"Are you in there, hello?" Abram's voice echoed in the basement hallway.
"Yes! I'm in here!" Zubie shouted, she was busy with the experiments inside the old laboratory. Abram walked into the poorly lit room filled with smells of chemicals.
"Wow, it looks like a laboratory of a mad scientist." astonished he looked around, his eyes taking in the completely new objects.
"I prefer very hard-working experimenter," Zubie's eyes left the flask and met his, he looked like a little five-year-old who was taken to an amusement park for the first time, "you look like you want to say something?"
"Yes, I need you to come with me." Abram smiled, pulling her along with him.
"What is it?" She questioned, she was intrigued by his behavior.
"Just see for yourself..." Abram shoved her into the room. Zubie was silent for a long period, no word or sound leaving her throat.
"Abram... This is fantastic!" She took in the room that used to be a kitchen, it was no longer the old run-down kitchen at all. The vast place was divided into sections. The new cooking area was small but perfect. The long table was nowhere in sight, instead there was a four-seat table craved out of wood. But that's not just it. There was also a lounging area in the same space, perfect for taking naps by the fire during harsh winter climate, "you are amazing at what you do, Abram!"
"I knew you'll love it! It's like my masterpiece!" he laughed at the praise, her cheeks tinted just as little.
"I don't know how to pay you for this! You know what, just ask me anything, and I'll do it for you!" She chirped, marveling at his craftsmanship.
Abram's cheeks turned dark at her words, he spoke a little shyly, "I don't want anything from you, I already have everything I need."
"No, I insist, there must be something you need, right?" Zubie pressed, her eyes sparkling with was that admiration?
"Alright, let me think..." he tapped his fingers on his stubble, thinking hard on the subject as his eyes narrowed in concentration.
"So, did you come up with an idea?"
Abram enthusiastically nodded his head, "yes, I have. Me and my sister are going fishing tomorrow, you have to join us."
"That is it?" Zubie smiled widely at the offer, she has never been fishing. It'll be a nice experience for her and she'll get to meet his younger sister as well. Abram talked a lot about her, she sounded like a nice girl, "it'll be an honor to join you! I'm looking forward to it!"
"Great," His grin widened at her response, he was confident She will reject his offer if you take into consideration his history with ladies, "I'll pick you up by four in the afternoon tomorrow, I'll leave for now." he collected his equipment and left, the smile never fleeing his lips.
(--------------------------------)
After making herself some dinner, Zubie was lounging in the newly made lounging area. She stretched her limbs on the comfortable and plush chair. Is this what carefree life feels like? Her eyes drifted to a clean glass window.
It'll look brilliant if she had some flower pots around the window. The thought of Aurelius popped into her mind. Where was he? She has not seen him for some time now. Was he avoiding her? Or he was just busy with stuff?
Zubie hoisted to her feet, picking the oil lantern from the table. Her strides leading her outside the manor. She looked around, but no one was there. Zubie decided to walk in the direction of to dead garden.
Zubie's eyes took in the vast area of the garden, it was truly a mess in there. She shifted the lamp from one hand to another. The moon can be seen playing peek-a-boo through the clouds. Everything was calm, with no signs of any disturbance. She went deeper into the garden.
Her feet came to a halt when she noticed someone sitting around one of the dead beds of flowers. The white hair was the dead giveaway of the identity of the person. It was Aurelius, sitting all by himself.
"Does it not scare you?" she asked, waking up to the strange man.
His eyes left whatever he was looking at and found hers, he said, "scare of what?"
"Sitting here all alone,"
"You should be concerned about me scaring something or someone, not the other way around. After all, I am the ghost here." his eyes leaving hers, Zubie set herself beside him and placed the lantern between them.
"Should I be worried about that possibility?"
"Maybe, someday when this is all done I'm willing to haunt someone for the rest of my days. It'll be fun." He spoke, his voice light-hearted.
"you'll probably bore that poor haunted soul to death."
"I'll choose someone who appreciates my company, there must be someone who wants a boring ghost companion."
"Maybe," Zubie peered at the single stone laying on the ground in front of them. She asked, "what is this?"
"My grave," he answered, his eyes never leaving the stone.
A surprised gasp left her mouth, he has been sitting here all by himself on his grave!? Zubie said, "how did you know..."
"I've always known where it was, I was there when he..." his voice trailed off, Zubie figured it was painful for him to leave the memory every day. Acknowledge that he is still in this world but not as a living breathing human.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." She placed a hand over his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. Aurelius's eyes met her kind one's, that hazel of her irises comforting the turmoil of his soul.
"No, but I want to talk about it. Do you know what it feels like to die?" Zubie did not answer, "one moment you feel terror, and the next, nothing... When I was young, I read of ghosts, witches, and vampires in the book, never realized they were a reality of the other side of the world."
"I can't comprehend the pain you feel, and for that I am sorry..." his eyes widened just a fraction, and he looked away.
"Thank you."