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CHAPTER 3: GHOST HUNTING
"So tell me about that house you found," I say.
Nigel turns to me and grins. "I will, but there’s someone I’m waiting to arrive. I’ll debrief when everyone’s here."
I hum.
"Heeey! Nigeeel!"
Wait. I know that voice.
Ivy.
Ugh. Why is she here?
"I invited Ivy with us and she said she’d bring a friend, too," Nigel says.
I turn to look and sure enough, Ivy is bouncing towards us with endless energy.
Ugh.
"Hewwo!" Ivy chirps.
UGH.
There’s someone trailing after Ivy’s highlighter-yellow ass. Ivy spins and makes a grand gesture, presenting the person she brought with her.
Nana? From the street fight?
"Tadaaa! This is the friend I brought along. Say hello, Nana!" Ivy says.
Nana grins and gives us a nonchalant wave of a hand. "Hey guys."
Nigel and I stare at her, dumbfounded. Her smile turns a tad uncomfortable.
"Holy shit," Nigel says.
"Holy shit," I echo.
Nana laughs uncomfortably. "Holy shit?"
"Ivy, you brought a street brawler for a ghost hunt?" Nigel asks.
Ivy nods. "Ya! She’s an adrenaline junkie. So I thought she’d be helpful."
"Yeah, ‘cos I can totally punch a ghost if it tries to eat us," Nana grins sardonically, rolling her eyes. She then tilts her head. "So. Where are we harassing the ghosts?"
"Uh… Yeah," Nigel says. "My gremlins around the town found a house that is allegedly haunted."
"Allegedly haunted is the best kind of haunted," Nana says with a tiny hint of sarcasm.
Nigel gives her a look, but our bus arrives and interrupts our conversation. We pile in and get seats.
"So…" I speak up, "The house. Where is… Can you tell us about it?"
Nigel claps his hands. "Yes! It’s an old abandoned house. And at night, people say that there are lights coming from inside the house and sometimes screaming and laughing."
Nana hums and crosses her arms. "Pretty sure it’s just some kids sneaking into the house to drink and shit."
Nigel purses his lips. "Maybe, but a creepy old house is still worth checking out."
Nana just hums, not looking impressed.
Oh boy, the mood is icy. I better change the subject. "So uh… How do you two know each other?" I ask.
"Yeah, Ivy. You knew that DJ from the club too. How many people do you even know?" Nigel pipes in.
Ivy giggles and winks. "I get around."
I'm sure she does.
"Ivy and I go way back," Nana says, "We've known each other since we were in our late teens. She's like a sister to me."
Ivy gasps in an exaggerated manner and presses a hand on her chest. "Aw, Nana! You're like a sister to me too!" She hugs Nana, who rolls her eyes.
"Don't get mushy on me," Nana says. She's smiling, though.
"Oh hey, this is our stop," Nigel speaks up and presses the stop button.
The bus stops and we get out. There is almost nothing near the stop, just some woods. Nigel starts marching along a nearby dirt road.
When the trees around the dirt road block out the sun, I realize that it had still been up. A chill runs down my spine when I hear no birdsong along the track.
I don’t like this.
Eventually, we arrive at an old ramshackle, two-story building that might have had a nice garden ages and ages ago. The outer walls don’t have paint on them anymore and the boards are weathered and grey. The windows are boarded up so well that we can’t even see inside.
"So that’s the house, huh?" Ivy says, "What a hole."
Nigel bounces from one leg to another. "Yeah! Exciting, right? It’s a haunted fucking house. Can you believe that?! Abandoned and haunted!"
His excitement is contagious and I kind of start feeling pumped as well. Either that or it’s anxiety that’s making my chest feel so tight.
Nana shifts her weight from one foot to another. "Cool. How do we get in?"
Nigel hums and marches to the front door. He gives it a few firm yanks and it opens with a groan.
He turns to us and grins. "Shall we?"
Ivy bounces to the door. "We shall!"
She presses a quick kiss to Nigel’s cheek before disappearing into the house.
Ugh…
Nana follows her and I trail after Nana.
Once we’re all in, Nigel lets the door close and… not to be dramatic or anything, but it sounds and feels like a coffin’s lid closing.
Now that the only source of light is blocked, it’s pitch black inside.
"Oh, pardon me, let me just…" I hear Nigel say.
There is a shuffling sound, followed by two clicks. The room lights up with two narrow beams of light from two flashlights.
"… get my torches," Nigel finishes with a smirk.
He gives one of the flashlights to me. I sweep my surroundings with the small light beam to find that there is absolutely no furniture in the room we’re in.
"Okay, cool. We’re inside. What now?" Nana asks.
"We look around," Nigel says, "I suggest we split into two groups. Valo and Nana, you take upstairs. Ivy and I will check out downstairs."
My throat feels tight.
"Roger," Nana says.
I head out to look for the stairs, trusting that Nana will follow me.
The upstairs, just like the downstairs, is empty. There is no furniture anywhere. There aren't even paintings or photos on the walls. Everything that hasn’t been nailed down has been removed or stolen ages ago. All that remains are dust, a musty smell and a sense of unease.
"What are we even looking for?" Nana asks, switching to Finnish now that we’re alone.
"No fucking clue," I mutter.
Nana takes a few steps. "Is he always like this? Nigel, I mean. Ordering you around to do shit but doesn’t specify what?"
It takes me a moment to find words to reply. "Usually he has a plan," I mutter lamely.
Nana snorts and heads to the next room. I follow her and discover that it’s just as empty as the previous one.
"Well, isn’t this just exciting as fuck," Nana scoffs, toeing at a particularly big pile of dust. "I really wished I could’ve punched a ghost tonight."
I huff a laugh and head to the last room.
Nana follows me. "So what’s between you and Ivy?"
I freeze. Slowly, I turn to look at her. "What? There’s nothing 'between' us. We’re not even friends." I pause. "She’s just…"
Fuck.
"She’s just the girl who’s dating Nigel. That’s all. That’s 'between' us," I finish, making huge, sarcastic finger quotations to drive the point home.
Nana stares at me for a long moment. Her stare is burning my cheeks.
"What?!" I snap.
Nana shrugs. "Nothing." She disappears into the last room.
Hot anger rises in my chest and I stomp after her. "What do you mean 'nothing'?!"
I catch up to her and grab her arm, which I immediately regret because her bicep is enormous. She could easily toss me out of a window if she wanted.
Instead, Nana turns to me, calm as ever. "Nothing as in nothing. Just like you said. You don’t have strong feelings about Ivy either way. Even though she’s dating the guy you’re crushing on."
I feel like she had just physically slapped me and her arm slips from my grip. My cheeks heat up as I gape at her, trying to scramble for something to say.
"I… I’m not crushing on Nigel," I manage.
Nana visibly doesn't buy it. "Whatever you say."
I resist the urge to curse and sweep the flashlight around the room, just to give myself something else to do.
And whoop-de-fucking-do, the last room is also em-
Wait.
"What is that?"
"What?" Nana asks.
"There’s something in the corner there."
I step closer and see that it is not just some weirdly-shaped pile of dust or my eyes playing tricks on me. There really is something that hasn’t been cleaned away here.
"What is it?" Nana repeats.
The light illuminates the object and I see… Some dried leaves? Sticks tied together? It’s all arranged around what looks like…
An animal skull.
"Huh," Nana muses, "Well, it’s not a ghost, but Nigel might want to see this."
"Yeah… I’ll go… Let’s go get him."
We get back downstairs and find Nigel and Ivy in what we think used to be a kitchen. I’m silently grateful that Ivy’s tongue hasn’t gotten halfway down Nigel’s throat while Nana and I were upstairs.
Nigel takes one look at me and he already knows something’s up. "You found something, didn’t you?"
"Yeah, it’s… You should come and see," I say.
"With pleasure!" Nigel beams.
The four of us make our way back upstairs. I can feel Nigel anticipation vibrating off of him.
When we make it back to the last room, Nigel makes a beeline to the odd pile.
"Wicked!" he says, "What is it?"
"I’m… not sure," I say.
"It looks like an amateur witch’s altar," Ivy muses, bending down to look.
Nigel hums and kneels down to look at it closer. I stoop down next to him.
The sticks are tied to what appears to be a vaguely pentagram-like shape. The leaves are arranged to the points of the star and the stained skull in the middle of it. There are some candle stumps too.
"There’s something under the skull," Nigel says, "Valo, get it."
"What the f- Why me?" I sputter.
"I don’t want to touch that skull. It’s gross." Nigel steps away and motions me towards it.
I sigh and kneel down. I can’t say no to him.
I reach out to the skull and pause, trying to figure out if there’s a relatively clean spot on it where I can grab it. Jesus, what even are those stains? They’re all brown and gross.
Oh, wait, there’s literally sticks here. I could just nudge the skull aside with them.
As soon as the stick touches the skull, an electric jolt shoots up my arm to my chest. The air changes so fast that it feels like it slaps my face with jelly.
"AGH!"
I drop the stick. The skull jitters to life, slowly floating upwards in the air. My blood freezes at the sight. I swear I can see two beady glows in the empty eye sockets. I try to pull my hand back, but it’s stuck in the air. My fingers burn.
"What the fuck," I hear Ivy scream.
The skull’s jaw rattles as the glowing “eyes” roll wildly in the sockets. Before they land on me.
The gaze pierces through me, like it sees into the depths of my soul, through all of my thoughts, my fears and weaknesses.
The jaws waggle more and I realize it’s cackling at me. It has seen all of what I am and what I will be and it thinks I’m pathetic.
I hear myself whimpering. My hand is trembling.
The skull’s fangs clamp down on my fingers. Teeth sink into my skin. I feel bones snapping and the skin splitting open and blood gushing out. My hand burns. I see my skin starting to melt.
I hear screaming. My voice.
My skin is turning black and gangrenous. Bubbling and rotting. A blister forms and bursts, leaks vile yellow liquid onto the dry leaves. My flesh rots and melts away.
An orange sneaker stomps down, crushing the skull onto the floor.
I stumble backwards. Heaving breaths. It still hurts.
"Holy fuck!" Nigel yelps.
"You shouldn’t have done that, Nana," Ivy says.
"What else should I have fucking done?!" Nana barks.
It’s hard to breathe. Throat tastes like bile. I can’t bring myself to look at my hand.
Nana kneels next to me. "Valo. Valo, look at me."
"Mm."
"Valo, listen to me." Nana grasps my face with both hands. Firm. Almost hurts. "Breathe, Valo. Breathe with me. In…"
I draw a huge, shuddering gulp.
"Slowly, slowly… No rush… A-and out, one… two… three…"
Slowly, with Nana's help, I can breathe again.
"Good, good. Everything's okay," Nana murmurs. "Close your eyes."
"Wh- why?" I ask.
"Just do it."
I don’t know what she wants. But I close my eyes.
"Let me see your hand."
Oh. Okay. I slowly uncurl my hands. Hold the injured hand towards her.
I hear her hiss. Nigel makes disgusted sounds. I hear Ivy gag and turn around.
"Wh- what? Wh-"
"That looks bad," Nigel says.
"No shit! We gotta take them to a hospital," Nana snaps.
"We can’t do that! How would we explain that to them?!" Nigel snaps back.
What the hell are they talking about?!
"We have to go to Otto's," Nana says.
"Otto?!" Nigel yelps.
"Is he still awake?" Ivy asks, voice thick.
"Probably. He always gets crazy bad insomnia during summer," Nana says.
"Good. Let’s go to Otto’s place," Ivy says with an air of finality.
Nana nods. "Valo? Can you stand?"
I nod and stand up. Nana helps. I open my eyes so I can walk. But I try to not look at my hand. I can feel blood soaking into my shirt. Nana holds on to my arm so tightly it almost hurts.
We make it out of the house, back to the bus stop. The air is warm and thick. Not sure how long we wait for the bus. Eventually one arrives, we pile in and collapse on the seats.
"Does it still hurt?" Ivy asks.
I nod.
She pats my shoulder gently. She's pale. "Hang on. It’s not far until Otto’s place."
I nod again, cradle my hand to my chest. The bus rattles and rocks. World is slipping away from me.
Not sure how long it took, but bus stops and I’m tugged upright. My legs feel limp. I’m dragged out.
More walking. Apartment building. We get in and climb stairs. Door.
Nana jackhammers the doorbell.
Door opens. A man behind it. Middle-aged. Pale, white hair. Dark circles under eyes. Glasses and a dirty tank top. He frowns. Looks at Nana, lifts an eyebrow.
"Not me this time," Nana says, pointing at me.
The man looks at me, from head to toe. Glances at Nigel, frowns again. "Come in."
He leads us in. Messy flat. To kitchen table.
"Sit," he says.
Nana sits me down at the table. "Oh, this is Otto, by the way," she says, "Otto, this is Valo."
"Pleasure," Otto grunts.
"Can you speak English?" Nigel asks.
The man sits opposite of me. "What happened?"
I open my mouth. No sound comes out. I just show my hand to him.
I regret lifting it because now I can see. Some fingers are bent in ways they shouldn’t be. Skin is lacerated and still bleeding. Probably missing a few fingernails.
I swallow back bile.
Otto lifts his eyebrows. "Hm."
"Can you do anything about it?" Nana asks.
"Of course," Otto says, "But it’s going to hurt."
I groan.
"Hello?" Nigel speaks up.
"Nana, could you get the disinfectant, some cotton wads, splinters and towels?" Otto asks.
"Yessir." Nana marches off.
Otto takes my hand, gently turns it.
I hiss in pain.
"What happened?" Otto asks, "I’ve never seen a hand mangled like this."
I struggle for words. "Skull. Bit me."
Otto stares at me. "What."
Ivy steps in. "Okay so we were in this old house, right? Old abandoned house. Nigel’s idea, he wanted to see a ghost." Her voice is a little shaky. Almost manic.
"I heard my name."
"So like, Nana and Valo found this… fucking… altar? Or whatever?" Ivy continues, like talking is the only thing that keeps her together.
Nana returns. "Here you go, ya old fart. I also brought rubber gloves and Jack Daniels."
"Bless you," Otto says and puts gloves on.
"It was like, all dried leaves and some sticks in a pentagram and an animal skull in the middle. No idea what the fuck that was about," Ivy continues.
Otto opens the bottle and sips. Gives the bottle to me, and a towel. I take a huge gulp.
"Did you take a pic of it?" he asks.
Ivy falters, paling even more. "Oh fuck, we didn’t… And Nana stomped the shit out of the skull too." She runs a hand through her hair.
"What kind of skull was it?"
"A fox, probably. It had a long snout," Nana says.
Otto hums. "Oh, you might want to bite on that," he says to me. Points at the towel. "Don’t worry, it’s clean."
Wasn’t worried about hygiene, but now I am.
| > Bite it anyway. | > Do not put it in your mouth |
| I take another huge sip of the alcohol. Stuff the towel in my mouth with my good hand. Bite down. | I take another huge sip of the alcohol. Let the towel sit on the table. |
| "Nigel noticed something under the skull and told Valo to get it," Ivy goes on. | "Nigel noticed something under the skull and told Valo to get it," Ivy goes on. |
| "Because he’s too much of a wuss to do it himself," Nana interjects. | "Because he’s too much of a wuss to do it himself," Nana interjects. |
| Otto takes a firm hold of my hand. Snaps one of the fingers back before I can brace. Sharp pain shoots up to my wrist. | Otto takes a firm hold of my hand. Snaps one of the fingers back before I can brace. Sharp pain shoots up to my wrist. |
| My scream is suffocated in the towel. | I scream. |
| Suddenly very glad of the towel. | "Be quiet, you’re waking up the neighbours," Otto says. |
| "Jesus that’s nasty," I hear Nigel say. | "Jesus that’s nasty," I hear Nigel say. |
| Ivy continues. "So Valo does because they’re a good bean and… Okay, this is where it gets weird." | Ivy continues. "So Valo does because they’re a good bean and… Okay, this is where it gets weird." |
| Otto snaps the other finger. | Otto snaps the other finger. |
| I bite the towel. Might tear a hole in it. | I scream again. |
| "Okay, that's that. Well done," Otto says. | "Okay, that's that. Well done," Otto says. |
| I collapse on the table. Spit the towel out of my teeth, panting. | I collapse on the table. Panting. |
"So the skull… started floating? It kinda jiggled a bit, but then it bit Valo," Ivy recounts.
Otto gently lifts my hand. Turns it, looks at it. "It bit them? Where?"
"Fingers, I think? Right, Valo?"
I nod listlessly.
"Hm… There are no tooth marks, though."
"… What the fuck, man," Ivy says, sounding haunted.
"I mean. It was a ghost. It doesn’t have to make sense," Nana says.
Otto hums.
"I’m still here. Just reminding everyone," Nigel says.
Otto takes a clean towel, pours disinfectant on it. "Are your rabies and tetanus shots up to date?"
How the fuck am I supposed to remember that?
I shrug.
"Well. Better check those when you get home," Otto says, "So the skull bit them. What then?"
"I crushed the skull," Nana says, "Then we hauled ass here."
Otto hums, dabs the towel on my hand.
I hiss. It stings.
"So you’re Mister Important Englishman’s newest bestie, aren’t you?" Otto says.
I blink, baffled. What?
"Have you ever wondered why he never bothered to learn Finnish despite living here?"
What? Where is this coming from?
I mean, I have. But why is he asking?
"You haven’t found out?" He grabs splinters and bandages. Starts wrapping my hand up. "God, he pisses me off. Do you know how many languages I speak? Five. Italian as my mother tongue, had to learn English in school, then later I took French and Latin in med school. Then I had to learn Finnish here."
Despite his angry tone, his hands are gentle.
"And that asshole just waltzes here with his lingua franca mother tongue and doesn’t even bother learning the local language." He tsks. Pulls a vape from his pocket, inhales. "Did you know that he tried to get close to me also? Has he ever mentioned that to you before?"
"Otto."
It takes me a moment to realize that was Ivy. I’ve never heard her speak in that tone. So serious.
Otto ignores her. "He lost interest as soon as he found out that I’m Italian." He takes another drag from his vape. "No idea why he keeps you around, seeing how you’re… You know, not white."
"Otto!"
I stare at Otto. So baffled that I barely feel my hand.
"All I’m saying that I wouldn’t get too close to him," Otto says. He ties the bandage. Sets his hand on mine, surprisingly gentle. "Be careful, is what I’m saying."
He takes the gloves off. "You should go home. Rest. Try not to use that hand for a week. Come to show it to me in a few days. Take some painkillers if you need to."
I nod and stand on shaky legs. Ivy, Nana and I start heading out.
"Oh, we’re leaving?" Nigel asks.
Otto sees us to the door. He reminds me to check my rabies and tetanus shots, just in case.
We get out of Otto’s apartment building and stand outside, dazed and lost.
Nigel kicks a rock. "Well. Tonight could’ve gone better."
"No shit." Nana’s tone is so vicious that even Nigel flinches.
"Well, yeah. We could have been more careful," Nigel says, defensive.
"Oh I think you were plenty careful," Nana snarls.
Nigel bristles visibly.
"Nana, please. Let’s not do this," Ivy says quietly. She's still pale. She looks exhausted.
Nana lifts her hands and steps back, muttering to herself. "I can’t believe you tolerate that asshole."
I’m guessing Nigel didn’t hear Nana, because he speaks. "At least we did see a ghost!"
Nana's eyes bug out and I can see that she's holding herself back from going off on Nigel.
We shuffle back to a bus stop. Once the bus arrives and we get in, our small and tired group starts dispersing. Nigel gets off first without much ado, leaving Nana Ivy and me by ourselves.
"He really just ditched us like that," Nana says, not looking surprised, "Without making sure you make it safely home."
It’s not his fault. It’s been a rough night on him too… I guess.
… I try to say that but my vocal chords still aren’t cooperating.
"Will you be okay?" Nana asks.
I honestly don’t know…
"Okay, I’m not hearing a yes. I’ll walk you home."
I feel bad for making her make a sidetrack for me, but I also really need some company. The thought of walking home alone makes me anxious.
"I'll take care of it. I'll walk Valo home." Ivy says.
Wait what?! UUUGGH.
"No, don’t you have work tomorrow? I can do this," Nana argues.
"It’s fiiine! It’s just a small walk!" Ivy argues, then giggles. Her voice is still a little hollow, though. "How lucky, Valo. You have two gorgeous girls fighting over you!"
Nana rolls her eyes. "Valo, why don’t you choose? Who do you want to walk you home?"
Oh goddammit. I don’t want to make this kind of choice at this fucking hour.
| > Ivy | > Nana |
| … well, if Ivy herself offering. I feel less bad about wasting her time. | Honestly, she scares me a little, but I can trust her to defend me if someone starts shit. |
| Eventually, we get to my stop and get off the bus, leaving Nana to get to her own. | Ivy gets off the bus before us. But eventually, we get to my stop and get off the bus. |
| Ivy is oddly quiet on the walk from the bus stop to my apartment. I guess even she has to run out of energy sometimes… | Nana doesn’t talk during the walk from the bus stop to my apartment, which I’m glad about. I’m really not in the mood to talk. |
| When we make it back to my apartment building, I still can’t make a sound, so I thank her by typing it out on my phone’s note app and showing it to her. | When we make it back to my apartment building, I still can’t make a sound, so I thank her by typing it out on my phone’s note app and showing it to her. |
| “'I owe you a coffee',” she reads out loud, "Haha, hell yeah you do." | “'I owe you a coffee'," She reads out loud, "Haha, nah, it’s fine, dude. Just get some sleep." |
| Ivy takes a step away, before she stops. She gives me a long look which I can’t decipher. She’s really serious again. | Nana takes a step away, before she stops. She gives me a long look which I can’t decipher. |
| "Will you be okay?" she asks | "What do you even see in him?" she asks. |
| I sigh. I have no fucking idea. | What? |
| I nod. | "In Nigel, I mean. He’s such a pisshead. Full of himself." |
| She nods also. | Nana crosses her arms. "I wouldn’t hang out with him anymore if that happened to me." |
| "Try to get some sleep, okay?" | She shakes her head. "Whatever. It’s not my business. Goodnight, Valo." |
| She shifts a little, growing serious. | She walks away, leaving me gaping after her. |
| "Please think about tonight. Remember what happened tonight next time you see Nigel." | What… what the fuck? |
| She then smiles again. It doesn't reach her eyes, though. "That’s all! Sleep well, Valo!" | |
| She walks away and leaves me gaping after her. | |
| What… what the fuck? |