Chapter 3:

Visitors

I snorted while Lucy listened with her inner ear, Lockwood wondered around the narrow hall at the top of the stairs while George hung back. I looked at the thin, ankle-high ghost fog. I didn't know it could get that high when I had first seen it, and neither did the rest of the team. Even though Lockwood hadn't seen it before, he didn't act surprised.

I huffed as I glared at the male Burnette. He was now watching Lucy who was staring at the room that we had explored earlier. He could tell that she was hearing something that no one else could hear, well except for me. I could hear what she hears; see what Lockwood sees, etc.

I could feel myself smirk as Lucy headed for the door but lingered slightly in the door way. She took a deep breath and forced herself into the room. It was the second coldest out of the whole house. The ghost lock here was bad if you even stopped to think for even a second.

"This is the coldest room we've come across so far." George announced as he looked at his palm-sized thermometer. I rolled my eyes, if I had any. Lockwood looked at George then gave a slight nod before following Lucy into the room. George hiked his pants up before tightening his belt, grumbling something about needing a new one.

George quickly followed in, spying a circle with no ghost fog in it. The circle chain Lucy had set up earlier. Lockwood stared at the ghost fog as it began to fade. The soft sound of creaking wood returned as shadows danced around on the walls. Soft voices whispered around the room before one clear voice began to speak again.

You said you loved me. The same feminine voice from earlier spoke, sounding much louder than before. The dancing shadows began to flow in one direction against the walls, like wolves circling their prey. You'd promised that you would love me, so why?

Lucy, Lockwood and George all 'dived' for the circle of chains in the center of the room as a woman with tattered clothes pulled herself away from the wall to the right of the door. She had long black flowing hair that swirled around her as if she was in water. Her eyes were pale and unfocused. Her jewelry also floated around her as she took slow steps. She was wearing a flowing dress that gave the impression that she had worn it in the summer.

She stared at Lockwood as she halted her slow stride. Unease pricked through Lucy as George set me down. Why is there more than one of us? She pointed to Lucy then George then to the walls, never taking her gaze off of Lockwood.

"So does this mean her killer looked like Lockwood or just a tooth-pick like him?" I piped up with a snicker just to have the circling shadows wail as if they were telling me to be quiet. They knew I was here; they have known for a while and didn't care.

Why did you choose us? The soft murmuring voices picked up again, sounding together as the circling shadows moved to the floor. All three ghost hunters pulled out their swords as the woman drifted closer, never taking her eyes away from the tall one. Can't we go home now? The woman raised her hand.

Lucy strangled a gasp as six more women pulled away from the floor. All in the same condition as the first but having different colored hair. "And here I was thinking they were specters," she shot me a glare as I gave her an innocent smile. The sound of creaking floor boards grew louder till something sounded like a door opening slowly.

WHY!? The same jarring scream came from all seven women as they opened their mouths like a banshee. Their bodies turning stark white as their wounds glowed red, blood dripping down their shoulders and staining their dresses. They melted into the ground as the shadows danced around them before the sound of a slamming door had them disappear like a candle being blown out.

"Did anybody see where they disappeared to?" Lockwood asked as he glanced at George who was looking at his watch. Lucy shook her head as the flimsy ghost fog vanished all together, the moon's light peeking through the dirty window.

"It's been so long since they had visitors. Who knows how much closer they'll get next time." I said thoughtfully as Lucy and Lockwood looked at me. I snorted as Lockwood turned his attention to Lucy.

"What did the jar say?"

"That the ghosts will be more likely to become more aggressive at the next visit." Lockwood frowned and stared at Lucy. He believed that ghosts didn't change behavior. That was true to some cases. In this one though, these ghosts were only active when they could sense the living, getting more aggressive with each passing night.

"The haunting isn't over." I sang as the sound of soft whispers filled the room.

"What time is it George?" Lucy asked as I hummed happily, sensing the plans of the women.

"Um, eleven?"

"That sounds like a question." Lucy grumped as she cautiously wandered out. Lockwood gave her a disapproving frown; but, he too wondered out of the circle while George looked at his palm-sized thermometer.

Lucy and Lockwood froze when the creaking sound of a door opened, the sound of soft sobbing followed. Please let me go. Her gaze directed toward the wall where the black haired woman had emerged. Lockwood slowly backed towards the chains. "Lucy," he hissed as she looked back at him.

Please don't kill me. Lucy jumped when the wall opened to show the black haired woman sitting in a chair with her arms and legs tied down. It was a small space with ghostly tables and torture instruments resting on top.

I hummed happily at the horror painting Lockwood's face as he watched the torture scene played before him. He looked away; not wanting to watch any more. Lucy glared at me as I smirked. She didn't have the sight as well as Lockwood did.

Lucy flinched as ghostly screams filled the air, growing louder and louder till Lucy and the rest of the gang covered their ears. The woman's head slumped onto her chest as the ghostly instruments and tables began to morph into the other women, waiting for the black haired Lady to get up.

You said you loved me. All seven voices spoke as the woman pulled away from the chair. She turned her gaze to Lucy who was pulling her hands away from her ears. The other women started screaming again as Lockwood jammed a pair of ear plugs into his ears. He had learned from the Screaming Stair Case. You'd promised that you would love me, so why? Why turn away from me?

"Luce!" Lockwood called for her as the Raven haired woman took slow steps towards Lucy. She was slowly backing away from them as the other women sank into the ground. Shadows danced on the walls.

"Look out Lucy." I sang as Lucy glared at me from the corner of her eyes. She knew the dangers and I was distracting her. She was trying to reach for her rapier. I smirked as Lockwood threw a salt bomb at the shadows now circling Lucy. I frowned as screams filled the air while the shadows retreated to the walls to dance again. George and Lockwood lept forward, swords in hand.

I huffed. Things were quickly getting boring. I was hoping Lucy would get ghost touched. It would've scent Lockwood into a bit of a rage. Raven took a step back as she turned her gaze to Lockwood who was now racing towards Lucy, preparing to weave a complicated ward knot with his sword. George stumbled behind him as I laughed at his attempts to run.

"Hey, hey, George. If you weren't so fat, you would be able to run right."

"Will you shut up?" Lucy yelled as she glared at me, surprising her fellow co-workers and the visitors. Why? Came the response as the other women pulled away from the wall, all staring at Lucy. Why? They asked again as Lucy got to her feet and darted to the chains with Lockwood and George hot on her heels.

"Hey dumbo, they're speaking to you. I thought you liked speaking to visitors." I snorted as I stared boredly at her. She blinked as she turned her gaze to the women. Why the silence? They all asked.

"Because your screams hurt my ears," she grumped as Lockwood gave her a disapproving frown. He didn't approve of her speaking to the visitors. A ghostly grin spread across the women as they melted into the ground, except for the raven haired woman.

"You know what, I'm calling you Raven. You are going to be Ginger and you are going to be Blondie, You are Brownie-"

"Will you quit naming the visitors?" Lucy hissed as she glared at me. I stared at her innocently.

"What?"

So why is there more than one? I yawned as Raven's voice grew faint with the rising sun. George looked at his watch with a sigh of relief.

"Well," I sniffed. "The women have showed you where they died. Are you going to find a way to open it?"

"Just because they died there doesn't mean that's where the source is." Lucy snapped as I grinned. Oh, but the source is the chair.

"Luce, quit arguing with Skully." George sighed as he took his glasses off and cleaned them.

"'Skully'?" Lucy repeated and looked at him. Lockwood gave George a strange look.

"Lockwood, did you see where the ghosts vanished to?" He shook his head.

"They disappeared into the ground. But that secret room makes me curious. George, was there any info about a secret room?" Lockwood asked as George shook his head.

"They never found the murder room or the murder weapons. But from the expression on your face from earlier, I say we finally found it."

"Oh please." I rolled my eyes as Lucy flashed me another glare. "As if that makes a difference."

"I say it's worth checking out that hidden room though."

"A source as powerful as this, they still will be speaking even though it's light out." I huffed finally bored. "Good-bye."