Before I start on the epilogue, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has read and reviewed my story. Your kind support gives me the encouragement to continue with my writing.
And now, without further ado, I present the final chapter to Haunted. Enjoy.
Epilogue: A Letter and a Vision
Freed from their ordeal, Lilo and her friends were returned to Victoria's parents. Having spent half the night worrying about them, they were overjoyed when they climbed out of Julian's van and ran back into their arms. The paranormal investigators bid them a farewell and well wishes before returning to their campsite. The remainder of the trip was spent without much incident. They visited the beautiful foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, hiked along the famed Appalachian Trail for a little ways, and even visited a newly built ski resort along the Virginia border, before once again packing their things and returning home to Hawaii.
Even as things settled back to normal, their memories of their ordeal at Waverly stayed with them. For weeks after that night, both Yuki and Victoria had nightmares connected with their experiences. For Yuki, the nightmares were so intense that she spent a few days in therapy to help her overcome the nightmares, which she eventually did. Victoria eventually overcame hers without help.
Myrtle was not as affected by her experience as much as Yuki and Victoria, but the events didn't leave her entirely unscathed. The experience, especially with the shadow specter, had rekindled her formerly dormant fear of the dark. For almost a month after that night, she slept with her old nightlight next to her bed, and with Gigi cuddled up next to her like a teddy bear. This didn't last forever, though. It took some time but, like Yuki and Victoria, she eventually overcame this renewed phobia, and life returned to normal.
Although they were nowhere near as affected by their experiences as the others, Lilo and Stitch still did not come away from Waverly with nothing. Stitch realized that night just how precious Lilo was to him. She had rescued him from a life of senseless destruction and violence, and had taught him how to love and to be a productive member of society. To him, Lilo more than just his best friend. She was big sister, and his role model, someone he looked up to more than anything else in life. He couldn't bear to imagine what life would be like if he lost her, so he made a pact with himself. No matter what, he would do everything in his power to keep her safe and out of harm's way.
Because she was ohana, and ohana always looked out for each other through thick and thin.
For Lilo, the thing that affected her most was her encounter with the spirit girl, Angela. Though she was able to help her remember her name, and possibly open the door for her to uncover more memories, she didn't get any farther than that. Lilo couldn't help but think about what else had been locked away in Angela's subconscious. Who was she? Where did she come from? What was her life like? These and other questions churned through Lilo's mind, sometimes giving her a headache. For now, at least, it seemed the answers to these questions would have to wait.
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It was another lazy Saturday on the island of Kauai. Lilo, Stitch, Myrtle, and Yuki, along with their other friends Elena and Theresa, and cousins Sparky, Kixx, Bonnie, and Splodyhead were all sitting on the beach. Theresa, Elena, and the others were all listening with rapt attention while Lilo and the others told the story of their night at Waverly Hills.
"And when I turned around to see who it was, the ghost of a little girl was standing there, plain as can be. She kept pleading with us for help." Victoria narrated, telling the experience of their first encounter with Angela's spirit. Elena gasped.
"You're kidding!" She exclaimed. Victoria shook her head.
"I kid you not! The thing that got me about her was her eyes. Where her eyes should have been, there were just empty sockets." Elena gasped again, while the others just continued to stare.
"What did yous guys do next?" Bonnie replied in her "gangster" accent. "If it was me, I woulda run."
"That's exactly what we did." Lilo said. "We practically crashed into Stitch and the others. It was then that we decided to leave, but that's when it really got scary." She said. She was about to continue her story when she heard a familiar voice calling to her.
"Lilo! Stitch! It's time to come home!" The voice of Nani called. Lilo turned to see her big sister sitting in her green jeep, beckoning them to come get in.
"Sorry, I gotta go." Lilo said. "Let's go Stitch."
"Ih." He replied. The two of them got up and brushed some of the sand off of them.
"Bye Lilo. We'll see you at Kiki's tommorow." Elena said.
"You too." Lilo said, as Victoria said her goodbye and started the story where she had left off. Lilo and Stitch ran over to Nani and got in the jeep, followed by Nani herself who started the engine and pulled back onto the road to take them back to their house. The trip was uneventful until they got back home.
"How's cheeseburger's sound for dinner, you guys?" Nani asked.
"Ih, ih, ih! Cheeseburger!" Stitch said excitably, eliciting a giggle from Lilo. Next to coconut cake and coffee, cheeseburgers were his favorite food.
"I'll take that as a yes." Nani said as she pet Stitch behind the ear, eliciting a purr from Stitch. All of them piled out of the car.
"I'll go get the grill started. Can you get the mail for me?" Nani asked. Lilo nodded, and Nani went inside to get the things for the grill. Lilo ran down to their mailbox, which stood at the end of the driveway, and retrieved the stack of envelopes held within. She rifed through the envelopes, looking at what they had received.
"Junk, junk, bill, junk, bill, letter to Nani," She said. Her counting was brought to a halt when she reached the last envelope. This one was addressed to her, but had no return address. The only other markings on it were a stamp depicting Franklin Roosevelt and, on the other side, a seal depicting a diamond shaped blue logo with the letters "WHS" inside of the diamond. Lilo reached under the flap with her finger and tore the letter open. Inside was a simple piece of paper, folded in half. Lilo opened the note, and was shocked at what she read.
Dear LiloI just want to thank you again for helping me. Thanks to you, the memories have come back to me in a flood. I can now recall almost everything about my life. I'd tell you the whole story, but I don't want to bore you. So, I'll just show you my favorite.
Love,
Angela
When she read what was written at the bottom of the letter, she started to tremble. It was then that she noticed a date written at the bottom of the letter; July 14th, 1930. Nervously, she put her finger on the date. Almost instantly, a brilliant white light, one that temporarily blinded Lilo swallowed her world. When her sight had returned, she no longer saw her home. She saw the familiar looking gothic outline of the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. However, instead of a gloomy and abandoned look, the sanatorium looked clean and pristine, as though it had just been built and opened to receive patients. All of the windows were in place and reflecting the light of the midday sun, and the brass placard bearing the building's name was freshly polished and shimmering. As beautiful as the regal building looked, it was what, or rather who, was standing in front of the entrance way that got Lilo's attention. It was a little girl, about her age, with flowing, jet-black hair and wearing an ivory white dress and carrying a small bouquet of flowers. Lilo immediately knew who she was looking at. The little girl standing in front of the entrance was none other than Angela herself. But, rather than the pale, corpse-like visage that Lilo remembered, Angela looked very much alive. Lilo immediately ran over to her, stopping just off to the side of her
"Angela! It's me, Lilo!" She shouted, trying to get her attention. However, she just ignored her, or appeared to. It didn't take Lilo long to figure out what was going on. Angela, somehow, was showing her one of her memories. Lilo then heard the sound of the front door being opened. Out stepped a man, perhaps in his mid thirties, with a clean-shaven face, brown hair and eyes, and wearing a white lab coat. He must have been one of the doctors. Immediately, Angela's face lit up, and she charged over to where the man stood. The man saw her, and a smile appeared on his face as he dropped down to one knee and scooped the giggling Angela up in his arms, wrapping her in a hug.
"Happy birthday, daddy!" Angela said. The man smiled more and rubbed her back a little.
"Thank you, sweetheart. That makes my day." The man, now revealed to be Angela's father, replied. Lilo couldn't help but smile at the heartwarming sight.
"Mommy and I have a surprise waiting for you at home." Angela said.
"Do you now?" Her father replied. "Well, I wouldn't mind seeing what it is." With that, he began to make his way over to a parked car, still carrying Angela in his arms. As Lilo watched, he set her down in the passenger side seat, and then made his way over to his side and got in, started the car up, and pulled out onto the road. As the car got onto the road, Angela turned back to Lilo, a smile on her face, and waved to Lilo, mouthing a "Thank you" as she did so. Lilo continued to watch them as they drove off, a tear forming in her eyes. The scene she saw reminded her of her own father, and the relationship they shared. Lilo's musings were cut short by a voice calling to her in the distance.
"Lilo!" The voice called. Immediately, Lilo was brought out of her vision, and returned to her own world. Lilo turned to see Stitch behind her.
"Youga okitaka?" He asked, pointing to the tears that were still in her eyes.
"Oh, I'm fine Stitch." She said. "It's just…well, I'll tell you about it later."
"Okitaka." Stitch said. "Cheeseburger!" He shouted excitably, pointing back to the house.
"Okay Stitch, I'll race ya." Lilo said. Stitch and Lilo both lined up in racing poses. "On your mark, get set, GO!" Lilo said, and they both tore off toward the house, laughing the whole way there.
The EndAnd there you have it, Haunted is at last finished. Once again, I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed my story. It pleases me to know that you people enjoy my work so much.
I have a few other works planned out. After I finish my current Star Fox story, The Remnant, my next major work will be my crossover story, Augment. It'll be a crossover between Star Fox and Lilo and Stitch, so if you guys want, you can go come over to the Star Fox section and check it out. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Well, that's it for now. Be sure to read and give your final impressions of the story. Until next time, folks!