You’re telling me you were playing dead?  In other words, you fainted.  Meow.  No, it’s not the same thing.  Why did you faint?  Meow, meow!  No, she wasn’t a ghost, she’s very much alive.  Meow?  Because she is, just trust me.  But you know what this means don’t you?  Meow?  No, we’re not going to die, stop saying that.  It means another relative is looking for that gold and she’s not telling anyone.  So she’s pretending to be a ghost to scare other people away.  Meow, meow.  What do you mean, “good idea, let’s leave”?  Someone burned our car, remember?  Meow. (which means, rats, I forgot).

While we’re up here we may as well check the bedrooms.  That woman must be up here somewhere.  We quickly checked each of the bedrooms but found no one.  That can only mean one thing Muffin.  Meow?  No, she’s not a ghost.  There must be a secret passageway in here somewhere and there’s a door in one of the bedrooms.  Hey, wait, that lady said “fireplace”.  There must be a clue in there somewhere, let’s go Muffin!  Meow?  Why am I always in a rush?  Hey, this could be important.  Meow.  What do you mean you’re not in a rush to die?  Stop saying that.

Down the stairs we went to the living room.  It was raining now with some thunder in the distance.  We stood in front of the fireplace.  It was a very large fireplace, big enough to walk right inside.  Doesn’t look like this fireplace has been used for years Muffin.  Meow? That hook?  That swings out to hang a pot on for cooking.  Meow, meow.  No, the ghost doesn’t want to turn us into a BBQ.  And she isn’t a ghost!  Meow?  No, people can’t just disappear, but…Meow!  No, that doesn’t mean she’s a ghost.  And she isn’t going to cook us.  You worry too much.

Meow.  What do you mean, someone has to worry?  Oh, never mind, this hook is stuck, probably hasn’t been moved in a very long time.  Ah, there it goes, nice and smoothly.  Suddenly a loud crash of thunder which shook the whole house, and a loud echoing screech terrifying enough to make our hair stand straight up!  I open my eyes, Muffin is slapping my face with her tail.  What happened Muffin?  Meow, meow!  Oh, we fell through the bottom of the fireplace?  Must have happened when I moved that hook.

What about that terrible screeching?  Meow.  Oh, that was us.  I wonder where I dropped my flashlight?  Meow.  Muffin points with her tail.  Rats, I dropped it upstairs.  Hey, what about your mini head flashlight?  Meow.  Oh, the battery died.  I meant to put a new battery in there before we left home, guess I forgot.  Hmm, it’s completely dark in here, I can’t see a thing.  What about you Muffin?  Meow.  Well, open your eyes and look around.  Meow?  Yes, you need to.  Sigh.  You sigh too much Muffin.  Meow.  You learned it from me?  What do you mean…oh, never mind, do you have your eyes open yet?  Meow.  Good, what do you see?

Meow, meow!  Hmm, a long passageway, that’s great.  We must be next to the basement so there should be a door here somewhere.  Let’s see if we can find it Muffin, I will really need your help here since I can’t see in this darkness.  Meow.  What do you mean, “people are so helpless?”  Sigh.  And stop sighing so much.  Meow!!  Suddenly a light appeared at the end of the passage.  There’s that woman again!  And she put a candle on a wall shelf, followed by a piercing scream!!

To be continued.

Steve and Muffin.

© 2020 Steve McLeod.