Meghan is in her comfortable sleep when someone was telling her to wake up.
She opens her eyes and adjusting to see the clarity of her ambiance around her as she sits up. Never expecting anything to happen. Never expecting to see some secrets behind the doors of the haven she's staying. Once more she had more secrets to discover herself as she makes small steps around the house and finding and protecting the truth thus far making herself getting in in some circumstances, for example when she was shot two times at her back near her shoulder.
Then when she was unconscious she can still see the outside world even when she was drowned in the darkness like lucid dreaming. Meghan hears and feels Wayne and that she knows he's taking care of her while she's bedridden for a couple of days and she felt that Wayne almost never left her side. She sometimes hears Wayne telling stories about when Percy came out or John was constantly failing from his experiments or Diane dancing jazz and she wasn't that kind of a dancer. She heard Wayne hummed and it makes Meghan sleep and drifts more to darkness.
When she sat up, her visions still blurred and she was still looking around the room and stretching and crackling her bones. When she almost get to see the door clearly she saw someone sitting at the corner but Meghan can't see the face of the man.
"Wayne? Is that you?" Meghan wasn't very sure who she's talking to. She feels something different. Something cold.
"No, darling. Have a glass of water so that you can totally see the world." A man said to her and somehow Meghan followed and get the glass of water that was on the bedside table and drinks it. When she turns back to see the old man clearly, she saw him holding a rock glass with rum, dressed in a formal white sleeve shirt hugging his chest with a black and gray neon color vest with black pants and his shoes are checkered. Meghan looks at the face of the man and she saw a bearded man with colors black to grey drapes around it, and she recognized who he was.
"Lewis?" Said Meghan between her gasp.
Lewis Hewlett Fitzgerald made a soft laugh and waved his glass, "Child, it's not polite to call your granddad by his name."
Meghan doesn't know what to say, and what to feel.
Is she supposed to be scared? Or delightful that she can talk to her granddad?
"How did you get in here?" Meghan stammered in awe, not in fright, but still outstanded.
Lewis stood up while saying, "Relax, my granddaughter. I'm dead. Cliché's description of me is being a ghost, so to speak," He walks around the room and looking at the portraits with so many abstracts of death and fruitful regrets hanged on the wall, "But I'm not harmful," Lewis raises his right shoulder though, "unless provoked, of course."
Meghan heard so many stories about the harmful ghost that needs something from someone that can see them. Of course, she can see Lewis as a ghost but she had never ever seen a frightening ghost. What about if she saw one?
And to her hunch, her granddad might need something from her.
To be hospitable, Meghan thought of something to calm her granddad's ghost, "Can I get you something? Food or drink, just to fill your appetite?"
Lewis laughs loudly the sound echoes around the room, and it sort of made Meghan's spine chill a little bit. "You funny child." Lewis thinks of something that he needs.
"Its lunchtime and look if Christine made some of her delicious carbonara sauce and rosemary chicken, will you? Oh, and get me some wine from the cellar underground, I missed grape wines made from out coast of United States. Burgundy that Lalou Bize-Leroy owned straight from France! Richebourg made by Henri Jayer!" Lewis said delightfully while Meghan was heading to the door.
"Oh, and darling," Lewis said as Meghan looks back to him, "Bring a glass for yourself too. Because we have a lot to talk about."
Meghan smiled and almost ran to escape.
-
It's her twenty-third birthday.
She doesn't want to buy something for herself or receive gifts from anyone.
But she wanted to make herself a birthday gift, by revealing herself from the truth she had known ever since she can remember.
Camille Watson was born in the year 1991 at Washington D.C. where her mother lived for almost of her life. Until her mother met the late Lewis Hewlett Fitzgerald in a charity event Camille's mother was organizing while Lewis was the speaker of that day. The short story was her mother and Lewis, also known as her father, bumped into each other and talked until they went into a hotel that Lewis was staying and had their night together.
Her mother woke up and Lewis wasn't there anymore until a few weeks later she learned that she got pregnant, but it was unexpected because her mother cannot bear a child anymore because of her age, but miraculously she did. As Camille's mother told her.
Camille's mother was only almost her age now when she got pregnant with Camille. Lucky for her she had graduated in college and luckily working in a good job, so that settled them for good. Even without her father's help, they could eat 3 times a day, can pay bills so that Camille could watch Powerpuff Girls and pretend that she's Blossom and that she can save the world.
Camille learned that she was a witch when some girl from her high school slapped her on the face, and it hurt her like hell. Camille never experienced being slapped by anyone, not even her mother. That time she fell on the ground, her nose first and hears a breaking bone.
She wasn't meticulous or taking care of her body so that she could join a pageant or be a model, but she isn't malnourished either. It's just that she takes care of her body and her look because it's the only thing that she can make herself proud of, and it upsets her when she gets pimples or getting bites from mosquitoes.
That time when she was slapped on the face and fell onto the ground and made her nose bleed, she thought that it would break her personality and her look, and when she touched her nose and there was blood, she got scared and heated.
I am mad as hell and I cannot take this anymore!
She made eye contact with the girl who slapped her and by seconds the girl was fuming liquids of blood from her nose, her ears, and her eyes and even from her skirt, like the girl's having public menstruation but waterfalls menstruation. Then the girl collapsed onto and shaking badly her tongue was out almost cutting it because she bites it so hard, and Camille heard the crowd panicking and screaming.
Her dad has that kind of power too. To manipulate blood inside a living creature. It's kind of a mind-controlling power, but you can also ask the blood to come out from the body and live on its own without the base. That is the most dangerous power, and Camille has it, so does Rob.
The difference is that she was born with it. While Rob learned it. So when she came around in New Orleans to find his father, Rob got frightened the second time. Felt threatened the first time. Insecure numerous times. He knows that his father loved his daughters than his only son.
Rob and Clementine sat together on the big sofa while across them is Camille seated on a comfortable sofa whose feet are on the coffee table and her hands are on her stomach twined together.
Clementine looks to Rob's eyes so that she can see that Rob was looking at Camille's white legs, but Rob isn't.
Christine got in the room with a tray a Margaritas and set it on the table. Clementine thanked her and dismissed her.
Camille was bored and tired. She was at a party last night because her friends surprised her, and she also had sex with a wild driven biker from a known mafia in New Orleans, so she was tired and didn't get enough sleep because she and the biker stayed up all night. He was so good she cannot say to stop, but at least she had a chance to escape, or else she would squirm and be sweaty all over again.
"Come on, are you just going to look at me like that or what?" Camille wailed and gets herself a glass of Margarita and sips a little bit. She thought that it was the only morning so it was too early for a drink but she doesn't care.
"You come in my doorstep and tell that you're the daughter of my father? Or you're just looking for money because I can give it to you. How much do you want?" Clementine said.
Camille disregarded Clementine's words to her. "Missy I am not here for the money or your glass of Margarita or any of your possessions, although I would take the Margarita because its hell a lot of a drink, I'm just here to talk to my father, whom I've not met since I was a crying baby," Camille said.
"Let me break it down to you though," Rob said, "Lewis is dead a year ago."
Camille stops at her tracks. Although it did not mind her, it was still a shock that stresses her out. When she's feeling it, she smokes a Red Marlboro, and she does let out a pack, picks a stick, puts it in her mouth, and lights the tip of the cigarette which makes Rob surprised.
'Fucking bitch has Pyrokinesis in her blood. That's 2 out of many abilities in the Acts of Principles.' Rob's mind went dark from the thought.
Camille bents her head, and breathes out a cloud of smoke from her nose, and said to the two, "My mom and Lewis," she then waves her hand around the air, "met at a charity event in Washington D.C. My mom was dumb and fell in love with Lewis."
Clementine remembered that time when her father was mourning for her mother's death and has to go to an event in Washington D.C. because her father was the speaker.
'So this is the reason why he left for D.C. after her mother's burial?' Clem thought.
Camille said, "I know that I'm right. You remembered that Lewis was mourning when he has to go to Washington D.C."
"And how do you know that?" Clementine said
"Animus Lector, she has the power of mind-reading, Clementine. Same as a father has." Rob said.
"But any witch could get that power, I mean one of our students has one," Clementine explained.
Ander walks in the room with a box on his hand, "Mr. York, there is a package for you."
"Just put it on the table there, and I'll get it later," Rob said.
"You want me to show my powers?" Camille said.
"What kind of power you have?" Clementine said.
Just before Ander got out of the room, Camille called him.
Clementine and Rob look at Camille and tries to examine what she could do.
Ander takes a look at the woman who called him as Camille stared are him straight in the eyes. Then Ander felt blood coming out from his nose. Then he starts shaking like he's having a seizure.
"That's enough," Clementine shouted, and Camille stopped controlling Ander's blood.
Ander stops shaking, and gets a napkin from his pocket and puts it on his nose.
"Go help yourself, Ander," Clementine said and Ander gets out of the room. She gets back to Camille. "You're trying hard to get your point. My dad has the same power as yours but that doesn't mean you're his daughter."
"You really wanted to know if I'm his real daughter. Call him, I want to talk to him." Camille said.
"I told you he died, you stupid cunt. Are you deaf or something?" Rob implied again.
Camille at first did not believe at what she heard. She was secretly hoping to see her dad finally after all these years. She wanted to yell at him and tell him that he was such a douchebag. But even a sliver, she wanted to hug him and have a father-daughter time with him. Guess it was too late for her. "Where's the grave?"
"There's only one cemetery here in New Orleans. Just go and find his name-"
"NO! I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE'S DEAD AND YOU'RE JUST HIDING THAT FUCKING ASSHOLE! WHERE THE FUCK IS MY FATHER!" Camille screamed the words on top of her lungs and continues to shout.
Clementine was not having it and goes to Camille, then slaps the fuck out of her.
"Shut the fuck up. You'll disturb the students!" Clementine said while containing herself to kill the bitch.
Camille sat and breathes heavily. She wasn't deaf. She wasn't hearing his thoughts inside the house. She knew that her father is dead. She takes a hit of her half cigarette and blows a thick cloud, and sat at the soft chair.
"I remember when I hang out of the park and see children with their dads. Their dads swinging them against the air, their dad chasing them, worried that they may fall when they ran too fast." Camille exhaled deeply. "It's just that, I never ever felt the comfort of my dad, at least once. He never ever saw me grow up. I never even saw his face even if it's just a picture." Camille didn't cry but her heart was. Her directions in life got different since her mother died, now she's alone.
Camille although lived with his fuck buddies, so she survived.
Clementine wasn't much of a stone. She can feel the hurt Camille's feeling. Clementine said, "Look at your back, at the big picture."
Camille looked at the fireplace and saw the portrait above it. She saw a man who sat straight and the portrait was drawn with oil pastels bought from France.
"Lewis Hewlett Fitzgerald, former Lord of Hewlett Academy."
Camille glared at the portrait of her father. He looks so beautiful in the portrait.
She finally saw her dad.
-
Meghan walked into the room with a cart of food and wine bottle Lewis needed.
When she got into the room she saw Lewis smoking cigar. "Oh! How I missed this goodie.
Lewis saw her, "Meghan! Finally, you have come with my wine. Did you get it correctly?"
"Yes, just what you asked," Meghan said.
She had already prepared a plate of food that Lewis wants and pour a glass of wine for him. She pours for herself too.
Lewis eats on the table beside him and does not hesitate to take a chicken using his hands.
"You know I remember when Christine always brings me breakfast in bed. She's a nice person so always take a look at her service. I also remember Clementine making potions for me when I'm sick. She's really a good daughter."
Rob continues. "Then Rob gets to be the Lord, which you may be entitled when you performed The Acts of Principles." Lewis takes a bite of the chicken and gets a spoonful of the carbonara sauce for him to sip it. "As I tell, don't forget to praise Christine's cooking. She just needs the inspiration to finish the works in this house so better not upset her."
Meghan saw her grandfather for the second time, but dead. She wasn't able to see the ghost when she was a child, so why now?
"I learned to Miss Clementine that you committed suicide a year ago. Why?"
Lewis looked at her and he stopped eating. He put down the plate on the cart and gets the glass of wine and slowly swirls it. "I don't know. I remember that I was dancing and was laughing and smiling at that time and I fell out."
"So you didn't commit suicide?" Meghan said.
"If that's how your mind says, so be it. But I remember that I drank something. I've tasted that sweet lemonade with a dash of menthol in my Jack Daniels. And something else. I dunno. I was having fun, sweetheart!" Lewis laughs joyfully, not bearing in mind that he's dead
Lewis glared at the wine glass he's swirling and takes a taste of it, and he drinks it all. "That's one hell out of wine."
"I don't understand, Lewis. What happened to you then if you did not kill yourself?" Meghan asks.
Lewis asks her a question, "Do you believe that there are secrets under the roofs of every house in this city?"
Meghan nodded hesitantly. "And sometimes it reeks of piss and shit."
"Not this house though. I made clear instructions to make this institute tidy. God, my soul may not rest in peace if the house reeks of literal piss and shit."
Meghan gets to think a lot of things. If Lewis did not kill herself, then he may have been murdered?
"I want you to find that secret, dearest. Open the chest, rummage through it and find the awful truth." Lewis said and finishes his wine.
"But what kind of secrets do you want me to seek?" Meghan asks her grandad.
"Not now dear, let's enjoy our drink till it lasts." Lewis pours himself another drink while Meghan just drinks it whole.
Meghan keeps thinking about how she can see the ghost, and Lewis has read her mind.
"You're wondering how did you get your powers, did you?"
"What?" Meghan said.
Lewis takes a sip of wine and said, "How you can see me. You know I haven't left his earth yet and moved on because something tells me that there are still unfinished businesses that I left. Anyway, I got around the academy and saw you in the botanical laboratory and I see that you were shot at that time. Clementine, John, Wayne, and Rob trying to save you until they did save you. When everything is cleared I looked at the bullet they left and it has some kind of miracle that could kill any creatures like us. I mean that bullet wasn't just for us-"
"What? What are you talking about the bullet isn't only meant for us-"
"And maybe a sliver of that whatever miracle they put on it left in your body, maybe activating your vision to see ghosts," Lewis said.
"So, do you mean that I have regained some more powers?"
Lewis shrugged, "Depends on the witch, to be honest. You know you can learn a power if you're really eager to learn that specific power, just like math.
"I suggest that you started studying about potion crafts and spell crafts. Because they're like a periodic table of elements that makes your head hurt all the time." Lewis said.
"Will that make me Lord?"
"The Acts of Principles is a test for a witch to see if he or she is the next Lord of the academy. Can we like to stop talking about this and just drink?
Meghan was silent for a while, and Lewis was still drinking.
"Now what I want you to do is to wake up," Lewis said.
"What are you talking about? I'm awake."
"I SAID WAKE UP!" Lewis shouts.
Meghan woke up and saw herself lying on the grassland and looks at her environment until she smelled something.
She saw Lewis's body rotting, and it was smiling at her.
She stifled a scream.
-
She gasped and woke up.
She finds herself in Wayne's bed.
Now that she knew that Lewis didn't commit suicide, it's up for her to find that secret.
But first, she has to reveal her secrets first.