Chapter Twelve: Sailor’s Lament:

I’ve been able to see ghosts since I was five. I am starting to think that Mr. Grieves’ curse was part of the reason that Miranda latched onto me in the first place. I have so many ghost tales to talk about. One of vision is the sailor valentine and the man attached to it.

My grandma used to collect little antiques from swamp meets around town. I looked forward to what she would bring home. This particular day Grandma came home with a bag full of things.

“What did you bring this time?” I asked. She smiled as she set the bag on the floor.

“Take a look,” she said. I walked over and looked into the bag. Grandma smiled as she started taking out items. My little eyes grew big as I looked at each one. That day she brought home silver bangles, little brass cups, beaded necklaces, and golden hair clips. One item stood out and caught my eye.

“What is this?” I asked, point to what looked like a small brown box sticking up out of the bag.

“Ah,” Grandma said. She picked it up and showed it to me. “It’s a sailor’s valentine.”

“What is that?” I asked.

“Here, let me show you,” she said. She opened the box. I was automatically wowed by the pretty patterns inside. So many pale colors danced around in crazy patterns. I reached out to touch the glass surface.

“Pretty isn’t it?” Grandma asked.

“Yes,” I said. At the time, I heard a faint whisper, but I didn’t say anything. Probably because I was too busy staring at the pattern under the glass. That sailor’s valentine ended up in a guest room in the house.

Three days later, things grew weird.

It started with shuffling noises in that room. Now, many people came and went in Victoria Manor. But some of the rooms were never used. That guest room facing the swamp on the right side of the house was one of them. The shuffling noises really didn’t bother us too much. But then, we started hearing giggling in the hall.

“Kinsey?” Doris asked me one afternoon with the laundry basket in her hands. “Kinsey, is that you?” I was in the bathroom at the time. I poked my head out when I heard her calling me.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Was that you laughing just now?” Doris asked.

“No…” I said.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. She didn’t look so convinced but said nothing. She wasn’t the only one to hear laughing. I would be in my room with Miranda and I would hear it when everything was so quiet.

“Was that you?” I asked her one day.

“No,” she said. “I thought that was you.”

“No…” I said. I turned when I heard footsteps running outside my door.

“Did you hear that?” I asked.

“Yes,” Miranda whispered. I put my fingers to my lips as I crawled to my door. I put my ear to the wood. I heard footsteps running by. I threw open the door and looked in the hallway.

“Hello?” I asked. There was no one in sight.

“Who’s there?” Miranda whispered behind me. I waved her off and crawled out of my room. I heard a child giggling again. When I turned my head, there was no one there. For some reason, I wandered further into the hall. Footsteps ran past. I could feel the wind blowing up my hair. I looked around fast enough to make my head spin. Before I knew it, I took off running down the hall. The giggling danced around in front of me.

“Hey!” I shouted. “Hey!” I ran and ran until I made it to that guest room. I stopped in front of the door. This room was always off. I couldn’t remember if I was ever allowed in or not. Giggling came from behind the door. I shouldn’t have been doing this…

I stood on my tiptoes and opened the door.

The smell of mothballs made my nose hairs curl. I stepped back, plugging my nose. Tiny particles floated in front of my eyes. This room didn’t have much inside. Just a bed, curtains, a chair in the corner, two nightstands, and that sailor’s valentine. I felt like I had stepped back into the seventies with this room. Nobody went in here. I wondered why. The sun shined through the pale tan curtains. Why would anyone come back here? My little shifted back and forth.

“Who are you?” a man’s voice asked. I jumped up, looking around.

“Why are you so jumpy?” the voice asked. I looked at the foot of the bed. A pale, slender-looking man sat, staring at me. He was dressed like a sailor with his muddy white and blue uniform. His hat nearly covered his eyes. His cracked pipe hung out of his mouth. I couldn’t figure the smell of him if I tried. The best that I could describe this a tobacco, cheap booze, smoke, and rotting fish. I could’ve sworn I saw him crying.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Tell me who you are,” this sailor said. His clothes formed small puddles on the floor. This man sat shivering.

“I don’t know who you are,” I said. I started to back away from the door. The sailor man smiled as he chuckled to himself.

“That’s very smart of you, little lady,” he said. “In that case, my name is Robert. And you are?” I lowered my head.

“Kinsey,” I mumbled. I glared up at the sailor man as the carpet really getting soaked.

“What are you doing in my house?” I asked. He lifted his head and started mumbling something. I could barely hear him, but his voice was enough to make my body go stiff. My little eyes widened as I noticed how transparent he was. He began smiling at me even though I couldn’t see his eyes. The last thing I remembered was falling backwards in the hall.

I think someone screamed my name as I hit the floor.