Dancing with the Dead ✔

Chapter Eight - Hansel and Gretel Goes to the Haunted House

"Well..." I turn my gaze towards the two kids with a soft smile on my lips. "It's beginning to get late, so why aren't you going home yet?"

"We can't go home, Miss," the little boy answers. His smile slowly begins to fade as he lowers his head. The little girl mirrors his action, trying to avoid making any eye contact with me. The boy's right foot keeps tapping the ground anxiously while the girl keeps her hands crossed behind her back—the exact same actions ten-year-old me made when breaking my parents' $1,000 vase.

"Why not?" I ask curiously.

I can tell they hesitate to answer me, so I say, "It's okay, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone." I drag a finger to my mouth, gesturing that I'll keep the secret for them.

The two don't answer right away. Instead, they exchange looks. Their expressions turn intense, it's as if they're communicating with each other merely by their gazes. After a while, Jude gives a firm nod of approval to June.

"We're scared," June says, her voice slightly trembles, her eyes reflect the terror she's feeling. She looks like someone who has just seen a ghost.

Oh, the irony.

"The Boogeyman came to our house," Jude adds.

"The Boogeyman?" I narrow my eyes out of disbelief.

Interesting. Although I've heard about it many times before, I never have the honor to meet him in person. I even begin to doubt the presence of the supposed child eater. But now, if two ghosts are afraid of them, it must be true, isn't it? At last, something exciting.

"The Boogeyman made that lady screamed so loud," Jude answers.

"What lady?" I shot them a puzzled look.

"They came to our house together a few nights before. But she was kicking and crying," June says.

I can't hide my disappointment as I hear more of their story. At this point, a secret rendezvous makes more sense than a real boogeyman story.

"And then that loud bang!" Jude adds. "I can still hear that loud bang in my ears every time!" She drags both hands to cover her ears.

Loud bang? What the hell really happened in that house? Could John be the Boogeyman they're talking about? But if he was, what was he doing there? Secret affair with somebody's wife, perhaps?

I throw a puzzled and rather horrified look towards the ghost standing behind me.

"Don't look at me!" John defends himself.

It does make sense if the husband of the woman he was having an affair with got angry and decided to kill him. Hmm. That's a pretty good theory, isn't it?

Little by little, a winning smirk creeps onto my face.

"He's not the Boogeyman, Miss," June says with that innocent tone of hers. "He's much taller than the Boogeyman," Jude adds.

"Although your face is very familiar, Mister," June continues while Jude gives a few nods.

The way they talk in turns is beginning to creep me out. In the meantime, my excitement turns into a pout as soon as my brilliant theory is proven wrong. At this point, I don't see how John fits into the picture. There's something missing here and I can feel it in my bones. There must be a thin red line somewhere that connects the dots.

Focus on the real question, Alexis.

What real question?

I glance at John who is jolting the second the kids throw their gazes towards him. "Whoa, hang on a second! How can you two see me?" His look turns horrified—if not rather quizzical.