We Were There

Chapter 89: Reunion

I was suddenly pinned to the ground and was pulled across the kitchen floor. It happened so fast as I heard the sound of my body skidding on the cold ground. Not this again. Kim jolted towards me just in time to grab my hand as we gave resistance to the unseen force. This entity... This thing is pulling me somewhere. I didn't know where but I felt that it wanted me alone. We were both lying on the ground as the unseen force kept pulling and pulling my legs towards the house's staircase like what it had managed to do before.

" What the fuck! Let her go!" Kim screamed at no one in particular. We both knew that we were fighting something beyond the naked eye. We both knew that it was something paranormal that was engulfing me in its presence. 

I felt our hands slipping slowly. I looked up at Kim, with horror in my eyes. I knew that Kim could not win this. The entity was too powerful. Slowly from the wrists to our hands and from our hands to our fingers, I was pulled free from her touch. 

I was pulled into the darkness. 

***

I opened my eyes slowly. Dim light slowly entered through my lashes as I tried to recall what had happened. Everything was a blur. The scent of rotten wood entered my nostrils and it somehow brought me back from my unconscious daze. There was one thing I was sure of though. I wasn't dead. 

I stood up from the ground and found myself in a room that I grew accustomed with. I was in the study room. The room that held the most emotions. My eyes first darted towards the door, towards an exit, but strangely enough, I wasn't eager to escape. I just wanted to make sure there was one. I looked around the dark room. Everything was where we left it. The broken glass windows, shattered glass everywhere, books laid and paper scattered on the floor. The entity brought me back here for a reason. I didn't know what that reason was, but I guessed I have to find out. 

I spun at the sound of the door creaking open. My heart started to beat fast and I was starting to have goosebumps all over. 

" H-Hello? Who's there?" I called out. 

My eyes widened at the sight of a hand coming out from the other side of the door. It held the door barely open. The hand was old and bony and something inside me screamed death. I covered my mouth to prevent myself from letting out a scream. What appeared next drained my energy. It was Neema, the nanny. She was dead. I knew she was dead. Her eyes were sunk in, and deathly wrinkles were all over her face. Her skin was saggy and her clothes were dirty, like she just rose from her grave. And the worse thing is, she was levitating. My legs were trembling so hard that I might faint any second now. 

I took a step back, not giving into the faint's call. I didn't want to be unconscious at a time like this. I flushed at the horrific sight of her. She studied me. Her eyes were deep and it contained a sea of secrets. 

" N-Neema..." I muttered out. 

Her ghastly appearance made my voice shake. I couldn't muster the courage to speak in her behalf. In front of me was a ghost. A spirit. A wandering soul. I spun around as I heard something clatter behind me, just to find out something fell from one of the study room's bookshelves. It made my heart skip a beat. 

" You know what we want."

I turned around to face Neema but she was already inches in front of me. I jolted back, tripping over a pile of newspaper clippings. I landed on the floor but scanned the room quickly. She was gone. Neema was gone. I quickly stood up, her words still sinking inside of me. That line again. That was the same message I heard back in Yhan's house. But after all that I've been through, I still didn't have a clue what they want. Why me in the first place?

A mysterious tune started playing in the room. It was the same tune from Andy's blue toy car. I neared the bookshelf where I saw something fell from it and crouched on the floor. And there it was. I was right. It was Andy's toy car. It was playing that same music box tune. I was about to pick it up when I noticed it moved. I hesitated for a moment and tried to reach for it again, but this time, it rolled towards the door, hitting it. It backed up and rolled towards it again, and again and again. 

" A-Andy? Is that you?" 

The toy car suddenly halted and I was greeted with the room's eery silence. I stood up and it started rolling towards the door again, hitting it. It backed up and charged at the door again. 

" Y-You want me to follow you?" I asked. The toy car this time, didn't stop but continued to hit the door again and again. 

" Alright, lead the way." I walked slowly towards the door and opened it. The blue toy car moved, letting gravity do the honor of bringing it down the stairs. It was dark so I had to reach for something that would guide my way down. I traced my hand on the walls, securing every step before descending. One step at a time. As I neared the door to the Master's bedroom, my heart started to beat so fast and my breathing was audible. Cold puffs of air were visible, and I knew something was going to happen. 

I pushed the door wide open, causing it to creak loudly as it should. The first thing that caught my attention was that someone was in the comforter. I couldn't see who it was but I knew someone was occupying the bed. The covers made it hard to see who it was and it left me no choice but to go closer. 

" Is that you, Andy?" I asked at no one in particular. There was no reply. I slowly reached for the bed's covers. 

" Andy?" I knew Andy was dead, but calling out for spirits that wouldn't harm you was better than calling out spirits that would. Getting no response, I took a deep breath and pulled the covers away from the bed. My eyes widened to see there was no one in it. Suddenly, all the hair on my back stood, like it reacted to something behind me. I slowly turned around and saw my reflection on Josephine's dresser, located just opposite of the comforter. Not only did I see my reflection, but I saw Josephine, Neema, Thomas, Andy and Alice's reflections as well.

And they were all standing behind me.