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“I can’t believe we have to move out of the house for a week,” Susan groaned as she dragged her suitcase down the hallway. “Who the hell rents out a house to university students before checking for asbestos in the attic?”
“The landlord did say the building was quite old,” Daisy explained, pulling her roller bag behind her. “And in the grand scheme of things, perhaps we were lucky things were disturbed by that bat that got in before Esther’s witches coven met up there.”
“That coven was lame anyway,” Esther retorted, dragging her own wheeless bag down the hall, which was double the size of Daisy and Susan’s own luggage. “I mean, if you’re going to gather a group of powerful witches together, why would you want to use that power to ‘build feelings of peace and harmony throughout the land’ instead of bringing wrath upon your enemies?” Esther rolled her eyes. “They were more your crowd, Daisy.”
“Oh no, my grandmother would never approve of me getting involved in the dark arts,” Daisy said. “I had to convince her that the Harry Potter books wouldn’t teach me dark magic before she allowed me to read them.”
“Ugh, censorship.” Susan huffed as she looked up at the flats on the hall. “Which one is the rental again?”
“456,” Daisy said from further down the hall. “Right down here!”
“At least we’re not paying for this,” Esther added, hefting her suitcase as she struggled to where Daisy stood. “Though we should have convinced him to spring for a B&B instead.”
“Yes, because being surrounded by nosy old ladies and cats is how I want to spend my relaxation time outside of class.” Susan sighed as she got her suitcase to the door as well. “But the landlord said it was a pretty big space too, right? Three bedrooms in this neighborhood? I’m shocked that there’s any vacancies at all here during the school year.”
“Well,” Daisy brought a hand to her chin in thought. “He did mention something about strange occurrences that drove the last renters out. Maybe they had a family emergency? Or came into a sudden inheritance and were able to purchase their own flat?”
“Or maybe…” Esther grinned as she sidled up to Daisy and grabbed her shoulders from behind. “The flat is haunted!”
“Eep!” Daisy jumped at Esther’s sudden touch, a look of fear overtaking her features.
“Uh-huh. Sure. That’s clearly the most logical explanation.” Susan rolled her eyes.
“Oh come on, it could happen!” Esther grinned as she looked at the door. “And there’s only one way to find out, right?”
Daisy let out a small shiver as she grabbed the key to the flat from her pocket, sticking it into the door. “Or maybe they went on vacation? Or transferred suddenly? Free trip to the moon?”
“Quit stalling!” Esther put her hand over Daisy’s to turn the key, and flung the door open dramatically. “Ghostie ghostie! Come out to play!”
The door opened to what one could only describe as a typical flat. Off-white walls, generic landscape art, and a plain-looking fabric couch and coffee table decorated the space in the living room, with doors leading off to the bedrooms and kitchen. Esther frowned as she walked through the flat, examining the rooms thoroughly.
“Hmm, well it doesn’t exactly scream ‘haunted’ in here,” Susan commented dryly as she dragged in her bag. “I’ll take the room on the left if that’s alright with-”
“No no no!” Esther yelled, standing in the doorway of the room, blocking the entrance with her arms dramatically. “We need to do this right.”
“Do… what right exactly?” Susan cocked her head at her friend. “Seriously Esther, maybe you breathed in a bit of that asbestos before we left. As a doctor-in-training, I suggest you-”
“Susan, don’t you see?” Esther waved her hands, gesturing at the entire flat. “This place is the perfect place for ghosts to live!”
“I don’t know,” Daisy said warily, her eyes darting around the room. “Wouldn’t they choose something a little more, I don’t know… spooky?”
“That’s exactly what they want you to think!” Esther slammed her hand on the wall, staring at her friends. “Here, pretend for a second that you’re a ghost.”
“Why would I be a-”
“Not the time for logic Susan!”
“Sorry, sorry.” Susan sighed as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, eyeing Esther. “Go on.”
“So you’re a ghost, right? And not just any kind of ghost, but a ghost whose dream, whose entire purpose, is to haunt someone.”
“Seems like a poor way to spend your afterlife,” Daisy commented quietly.
“Now, a simple, feeble-minded individual might think, hey! I’m a ghost! I should pick an inherently spooky place! One that emphasizes my own spookiness, where I may be the best ghost I can be!”
“I suppose that’s a logical assumption,” Daisy said with a nod.
“And that is where most ghosts fail,” Esther smirked as she continued. “For who would want to stay in a spooky locale if they were afraid of ghosts? And who better to scare than someone who is inherently afraid of the supernatural?”
“So choose a spot that isn’t spooky at all?”
“Exactly!” Esther grinned and motioned her hands at the flat again. “And that is why this is clearly the most perfect place for a ghost to make its home. A totally nondescript location where even the most scaredy-cat human would not think a ghost would reside. A place where one could be lured in to making a new home, and right when they get settled with a cup of tea and a pillow and blanket- they appear!”
“Eep!” Daisy jumped again, her eyes wide. “Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no.”
“Uh-huh,” Susan yawned. “Your paranormal-based logic is astounding, Esther. So what’s your master plan? Set up Daisy as bait and make a ghost come out?”
“I DO NOT CONSENT TO BEING GHOST BAIT!” Daisy yelled, surprising herself. She quickly covered her mouth and looked around in apology for her outburst.
“Oh no, I would never subject my dear friend to the supernatural elements against her will,” Esther said cheerily. “Besides, we live in the twenty-first century. We have technological advancements that will assist in our ghost-hunting capabilities. Putting Daisy out as bait is only a final resort.”
“I don’t think-” Daisy started but was quickly interrupted by Esther.
“Not now, Daisy. The two of you unpack my things, I have some shopping to do!” Without a backward glance, Esther dashed out of the apartment, leaving her stunned friends behind.
“So just dump the bag on her bed and call it a day?” Susan asked with a shrug.
“Oh but her goth wear will get all wrinkled,” Daisy said with a frown. “Susan, you don’t actually think this flat is haunted, do you?”
“Of course not, Daisy,” Susan replied. “But let’s just humor her for a bit. And then give her crap when she wastes her paycheck on useless ghost-hunting technology.”
“I wonder if there are ghost-hunting charities in the area that will take donations? I don’t want them to go to waste...”
A couple hours later, Daisy and Susan were settled in their respective temporary rooms, when they heard a large bang as Esther kicked the flat’s door open. The pair peeked their heads out as they watched Esther carry a large cardboard box into the living room.
“Success I assume?” Susan asked as she walked over to the coffee table and started peeking inside. “Where did you even go for this stuff?”
“I’ll have you know that Sheffield has a thriving ghost-hunting community,” Esther said as she flopped on the couch. “I briefly considered joining the Ghost Hunters Society at the University, but there were too many guys who didn’t know what a showerhead looked like for me to stick around. Anyway, there are several emporiums that cater to the paranormally concerned citizens of our town. One even has a frequent shopper card. I got everything at ten percent off!”
“I understand some of this,” Daisy said as she picked up the headlamp and placed it on the table. “But some of this seems a bit, uh, eccentric.” She frowned as she pulled out a small black device that appeared to have some sort of antenna. “A ghost probe?”
“Oh, that is essential!” Esther grinned as she took the object from Daisy’s hands. “This is a digital thermometer for measuring ambient air temperature. It’s also handy because it has an alarm function so it will go off when the temperature drops, and keeps track for later analysis.”
“O-kay…” Daisy shook her head in disbelief as she dug in the box some more, then pulled out a small sound recorder.
“Ah, this one came highly recommended! It detects ultra low-frequency sounds down to 40 Hz, so we can pick up ghost activity even if your ears can’t discern it!”
“Esther, are you going to have any money left to eat this month?” Susan frowned as she picked up a camcorder. “Didn’t you have this problem before?”
“It’s okay, these things will all be a business expense when I publish our findings,” Esther explained with a wave of her hand. “In the interim, I did promise to pick up some overnight stocking shifts at the comic shop, so I’ll make it up lickity split. It will all work out in the end.”
“Just as long as I don’t have to cover you,” Susan shrugged, dropping a flashlight back in the box.
“Don’t you need to get the ghost’s consent before you publish things about them? I would think that’s only proper,” Daisy pointed out. “I know I would be rather upset if someone took recordings of me in my own home and then published it for everyone to see. My pjs aren’t meant to be seen outside these four walls.”
“Daisy, they’re ghosts, they don’t need to give consent,” Esther retorted. “Did they ask us for consent before moving into this rental flat?”
“Well no, but if they were here first wouldn’t we be the ones intruding?”
“You’re too caught up in the details, Daisy. If it makes you feel better I’ll ask for consent after we’ve documented evidence. Provided they’re willing to communicate with us.”
“Well I suppose that’s okay…”
“If you two are finished with your paranormal efficacy hour, I have some homework to catch up on,” Susan interrupted. “Just try to keep it down?” She sighed and headed back to her room, closing the door behind her.
“I wonder if ghosts follow quiet hours?” Daisy mused as she headed to her own room. “Let me know if you need any help Esther!”
“Not a worry, Daisy.” Esther smirked as she snapped the headlamp over her forehead and turned it on. “Esther de Groot is on the case. If there’s a ghost in this flat, I’ll find it.”
After setting up her various cameras and listening devices throughout the apartment, Esther settled at her laptop, what she had now dubbed her ghost-hunting station, in her bedroom. The lights were off to set the mood, the only light streaming from her screen.
“Alright ghost,” Esther said while taking a swig of Mountain Dew, the clear drink of professional ghost hunters everywhere. “Come to Mama Esther.”
She stared at the screen for a while, which showed infrared scenes of the kitchen, living room, hallway, hallway closet, and her own room. She’d considered adding cameras to Susan and Daisy’s rooms as well, but she abandoned that plan before even beginning to broach the subject. Susan would grumble and kick her out, and Daisy… well, Esther may have traumatized Daisy a little by mentioning ghosts in the first place. It wasn’t like she was trying to scare Daisy, but come on, a real opportunity to experience the paranormal in their own domicile? How could Esther possibly give up on that chance?
She sighed as she looked at the screen some more, not seeing anything. Well, in a way she was doing her housemates a service. If she found the ghost before Daisy did, then she could protect her from a potentially malicious spirit. Heck, perhaps she could even capture the ghost! Then Esther would be a hero!
And a Youtube celebrity. But really, saving her friend from unnatural spirits was more important than fame and fortune, right?
Yet despite her good intentions, Esther didn’t see anything on the screen. The only heat signature that moved was her own as she reached out her blanket to get another sip of her Mountain Dew.
“This isn’t working,” Esther said with a sigh, slipping out of the blanket and tossing her now empty bottle of Dew in the trash. “I’ve been going around this all wrong. I let out that whole spiel about the ghost’s plan, so of course it’s laying low, waiting for us to get tired of looking and strike when we least suspect it. I need to make this an active investigation!” She dug into her cardboard box of ghost-hunting items and pulled out yet another camera, her recorder, and the night vision goggles.
“I need to be proactive. The ghost isn’t just going to wander into sight. I need to draw it out!”
Slipping the night vision goggles on her head, Esther hooked the recorder on her belt and held the camera aloft as she stepped out of her room, quietly.
Esther began slinking around the apartment, checking each and every crevice, quietly muttering to herself as she went. “It has to be around here somewhere…” She was scurrying along the floorboards, when suddenly she was blinded by light.
“Esther?” Daisy looked down at her housemate after she’d turned on the hallway light. Esther hissed as she ripped off the goggles, squinting in the light. “What are you doing down there?”
“What does it look like? I’m looking for the ghost! I’m sure it’s around here somewhere, getting ready to jump out and scare you!”
“But based on what you told me, wouldn’t it specifically avoid you because you’re going around with ghost hunting gear?”
“They wouldn’t notice that if I’m quiet and the lights are off!”
“But I could have tripped over you when I went to get my tea…”
Esther let out a large sigh and got to her feet. “I’m sorry Daisy. The thrill of the hunt got to me. But can you imagine? If there really was a ghost here?”
“I honestly would prefer not to,” Daisy replied quietly as she turned on the kettle and pulled out a pair of mugs.
“Maybe one of the other apartments in the building are haunted. I should put up fliers…”
“That isn’t something they’d want to advertise though, right? Wouldn’t it detract renters?”
“Precisely! But with a cash reward…”
Daisy pondered as she placed a couple tea bags in the mugs. “Maybe. But I think it would be best to just wait and see. If there is a ghost, I can’t imagine they’re very comfortable with new flatmates.”
“Perhaps.” Esther sat down at the kitchen table while Daisy finished working on their tea. “But we’re only in this flat for a couple weeks. That isn’t a lot of time.”
Daisy hummed as she poured in the water and brought the mugs to the table, sitting down across from her friend. “Here, you need this. Your eyes are starting to turn green from all of the Mountain Dew.”
“I didn’t have that much! Just three. Or four. Maybe five? Actually, that was a six pack, wasn’t it…”
“There were six,” said a whispery voice, floating through the room. “You left the bottles on the floor.”
“Susan?” Daisy asked, looking around. But there wasn’t anyone there.
“That didn’t sound like Susan,” Esther said, glancing around. “Did the landlord hide a secret microphone and camera in the room? I didn’t see one when I set up my cameras.”
“Sorry, I peeked in your room,” the voice said again, less whispery now. “I was curious about the new tenants.”
Daisy and Esther stared at each other, mouths agape. Before they could speak, a voice rang out again.
“Do you have another cup of tea?”
With that, a greenish figure materialized in the room. Daisy and Esther jumped to their feet and yelped as the figure came into a focus: a young woman, with big glasses and long hair, wearing a short-sleeved blouse and a long skirt. She stared at the girls, blinking at them for a moment, and floated over to the table.
“A gggggggggggggggg-gggggggg-ggggggh-” Daisy started, her teeth chattering.
“A ghost! You’re real!” Esther interjected excitedly, her wits suddenly about her. “Oh my god, where’s my camera?” She jumbled with her belt, trying to find her camera, her hands shaking.
“Oh, please, no photos,” the ghost said, her hands raised in alarm. “I’m a very private person. And ghosts don’t usually appear on film anyway.”
Daisy turned to Esther, trying to calm down. “You heard her, Esther. No consent, no photos. Um, Ms… I’m sorry, what should we call you?”
“Oh!” The ghost smiled a little and gave a small curtsy. “I’m Ruth. A pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m Daisy, and this is Esther.” Daisy looked over at her friend, who was watching Ruth with great interest. “Um, you’re not…”
“What you expected?” Ruth smiled at the girls. “I get that a lot. There are quite a lot of stereotypes in what a ghost is supposed to look like. The whole scary monster-esque thing really needs to go the way of the dinosaurs.”
“Hold on,” Esther interjected, stepping forward. “So you, Ruth are a ghost, correct?”
“Yes, that’s the usual term. ‘Paranormal phenomenon’ is the more politically correct terminology, but I think ghost is easier to say.”
“So you’re bound to this world because of a gruesome death? A deadly murder? Poisoning perhaps? A stabbing??”
“Um, I…”
“Esther!” Daisy stood in front of Ruth, glaring at her friend. “You can’t just go and ask someone who they’ve died! That’s so rude. You’ve only just met.”
“But Daisy, this is such a rare opportunity! When am I ever going to have a chance to speak with a ghost like this?”
“I, uh, didn’t die from a gruesome death,” Ruth said quietly, looking at the girls. “Just pneumonia. Pretty bad strain that year. I was working on my finals for Sheffield when it happened. Never did finish my degree.”
“You went to Sheffield?” Daisy asked. “Us too! What were you majoring in?”
“Archaeology. It was so difficult, but the subject matter was fascinating.”
“Oh my goodness! That’s my major!” Daisy poured another mug of tea and brought it over to the table. “If you don’t mind me asking, I’d love to hear more about what life was like at Sheffield for you back in. And I’d be happy to fill you in on what’s changed.”
“Yes please!” Ruth smiled as she floated down to “sit” in another chair. “I hardly ever get to talk to anyone. All my bits of news are usually from what I spy from the rafters while I’m floating around.”
“Um,” Esther started, but Daisy and Ruth were already excitedly talking about school. She looked between the pair, aghast. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be! She was supposed to find the ghost! Catch a bit of it on film! Sell the recording to that big Ghost Hunters show, perhaps score a cameo, and make enough to sustain her through the rest of her time at uni! Instead, here was her cash prize sitting in the kitchen with Daisy, talking about school.
Maybe she could try to record some of this anyway. But if Daisy found out she’d be upset. And the ghost hunting community would never believe that this discussion about archaeological practices was a discussion between a ghost and a human.
Esther sighed as she left the kitchen, Daisy and Ruth too engrossed in their conversation to notice her absence. As she walked to her room, Susan opened the door and popped her head out.
“Does Daisy have a guest over? I thought I heard voices?”
“No, she’s just talking to the ghost in the apartment,” Esther replied with a sigh. “We move into a haunted apartment, and the ghost only wants to talk about school!”
“Uh… Okay then…” Susan shook her head. “I’m gonna go smoke. Do you want to come? You might need some air. Your eyes are kind of green.”
Esther sighed and nodded, placing her ghost hunting gear on the table in the hallway. “Next time we need to move while they do work on our house, I’m picking the temporary flat. One with a murder history. Then we’ll get a ghost that I can work with.”
“Sure Esther. Whatever you say.”
By the end of their stay, Ruth and Daisy had become fast friends, and Daisy promised to visit occasionally. Susan consoled a lamenting Esther, and suggested a few alternative career paths to her short-lived ghost career. And Esther attempted to resell her ghost-hunting gear locally to minimal success.