[ORIGINAL FICTION] The Ghosts of Emmett Hill: Part Four
This is the continuation of The Ghosts of Emmett Hill series.
Links to earlier episodes are here:
Part Four
Simon sat down on one of the chairs placed on the veranda. Somewhat disheartened by the constant bad news he had received since becoming a ghost. He was hoping that Emmett could give him some good news. Some magic tricks that ghosts still have up their sleeves.
He was just getting himself ready to hear Emmett's tales of ghosthood advantages, when his vision became fixed on something moving in the grounds between where he sat and the fence line. He found himself leaning forward, with what must have seemed a perplexed look on his face. The look of slight shock, perhaps.
“What's wrong?” Emmett asked. “You look like you've seen a ghost.” Emmett felt quite chuffed with himself. He had waited a very long time to use that line.
Simon gave him the look that said, very clearly, that dad jokes don't work for the dead or the living. He pointed out, towards what had grabbed his attention. The more he looked, the more it looked like a person. “Could this be a real person?” Simon thought. “Can he see us?” He wondered. Simon looked to Emmett for some reassurance.
“Are we expecting any visitors?” Simon asked.
“No. I haven't had any visitors in one hundred years. That is until you arrived. You were my very first visitor in the after life. But now two in one day.”
“Yes, but is he alive or dead?” Simon thought about the absurdity of this conversation. He would never had dreamed of asking such a thing whilst he was still in the land of the living.
“I do believe he is of the dead variety, if I am not mistaken.” Emmett had come to believe that real, living humans would not show themselves around these parts again. At least he hadn't seen one in many years. Perhaps he no longer had the capacity to see the living. That's not something he had given any thought to until now. What if this wasn't the house he had lived in for all his living years, but just an ethereal replica of it? Like his own little sub terrain within the afterlife domain. A fiefdom, if you like. But not one where living visitors were welcome. And if that was the case then the approaching visitor had to be...
“Another ghost has come to grace us with his presence, it would seem.” Emmett added.
They both watched, as the visitor made his way up the path towards the front door. Towards the spot where they were standing, staring at him. He was either not in a hurry, or ghosts move very slowly in the out doors. Perhaps he was taking in his new surroundings, as perplexed at where he now found himself, as both Emmett and Simon were of his sudden, and somewhat unexpected arrival.
“May I help you?” Emmett waited until he was within ear shot, so as not to have to shout his question. He was close enough now to be seen clearly. An older gentleman, which seemed to explain the walking pace. And he was walking with the aid of a cane. “Not really necessary for a ghost,” Emmett thought. Which could only mean one thing. This man was recently deceased. He'll be throwing that cane away before too long.
“Perhaps you can?” answered the visitor, looking intently at Emmett. “Are you the proprietor of this establishment?” He pointed his cane at the house as he asked his question. “Seems I find myself in unfamiliar territory, and a need a place to rest for the night.”
“I am not the proprietor, I am the owner. This house is most certainly not a hotel, but like my new friend here,” he pointed to Simon, “you also are most welcome to stay here.”
“Seems this house of one has now become a house of three.” Simon wasn't sure at just how rattled Emmett was by all these visitors. If he was then he wasn't showing it clearly, but after one hundred years on his own, this could be unsettling. Simon felt to tread lightly. And treading lightly is something ghosts can do.
“Oh, and you aren't lost either, I can assure you. Seems you have arrived here for reasons you have yet to ascertain. And before I tell you what has occurred to you, you may wish to have a seat.” Emmett gestured at Simon to get their visitor a seat.
“First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Emmett. This here is Simon.” Emmett pointed to Simon as he placed a seat on the veranda for their guest. “And you are?”
“I am terribly lost, it would seem. But as for my name, that would be Harold.”
“Well pleased to meet you Harold. Do you prefer Harold, or Harry?” Emmett enquired.
“I prefer it exactly as I gave it to you. Harold is my name. Please do no alterations to it!”
Emmett shot Simon a quick look of bemusement. “So who is the interesting character we have in our midst?” he thought, waiting for him to sit himself down.
“Very well, Harold it is. As for your current state, and your current location, it would very much appear, unless I am mistaken, that you sir are dead. Just like myself, and Simon here. And this here is my home. Where I lived whilst still with the living, and where I have spent the past one hundred years. This is not a hotel, but it does appear to be turning into one.”
“Dead? Don't be preposterous. Look at me. Do I look dead to you? Old, most certainly. Dead, not likely. Is this some sort of joke?”
“It came as a shock to me also, I must admit.” Simon offered. “I have only just arrived here myself. I put poor Emmett into shock too it would seem. Poor fellow was still trying recover when we observed you arriving.”
“You have observed well,” Emmett reassured Simon. “But this is not a joke, and whilst you may very well be older in years, that fact does not negate your deadness.” He was feeling exhausted by the whole experience himself. Now he had to reassure these two who were new to the world of the dead that reality may be strange, but it is still real.
“Do you recall what you were doing before you started walking up the path here?” Simon jumped in quickly, wanting to get to the crux of the matter. What brought Harold to their door?
“I was being driven through the village down there,” Harold said, pointing to the town at the base of Emmett Hill. "We were on our way to a friends place for some lunch. Next thing I know I am here.” Harold looked confused. He gave it much thought. He was not completely certain how he got here. “I don't seem to recall the bits in between. I was in the car. Yes, I remember that bit. We drove through the village. Yes, that's right. Oh wait. I think there was a car accident. I must have wondered off. Is that what happened? My memories not what it used to be.”
Emmett and Simon heard enough to realise that the accident was obviously more serious than Harold remembered. Perhaps his lack of memory was for the best. They were not sure whether to press him for further details.
“Seems we have all had a big day, in our own ways. Best we get some rooms ready and call it a night.”
Darkness had slowly approached, taking the three ghosts by surprise. The house on Emmett Hill was truly becoming a hotel. Emmett now had company. But he didn't really know much about either of these two new guests.
He wondered at what tomorrow would bring. And he wondered at who tomorrow would bring.
(To Be Continued)
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