"Life is such a corruptible state, isn't it George?" asked Sophia softly. "At least, that's what you used to always say." She smiled shyly at Paul and he found himself drawn into those silver eyes. Her voice, so soft and quiet, made him lean in closer and strain to hear. "I always secretly loved that morbid sense of humor."

"A-heh," Paul squeaked back in reply.

"And it's so true too," she added sadly. "I remember how excited I was before the wedding. Or rather, right before we would have had the wedding." Those moonlight eyes glazed over, staring off into some far distant memory. "The courier from the bridal shop had just brought the dress over." She looked down at her gown, admiring it for a moment. "He left to let me try it on... I rushed up here because the mirror in my room was filthy." She laughed, a sound like twinkling notes. "Little Leota was playing with my make-up and got powder all over the glass. She was such a curious child.

"So, after pushing past some of the junk and finding a decent mirror, I tried it on. Oh," she sighed, "I felt so beautiful! I wanted you to see it, but you know that old superstition." She winked.

"I was about to put my regular clothes back on when the screaming started." Staring down at her high heels, her look of joyful reflection quickly turned to one of fear. "I didn't know what to do. I thought, 'Should I stay and hide and hope that once it's over I can run for help? Or do I flee? Should I see if there's anything I can do?' But it didn't matter. I was so terrified I just stayed rooted to the spot. And then I heard these boots clomping up the stairs. Terror filled me and I hid behind one of the boxes.

"My heart was pounding." With the organ glowing crimson beneath her gown, Paul could see Sophia's heart pulsating. It was louder now than it had been when he entered the attic. "Then the door creaked open slowly and he stepped in."

"Who?" whispered Paul.

"Atticus!" she cried, too caught up in the memory to realize that he should have known this. "He strode into the room, looking, searching for something! I crouched down, curling up as tightly as I could, begging, praying he wouldn't find me. I don't know how, but I knew he was evil! I tried to shut my eyes as tightly as I could, but I couldn't keep them closed." Her heart beat quickened. "And then he stopped in the middle of the attic, smiling so smugly. He made this little noise in his throat, like a chuckle, and hissed, 'I know you're in here.'"

Wrapping her arms around herself, she slowly rocked back and forth. Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her pale cheeks. "He said, 'I hear your heart pounding. Why are you so afraid when you don't even know what I've done? Or did you guess by the screams?' Then he began to walk around, peering casually into the trunks. Then he sniffed the air, like a wolf on the trail of a deer. He could smell my perfume, that lovely vanilla scent you had given to me for Christmas.

"He walked past me, and I thought I was going to be okay. With his back to me, I sprang up and bolted. No sooner than I had gotten half way to the door, I was suddenly yanked back. I screamed in pain as he pulled me to him by my hair.

"He held up my face, studying me." Sophia trembled. "He stroked that horrible, bony, cold hand across my cheek and said, 'What a ravishing bride you are. It would be such a shame to destroy you.' He had such a horrible smirk on his face, George! He looked down at me with those stabbing eyes. 'Come with me,' he commanded. I refused, told him that I loved you and that you would make him pay.

"And he laughed like a maniac. Giggling, he sputtered, 'You think your dear George is going to come to your rescue, like a knight on horseback after his princess? He's dead, girl'.

"I didn't believe him. I screamed that he was a liar. Dragging me, he took me to the very center of the attic, right above the gallery. With a few kicks, he knocked out some of the floor boards so I could see into the room below. He shoved my face down right next to the noose tied around the beam. Told me to get a good look." The ghostly girl sobbed. "And there you were, hanging by the rope.

"He asked me again if I wanted to live. I told him no, that I would rather be dead than the companion of that wretched monster. He slapped me hard, nearly knocking me off my feet. Then, he grabbed me and pushed me into that trunk." She nodded to the one Paul was sitting on.

Paul sprang up and his stomach lurched. "So you suffocated?" he asked.

Sophia nodded. "As I was running out of air, I heard him cry a curse. If he couldn't have me, no man would ever find me desirable. That's why I'm the way I am today." Standing up, she smiled at him. "But now that you've finally come here..."

The young man stood there nervously, unsure of what to do as the former bride to be approached him. The rhythmic heart beat and her eyes had him entranced. He couldn't move. Didn't want to move. She put one hand on the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair.

"Wha--what are you doing?" he stammered. He couldn't ask again before she kissed him. So this is what's it's like, he thought. Never thought my first kiss would be with a ghost-- His eyes suddenly snapped open at the realization of what was happening. He stepped back quickly, stumbling out of her grasp.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "I thought you missed me." She bit her lower lip and twirled her hair worriedly. "Don't you still love me?"

Panicking, Paul struggled to think of what to say. His first instinct was to tell the truth, but the poor woman would probably be humiliated. He had a sneaking suspicion that George would be furious when he found out that Paul had been playing the "tongue tango" with his fiancée.

Luckily, he was saved from having to think of an excuse when Phineas, Ezra, and Gus ran into the room. "We'll save ya!" cried Phineas as they barged in. When they saw that Sophia and Paul were just standing there, albeit very closely, but just standing there, the three stopped short.

"We were... just...talking," Paul sputtered.

"Sure you were," drawled Ezra sarcastically. "Little Leota is taking care of the crowd."

"We was worried," said Gus, looking at Sophia fearfully.

Phineas smiled. "Why don't we continue our tour?" he asked Paul. Sophia let out a heavy sigh and dragged herself to some dark corner of the attic, not in the mood to compete for her true love's affection.

"But what about--" started Paul.

Ezra clamped a hand over his mouth. "How are we going to find something if we don't even know what it is, or if it exists? 'Sides, she's going to know what's going on. We don't need anybody else finding out who you're not." He removed his hand and wiped it on his coat.

"What did you have in mind?" asked Paul.

The plumpest grinned. "The ballroom."

Ezra rolled his bulging eyes. "You just want to chat up the unbirthday girl."

Phineas snapped his fingers and his carpetbag appeared at his side. He pulled a small bottle out of it and squirted the atomizer, spraying a fine, minty smelling mist into his mouth. "So?"

Paul looked at Sophia. She seemed so lonely and depressed. "Why don't you join us?" he asked.

She turned to face them and the moonlight caught her cheek, displaying torn flesh and bone. Ezra seemed to be trying very hard to look as if he wasn't dry heaving. "I'd love to!" she cried joyously. She ran to Paul and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I haven't been out of here in ages!"

He smiled at Ezra, Phineas, and Gus and shrugged a shoulder. Phineas and Ezra didn't say a word. Gus giggled gleefully and dashed out ahead of them, and the others followed.

"You're not going to find it," Madame Leota smirked coolly as Atticus tossed aside a box of her old clothing.

He turned around, a frightening sight. His nostrils were flared and his gray eyes blazed with a ferocity usually reserved for rabid lions. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he strode over to her. "Tell me and maybe I'll let you stay by my side, unharmed. I'll even..." His pale, thin lips curled up into a sly smile, "give you back a body. Think about it, Leota." He traced the shape of her face on the glass surface of her prison. "We could have it be just like old times." He chuckled darkly.

She swiveled her head away from him, making her dark hair swirl as if she were under water. Biting back any sharp retort, she remained silent.

"I've been a good boy, haven't I?" he asked. "I've refrained from destroying this house, which I'm increasingly wanting to do," he snarled. "Really the worst I've done is humiliate that spoiled brat Gracey!" He walked around the crystal ball and bent down so that he was eye level with her. In a breathy, hissing voice, he whispered, "I could do much, much worse, my dear. I've been stuck in the bowels of the underworld for a very, very long time, Leota. Sitting in my prison, guarded by those Order of Light buffoons, I had plenty of opportunity to think."

He started to pace around the table and Leota got dizzy trying to watch him. "I got to thinking, if we combined our powers... well, the possibilities could be endless. But the one thing that could stop me, and the one thing that could certainly give my magic a boost, is hidden!" He slammed his fists down on the table. "It might wise if--" He was cut off by the most unusual sound coming from the ballroom...

Paul finished the song on the organ with a grand flourish. "What do you call that piece?" asked the organist as he applauded.

"I call that the "Star Wars" theme." Paul sniffed proudly.

"Play something else!" the others cheered. Paul grinned.

It wasn't long before the whole ballroom was dancing to "Thriller".

"It seems as if they're celebrating," sneered Atticus. "It's time I put those happy haunts in their places..." The ends of his fingers tingled as magic surged forth. He traced a circle in the air with his fingernail. A bright, glowing purple ring appeared, and it soon became a swirling red vortex. Three wraiths flew out and stood, grinning maniacally. All were hunched, snarling, and wide-eyed, although whether it was due to insanity or fear it wasn't certain. "Emmet Totts, Silas Grunge, and Felicia Scratch," Thorn greeted the ghouls. "How are my favorite minions tonight?"

"Better now that we're here with you, master," Felicia groveled. Her greasy, stringy hair fell over her face. Most of those locks, Leota thought, looked like spider webs.

Emmet wrung his hands worriedly. "Why did you call us forth, sir?" His bulging eyes darted around the room, making him look even more paranoid.

"There's a grand party going on," the warlock said, using the same tone endorsed by kindergarten teachers the world over.

"You want us to liven it up?" asked Silas, the self proclaimed leader of the group. His red eyes blazed and he trembled in anticipation. He licked his lips. They could hardly be called lips. It was really just the bit of thin flesh around his skull like grin.

"You're such smart little Hellions!" Atticus gushed with fake affection. With pride, he watched them fly out of the room. "That should make things a bit more interesting. Now," he turned to Leota, "where were we?..."