sollux said. "I jutht have to thee thomething."
"Alright. I'll make an exception for you. Just don't be too long." Sollux nodded and walked up to the burned-down house. He walked to the middle of it and sat down on the ground.
"Ith there really a ghotht here?" he asked aloud. He shook his head and laughed softly. He probably looked so stupid. "I—back in the town I'd lived in, I had a friend who could talk to ghothtth. She could thee them too." Sollux sighed and rested his head in his hands. "We uthed to go to the graveyard together at night and she would dethcribe all the ghothtth there. We were even friendth with a few." Sollux sighed and looked up. "I really wish I could talk to her right now. I really mith her." Something cold touched his shoulder and Sollux turned around and gasped.
A girl was standing behind him. Her blond hair was burnt at the ends and she was covered in burns and a few scars. Half of her left arm was missing. And Sollux could see right through her. In fact, he could hardly see her at all.
"There's a cloud over your heart." she whispered, placing her hand on his chest. Sollux sighed and nodded. The girl walked in front of him and bent down so they were facing each other at eye level. "It's more than that you miss her. You loved her."
"Yeah."
