Chapter 16

Days later."Are you even listening dear?" Monica snapped Regan out of her thoughts. They were eating breakfast outside in the garden. She wasn't going to school that day. Monica told her to take a day off because she believed that Regan didn't look alright.And yes, she wasn't."Huh?""I was talking about your hair, it has so many red strands. Why don't you tell me you dyed it?" Monica asked confused. If Regan hadn't notice her hair, then her aunt did. And it was strange.Regan's hair had gotten more redder over the week. She had no explanation about it. It was something that wouldn't be thought very frequently by her. She knew something; didn't dye them and had no idea what was going on.Vesper also noticed that and told her that it could have been from the sun rays or exposure to chemicals but it made no sense to Regan. The red hairs were irregular. They would take place from root and then end where they wished too.And now it was noticable. Others could tell that she had dyed her hair red, when she didn't.However, as mentioned before, she didn't really think a lot about it. Her mind was occupied only with the unsettling thoughts of the bizarreness of her house and the unnerving and mysterious guy.She really wondered if he was a real person and if the unknown place with roses in her dream was so.Even though curious, she didn't know why wondered. She'd never like them to be real. But at the same time, while never seeing that guy in her life, he felt strangely familiar.As Regan had gotten even more paranoid and anxious, Monica also noticed that. She noticed that Regan didn't really sleep, or just acted like she did.And as for Regan, she still noticed weird things going around in her house. She kept hearing the mocking, taunting voice. She felt exposed even through the walls of her house. The furnitures behaved weirdly as well. The doors would slam shut on their own and lights would work their own cycle of on and off, of course, when Monica wasn't around.As for these damn red roses that she had been terrified as well from, well, she didn't know what to think about it. Since that night when she placed them inside the bathroom, she didn't see them again. It was like they vanished, went invisible into thin air. Yes, there was that Mike that Vesper blamed for. But he didn't seem to do anything or to even talk to Regan. He didn't speak or look at her at all and she wasn't really convinced he had to do anything with it.So, she didn't do anything. She didn't think about it, because if there was something to dwell on it, was blaming him, not Mike.But right now, she was even more frustrated that her aunt didn't believe her for that hair color change."Aunt I'm telling you, I didn't dye it. I have no idea what's going on.""But this needs to have an explanation right? Just tell me dear, what's going on?"she said after letting out a long tired sigh. Monica had been trying to get Regan to say something. Even though she wouldn't believe what Regan said. It simply seemed illogical and ridiculous.Before, Regan could easily fool around pretending like she was okay and now, when she thought about it, she really was slightly better before. At least she didn't had ridiculous dreams with fire and a prepossessing guy, telling her that she'd never escape. She also wouldn't hear voices and feel like she's being followed or feeling weird presences around.Either the mysterious guy with a cloak was the source of problem, or either the house. Or these were both linked. Regan couldn't come up with a right assumption. But she knew he was rambling in her mind.She tried a lot to put a logical solve but nothing made sense anymore. That way, she reasoned that this thing was entirely abnormal and supernatural.What's made her even madder inside was that her aunt didn't notice anything strange in their house. Monica never complained about the house and told Regan that she was the one who was exaggerating."The neighborhood and the house are safe so, no need to worry." That was all Monica would say."Then we should ask a doctor about why your hair's color is changing," Monica said, standing up."Doctor? No, why?!"It was the least thing she wanted now."But you can't give a reason. You have searched on internet and there's not a any believable answer." Monica said.Regan put her elbows on the table letting out a tired sigh."It's decided. I'm setting up an appointment.""At least wait for two or three days." She said giving her a pleading look."Only two days, finish your plate," was the last thing that Monica said before going inside.Regan didn't want to go to the doctor because of that. There were so many other things to worry about .She looked at her plate which had pancakes in. The girl had even lost appetite. Pancakes were one of her favorite foods. She ate them fast and then got up from the chair.Monica wasn't in the house, she went to work so Regan was left home alone. Maybe she should've gone to school. Missing school wasn't a great idea, since her grades were on verge to go down. Also, she wasn't very fond of staying in the house.However, Regan tried to reflect to her own self and realized that to continue being scared, wouldn't do her any well. She was certain that something supernatural was occurring, but still there were more answers than questions.Merely staying in the house, made Regan to think more about these. She had minimized to stay in her room. Never did once she sleep there since that night that the reader already knows.She thought she'd die from overthinking.Regan grabbed the dishes from the table, and went to wash them. Thoughts were consistent on her head. Not that she wanted to make them leave. These days, she figured out it wasn't worth to shove the thoughts away, neither pretending to do that.She didn't have a problem to pretend that was okay on the surface but even on inside she lied to herself so many times. But now, she was determined and eager to uncover the mystery of the eerie feelings and happenings.If Monica knew about Regan's realizations, she wouldn't spare her huge concern about her niece's mental state. And not now that she already has noticed her getting weirder day by day.While Monica never believed in supernatural stuff, Regan founded them fascinating and intriguing. Until she got to see and hear the bizarre things with her own eyes and ears.At this point, she didn't even believe herself for what she had came in conclusion to."Did I wait that much to move from the old apartment...only to move in a haunted house?" Regan said to herself."Yes, you did.""Shut up," she retorted.But what could she do? She couldn't get anywhere with her thoughts. They were endless, unnerving and terrible. No one could understand and believe her torment.She looked at the dishes, surprisingly they were washed by her, when her mind wasn't even there.Swallowing her anxiety, she decided to go and clean up her room.Regan was more mad for being frightened. She knew that made her weak and a coward. It gave satisfaction to the thing that was messing and tormenting in her house.The girl was well aware and she had to come to her senses and stop being scared.Entering the room, she looked at the messy bed, dusty desk and dusty floor. Everything in the room was almost dirty and needed cleaning in depth.

It was bewildering of how little time Regan had spent in the room, and how dirty it had gotten.

She hadn't been the neatest person but before she used to clean her room once a week.When she was cleaning her room, she noticed the desk slightly move. She sighed and shrugged it off. Yes, she knew her house was haunted.Moments later, the balcony's door was swinging for no reason. Regan cursed under her breath, trying to swallow the panic that was threatening her.She tried to ignore that was well. Then, the books on the shelves suddenly feel, making her groan in frustration."It's even day for God's sake. If the house is really haunted, shouldn't spooky stuff happen at night?" Regan said to herself.She thought for once to sit on the floor and cry her mind out; let out her inner torment and her thrilling fears, but she changed plans. She refused to give the unknown spirit the satisfaction of seeing her broken and desperate state.The air inside the room felt heavy and the temperature was getting hotter. She felt sweat in her forehead, but she didn't know if this was a ghostly effect. Ghosts would normally cool down the temperature.The books continued to fall and she couldn't take it anymore. She threw the broom away and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut.