Lisa

The basement was colder than Betty remembered, the air carried a certain scent– not that of old, worn out clothes, a scent more metallic than material. It was a familiar scent.

" Betty, sweetie… we don't have to stay down here you know. Let's go back up and I'll make you some hot cocoa and read you your favou–" " No." Betty cut in, interrupting her mother' offer

" Daddy said to he'll be done with fixing the power soon and that we should wait."

Anne paused, eyes wide, as her breath hitched. Her swollen eyes scanned over Betty in a sense of panic as she kept thinking to herself " No, it couldn't have been my baby, we made sure she never skipped her medication. No. Th- that's not what happened, right? I need to– "

" Mom where's Lisa? " Betty' soft voice cut through Anne' thoughts.

Trying to makes sense of what Betty asked " who?" She asked, scanning Betty' face " Lisa, my doll."

Anne's heartbeat quickened as the dead torch flickered " there's-" She paused, her lips trembled as she looked around, as though something was watching in the corners, " Lisa should be upstairs, let's go get her, hmm?" Anne said, trying to look as calm as possible.

The candle had burned halfway as wax dropped down the sides.

" I had Lisa with me when I came down, I went to ask dad if he wanted to play outside with us– terrified, he looked at me terrified, like I said something bad.

He tried to take me back to the parlour- I couldn't find Lisa, mom I need to find Lisa."

There it was again- that dripping sound, it was like a reminder to Anne. That this was all real- not some nightmare she'd wake from in a cold sweat.

Anne swallowed hard as she continued " let's just go upstairs okay? We'd have chocolate milk and when the lights come back on, we'd search for Lisa together. Okay honey? "

She waited… uncertain, watching Betty through the dim glow of the nearly burned out candle. The flame trembled.

Betty stared at her as if trying to decide whether her mother was telling the truth- or just saying whatever it took to get her out of the basement. Then her eyes lit up. " okay mom. I love chocolate milk."