The door flew open, bright light flooding the space to reveal Krystal hunched in the corner of the cupboard, whimpering. Tears streamed down her cheeks, splattering onto her dress as she cried helplessly.

''Krys? What happened?'' Jack's arms automatically wrapped around his little sister. He noticed how vulnerable she looked, how young and scared she suddenly was.

''G-ghost.'' She stammered, her thoughts flashing back to the devilish laughter and cruel voice.

''Ghost?'' Jack asked puzzled, their father - as confused as him- stood behind his son.

''He-'' Krystal swallowed, her throat dry and lumpy, ''Somebody was here.''

Her croaky voice caused alarm to flash across Jack's face. Whatever she believed she had seen, she seemed completely sure that it was in here with her. It wasn't like his sister to break down like this, especially on the day where all three of them were trying to be strong. So, naturally he didn't doubt her.

''Who was 'he'? Did he hurt you?'' Jack desperately searched his sister's eyes, which were still flooding with tears.

''He didn't touch me. I don't understand.'' She broke down once again, hiding her face in her pale hands as her body shook with sobs. Embarrassed by how she was acting, Krystal wished that she had been more sensible. It was absurd that she had heard somebody in there with her, probably a result of her over-active imagination and having read too many horror stories.

''Hey, hey, shh.'' Her brother hushed her, rubbing small circles into her back as he held her close, ''I believe you.''

Suddenly angry at how weak and susceptible she was being, Krystal lashed out at her undeserving brother. ''You shouldn't believe me! I'm acting crazy! I'm not even sure that what I heard was real, it's so ridiculous.'' Her voice quieted as she registered the hurt in her brother's gaze.

''Let's all just calm down.'' Their father interjected before the situation escalated further, ''I'm sure it was nothing. Look, there's nothing in here!'' He pointed around the small space, which sure enough was empty aside from Jack and Krystal. ''Ah, you found a dustpan and brush. That's good then.'' He bent and scooped up the cleaning materials, placing a hand on Krystal's shoulder as he smiled.

''Yeah, I did.'' Krystal tried to pull herself together, swiping at her cheeks to rid them of the damp streaks, ''I should probably get to using them.'' She stood, shaking off her brother's arms from around her as her father dropped his hand.

''Yes, you go and tidy up. We can speak about this again later, if you'd like. Have some time to cool down.'' The ever-present warm smile on her father's face was beginning to annoy her. Whether what she had heard was true or not, he could've displayed some sort of sympathy for his daughter. Just as she thought this, she realised how selfish she sounded. If anybody deserved sympathy right now, it was him.

''Sorry for causing such a scene. I'm sure it was just my imagination.'' Krystal held a fake smile for the benefit of her dad, noting that her brother was now stood beside her, though he refused to make eye contact.

''Don't be silly.'' Her dad spoke as they ducked out of the cramped space.

''I'll be upstairs.'' Jack's voice was quiet, defeated as he sulked off and out of the room.

''Don't you worry about him either. I'm sure he'll come around.'' Krystal was thankful that her father knew just what she was thinking, a display of the unconditional love that he held for both of his children.

Krystal nodded, offering a small smile before she too headed upstairs.

The thought of being alone frightened her, for she was sure that there had to be some element of truth within the laughter that she had heard. It was difficult to imagine herself going crazy, making this sort of event up in a sudden spur of madness. No, she thought, something was definitely in there with me.

She pushed through the door furthest from the stairs, once again startled by the mess just inside. Sighing, she begun to sweep up the rubbish, depositing it into a pile in one of the bare corners of the room, ready to be thrown away later. She'd only been cleaning for a few minutes when she realised something.

What had been smashed?

With that thought in mind, she started to pay attention to what she was clearing away. Many of the shards were reflective, seeming to have belonged to a mirror. However, she could not see a frame anywhere around her in the room. Therefore, she suspected that the frame had been destroyed along with the rest of it. The shards of plastic and marble were unidentifiable, not seeming to form into any object that she could think of when she pieced the shards together in her mind. There were simply too many tiny pieces to determine what had been broken. This led to the further questions of: Who did this?

And why?

She debated these questions, her eyebrows drawn together as she continued her task. Already, this place gave her the creeps. The broken belongings, ominous laughter and cruel voice all stirred her fear. It was like some sort of storyline for one of her fantasies, a paranormal horror. Before she could continue down that line of thought, she shook herself. It would be ridiculous to begin to convince herself that she may end up dead, as was the gruesome fate of most main characters in horror stories.

Finally finished, she dusted off her hands, wiping them on her already ruined dress. There was no saving it now, though it didn't really bother her. She would have preferred to wear jeans and a simple t-shirt, only having adorned her dress to please her father. It was his favourite.

Wishing to distract herself, Krystal approached the large window, surprised that it was still intact after whoever smashed up her bedroom was finished. It overlooked the back garden, and the forests beyond. Opening the window to allow some fresh air to enter, Krystal's eyes scanned the forest further. Birds flew from tree to tree, their chirping chorused and reached her ears, causing a genuine smile to light up her face. Trees seemed to sway to the rhythm as a breeze rushed through their leaves, the sun glinting off of each piece of vegetation.

If only this house were as beautiful.

The window in front of her slammed shut. Krystal let out a high-pitched shriek as she jumped back from the sill, the frame of the window rattling due to the force.

''What the heck?'' She looked around to find herself in the empty room.

That couldn't have been caused by the breeze; it was blowing in the opposite direction a moment ago.

Her thoughts were jumbled as she surveyed the room, everything as she had left it when she had finished her task. Not one shard was out of place in her neat pile in the corner. Rubbing her head that had begun to ache, Krystal walked slowly away from the window, facing her door that remained open.

Narrowing her eyes, she dared it to move as she begun to approach the doorframe. Whatever was causing the vulnerable and frightful feelings she kept having, would be wrong to think she would go down without a fight.

Maybe I really am insane.

A step away from the door, she stopped. It hadn't moved and the room was eerily silent. Her tense muscles ached as she continued to stare into the hallway, refusing to relax until she identified the source of the unusual occurrences that had happened within the past two hours.

''What are you doing, Krys?'' Krystal jumped at her brother's voice. He looked tired, his eyebrows raised as he watched her stand there, unmoving and waiting.

''For goodness sake, Jack!'' Krystal exclaimed, clutching at her chest where her heart had begun to beat overtime.

''Sorry, but you looked a bit dazed. Are you sure you're alright?'' He kept his distance, unsure of how his sister would react if he approached her when she looked so startled and determined.

''Yes, I'm fine.'' Krystal's shoulders slumped in defeat. There was nothing there, it was all her imagination.

''Look, I know this must all be a lot for you to take in. It is for all of us, but I think you should pull yourself together. For dad's sake at least.'' Krystal stared at her brother in disbelief. His words had been sincere and serious, no hint of humour. He honestly believed that she was being selfish, and that this was all an act.

The thought angered Krystal.

''I'm trying, Jack! You have no idea how much I have held in the past month, treading on eggshells around you and dad. I've had enough! Maybe I am going crazy, and this is what it takes to show how this whole thing has affected me!'' Tears of frustration showed in her eyes, threatening to brim over, so she swiped them away.

''You're so selfish. Your little breakdowns today are all for attention, aren't they?'' Jack raised his voice, his eyes narrowed to slits.

Shocked at his response, Krystal was stunned into silence. Her and her brother had never been in a massive argument. They usually cared for each other, looking out for each other, especially in times like these.

''That's what I thought.'' Taking her silence as confirmation, Jack stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him and causing the entire house to shake on its foundations.

Krystal stared at the spot where he had stood moments before, the tears she had held back beginning to spill free. Crying twice in a day was unheard of for her, another sign that she was losing her mind, or becoming weaker.

She mentally shook herself, staring angrily at Jack's door before copying his childish display and slamming the door to her room once she had entered. She was sure that her father and Jack had both already begun to move some of their personal belongings to their rooms. It was only her who was stuck in the unwelcoming, empty space she was to call her bedroom.

Defeated, she slid down the door and ended up hunched on the hard planks of the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chest, curling in on herself so that her head was rested on her legs.

Alone in a house that did not and could never seem like a home.

-

Krystal woke up to tapping. The consistent and annoying sound stirred her consciousness, causing her eyes to open slowly. She stretched her legs out in front of her as they were stiff due to her uncomfortable position. The window, bare of curtains, displayed the moon clearly shining in the dark sky. It was clear that many hours had passed since her argument with Jack.

Rubbing her eyes, she realised how cold her room had become, goose bumps beginning to rise along her arms and legs at the sudden drop in temperature. Vision blurry, she stood and blinked several times in order to regain her bearings.

What she saw was surprising.

Her room was clear of the mess she had cleared earlier, not a trace of it left in the corner she had assigned as its temporary holder. She scowled, wondering if her father or Jack had come in and removed the mess whilst she slept.

Impossible, I slept against the door. Her thoughts troubled her, as she couldn't think up any other possible explanation for the mystery cleaner. The name made her smile, 'mystery cleaner'; she was still being so ridiculous.

The memory of the tapping moments before arose, immediately resulting in Krystal's eyes searching around the room, looking for the source. The sound had stopped some time ago, whilst she had been distracted. Seemingly summoned by her, the tapping began again, a constant rhythm, reminding her of somebody tapping their shoe against the wooden floor, waiting.

Still, her room was empty and that fact was beginning to disturb her.

Without any other choice, as she still had no intact mattress or even bedframe, she exited the room. The darkness of the hallway left her bewildered and blind, she stumbled her way down the corridor, following the sounds of life that came from downstairs. Strangely, both her dad's and brother's doors were closed, no light coming from inside.

Krystal slowly descended the stairs, the sounds of tapping becoming louder as she came closer to the source. The lights were also off downstairs, the living room abandoned as she walked through it, though the tapping continued, the sound echoing around her, just as the laughter had.

She bumped into boxes on her way to the kitchen, managing to catch them before they hit the floor and shattered the contents inside. Obviously, neither Jack or her dad had thought to tidy up before it got too late. She knew that neither of them would bother once the sun had gone down. But, why were they sat down here in the pitch-black?

When she stepped through the kitchen door, she realised how idiotic she had been. Of course neither her brother nor her father would be downstairs in the darkness, in fact, nobody was.

The sound had been the water, clattering through the old pipes of the house as somebody had left the tap on in the kitchen, the stream running steadily down the unblocked drain. Rolling her eyes, Krystal twisted the tap and stopped the sounds, noticing a plate with a note beside it on the counter.

Turning on the light, as the moonlight was not bright enough to allow her to see the words, she read: Sorry about earlier. If anybody was being selfish, it was me. I never even thought to consider my little sister's feelings today. Love you lot's, and I hope you can forgive me. Your stupid big brother, J x

Krystal couldn't hold back the smile and giggle as she read his message. She was thankful for the pizza that was organised on the plate positioned under the note, covered in cling film. How thoughtful of him.

''Sweet, isn't it?'' A voice broke through the silence, the air suddenly becoming thick around her as she gasped. It was the same voice from earlier, the undertones of rage clear in his patronising tone.

''Wh-who are you?'' Krystal stammered, twisting so that her back faced the kitchen counter, her hands grasping firmly on the surface to steady herself.

The voice chuckled, ''You don't think I'm here to introduce myself, do you?''

Her skin crawled at his voice; it wasn't natural for somebody to withhold that much anger. She wasn't even sure how she could sense his strong emotions simply from hearing him speak, but she hated it.

Remembering her determination from earlier, Krystal pushed herself off of the counter, walking into the centre of the room, ''Fine, but you don't scare me.'' Even she could hear the fear in her voice, clear evidence that she was lying.

The voice was closer when it next spoke, ''You can pretend, if that makes you feel better. But, you and I both know the truth.'' The air stirred beside her, and she searched the space with her hard gaze, this couldn't be real.

The room around her remained empty aside from herself, adding to her growing frustration. ''Show yourself!'' She knew that it was a cliché phrase, sounding stupid coming from her lips. But, she didn't know how else to respond, he was right.

''You know, I like seeing you frustrated. It's kinda funny, actually.'' He was right by her ear, causing her to spin and face him. Expecting to see a person, but still there was nothing. ''You know, we could do this for hours. But sadly, I don't like to waste my time.'' The threat was obvious as he spoke once again, the opposite side of her as before.

Refusing to turn again and amuse him, Krystal remained still, ''Get it over with then.'' She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, ready to accept her fate at the hands of an invisible boy. Probably a mere concoction of her imagination that was haunting her.

''That's good! See, now you're being brave. Who would've thought, the girl who cried continuously earlier, hiding real courage underneath?'' Krystal opened her eyes, noticing that the voice was further away this time. She was irritated with whoever this person was, whether a figment of her imagination or not, she could feel her blood boiling at his words.

''I can't believe this! I must still be sleeping, because this is simply bizarre.'' She wasn't sure what else to say, strongly hoping that she was still asleep and not hallucinating the most irritating voice in the entire world.

''Great, it's always nice to be appreciated. Now you're thinking you'd have the imagination to make me up?'' He scoffed, obviously finding her response and reaction to be entertaining.

Confident that the voice wasn't as close to her as it was before, Krystal walked away from it. She was focused on escaping the kitchen, removing herself from the situation that was causing her mind to retaliate and create characters that could only be reality within a story.

The silence that greeted her when she entered the living room was blissful. Having left her new imaginary friend, or acquaintance, in the previous room she could turn her attention on gathering the boxes containing her belongings. After flicking on the lights, she retrieved the boxes labelled with her name and carried them one by one up the stairs and into her room. Never once was she disturbed by the creepy, disembodied voice, leading her to further believe that she had imagined the whole scenario. A result of anxiety and lack of food the entire day, she guessed.

She found in the end that her entire livelihood from her previous life was packed up into three boxes, excluding the heavier and larger items of furniture that she couldn't possibly move herself. The task of unpacking was the most effective distraction she could think of, and it proved successful as she organised clothes, books and other belongings around the room. With not many surfaces to place things on, she resorted to laying it out on the floor, to her disappointment. There was no choice, not until either Jack or her dad could help her.

''Well, this is pitiful.'' Krystal paused where she was rummaging through her clothes to find her pyjamas. Ignoring the voice, she continued her task and managed to pull out the appropriate articles of clothing from within the pile.

Humming to herself in an attempt to lighten her thoughts, she hesitated. If this voice wasn't a figure of her imagination, then she would be about to strip in front of a boy. The hesitation lasted only a few seconds as she quickly dismissed her worries, and changed. Being sure to stand in a corner and face the wall, just in case.

''You can continue to ignore me all you want.'' The voice spoke up again, this time eliciting no reaction from Krystal. She was combing through her hair, kneeling on the floor to look into her small mirror as she did so, her strokes consistent and her hand steady.

This seemed to aggravate the voice.

''You won't be able to ignore me forever, you know.'' His sudden change in tone and the ironic contrast of his words made Krystal smile. Her creativity with this character was impressive, maybe she should begin to write instead of only reading?

That was her final thought before the mirror she stared into shattered, her image distorting between the cracks, clearly displaying her wide eyes.

As well as the glowing lights behind her.

-*-*-*-

A/N Thank you for reading, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember to vote and leave some feedback! :)