It had been a month since Tate's and Logan's agreement and Logan made sure to spend as much time with Violet as he could. So much that if for some reason he had to go a day without talking to her, he felt as though his day wasn't complete. She asked him one day if he found it weird that he was talking to a ghost and he told her that she was the best friend he had ever had, even if she was dead. Living in a world full of darkness, Violet's voice was the only hint of light to him; though he would never see her face, his mind painted a beautiful picture.
It was the last day of summer vacation; Violet and Logan were lying outside on a blanket enjoying the sun. Even though he couldn't see it, he loved the feeling of the rays on his skin. "Can I ask you a question?" Violet spoke quietly as she turned her head to look at him. He nodded. "What happen to you? I mean, were you ever able to see?" She turned over on her side, propping her head up with her elbow.
"I could see until I was 8. I got really sick; they weren't even sure I'd survive. The illness took my sight. I went into grave depression after that, I even contemplated ending it all. What was the point of life if I would have to depend on someone my entire life? Even as a child I was very independent. I hated people taking care of me. And suddenly that was my fate? For the rest of my life I would be doomed to live my own personal Hell? But I couldn't go through with it. I couldn't hurt my parent's more than they already were by watching me suffer. So I went to therapy—both physical and the crazy kind. And obviously it didn't stick since I'm telling everything to a ghost girl," he chuckled. Violet rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully. "My turn… You never told me about you or the other occupants in this house?"
Violet sighed and lay back down. "Well, I'm not telling you about everyone. I don't have the time, nor the inclination to relive all their sorrow filled lives. So pick three of them and I'll tell you what I know about them. Although, it might be better to find them and let them tell you their stories; they adore talking about themselves."
Logan tried to remember all the names of the people she told him about. "Okay, I want to know about you, Moira, and… Hayden?"
Violet hated anything to do with Hayden, especially talking about her. "Hayden was my father's mistress who came looking for him—she was pregnant—and ended up dying on the property. I think it's really a rip off since my dad got to run away, but I'm stuck with her complaining about him all the time. She really hates my mom and, well, she's just a bitch. She gets very horny too, it's quite disgusting. I think she'd have sex with an animal if one presented itself." Violet stuck her tongue out, and then remembered it didn't matter her facial expressions.
"She sounds… interesting," he laughed. "Now, tell me about Moira."
Violet smirked. "Moira is very nice, she keeps this place in tip-top shape and if it weren't for her we'd be living in pure chaos," she whispered.
Moira stepped from behind a tree. "Yes, Violet, I do keep the ship from sinking, I suppose. But I can also smell bullshit—as you put it—a mile away." Violet smiled. "I came out here to tell you that Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are looking for Logan and your mom would like to talk to you."
Violet rolled her eyes and sighed. She started to walk away from Logan when he grabbed her arm. "Wait, before you go I want my parents to meet you. They can see you, right?" Violet's eyes grew wide and she began to stutter.
"I—I—I can't. My mom is looking for me," she said, as she tried to get out of his hold.
"Please? It won't take but 2 minutes. I just want them to know I'm not crazy when I talk about you. They never see me with anyone so they think I'm sliding back into depression," he explained.
"Logan?" he heard his mom cry from inside the house.
"Out here," he shouted back. "Please, Violet?" She looked back at Moira who just shrugged. He let go of Violet's arm and placed his hands in his pockets.
"There you are," his mom said in a relived tone.
"Mom, I want you to meet Violet," he gestured beside him, but only pointed to thin air. He heard his mom let out an "uh" noise. "There's no one beside me, is there?" he asked, sadly. Violet watched from behind a tree, she just couldn't let people see her. Especially his parents; they wouldn't believe what she was and they might leave the house. Most people aren't fond of owning a haunted house. She couldn't lose her only friend like that.
"Logan, you're too old to have imaginary friends. What has gotten into you? I guess we'll just have to get you in to see your therapist soon," his mom rambled as she walked inside.
Logan turned around and faced Violet, even though she knew he couldn't see her, she still ducked. "Thanks, Violet," was all he said before turning around and walking into the house. She felt her heart slowly begin to break for what she had done. She fell down to the ground and started crying. Tate was walking past one of the windows when he saw her crying outside, he told Logan to keep her safe and what does he do? Takes that to mean break her heart himself; he could feel the anger building up inside him. Nobody hurts my Violet and gets away with it.
Tate stormed up the stairs after Logan. Logan was sitting on his bed, barely moving. "What the Hell?" Tate shouted, startling Logan to the point that he fell on the floor. "I asked you to keep Violet safe and then you go hurt her? What'd you do to her?" Logan was stuttering as he backed against the bed. "What did you do to her!" he shouted, again.
"I didn't do anything!" Logan snapped back.
Tate could feel his rage boiling. He took his right hand, grabbed Logan by the collar of his shirt and threw him into the wall. "I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" Tate clenched his fists and ran it into the wall right next to Logan's head. "It's just; I don't want anything or anyone hurting Violet."
"Dude, I totally get it. I would never hurt her."
Tate took his fist out of the hole in the wall. "Then why is she outside crying?" Tate wrapped his long fingers around Logan's neck.
"Maybe your little prude is whiny bitch, Lurch." Tate turned to see Hayden standing in the doorway. Tate rolled his eyes. "Do you honestly think this kid would hurt your precious little Violet? He maybe handicapped, but he's not stupid."
"Stay out of this Hayden," Tate growled. "This doesn't concern you."
Hayden laughed. "First off, when have you ever known me to stay out of things? And second, all you do is fuss about Violet, the fact that I'm fucking tired of hearing about her does concern me. Plus, do you think killing him will solve anything? There's enough unwanted souls in this house. While I'm not objecting because he's hot and I could enjoy him…" she lost herself in her thought. "Anyway, there's no fucking room. I already can't move around this house without running into someone…"
"Enough, Hayden," Tate snarled. Hayden disappeared into the shadows. "I'm not going to kill you," he whispered to Logan. "But, you have to tell me what the Hell happened with Violet, do you understand me?" Logan nodded as much as Tate's grip would allow. Tate relaxed his grip and sat down on the floor while Logan explained.
"As for why Violet's upset, I don't know. I should be the one, she made my mom think I'm a freak," Logan finished with a sigh.
"You are a freak, Logan. You're talking to a ghost."
"A ghost who just tried to kill me, mind you."
Tate laughed. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead like me right now."
"Ha—ha—have you killed before?"
Tate shook his head but then remembered Logan couldn't see his response. "No, but apparently the dark in this house and in my family can make you do crazy things. My twin brother has done awful things and nobody knows about his existence except for me, Violet, and now of course you. I don't include my mom because she never really acknowledged his existence when he was alive. My brother is in the attic most of the time, sometimes the basement but he doesn't talk. My sister died outside of the house so she wasn't damned to live here forever."
Logan took a deep breath. "So there is evil in this house…"
"You don't think I'm evil?" Tate asked in a shocked tone.
"No. Like you said, if you wanted to kill me, I'd be dead, right? And I don't think Violet could love someone evil."
"You're pretty cool guy, Logan."
Logan laughed. "Even though I can't see?"
Tate snorted. "Actually, I think you're one of the few who really can see." Tate stood up and grabbed Logan's arm, pulling him to his feet. They started to part ways when they heard an atrocious scream coming from downstairs.
"That sounds like my mom's scream!" Logan shouted. Tate disappeared and Logan fumbled down the stairs following the panic sounds of his mom's voice. She was standing in the kitchen staring at the spot where Annabelle had been sitting. But nothing was there. Red handprints covered the wall in what looked like blood. Logan held his grief stricken mom while Violet went on her own investigation.
Violet walked into the basement, even though nothing bad could really happen to her down there and she knew how to get rid of Thaddeus if he did bother her, it still gave her the creeps. She preferred the attic where the only thing up there was Beau, and Beau loved her. With each step she took, a loud creak mocked her. "Nora?" Violet called out into the vas darkness. "Are you down here?" Even though Thaddeus was a monster, Nora spent a fair amount of time near him.
Violet rounded the corner to find Nora sitting in the white rocking chair with Annabelle fast asleep in her arms. "Hush little baby don't say a word, mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird," Nora sang quietly as she traced Annabelle's skin with her long fingers. "You know, children tend to have this… sixth sense about people, dead and alive. It's almost as if they could see right into your very soul." She looked down at Annabelle's precious face. "How could I be such a horrible mother and still have this beautiful baby fall asleep in my arms? I was so obsessed with having the perfect life that I was helping Charles destroy lives, babies. Although I wish I could've raised my Thaddeus, I don't blame that man for doing what he did to my baby. I helped murder his, he murdered mine." As Nora spoke, a tear ran down her cheek.
Violet walked over and squatted next to her. "I understand you loved Thaddeus, but you can't change the past, Nora. Annabelle is not yours. Keeping her for yourself is like helping Charles kill those innocent babies all over again. You're taking another child." Nora closed her eyes at Violet's words. "Her mom is upstairs crying her eyes out because she can't find Annabelle. If you love her, you'll let me take her back to her mom." Violet held out her arms, waiting to see what Nora's reaction would be. After a long moment, Nora handed Annabelle to Violet. The baby's limp, sleeping body melded to Violet. "I haven't any doubt that you would have been a wonderful mom in your time, Nora." Nora smiled.
Violet turned around to face another figure behind her. Isaac was clapping his hands, sarcastically. "Well done, Violet. You got the baby back from that whiny bitch."
Violet's eyes grew wide at first but then quickly filled with rage. "GO AWAY, ISAAC!" She shouted as she closed her eyes. When she opened them back up, he was gone. She smiled with pride. Annabelle woke up and Violet looked at her. "Annabelle, if anybody ever scares you in this house, tell them to 'go away' and they will, got it?" Annabelle nodded and hugged Violet's neck as they went upstairs. She knew sooner or later she was going to have to face him head on, instead of always running from her problems, but today was not that day.
Violet carried Annabelle into the hallway, stopping right before entering the kitchen. She took a deep breath before proceeding in. "I believe this belongs to you?" Violet said as she entered the room. The grieving mom ran to her side and scooped up Annabelle into her arms, hugging her tightly. Violet stood beside Logan. "I'm sorry for earlier. It was not right of me to run and hide like I did. Can you forgive me?"
Logan smiled. "Only if you do something for me." Violet agreed to whatever he wanted. He took her hand in his. She felt a surge of electricity from him; she could feel her cheeks begin to blush and she was so happy he couldn't see her. "Mom, this is Violet. My friend." His mother was so relieved and roughly shook Violet's hand. They spent the next few hours getting acquainted. Violet made sure to answer briefly and ask questions herself when the subject started to get off track. Violet even went through the whole charade of being escorted out the door and told 'good night'. "Thank you, Violet," Logan said with a smile.
"It was the least I could do," she replied. Without warning, Logan's lips attacked hers. Her eyes grew wide before slowly closing as her lips responded. She could feel him smile as he was kissing her, running his tongue along the outside of her bottom lip and even softly tugging, begging for permission. Violet never let her lips part. After a moment, he pulled away and smiled. She didn't know how to respond or what to do. Logan shut the front door, leaving Violet on the front porch confused.