I had tried my best to ignore Cairi wherever I saw her, but she made it near impossible…

“So… I guess the cat’s out of the bag about my age…” She snuck up behind me and Marshall as we entered the lecture room.

“Well good morning to you to Milady Halbrook.” Marshall mockingly bowed.

“Sir Marshall Thomson.” She held her head high. The two of them had gotten to know each other better during their shared classes.

“Sorry lied back at the mansion, just wanted to toy around with the lot of ya!” She grinned.

“Well you do know me and your brother share a dorm room, right?”

“Yes, and I assume he asked to spy on me? I’m just here to tell you that you have my permission, but doesn’t mean I’m going to make it easy for any of you!” She said never letting that ‘innocent’ smile of hers waver as a chill ran down my spine. She could very well be a better actor than Marshall ever was!

“It is a shame though that the mansion is still standing…” The tone of voice echoed in my ears like a bell, as it curiously suggested something had happened without her ‘hand’ in it.

“Apparently the ghost left a warning, a curse…” Her smile became wicked.

“Want to sneak in and go investigate tonight?” Her toothy grin, full of mischief. Though she had just plainly stated she wasn’t going to make it easy for us to report to her brother, I was eager to know why she would reveal her plans for that evening.

“Well I for one aint one to snitch, so I’ll join you if Dany-boy here won’t tell either?” He looked at me questioning. For some reason the thought of how Jason knew where Cairi went or was at all times warned me not to agree, but it was like she casted a spell and clouded my judgement. Thinking back now, I’m sure she’s a witch!

That evening can’t recall how I ended standing outside of the mansion, Marshall was there rubbing his arms warm, the layers of warmth not enough to keep the settling frost of the nearing winters out. Richard and Derik somehow to ended up coming along, but no Cairi… It should have been evidence enough that something was up.

Stepping through the doors, Marshall called out to Cairi, but no reply came.

We headed straight for the attic, but she wasn’t there either, what we did find though was a letter written in blood.

“This be my grave, none who dares defile this sacred ground will go unjudged. A curse to those that trespass after being warned! A single curse. Death…” The Derik read aloud.

“At least we all know the ghost is her now, so not a haunted house, but why the hell do I feel like we shouldn’t be taking this as a joke?” Derik asked.

“I told you that girl isn’t normal! She’s a demon in disguise! We shouldn’t have come. I only came because I already told her brother.”

“You what?” Marshall, gritted his teeth. Richard’s dislike was very clear from the start, he wanted ‘revenge’, so he was sure to tell. I just sighed, recognizing the handwriting, having seen her penmanship by chance when she had dropped her books on her way to the music room to practice.

I stepped closer to the wall, touching the writing… Thinking that it could have been paint I tasted it… it wasn’t paint and it smelled ‘rotten’. It was still wet, and it was indeed blood, perhaps pig’s blood? No… Something easier to get, a bird?

“She did say she wasn’t going to make this easy for…” Police sirens blared, getting louder by the second.

“You all should get going if you don’t want to have a criminal record.” Cairi said from behind.

“What the hell!” Richard reacted faster than any of us! He dashed for her and grabbed her by arm pushing her against the wall.

“Why’d you call the cops? Is it just to get some sick joke out of all this?” He hissed.

“Richard, let go of her!” I tried to calm him, placing my hand in his shoulder, pulling him, urging him to step away from her and to get going when Derik started laughing.

“She’s not the one that called the police… Her brother did.” I answered Marshall’s questioning look.

“Cairi, was it?” Derikk looked her up; from head-to-toes.

“Damn…” He clicked his tongue. He was hungry, hungry for her, a ‘fan’ for girls, especially those with ‘light’ and ‘fragile’ features like Cairi; even his current girlfriend was a petite blond actress in majoring in drama.

“I’m assuming you know how to disappear seeing as you didn’t come past me that previous night.” Derik stepped closer to her cupping her chin in his hand.

“Easy their ‘Player’. Even if I did why would I tell you? And you…” She looked past Derik and seemed to growl at Richard, threateningly that was.

“How about a deal? We can help you with your brother?” He stepped back sensing that she had just about had enough of him ‘eyeing’ her.

“Very well… It’s not so much a way out as rather, a place to hide until the ghost is cleared!” She tilted her head in gesture for us to follow.