I pulled my hair into a ponytail as I remembered the events of the past year, the happy beginning without an ending, the love that didn't last. My reflection looked nothing like me. Hollow cheeks, pale flesh, my eyes sunken and lifeless. My usually happy persona was that of a heartbroken teen, which I guess I was. I grabbed my mascara brush, my hand shaking as I applied a layer, just enough to make me look almost human. "Hayley!" My mother called from. "It's time to go sweetie."

I stood and looked once more at my reflection before walking down the stairs, my entire family dressed in the same simple black attire. My father wrapped his arm around my shoulders, sending a look of reassurance my way as he led me to the car, tears already threatening to spill over.

My name is Hayley Jones and my life will never be the same again.

My stomach was churning, my palms sweaty as I stood in the spotlight, the bright white light causing me to squint my eyes slightly. In front of me were the four judges that could make or break my career with just one word. My cleared my throat and opened my mouth, introducing myself to the judges and taking a bow before stepping up to the microphone, my hands heart pounding as I recited my speech. "In the past 100 years we have seen a rapid decline in crime, but what people do not see is the behind the scenes effort that people put into causing this decline. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who work at making this country safer for everyone, creating a haven for us to survive. I wish to assist in creating a happier place for all. I believe that many people do not fully understand the consequences of committing a crime and that education would help even further." I paused and took a deep breath before continuing, my eyes refusing to look down at the paper in my hands as I spoke. 

Twenty minutes later, I said a final thank you and stepped back from the microphone, my footsteps echoing around the auditorium as I left the stage. My mother and father were waiting in the wings, their arms open to embrace me as I shook like a leaf, the nerves finally taking hold. "You did amazing sweetie." My dad muttered before placing a kiss on my forehead. "We are both so proud of you." I smiled meekly and watched as the next candidate walked onto the stage, muttering a quick good luck before we left the theatre, my hands finally stilling as we climbed into the car and left the city.

I watched as the trees flew past, the occasional car flying past in the opposite direction as we headed to the secluded  estate that we called home. My father was driving, his eyes never leaving the road as my mother made business call after business call, leaving me to stare out of the window and collect my thoughts. They wandered over everything from why I was applying to the boarding school in the first place to what we were having for dinner that night; not that my mother would be cooking for us. I sighed, dropping my hands to my lap as I watched yet another town fly by, my father neglecting to take the exit as we continued even father into the countryside, not passing another car until we came to the fence that marked the edge of our estate.  The giant stone lions looked down on us, watching every move as my father drove the car up the long drive, coming to a stop outside the giant front door.

We didn't live in a normal house, we lived in one which had fourteen bedrooms, only two of which were regularly used, three reception rooms and too many bathrooms than are actually needed to function. Underneath the grey stone exterior was an even more boring interior; the lack of adornments on the walls making the abode look more like a museum than anything someone would wish to live in. If you were to travel up the sweeping staircase, you would come to a landing divided only by the colour of the carpet, heading to the left meant you were going to the newer part of the building, the wing that had been rebuilt after a fire devastated the countryside for days before finally being extinguished. To the right, down the royal blue carpet, was the old wing, the wing in which I chose to live, surrounded by books and the musty smell of ancient linen. This section of the manor was always cold, the scare fire places not enough to heat the draughty building. My parents chose to live in the modernised section of the manor, leaving me to my own devices as I explored hidden alcoves and discovered forgotten treasures. As far back as I can remember, there are always images of this house and it's never ending supply of surprises, a supply that was starting to bore me.

It was amazing living in a large house, it gave me plenty of space when I needed it, but it didn't give me friends. Since I have been old enough to go to school, I have been tutored, a teacher coming to live with me until they get chased away by something unknown by all but me. You see, this house lived up to its reputation, being haunted by the ghosts of those that died in the fire. Underneath it's beautiful exterior, the manor hid many secrets. Secrets that could only be discovered by a lonely teenager in need of some love.

My bedroom was a place I enjoyed being, a place I could finally be the person I truly was under the surface. The good thing about my parents being loaded was that I got whatever I wanted, and for me, that was books; a way to escape the lonely reality that was my life. I survived my days here with a book and my music, often sitting in an alcove with a statue of some long forgotten owner. The whole length of one wall in my room was covered with books ranging in dates, genres and authors, the other three walls were painted a simple cream with posters and photos covering every surface, the occasional drawing thrown in. My bed was situated underneath the window, the black sheets made of satin and reminding me of the money I wish I could trade for friends, someone to stay up late talking to, someone who would accept me for all my crazy habits, the things people hated.

Since an early age, I thought we weren't alone here in the house. I would turn every shadow into a ghost or a monster from the book I was currently reading, sitting and talking to them for hours on end as I waited for my parents to notice that I wasn't around, that I was hiding in some recess in a room they had yet to renovate. I didn't realise that ghosts were real, that they were listening to everything I was saying, my pleas for a friend until one day they gave me what I wanted. I woke up one day to my father announcing that he was getting me a puppy, someone for me to spend time with, to train and to play with. I thanked the ghosts so hard that night for everything and promising them that I would do anything to show them how much I was grateful. They took that literally, tasking me with becoming the host to one of their children, a girl who didn't get to live her own life, torn away from the world of the living before she even got to live. After a battle with the ghosts, they agreed to let me keep my life as my own, instead forcing me into a pact that forced me to remember how they died, to live with the pain in the final moments of their lives.

My parents tried to tell me I was delusional, that there was no such things as ghosts and that the childish games should stop because I was 'turning into a grown woman.' I begged my parents one night for an escape, for some freedom from this place, a place that was slowly sending me crazy. Eventually they relented, granting me permission to apply for the boarding school with a promise that they would pay for everything that I needed. That is how we got here, my father in his office, my mother on the phone and me, curled up with a book in a long forgotten room of the manor as I waited for a letter to tell me I had been accepted.

Footsteps shuffled across the floor towards me, my head darting up from the book as I took in the ghostly figure walking towards me, hovering about an inch off the musty carpet. I folded the corner of my page over, marking the place in a love story I would never get to experience, and stood, my feet sinking into the thick carpet. "Please." I pleaded as the figure reached out to me, there hand passing through the air before coming to rest on my arm, shivers running up my spine as I spiralled into a world of inky black night, a place with no sounds as the ghost showed me its dreams, its aspirations for the future. Shapes ran towards me through the gloom, children's laughter echoing off something behind me. I turned as they ran past, trying to focus on one of the ethereal figures. In the distance, a mother called, her voice resonant in the otherwise silent surroundings. The children ran past, their laughs growing silent, soon to be replaced with screams of pain, tiny droplets of blood flying through the murk as I stood stock still, listening to the murder of two innocent children and their mother, the woman whose memory I was seeing. When my vision returned, the figure stood, looking at me with hope in her eyes, her hand outstretched, clinging onto my wrist as I swayed, my head pounding. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do." I whispered, my voice hoarse. The woman mouthed something that looked like a plea for help before she started to fade, her form becoming less and less solid as the seconds ticked past. "I'm sorry." I protested just before she disappeared completely, leaving a cold spot on my arm where she clung to me, my arm hair standing on end as they tried to lock in any of the remaining warmth. Once I was sure she was gone, I picked up my book and traipsed the corridors, following first one route then another as I headed towards my bedroom, hunting out my journal to write down what just happened. On my dresser, my phone vibrated, sending shivers up my spine as the noise echoed around my room, before stopping abruptly.  I picked the device up and opened the message, my mother's name at the top making me sigh as I read the words written on the screen.

I sat at the table, my eyes landing on the plate of food in front of me. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I picked up my fork, spearing a piece of broccoli as my parents discussed another way for them to make the business thrive. "Hayley, you've been rather quiet tonight. Is everything alright?" My mother asked, the clatter of her fork breaking the silence.

"I'm fine mum." I replied, chewing slowly on some steak as my eyes drifted down the length of the table.

"Really?" She asked, the sound of my father chewing distracting me from answering. "You just... You haven't really been you since the audition sweetie."

"I said I'm fine. I'm just tired. I just want to sleep." I said as I stabbed the steak repeatedly, trying not to let the ghost in the corner know that I knew he was there.

"Well why don't you go and have a shower once you've eaten?" My mum suggested as she cut her steak.

"I think that's an amazing idea." I muttered as silence once again descended upon the room like a cloud that could not be breached. Meals were always like this, my parents trying hard to break the barrier they themselves had built, trying to get to know the daughter they wished they had never had. It wasn't a secret, my parents just didn't know who to blame, them for being careless or me deciding that I wanted to be born. I never disagreed. It was useless to try to because any argument I made was instantly shot down with false declarations of love. "I'm done." I sighed as I placed my cutlery on the edge of my plate and pushing my chair back, standing and turning from the table, my eyes still straying from the corner.

The water filled the room with a relaxing steam that hid any ghostly visitors from my sight. If I didn't see them, they couldn't hurt me, they couldn't get me to see what they wanted.  It was not long after this began happening that I learnt there was a ghost unlike the others. He could form words and I could touch him, almost as if he was fully corporeal. I believed that he may not have entirely passed on from this world, that something was keeping him here and I was to become his vessel, his route back to humanity and to life. I shook my head and climbed into the stream of water, letting the hot droplets pound out any cramps caused by stress, a sigh escaping me as the heat soothed my tense muscles. "You know I'm here. I know you do." He said, his voice echoing around the bathroom. I ignored the voice as I reached for the shampoo, tipping some of the blue liquid into my hand and massaging it into my hair. "You know that you can't escape." He muttered, his form hovering just outside the shower curtain.

"What do you want?" I snapped, breaking my vow of silence to this particular form. "You haven't even told me your name!" I slapped my hand over my mouth, begging silently for the words to be taken back, for time to rewind so I could continue ignoring him. The ghost gasped as I spoke, his hovering form stilling as he took in what I said. "You haven't even tried to show me how you died. That's what I agreed upon." I whispered as the shower cleaned the shampoo from my hair.

"I know, and I wish I could take all of that back. I tried to stop them." The figure muttered.

"At least give me your name." I muttered. "Just that much."

"Damon." He whispered, his voice filling with emotion.

"Damon." I sighed as I ran the name through my memory, the feel of it in my mouth familiar. "You died in the fire." I muttered, testing the sentence in the air, the silence suggesting he had gone, but luck telling me he was still there, memories flooding his brain as he remembered.

"I didn't die." He said, his voice hoarse and filled with longing. "It wasn't my time so they are keeping me here until I can die." I ran more thoughts through my mind, trying to grab onto something to link with this boy as I washed my body, the kiwi soap filling the bathroom with a fruity smell as I turned the water off and grabbed a towel from the rail. After wrapping it tightly around my chest, I stepped from the shower and stood in front of the mirror, Damon stood behind me. He didn't look like the other ghosts. He looked almost human with colour to his skin, his body casting shadows on the objects behind him.

I switched on my bedroom light, the false beams casting shadows around my room as I moved to dress myself, my heart pounding as Damon stood in the doorway, his eyes averted as I pulled on some pyjamas. Once I was clothed, I walked to my dresser and tugged out my journal and a pen, sitting on my bed and motioning for Damon to sit, his body creasing the covers underneath him. "What do you mean you didn't die? I looked up everything about this fire, you were the only person still in the building." I explained, showing him the notes I had made on the first page in my journal. "I wanted to know what sort of house I was moving into and your name was the one on the pages. It was you that died in that fire, it has to have been."

"But I didn't." Damon muttered, pressing the palm of his hand  to my skin, the feel of his clammy flesh causing me to flinch away, horror in my eyes as I looked at him. "I didn't die."

"What the hell?" I asked as he pulled his hand back.

"Something happened. I don't know what, but I didn't die. I'm still alive. I have  a heartbeat, I have blood, I can cry." Damon explained.

"What are you?" I asked, my voice shaking as I shuffled slightly closer.

"Human." Was Damon's one word answer. "I am human."

"But you died, everyone knows you did." I said, reaching my hand out to touch him, to make sure he was real.

"I don't know what happened there, but I didn't die. I'm still like, seventeen and everything, but I'm not dead." Damon muttered, his voice growing heavy as he looked around my room. "You know you chose my room to live in right?"

"Really?" I asked, my mind trying to form images of this boy living here.

"Yeah, it's amazing to be honest. You're the only person I can talk to, the only person who can see me and you live in my room. It makes me think that you were meant to see me." He muttered.

"Look, Damon. This is really interesting and everything, but I am so tired, I have to sleep." I whispered, leaning over to stick my journal on the table beside my bed. "Can you go away so I have some time to myself?" I asked. Damon nodded and climbed to his feet, walking from the room as I turned off the light and curled up under the covers.

 I woke to my alarm screaming throughout my room, the incessant beeping giving me a headache as I sat up and looked at the small red numbers on the screen. It was only a quarter past seven but I was always up early, it gave me time to explore before my parents woke up and called for me to spend an hour or two with them. My gaze wandered over the objects adorning my walls, my eyes landing on a piece of paper that wasn't there last night. Cautiously, I climbed from my bed and walked to the wall, my hand hovering in front of the page as I stood there, my eyes darting over the words. Written in scruffy, almost illegible writing, was Damon's name with a line scrawled through it, marring the words beneath. Even with scrunching my eyes, I could not make out what was written on the page. I sighed and stepped back, a small yelp escaping my lips as I stood on someone's toe. I turned around, my hand raised ready to punch whoever was in my room, but the absence of a person caused my heart to pound, my breathing deepening before becoming erratic.  Suddenly, my vision became blurry as an icy hold took over, transporting me back into the past.

Either side of me there were bodies lining the streets, blood dripping from wounds caused by god knows what. I could smell rotting flesh as I wandered the streets, my feet leading me through the village until I came to a house marked with a black X. The plague. I thought to myself, my hand reaching out to twist the door knob. Inside the small room, there was a cluster of people surrounding a pallet with a person laying upon it, their screams echoing in my ears. I stepped through the group, my existence ignored as I pushed my way to the front, my eyes landing on a small child clinging to its mother. It was times like this that I wish I could help, but one thing I cannot do is change the past. The child looked up, its gaze seemingly looking right at me as its mother took her final breath, silence descending upon the room as the child took a mouthful of air before screaming. I became dizzy as the world around me spun, my room reappearing before my eyes.

I stepped into the hallway, looking left, then right, before heading to the central staircase, coming to a stop in front of the door as the postman put a pile of letters through the door. Underneath all of the normal bills and business letters, there was an A4 envelope with my name inscribed on the front. I walked slowly to my father's office, dropping the letters on a table in the hall. Once inside his office, I booted up his computer, listening to all the beeps and wheezes of the ancient piece of technology. I rested my feet on the desk as I opened up the internet, my mouse hovering over the search button as my dad walked into the room. "Hayley." He said sternly.  "What have I told you about putting your feet on the desk?"

"Don't do it." I replied, placing my feet on the floor as I searched for plague outbreaks in the area.

"Good. Now why didn't you bring the post to me and your mother?"

"Because I thought I would put it somewhere you could see it instead." I sighed, my eyes drifting over the useless information that filled the screen.

"Hayley, you really have become a recluse lately." My father muttered as he looked at the screen, as sigh leaving his mouth when he saw what I was looking at. "Really, can you not leave the research of the dead alone?" I shook my head and signed off the computer.

"No dad. It's the most fun I get out here in the middle of no-where." I muttered as I grabbed the envelope addressed to me.

I pushed my bedroom door closed and sat cross legged on the floor, waiting patiently for Damon to arrive. He always turned up when I was alone, he never really left me to wallow in my sadness which I appreciate, but sometimes, I just longed for the silence, a place where my thoughts could run free. His footsteps echoed across the hardwood flooring before coming to a stop in front of me, his breath filling the silence as he sat down, his left hand on my right knee. "Open it." He whispered.  I nodded, my fingers shaking as I ran them underneath the flap at the top of the brown envelope. I help my breath as I read the words at the top of the page, my eyes filling with tears as they drifted down the page.

"I'm going to boarding school." I muttered, lifting my head to look at Damon. "I'm going away." He looked up at me, a smile on his face, the joy unable to reach his eyes.

"Wow. I'm so happy for you Hayley." He murmured, looking away quickly.

"You don't want me to go, do you?" I asked, reaching out to grab his hand. Damon shook his head, a tear rolling down his cheeks. "Why not?"

"Because you understand me. You make me feel human again." Damon muttered as he looked me in the eye. "Because I'm trying to convince you that I am still human."

"You could always come with me." I whispered, slightly hopeful that he would agree. There was a silence, one filled with words neither of us wanted to say.

"I can't."

"Why not?" I asked, grabbing his hands and entwining my fingers with his.

"Because I have never left this place. If I am truly dead, than it is the house keeping me alive and leaving would only make me disappear for good." Damon tried to explain.

"There has to be a way." I pleaded, finding myself attached to him in a way I never thought possible.  "I have grown so attached to you Damon, I can't just leave you here without anyone." Damon sighed softly and shook his head before climbing to his feet, tugging me after him. Once we were both stood, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, my arms snaking around his waist.

"I'm not like the others Hayley. I can't just show you what killed me and then leave, able to pass on because I never died. I may be a ghost at the minute, but I'm not dead. I feel my heart beating, I have a pulse and blood flows through my veins. I sleep, I have to eat, I love." Damon paused. "I have no idea what will happen when you're gone. Maybe I'll be able to work out why I'm stuck here and find a way to leave or maybe I will be stuck here forever, waiting for you to return. Either way, I'm happy because you managed to escape." I felt his arms loosen as he placed his lips to my cheek, lingering for a second before pulling away and leaving my room, an icy chill descending over me. I slowly raised my hand to my cheek, expecting the location to be ice cold, surprise clouding me as I felt the warmth of his lips. 

When I finally moved my feet, the air had grown cold, the hairs on my arms standing on end as I walked slowly to the door. Taking a deep breath, I tugged open the door and stepped cautiously into the corridor, something tugging me to the left. I shook my head slightly, following my gut instinct to a part of the house I had yet to explore. My eyes wandered over the walls, my heart pounding when I saw strange paintings adorning the walls, paintings that looked brand new. The only paintings that we actually had inside this house looked worn with age, old and faded. I searched my brain for any information that might tell me what was happening, a gasp leaving my lips when I saw Damon stood next to… Damon. My eyebrows wrinkled in confusion as my eyes darted between the two of them, my mouth opening to speak but no words escaping. My Damon reaching his hand out, resting it on the other boy’s shoulder, concern etching lines in his face as he spoke. “You need to leave Tom. It isn’t safe here.” Damon whispered, his voice echoing off the walls.

“But I cannot leave you brother. Not with father.” The other boy, Tom muttered in reply.

“You have the chance to leave this place, to live a happy life. I cannot understand why you will not take it Tom. I would give anything to leave this place.” Damon said, his gaze loving as he looked at his brother.

“But Damon, you can. You look exactly like me, take my place on the apprenticeship. I do not want to leave. It is my fault that father is like this.”

“No Tom, it isn’t. We had no choice over our mother’s death. Mere minutes separated our birth. Mother was chosen by the fates. It was her time to go.” I sucked in a deep breath as I remembered the ghost that had died during childbirth, the ghost that had started all of this. Tom shrugged his brother’s hand off of his shoulder, and stepped back.

“You have to take this opportunity.” Tom sighed. “Just trust me on this brother. Please?”

“You have to promise that you will come and get me if anything happens, if father lays even a finger on you…”

“That will never happen Damon.” Tom promised as the scene faded.

I shook my head, opening my eyes and feeling around me for something comforting to hold onto. My hand reached my bed post, my thoughts confused as I sat up, my head pounding with the effort. “Wha…?” I began, my eyes roaming my room for anything out of place. My father was stood in the doorway, his back to me as he spoke to someone. I lay back down, my head swimming as I waited for my father to acknowledge that I was awake.

“No!” My father hissed. “You cannot have her. You already have her mind, you cannot have her soul.” He hit out, his fist connecting with the wood of my doorframe.

“Please. I need her.” Someone pleaded, their voice filled with heart break and pain.

“You cannot have her goddamn you! You are your spirits have already claimed one of my children, you cannot have another.” My father paused, a sob ripping free from his chest. “You cannot take Hayley.”

“I can promise you that you will regret that. I will come for her and she will never see the light of day again.” The stranger snapped before silence filled the hall. I rolled over, exaggerating the movements so my father could hear I was awake, shock evident on his face as he turned around. He took a step towards me before shaking his head and turning, fleeing from the room before I could ask any questions. With a slight amount of effort, I rolled to my feet, groaning softly when I felt the cold air against the bare flesh of my legs. I stumbled to my dresser and tugged out a pair of sweat pants, pulling them on over my shorts and sitting on the floor, my hands reaching for my journal. After chewing on the end of my pen for what felt like an age, I put the nib to the page, scrawling down the last visit that I witnessed.

“I told you it wasn’t me.” Damon muttered, startling me from my daydream. “I told you I didn’t die in that fire."

“But you did, it was your name on the records. There was only one person in the house.” I muttered. “It has to have been you.” Damon shook his head softly.

“It was my brother. I came home for a weekend to nothing. Half of the house was burnt, my brother dead and my father missing. They never found him.”

“But…” I started.

“No Hayley. It wasn’t me. It never was me. I have been trying to tell you that from the beginning. I didn’t die in that fire.” He explained, folding his legs underneath him as he sat opposite me, his hand reaching out to tug on my chin. “Hayley, look at me.” I snapped my head upwards, my eyes showing concern as I looked upon his tired figure. “My brother died that night, his spirit gone forever. I miss him yet I cannot seem to join him. All I want is to pass on, to leave this world forever.”

“I’ve tried helping Damon. I have no idea why you can’t show me what happened, how you died, but I saw you arguing with your brother and I have no idea how I saw that. I never see anything when you touch me. Who showed me that?” I pleaded. Damon refused to answer, instead climbing to his feet and reaching for my hand. He tugged me gently to my feet and led me from my room.

I was led down the familiar route to the basement, down the dark stairs and into the cobweb filled room. I reached my hand above me, grabbing the thin cord that would turn on the lights and pulling it gently. When the light filled the gloom, I searched for Damon, his figure slumped in the corner as he ran his hands over the wall.

“There’s a door here, I know there his.” He muttered to himself, a shout of glee reaching my ears as he found the join. “Hayley!” He called over his shoulder. After a moment of hesitation, I stepped forwards, resting my hand on his shoulder to let him know I was there. “We need to go down these stairs. The answer might be down there.” Damon muttered as he looked up at me. I nodded and tugged on the small gap between the wall and the door, groaning slightly at the force I had to exert to pull it open just enough to squeeze through. Once we stepped through, the door eased closed, shrouding us in utter darkness. I reached behind me, searching for Damon’s hand but my fingers only brushed cobwebs. I repressed a squeal as a small breeze brushed past me, Damon’s fingers coming to rest on my shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m here.” He whispered as he dragged me along a short corridor and down a steep staircase.

“Where are we going?” I whimpered, shivering slightly from the cold. “Damon!” I snapped when he didn’t reply. “Where the hell are we going?”

“Away from here.” He answered cryptically.

“Damon, let go of me!” I cried as I tried to wrench my arm free from his grip. “Please Damon, I’m scared.” I felt a tear roll down my face as he stopped and turned to face me. “Please, I don’t want to go down there.”

“We have to Hayley. I need to see what’s down there.” Damon pleaded, his eyes wide as he looked at me. “Please. You can see me now, look at me. There is light coming from down there. It’s safe.” I tugged my hands away from his reach, backing up the stairs as he stepped closer, a malicious look crossing his face. “Hayley, I need you.”

“No!” I cried as my knees buckled sending my sprawling to the floor. “Please no.” I sobbed as he leant down towards me.

“You have to come Hayley. You’re special.” He chuckled as he picked me over his shoulder and carried me down the remaining stairs. “We need you Hayley. You need to see why you are so special.”

“Put me down! Damon, please.” I cried into his back. “I thought you were different. I thought you were special Damon.” I felt him come to a stop, my heart pounding in my ears. “Let me go.” I whispered softly.

“Hayley, you are safe here, I promise you. Please just trust me.” He pleaded, grabbing my hands and wrapping his fingers around mine. “I won’t let you get hurt.” I shook my head, stepping back quickly. “Trust me. I would never let anything happen to you. I swear."

“I want to get out of here. Please, we’re not alone down here. There’s something else with us. Damon please?” I rambled, my word’s coming out at a million miles per hour. Damon shook his head, his breath coming in gasps as he led me towards a door to the left of us, a creek filling the small space as he pushed it open. The stench of rotting flesh escaped the room as he dragged me in, my vision going blurry as I held my breath. “Let me go.” I muttered a final time before my vision went black.

“You can’t take her!” I heard Damon shout. “You already have her sister but you can’t have her. I love her!” I kept still, my breathing even as I listened to the voice from earlier speak up.

“We need her though. Between her and her sister, we will have enough power to finally rise again.”

“Father, please.” Damon pleaded, his voice filled with sorrow. “Let her go. I promise you that I will find someone else, just let Hayley live.”

“My son, you really are blind to the truth aren’t you?” The man cackled. “We need her to finish this. Her sister was not enough, we need her too.”

“Father, please? You cannot possibly be that heartless to take her away. You surely have some understanding of the concept of love.”

“Damon, if she leaves, then we all die. If she stays, we have another chance at life, we can live again. You can be human, you can find true love, you can have the children you so desired. All it takes is her death.” My eyes snapped open, my lungs fighting for breath as my eyes roamed the room, settling on Damon and a shadowy figure in the corner. As quietly as I could, I slid down from the bench, my feet hitting the floor without a sound, before I slid towards the door, holding my breath as Damon visibly tensed.

“Please father, let her go.” Damon placed his hands behind his back, signalling with one for me to go the other way, towards a door out of his father’s sight. I hesitated, not entirely believing what was being said between the pair. I placed one foot in front of the other as I sped across the stone floor, my feet tapping slightly as I tugged open the door and stepped into the darkness. “I will do anything for you to let her go, I promise you.”

“What about swapping places with your brother? You know he is alive somewhere."

“He isn’t father, he died in the fire. I saw his body with my own eyes.” I blocked my ears as I felt along the wall, my hands searching for some light, suppressing squeals as my fingertips brushed cobwebs. A breeze brushed past me, carrying with it the stench of decay. My breathing became heavy, my back pressing against the wall as I tried to catch my breath, movement out of the corner of my eye causing a small scream to escape my lips. A hand slid across my mouth, stopping it before it could build serious volume. “Shh.” Damon whispered as he picked me up, cradling me against his chest as he ran.

I stood in front of the sink, my hands submerged in the water as I scrubbed the cobwebs off of them, tears streaking down my face as I tore the skin in a bid to rid myself of the memory. Behind me, Damon stood in silence, his face filled with concern as he looked upon me. After I was sure the cobwebs were gone, I pulled my hands out of the sink and buried them in a towel, the soft material soothing the raw flesh. Without waiting to see if Damon was following, I left the room, my feet leading me towards my room as I composed myself. I slowly dropped myself onto the edge of my bed, pulling my knees up to my chest as the tears fell down my face. “Hayley.” Damon whispered as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

“Go away Damon.”

“Please, I can explain.” He pleaded.

“No. You said you wouldn’t let me get hurt but I find out I have a sister. That’s going to hurt!” I snapped, sliding further away from his as he sat on my covers. “What the hell is going on here Damon?” 

“It’s hard to explain. I want to try but I can’t Hayley. I’m sorry.”

“Then go away. Leave me the hell alone. Just go. I want to live a normal live Damon. I want to live a life without the hauntings and the things creeping up on me and taking away everything that is me. I want to be a normal teenager!” I ranted, tears blurring my vision. “I want to know why you told that man you called your father that you love me but you don’t even tell me. I want to know why all of this is happening to me and not someone else. I want to know what is so special about me!"

“Everything Hayley, everything is special about you. I want to tell you, I really do, but you can’t know yet. It will ruin everything.” He whispered, his eyes filled with sorrow.

“Go away Damon. Just leave me alone.” I muttered and closed my eyes, leaning back against my pillows as I waited for the weight to lift from my bed. When I felt him leave, I reopened my eyes and looked around my room, the darkening walls fitting my mood perfectly. I grabbed my headphones and plugged them into my phone, turning up my music really loud to block out all of the thoughts I wanted to avoid.

My phone buzzed against my pillows, interrupting the music flowing through my ears. I checked my messages, my mum’s name flashing across the screen as I pulled up the message. The words on the screen made me sigh. I was on my own for dinner again today, all except the spirits that refused to give me peace. After turning my music off, I climbed to my feet and walked towards the kitchen, my footsteps echoing off the walls as my feet tapped the tiles. I could see spirits out of the corner of my eyes but I refused to acknowledge them, hoping that they would leave me alone.

The kitchen was a large room, all whites and blacks with chrome handles. It was the most modern room in the house, a large island taking up the centre of the room with pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, traversing it in size order. Along one side of the island was breakfast stools, placed so they could see the large television on the opposite wall, their sot cushions rarely used. A large double fridge was placed next to the main sideboard, my feet leading me towards it as my stomach rumbled and announced my presence to the world. I opened the doors and studied each of the shelves, smiling softly when I saw the deep dish pizza placed underneath a bottle of soda. Stuck to the soda was a post-it note with my dad’s messy handwriting on it. I read the words, sticking the top of the note to my finger as I closed the door and headed towards the freezer. ‘Hey honey, sorry for disappearing on you tonight but here is pizza and soda to make up for it. There is ice-cream and chips in the freezer. Love M+D xx.’ I smiled softly before pulling open the door to the pantry and searching the freezer for the chips. Tied to the bag was a tub of ice-cream and a small box with my name printed in block letters on the front. I grabbed the chips and the box and walked back to the kitchen, turning the oven on to heat up before taking a seat at the breakfast bar. Inside the box was a small velvet bag tied with a tiny ribbon. I unwrapped it carefully, tipping the contents into my palm and shivering as the cold metal hit my skin. There was no note with it so I assumed that it was from my parents. After studying the small chain, I tied it around my neck making sure that the small heart charm was sitting in the centre of my chest.

The cooker beeped, alerting me to its status. I jumped to my feet and poured the chips into a tray and placing it in the over before sliding the pizza directly onto the shelf. “You’re wearing it.” I heard from behind me, startling me upright.

“Damon.” I muttered as I turned around slowly, my breathing heavy. “What do you want?”

“I came to see if you were okay. I was worried after earlier.” He whispered.

“I’m fine. I just needed some space to breathe.” I sighed and leant on the sideboard, my hands clutching the edge as if it could save my life.

“I’m sorry Hayley. I didn’t mean for my dad to say that. I didn’t think he was going to say something like that.” He rushed, his words slurring into one as he spoke.

“I don’t need you to apologise. It wasn’t your fault that your dad said that, but I wouldn’t have heard it if you hadn’t taken me down there in the first place. I guess that’s what hurt the most Damon. You promised me you wouldn’t let me get hurt and that happened. That’s all I care about.”

“That’s what the necklace was for. It was to say sorry Hayley. My mom wore that all the time…She was special to me even though I didn’t know her, that’s why you have it. Because you are special to me.” Damon smiled as he spoke, pulling himself up onto the side and swinging his legs as he looked at me, his cheeks slightly red.

“Why?” I asked.

“You are Hayley. I can’t explain it, you just are.” I smiled as I leant down to check how my food was doing, turning the pizza and shaking the chips before straightening them up.

“You eat right?” Damon nodded to my question, hopping down from the side and looking through the cupboards until he found some plates. “Good, I guess you like pepperoni?” I asked. He nodded again as he placed the plates in front of me and grabbed some glasses and poured up each a glass of soda. I reached for the remote on the side, grabbing it and turning on the TV. A smile crossed my lips as Kerrang! came on, Our Last Night blaring through the speakers. I whispered the lyrics to Sunrise as I plated up the food and climbed onto a seat, sliding a plate across to Damon.

“Thanks.” He whispered as he picked up a slice and took a bite. I smiled at him and ate my food, bouncing like a little girl when they played the new Fall Out Boy song.

I lay on the damp grass, my back warm as I soaked up the remaining warmth from the ground beneath me. In the distance, I could just see the lights from the main road almost three miles away, the sounds of tires across the tarmac barely reaching my ears. The trees at the bottom of the garden were swaying in the wind, the leaves rustling as they whispered their secrets to each other. The air was growing chilly as the sky continued to darken, the clouds flying across the sky as they welcomed the night. There were footsteps moving across the grass towards me but I refused to turn, to acknowledge the presence of whoever was there. I slowed my breathing and closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep just in case it was someone, or something, that I didn’t want to see.

A cold hand came to rest on my shoulder, startling me into a sitting position. “Dad?” I whispered as I stifled as yawn. “What time is it?”

“It’s eleven darling, we’ve been home for ages. Your mum has been worried sick.” He explained as he helped me to my feet.

“Yeah right.” I muttered too low for my dad to hear as I walked towards the back door, my eyes darting to a fleeing shadowy form in the distance. I closed my eyes and shook my head before stepping through the door. My mum enveloped me in a hug, holding me close as tears landed on my shoulders.

“Oh thank God honey, you’re safe. I thought something bad had happened to you.” She whimpered.

“What’s gonna happen to me all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?” I asked as I released myself from the hug, stepping towards the doorway.

“Anything could happen honey. Anything.” I sighed and walked from the room, ignoring the questions that were being asked as I did so.

I padded softly up stairs, sinking my toes into the plush rug with every step I took. My mind was elsewhere as I pushed my bedroom door open, freezing as I saw the figure lying on my bed. I knew instantly that it wasn’t Damon, the stature was all wrong, the gut was too large. Hesitantly, I stepped towards the bed, hovering slightly back as I dragged my gaze over the body. Grabbing a coat hanger from the floor, I poked the figure, cringing backwards when the smell of rotting flesh reached me. Its eyes snapped open, eliciting a small scream from me. “H…h…hello?” I stammered as the person sat up. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’m here for you honey.” The man smirked, an evil grin crossing his face. “And you’ll come with me or Damon dies.” I stepped back, turning to run when sausage like fingers grabbed my shoulder, tugging me backwards. “Try to escape and he dies. That’s a promise.”

I was led down to the second basement, the one that Damon took me too last time. The grip on my hands never loosened, instead tightening when it looked like I was going to escape. I resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t getting out of this, not without help. My heart was pounding against the inside of my chest as I was led to a darkened chamber, bright lights filling the room as a switch was flicked on the wall. My eyes widened when I saw the table stretched out along the opposite wall, Damon’s prone form lying, unmoving on the hard wooden surface. “Damon!” I yelled as I wash pushed to the floor. “Stay away from me.” I hissed to the man who brought me here.

“Oh, you really think that I’ll do what you say? My son is dying and you are going to keep him alive.” It hit me who this man was, it was the man who took my sister, taking her life force and draining it to keep himself alive.

“Just let me go! I’ve done nothing to hurt you. Everything I’ve done is to keep the spirits safe, not to hurt them. I befriended Damon, I kept him safe.” I pleaded, speaking at a million miles per hour. I cringed backwards as the man’s meaty hand slapped across my face.

“Shut up.” He hissed, his voice filled with venom.” He grabbed me roughly around the upper arm and dragged me to a table, lifting me and dropping me onto it, a crack ringing out as my skull hit the wood. I screamed softly as my world went dizzy, my hands tugged to my sides and tied down by something rough. I heard a groaning from the other side of the room, rotating my neck to see Damon struggling to sit, his face pale when he saw me laying, vulnerable, on the table.

“Hayley…” He started.

“Shut up boy. I’m doing this for us.” His dad shouted back, raising his fist before letting it drop, colliding with my face and sending my world black.