Gem

Chapter 8

"Mom!" Ashley ran to her mother and hugged her. 

"What's wrong sweet heart, did something happen?" Tracy hugged Ashley back as she looked at Sapphire waiting for an answer. 

"We went to the basement" Sapphire muttered. She couldn't stop tears from flowing down her face as she remembered what she saw down there. 

"I told the two of you not to go down there because it's not safe. Did one of you get hurt?" 

"Is it because you know the basement is haunted?" Ashley pulled away slightly but did not release her mother. 

"What?" She laughed. "No, it's because the basement had a lot of water damage and the wood is rotting. And, the stairs are not safe. There is nothing down there but an empty basement" 

"Then why were you banned from going down there as a child?" 

"Long over due repairs. Will one of you please tell me why you're so freaked out" 

"The lights went out" Sapphire began. "I went down there to find the breaker box. When I went down there the basement was red and there were pictures all over the wall of you and my Mom. Of the three of us. Pictures we hadn't even taken. I tried to bring the pictures up, but it wouldn't budge. Ashley tried to help me, but then the room kept getting colder and colder and we were freezing. So Ashley and I were about to come back up when we heard something crash, we turned around to see what it was and it was all gone, the light, the cold the pictures" 

"Wow" Was all Tracy could say. 

"It's true Mom. I experienced it to. And, that's not it. I saw doors opening on it's own. Lights turning on by them selves. This house is haunted and I don't want to live here. I'll go live with Dad if I have too. I don't want to leave you, but I'm...scared" Ashley admitted. 

"Okay" Tracy stated as she sighed and sat down on the couch arm rest. "I'm not sure what to say. I've stayed in this house almost my whole life and I didn't experience anything. We can stay at the inn for a few weeks. At least until the reimbursement check from the insurance agency comes through, and stay in an apartment until the two of you go off to college. Meanwhile, I'll work on fixing this place up" 

"Mom, I don't think you should stay here either. Not now, not when we go off to college, not ever. Sell this place" 

"I - I don't want to think about that right now. How about the two of you go upstairs and pack a bag. We'll come back later to get more stuff" 

"Okay" Ashley whispered. 

The two of them walked up the stairs before going to their rooms and gathering some items. 

Sapphire walked into her room, closed the door and slid down until she was sat on the floor. She sighed before glancing around the room. She choose that moment to break down. She didn't want to leave. She loved this house. This was her mother's room when she was kid. It was special to her. She pulled her knees close to her sobbed into her hands. 

She heard something move within the room and brought her hands down. A breeze, stronger than anything natural could be felt surrounding her and she froze. 

"look" She heard a whisper and glanced around but couldn't find the source . She wasn't surprised though, not with everything going on. She looked on the bed and spotted the box that was in the basement earlier sitting on her pillow.