Madeline "Maddie" Rinston and Dirk Owsley had taken their last breaths in that house, all because of a stupid dare. 

Maddie wasn't popular and she wasn't social, opting to keep to herself and her books. The teachers never called on her and most kids assumed it was because they already knew she had the right answers. Even her own parents preferred the company of other people. 

All of this suited her just fine. 

On her way up the long, slight incline that would lead her to her front door, Maddie hugged her arms around her middle, a habit she'd started in elementary school.

Lost in her own thoughts, Maddie didn't hear the snickers of four classmates or the glances they shot toward her from the house next to hers.

"I dare you to talk to her." Lona jerked her head in Maddie's direction. 

"Really? That's all you got?" Dirk smirked and tossed a careless glance at their target. "That's not a challenge. Give me something more."

"The challenge is getting her to talk to you." Kloe stood up and sauntered over to Lona and propped an elbow on her sister's shoulder.

"Ooh. Good luck, man." Braxton cringed.

"Why do you say that?" Dirk frowned, sure he could complete the challenge with no trouble. Girls always talked to him, even when he didn't want them to.

"When have you ever seen her socialize with anyone? Even the teachers?" Braxton kept his eyes on the girl. A shudder made him jerk his shoulders up.

"When have you ever seen me not get what I want?" The response dripped with smugness to match his expression.

The two girls rolled their eyes and gave each other a knowing look.

Braxton shrugged and then pointed. "Well, you better hurry before she makes it to the safety of her home."

Dirk whipped around to see her already halfway up her front yard. He took a leap over the porch rail and trotted up to his neighbor's walkway, blocking Maddie's way.

She lifted her eyes to his, sure he was drunk or high. No one ever attempted to converse with her.

"Hey Maddie." The silence was deafening and he knew his friends were waiting to laugh at him for failing. A small frown crossed his face before he cleared his throat and tried again. "I know we haven't talked much. Ever. But I was thinking you might want to go with us to the Thraber House?" 

Something sparked in Maddie's eyes at the mention of the only landmark in their small town, the rumors that it was haunted, making the place so special. Otherwise, it looked like any other old run down two-story house.

Dirk swallowed hard, expecting some sort of response other than the staring he was receiving. "So, uh, what do you say? You could be our guide. I mean, I've seen you reading books about the place. You probably know all about it."

"There really isn't much to it." 

Her soft voice sent a shock through his body before being replaced by glee. I win!

"I mean, it's a house where a family was brutally murdered." Her tone was a bit odd, as if she held some kind of pride in her information.

Dirk shuddered but pushed on. "So, you don't think it's haunted?" 

"Dunno. I don't believe in ghosts." Maddie lifted one shoulder and tilted her head toward it in a half shrug. Her demeanor screamed of boredom by the conversation but her eyes sparkled.

"Well, whatdya say you join us and we can find out if ghosts are real?" 

"Sure. Why not?" A Cheshire grin spread across her face as her eyes darkened. "When?"

"Uh…" Dirk looked over his shoulder to see his friends stood at the railing, a look of awe on all of their faces. "Tomorrow night. Nine."

"Okay."

"Cool." Dirk gave her an uncertain smile, almost regretting this whole thing.

"See you tomorrow at nine." Violet eyes bore into his.

"Yeah. See ya." Shuffling backwards without breaking eye contact, he almost tripped over his own feet.

Laughter erupted behind him as he caught his balance. Once he was steady on his feet, he looked to see that Maddie had already gone into her house. 

[ - ]

Maddie stood on her porch, waiting for Dirk and the others with clasped hands. The chill in the air didn't bother her as she stared into the darkness, broken in small sections by eery yellow cones of light.

Dirk made his way across his yard and into Maddie's, trying to see what she stared at. But he couldn't tell and he wasn't so sure he wanted to go through with the trip to the neighborhood haunted house.

Asking her to go along had only been part of his plan to get her talk. Several of her many books had been about the Thraber House so it had been the first topic that popped into his head.

"Hey. So I told them we'd meet them there." Dirk stood a few feet away from her, his hands tucked into his hoodie pockets. He nodded toward his car, turning a little for emphasis. 

"Okay." Maddie gave him a single nod and took each step with gentle grace. "But can we walk?"

Face twisted in confusion, he shrugged and started toward their destination. They were silent for the remainder of the block before she gave him an answer to the question he had been debating on asking.

"I get car sick real easy." Maddie kept her eyes forward as they walked. "Besides, you wouldn't want anyone to see you driving up to the place."

All he could do was nod. She made a good point. 

With the rumors of the house being haunted, kids had been sneaking into the place for years. The police had put up "no trespassing" signs all over the property and put up a large chain link fence. But none of that perturbed anyone from sneaking into the house.

"Why are you so interested in this place? I mean, you said it was just a family that got murdered there. And you don't believe in ghosts, so the fact that it might be haunted wouldn't be interesting to you." 

"Am I being interrogated?" Maddie's voice rang with laughter and she turned her head toward him. Their hands brushed, leaving an icy sting on his skin.

Dirk saw the whites of her teeth as she smiled at him, a playfulness he'd never seen with her before, now present. It made him smile back.

"I don't know. It's kinda like, why are so many people obsessed with serial killers? It's a strange thing to be interested in, but you are anyway."

Her explanation was weird to him, but he got what she meant. His mom loved watching documentaries about serial killers, but couldn't tell him why. 

"They're here. Good. We won't have to wait around." Dirk motioned toward the house where Lona's frame was just visible in the darkness.

"So, what exactly did you all plan on doing here?" Maddie questioned as they walked up the broken pathway to the front of Thraber House. 

"Dunno. What do most kids that break in here do?" Braxton stepped forward, curious to know her answer. The look in his eyes was almost threatening.

"Do you think that I know what delinquents do?" The glare she returned sent shivers up Dirk's back. 

Braxton took a step back, trying to appear bored. Lona stepped up, giving Maddie a cautious look as she grasped one of Braxton's hands.

"Come on. Let's go check this place out." Kloe turned and headed up the few steps to the front door. "Not much of a break in."

Lona snickered and pulled Braxton past her sister. The three made their way deeper into the house, lost to Dirk and Maddie.

"So, should we follow them?" Maddie suggested as she shut the door behind her.

Dirk stood in the foyer, looking around to see dim slits of light filtering through the frayed, blood splattered curtains. "Did…was one of the…"

"The mom was murdered here." Maddie stepped close to him. "One of the killers slit her throat."

Dirk stole a glance at her to see a sadness in her eyes. Just as an eerie feeling began to take root in his gut, a crashing sound came from above them.

Muscles tense and ready to pounce for the stairs, the sense of urgency dissipated at the sound of his friends' laughter. He released the breath trapped in his chest and looked to see Maddie watching him.

"You really believe in ghosts." Her whisper was one of amazement and she inched closer to him.

"I guess. I never really thought I was before. Sorry." Embarrassed, he ran a hand through his hair and ducked his head. 

"Don't be." 

Two simple words that may have made someone else feel some sort of ease sent his heart racing again.

[ - ]

"Come on. Let's check out this room." Lona flashed Braxton a seductive smile and tugged on his arm.

"What about Kloe?" He tossed a glance over his shoulder in the direction the other girl was.

"What about her? You think the ghosties will get her?" Lona's teasing tone gained a chuckle.

"Naw."

"Then what's keeping you from making out with me?"

"Let's go." Braxton stepped forward before she could take a breath. He pulled her against his chest and claimed her mouth with his.

As they let their hands wander, they maneuvered their way into the bedroom Lona had been luring him to. The sound of ceramic shattering filled the air.

Lona gasped before realizing they had knocked over a heavy vase. Her body started shaking as she began to laugh, Braxton following suit.

They were back on one another within seconds.

Lona.

She deepened the kiss, sure Kloe was trying to scare them.

Lona.

Braxton flexed his hips forward, gaining a moan from her. His hand slipped under her shirt and found the clasp for her bra. As he toyed with it, she fumbled for his belt buckle.

You'll die. Just like her.

"Kloe! What the…" Lona broke away and shot a nasty glare toward the door. She didn't see anyone there, but figured her sister had ducked back.

"Ignore her." 

"Yeah." 

They went back to their heavy petting, sure Kloe would be bored now.

Braxton.

"Kloe!" 

Lona yelped as she was pushed back and hit head against the wall.

"Sorry." Braxton gave her a sheepish look as he moved toward the door. "Where the hell is she?"

"She probably ran into another bedroom. Or the bathroom." 

"I guess. Where…" Braxton had started to turn and froze, staring down the hall to what he assumed was another bedroom.

"Braxton? You okay?" 

No answer. 

He continued to stand frozen in place, chest heaving at what he saw.

"You're kinda scaring me." Lona took cautious steps toward him and looked where he did.

Kloe stood in the doorway, blood dripping from a gash on her forehead and a glazed look in her eyes.

"Kloe!" 

Before she could make a move, Kloe burst into laughter, doubling over.

The two gave her angry glares and turned away.

"Oh my gosh. I had you two! You're so easy."

A sharp bang assaulted her ears as the bedroom door was slammed shut, making her snap her mouth closed.

 [ - ]

"Maddie."

The simple stating of her name sent a thrill through her. She continued to watch his face, watch as pure fear washed away everything else.

"What?" Her voice trembled a little.

"I see someone," His whisper was almost inaudible and he made the smallest motion for her to move toward him.

She took a small step forward, rigid and unsure. 

"She…she's just a kid." He breathed.

A small gasp escaped from her, but she never took her eyes off of Dirk and he never took his off of the kid.

"I'm glad it was quick for her. There's a bullet hole…"

"...right through her forehead." Maddie finished for him.

He looked at Maddie to see tears gliding down Maddie's face. "Yeah. How'd…"

"I've read about it. Remember?" She gave him a soft smile as she turned away from him.

"And you feel this emotional?" An intense feeling of unease made him sway where he stood.

"She's just a little girl," Maddie whispered.

The silence was deafening as Maddie stared down at the ghost of the girl, her heart swelling as her emotions took over.

"Maddie, she looks just like you." Dirk took a step back, not sure what to think about that. 

"She does, doesn't she?"

"What…oh my gosh." There was a scuffling sound as he tried to back away in a hurry.

Now the mother, a deep cut across her throat, stood beside the young girl. A look of sorrow stared at Maddie and he gasped again.

"Maddie. This is…your…"

His heart hammered in his chest, his breath caught in his throat. And another chill spread from his fingers, up his arm, and into the rest of his body. Another distorted figure moved into his vision and walked to the cluster of females.

"Oh…" Dirk was having trouble breathing. The man's head was bent to the side at an odd angle. 

He watched the reunion and struggled to keep his train of thought from turning into a jumbled mess.

The man stood, with his arm around the woman's waist. The little girl held the woman's hand. And they all stared at Maddie with sad happiness.

"They're…this is…" Dirk struggled to get the words out. "The kid looks just like you and you resemble them." 

There was only a sniffle in answer.

"Maddie, is this your family?" His voice was soft and gentle.

"Yes. And I've been waiting so long to be with them." Maddie turned, a massive gash now visible just above her left eyebrow. Bone gleamed in the pathetic light.

Dirk's breath depleted, he struggled to drag air into his lungs. "But…I don't understand. How…?"

"Haven't you ever found it strange that no adults ever talk to me? Have you ever seen me go anywhere with the people you assumed were my parents?"

"You're telling me that you're a ghost?"

"Yes."

"Why weren't you here?" Confusion was clear on his face.

"I kept trying to find my way back here. But I always ended up back at that other place."

"Your house?"

"What you think of as my house." She gave him a sad smile.

"But you died here, right?"

She nodded.

"Then why have you had to try to get back?" 

"My body wasn't left here to decompose the way theirs was."

His breathing quickened, his palms had begun to sweat. He couldn't believe this was happening. It had to be a dream. 

"They took my body away." There was so much hate in her words.

"Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I don't know."

"Where did they take you?"

She quirked a brow in questioning, challenging him to think about it.

"Your…that other house."

"I couldn't find my way back. And when you asked me to come with you, I hoped it would be the answer I'd been looking for." A smile spread from ear to ear, her eyes lit up. Maddie stepped forward and placed her lips against his. "Thank you so much, Dirk." 

The kiss was short and he looked down into her eyes to see that she was the happiest he had ever seen her.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then. I'll get the others and let you all…do whatever ghosts do." He moved as if he were going to turn, but the look Maddie gave him kept his feet from moving.

"What do you mean? You aren't going anywhere." Maddie's happiness was gone.

"What are you going to do? Possess me?" His bravado was weak and he was terrified that she would do just as he'd said.

"No. I mean, you physically can't. You're one of us now." 

The color drained from his face and all the fear he'd felt rammed into his chest ten times worse than before. "What…do you mean?"

"Were my lips cold or warm when I kissed you?" The sweet smile she gave him did little to make him feel better.

"Why? What does that matter?" He struggled to keep his voice even.

"When our hands brushed earlier, my skin was cold. Wasn't it? But the kiss was warm."

He couldn't tell if he was remembering how his heart had beat rapid cadences against his ribs or if he was hoping that's what he felt.

"You died the moment the front door shut."

Tears welled in his eyes as he tried to comprehend what she was saying.

"What? How? How do you know this?"

"I really don't know how. I just know that I felt it."

"Why? Why did I…?" He couldn't finish the question.

"I don't know." She gave him another sad smile before looking to the ground. "My guess would be that it had something to do with you bringing me back home." 

"So I sacrificed myself in order for you to be reunited with your family?" Despite his want to be angry, he just felt a heaviness.

"If I'd known this would happen, I would have looked for another way."

"What about my friends?" 

"They're not…dead."

"But…they…"

"I came with you. You're the only one that showed me the way."

He gave her a sad, questioning glance.

"That's the only explanation I can think of."

The room was silent until several screams echoed around them. Staring from the stairs, Dirk's friends sported looks of terror as they took in the array of ghosts.

"We…gotta…get…outta…here." Braxton's stuttered statement was unnecessary as Lona and Kloe were already sprinting for the door, scarred by the inflictions the family had endured. None of them had even noticed that Dirk wasn't with them as they fled the legendary Thraber House.