Your mind processes what it hears but is it really what was said.

On the way to the car some fans came running towards Kevin, Nick and Brian. "Oh my god!!!! We can't believe it." One girl shrieked clutching her chest. "Can we have your autograph?" Her friend asked jumping right in. "Sure, any of you got a pen and something to write on?" Nick asked politely. They all seemed to magically produce some paper for them to write on and it wasn't until the last paper was signed that someone asked the question. "Are these your girlfriends?" The short black haired one asked. Kevin quickly replied, "They are good friends of ours, let's just leave it at that." They walked to the car and piled in and rode most of the way home in silence. "Why did you feel you needed to say anything at all?" Kelly asked breaking the silence. You would have heard a pin drop had one actually fallen in the car. "They asked, what was I suppose to do? Lie? I mean….." Kevin said not finishing his sentence. Kelly clenched her hands together and tried to take some deep breaths in, "Finish what you were going to say." Kevin slowly glanced towards her, "Ok fine. I am just going to speak for myself. I like you, you are fun to be around. But let's face it we hardly know anything about each other and what we have done doesn't constitute a relationship." Kelly tried hard to contain her temper, "Excuse me? I never said nor implied we had a relationship. You are assuming things. Yes I like you, I think I have made that very obvious. If we chose to see each other after we leave here that is something we'll decide together. You seem to think I am this fragile little girl who can't handle things. Well let me tell you something I am not and don't ever assume that again!" The rest in the car breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the house in the distance. Once Kevin parked the car the doors went flying open and everyone piled out running to the main door. "Kelly!" Kevin shouted. Kelly turned around and glared at him, "What!" The door creaked open and there stood Hans, "Did you have a nice evening?" Everyone looked at him and shrugged their shoulders. "You really should get out of this rain, you could catch the death of you." Hans said ushering them in. Brian and Emily smiled at one another and watched each other walk off in different directions. Nick and Laura stood there not knowing what to say or do, so they too went their separate ways. Laura was halfway up the stairs when she turned around and saw Kelly and Kevin still glaring at one another. She came back down and gently grabbed Kelly and pulled her up the stairs with her, "Goodnight Kevin!" Hans had a crooked smile on his face, "She's a feisty one!" Kevin turned to him, "Goodnight Hans." Kim heard Brian and Nick talking in the hallway and then heard Kevin's voice join them. "I wonder how Aj is doing?" Nick asked. Kim slowly went to the door and opened it, "Hello, did you guys have nice evening?" Brian smiled, "Yes it was a nice dinner. Is Aj better?" Kim stepped out into the hallway and closed the door hoping she wouldn't wake Aj, "Yes he is, but who knows how he'll feel in the morning." Kevin was slightly annoyed that she was still with him, "Maybe you should go to your room, we can take care of Aj from here." Kim looked up at him, "Excuse me? If I want to leave I'll do so. Did something happen that I should know about?" Kevin glared down at her, "Why don't you go find out!" Brian and Nick watched Kevin storm into his room and slam the door. "Ok I am not going to pursue this. I am going to check on Aj and then head on over to my room. Goodnight." Kim stepped back into Aj's room and saw that he was still sleeping soundly. He looked so damn cuddly all curled up in the bed. She bent down to kiss him on the forehead and felt him stir beneath her. "Kim? Don't go, please!" Aj pleaded with her barely opening his eyes. Kimberly stroked his cheek, "Aj, you'll be ok. You have the guys across the hall from you." Aj sat up in bed, "Kim please. I don't want to be alone in this room tonight." Kim gave in and found a T-shirt and pulled it on and crawled into bed with him. She would have to find out what happened in the morning.

Kelly woke up the next morning with a raging headache. She stumbled into the bathroom and took some Advil and crawled back into bed pulling the covers over her head. She heard a knock on the door and screamed, "GO AWAY!" Laura jiggled with the doorknob, "Kelly, let me in." Kelly reluctantly got up and opened the door and growled at Laura, "What do you want and why are you so damn perky this morning?" Laura threw open the drapes letting the sunlight in, "It's a beautiful day and you shouldn't waste in bed. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Kelly snarled at Laura, "I have a headache." Emily came skipping into Kelly's room, "Hey, what are we going to do today? Where's Kim?" Laura started to twirl her hair, "Um, maybe she got up early?" Kelly slowly turned to Laura and Emily, "She's not in her room is she?" Laura had knocked on her door before going to Kelly's room and found it ajar and her bed that hadn't been slept in, "Well I don't know it for sure but I don't think she was in her room last night." Emily was prodding Kelly to take a shower and for all of them to go exploring in town when they heard footsteps in the hallway. "Well Hello there. Did you guys have a nice time last night?" Kim asked curious as to the response she would get. Kim looked at all of them and waited patiently for their response, "Ok, it didn't go well? It did? Fine then. I am going to take a shower. I'll talk to you guys later." Kelly watched her walk into her room and shut the door, "Ok I don't know why she is concerned about us, after all she spent the night with Aj." Laura pivoted around to face Kelly, "Don't you take your bad mood out on her. She was probably taking care of Aj. We don't know what went on and it really isn't any of our business. Let's just get out of here and spend some time together today, Ok?" Kelly sulked her way into the bathroom and turned on the shower and stepped in letting the hot water wake her up. Emily jumped when Laura shrieked as she saw Nick peek his head into her room. "Good morning ladies." Nick said smiling. Laura jumped up and hugged him tightly, "Good morning." Emily face lit up when she saw Brian step out from behind Nick, carrying flowers for her. "Morning Emily, did you sleep well?" Brian asked. Emily nodded her head and hugged him and pecked him on the cheek. "Have you see Aj, is he doing better?" Laura asked letting Nick go. Brian's face turned sour, "I am afraid not. He still has a temperature and he is extremely congested. He is calling a doctor right now to see if they can see him." Kim heard what they were saying and quietly snuck out of her room and made her way over to Aj's. She ran into Kevin who had a rather grumpy look about him, "Morning." Kevin managed to half smile, "Morning." Kim continued to make her way up to Aj's room but Kevin stopped her. "I think you should go out with the girls and do something." Kim turned and looked up at him, "Let's not start that again Kevin. I am checking on him, now if you'll excuse me." Kevin watched her walk into Aj's room and clenched his fist, "WOMEN!!!!" Kim walked into Aj's room and heard him coughing. She saw he was on the phone and waited until he was off to say anything. She saw Aj put down the phone and then she quietly spoke, "Aj" Aj turned around and smiled at her, "Hey there! I just got off the phone with the doctor. He said for me to rest and just drink plenty of fluids and I should be fine." Kim felt his forehead and sighed, "You are still warm Aj. Get back into bed." Aj pouted, "Awww, come on, I am getting cabin fever, let me out. Please! I'll be good!" Kim knew that he didn't sit well in one place for a while, "Ok maybe just downstairs, but you are to take it easy and don't breathe on anyone." Aj got up and did a little dance but it sent him into a coughing fit and tumbling back onto the bed clutching his chest, Um, maybe I should rest some more. You have any more of the soup you made last night? I would like some if you have it? Kim smirked, "Yes, I think so. I'll go get it.

"So where are we going?" Emily asked pulling on her jacket as they walked down the stairs. "Yeah, where are you guys going?" Kevin asked coming out of the kitchen hearing they're voices. "We were going to take a little road trip out to that flea market, did you want to come?" Brian asked cautiously. Kelly fidgeted with her hands behind her back. "Well I don't think I want to impose on your trip, maybe I'll just stay here and watch Aj." Kevin said slightly pouting. "I am sure Aj is being taken very good care of, why don't you come Kevin." Laura said loudly. Kevin slowly walked over towards Kelly and pulled her aside, "Look, I would like to come but I don't want you to be uncomfortable or bring the group down." Kelly slowly looked up at him and smiled, "Kevin you wouldn't be bringing anyone down but yourself, so why don't you go get a jacket and join us?" Kevin's face lit up and he went running upstairs and grabbed a jacket. They all piled into the car and headed out hoping to find better weather where they were going.

Brian decided to drive. He was thankful that he wasn't in the back packed like a sardine. Although the Volvo station wagon was roomy, it was a bit much for 6 people. "How ya'll doing back there?" Brian called out grinning to himself. "If Nick would stop hogging the whole damn backseat I would have more room." Kevin cried out trying to reposition himself. Laura had been banished to the very back of the car, she actually didn't mind, she wasn't being squished and she had all the room she wanted. "I am not hogging the whole backseat that is an exaggeration Kevin. Would you quit being melodramatic." Nick replied tilting his head back and grinning at Laura who had been rubbing his neck. "You are lucky that Kelly is sitting in between us, otherwise you would be in so much trouble." Kevin said looking in the other direction. "Trouble, like Hell I would be. Get over it Kevin!" Nick shouted. Kevin lunged over and smacked Nick upside the head. "OWWWWW!! MOTHER F*****!!!!!!!! What the hell was that for? Man chill out!!!!" Nick screamed. Emily had her hands over her ears trying to block out all the yelling and screaming. It had always made her uncomfortable and today was no exception. Brian glanced over and saw Emily clasping her ears and slightly doubled over. He carefully maneuvered the car and pulled it off to the side of the road. Kevin and Nick were still arguing and hadn't noticed that they were not stopped on the side of the road. "Ok, listen up. I understand the car is cramped, but make due with what we have. This is our last day off, and I want to have fun and I am going to have fun with out without you guys. This argument is stupid and it is childish." Brian said slowly pulling the car back onto the road noticing the sign signaling that the exit was to be ahead of them soon.

Aj was flipping the channels trying to find something decent to watch when he heard the doorbell ring. He assumed someone would get it but when he heard it ring the second time he slowly got up and made his way to the door. "Who is it?" He called out. Aj got no answer and hesitated on whether or not to open the door. He jumped back a few feet when the person pounded heavily on the door. He slowly turned the knob and opened it and felt his knees go weak when he saw the person standing on the other side. The visitor watched him as he fell to the ground and lay on the marble flooring with his hand clutched to his chest and carefully stepped over him and walked into the house leaving the door wide open.

Kim walked into the living room and didn't see Aj. "Aj? Hello? Where are you?" She called out getting no response. The house seemed to echo more and she hadn't seen nor heard any of the staff who occupied the house. She walked out into the hallway and screamed when she saw Aj lying on the floor. "Aj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kim kneeled down beside him gently shaking him. Aj started to stir and let out a moan. Kim watched his eyes flutter and finally open, "Aj, what happened? Are you ok? Are you hurt?" Aj sat up abruptly and tried to get up, "The woman, she is here, or was here!" Kim looked at Aj puzzled, "Woman? What woman Aj?" Kim was holding Aj down until she could be assured he wasn't injured, "Would you stay still for a moment!" Aj sat still and looked around frantically, "The woman at the library, the dead woman's daughter, who according to the archive clerk wasn't really there!" Kim's eyes widened and she too clutched her hand to her chest, "Are you sure?" Aj nodded his head and shivered slightly feeling the cold air in the house, "I think she may have left or maybe she didn't?" Kim called out to Hans and got no response, "Damnit, when you need these people they aren't here." Once she calmed down, she got up and helped Aj up and walked back into the living room. They both sat on the couch not knowing what to say to each other. "Why is it that this is only happening to us? Why can't the others see this?" Aj asked a bit frustrated. Kim looked around, " I don't know Aj, as it is we have a lot of explaining to do if we do tell them about this." Both their heads shot up in the direction of the ceiling as they heard footsteps above them and then a door slam. "Um, what was that? Aren't we the only ones in the house?" Aj asked softly. Kim could feel her heart pounding inside of her and was trying to block the sound out but when she heard the footsteps again. She slowly turned her head towards Aj, "Um yes? Maybe we should find out what it is?" Although they both agreed to find out what was making the noise, neither of them moved from where they were sitting.

At the flea market

"Thank god we are finally here!" Nick shouted out while trying to uncramp his legs. The weather was considerably better. It was actually a nice 58 degrees and the sun was shining. Kevin extended his hand helping Kelly out of the car and handed her jacket to her. Everyone checked to make sure they had everything and that the car was locked and made their way to the entrance. Laura had jumped onto Nick's back and he was making horse sounds while he galloped passed the others. "Someone tell him to stop, that is soooo embarrassing!" Kelly said slightly laughing. Kevin wrapped his arms around Kelly and walked behind her. He was softly blowing into her ear, which was making her squirm. Brian and Emily were walking hand in hand not paying attention to the others. They stood in line waiting to pay the small entrance fee. "I am so excited, WE ARE SHOPPING!!!!!!" Laura yelled out. The three girls jumped up and down together. Kevin stepped up and paid for everyone and handed the tickets to the small man who was collecting them. Kevin, Brian and Nick had a hold on each of the girls, knowing that if they let them go they would go running about and never be able to find them. Laura's feet seemed to be moving underneath her but she wasn't moving and was getting quite frustrated, "Nick, let me go, please!!!!" Nick laughed, "IF we let you go you have to promise to stay within our sight. Or maybe we should get those cords and ……" Nick stopped when he saw Kelly and Emily glaring at him as well as Laura. "Ok nevermind." They strolled down each long partition. Kelly and Emily were at one of the many jewelry stands. Kelly saw in the case behind the woman a pair of earrings that caught her eye. She pointed and the woman pulled them out. They were a pair of dangly blue sapphire earrings. Kelly cradled them in her hand, "How much?" The woman hesitated, "636 Krona." Kelly's eyes widened as she calculated in her head how much it amounted to in U.S. currency. "Thanks anyway." Kelly said as she handed back the earrings. "They would have looked so cute on you, you should have gotten them!" Emily said catching up to Brian. "Gotten what?" Kevin asked wrapping his arms around Kelly. "Oh nothing, where are Laura and Nick?" Kelly replied looking around. Brian pointed down to a booth towards the end. Kelly saw Laura's arms flailing about and wondered what the hell she was doing. They walked towards them and saw Laura arguing with a man on a price of a shirt. Nick was trying to pull her away but she kept badgering him. "Nick, I am haggling, let me be!" Laura shouted. He finally managed to pull her away and lifting her up for a kiss that seemed to pacify her. Emily had sauntered over to a booth that had a bunch of hand woven throws. She saw one that was done in pastels and was reaching into her purse for the money and realized she came up short. Brian stepped in front of her and handed the man the money and handed her the throw in a bag. She was speechless. She stepped closer to Brian and kissed him softly on the lips, "Thankyou so much." Brian smiled and pulled her closer and kissed her again, "You are quite welcome." They were all going down the last partition and Laura found another booth with the shirts she wanted at a much better price. She went over to get Kelly and Emily to show them the shirts and by the time she got back to the booth Nick was walking towards them with a bag. "Here you go, just a little something!" Nick said smiling as he handed Laura the bag. "OOOOOOh!" Laura said as she hopped into Nick's arms kissing his face. Kelly turned around and didn't see Kevin, "Where's Kevin?" Brian replied, "He said he saw something in the last partition, he'll meet us up at the front." Emily looked at her watch, "Dang! We've been here for over 2 and a half hours, no wonder I am hungry!" Brian smirked, "We'll feed you, don't you worry!" They saw Kevin waiting for them and Kelly walked up to him. "You missed Laura's acrobatics." Kelly said laughing. "Well, maybe she'll repeat the performance?" Kevin said scrunching up his face. "So did you find what you were looking for?" Kelly asked. Kevin pouted, "Nope, they didn't have any by the time I went back. Oh well." They all hopped in the car and headed back to the house. The drive seemed longer to all of them. "Are we going to get something to eat before we actually get to the house?" Nick asked. "Yeah that might be a good idea, keep your eyes out for something decent!" Kevin shouted above the radio.

Back at the house

"Ok are we ready?" Kim said holding the poker from the fireplace. Aj couldn't contain his laughter, "You look slightly funny holding that you know." Kim scowled at him, "Well we'll see who has the last laugh." Aj and Kim headed upstairs and stopped in front of the supply room that led up to the attic. Kim slowly opened the door and walked in. Aj saw a cord, reached up pulling the ladder down and securing it to the hook that was positioned on the floor, "Ok who's going up first?" Aj asked. Kim held the poker firmly in her hand, "I guess I will, just so long as you follow right behind me ok?" Aj nodded and kissed her quickly. Kim fondled the necklace she had around her neck. She didn't really understand the history behind it but it comforted her in a strange way. It had been her great great great grandmother's. The weird thing was, she had never seen a picture of her and she was the only other person who it was given to. The movements grew louder as they approached the stairwell that led up to the attic. "You know this house seems to know no bounds." Aj said sarcastically. The air was stale and warm and only got worse as they got closer. The movements stopped the moment Aj put his hand on the doorknob and began to turn it. The door creaked open only revealing a pitch-dark room. Aj ran his hands inside along the wall and felt a switch of some sort and flipped it upwards. A small lightbulb in the farthest corner turned on and flickered intermittently almost telling them it wouldn't be long before it went out. Kim stepped in and carefully maneuvering in between the boxes, "Hello, is anyone up here?" The only sound was that of the floorboards beneath them creaking. "Ok something or someone was up here, I mean, we did hear something didn't we?" Aj asked whispering. Kim walked towards the lightbulb and saw a large draped object. She stretched her hand out and ran her fingers along the velvet covering that illuminated warmth in the cold damp room. She slowly pulled it off only to scream and then faint when she saw what was behind it. Aj caught her in time and lowered her on the floor, fanning her with his hands, "Kim, come on, wake up!" "She'll come to when she wants." A quiet voice said from behind. Aj slowly turned around and saw the woman who was at the door earlier, "What is your name? Why are you here? Why are you doing this to us?" The woman laughed heartily, "Well you know that I am not of the living. My name, hmm, I don't think that is really important since you know who I am, you two figured that out. As for why I am here, I am claiming what is mine. She has no right to it, she knows nothing of the house. The house has little nuances that only I understand. The necklace was suppose to be passed down to me not her." Aj watched her face and saw the anger appear. He glanced at the necklace that Kim had on and looked at the painting that Kim had seen and saw the same necklace on the woman in the portrait. Aj gasped, as he looked closer, he saw that the woman in the painting and Kim looked remarkably similar. "Yes, we are related in a matter of speaking. It's been so long I probably wouldn't get the details right. But I will tell you this. If she chooses to stay in the house she will die here. As for why you are being affected? Well, the man in the portrait is named Alexander and her love for him ran deep. So much that when he died she couldn't go on any longer and killed herself. The portrait was done a year before his death and when he died they were in the process of getting it framed. When she died, she had her body cremated and their ashes mixed. They were given to the man who was handcrafting the frame and had him place the ashes in the frame mold. So you see this portrait is so much more than a picture." The woman finished gazing at the picture lovingly. "Kim doesn't love me? Why should it matter that the man in the portrait and I have the same name?" Aj said angrily. The woman threw her head back and mockingly laughed and when she turned to face Aj her face had morphed into something evil looking, "She would die for you, she feels a connection with you." Aj heard Kim moan and saw her eyes flutter open. When Aj looked back at the woman she was gone. "Aj?" Kim called out weakly. "I'm here, but we need to get out of this attic, I'll explain everything….."Aj said being interrupted by Kim. "No I need to look at this painting." Kim said slowly standing up. She compared the necklace to hers and looked at the woman's facial structure, "Christ, this is spooky!" Aj was looking out the window and saw the Volvo pull up, "They're back!" Kim stood motionless in front of the picture mesmerized by the soft glow that the necklace was putting out from the portrait. She glanced down and saw that her necklace was doing the same. Aj screamed when he saw the woman in the portrait slowly move and her hand come to life and extend out trying to touch Kim's. "Don't be afraid!" A voice said. Kim slowly touched her fingers with hers and felt warmth go through her body. The light faded from the necklace and the portrait returned to being still. "We need to get out of here Kim!" Aj said pulling her towards the doorway. She glanced back at the portrait and smiled, "Goodbye!"

Back to other chapters

Back to Stories Page