Elton Varfi - The Ghost Of Margaret Houg

“ First of all I’m not going to question you, Miss. Like your father said earlier, I just want to ask you some questions to understand what you saw.”

“ Well. I saw my mother's ghost and I assure you I'm not crazy.”

“ Where were you when you saw it?”

“ I was in my brother’s room. Rebecca had gone out and he couldn't sleep; I looked outside the window for a second and I saw something moving in the chapel. I turned off the light to see better and…”

Barbara stopped and turned her head to her father, who encouraged her to continue.

“ And then I saw my mother's ghost,” she continued. “Right after I turned the light back on and I called Mary Ann which quickly ran to me. I told her everything and she looked outside the window, but she didn't see anything.”

“ But are you sure that it was a ghost?” Ernest asked.

“ Well, yes… yes… I’m sure, at least I think so.”

“ What makes you think that it was a ghost and not a flesh-and-blood person?”

“ Because a flesh-and-blood person must be crazy to do what I saw and then because I observed the face and it was really my mother's and, since she died more than a year ago, it had to be a ghost. I can’t find any other explanation. But actually, a doubt remains…”

Which doubt?” Ernest inquired.

“ If I saw my mother, or at least her ghost, why am I so much frightened? After all, she’s my mother; but in that moment I almost fainted.”

“ Now, please, try to remember the entire scene.”

“ I turned off the light, and then I looked outside the window. At first I didn't notice anything strange, but then I saw a woman and I could swear that she was my mother. She had a long white dress that touched the floor and she had a red rose in her hands. Maybe she felt my gaze on her, because she looked at me and she smiled at me, almost as if she wanted to mock me. Then she started some kind of dance. She was slowly moving her arms and head; they were really weird movements and for all the time her gaze didn't leave the window. I didn't have the courage to look anymore and I called Mary Ann.”

“ But Mary Ann didn't see anything, right?” Ernest asked.

“ Exactly, she didn't see anything.” Barbara answered.

“ Was this silhouette inside or outside the chapel?”

“ I saw her on the stairs, and then I don't know, I can't remember very well.”

“ Did your brother see anything?”

“ No… I don't think so. He just got worried because he saw I was nervous.”

“ Where is he, now?”

“ He’s sleeping. Luckily Rebecca came back early and my brother falls asleep fast with her.”

“ I’m done, for the moment, Miss. Should I have some questions to ask you, I hope you’ll be available.”

“ Of course...” Barbara said turning to her dad to have the permission to go. After receiving it, she greeted Roni and Ernest and left the room.

“ What do you think?” Houg asked Ernest right after his daughter’s exit.

“ I still don’t know what to think. It is sure that it’s not a simple matter,” the investigator answered.

“ I know that well, otherwise I wouldn't have asked for your help…” Houg said standing up and proceeding: “At least now we know that my son didn't make up anything.”

“ Why did you think your son could have made up everything?” Ernest asked surprised.

“ Because he's a kid and you know how kids are: too often they fly with the fantasy. Just a simple light reflection and they see dragons, monsters or ghosts,” Houg replied.

“ Anyway, I need to talk to your son as well. In the meantime, if you agree, I’d like to see the chapel,” Ernest said.

“ I’ll accompany you.” Houg said and pressed again the button on the desk.

After a while the housekeeper entered the study.

“ Did you call, Mr. Houg?” she asked.

“ Yes, Mary Ann, we need a flashlight,” he said.

The housekeeper got out and the others followed her.

Arrived downstairs, Mary Ann brought the flashlight.

They went out in the garden. Houg led the way, Roni and Ernest followed him. Once outside, Houg pointed at the chapel with the flashlight. Ernest immediately noticed the stairs and tried to imagine the exact point where the ghost could have appeared. When he got in front of the chapel he turned to the house and asked Houg: “Where's your son’s bedroom?”

“ Second floor, the third room from the right,” Houg answered.

Ernest localized the room, and then he took the flashlight and headed towards the stairs of the chapel like he was looking for something.

“ Nothing at all,” he said after a while.

“ What were you hoping to find?” Roni asked.

“ Something, anything.” Ernest replied mysteriously, and then he climbed the stairs and entered the chapel.

Houg and Roni followed him without saying a word. Ernest turned the light several times trying to lighten up the various parts of the chapel, but it seemed as he didn't find anything. Then, suddenly, the flashlight lit up a door.

“ And this?” Ernest asked.

“ It's the access door to the family cemetery,” Houg answered.

“ Can I go in?” Ernest asked.

Before Houg could answer, Roni intervened: “Don't you think it's a bit too much going in a cemetery at this time of the night?”

“ What's up Roni? Are you scared, maybe? You can wait here, if you want. Me, instead, with Mr. Houg's permission, I would like to take a look at the family cemetery,” Ernest replied in a mocking tone.

“ But of course you can go, even though I frankly don't really understand what you hope to find,” Houg said.

Ernest approached the door and opened it. A breath of cold air hit his face in the instant when he went out. He made light with the torch to read the names written on the graves. He stopped when he read ‘Margaret Houg’. He got closer to see better and he noticed that on the grave there was a red rose and underneath it there was something. He took the object with his hands to understand better what it was and he noticed that it was a tarot. Taking a better look at the card, he read: “The death.”

There was something strange; he heard a weird breathing, it seemed like a tired breathing, maybe of someone scared. He then decided to put the card in his pocket, took the rose and turned around. It was a huge surprise and he almost started screaming. Houg was right behind him and Ernest didn't hear him arrive, so he wasn't expecting to see him. He had a labored breathing. He was scared.

“ What's up?” Houg said.

Ernest didn't answer right after, he waited about ten seconds and then asked: “Did you put the rose here?”

“ No,” Houg answered.

“ We should probably go inside, now,” Ernest said and headed towards the exit.

They walked all the chapel down and just before getting out, the flashlight turned off.

“ Maybe the batteries are dead,” Roni said coming down the stairs with Houg.

Ernest stayed behind for a moment and he felt observed. He lifted his head to Houg’s son’s bedroom, but he didn't see anything.

The three men went back inside the house and took a seat in Houg’s study.

“ So, you didn't put the rose,” Ernest commented as soon as they sat down.

“ Absolutely not, maybe it was my daughter, even though I have high doubts on this.”

“ Why?”

“ Because, knowing my daughter, I don't think she could do a thing like this. Since her mother died she has never gone to visit her grave. Barbara is a hostile and stubborn girl, and, between us, we don't really get along. To be honest she didn't get along with my wife as well. That’s why I highly doubt that she could've placed that flower…” Houg said.

“ Maybe your son, then?”