Apartment 3B

CHAPTER 4

I know, I know
You belong to somebody new
But tonight you belong to me.
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Laughing himself hoarse, Joe almost choked on his popcorn. He continued to bellow out chuckles as he kept his eyes glued to the television. Elizabeth rolled her eyes visibly at him before going back to her book. She was reading: The Signal-Man by Charles Dickens. It was creeping the hell out of her.

"Oi, Elizabeth! 'ook at 'dis!" Joe mumbled through the popcorn that caused his mouth to bulge. He gestured to the television, where a smiling man was mocking a chicken. "'Dis man is a lunatic!"

With an annoyed groan, Elizabeth pushed herself off the chair and walked over to the television. Slamming her finger down on the ON/OFF button, the screen went pitch black. Ignoring Joe's complaints, she threw her book on the table and made her way to her room. 

She felt chills slide down her back as she entered the smaller bedroom of Apartment 3B. The small room had the basic furniture: a bed, a closet, a lamp and curtains. Elizabeth had also stuck some posters on the walls, colourful pictures of her and Joe and music artists. Goosebumps ran up her arms and Elizabeth shivered. She realised the window was open and a raging wind was breaking in. Striding over to the window, she slammed it shut and locked it before dragging the curtains to hide her from the outside world. With only the light from the living room peeking in, she could barely make out the outlines of the objects. Her heart fell to the floor as she saw a shadow lurking in the corner.

Almost as blind as a bat, Elizabeth crawled over to the lamp and, stifling a gurgling scream, tugged the rope. Her relief overwhelmed her as there was nothing in the room that wasn't welcomed. Throwing off her clothes clumsily, she dragged on her pyjamas before throwing herself down on her soft bed. She lay on her back, staring into space and attempting to fight off the memory that had been stored away in the back of her mind. Occasionally, it would creep back to torment her, but at the moment she'd kept it at bay. Her mind drifted elsewhere and the light of the lamp that emitted in her room seemed to fade.

It was so bright. It burned at her eyes and she edged away from it, whimpering. She felt like her skin was going to melt and she screamed for it to stop. Then the darkness ate her up.

Elizabeth was standing in her bedroom. Her mind was intoxicated with clouds that refused to float away. All she could hear was the steady rhythm of her heart beat and the calming breaths that left her. She gazed around the room, her eyes falling on someone that stood near the window. As she stepped closer, the moon light fell on the person's face and illuminated an attractive woman. Tears fell down her rather wrinkled face and her make up was messed up. Her golden hair shared a similarity to a birds' nest.

"Hello, ma'am?" Elizabeth's voice sounded strangely calm and collected. She felt a glimmer of surprise that was gone in the next second. "May I help you?"

The woman dragged a hand with perfect manicured nails across her face. It only made her make up worse. "D-don't let him get you," she whispered, her voice trembling in fear. "He'll hurt you like he did to me."

Elizabeth felt confusement rise up inside her. "Who are you talking about?"

Opening her mouth once again, the woman continued on. "He moved here after he killed his father and me. He slept in this room, and all occupants die if they live here. You should know that." Her dark eyes narrowed as she watched Elizabeth, who was still rooted to the spot. 

"Are you talking about T-Tate Walker?" After receiving the nod, Elizabeth let out a raspy laugh. "But he's dead. He can't come back. Ghosts aren't real-" She stopped dead, her eyes widening with both shock and terror. "You're a ghost."

A dry giggle erupted out of the woman. "You don't say." Rolling her eyes, she seemed to gain confidence and pulled down the ripped red dress that seemed a bit too big for her. "Just stay away from him, Elizabeth Addams." A serious look replaced the humerous one and she focused fully on Elizabeth. "Otherwise, he'll get you."

Elizabeth lunged at the woman, but her arms went right through her skinny frame. The woman started to laugh again, laughing and laughing until Elizabeth could take it no more. Pressing her hands to her ears, Elizabeth screamed like she'd never screamed before. It drowned out the woman's abnormal laughs and she stopped.

There was no noise. 

She snapped her eyes open and found herself lying in her bed, sweat running down her face. Jumping out as if the bed was lava, Elizabeth hurried over to the door. Something pricked her in the side, and she felt an automatic scowl on her features. It was a note. Grabbing it, she skimmed over it and her face went pale, before she ripped it to shreds and threw the pieces out the window. The shreds were sprinkled on the grass like balls on a cupcake. 

As a breeze rose, the pieces drifted in the air and were connected - somehow - together.

"Tonight you belong with me."