Hey all! Seven reviews, not bad. I'll cut to the chase, but first: RoGueSurfer, NCIS agent, ms. switzerland, Falling Snowy Sky, bella-edward-are-the-best, and VioletWilson. Thanks for reviewing! This chapter is dedicated to RedRose48 for Haunted Midnight's first review!! Can we get a round of applause?
Chapter 2-The Girl Next Door
The house was beautiful, of course. Even in advanced disrepair, with an overgrown lawn. Before the events that had thrown the house into chaos, it would have been picture perfect. It even came complete with a graceful turret. Like a scene from a movie. We'll make it that way again, Alice promised. She was in as much awe as I was.
Esme glided up to us, and her smile was radiant. "Isn't it absolutely perfect? She asked.
"It's wonderful, Mom." I grinned at her.
The others were already here, and at work moving the boxes inside. Emmett strolled up to us. He was balancing seven neatly packed cartons in his arms easily. "Amazing, isn't it? Park the car in that shed in the back. We've had it renovated, so we can use it for a garage."
"I'll do it," Alice interjected. She hopped behind the wheel. I continued with my examination of the house. I grabbed a few boxes of my things, and walked into the house. I was determined to get the best room. Emmett had beaten me to it the last few times.
The house was just as elegant inside as it was outside. I let my eyes trail over the finely carven woodwork, the elaborate chandelier. I hoped that Esme would just be fixing up the place, not actually renovating. Changing anything would ruin the rustic feel of the place. It was something out of a fairytale.
I glanced through the doors as I passed them, climbing the spiral staircase. Up and up I went, searching for the best room. I had almost decided on a large room on the second floor. The view wasn't the best, but I could fit my entire music collection inside. The third floor held nothing of interest, and I was going to return to the second floor room to stake my claim. As I head for the staircase, I noticed a small door. I recalled the tower I had noted outside. This must lead to the tower. I mused.
I swung the creaking door open, and sure enough, there was a narrow stair leading up. I climbed it cautiously, for several of the steps in the others were rotten. What I found at the end of the stairs surprised me. For some reason, the door was boarded shut. I pulled the half-decayed boards away, then tried the door.
The door was locked, too. This annoyed me. I didn't want to smash open the door, though I could do so easily. Esme would be vexed if I damaged the house. I wondered who wanted to prevent people from entering here so badly. I picked the lock, and opened the door carefully.
I immediately decided that this was the room for me. It was tiny, yes, but also cozy and warm. The circular walls and furniture were made of cherrywood. I walked around the room, my feet disturbing the dust. Sunlight filtering through the window made them dance in the golden glow. I crossed to the window, and gasped in appreciation at the spectacular view. I could see everything, the rolling hills, the river, and far off mountains. This room would be mine. The room gave me a quiet and thrilling sensation that I couldn't place, of longing and adventure. But there was also a great sadness here.
What struck me as strange was that unlike the furniture downstairs, this room wasn't draped in white sheets. I guessed that the room had been boarded up even before the house had been vacated. Tendrils of thought drifted into my mind, alerting me to the presence of Alice downstairs. My sister skipped into my room, and looked around.
"Cheater," she commented, examining my room. "Not that I care. This room is a bit tiny for my tastes. Pretty, though. Personally, I would have chosen the one on the second floor, but Rosalie and Emmett stole it." She made a face. "Jazz and I have a good-sized room on the third floor, and Carlisle and Esme took the master bedroom on the first floor. By the way, we got all the packing done while you were up here slacking."
I grinned at her. "Sorry. I'd better get down there, hadn't I?" Alice's face went blank. I knew she was having a vision, and I peeked in her mind. A girl about our age stepped up the wooden porch stairs. I frowned. "Someone's coming to visit?" This place didn't seem like it got many guests.
"Must be coming to see the new neighbors. We'd better grab some boxes, and pretend to be hauling them inside. It would look weird if we already finished." I nodded, and we ran to our family. When the girl came up, all she saw were the new neighbors moving their belongings into their new home. I was checked her mind to be sure. I nearly dropped the box when I realized I couldn't hear her.
"Who're you?" She asked rudely. She was dressed oddly, with a light pink sweatshirt over a long white dress.
Carlisle gave her a calm smile. "We're the Cullens. We're moving into Swan Estate."
"I can see that." From the angry twist of her mouth, I guessed this was displeasing to her. But I couldn't be sure. Why couldn't I hear her? She was no different in looks than other humans. Long dark brown hair, a small nose and full mouth, with ordinary brown eyes. She was paler than most, but that was to be expected, living in a place with so little sun.
"Do you live around here?" asked Esme. The girl scowled, as if the question annoyed her.
"Over that hill." She gestured with her thumb." Are you going to high school?" She switched her eyes to me suddenly.
"Yes. Do you?" Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Sure."
"I love your dress!" Alice gave her a friendly smile. "Where did you get it?"
The girl's eyes flashed, as if the question offended her. "Someone made it for me. Do you know the legend of Swan Estate?"
"I think so. Someone died, right?" Emmett asked.
The girl nodded. "Yeah. But did you hear about the haunting? They say the ghost of the girl who got killed is still here. At night, she walks up and down the dining hall. That's where they found her. The dead girl. You can hear her feet shuffling around, but you can't see her. That's what people say, anyway."
Carlisle smiled. "That's an interesting story, but my family and I don't care much for ghost stories. Besides, why would the girl's ghost still be here?"
She snorted. "I don't know, do I?" For some strange reason, this had angered her. "I have to go. My mother's calling." There was no sound.
"Hold on, I don't think I caught your name. What did you say it was?" Alice asked.
"I didn't. It's Sophie. Sophie Norris. Bye." Abruptly, she wheeled on the spot gracefully and started down the driveway.
"Goodbye! I guess we'll be seeing you soon!" Carlisle called after her retreating back.
In a far less friendly tone then Carlisle had used, the girl replied sullenly," I suppose." She soon disappeared, leaving us to try and decipher the strange encounter.
I think this chapter is a pretty good length. I hope you like it. Please review. ***IMPORTANT*** No doubt you have some guesses about the mysterious Sophie Norris. I will say this: She is not the ghost. That's all I will say. Please don't put your guesses in the reviews. If you have guesses, keep them to yourself, and don't ruin the story for others.