Chapter Five

Matt hauled his shopping through the front door and staggered through to the kitchen, swinging the bags onto the counter top. He rubbed his shoulder slightly. He unpacked the kitchen goods, then headed through to the bathroom to put the stuff he’s bought for it there in place. He turned around, and jumped out his skin. “Jesus! Can’t you wear a bell or something? So I know when you’re there?”

“Bells don’t suit me,” was the reply he got.

“Well, can you at least clear your throat or something when you arrive, so I don’t turn around to see you staring at me? It’s a little unnerving…”

James ignored him, “You have to get out of here.”

“Why now?”

“Same reason. You just never listen.” He put a hand up, and pressed it against what Matt guessed was the inside of the mirror. “Your time’s almost up. You have to leave now. Before he gets you. He got me, he got Jessica. And loads before and after us. We’re just the ones that stuck around. Run. Get the hell away. Go back to England. Go to Sweden! I don’t care! You just have to leave.”

Matt crossed his arms across his chest, “I want to know why you want me out so badly.”

He groaned loudly, and Matt heard the bang as he leaned his forehead against the glass of the mirror, “This is not the time to be playing stubborn Human! God! Doesn’t your life mean anything to you? Or are you clinically depressed and suicidal?”

“I’m not leaving just because the man in the mirror told me to.”

He looked up at me, leaning on the glass for support, “Great, I wanted the fat, gullible girl to move in, but no… I got the average-sized, questioning male!”

“Look, why can’t you just tell me what’s wrong with this house?”

“Why can’t you just accept that I don’t want to?” he shot back. “I had to suffer through it. Excuse me if I don’t care to relive my past!”

“I’m not asking you to! Clearly, whatever happened to this flat happened before you arrived here. Can’t you tell me about that?” Matt stared him straight in the eyes, or as best they both could while separated by the pane of glass. Hazel stared into blue depth.

James was the first to break the stare, “Fine. I don’t care anymore. Die. Take my place in the mirror. Run. Tell the Ghost Hunters what’s going on in this house. Live a long life before having a heart attack at the age of 96 on a Spanish beach. I don’t give a damn.” He took a step back, away from the mirror, “I give up. And you know why? Because you have no right to question me when I’m trying to help you! And I’m not going to let you. Stay, if it matters to you so much. Edinburgh’s a very scenic place.” He glared at me one last time before preparing to exit, “Be sure to visit the castle. I’ve heard the audio tour’s good.” He disappeared out of the frame of the mirror. He seemed to fade out as he reached the edge though.

Matt sighed and headed back through to the kitchen, “Why couldn’t I have bought a normal house?”

“Because this one appealed to you.”

I spun round to see the teenage girl, who he guessed was Jessica, standing there, cocking her head to the side slightly as she stared at him. “It was a rhetorical question.”

“I know. I just felt like giving you an answer.” She continued to stare at him for a moment, which- because she was actually standing in front of him in a somewhat solid state- he didn’t find as uncomfortable as when James did it. “Do you think you chose this house? The house chose you. The house always chooses. Why d’you think the fat, gullible girl didn’t get it? We could’ve convinced her to leave. The house chooses people with either strong, independent mind, or curious ones, and who are relatively young. And James can warn you all he wants, but it’s not going to change anything. You’re not going to leave.”

“Why not?” Matt asked slowly, knowing already he wasn’t going to like the answer.

A smirk graced her lips, “Because the house already has a hold over you. And you, Matt Willis, are going to die in this house.”