Day 8 (may have a part two to this one...)
“Thanks again for this.” Matilda’s SUV came to a stop near some train tracks as she checked for any oncoming locomotive. Robbie sat shotgun, a roadmap in hand and playing navigator for the past twenty minutes since their signal and GPS went out about a minute after a blackout alert sounded, leaving them in the middle of buttfuck nowhere with very little inkling as to where they were and absolutely no idea how to get where they were headed. Fortunately, they had happened upon an old gas station turned convenience store. The clerk knew the local legends, including the rumors of the farmhouse which was thought to be haunted. What wasn’t a rumor was that paranormal investigators, and investigators in general, were all last heard from when they went there. After explaining that they were duelists hired to investigate the incidents, the clerk had been more than happy to supply them with a roadmap along with directions on how to get to their location.
Robbie glanced up from the map. “Are you thanking me for coming along? Or having at least half an idea on how to read one of these things?”
Matilda grinned. “Both.”
He shrugged. “Spark’s been bored lately and I have my point quota. Might as well make some extra spending cash in the meantime.”
“And the fact that you might be saving a lot of people from a rogue means no, never mind to you?” she asked, though the unchanged grin suggested that she already knew the answer.
“I won’t say it’s not a factor,” he replied.
“Good,” she nodded, continuing to drive down the road. “How much farther.”
Robbie squinted at the pen-marked line made by the clerk. “Looks like…three more intersections, then make a left.”
“After that?”
“Drive straight until the sun sets.”
She winced. “Gonna make you DJ for that part of the road. And possibly the caffeine distributor.”
“Might want to ration that. From the looks of it there’s no rest stops. You’ll be popping a squat next to the back tire.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“…Strangely, that is not something I’d expect to come out of someone who is referred to as the Queen of the Duels, is practically a pop idol, and a former ballerina.”
She laughed. “Get with the times, my guy. And pass me one of those energy drinks.”
It did not take too long to come to the intersection, and soon the pair found themselves getting away from what had already been sparse and small farming downs, nearly ghost towns thanks to all the city jobs and progressions made by manufactured shards taking over. For the better part of an hour they passed by field after golden field, various grains nearly ready for harvest. Occasionally they would spot a building in the distance, or a dilapidated barn, but a quick glance from the map told them it was not what they were looking for.
Matilda was about to suggest pulling over and rechecking the map, Robbie spoke. “There should be a small road up ahead to our right. Turn up that. The property should be at the end of it.”
“Finally,” she sighed, spying the road and flipping on her turn signal. Robbie raised a brow, turning to look behind as if expecting a car to be behind them on the deserted road. “Shut up, the law’s the law.” Robbie smirked in response, but folded up the map and stuck it in the glove compartment before grabbing his sweatshirt from the back. He reached into the pocket and pulled out his crude looking red and orange JEG wrapped in a leather cord and placed it around his neck, tucking it into his shirt. He glanced at Matilda, confirming that she was already wearing her chocker with the deep blue JEG, nearly passable as a sapphire if it weren’t for the silver flecks that would sparkle to life when the light hit it just right. Against his chest, he could feel the JEG warming slightly as Spark made his presence known, his summon partner curious about what they would find at the end of the road. Robbie was also curious. Given the places they saw along the way, many of the houses and farms in the area were long abandoned, presumably bought up by whatever company now owned those fields. Yet this was the place that was rumored to be haunted. Or rogue infested. Either way, a house with that rumor and at the end of a road in the middle of nowhere? He guessed it would look like something out of a horror novel.
Which was why when Matilda pulled into the gravel driveway of a quaint farmhouse with trimmed flowering bushes, Robbie was grabbing the map and double checking their location even before Matilda had a chance to give him a questioning glance. The address was correct, and he squinted up at the building. The house was a two story building with a wrap around patio, painted a soft yellow with white trim and shutters. Floral curtains were pulled back on the windows, revealing in the closest one what looked like a living room with a soft cushion sofa and chairs around a table. Stones had been placed to make a walking path and were lined with pink and red pansies. A red barn could be seen behind the house, looking kept up well and perhaps painted within the past month.
“I swear Nan has a painting of this place in her kitchen,” Robbie stated.
“I think my grandma does too,” Matilda agreed. The pair exchanged unsure glances before slowly stepping out of the SUV and making their way up to the door.
“So we’re just going to knock?” Robbie asked.
“Why not?” Matilda asked. “Someone lives here. Maybe they can direct us to the right house?”
Robbie frowned, looking up at the house again but not slowing his stride, keeping in step with the duel queen. They both paused at the door, and Matilda raised her fist, knocking swiftly three times. A moment later, the door opened, revealing a homely looking woman, possibly in her early sixties. She wore a brown dress with autumn leaf patters played around the skirt and a white button up sweater. A dish towel was in hand and she appeared to be wiping the remnants of flour off of them, likely the last of whatever the pair could smell baking in the kitchen.
“Oh! Hello. I was not expecting guests,” she greeted politely.
Matilda smiled. “Sorry to bother you ma’am, but I think my friend and I were lost. We were given directions and an address a while back and it turned out that it led us here instead of where I think we needed to go.”
“Oh, no, I believe you are in the right place,” the woman smiled. “You are another one of those youths curious about the haunted farmhouse, right?”
“And that’s here?” Robbie asked slowly, making sure that they were on the same page.
“Why of course!” The woman nodded with a light titter. “Your look is just the same as the others. Were you expecting some abandoned shack in the middle of these hills?”
“Actually…” Matilda glanced back as if she could still see the buildings they passed.
The woman waved her off. “Posh. Even ghosts may have standards love. Oh, but where are my manners? I am Mrs. Winterson. I daresay I have lived in this house since my husband built it some forty years ago.” She opened the door wider. “Please, do come in. I suspect you didn’t pack a lunch and I do have a habit of making more than I need.”
“Thank you,” Matilda said, taking a step into the house. “I’m Matilda DelRay, and this is Robert James. We were asked to come investigate some disappearances that may have happened around here.”
“Ah, you do not need to inform me of that, dear,” Mrs. Winterson said, leading them through the living room they had seen to a small kitchen with a connecting dining room. The pair spied what looked to be a casserole of sorts cooling on a rack, while a cherry pie, the source of the flour, sat ready for the top crust that had been rolled out to be cut and placed on top before it could be put in the oven. “I was the one who made the request. Of course, I had not received any reply, so I didn’t think anyone had taken up the request yet.”
“Robbie and I were passing through when we heard of it,” Matilda replied, looking at the woman curiously. Robbie was too. It sounded like she was familiar with this ghost, and if she had lived here for decades then she obviously wasn’t afraid of it, or didn’t think it dangerous. Why call it in now?”
Mrs. Winterson walked over to the casserole, checking it over before giving a satisfied nod. She turned to the pair then gestured to the table. “Sit, please. We can talk over dinner. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Iced tea?”
“Water, thanks,” Matilda answered, taking a seat.
“I’ll take some tea,” Robbie replied. Instead of sitting though, he moved into the kitchen. “Where are your plates?”
Mrs. Winterson blinked. “The cabinet to the left of the sink.”
“Thank you.” He quickly went to grab three plates, bringing them over, then proceeding to help the older woman with serving dinner.
Mrs. Winterson laughed with delight. “Well! Aren’t you a helpful young man!”
“Nan would have my hide if I weren’t earning my keep,” he replied, taking a seat once dinner was set.
“Well I do hope you can earn it by solving this conundrum of mine,” Mrs. Winterson replied, sitting down with her own plate. Her friendly expression sobered as she got to the business at hand. “I am sure you are wondering why I made such a request.”
“It did cross my mind,” Matilda answered.
The old woman nodded, idly picking at her casserole but not taking a bite. “As you may have already suspected, the ghost that lives here has been here for some time. Even with a specter here, this house has always been as Louis- that’s my late husband- and I wanted it to be: a welcoming place where travelers can get a warm meal and bit of rest. If anything, the ghost that resides here has always helped with that aspect.” She frowned. “About a month ago though, things began to change. There have always been visitors curious about the rumors of the haunting. Most nights, they go out, expecting to find some sort of activity in the house or the barn. It wasn’t unusual for some to be gone by morning, so when I woke up to find people not downstairs for breakfast, well, I thought nothing of it. It wasn’t until the detective came and spoke of missing people that I realized something was truly amiss.”
“Was there anything left behind?” Robbie asked.
Mrs. Winterson shook her head. “Much like you, they all needed to drive here. Any luggage they had, their ‘ghost hunting equipment’, even their vehicles were all gone by morning. I told the detectives this and allowed them to search the property. They and I have found nothing. Then, even they disappeared.” She set her fork down, wringing her hands slightly. “I must admit, with that in mind I have placed you both at risk with this also. I am hoping as duelists and experts with the supernatural and unknown you may stand a better chance.”
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