Chapter Text
Something weird happened to me today.
I was off to print out documents that Maddie had been working weeks for when I noticed it. A portrait from what I think would be from the Victorian period. I don't think I've ever seen that in Maddie's dorm despite being a common visitor. When I asked about it, she looked at me funny and told me that it's been there for a while. But when I try to recall all the times that I've ever been in her dorm, the spot in which the portrait was nailed upon was empty. I could bid you my whole insurance that the portrait was never there until recently. Wait, maybe not. My mom and dad would kill me if that happens. But then, if that happens, it's my family's loss since they can't pay for my casket. Where was I?
Right. I asked Denver about it too since he also frequents Maddie. We always hang out on each other's dorms but it's usually in Maddie's since Denver never gets his stuff clean and I don't want to be hiding my stockpile of posters and printed fanfictions. He told me that it's been there since we started lodging in the dorms.
It can't be just me... right?
"You're sure it wasn't just this week when that picture appeared?"
"Honestly, I thought you'd remember it more since... you know... you're her cousin...? You should probably have already seen it in her house before...?"
"...I haven't been to Maddie's when I was a kid. I'm pretty sure her parents never let any guests in."
"Oh... your problem then..."
Well, that just makes it even more mind-boggling. I don't want to talk any further about Maddie's childhood home or all that; it's a whole new can of worms to say the least. Speaking of family history, I do remember a story she used to tell me when we were around twelve.
Here it goes.
Back when Maddie used to live in the house, she'd often have trouble sleeping. And so she doesn't sleep until it's around midnight. She'd go through the halls, downstairs, to the kitchen, where she'd sneak in snacks and candy.
Mind you, she lives in an ancestral manor. It's not crazy rich big, but big enough that it stands out a bit from other houses. They're rich enough to have a personal garden, but not enough to house a swimming pool. It's been stagnant for a while now since the family can't decide as to what to do with that place. No one's been picking up the offer to take over that land yet. Her mother hasn't contacted the family for years.
Anyways, she was picking a few fruits in the garden at night to eat when she turns to her right, and right in that split second of turning, she caught a glimpse of a person by the door that leads back inside the manor. She turns around again and sees that silhouette, but couldn't make out any detail. She thought it was terrifying and she ran away as fast as she could, this time through the gates leading outside, to enter the manor through the main entrance gate, back to her room to sleep it off.
These weird things kept happening to her for days. In one instance, there were knockings on the kitchen window which scared her to the point where she used her blanket to close off the windows and didn't care about shivering in the cold.
The manor certainly had a notoriety for ghost stories. I've overheard two kids talk about seeing weird things in a manor that matches the description of the old Harbinger House. My dad jokes about it sometimes.
I haven't had the chance to ask her about the home nowadays out of respect, but hopefully I get a chance to ask her.
Back to that damn portrait!
I don't know, man. Something about it gives off the same energy I feel just thinking about the manor. I don't even know who the woman in the portrait is! She looks young and pretty, too! She has wavy hair that reaches beyond her back, and a long white lacey gown— really similar to Maddie's replica projects of antique dresses.
I might know a way to investigate this without Maddie. If she won't tell me, I'll find it out myself.