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Kima has taken to hosting events it seems as most of the last few friend hang outs have been at her place and now the Halloween get together as well.
No one complains though. She’s not out of the way of anyone and it’s become a pretty nice place as she’s fixed it up.
Well, almost no one complains. Dohla has asked that they do it anywhere else.
“Why are you upset? You got to meet Kima’s girlfriend before all the rest of us.”
“I don’t like her. I don’t think she’s right for Keeks.”
“Ok, be weird and don’t explain.”
“You’ll get it when we go there for Halloween. I’m sure she’ll introduce her to everyone then.”
“I hope so. I want to meet the woman crazy enough to date Keeks.”
Dohla is in a shit mood the whole drive to Kima’s place and Ghenn and Sirus have no luck puzzling out why whoever it is is such a bad partner.
The outside of the house is decorated with fake tombstones and trash bags full of random stuff and taped to look like bodies climbing out of their graves. And a mini maze of fake spider webs leading up to the front door.
The start of the night is meant to be watching silly movies and passing out candy to trick or treaters and then, once the candy has run out and the movie is finished, the real party will begin.
Kima had texted Ghenn ahead of time to ask them to bring an Ouija board and the temperature sensitive camera they had from a previous job they’d had. They had been so hyped for Halloween ever since Kima said they could ghost hunt in her house on the night.
The three of them arrive and Ghenn and Sirus hurt inside with hands full of camera gear, drinks, and snacks. Dohla follows but she is in no rush to go back inside that house.
She walks into the front room to hear Ghenn ask. “So where’s your girl? I want to meet her! I can’t believe you told Do before me! I’m hurt!”
“I didn’t realize Do was going to meet her while she house sat. Tonight was when I meant to introduce everyone.” Kima looks at Dohla and frowns when she sees the sour look on her face. “She’ll be here later. Promise.”
“She better. I’ve gotten my hopes up. Do wouldn’t say if she was pretty or not. Nothing about her except she exists.”
“Oh, she’s hot. She’s absolutely gorgeous.” Kima smiles and looks over Ghenn’s shoulder to look at Allura hiding, unseen behind the others.
“If you can get past all the blood,” Dohla says quietly but Kima hears her even if she doesn’t let on.
“What did you say, Do?” Kima sounds curious but she looks so sad or maybe disappointed.
“Nothing. Thinking aloud.”
They watch the original Beetlejuice and snack and laugh and pass out candy to little trick-or-treaters and teens going around in costume to get candy.
As the titles play Ghenn pulls out the Ouija board. “Alright! Come on I want to get to the real fun. Where the hell is your new girlfriend, Keeks? Is she afraid to meet us?”
“Shut up and set up your board game thing.”
“It is not a game it’s a serious thing. You saw the dousing rods. Your house is haunted.” They pull out a bundle of dried sage and carefully light it as Sirus handles the board.
“Yeah, I know.” Kima clears a place on the table for the polished wood board and planchette.
“You know?!”
“Yeah, now do your thing.”
Ghenn looked at her shocked and then gathered everyone around so they could see. Ghenn fans the smoke of the smudge stick and puts the very tips of their fingers on the planchette.
“Lady of the house,” they say in their best dramatic voice, tutored we’ll be Sirus, “We ask you to give us a sign. Please let us know you’re here.”
Kima watches Allura out of the corner of her eye. “I know I agreed to this, but I can’t help but feel ridiculous now.”
She sits carefully on the edge of the table and with one delicate finger moves the planchette across the board to ‘HELLO’.
Dohla looked unimpressed but Ghenn and Sirus lit up in delight. “Holy crap! Holy crap did you guys see that!”
“Hang on before she gets bored. Lady if the house, what is your name?”
Allura sighs. “This seemed like such a good idea now it seems ridiculously slow.” Kima can barely contain a laugh.
Slowly she spells out her name.
“It’s her!” Sirus cheers. “Oh my god, it’s her this will be so cool.”
“Ok. Allura, if I can call you that, are there other ghosts here?”
‘NO’
“No. Ok, she’s not the only one to have died here, but she’s the only one here. Is it because of the manner of your death?”
‘Maybe’
“Do you not know for sure?”
‘No’
“I guess being a visit doesn’t come with an instruction manual.”
‘IT DOES NOT’ she spelled out rapidly and made Sirus and Ghenn have to work out what she’d said.
“The ghost has jokes. This should be fun.”
“Really?” Kima asks “because I thought she would be getting frustrated.”
“I mean maybe. But what other option do we have?”
“You could just talk and she can answer.”
“Just like that?”
“Yeah, just like that.”
Kima looks pointedly at where Allura is sitting on the edge of the table. She hesitated though.
“Are we sure this is a good idea?”
“Come on, Allie. You’re making me look like a nut job.”
Dohla scowled and Sirus and Ghenn looked between her and Kima.
Then in the empty space she appeared. Her hair was styled in two long golden braids and in a comfortable something approaching a modern cut dress though still more formal than anything most women would wear.
“What the fuck?!” Ghenn shouts and leaps backwards almost tumbling out of their chair.
“Hello. Properly this time.” She says softly looking at Ghenn and Sirus and pointedly not at Dohla.
“You’re—are you really a ghost? I’m not losing my mind?”
“You are not. I am dead and have been for some time.“
“Kima, does your girl know your house is haunted?”
Kima grins and blows Allura a kiss. “She is my girl, Ghenn.”
“You’re joking.” Sirus looks at Allura who is ever so slightly transparent when looked at directly and then back at Kima. “You cannot be serious.”
“ Thank you!,” Dohla says loudly.
“Hey, don’t be mean.“ Kima’s smile disappears. “She’s my girlfriend and I love her. I’ve asked her to meet you all and try to get along with my friends and you guys are not helping her fear of showing herself.”
"Like this, it’s not so bad, but that Carrie impression she does is not cool. Especially seeing that in the middle of the night with no warning.”
“I told you I did not mean to scare you,” Allura says plaintively.
“Didn’t mean to doesn’t matter,” Dohla says crossing her arms.
“Wait you already knew about her?”
“Yeah, and I wish I hadn’t.”
“You told Do but not me?” Ghenn looks hurt and Kima shakes her head. “It’s complicated, Ghenn. We didn’t mean for her to find out early, but it happened. We’re telling you now though.”
Ghenn looked at Allura. “So I know that you already said being a ghost doesn’t mean you know everything about ghosthood, but do you think I could pick your brain a bit?”
“You would like to do what?”
“Uh—ask you some questions.”
“Oh. Well, I suppose but I don’t know how helpful I’ll be.” She smiles kindly at Ghenn focusing on them more than Dohla who has already decided that Allura is an enemy.
Caught up in discussion they don’t see the little shadow sneaking about and up the stairs.