Quintus

The Woes of Lady M (We dont say her name)

The tea was tepid and sugared enough to intoxicate honey. Mrs Bellatrix called it her house blend. I am doubtful if any tea leaves ever touched this abomination.

I sipped the air in the cup and smiled.

"It's an utterly dreadful, dreadful, oh so dreadful a situation," Lady M (We don't say her name) moaned. "How is one supposed to have any peace with all the screaming!" She produced a decayed handkerchief and dabbed. It's been two weeks since I first met Lady M, but I still fix my eyes on her plush velveteen gloves; it is all I dare to see.

"There, there, Lady M," Mrs Bellatrix cooed matronly, like that spinster of an English teacher that was ever so generous with her beatings. "I have called on a favour from a friend. He will be arriving soon."

"But," Lady M gasped. "I am not proper!" The bell chimed, and Mrs Bellatrix clapped her hands. There was a flurry of motion from the armchair across me.

"Go on," a tall man with short-cropped blonde hair said from beyond the doorway, carrying an oversized bag. He wore a grey waistcoat and a faded pink tee that was probably two sizes too small for his biceps. Just behind him stood an unwashed boy, perhaps eight or nine years old. He smoothed out the crinkles, wiping some grime off his clothes. From the dirt in his hair, it was clear he has been sleeping on the streets for a while.

"Aleks, how wonderful of you to visit," Mrs Bellatrix clapped her hands and gave him a sputtering of air kisses, "And who might this little master be?"

"Zed," Aleks waved to me and sat down in the armchair. He exhaled with relief as the chair creaked in protest. I shrunk back into mine with a terrible shudder. "He has been a little busy these few weeks, haven't you, Zed?" The boy looked at him; his eyes widened in horror, and he backed away.

"Aleks..."

"What?" He said. The room was deathly quiet for a moment.

"Oh shit!" Aleks leapt from the chair, sending a cascade of trays, cups and teaspoons upwards, spilling almost everything everywhere at the same time. It was a secret joy to watch Aleks in motion; if only I were able to harness his potential for chaos for my studies.

"Who is there!?"

"Uncouth ruffian! You disgraced a lady!" Lady M shrieked, flailing her handkerchief and purse. "How dare you! How very dare you!" The lights flickered violently, the room awash in a tensed chill. Then, as quickly as it came, it was gone. As was Lady M.

"She'll be in a bad mood for a while to come," I picked up the china from the carpet and set them back on the table. I can't do anything about the stains on it, though they weren't the first. Nor will they be the last.

Mrs Bellatrix sighed. "Aleks, for one with your talent, you are not good at Seeing, are you?"

"Please tell me I'm not haunted!" The squeak he gave was adorable. "Whoever you are, please forgive me! I did not see you there!"

Glassware broke somewhere in the kitchen. Mrs Bellatrix gave a tired smile.

"Your client, Aleks. That was your client."

"What?"

Another smash.

"Lady-"

"Excuse me," Zed pointed to the now-empty seat. "Was.. was that a ghost?"

"No!" Aleks wailed.

Mrs Bellatrix handed a cup and saucer to the boy and filled it with lukewarm tea. Zed took an apprehensive step, took the offering and then sat down.

"That is Lady M. We don't say her name. And yes, she's not quite alive."

"How do you talk to her like that?" Zed said, sipping that tea. He likely saw what I saw - a moving corpse crawling with maggots, dressed in a worm-eaten evening gown, nodding and swaying her head with an eyeball dangling out of the socket. I did a bit of reading on her after our introduction: the poor girl was hung from a tree somewhere down the road.