Haunted: A Lockwood & Co Story

Chapter Three: Conversations with a Type Three

The night cab pulled up outside 35 Portland Row. Charlotte paid the cabbie before getting out of the car and running up the steps. Her hands were shaking as she tried to fit the keys into the lock. She got the key in and unlocked the door, before opening it and locking it behind her. She took her coat off and threw it onto a hook before running to the basement. Charlotte flung open the door, not even bothering to turn the light on, and ran down the steps. Her shoes banging loudly on the steps. She then went over to George's desk where the skull jar currently sat. It had watched her come down the stairs and now its eyes followed her as she came to stand in front of it. The valve was closed and that was what Charlotte assumed allowed its voice to speak.

"Okay, Charlotte. Just do it. Just do it." She muttered to herself. She then quickly reached forward and released the latch. Air hissed as it was released from the sealed jar. She stepped back at the noise, breathing heavily, as she started to get more nervous.

"You spoke to me." Charlotte told the jar. She was hoping it wasn't true. That she hadn't heard it talking and it was jus her imagination making things up.

"You." Charlotte gasped and took a step back. "You. Come closer."

Charlotte took in a deep breath before stepping a little bit closer to the ghost jar. "Thank you."

"You can talk!" Charlotte said, breathlessly.

"You can hear me." The skull said. Charlotte then turned away and walked away from the skull.

"No, no, no, no, no. I must be losing it." Charlotte said, pacing back and forth. It had finally happened. She was going mad.

"No. Finding it. I've been so lonely." The skull told her.

"No, but... this is an actual conversation!" As the conversation started to dawn on her, she felt tears come to her eyes. "You're a Type Three!"

"Yes, so dangerous." The skull said.

"Yeah, I know that." She said, backing away.

"Not me. Them, if they find out." Charlotte paused.

"What? Who?" She asked.

"The boy has secrets. The door!" The ghost told her. Charlotte's eyes quickly flicked up stairs.

"What? Are you talking about Lockwood?" She asked, looking back at the ghost jar.

"I can explain. But not in this jar. Let me out." The skull said. Charlotte shook her head. She knew that was dangerous.

"No. I can't do that." Charlotte said, coming to stand in front of the jar, but still far from the desk.

"But I've so much to show you, teach you. Trust me." The skull tried to reason. Charlotte found herself walking towards the desk. She went to reach for the lid of the jar to unscrew it but stopped.

"No, wait. No, ju-" Just as she reached her hand up and touched the jar, the skull yelled out.

"Where have you been?!" It yelled. Charlotte screamed, yanking her hand back and jumping backwards.

"Working, at the cemetery." She told the skull. Her heart was racing from the scare.

"Which cemetery?"

"What?"

"Which cemetery were you working at? You've been near power." It said.

"How could you possibly know that?" She asked.

"Tell me where you've been. Tell me!" It yelled. Charlotte jumped in fright again. "Death is coming!"

"You're deranged!" She yelled back at it.