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"And here's what good ol' Peter said to the mic!"
In the night where things lie and go wild, the freezing cold makes things worse than they are. The photographer's apartment was only lit by the remaining natural light of the view outside. The pair agreed to keep the lights off to keep the "haunting vibe" of the limited rerun of the show. Kate and Liz comfortably lie on the couch in Kate's apartment.
"Dude, I think there was something pulling me. Probably the drunk they were talkin' about. I think it was trying to take my pants off."
Well, at least Kate is. Liz is only looking back and forth at the television and the apartment owner to hope she doesn't get kicked out. Kate is snuggled deeply into the blanket, absentmindedly eating the candy bar she bought from the gas station earlier. Drinking a glass of wine while struggling to keep her eyes open.
Oh, how Liz misses the soft cushion of the couch. Or the tartness of red wine that steeps on her lips. How she misses feeling everything with the weight of her hands.
"Did you watch this often?"
Liz asks, looking at the sleazy editing of some ghost hunting show that probably aired originally back when they were kids.
"These spirits apparently continue to haunt that residence. Certain security guards described that place as having "deranged" energy that made them uncomfortable or even dazed, especially at midnight."
It was the show's winter solstice episode and the host goes strong despite what seemed to be a blizzard in the background. Snowflakes continue piling onto the camera lens with it's cameraman hastily wiping every few seconds. The host's voice was airy, loud, and frankly, very annoying. But somehow, it only roped Liz in further.
"When I was a kid and went to my neighbor's house to play, his father watched this all the time. Lying half awake, bottle of beer in hand. When he was gone, my friend and I would watch it religiously."
Kate takes a bite of her bar and pretends to be delighted by the taste of it. Liz could only imagine how much she wanted to throw up right there.
"That year, three people lost their lives. To this day, their causes are only based on speculations and theories. What is confirmed is that they all died on the fifth at relatively the same ti- Dude, stop!"
Kate tries to fight her nauseated urges by forcing out a smile, struggling to keep her eyes open.
"I mean… it was confusing, but we couldn't stop."
"Did he catch you two watching it?"
She nods, drowning herself with water.
"He did. He didn't mind it, though. Sometimes, he'd watch with us and promise not to tell our moms."
Kate lets out a small smile. It only slipped, but she didn't mind showing it off.
"He even tried to make it funny for us just so we don't cry ourselves to sleep," She laughs.
After, they just sat in silence. Liz and Kate kept looking at each other, not fully paying attention to the screen. Liz fidgets with her fingers, pursing her lips.
"I'll be honest, that damn house…"
One of the people on TV, a redhead, continues to babble on about the backstory of the horrible mess from the house. From it's grandiose interior, to the sudden personality changes its former residents faced. With their horrible stunts, inaudible speech, and alleged piercing black eyes.
"Scaring the hell outta us."
Kate makes a disgusted expression. Liz didn't know if it was from the show or the candy — Kate winces at the sudden goosebumps that appear on her arms.
"Ohhh… are you scared? I thought…" Liz jokes with slight sarcasm, playing on Kate's obvious disinterest on what's on.
"What? No, I'm not!"
"They all bought that "gas leak" thing so quick. But some of the tenants knew there was something else. There's… like, I don't know, these hooded people trying to carry this body. Don't know what happened. Probably buried them in the woods."
Kate shuffles to sit properly again, her fingers hovering close to Liz. As she wishes to go closer, her hands obviously go through Liz — a subtle, swift "tsk" comes out of her.
"Like I'd know! I hate that place. Thank God I never came back."
"I'm a skeptic with these things and you know that!"
---
About an hour later...
"Ted… I think it's time we get fish and chips. All this hunting's made me hungry."
"Me too…" Kate mumbles, her head resting on the sofa's edge, positioned like she's ready to fall asleep when her body finally commands her to — Liz sits with a straight position, burying her own face in her palms, having mixed feelings about the episode ending so soon.
Then, something pops up in her mind — as she looks at the blonde who's so drowsy. Maybe the wine added to her grogginess, and the absence of pleasant flavors from the candy. What if Liz tried to "surprise" her? Kate seemed so locked into what they were watching. She could do one more fun thing before the day's over.
"Now go to sleep…"
Thankfully, Peter and Ted thought the same thing and look like they're hiding to give their viewers one last jump scare to end the special. And that's when the hosts and Liz strike.
"Boo!"
"BOO!" Liz shouts with her hands out and eyes wide open. That seems to work for Kate as she jolts awake. A short breeze courses through her body that charges her like electricity. She reaches for the arm of the couch and holds the other to rest it on her heart.
"LIZ!!!"
Kate immediately covers her mouth, leaning backwards to check on Austin, her dog. So far, he's only absentmindedly lying down on the floor. Playing with something both the photographer and ghost can't distinguish, not in the light at least.
"Shit… that's gonna give me nightmares!"
She tries her hardest to give a terrible look for Liz, but the ghost only finds them quite cute and laughs anyway. Kate tries to keep up with her unpleasant emotion, but eventually laughs it off.
"Oh, god… you're lucky I like you."
Pause.
At this point, the TV only plays shitty commercials that neither person would even care about. So, all they can do is sit in silence that shuffles through the air.
"Well, not like that. But…"
"But?"
"But it's nice to feel like this again. I don't know, like there's no one hovering over you all the time. To not be someone's fairy godmother and more of- well, a normal person," Kate sighs, finally sitting back in her usual comfortable position. Lying down and covering herself with her fluffy, cold blanket.
As Liz was about to shift to face Kate and talk some more, Austin suddenly caught their attention with how he goofs around. With a suspicious jingling sound that Kate knows too well.
Like the golden retriever he is, he stands on all fours, wagging his tail like crazy, a happy smile on his face. Unfortunately, like the golden retriever he is, he spat out her car keys. That he's chewed. Again.
She doesn't even know if it's the spare or the spare spare one, but that's for future Kate, and maybe Liz, to worry about.
At the end of the day, Liz is still glad to stay at her apartment. Getting to know a bit more about her and sharing a brief moment that'll definitely stay with her.
"Thanks for not kicking me out yet," Liz mutters, smiling through the pain that she can't feel. Her hand wants to run through Kate's hair, but it only goes through. No fine strands of hair, no soft hands trying to comfort her. Nothing. Just the pain of what could be, or what she wants it to be.
Kate chuckles, allowing herself to relax further as the melatonin starts kicking in.
"What would I do without you, Liz?"