"How can you not believe it, Matt? I was THERE, I saw it , I saw her!"Inez cried out angrily.
"She's right, Matt, the ghost has been up here and many people have seen her."
"Poor thing," Jackie said with tears in her eyes again. "I wish I could just talk to her."
"All right, now that you've all heared the legend, please come back downstairs before she gets angry that we're interfereing in her room." Bianca quickly hustled almost everyone out of the rom, but Jackie didn't leave. Instead she looked slowly around the room, the sad story playing again and again in her mind. Pity and sorrow filled her heart. She hated to see anyone hurt or depressed, espacially if it was for an unjust or unfair reason, and what could be more unfair than not being allowed to marry who you really love just because he didn't have a royal title? It was the most rediculous thing she had ever heared! Of course, it probably wasn't in that day and age. She shook her head.
"God Bless America in the 21st century." She thought. The door opened and Matt and Inez came back into the room.
"Hey, Jax, what are you doing still up here? They're all gonna wonder why you didn't come down?" Mat asked. He smiled. "Waiting for the ghost to show up?"
"Oh, Matt, how can you even joke about it?" Jackie asked tearfuly. "When I think of that story and what that poor girl went through. It's just so sad."
"Yes, it' very very sad," Inez agreed, but she couldn't stop her body from shaking. "Now can we PLEEEASE leave before she shows up again?"
"Oh, Inez, why are you so scared, a ghost can't hurt you. She's just a harmless mist."
"Would you guys cut this out? You're acting like this ghost it real. Come ON, there are no ghosts in the real world."
"Matt, PLEASE I SAW it," Inez said, "I saw it with my own two eyes, she was right here, she's probably not too happy about us being in her room. Oh, guys, I'm so creped out, can we PLEASE leave?"
"Ok, OK, Nezzie."
"NIX THE NEZZIE!!! Let's get OUT of here!"
"Ok, OK, to make you feel better, here," He picked up a crucifix that was near the nightstand. He waved it all around. "Here Ghost, appear, come on, ghost come!! Ghost, come on, show yourself. Come on, Ghost, show yourself. Come on, Phillips, show yourself. All right,Ghost, be gone, ghost, leave this -place, be gone, away!' He sert it down back on the nightstand. "There, feel better?"
"Matt, how could you do something like that?" Jackie asked. "That was so unnessescary, and really mean"
"I'm just trying to show that there ARE no ghosts! Come on, Jackie, you don't want to get in trouble."
Inez didn't answer, she was suddenly fixated on somehting behind her. "Uh..Matt...where did you put that crucifix?"
"What are you talking about, Inez, I put it right where I left it..right here," but as Matt reached behind him to touch the crucifix..it was no longer there. He felt all around the space, just to make sure.
"WHERE IS IT NOW?!" Inez pointed to where it was now..on the desk next to the window.
"But..it..how..I put it right there..."
"It moved..the ghost moved it, "Inez cried out.
"There really is a ghost," Mat cried out, starting to make for the door. "Oh, where's Scooby Doo when you really need him?!"
"Never mind Scooby Doo, find the Ghostbusters," Inez cried out. "But as for me, I'M BAILING OUT!!" She raced for the door and ran out of it.
"Hey, wait for me," Matt said, running after her. Jackie stayed behind. She did believe in the ghost, but she knew a ghost couldn't physically hurt anyone. She slowly moved toward the mirror on the beauru. "I wish you could make yourself visible to me," she said. "I don't think you'd be anything to be afraid of. I'd love it if we could sit down and talk. I'd love to just see you." Just then she began to feel a bit cold. She stared at her reflection in the miror, but just beyond it something looked different..she felt another presence as a shape took form. She slowly turned around. She knew what this meant and her insides quivered with joy at what she saw. "Hi, Sarah." she said happily. "My name is Jackie..nice to meet you." She looked at the transparent form of the ghost. Sarah really was very pretty. Of course, she was of a pale blue color, but she had long, flowing hair neatly done in a ponytail. Her eyes were huge and bright and almost seemed to sparkle with curiousity at this visitor in this room. Her dress was rather simple and reached to the ground. But she was so beautiful, she had a small, gentile smile. The kind that made a person want to smile back, so that's what Jackie did. She saw two chairs near the dresser. "Can you sit down?" she asked. The ghost at first have no answer, just a small nod of her head. "Please do," she said, motioning to the other chair. Sarah quietly moved to the chair and sat down upon it. "HI," Jackie said. Sitting on the othe rone. "Don't worry, Sarah, I'm not gonna run away, and I'm not scared of you. I'd like to chat with you."
Sarah's eyes got wide and a bit of a confused look crossed her face. "Chat?" she asked in a quiet proper English accent.
Jackie caught herself and laughed a bit. "Oh, right, I'm sorry, chat basically means we can have a talk."
Sarah's eyes brightened. "Oh," she said. "All right."
Jackie leaned forward. "It's so nice to meet you, Sarah. I heared that you worked in this place with my ninth great grandfather."
Sarah's eyes brightened. "Moses was your grandfather?"
"Yes, my ninth great-grandfather."
"NINTH?! My Lord, what year IS this?"
"2004."
"Really? You'll have to forgive me, being dead for so long a person loses track of the months and the years."
"Wow, I bet you've seen a lot of things. Bianca has told me everything about you."
Sarah bowed her head. "So..you know."
"Yes," Jackie said. "Tell me...did you.."
Sarah raised her head. "Yes..it's true."
"How did you..."
"My parents had arsenic in our cupboard, in case we may get rats. I snuck down in the middle of the night..scooped the powder into a glass, filled the glass with water, and drank it in my bedroom."
Jackie gave a small whistle. "I don't think I would have had enough NERVE to do something like that."
Sarah looked up with sad eyes. "I had to, Jackie. It was either that..or live the rest of my life in a lie..with someone I did not love..all the while pining away for James.." A small transparent tear began to form in her eye.
Jackie looked at her with sympathy. "He really mst have been a special person."
"He was," Sarah agreed. "Most people, myself included, saw him as poor, rude, uncouth..but those are the people who do not know him."
"Like your parents."
"Yes," Sarah said, finally looking up. "Well..mostly my Mother."
"Well, some people are STILL like that today, judging by appearances first."
"I guess some things still have not changed over the centuries."
"You're right there. But a lot HAS."
Sarah nodded. "So I've seen."
"I bet you've seen a lot over the years."
"I have. But..it has been rather lonely. I mean, having to be forced to walk around here.."
"You mean..you can't leave this room?"
"Oh, I can, I can move and travel anywhere I please..but when darkness falls I MUST return to this room. It is part of my punishment. I am very lonely.but I know I would have ben lonelier without James.." The tear that was in her eyes finally began to fall to her lap. "I miss James so terribly.."
Jackie's heart went out to this girl and she reached out to give her a hug..only to pass her hand right through her body. Jackie withdraw her hand, forgetting that, as a mist, she was completely transparent. "Sorry," she said.
Sarah smiled. "That's quite al right," she reached over and gingerly covered Jakcie's hand with nher own, carefully so it didn't pass through. Jackie could feel a bit of a bvreeze on top of her hand..but little else. "Do you know you're the first person in all these years who hasn't run away when I've shown myself? You didn't get scared of me."
"Why should I be scared of you? You're a harmles mist, and you're so nice."
