The daily life of a ghost in Oletus manor

Chapter 5

Joseph let Emily go.

It would have been so easy to catch her. A fast, merciless hit with the saber, was all it would have taken to take her down. Claude was there, watching as his brother was getting closer and closer to the running girl, with flashing, burning crimson eyes, a weapon ready to smite at any second now.

And yet, he didn't do it.

He was purposely slowing himself down, letting Emily gain more distance between them, as she was getting closer to the hatch, near the big boat that was laying on the edge of the lakeside. Finally reaching her escape route, she took a peek at the slowly approaching Frenchman, her face morphing into an understanding, thankful expression. She nodded at him, gratefully, clearly reading the situation right, knowing very well that the man could have gotten her too if he tried. She bowed slightly, before jumping into the hatch, disappearing from sight.

Joseph took a deep breath, letting out a soft, tired sight.

"I guess it's my win. Again." chuckling bitterly, he closed his eyes and looked up at the sky, as a soft, gentle breeze caressed his too pale, lifeless cheeks, lifting his white locks slightly up.

'He is looking so... broken.'

"I wonder what you'd think if you could see me like this, brother." he wasn't crying. There were no more tears for him to shed. His lips were turned slightly upwards, forming a soft, sorrowful smile.

Oh, how Claude loathed seeing such expression on his brother's beautiful face.

"Would you grow to hate me? Knowing what I have become?" he was chuckling again. "Would you look at me disappointedly? Would you hit me? Judge me?" this time, he was laughing, with no happiness in his voice.

'No! I could never ever hate you! I wouldn't, I couldn't do that to you! '

"I miss you, brother." and that was the last thing Claude heard before the blackness took them both away again.

Being back in the manor was a strange experience. Knowing a little more about the residents living there, about the things they did, the prey they were hunting, Claude couldn't help feeling a little wary around them. Knowing that the rats and the rabbits were not animals, but living human beings made it much harder to be around them, than it was before.

It didn't help that the octopus-man, whose name was Hastur, as he found out a few days ago, kept bumping into him wherever he went, their many eyes following his small, frail form, sending the feeling of goosebumps running all over his skin.

So scary...

He wondered whether they were a male or a female. Maybe neither or both? Did they even have a gender? It was hard to tell.

One thing was sure though. Hastur knew he was there, saw him, maybe even heard him. Yet, they didn't seem to tell the others. It made him even more cautious when he was around the other, not knowing what they were thinking, or what their intention was with him.

So, fearing to be confronted by the scary person, Claude started to avoid them like plague. Of course, he still saw them whenever he was following someone around, but he never went close to them when the other was alone.

He also avoided their room, keeping his distance from it.

He might be a coward, but at least he is alive. Or something like that.

Because what if Hastur's title, "The Feaster" came from their habit of eating souls?

And thank you very much, but Claude would prefer not to be feasted upon. He wondered how would that even happen? Does Hastur even have a mouth? Or would he be simply swallowed by the abyss, that seemed to be holding the many eyes of the creature? Would he feel any pain?