Haunted Love

Chapter Four

My mouth was agape as I stared at the picture, rubbing the dust off to see more clearly. It was of an newlywed couple, and the woman looked exactly like me? The groom was handsome with dark brown hair, and looked to be light blue eyes, you couldn't tell much by a black and white photograph.
Something about him seemed familiar? Was this the ghost that I had seen earlier? I didn't notice anything about him, only that he had on 1800's clothing. Then again, how could I? He was moving so fast.
I studied the picture for a moment, before grabbing the back of the frame and sliding it off.

Was this man trying to tell me something? I looked at the back and it read "David, Clara Otto 1841." I flipped the image back over to look when I noticed the ring on Clara's finger. My heart stopped, and my legs felt weak.
"It's the same ring that was on my bedroom floor, the same ring on my finger now." I whispered to myself.

Nope. I suddenly came to realize that maybe this ghost was upset with me because I had the ring, maybe that's why it was tormenting me! He wanted it back! I quickly grabbed the ring, and lowered it into the drawer. I liked the ring a lot, but I would rather want to be able to sleep at night.

I looked at it again for a long moment, before I put the picture back in its frame.

Looking around, I didn't see anything but I still had a feeling someone was there, someone was watching.
I swallowed hard, and placed the photograph back into the drawer and closed it.
"I'm sorry that I had your ring, you may have it back." I said, although I'm pretty sure I was talking to myself, or was I?

Once I headed down stairs I spotted Samantha in the kitchen getting a glass of orange juice.
"Where did you go?" She looked up at me while trying to focus on pouring.

"I went upstairs for a bit, just thinking of what I can do up there." I lied. I couldn't tell her anything I was experiencing, she would think I was insane, mental, a freak. She was already starting to pick on Daniel about what he heard.
"I was thinking Kendra, we should have a party here and invite the crew. It's definitely big enough!"

Was she serious? I'm not having any parties here. I literally just moved in. I didn't need people trashing the place.

I shook my head no.
Plus, the crew we used to hang out with wasn't a very good bunch of people. I would rather not get tangled up with them.

"Oh please. It would be fun, a time to remember." She giggled as she drank some more orange juice.
Of course since she's popular, she thinks everybody needs to give in to what she wants. Not happening.
"I don't want to have any parties here at the moment." I stated as I turned on my heels and headed to the living room. That girl really gets under my skin sometimes. I could tell that she was upset that I didn't say yes, oh well.

                                 ***

I sat by the lake, in a wooden chair on my grandfathers dock he had made. the sun was setting. The wind blew tossing my hair around as I watched the water move down stream. It was peaceful and I took it all in.

"I thought I would find you out here sunshine." My grandfather walked over and took a seat by me. "It's very relaxing at this time of day huh?"

I smiled looking up at him with my eight year old eyes, nodding my head and swinging my feet back and forth.

He was chunky, with salt and pepper hair. His eyes were gentle and soft. He had something about him that would make you feel better, make you laugh, cheer you up without even trying.

"I like to come out here and read, it takes my mind off of life's problems temporarily." He paused. "You don't have any of those do you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No grandpa." I giggled. He always loved to tease me.

"Well then I wish I could be more like you." He smiled and leaned forward in his chair.
"Would you like some ice cream before your parents get here?"

My mouth formed a giant smile and I leaped out of the chair. "Yeah!" I yelled, just as I looked back to the house. I saw a man looking out of the window at us on the top floor. I just stood and stared at him.

Who was he? Why was he in my grandfathers house?

Grandpa noticed and smiled down at me and grabbed my hand.
"That's David, he's a friend."

Suddenly my eyes slowly opened.
What was that? I rubbed my head yawning and looked around the room. It was dark, I was laying in my bed with Samantha on the other side sound asleep. I remembered that? That was a memory? If that was a memory, that means that my grandfather knew David. The man in the window, he looked exactly like the man in the picture.

What is happening to me? I sat up and gripped my blanket. What does all of this mean?
My mind raced to that picture upstairs. Why do I look so much like that woman? Maybe she's a relative? Maybe I'm related to David and Clara?
Maybe it was just all a dream. I slowly peeled back the covers, trying so hard not to wake Sam up. I stepped down one at a time and pulled myself up into a standing position. I mentally gave myself a pat on the back as I noticed that it worked. She didn't wake up. Smiling I walked slowly to the bathroom. If I wake her up she's going to be so grouchy and I will hear about it in the morning.

I stepped down and my foot landed on something hard and small.
"Ouch!" I whispered as I brought my foot up, trying not to be loud. I slowly bent down, rubbing my poor foot when my breath got caught in my throat, my heart dropped to the floor. There it was. Clara's ring.