FicWad

Finally they pulled up the driveway of the deserted looking huge house, the biggest Madeline had
ever seen in her 20 years of living, a deep gray and green house with vines creeping up the sides and
one of the windows smashed, neighbor kids messing around was her guess, and they were the
biggest windows she'd ever seen! Fixing the amethyst pendant on the silver necklace around her pale
neck, Madeline grabbed her bag and left the car in a hurry, her rosy lips matching her cheeks as she
walked confidently to the door, opening it slowly and poking her head inside warily before finally
stepping in with a sigh. It was just like every other house. Furniture that she was sure was once grand
and used constantly was now covered with white sheets and covered with dust, cobwebs in every
corner, the pitter pat of tell tale rats that had make this house their own home. She smiled as a few
birds flew out the broken window when she entered, making the sunlight that poured into the house
break and flutter like their wings. Pulling her headphones off, she stepped quietly towards the
winding staircase that would lead to the place where either the murder took place, or where she'd
sleep for however long it took to exorcise the spirit. The only thought on her mind was the constant
hope that this spirit wasn't a malevolent one...because for once she'd like to enjoy herself in the
pleasant enough state.

"Well this is cozy enough, don't you think? Has a bit of that Edgar Allan Poe feel to it, eh?" Her father
interrupted her peace of mind as usual with his chatter, carelessly looking through the rooms and
heading back to her at the top of the stairs. "Pretty neat place, I think there was a guest room
downstairs, I'll take that one. How's Chinese sound for tonight?" Lately that was all they'd ever been
eating, and Madeline felt like she'd be up to her knees in Lo Mein for the rest of her life. "Sounds
great, Dad. Yeah, it's a neat place." She answered him quietly, spying some huge posters that'd once
been protected by a plate of glass that was now shattered onto the once royal purple carpet.
"Pa...Pan...." She tried to read the faded concert poster in front of her, the glass making crunching
noises beneath her mary janes. "Panic...Panic at the...Dis..." Frowning, she realized she couldn't finish
the rest, and could barely make out the art of the poster, which disappointed her even more, because
it would've helped her figure out this spirit's past. Even with her hot pink glasses on she used strictly
for reading or writing, she couldn't make out a single detail and gave up, heading towards the first
room that had the least disturbing aura. She gasped softly at the sight. This room was definitely still in
use...would it be intrusive of her to stay in it? The sheets were fresh, a deep red coverlet with the
members of The Beatles etched in black, and the sheets were a soft off white, and she distinctly
smelled soap and a cologne she wish she knew the name of because it smelled amazing. Setting her
bag down, she went to the window and opened it with a bit of force, letting a breeze wash over her
and stir her hair. Turning around she saw an unused desk that had several coffee rings imprinted in the
wood and random doodles drawn with various colored Sharpees. She smiled, running her fingers over
them, some of them random words, eyes and swirls and stick figures in glasses and fedoras and flip
flops. The walls were a soft earth brown, and the floor lamp was still covered with a white sheet.
Smiling, she left the room, her fingers lifting from the desk and settling at her side as she explored
another room that held what was once a beautiful black baby Grand.

Madeline wasn't very musically inclined, but if there was one thing she could do and do right, it was
play the piano. The one passion she was able to practice long enough for it to stick before her mother
died, Madeline could almost cry at the sight of such a beautiful (and what she was sure was very
expensive) piano, covered with dust, the dust sparkling under the sunlight leaking from the rotting
curtains that once covered the large window in the room. Running her fingers over the keys lightly,
she played a few notes of a song before she felt a distinct tingle up her spine and the hairs at the back
her neck stand at attention, making her body tense.

"You can play the piano?" A voice asked, echoing throughout the empty room, a voice surprisingly
young and slightly gravelly.



(((Listened to Silent Film by Idiot Pilot, House of Cards by Radiohead, and Open Register by Idiot Pilot
while writing this.)))