The One After [SHAWN MENDES]

Chapter 83

Trigger warning: mention of suicide in a historical context

Our tour group visited several different buildings, and at each one the guides took turns sharing a story about a tragic death or an accident that killed multiple people. That part was very sad, but then they would continue with the ghost sightings that occurred later. It was hard to tell if this was all a gimmick to sell tour tickets or if people actually thought they saw the spirits of long-dead distillery workers. I found myself looking around the dark cobblestone street as chills ran down my spine.

"Do you see a ghost?" Shawn whispered in my ear.

"No, but these two are really good at their job."

"For our next stop, we're going inside the oldest Gooderham and Worts building. This liquor label changed hands several times, and if you enjoy a glass of Johnny Walker, it's a descendant of this distillery. You can still purchase Canadian whisky under the original brand and I highly recommend trying it. The bottle is quite lovely, too."

Shawn pulled out his phone and typed something in his notes. I looked over and saw he'd written the name down. "Gift for the boys. They'd like the historical value," he said softly.

The guide continued, "This is the oldest building in this district and it was home to great sadness. In 1834, Elizabeth Worts, the beloved wife of owner James, died during childbirth. This was not uncommon during that time, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless. Soon after, James Worts threw himself into the windmill's well and drowned. The original windmill, which is long gone, was built by Worts himself and was a landmark in Toronto and a navigation tool for sailors on Lake Ontario. After we tour several rooms in the building, we will go to the location where it once stood."

An older man raised his hand. "Has anyone seen the ghost of James Worts?"

The female guide shook her head. "No, but inside the building people frequently experience things such as sudden cold drafts and doors slamming shut for no reason. Everyone attributes this to James. His brother-in-law, William Gooderham, took over the business. Some say that Worts did not kill himself but was murdered by his partner and that he haunts the building because he's angry."

"This is a very disturbing story," Fallon said loud enough that everyone could hear. "Is it true?"

"You can easily search and find out for yourself," the male guide replied. "All of the background information we share comes straight from historical documents."

"Poor Elizabeth and James," Briya commented sadly. "I hope her ghost is here, too, so that they have each other."

The guides directed us to an alley door which one of them unlocked. The building, just like all the others in this district, was no longer a distillery so inside it looked fairly modern and housed shops and restaurants. "We're headed down to the fermentation chambers in the cellar because this is where most of the unexplainable encounters have occurred."

"If there are cold drafts, it makes sense that doors might slam," I muttered under my breath. "Seems pretty explainable to me."

The stone stairs wound deep below the building and it was decidedly chillier on this level. I shivered and Shawn immediately removed his coat and draped it over my shoulders. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as thanks so that I didn't interrupt the guide who was talking about how treacherous these rooms were. Alcohol is highly flammable, and everything was lit with gas lamps or candles at the time, so explosions happened on occasion.

"Feel free to walk around this area to see if you feel any kind of spiritual presence," the woman said after they were done with their spiel. "But please stay with a partner so that you don't get lost."