Taken | h.s + bey ✔️

20. Ghosts

I slowly strolled around the circumference of one of the sitting rooms. I think this one is the main one, judging by the amount of pictures and decorations they have in this one.

Harry was laid out on the couch writing something.

Pictures of old relatives were in frames placed around the room. I don't mean just grandmas and uncles either; there were pictures of old white people from decades ago. There was even a huge painted portrait of a family of four above the fireplace. I can't pinpoint the era they were in but they probably were at risk of scabies or something.

I rolled my eyes at their picture because I already know they were racists.

I looked at Harry and wondered if he was or not. I doubt he was the type to call me the N word with a hard 'ER'. But then again he could very possibly be the "I can say the N word 'cus my babysitter was black."

He looked at me and noticed my wondering expression, "What?"

"Are you racist?" I asked him bluntly.

He scrunched up his face, "No!"

"You be saying the N word?" I raised a brow at him. "No," he said sounding offended, "I remember what you taught me."

"Had to ask," I shrugged and turned back to look at the memorabilia on the fireplace.

I got to the corner of the room and picked up one of Harry's baby pictures. I snorted at how innocent and sweet he looked.

Something in the corner of my eye caught my attention and I glared down the hall toward the staircase. I sat the picture down and squinted in that direction.

Just when I was about to turn away, I saw a shadow moving around as if there was someone walking around the house in another room.

My eyes widened with a gasp and I stumbled backwards. I looked at Harry, who was already staring at me with one eyebrow raised. He stood up when he saw how horrified I look.

Mouth still open and my hand now on my chest, I did a complete 180 and started brisk walking away. I was stopped by a tug on my wrist and was twisted back around.

"What is going on?!" He exclaimed.

I didn't realize I was shaking until he stilled me with a grip on both shoulders. I was also gripping onto his shirt while trying to get away from him— which I know makes no sense but honestly, nothing I'm going through does!

"Hey," he's says in a very comforting tone as he brushed his knuckle on my cheek. I immediately rested my forehead on his chest and cried, "we need to leave," I cried.

"What are you talking about? Hm?" He hummed and then lifted my head up so I faced him.

"There's... s-something in this house," my voice trembled.

"Where?" He looked around. Why did his voice sound so soothing?

"Everywhere! It's— over there. I saw something moving over there," I pointed in the direction I saw the shadow. He looked where I had pointed and then back at me with an eyebrow raised.

"In whatever room is behind that staircase. I saw its shadow!"

He let go of me and walked toward the direction of the staircase. Panicked, I grabbed his hand and followed very closely to his side.

The closer we got to the staircase, the scarier I felt. When he turned the corner behind it, I whimpered and he squeezed my hand a little.