Muffin, must you use your claws when you wrap yourself around my leg like that?  Meow!!  No, we didn’t just see a ghost.  She’s a real woman.  Meow?  No, I can’t walk through walls, and she didn’t either.  There must be a door over there, let’s go look!  Um, I could walk better if you let go of my leg.  Meow.  What do you mean, this is fast enough?  Hmm, can’t seem to find any evidence of a door here anywhere.  Meow.  That’s because ghosts don’t need doors?  She’s not a ghost Muffin, how many times do I need to say that?  Meow?  Well, I don’t know what happened to her, there just has to be a door here.  Why not let go of my leg and sniff around a bit?

Meow!  I knew you would find something, there is a door here, this part of the wall doesn’t make it all the way to the floor.  Now, we just need to figure out how to open it, maybe it can only be opened from the other side.  Meow.  No, we’re not going to die locked in here.  And stop sighing so much.  Hey, look here, some kind of a lever.  That did it, the door is opening!  Let’s go Muffin.  Meow?  Oh, right, I better bring the candle along. 

We enter a short passageway, then there was a loud creaking sound and a sudden crash of thunder, followed by an ear piercing scream!  Muffin.  You’re claws are in my back again.  Will you please let go?  Muffin climbs onto my shoulder.  Meow.  I wouldn’t scream so much if you would stop using your claws.  It’s dark in here and I dropped the candle when you jumped onto my back.  Meow.  Oh, the door closed too?  That’s not so good, now we’re stuck in a small passageway, in the dark, and…meow?  No, we are not going to die in here, it’s just a minor setback.

There’s obviously another door here someplace.  This is so strange.  Why would that woman want us to check the fireplace?  The only thing that happened was getting trapped in this underground…meow?  No, it’s not a grave!  That crazy woman got out of here somehow, but how?  Meow!  No, it’s not because she’s a ghost!  How many times do I have to tell you that?  Meow, meow?  No, of course not, people can’t walk through walls, we have been through that already.  Meow.  No, that doesn’t mean she’s a ghost.  And stop sighing so loudly!  Now, help me find that candle I dropped.

Meow!  Good Muffin, I knew you could find it!  Good thing I brought matches along tonight, but I have used most of them already.  Sigh.  Meow.  People are allowed to sigh.  At least now we can see again.  Meow.  Yes, I know you could see, except you kept your eyes closed.  Look, there’s a door handle.  The door made a weird creaking sound as I opened it.  Hmm, didn’t make that sound when that woman used it.  But she can’t be a ghost.  Hey, it’s the basement…I thought so.  There’s the coffin, now’s our chance to look inside.  Meow?  If you don’t want to stay here then go upstairs and talk with the ghost.

How do you manage to hold onto my leg without using your claws?  Never mind, I’m glad you’re not using your claws this time.  Meow.  Being terrified does it?  She decides to move onto my shoulder instead.  Okay, close your eyes, because here we go lifting the lid.  I move the candle closer, a sudden flash of lightning lit up the basement momentarily, followed by such an amazing rumbling thunder that shook the whole house again!  I couldn’t believe what I just saw! Muffin!  Meow!!

To be continued.

Steve and Muffin.

© 2020 Steve McLeod.