CHAPTER 20 - Home Sweet Home
When Mallory unlocked the front door and called out, she was relieved to hear her voice echo off of empty walls. "Matron isn't home yet, guys, which is good, now we can formulate a plan without her thinking anything suspicious."
Seth caught the quizzical look on Dana's features and he leaned down, close to her ear. "This is our home. It's like a small group home and the woman who owns it is our Matron. Her name is Mayra, though she's not here right now."
"Where is she?"
"Visiting family up north. She's supposed to be returning when school begins so we still have a few days." Dana nodded and looked around. The house was huge, with high ceilings and cozy country inspired decorating. Broadway was already half way up the stairs, dragging her bag behind her. "Most of the bedrooms are on the second floor," Seth continued. "Though mine is in the basement and Broddy's is in the attic. Matron's bedroom is on the main floor." He pointed down a hallway.
Susan clasped her hands in front of her chest. "This place is SO HUGE! It's plenty bigger than MY house! It's like a castle!"
Mallory nodded sadly. "Our Matron's husband built it. Matron loved children, but she couldn't have any of her own. When she found out, she went into this downhill spiral of suicidal thoughts and depression. Her husband was the heir to a rifle company, so he they weren't exactly penny pinchers. He built her this house so she could turn it into an Orphanage. Unfortunately, before Matron could adopt her first child, her husband died of a stroke. It's a sad story, but we're all really fortunate that we have this kind of opportunity. Most of us spent a good portion of our lives in city based group homes that are a lot like prison camps!" Behind her, Arthur was muttering what a beautiful house it was and how much the property taxes alone must cost them, but Mallory was too happy to be home to care. It was as if the simple act of walking through the front door filled her with strength.
Suddenly, a deep growling filled the room and Buster crept his way into the front hall.
"Oh yeah, dogs can feel ghosts, can't they?" Zeke asked, bending down to pet the family pet. "I saw it on TLC."
Dennis nodded. "Yeah, though it doesn't work all the time. I think its because there are so many in one pace, Fido here is going a little metal."
"Buster." Zeke corrected him.
"Oh, my apologies, Buster." Bianca rolled her eyes and turned to Arthur.
"We have a guest room downstairs in the basement. Seth's room is down there also so you won't be alone."
"Thank you, Bianca. Lead the way." Him, Seth, Bianca and Jean disappeared downstairs wordlessly and Zeke and Luke made their way upstairs, leaving Mallory in the foyer to entertain the remainder of the spirits.
"You're all free to roam the house, I guess. We have five bathrooms, one on each floor, save for the second floor which has two, so don't go busting through doors without knocking or making sure no one's on the can. Matron's room is behind that door. I suppose as long as you don't make any kind of mess that would be hard to explain, you can hang out in there. There's stuff in the fridge if you need to eat and don't worry about Buster. His bark is a k-billion times worse than his bite. I'm going to go take a hit shower and then go to sleep. It's good to be home."
"It must be." Dennis commented, craning his neck to look up to the high ceilings. Mallory gave him a funny look before grabbing her bags and taking them up the stairs.
The ghosts stood in the doorway awkwardly for a few moments before stepping into the rest of the house. It was massive, as big as the glass house if not bigger. Dennis plopped down on one of the comfy leather sofas and turned on the TV. "Might as well make ourselves at home." He muttered before clicking the channel to some cheesy sit-com. Susan stared at the TV for a long while.
"Wooooooow, it's really big. Everything is big, the house, the TV! It's sure come a long way since black and white huh, Prince?" She turned to where Royce was standing and found only empty air. "Huh? Where did he go?"
"I'll give you three guesses and he first two don't count." Dana said slightly amused. Her counterpart plopped down on the couch heavily and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Figures. I still don't know what he sees in her."
"Come on, Sus, it's not like you ever had a chance in the first place."
"I know that, Dana. I just like to think I did." There was the sound of a door opening and Bianca emerged from the basement and went upstairs without a second glance in the living room. Dana watched her go before standing.
"I'm going to go..look around. Have fun watching TV." In a flicker of time she was gone.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me Seizure boy-" Susan found herself in an empty room; Buster sitting comfortably in the chair Dennis was seated in moments ago. Feeling lonely and miserable, she picked up the flicker and found solace in the Home shopping Channel.
When Mallory unlocked the front door and called out, she was relieved to hear her voice echo off of empty walls. "Matron isn't home yet, guys, which is good, now we can formulate a plan without her thinking anything suspicious."
Seth caught the quizzical look on Dana's features and he leaned down, close to her ear. "This is our home. It's like a small group home and the woman who owns it is our Matron. Her name is Mayra, though she's not here right now."
"Where is she?"
"Visiting family up north. She's supposed to be returning when school begins so we still have a few days." Dana nodded and looked around. The house was huge, with high ceilings and cozy country inspired decorating. Broadway was already half way up the stairs, dragging her bag behind her. "Most of the bedrooms are on the second floor," Seth continued. "Though mine is in the basement and Broddy's is in the attic. Matron's bedroom is on the main floor." He pointed down a hallway.
Susan clasped her hands in front of her chest. "This place is SO HUGE! It's plenty bigger than MY house! It's like a castle!"
Mallory nodded sadly. "Our Matron's husband built it. Matron loved children, but she couldn't have any of her own. When she found out, she went into this downhill spiral of suicidal thoughts and depression. Her husband was the heir to a rifle company, so he they weren't exactly penny pinchers. He built her this house so she could turn it into an Orphanage. Unfortunately, before Matron could adopt her first child, her husband died of a stroke. It's a sad story, but we're all really fortunate that we have this kind of opportunity. Most of us spent a good portion of our lives in city based group homes that are a lot like prison camps!" Behind her, Arthur was muttering what a beautiful house it was and how much the property taxes alone must cost them, but Mallory was too happy to be home to care. It was as if the simple act of walking through the front door filled her with strength.
Suddenly, a deep growling filled the room and Buster crept his way into the front hall.
"Oh yeah, dogs can feel ghosts, can't they?" Zeke asked, bending down to pet the family pet. "I saw it on TLC."
Dennis nodded. "Yeah, though it doesn't work all the time. I think its because there are so many in one pace, Fido here is going a little metal."
"Buster." Zeke corrected him.
"Oh, my apologies, Buster." Bianca rolled her eyes and turned to Arthur.
"We have a guest room downstairs in the basement. Seth's room is down there also so you won't be alone."
"Thank you, Bianca. Lead the way." Him, Seth, Bianca and Jean disappeared downstairs wordlessly and Zeke and Luke made their way upstairs, leaving Mallory in the foyer to entertain the remainder of the spirits.
"You're all free to roam the house, I guess. We have five bathrooms, one on each floor, save for the second floor which has two, so don't go busting through doors without knocking or making sure no one's on the can. Matron's room is behind that door. I suppose as long as you don't make any kind of mess that would be hard to explain, you can hang out in there. There's stuff in the fridge if you need to eat and don't worry about Buster. His bark is a k-billion times worse than his bite. I'm going to go take a hit shower and then go to sleep. It's good to be home."
"It must be." Dennis commented, craning his neck to look up to the high ceilings. Mallory gave him a funny look before grabbing her bags and taking them up the stairs.
The ghosts stood in the doorway awkwardly for a few moments before stepping into the rest of the house. It was massive, as big as the glass house if not bigger. Dennis plopped down on one of the comfy leather sofas and turned on the TV. "Might as well make ourselves at home." He muttered before clicking the channel to some cheesy sit-com. Susan stared at the TV for a long while.
"Wooooooow, it's really big. Everything is big, the house, the TV! It's sure come a long way since black and white huh, Prince?" She turned to where Royce was standing and found only empty air. "Huh? Where did he go?"
"I'll give you three guesses and he first two don't count." Dana said slightly amused. Her counterpart plopped down on the couch heavily and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Figures. I still don't know what he sees in her."
"Come on, Sus, it's not like you ever had a chance in the first place."
"I know that, Dana. I just like to think I did." There was the sound of a door opening and Bianca emerged from the basement and went upstairs without a second glance in the living room. Dana watched her go before standing.
"I'm going to go..look around. Have fun watching TV." In a flicker of time she was gone.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me Seizure boy-" Susan found herself in an empty room; Buster sitting comfortably in the chair Dennis was seated in moments ago. Feeling lonely and miserable, she picked up the flicker and found solace in the Home shopping Channel.