Chapter 2

"There we go."

Kathleen Harvey stood back and admired her handiwork. The room was spotless. She had toiled all day to in this one room, dusting, clearing the cobwebs out of the corners. Now the azure comforter gleamed anew amid sparkling white linens, the windows wiped free of grim and mildew let in the late afternoon sun. She pushed them open to welcome the invigorating sea breeze just as a pearly white figure floated into the room. Casper whistled.

"Beautiful." He remarked.

"Thanks, it took me forever to clean."

"I wasn't talking about the room." He laughed playfully.

Kat flushed with slight embarrassment at the comment. She was covered in sweat and dirt, dressed in a tank top and shorts. It was as far from beautiful as she had ever felt.

"Thanks." She added nervously and undid the bandana holding back her hair.

It stayed clumped in the same position. Wonderful, she thought grimly.

Casper smiled and went over to the dresser were a thin board was spread atop its surface. It looked like game board with letters and numbers in rounded arcs and two words at the top and one at the bottom. Yes, no, and good bye.

"The Ouija board, you found it." The spirit gasped as he inspected the elaborate sketches of the moon and stars in the corner and a blazing sun in the other. Kat walked over curiously.

"I found it when I cleaned out the closet. Was it yours?"

He barely shook his head, his transparent hands sweeping over the ancient parchment.

"My ancestors from my dad's side took it with them when they left Ireland. They bartered it from some gypsy on the side of the road who was begging for food. In exchange she gave them this. Ever since then it's been handed down, my dad just kept it some display case. He didn't really use it until my mom died."

"When was that?" Kat asked softly.

"I don't know. Right when I was born I guess. From then on he was obsessed with this thing." The specter stared off into the distance, a memory coming to him.

The halls of Whipstaff were usually busy and bustling with servants getting ready for the evening meal. Casper hated being in the way, so he turned down a deserted hallway and relaxed as the sounds of clattering dishes grew dimmer and dimmer. He strolled down the elegant passages adorned with expensive paintings and gleaming suits of armor.

The boy passed guest rooms with bright colorful windows, their ornate doors open and welcoming. Save for one. It had the god Poseidon carved at the very top and waves of turquoise accented wood traveled down its sides like water. Casper knew this was the room with the best ocean view, his mother's favorite as he had been told. The door had a sinking ship carved on it, perhaps lured to the rocks by the sirens inscribed in one corner. But the sea god had his trident raised high and the souls of those lost weren't drowning, but being lifted from their watery graves.

Casper shuttered, why had his father chosen this morbid scene was beyond him. A soft muttering voice fluttered to his attention. Slowly, Casper gripped the knob and pushed it open a crack. The curtains had been drawn and a single blood red candle was in the middle of the floor, the only light in the suffocating darkness. His father was hunched over something, his back to his son.

"Are you here Rose?" He asked to the flickering shadows.

Casper gazed as the J.T's hands moved to a section of the board and stopped.

"Please, why don't you send me a sign? Anything! I miss you."

His shoulders began to shake with sobs. He let go of the viewer and reached up to dry his eyes. Water splashed on the celestial drawings on the open board.

"Dad? What are you doing?" Casper curiosity led him to his father.

"Casper! What are you doing here? Go down to dinner, I'll be there in a minute."

Reluctantly, the youth followed the order, his blue eyes filled with concern and confusion. Downstairs the dinner bell rang and rang.

"I'll get it." Kat said softly. With pristine grace she got up and left the room to answer the insistent phone. Casper blinked back to the present. He left the Ouija board as it was and silently left the room, shutting the blue tinged door.

Kat swiftly made her way to her dad's office where he lay snoring atop some paperwork. The loud phone didn't even faze him. Gotta tell him not to work so much, Kat mentally reminded herself as she answered the phone.

"Hello, this is-" She started, but was cut off abruptly.

"I need to speak with Dr. Harvey." A deep voice rasped.

"Ok…hold on please."

She rolled her eyes at the voice's rudeness and poked her dad to awaken him. Mumbling incoherently, he grabbed it and put it to his ear without lifting his head.

"This is Dr. Harvey. Who am I speaking to?"

With a start he bolted upright, some paper still sticking to his face. Kat furrowed her brow and leaned in to listen. James Harvey removed the paper and gestured at Kat to get a pen. She brought one over, leaning so close she could hear the other's voice but no words.

"Did he speak to you? Did he call you by name?"

James wrote furiously in his doctor's shorthand, his daughter could only piece together random words. This continued on for several minutes. Casper came in and began to open his mouth to speak but Kat silenced him and nodded in the direction of his father. The ghost showed his understanding and kept quiet. Finally, James wrote "Apparition" on his paper and circled it.

"No, you don't need to bring evidence. Trust me, I believe you Mr. Osborn."

The doctor shot a look at Casper's direction at the statement. He frowned at a pause.

"You want to come here? I usually see patients on house calls. But I could make the exception... Tomorrow? That'll be fine Mr. Osborn, Harry. Ok, good bye."

He hung up. The anxiety Kat had kept in for the past five minutes rushed out her in a series of questions.

"Who was he? Does he have anything to with that singer? Why is he coming here? How the heck are we going to get the trio out of the house?"

She was about to ask more but James put up a hand to stop her.

"That was Harry Osborn. He claims to be visited by his father who died two years ago."

Kat stood stunned. "The Harry Osborn? As in Oscorp Industries in New York City? The one People Magazine named most eligible bachelor of the year?" She squealed.

"That's the one."

At this the teenager jumped up and down, yelling "Yes! Yes! Yes! And he's even coming here! Yes! Yes!"

She took Casper's hand to bring him into her happy dance but all he could do was sniff a "So what?" And turn away.

Kat's spastic dancing paused for a second, panic struck across her face.

"I have to find something to wear! And the house! I have to do more cleaning! Casper, I'm going to need your help! Casper?"

She looked about for the helpful spirit but he had left.

Harry hung up the phone heavily. He had done it, he had to. Already, reports of the Osborn penthouse explosion had made headlines. All he could do was sigh and hope that his evil half wouldn't resurface at MJ's wedding, which he almost forgot was today. His brand new tux with a crimson bowtie was laid out on his bed. Despite his "outburst" earlier, he was determined to go on as if life was normal. The call to Dr. Harvey was one step in that direction. He needed someone that had experience in these issues, not just someone to flat out call him crazy. And he had to go to in person, if the shrink showed up at his doorstep the media would have a field day. He would be labeled a psycho and that would worsen things. As for his father's ghost…well, his days were numbered, Harry thought to himself as he pulled on his jacket. Reaching for his tie, Harry drew back. Moments ago it was a rich wine color, now it had transformed in a blink of an eye to a dull olive. Somewhere, a malevolent giggle sounded.