10. Secrets Of A Not So Scary Spirit

{Rick's Perspective}

"Were you dropped on your head?" I asked Marigold who took us to the last room of the third floor, where she was found in. Yeah, the legendary one.

Her plan was to stay back in this haunted mansion. And her plan didn't end here. She told we'd sleep in the last room, at least she and Bella would and if she gets to see this spirit or ghost she saw in her dreams then...

"This is NOT an experiment. And just because you wanna communicate with spirits..."

I stressed, I wanna go home now. After this not-so-ghostly experience. Of course, that didn't mean I now believe in ghosts. Nor was I gonna land myself in trouble trying to investigate the supernatural.

"I'll stay. Bella has to leave too. But...," Marigold looked at Bella hesitantly who returned a confused expression, "...I think it's important for her to go home since..."

"...Dad told me to be home more often. And it's late night now. He won't spare me a second chance if I were to go...missing again. But I can butter him all over again." Bella said, glancing out of the window to the backyard.

I peeked. Ah, there was a black car with a guy standing and smoking by it's bonnet. Bella's dad? Driver, maybe. Oh, so they came here thanks to Bella's connections with the mafia. Well, I mean, simply influencer-associated connections.

"It's fine, Bella. You've helped me beyond the boundaries. And am really...am grateful and highly appreciative that you did so much-"

Marigold swung her arms in the air to show how much she was helped.

"Did you learn that speech?" Al cut-in smoothly, staring at the golden lamp-diary with not-good intentions.

Bella clicked her tongue as Marigold raised eyebrows. She looked out of the window again. She ran her fingers through her hair and tied them back into a horse tail. I mean, ponytail. Short one.

"Well. Let's now sit and put all of our thoughts out. Just say what you guys are thinking. Not the talk about how much you're scared or how brave you are but the logic. And theories. And decisions, finally. Okay?"

She patted Marigold who kept herself from nearly tumbling over.

I put a finger to my chin. Hmm. My opinion matters a lot here. Cool, I'll just delay so that they'll finally give up and go back to their homes.

"Let's see if any of them sound English." Al said, looking at his phone and pocketing it back again.

"We'll see." Bella mocked at the Emperor of Taunts as Marigold pulled up the curtain on the window and fresh breeze filtered the mouldy and musty room.

She dusted the bed like Al's word was the word of law and she was getting ready to boost into action. What about me? She looked at me, beckoning me to help her in her work. Why should I?

"Are you gonna tell him about your theory?" I asked as we dusted the marble floor and spread the bedspread on the floor. Ain't got any fancy picnic mats.

Marigold bobbed her head in tiny nods. While Al was busy chatting with someone on his phone, Bella sat down on the floor. We did the same. Al looked at the ceiling and then at us before sitting beside, very reluctantly.

"Who's gonna begin...this horror tale session?" He breathed, being busy with his phone all the time.

"Hmm. Well. We can start with...our most strangest and unexplainable experiences in the past week. You know...anything which sounded crazy but something to which you had no answer to..." Bella suggested, moving uncomfortably in her place.

"Ah, yeah. I lost my cousin's fake eye lashes which she lent to me for Halloween. It was crazy how I lost them cause I remember wearing them and-" Marigold was cut-short by Bella's face-palm.

Whew. This itself is crazy. This experiment.

"Okay. I've nothing to say, actually. I mean, strange things? You want them? Alright. Well, oh yes...when I was kidnapped by this devil beside me and even held back and not sent home. Also, without me being involved in any criminal affairs. That's both crazy and strange. No answer to this too."

I threw my hands up in the air. I wanna go home even if I'm gonna get scolded and grounded by mom and dad for such disobedience, lemme just go.

Al turned his head to the right. Towards the door and then looked up, down and sideways. He stopped in his eye-movement and then continued tapping on his phone. What? Magical powers? Possessed?

"Five minutes and you've to make sense else, we're leaving. We're intruders right now. Make it quick before we end up in some juvenile cell. I dunno." Al pointed to the sky indicating it's late as of like an owl sleeping.

"Ah. Ah. Ah. Wait. Can I...say?" Marigold asked, like we were sitting here waiting for police to get here and catch us or just sit and rot here forever since we're jobless. Al nodded, rolling his eyes like some jealous little girl.

"...okay. So..., the strange stuff began happening to me when...I went to the forest with my classmates. Basically, sorta like a field trip, but adventurous. There was a baby-ghost I saw in some spiralling cave and some cat...yeah! It was in the forest. And girls said it was our in-charge's cat. Strange thing is that Ash and the others say they saw the same cat, dead this time, in the BPRO. Well, I thought it was dead. But I saw it again, in the bathroom. On Halloween. And the weird thing is that, I kept hearing some woman's voice near my ears but there was no one there. Okay. Leaving these strips of information aside, I saw a dream in which I was...someone else...some... another girl and I was being..., maybe carried somewhere in a bag or plastic bag. And I don't remember what happened after that or maybe I didn't see the end of it."

She took a deep breath, cleared her throat giving Al a look who was barely paying any attention.

"On Halloween, I got dressed up as a banshee and people were 'trick' or 'treating' each other. That's normal, c'mon. Well, I dunno if what I felt was 'normal' too or I might just be over thinking. Um so, I think I saw some girl walk past me and I thought it might be someone cosplaying a character...but after she left..., I felt someone breathing next to me."

She breathed in, "Call me weird but...I'm telling no lies. And, apart from the story I told you guys about the farm house, there's a little something I sensed when I was at Ashley's house. I felt someone talking upstairs. I was alone with Ashley who was asleep in the living hall. I thought it was her mom speaking on the phone but... she did npt respond when I called her. That was creepy. I even sprayed some home-made holy water inside, inspired by Ava...my friend."

Marigold gave a short cracked giggle. This caught Al's eyes. Not her giggle. The story.

Al leaned in slightly, maybe expecting to know more out of curiosity or heaven knows what. He's from an another planet, I tell you. Everyone I met in the past week is hella weird. 50 shades of unearthly peculiarity.

"But didn't you say Ashley told it might be the kids next door pranking you two because they were little monkeys or whatever...?" Bella buzzed, as her phone buzzed along and she hushed it down.

"Um, yeah. Maybe. I just got...a bit...curiously scared." Marigold smiled escapingly. Bella held back a cackle.

"Curiously? Or simply scared?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking. I found an opening to her fears.

"No, I was not scared. I'm scared of nothing...but maybe bugs." She looked around and inched close to Bella.

"What about blood? Ashley told..., you had this fear." I said, chewing on gum Al had given to us all. Big heart? Mean heart? Or tactics?

"Hmm. I dunno. Depends..."

Eh? Depends? How?

"Then didn't you ask those kids about the prank?" Al broke-in, as Bella went to a corner to talk on her phone.

"Uh...no. They'd lie for sure. Uh but, you guys didn't listen to my theory. It's the main highlight!"

She waved her hands hysterically as Al drooped back against the wall and got to texting again. Bella gave Marigold a hands-up before sitting back beside her,

"...you see, all of you know about the events at the farmhouse right..? The ones which I told.... Okay so, also the one about Bella and the locked classroom?"

Bella and the locked classroom..., sounds like a psychopathic horror-thriller. Suits her perfectly.

"Well, they're connected. That's how I feel. Don't raise questions or doubts now, puh-leez. I'll present my whole theory then you guys can shoot or dart, whatever's fine. Alright. Look, this girl...let's name her...uh...Sharky and the aunt is Mrs. Kylie according to stories but let's name her Gothel. Wicked one who locked her niece up in a tower."

Gothel? From Rapunzel? Mother Gothel? This Marigold is a great narrator. Nearly forgot I was listening to some theory.

"Well, according to the stories which say, took about two decades ago...people say Aunt Gothel was the cruel kinda aunt who was bad to her niece and put on an act of a helpless woman caught up in her niece's love affair. Trapped. Not caught up. The niece is portrayed in a bad frame while the aunt got a good picture and the end thing has two conclusions. One, the aunt trapped her niece in the basement and starved her to death. Two, the niece was the one playing the act of the helpless girl and ultimately backstabbed her aunt, locking her up in the basement where she starved to death too. Also that, she used the factory worker to escape and even lured him into her trap which was for him some kinda....trap? Pitfall. Popular opinion says that both the women died. We have no stories nor records which say the man, let's say he's Scooby, he...has not died or has disappeared mysteriously."

Scooby....? Scooby-Do. I am enjoying this. I shouldn't be. Someone died. Someone betrayed. I shouldn't be. But I am.

"My point is, why is there no record of Mr. Scooby? My doubts go to him. He must know something to this unsolved case."

"It's not an unsolved case," Al said, glancing up and Bella passed us a strawberry wafer each, giving two to Marigold. Picking favourites isn't she. Unfair.

"...It was simply a case of murder. And the murderer died as well. Case closed. And of course, Jack told me this was the case taken up by the police investigators few years back. About ten years ago. Ten, not twenty years. That's when this had happened. This was even on the news but it didn't gain much viewership due to it's lack of activity. The man, Scooby or whatever..., he was interviewed by the police and they found no evidence of him being guilty. I don't know why you people don't know this-" Al spoke like a robot fed with computerized information.

"We weren't grownups back then. And who would tell their kids stories about crime and murder." I hissed as Al looked down at his phone again.

"Ohh. Wow. Cool. Awesome." Marigold blinked her shiny eyes as Al smirked, getting ready to get up. "But, I'm still not convinced. What's the name of this girl, then...Sharky. Scooby and Gothel. Real names."

Al frowned and simply moved closer to Marigold.

"Privacy. Confidentiality. That's what Jack said."

"Not even to you? He's keeping secrets from you? Why? You won't tell it to anybody though. Won't you? You should say more often that you love him. He'll like it more and would even give you extra pocket money. Hehe. I do that to uncle and he rewards me."

Marigold turned the air quiet again. Al didn't say anything and it looked like he was lost in thoughts again.

"You complete your theory."

I suggested, laying back comfortably in Al's lap who lifted his legs up as quick as my head hit the floor. Ah. Ow. He glowered at me. I saluted him with my middle finger.

"Oh Yes. Well, I feel that Sharky the girl, is the same girl from my dream and also, the incident at this farmhouse which I experienced is something related to her. Because when I called Ash, I think I was mistaken for Sharky so the woman hunted me with the saw. The woman was scary. Dry auburn hair, hollowed out mouth and eyes which seemed like two black holes. Blood dripping. Woo."

Marigold shivered slightly, continuing as Bella leaned closer to listen.

I stared at the star-less night sky. Hmm. Marigold's theory is interesting. According to her, this woman...Gothel...or the ghost who keeps scaring her, must be the aunt who wants to kill her niece for revenge. That's why she was being so cynically crazy when she, the most-probable murderous ghost, she whispered to Marigold in the ear 'I like you'. She must want to have revenge. Or something. This Gothel.

She's my new fear, too. Ugh. And Sharky, this girl wants help. Marigold thinks so.

"I found something new to add to my theory. Maybe a back-up proof. Because, if according to Al or Jack, Sharky's case is ten years old...then it's not too long since the rumours began in our school. The rumours of the haunted classroom. From Emma's knowledge and research, I came to know the rumours began since her sister began teaching at Tigris High. About seven to eight years back. Rumors about a girl crying to help her. Some said she wants some man dead. Etcetera etcetera. And from Bella's experience, this girl speaks up finally and tells her she wants justice and some words like murder, aunt and some guy is also mentioned."

Okay. Let's brief this up. Sharky was a young woman who had come to her aunt's home to live. And she was backstabbed by Scooby. He was a carpenter and he brought it to Gothel's place to show some art of his' to Sharky. But due to some misunderstandings, killed the aunt with the saw who must have thought her niece was the one behind the plotting. And later the niece too was killed for money.

Marigold derived this and I can't find a better explanation other than this. She's a story-creator. Genius.

Al got up, yawned and sprawled on the bed. Has he mentally detached himself from this world?

"I'm gonna stay the night here. To clear some doubts I have. Who else is up for this can stay too or leave. Just keep an alarm. A mild one. Not loud. Or loud is better." He rubbed his eye.

Marigold jumped with excitement and dragged me to sleep on the bed. Home, please. Home. I'll offer my soul. Lemme go.

I lay beside Al. He turned away. I turned away. Marigold bent to me.

"Where shall we sleep? Bella convinced her dad who's not letting her stay, but she blackmailed him so he has agreed."

She smiled, seeming too sinister.

Blackmail? Her dad? I better sleep.

I suggested them to take the room next to this when Al said no and sprung up like a spring and said he'd go to the other room cause it's more comfortable. Well, I followed the gentleman. More like, I definitely can't sleep alone in an absolutely new place which is a hub of mischievous spirits. That's what I think.

*________________________________________*________________________________________*

It wasn't morning yet. Not for me. But technically it was. Maybe around five to six a.m. I couldn't sleep. Something had stirred my sleep. I assumed Al might wake up from the sound being the genius that he is but he was hibernating at the wrong time.

I should just go back to sleep but it's cruel how I couldn't. And why the frick didn't I go to school today...? Well, not that I'd prefer to. Just when I could've gone...

Whispers. I heard low whispering. Uh, should I wake Al up or be the man I'm not?

It could just be the girls having their girly talk. Why bother.

But then, why should I not bother?

I crept up slowly to their room, crouching up in my dusty dress. Can't believe we had to sleep in this place where the ghost wrote on the mirror to kill someone. Some man. Could it be me? Because you know, I am a hater of ghosts. Those aside, I had to know what these two girls are up to. Especially Marigold. She seemed too innocent to be interested in the supernatural and not be scared. The innocent ones are the ones you should look out for. I may be wrong but let's just check instead of my boring ranting.

I strained my ear. Not a word was clear.

Wow, that rhymed.

Which language? Also hella inaudible. I put my hand on the doorknob and -foosh! It opened. Ah, good. I'm in trouble. I should run away but I'm frozen. They'd come and scream at me any time and that's when I'll make a dash. I waited for that but nope. Were they trying to make me submit myself? Wrong. Or maybe not. I'll just check.

When I entered, there was a mild gust of cold wind which slashed across my face. Bella was sound asleep while Marigold was sleep-talking. Oh so that's what it was. Whew. Gave me a heart attack.

The room had become cold due to the windows being wide open. Wow. Chilly. The cupboard to my right blocked me from viewing Marigold completely. I was standing in the mid-way of the door, fearing the wrath of the 'suspected' whispering voices.

A sparrow chirped. I looked at the window. I should just close it. As I walked towards it, the sparrow flew off before staring at me for two to five seconds. I shut the window. Sighing, I turned to pull the sheets off Marigold's face. She had it till her head.

Does she carry an oxygen mask inside the covers?

I pulled them right off. A gasp made me turn back. A figure in complete white swished out of the room. I tumbled and caught the cupboard door behind me.

I saw a face. I think I did. It was a blur. Like those YouTube videos with the lowest pixels. It was a woman. Long hair. Too long.

I stood transfixed to the spot. Should I move? If I do, what if she comes to these girls? If I don't, then Al...

I don't believe in ghosts. I shouldn't. I took a deep breath and marched out of the room humming 'hello' by Adele. Al was up and about. He was chewing on a gum. So early in the morning? I scrunched up my upper lip.

"Hate bad breath. I'll brush when I go home."

He said, scanning me with his eyes like a security guard at an airport.

I ignored him and unloaded my fears.

"I saw a woman. A woman in white. She was in the girls' room. And I think she...she...told something to Marigo-"

"Hey! Hey! Marigold. What's wrong?"

We heard Bella screech in a panicked tone.

"What happened?" I ran inside. Marigold was sitting, hugging herself and not raising her head.

"Bella?" Al walked up beside me.

"I dunno what happened. I just woke up and she was sitting like this..., not telling me what the sheet happened." Bella handed Marigold a water bottle.

Marigold took it and sighed. She took one huge gulp and breathed out. She looked at us all, touching Bella's hand first then Al and me. What?

She breathed.

Should I run away? Is she under a spell?

"What ha-" I began, edgily but she glared at me.

"Al, you know I'm not lying right? The things I told yesterday. You were the one lying, weren't you?"

She walked to him. Psychopath would suit her now. But damn, is this some kinda twist?

"D-did the ghost talk to you?" I moved closer to Al.

"Clairvoyant. That's what one would call you. Someone like you. Who told you?"

Al smirked, seeming offended.

"So she was not wrong? And clai..clai...cla..."

Marigold sat on the bed, hugging the sheets.

"Clairvoyant." Bella helped her, moving close.

"Yeah."

"So what did she tell you?" Al asked, bending to her, like asking questions to a five-year old.

"Uh...uh...I...I..." Marigold shivered but took a deep breath.

Al sighed and gave her a chocolate. Seriously? Is she a kid? But she took it anyway. Who says no to freebies?

"What did you see?" Al demanded, now on his knees. Wow. The things he does for information.

"I think I now know who killed Alicia. The victim, the girl, a.k.a Sharky. The dreams I'd been having and that farmhouse incident. They're all connected to her. I wasn't wrong. It's the guy. The one she was in love with. He killed her. He killed her aunt and Alicia too. I was her. In the dreams. Those dreams are all too realistic." She paused and swallowed.

"He..he killed her with a saw. She bled to death. There was so much blood. Nobody suspected him. He was so cold-blooded. The aunt thought Alicia made him kill her. His only purpose was to take-over the family business. But the aunt was against him so he decided to kill... Ow. The neck. Ah, it hurts."

She clutched her neck, trembling and holding back tears.

Bella frowned and rubbed her forehead. She seemed pissed-off.

"Why aren't you eating that toffee?"

Al got up and pulled the curtains. Why did I take the pain to put them down at all.

"Ah. It wouldn't hurt right?" Marigold looked at the sunlight, squinting.

"If you don't wanna eat, give it back." Al walked towards her. She drew back and defended her toffee.

"N-n-no! I'll have it. Thanks." She made a face and popped it inside her mouth. She grinned, tracing her hand beneath her head. Al blinked then walked outside with us.

"Hey, does it hurt in clairvoyance? Did she feel the pain of being murdered like that girl called Alicia?"

I hopped next to Al inside the van. Bella and Marigold waved a bye at us from their car. Wow. Did the driver wait here all night long? Must have a good salary then. They'll catch up with us later.

"Probably. And I dunno the science of clairvoyance. Ask Milton. He's the fake scientist in BPRO. We're heading there."

Okay. Fake...? And so early in the morning...? I'd rather go to school. And Mr. Clark would start the day with his lullaby a.k.a lecture on molecules. Well, on second thought, BPRO is better.

*________________________________________*________________________________________*

When we got on the first floor, everyone greeted Al and those people looked like doctors. I mean, I never saw scientists in person. If they were scientists, I've my excuse. Pardon me in advance. But whatever I say, I gotta admit this research centre or agency looks better than when I first saw it. It seems more, official? Or

relatively grandiose.

Al banged on the door, we halted at. I flinched with an inaudible yelp. It's eight a.m, dude. Have patience.

Jack appeared at the door, hanging like a corpse between the barely-open door. His hair falling over his droopy eyes as he pushed them back and shook himself before rushing out with his phone.

"Yes, Al. What's it? Tell me."

He said, as we walked behind him to...the office?

Wow. Jack's really dedicated to Al. He didn't scold him for waking him up so early. I'd maybe have locked Al up in a dark room without food if he did that to me. Al explained the whole damn scene to Jack on the way and I sent a selfie of me to mom saying her son was busy solving crimes. Martha should keep quiet about this. She would. She should.

Jane greeted us when we entered ' The Department of Cryptic Crimes '. She handed Jack a bunch of sheets. From what I just witnessed, she's the most earliest person to rise, in this department.

"What? All the four of you without an adult just...just... went to that farmhouse? I should call you a genius, shouldn't I? On private property too! You'd have gotten into serious trouble-"

Jack slammed the bunch of sheets on the table.

Um yeah. Why not? We're not kids anymore.

"But we didn't. I made sure we make no such news. Jack, but you gotta listen-"

Al flowed along with a frustrated Jack who kept walking around in circles in the big circle room.

"You are a fifteen year old kid. You are not an adult."

Jack pierced his eyes at Al who suddenly got quiet and nodded with a sigh. He turned to look at me. Nope. Don't give me the look. Jack has terrorized me.

It was after about ten minutes, we got Jack on the track and Al dialled some dude called Roger and asked him for information on the culprit.

Henry the little kid, Jane's step-brother came up to me and observed me like he was looking at a specimen of cockroach react to hydrochloric acid. I tried to avoid his point of eye-contact by reading no-sense magazines of beauty and skincare. I looked to Al to help me somehow even though he wouldn't but he was busy being the detective. Jane was having a talk over the phone with some doctor. Milton, I guess.

It took me long to process how quick things worked here but the information on the culprit Al and Jane found out was quicker than that.

Henry sighed when Jane asked him to complete his homework and he hopped off.

"Roger sent me some images of the family of the victim. It's a decade old. The girl had no parents. Alicia Killeen, aged 22 had died in a classroom. She was a teacher by profession who had worked for the shortest time of nine months in 2011. Causes of death are mentioned to be suicide. Her aunt, Mrs. Amanda Thatcher, on the other hand, was supposedly 'murdered' by her niece. The conclusion here states that this was why Alicia committed suicide. Guilt. And according to some myths, spirit-hauntings of her aunt for revenge. There's no mention of the man who was in a relationship with her."

Al stapled the sheets and turned to Jane who was ready with her information.

"I'm not sure who is the guy we need but Matt and I short-listed some names from the years 2008 to 2011. It was between these years that Alicia had met up with a factory worker. There were about fifteen to twenty workers each year."

Jane gave the list to Jack who creased his forehead. I scooted over to Jack. There were over thirty names. And although these were between the ages 22 to 30, there were a long list of people for suspects. Without any trace of the culprit, are we gonna go find out who each one is and what he does and etcetera etcetera.

Bye. I'm going home.

"Classroom?" Al rubbed his front hair. "Jane, which school was it where Alicia taught?"

He said as he poured coffee for Jack from the coffeemaker.

"Wait. It'll take a while." She turned to her P.C.

"Right...Marigold and Bella. They both had this classroom experience and theory. What if Marigold's theory is right? She might be the next branded genius after Al in BPRO."

I tried not to choke on the morning coffee by laughing. Al didn't pay attention. Seems like he's the true Sherlock Holmes. Something like a true samurai.

"Why isn't Marigold here by now?" A strong and bold voice broke through the flipping of papers and the clicking of mouse.

I choked. Ashley. Didn't she go home?

I'm got scared. I'm not an afraidy cat but it was a shock. She was here all this while? No. She had just come in from the main door of the department. Listening in on our conversations? That'd explain why she burst right when I was talking about her friend.

Al gave me a look then went back to his laptop. Jack smiled forcibly and beckoned Jane to take over. Matt got up, humbly fulfilling Jane's untold request.

Ashley folded her arms and waited for an answer. Matt talked her out of it but she didn't budge. She said she waited all while long to take Marigold to her house because she didn't trust the BPRO.

"Miss Ashley Ricardo, we're investigating a case right now and it's making concentration hard. Can you please ease it for us?" Jane gave her a muffin as she adjusted her long skirt.

I suppressed a laugh. Bravo, Jane! Spectacular!

Ashley grunted and sat in the corner of the huge room, reading a mag or pamphlet I guess. But what about her unanswered question? Where's Marigold and Bella?

I lurched to Al. He ignored my presence. Such disrespect. I squatted on the floor. What's he watching on the laptop? Oh. Business. It was a list of those factory workers from back in the last decade. Al was searching who were alive, working and settled. Ugh. Doesn't he get bored?

Wait. What's that golden lamp-diary doing on his desk? Thief. I took it and stood up.

"So..., what's this-"

"Marigold gave me this when I asked her if she has recorded what she saw in the farmhouse and about her theory. She told me I can keep it and refer to it."

He shrugged, snatching back the book from me like it was made of gold.

"What? When did this happen? You were beside me all along- don't tell me you stole-" I whispered as quietly as I could to avoid Ashley's stare.

"While you were sleeping, she asked not to look in her other theories. And her stuff...cause it's all based on her thoughts and etcetera. And I've to return it too..., so you return to your seat."

He pushed me and went back to his laptop.

"But Al-" I appeared at his side again.

He pursed his lips with a suppressed sigh.

Marigold and Bella burst in. Woo! Don't give me a heart attack. My heart is weak to sudden frightening jumpscares.

These girls took their own sweet time to come. Now we are gonna watch a drama. Ashley saw Marigold and almost rushed over to her but conformed her expression.  Marigold didn't notice her. She was in Marigold's blind spot. Behind her. Wow. I wanna tell her right now and watch the drama but let's not spoil the fun.

"Hey! You good?" Jack rubbed Marigold's hair as she slightly bent to him.

She nodded with a big bunny-beam.

"Took you long." Jane gave them each a chocolate muffin. Yum. I want one more.

"Yeah. The driver didn't know the way. I had to stop at the weirdest locations too. People gave us weird looks too. One of them even asked Marigold's name."

Bella bit on the chocolaty muffin, going over to Al.

"And what did you say?" Jack wheeled to her.

"Made a fake one. They weren't bad people, by the looks at least. Well I dunno. Anyway, got anything? Any lead?"

Bella zipped down her jacket and threw it across an empty desk.

"Mac-Marigold, how did Alicia die?" Al said, turning to her as everyone in the room except us teens raised eyebrows, with the inclusion of Ashley of course.

"I am not sure if it was Alicia who died that way. It might also be the aunt. But I had told you already though. Your memory sucks." She took a chair and sat next to him. "But mine's the same. It's okay. I relate." She patted him, looking at him sympathetically as he nodded with closed eyes.

Ashley was mute all this while. And so was I but for different reasons. She had her pride and I had nothing. I mean, no interest. She weaved her eyebrows and got busy with some book with the information on the BPRO.

Marigold began narrating the incident all over again. The same one which she had told us back in the medical room of the Tigris High girls' school. Apparently, what she had experienced was something around the lines of what Alicia had gone through. According to her, she was in a brightly lit room and the light was passing through the big undraped windows, although it was night when she got lost. There was a room in which she got in and was suddenly paralysed. She saw herself inside a plastic bag. Just then a door knob turned and someone came to her and whispered 'I like you'. She told it had the same resemblance as of the presence in the girls' bathroom.

I think it was the aunt. This scenario fits her according to Marigold's theory.

"Mrs. Amanda. I feel this is how she died. Asphyxiation is the cause."

Al pointed at Jack with his pen.

"Ass-what?" I stood up. What's with his knowledge?

Al looked at me like I accidentally exposed he was secretly a bartender. He wasn't. Just saying.

"Death caused by lack of oxygen. Ya know, choking and that kinda thing."

Marigold explained, waving her hands aggressively in the air.

She knows. Why don't I.

"But then, what about when I called Ash and even talked to her? Some scary woman even came and cut my neck with a saw. But it wasn't me but it was me-ugh, no. I saw my reflection in the phone and it was a short-haired girl. It was Alicia, I think. But but!"

Marigold bobbed up and down and looking all confused.

She'll sure get on Al's nerves. He spun to Jack. Jack cackled and nodded.

"Dreamscape sorta scenario..., I guess. That's rare. You called Ashley from your dream and she didn't see your face? Well, the view must've been unclear."

Jack turned to Ashley and looked deep in thoughts.

"Are you seriously gonna solve this case with the help of her dream?"

Ashley made a crowd look at her just by a simple question. Power.

"Ash-!" Marigold ran to her but she paid no attention.

"It's an ability. A psychic power. Clairvoyance. Marigold is a psychic." Jack said with a kind smile and Marigold hopped, clapping excitedly.

"But-!"

Ashley was cut-off by Marigold who tried to talk to her but didn't get a response.

"Jack and you guys don't have an ability?"

She took her diary and flipped through the pages.

"Ah. You'll know if you're a member of our department. The form, remember?"

Jack replied as he passed Jane a paper. How come he has patience for Marigold and not Ashley? Or does he? Some kind soul he has.

Marigold nodded, dropping her head with a pout. Al creased his brows and got up to take a sudden stroll because he thought he was gaining weight. I mean, why else would he. Some thinking and flashbacks, maybe.

"The man's name...the culprit's name should start with an 'S'."

He dropped his act.

"Revenge for your ex? Why an 'S'?" I scanned through his laptop but he shut it right in my face.

"Jack. Dunce." Al pierced at Jack. He nodded with a big 'oh'. Oh. He must have like, had his mind frozen due to extreme cold right here because Al just called him a dunce and he's responding with a simple 'Oh'.

"Dunce. Alright. Expand now. Even we wanna know your inside joke."

Bella took a seat beside Marigold who was listening to everything and nodding like she was in a math class.

"Ah, Spence. The name, Al and Rick...you guys search for the names which are Spence or along the lines of it, from the years 2009-2011."

"Spence? Why Spence? Did you find something from your sources?"

I asked, flipping through Marigold's diary as Jack gave me a quizzical look.

"It must be their powers or something, like Marigold is sorta a clairvoyant. And like I-I dunno what I have but it's a useful key."

Bella sat on an empty PC box. Jack chuckled behind his hands.

"I think what you've is similar to Marigold's. Clairaudience. Being able to hear the paranormal and things which can't be heard by humans." He gave her a file and she gave a nod. "Bella, you can help Jane find out the school name of where Alicia taught in the year 2011. Ashley, if you want you can assist anyone or do whatever you want except interruption. And, Matt...please call Milton. This dude's giving me a headache, not responding to texts."

Jack's orders made everyone busy as Ashley grunted and melted into the sofa. Matt was off to find Nemo. Milton, I mean. Whoever the mystery guy is. I crept next to a creeped-out Al and he handed me sheets to solve the case. Well, Better than sums at least.

Marigold began walking around and peeking in everyone's work but no one called her to assist. She looked at Ashley who quickly drew back behind a magazine. She smiled and rushed to sit beside her and chat regardless if the listener was interested or not.

"Ah. Found three. Two are in their late twenties and one is in his early twenties."

I marked three guys' names with Spencer as their first name.

"Me too. There are five of them. Wow. Spencers. Some with Spencer as their first and last name."

Al put aside his sheets and I noted all of their names on one paper.

Davis Spencer , aged 24.

Spencer Miller, aged 28.

Jones Spence , aged 23.

Spengler Johan, aged 30.

Spangler Johnson, aged 26.

Spencer Fuller, aged 29.

Spencer Travis, aged 27.

The first four are still workers at the same town and have families each. Also, they've no connection to the Thatcher family. No visits to the farmhouse or the main office. While the rest of them have different information on each. Spengler Johan is in a hospital, admitted because he got severe asthma and he's constantly undergoing treatment. That's one reason why he should be excluded from the list. Other reason is, the name is Spengler not Spencer. Jack asked to search for the latter.

Spangler Johnson has moved to New York and is a businessman now. His name is what counts for an exclusion from the list.

Remaining we got two Spencers. Perfect. We narrowed down the list to two. Spencer Fuller and Spencer Travis.

Fuller is now a driver in a school and Travis is a assistant to teachers in a school.

Both were connected to the Thatcher family and both has visits to the farmhouse and main office. And both have jobs in schools. Man, is there a doppelganger now?

They both worked in the factory in 2011 and had to choose other work line, like all the other workers of the year 2011 because the factory was shut down due to some internal conflicts.

Now, which school are they working in?

"Whoa! Guys, look what Jane found! Our school's really popular eh." Bella said, waving a notebook in the air. She passed the book to Jack who gasped as Al snatched the book to read the names of the schools where Alicia worked. They were not sure which was the one she worked at. There were two.

Oh holy! What have we got here. One is Tigris High and the other one is Tigris School of Primary Education.

I crooked my neck to look at Al who had the exact same expression as me. The clear signs of displeasure. Ah but Marigold's theory is slowly proving to be true. Atta girl.

"Marigold, does your school have a branch?"

I asked, swinging my chair to face her.

"Branch? There are lotsa trees and branches-"

She said, trying to braid her hair but couldn't and looked at Ashley to help but no result.

"Branch as in another school, you know..."

I said as Henry popped in the room and rushed to Marigold.

"Ah. Oh Yes. In our branch, we have the elementary school with junior and senior high combined. The primary school has another branch. Why?"

She struggled with her hair as Henry asked if he could help her.

"I see. Then where were these rumors heard...of some woman or girl crying in a classroom? Or something like that."

I asked, as Marigold walked to us and took her diary, turning pages.

"I dunno. Because before we didn't have separate branches. It was one school. Later it got split. And I'm not sure when the rumors started. Maybe they were going on since I got in seventh grade...or eighth...in 2012 or 2013. Or it might be that I heard them late. The rumors."

She adjusted her cat-eared hair band and put her diary down.

Al was lost in thoughts. What's there to think of?

"Marigold, can you contact Evangeline?"

Oh who's this new cartoon character? Evangeline? His aunt? Or Ex's bestie?

"Eva? Yeah sure but she's in L.A for some talent show. Kevin's there too. She might not be able to come but I'll ask her anyway."

She shifted, smoothly cuddling Henry into a hug. He didn't look cute. More like annoyance. A bratty six year old kid with fluffy cheeks.

"Kevin? And why L.A?" Jack interrupted, popping a chewing gum in his mouth.

"Because, there's a talent show where you can show what you're good at and you'll get a prize. It's for those with ages seventeen years and above. So yeah. And Kevin is..."

Marigold kept peeking at Al's smartphone, looking at the wallpapers changing second to second.

"...Is her ex-crush who-" Ashley began, throwing the mag aside but Marigold immediately shouted to us.

"Roger sent something, Al!"

He put aside his file and strode straight to his mobile.

"Who's this Roger and is he from this department? If he is, then...why isn't he here?"

I asked as Al rushed to the washroom and returned few minutes after declaring we were gonna raid Tigris Schools' branches.

What? How? And how even are we supposed to go to a girls' school without seeming like creeps or stalkers. What the mouse did Roger send which caused him to behave like this?

And according to Jane, Roger was a member of the BPRO and a computer-freak. More like, hacker and all the technical information gatherer. He was in his late teens. Maybe 17 or 18...?

"Alfred, wait. Lemme first think and tell me what news you got there."

Jack put on his coat and brushed his hair back once and he looked oh-so-presentable.

"Spencer, I dunno which one of the two, but he had contacts with Alicia Killeen. They had gone to Duncan's Toy shop together somewhere in 2010 and this shop has records of its' visitors. Roger told me about it. It was the talk of the town few years back since it was a new store so he gave it a check."

Al buttoned his coat, constantly giving the clock a glance.

So we were going to these schools. Great for a change in routine. Although I'm a little worried about being away from home for long but this counts for fun.

Jack put his bag across his shoulder and put on glasses. Half-moon glasses. Wait, he's got glasses?

"Non-prescription glasses."

He replied to my question. Man, he really is a telepath.

"Alright Al, I'm a writer from the educational magazine and you are my son who's to take-up the job after me so put on something casual and act along. We'll need a notebook, a camera and some guide...."

Jack beckoned Jane to give him a camera and she refused. She asked him to make Al have the poached eggs with orange juice.

Al slapped his forehead. He stuffed it in a tissue paper and gave one to me and Marigold. Bella was already biting on a sandwich and Ashley still had her breakfast running cold.

I frowned. I called him and challenged him to drink the Orange juice in less than a minute. He gave a dubious gaze and gulped it down in one minute. Good.

They were at the door and I rushed to them.

Ashley stopped us and got in the van. Wow. An uninvited guest. Jack told he asked her to come along. As Marigold waved us a bye, she begged to tag along too but Jane said she'd come with the two girls after a while. Some business.

"Hey, can I come along?" I asked, putting my phone on silent mode.

"Jack, do you know him?" Al asked as Jack threw him a look askance, placing the camera carefully in the backseat.

"Alright. Trickster Adams. Hop in. You're my P.A. No questions now."

He ordered as I gritted my teeth, making faces at him when he turned away.

"Ursula it's again."

Al sighed and I bumped my head against the roof of the van as I saw Ashley approach. Ow no.

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