The Richmond Haunting (COMPLETED)

Chapter 15 (New Chapter)

The bad night wasn't over. Not by a long shot, for somewhere around the three-bedroom house, the old man's presence made everyone feel nervous. They all expected something to happen. The question was when? That was the thing about living in a haunted house. You never knew when something could happen. Walking on eggshells was the norm.

Yet for now, it was everyone in the front room; the hour, coming up to eleven Pm and despite it being a school night. Work the next day. Nobody was really caring about sleep. They had to see what the old man had done to Katrina.

The kid was sitting next to her mum; the sobbing had calmed down, but that didn't mean she was fully okay.

'Is it still hurting you?' Fiona asked.

'A bit.' She replied, her voice just a whimper, nothing more than that.

'Why don't you show us?'

'Do I have to?' Katrina asked, looking at her dad where the request had come from.

'Not if you don't want to, but it might help.'

'How?' Katrina asked.

She had a point. She couldn't see how showing everyone her stomach would stop the cramps she felt inside.

'I don't know, but it could.'

Katrina, next to her mum, curled up on the sofa, swung her legs down and showed everyone her stomach. But only for a mere second.

Yet, long enough for Steven to catch something that resembled a birthmark. A severe bruise on the kid's stomach. He had to look again.

'But I —'

Katrina felt embarrassed. She didn't want anyone to see her stomach. Not really. That was for her eyes only.

'I feel silly, everyone looking at me.'

'Right, nobody looks at Katrina as she shows off her stomach.'

Katrina made a serious face, her lips doing most of the work; they became curled at the bottom. 'You're not funny, dad.'

The teasing from Steven was his way of lightening up the mood.

'Can't blame a tryer, but your stomach, we need to see it. And not for a second, okay?'

Katrina looked at her mum. 'Do I have to?' There was fret in her voice.

'It will help.'

'Okay, but not for long.'

Katrina lifted her top up, stopping at her belly. There, visible was a massive bruise. It began on her stomach and went around to her ribcage, black and purple.

'Jesus, look at the size of that.' Harmony spurted out.

Steven sat on the armchair, facing Katrina, came over to where she was.

'Do you mind if I touch it?'

'Will it hurt?'

'Not too much, I hope.'

But it did. Katrina gasped, and Steven apologised.

He then moved his fingers down.

'Does it hurt there?'

'No.'

'What about there?' Steven asked, moving his fingers up.

Katrina gasped again. 'Yeah.'

'Okay.' Steven said. 'That's enough; you can stop showing your belly now.'

Katrina did. 'Is everything okay?'