Chapter-5

"Hello! Mom!?"

"Brooke, what's wrong? Why are you calling me?"

"Mom I'm scared, please come home."

"Brooke, what are you talking about I still have 3 hours of work."

"Mom there is someone at the house, please I'm scared"

"Brooke! Don't play with me."

" Mom I'm not playing, please come home."

"Where is that man."

"What man?"

"The man that's inside the house."

"Mom it's not a man…you won't believe me but I heard someone up from my room."

"Brooke…."

"Mom I think there is a ghost in our house, I'm scared."

"Brooke…"

"Mom, just come home I'm all alone and scared—"

"BROOKE!! What the heck are you saying, you think I'm up for your games, Iam here working my ass off and you call me up in the middle of my work to talk nonsense?"

"Mom!! I'm not lying please Iam scared—"

"Be quite! Brooke I'm hanging up, we'll talk after I come back home."

The room felt eerie, I sat on the floor of my living room still holding the phone in my hand, all I could hear was my heavy breathe, my body won't stop moving, the phone slowly slipped off my hands because of my sweat, it hit the floor making a loud noise which echoed throughout the entire house, when will Brad come back home. I thought, I tried to stand up by grabbing the table but my legs felt so weak I could barely feel them, I slowly walked towards the front door and tried to grab the door nob when it suddenly pushed opened itself,

"Brad!" I shouted and quickly hugged him,

"Eww!" He cried and tried to push me away, but I held him even tighter, "why are you so late!?"

Brad pinched my stomach so hard that I backed away, "Ow!"

"What's wrong with you today" he said as he quickly tried to get away from me,

"Iam just happy your back." I replied

"Your creepy!"

Brad stuck out his tongue at me and ran upstairs as fast as he could.

"Wait Brad!" I called out, "don't go upstairs"

But he didn't stop and ran even faster up, I joined him and ran upstairs trying to catch him but as I reached the corridor upstairs I slipped and fell down on my elbow, " Ow!! What's happening today!" I cried out rolling on the floor the pain had blurred my vision, Brad slowly walked towards me I could see him from his knee below he bent down and rubbed my head, " are you okay?" He said, the sharp pain slowly faded away, I slowly got up on my feet, my elbow was still throbbing, "your the one who said not to run on the stairs but you did it too." Brad said,

I slowly slapped the top of his head and said "and look what you did to me."

"It's your fault, you fell down."

"How was school today?"

"That big old lady always yell at us."

"Don't call MS. Blackberry a big old lady."

Ms. Blackberry is Brad's kindergarten teacher and he really hates her because she always yells at him.

"Ok, Brad listen to me." I said, "Who is Robbie?"

"You won't believe me even if I told you."

"I saw him today."

Brad's eyes grew wide open, " you saw him?"

"Well I didn't see him but I think I heard his voice."

"Robbie is an old man." Brad said, " and he said this is his house and that we have to get out or else he will be angry."

"And what else do you know?"

Brad stayed quiet for a while he looked like he was reluctant to tell me.

"Brad what's wrong?"

"I didn't see him for a while." He said

"Ok Brad tonight after mom comes home tell her everything about Robbie."

Brad seemed confused, " but why? "he said

"we cannot stay here, we will let mom know that there is something wrong with this house."

"Brooke." Mom said with a sigh, holding her forehead with her hands, "how many times to I have to tell you, don't speak nonsense."

I was irritated by mom because she will not believe what I say, "mom I'm not lying, something is really wrong with this house, Brad tell her!"

Brad seemed nervous at first, like he didn't want to tell anything, "Brad!"

" Mom I saw him." He said, " I saw Robbie he was in my room."

"Look I told you even Brad says he saw something." I said joining him.

But mom remained stubborn and she threw her bag on the sofa and took a deep breath and softly said, " I know what you guys are up to you don't want to stay here that's why your making all this up isn't?"

I grinded my teeth in anger and shouted, "WHY WOULD WE LIE! We're telling the truth and you just would believe us."

"Ok! THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Mom burst out, " if you guys really don't want to stay here, I'll send Brad to a boarding school and you'll be with Grandma."

"Oh! That's better." I said, "at least grandma's house is not haunted."

Mom gave me a glare before picking up her bag from the sofa then she said, "I'm tired and I don't want anyone of you talking about seeing things or hearing."

I knew she wouldn't believe us, why to adults always think we're lying, when they are the one who lies all the time.

"Com'on Brad, let's go to your room." I grabbed Brad's hands and was walking up the stairs when the doorbell rang.

I quickly went and answered the door, Mrs. Rose stood on the porch holding her cane on her right and holding a pie which smelled like apple on her left.

"Hi dear, can I come in." She said smiling at me her lips was matte red and it stretched out as she smiled,

"Mrs Rose? Your here alone where is Sophie." I said.

She didn't say anything and handed over the apple pie to me, " here take this as an another housewarming gift from me."

My mom came running down from the stairs, " and who might you be?" She said adjusting her loose sweater

Mrs. Rose tilted her head to her right and said, "Iam Mrs. Rose your sweet next door neighbour."

"Welcome." Mom said," Brooke why are you just standing there move aside let Mrs. Rose come in."

I was lost in thoughts didn't Silas say Mrs. Rose had arthritis and that she couldn't walk properly but here she is all by herself and she seems to be walking just fine even with her cane, I quickly moved aside and let Mrs. Rose enter the house, was she lying all this time. I thought, many old women do lie and her face looked like she lies all the time.

Mrs. Rose laughed as she entered our house, "young ladies this days." She said and passed by me. What does she mean by that, I thought

"I believe we haven't met yet." Mom said as she walked towards Mrs. Rose and offered a hand, but Mrs. Rose took a glance at mom's hand and ignored it, "Oh! Yes, you haven't but your daughter have and you know I don't do handshake- need to keep clean." she replied giving a sweet smile to mom.

"Ok," mom said awkwardly and she slowly withdrew her hands. Brad came running towards Mrs. Rose holding his airplane and stopped when he saw her, "who is this old witch?" He whispered to me.I chuckled, not trying to laugh out loud, Mrs Rose saw Brad and she kneeled before him " Little man, what is your name?" she said softly and close to him. Brad quickly pushed her away and yelled, "Eww! Your breath stinks."

I burst out laughing, Mrs. Rose smile quickly faded as she heard this and quickly stood up.

Mom pinched Brad's ear and yelled at him, " what did you say you little brat, apologize to Mrs. Rose right now!"

"Ow!" Brad cried, " but her breath really did stink, it smelled like rotten eggs and sausage."

I saw Mrs. Rose huffing her breath on her palm and smelling it.

"Iam so sorry, he doesn't know what he is saying." Mom said

Mrs. Rose rolled her eyes and said, " well you ought to teach your son some manners and how to talk to a lady!"

"Your not a lady your an old woman." Brad said again, I quickly grabbed Brad's hand and dragged him away from the living room, " Brad you little brat, your going too far."

Mrs. Rose eyes grew wide open, "What's wrong with this boy." She said

"I'll teach him a lesson later." Mom said, "would you like some tea?"

Mrs. Rose swallowed all her anger, " yes, you should teach him, who knows what he'll grow up to be one day and yes Iam fond of tea."

Mom gave her a smile which seemed forced then she quickly went to the kitchen to prepare the tea, Brad rushed to the kitchen along with mom, " mom can I have a slice of that pie." He said

"Go to your room!" She said " your not having any pie until and unless you learn some manners and talk to people."

"Ok I promise I'll talk nice to Mrs. Rose" he said

"Brooke!" Mom called out." Take your brother to his room."

"Com'on, Brad" I said and grabbed his arm dragging him away from the kitchen, he tried to hold the edges of the kitchen door but his finger slipped and I was able to pull him upstairs to his room, I pushed him inside and locked the door quickly and walked away from his room, I could hear him pounding on his door and screaming.

Mom was at the stove heating up water in kettle, she took out a tea bag from the shelf and placed it in the teapot and poured the hot water into the teapot, " Brooke, can you placed the scone and the sugar on the tray."

"Sure" I placed the sugar on the tray and opened the cookie pin but it was empty, there were only crust left.

"Mom, there are no scones, the pin is empty."

She looked at me as if confused, "That's impossible, I just refilled the pin in the morning today."

"Well, it's empty."

She came towards me, I moved out of her way and she checked the pin, "where did all scones went?" She said, "Did you eat it?"

"Mom I don't even like scones or any biscuits." I replied, " why would I steal them and the whole pin at that, maybe Brad stole it."

Mom started rubbing her head, " Brad's too small to steal and even if he did he wouldn't be able to eat all of it."

"That's why I was telling you." I said

"Telling what?"

"This house is haunted-"

Mom quickly snapped at me, " Brooke not this again! Don't start, just grabbed the tray and go to the living room."

"Then do we give her only tea?"

"I'll cut the pie and we'll have tea with it."

"Do you like it here?" Mrs. Rose said as she took a sip of tea from her cup and placed it on the saucer plate.

I opened my mouth and was about to tell her about how I heard a voice above my room but mom was giving me glare saying 'do not say anything' so I remained silent

"Yes, it's very pleasing to stay here." Mom said, I knew she was lying, " it's close to my work and the kids like here too."

Mrs. Rose didn't seemed to buy that, " well I thought you were going to say this place was bad, after all it's very old."

Mom just smiled at her she didn't like that very much. " How old is this house?"

"Older than you, my dear." Mrs. Rose replied

Mom looked surprised, " older than me?" She said.

"Silly, I was talking to your daughter. Of course the house is not as old as you."

Mom laughed she seemed a little bit irritated at the way Mrs. Rose talked, after that their conversation went on, I got bored so I got up from the seat and went upstairs to check on Brad, his room was silent, I knocked on his door but he didn't answer, "Brad?"

I quickly unlocked his door then I heard his voice speaking, "No, mom will scold me." He said

"Scold who?" I said as I opened his door, his body shook as he saw me, "Brooke you scared me."

"Who were you talking to?"

In front of Brad was Mr. Tommy sitting near the mirror, the teddy bear Aunt Marilyn gave him, he slowly glanced at Mr. Tommy.

"Was it Robbie again?" I asked grabbing him by his shoulder he slowly nodded.

"Don't worry, he cannot hurt you."

Brad slowly hold my hands,. " I'm scared." He said.

"Show yourself!!" I yelled,

" Brooke what are you doing?"

"Iam making sure Robbie shows himself up."

" Don't do that, he'll be angry."

I wanted to know who this Robbie was and what he was doing in our house, I don't know if Brad is telling the truth or not but I can believe him because I too have experienced some paranormal things today.

"Brooke, so you were here."

Mom was standing at the door, I wanted to tell her but I stopped trying because it was no use.

"Where is Mrs. Rose?" I said instead

"Oh she went home, that old lady really is something." Mom replied, " what to you want to have for dinner, I'm cooking today."