~*~Chapter Twelve : Few Have Ever Gone~*~

Over the weeks that passed, unexplained things began to happen at the house on 1177 Lincoln Street. Marty became extremely depressed and tired. She was so despondent, she stopped talking to Jason and Megan. She barely left her bedroom. She stopped bathing and forgot to change her clothes. She spent her most of her time trying to avoid her parents. The only one she wanted to see was Todd.

She did not want to see the other ghosts which kept appearing to her time and time again, frightening her. It was as if the old Victorian mansion was overrun with haunting apparitions. Marty hid from them, locking herself up in her bedroom.

One day when she ventured out, she could hear her parents arguing downstairs in the parlor. She stood in the stairwell as their voices rose sharply to the upper level. "What's going on is NOT my fault!" said Samantha. "It's not my fault that my doctor put me on strict bed-rest. Because of that, I am unable to do all the housework!"

"We need to hire a maid then," said Marshall. "This room has a terrible smell. There are flies-!"

"Why don't you call a maid?!" Samantha cried. "Our house needs a thorough cleaning and that isn't all. I got another phone call today from Marty's school. They keep calling. They are asking why she hasn't been at school."

"She's acting very strange. She hardly ever comes out of her room to eat. I'm worried about her," Marshall stated.

"None of this is my fault," Samantha sobbed. "It's this house! We never had all these problems until we moved into this house!"

Marty could hear her mother crying and then her father's comforting words. "It will be alright, Samantha. You just need to get back into bed and take care of yourself. I'll take care of Marty and the house; it's all going to be fine. I promise you."

Quietly, Marty slipped back into her room and crawled into her bed. She buried her face in the pillow as she started to cry. Depression hung over her like a thick, black cloud. She was softly sobbing until she felt his tender caress upon her shoulder.

"Todd," she murmured.

"I'm here, baby," he said comfortingly.

"It's alright, Marty, I will help you through this," Todd promised. He held her close and kissed the top of her head.

Suddenly, Marty wasn't so sad anymore. Todd was there and he was all she really needed.

"I love you," she whispered as he held her in his arms.