I suddenly got this idea at 7am this morning and wrote it in maybe an hour or so. This fits into the Jemima Bone story of You Find New Family

Fandom: Ghosts

Day 5 prompt: Decorations

For a little while, Jemima had been content to just sit in her pantry and listen to the distant sounds of cheerful Christmas music through the walls, but then she heard the rustling and clutter of boxes and bags, and the excited voices discussing lights and tinsel and trees, and her curiosity got the better of her. After a while, when the hallway outside went quiet once more, she stood and poked her head through the door.

Directly opposite her, hanging from hooks on the wall, was a garland covered in ribbons and pine cones. She tipped her head to one side, then looked up and down the hall. There was more spanning the whole length of the wall and she stepped out. She clutched her doll close to her as she began walking, her eyes never leaving the garland until she reached the back stairwell. No-one was around, and so she set off upstairs. The banister was adorned with simple fairy lights all the way up, and she stared at them so long that when she closed her eyes, she could see bright spots dancing across the backs of her eyelids.

She waited when she reached the top for two sets of footsteps and a pair of voices to move on, then went about exploring this floor's decorations. More garlands and lights, little strings of wooden reindeer pulling a sleigh, a snowman doll half her heigh outside a bedroom, miniature wreaths nailed to a few doors. She narrowly avoided bumping into the other ghosts once or twice, and briefly wondered of Humphrey was about anywhere. He probably hadn't been able to get a proper look at the decorations himself; she would have to find him later and show him.

Then something caught her eye.

She was passing by the bedroom of one of the other ghosts, who must have been elsewhere at the moment, and spotted a small glass ball sitting on the windowsill. She crept closer until she could see the tiny model house inside – it almost looked like Button House. Her hands came to rest on the windowsill and she stared down at the ball.

Kitty was humming along to the Christmas songs on the radio as she headed back to her room, only to freeze when she saw Jemima inside, her back turned, standing by the window. She almost gasped but quickly covered her mouth with her hands and jumped back behind the wall. She peeked inside again and furrowed her brow. She was just standing there, looking at something, then she remembered that Alison had put the snow globe she gave her last year there, and Kitty smiled to herself.

As she was watching Jemima, Kitty noticed Alison coming down the hall towards her and pressed a finger to her lips. Alison obliged and when she reached her, she also peeked around into the bedroom. She squinted in confusion.

"Who is that?"

Kitty looked at her, surprised, "Oh, you still haven't met her?"

Alison shook her head, "No? You're telling me there's another ghost I had no idea about?" she whispered.

"Well, I suppose I should have expected that. She does keep to herself an awful lot," Kitty whispered back, "Her name's Jemima. She was Lord Higham's scullery maid and died of the plague shortly before Isabelle was born."

"How old is- was she?"

"When she died? Oh, I couldn't say, I've never asked her. If I had to guess, though, I think about ten? Eleven, maybe? She likes to stay in the pantry in the kitchen at the back of the house. And to be quite honest with you, we're all a bit... afraid of her. She's not very friendly," Kitty explained. She went quiet and they both stood watching her in silence for a second or two, then Kitty suddenly brightened, "Oh! Apart from Humphrey! He and Jemima have become quite good friends recently! Sometimes she helps him find his body."

"Oh," Alison smiled, "Well, that's nice."

"Isn't it?" Kitty grinned, turning her attention back to the little girl. Then an idea popped into her head, "Actually, Alison, would you mind terribly shaking up my snow globe for her? She's staring at it. I think she'd like it."

"Yeah, sure," Alison said with a short nod and walked into the room, "Um, hello?"

Jemima jumped and spun around, startling Alison when she saw her plague-ridden face. She covered it with an awkward cough, straightened up and took a breath.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm Alison, I own the house. Have for a while, now," she stopped a few feet away from her, not too close. She didn't want to crowd the child. She crouched down slightly, "I'm surprised we've never met before. I've just heard a little bit about you, though. It's Jemima, isn't it?"

She nodded, but didn't speak. She stared cautiously at Alison, holding her doll in both hands.

Alison fumbled for something to say, "Uh, you're probably a bit confused that I can see you. You see-"

"I know."

Alison blinked, "Oh?"

"My papa told me." Her voice was soft, and almost emotionless.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know your father was also-"

"Papa Humphrey."

"Humphrey?" Alison's eyebrows shot up and she smiled, "That's so sweet, you call him 'papa'?"

Jemima nodded stiffly, "Yes. He's the only one who talks to me."

The mood dropped instantly as a heavy wave of pity washed over Alison.

"... Well, now that I've met you, I'd be happy to talk to you, as well, sometimes, if you'd like? Or if you need anything that Humphrey can't do, I suppose, I'm here. Alright?" she offered her a kind smile but Jemima just looked down, unsure. Alison bit her lip, then remembered why she had come in at all, "Oh, right, you were looking at Kitty's snow globe, weren't you? Here, let me show you what it does."

She stood up and moved past Jemima to pick up the globe. Jemima, curious, watched closely as she tipped it over, shook it slightly, and placed it back down.

"There you go."

Jemima stared, wide-eyed with wonder, as the tiny snowflakes swirled around the house. Alison smiled to herself as she left her to enjoy the show, and the tiniest smile appeared on Jemima's face. Kitty thanked her as she passed by.