House spirits (1)

Florian was staring back at the kikimora even if something in his brain told him it was not the right move. Looking directly at a ghost? He shouldn't have!

However, he had lost control over his muscles because of fear. His feet wouldn't move, and he tripped when he tried taking a step back. As such, he found himself alone in front of something he didn't know existed.

The kikimora was ugly. It was the first word that came to his mind.

She was wearing a dark dress torn at some points. Her hair was dirty and unkempt. It was so bad that it didn't seem possible to comb it, at all.

Her face was filled with wrinkles and spots, her nose big and curved. She did resemble how he imagined witches as a kid.

And her eyes were red with fury.

Not glowing like demons in the movies. No, her eyes were almost human, but red because she was as angry as to shout with her terrible voice.

He thought his life was over. He was going to die eaten by that thing.

Couldn't he be killed by a beautiful siren? Why such a monster?

As if reading his mind, the kikimora got even angrier. She jumped in his direction but couldn't reach him because an invisible wall stopped her.

Vera stood in front of Florian without moving a finger, and the spirit seemed to see her for the first time. She yelled at her, but she was less furious than with Florian. She seemed a little curious, actually.

«Back,» Vera said.

Then, she repeated the same thing in the old language. Florian couldn't understand, but it was clear she was ordering the spirit to let them leave.

Vera offered her hand to him and helped him up, not concerned about the chaos behind her back. She didn't fear that spirit, and that alone was enough for respect.

Once everyone had left the house, the kikimora calmed down.

Florian walked to his shadowed corner, somehow, and he sat there on the ground. He kept his head between his hands, trying to calm his breathing down.

«We are supposed to soothe that thing there?» Lora said, but no one answered. They were still trying to calm down.

Vera walked to Florian and crouched next to him.

«Are you feeling okay?» she asked while patting his shoulder. She was trying to comfort him, and that thought made his heart warmer.

She had saved his life, and that was enough to win him over. More than that, she was also worried.

Part of him was glad that the future lady boss worried for him. But part of him was afraid someone wouldn't like to hear about it. What if she was actually falling from him?

That would have meant a death worse than what he had almost encountered in the haunted house.

The witch's power was going to end up in the report, but her kind gestures toward him did not. Not even a trace.

«I'm okay,» he said. «Just in a panic, but it will pass.»

«At least we know who she is angry with, now...»

«H-herr Kaplan?»

«No,» Vera said. «The kids. But I don't think they will just admit what's the matter. I might need your help. But first, take your time to recover. I'll ask them a few questions in the meantime. Do you think you can stay alone?»

«Yes, I can,» he said, nodding his head. «I'll survive.»

«You definitely will,» Vera said. «I won't let her hurt you.»

Florian nodded again.

It was getting worse. Already two things to keep out of the reports. He glanced at the Kaplans, but none of them had noticed. They were recovering from their own stress to see the witch being too kind to a secretary.

He was safe. Maybe.

«Can we talk?» Vera asked Lora.

She was the eldest child, so she could go first.

«Are you okay?» the witch inquired.

«I don't want to see that thing again!»

«If we find out the reason why she's angry, you won't see her much,» Vera said. «At most, you'll hear her spin the thread in the cellars or complain when you're too noisy. But this is something weird. House spirits don't try killing people unless something happens.»

Lora shrugged.

«I don't know. We really didn't do anything! We played games on our phones literally all the time. We had no chance to throw a tantrum or break something.»

«Being spoiled is not enough,» Vera said. «Something worse... Can't you remember?»

«No!» Lora shouted.

«Lora!» Mark warned her. «Be polite.»

«But we did nothing, dad!» she yelled while stepping up. «Why do you believe this woman more than me? She wasn't there. She can't know! Yet you think it was my fault...»

While she threw her teenage tantrum, Vera sighed. Lora was spoiled and thought the world should spin around her. Aaron likely was the same. However, it wasn't enough for such an amount of rage.

Rage and longing. They took away something the kikimora wanted.

But what? There was a stove, a cellar... Everything she could need.

«Have you broken an old weaving loom?» she tried.

Mark Kaplan shrugged.

«I don't know. We have one in the cellar, but we haven't touched it. I don't know whether it's broken or not.»

«We have one?» Lora echoed. «Why do you keep trash in the cellar, dad?»

«So, you haven't ever seen it,» Vera realised.

So, what hurt the kikimora?

«Damn it,» Aaron said. «That stray dog is still here. I thought he was dead.»

Vera moved her eyes on him, and then on the white dog wagging its tail. It was small, dirty, and looked harmless. He was approaching the fence, and it would walk in the garden soon. It had black eyes and short, furry paws.

«Oh,» she hummed.

Florian saw the exact moment she solved the case. He could witness the light in her eyes, her expression changing for barely a second.

He felt blessed to catch the moment. But was it wise to put it in the report? Would the boss appreciate it? Or would he be angry that he couldn't see?