Idris Point of View

It's not like I never knew; I knew it.

I knew my family has a spark for drama and theatrics. I knew my family has a mind that is excited for different and unique things.

However, I still had hope.

I still had a very thin thread of hope that they would be normal at least in certain severe and serious issues.

And where did this hope lead me to?

"Why are you so mum and not talking? Tell us how it was." My own blood related sister, Liana asked with an excited and eager grin.

She, who is not even completely five years in age and two feet in height is questioning me, inquiring me about my exciting trip to the ghost-ville under the guidance of her current favorite person in the world right now.

Her sister-in-law, The demon girl!

A look of ridicule snaked on my face as I scanned each and every family member's face closely. Every single one of them, including my stern and military brother-in-law looked at me with different levels of enthusiasm.

"Seriously now! Are you all not angry that I was possessed by a ghost and your dearest Zephy did it to me?" Why am I even asking this?

Of course, I know the answer to this in my heart.

From the moment the family met demon girl, they are practically and theoretically obsessed with her. They seriously loved her unconditionally.

And now, when their dearest girl put a dramatic old woman's ghost inside me the other day, they are showing their happiness and excitement instead of asking me if I am mentally and emotionally alright or not.

Heights! Heights of emotional irresponsibility!

"Such a sucker!" Mom scowled at me and turned to demon girl with a flowery smile on her face. "You tell me dear; how did he feel and how was the experience."

Demon girl's eyes sparkled so much hearing this and then she started narrating the exaggerated experience of the experiment done on me on the debate activity.

Emotions, feelings and inner thoughts included!

As if it is not enough, she showed the whole video of my possessed episode which was enough for my family to laugh at me, tease me and also show how marveled they are with her supernatural abilities.

"That was – amazing. When Idris was talking like an old English lady, his body language is so funny. Oh my God, that was the best of Idris I've ever seen." Kaiya clapped and, in the excitement, hugged her husband tightly.

"That's right, it was truly phenomenal. Zephy, you have such a power, I'm so proud of you." Dad patted her shoulder proudly and expressed his pride openly.

I say, what are you proud of dad. I still don't understand your concept of being proud of her on the matters of helping a ghost possess her husband's body.

Nevermind!

What am I even expecting from my family?

"So, after that experience during the debate, I finally decided on one of the major career paths after I graduate from university." Demon girl grinned at everyone with visible excitement.

I have a very bad premonition about this.

"Don't bother. After your graduation, just come to our company to work as a regular and normal employee. I will arrange a suitable job for you." I tried to cut the trouble from the roots but it did not work; sadly.

"Ah, but idea is an amazing one. It's one of a kind and very interesting." She pulled out a disappointed pout and soon everyone supported her to do whatever she wants and do not follow the boring eight hours a day job.

"Alright, the idea is, I want to open 'Super Houses'." She twirled around and opened her arms as if presenting herself and the idea together.

Super houses?

Real estate?

Not a bad idea to be honest.

But knowing her, I kind of feel that this 'super houses' is not what I'm thinking.

"Super houses? What super houses? Elaborate." Mom encouraged her and that is when she started to elaborate her idea in detail and it stunned each and every one of us.

Including me.

"Okay, okay, everyone, get ready," she grinned, eyes wild with invention. "This is my Super Houses Master Vision Rollout!"

She pulled a wrinkled notebook from her backpack like it was a holy scroll. Glitter stickers of ghosts, suns, and the word "Ethereal" sparkled on the front.

Great. That's the branding, I guess.

"First up..." she flipped to a page with a drawing so chaotic it looked like a child's sugar-high dream, "...we have the House of Past Lives!"

Mom gasped softly, like she just heard the word discount gold jewellery.

Mom, is it absolute necessary to overact to that extent?

"In this house," Demon girl said dramatically, "The floorboards trigger memory echoes. Every time you take a step, you feel a snippet of your past lives. One moment you're a medieval knight, next, a 1930s jazz singer with three secret lovers. People will walk out of there with identity crises, but like, spiritually evolved ones!"

Kaiya nodded solemnly. "I'd pay for that."

Of course, you would.

Demon girl flipped the page. "Next! The House of Echoed Wishes!"

Dad leaned in like a stockbroker smelling dividends.

"This house is built with whisper-stone - a material that softly echoes the dreams, regrets, and wishes of every soul that's ever stepped inside. The moment you say what you want aloud, the house responds with what your heart actually wants."

"...so it's like... relationship counselling but also real estate?" I muttered.

"Exactly! With mood lighting," Demon girl replied without missing a beat. "Also, there's a 'dream answering hall' that glows different colors depending on the energy of your intentions."

I mean, why is she so confident when she is speaking about these magical stones and whatnot?

Where will she find them?

How is it possible to make something so paranormal as such?

"Now, drumroll please—" she banged her notebook against her thigh, "—the House of Still Time!"

"Like time stops?" Liana whispered, awed.

"Yes, Lia baby!" Demon girl beamed. "In this house, time doesn't move linearly. It pauses. Slows. Sometimes, if the house likes you, it might let you step out of real time for a day and come back refreshed without losing a second in the outside world."

"Are you suggesting a house with an emotional pause button?" I asked with a frown.

"Yes. A spa for the soul, Grrrgal. A pause palace. And best part? It charges by internal minutes, not external ones!"

Mom actually clapped.

But is anyone going to ask how she is going to achieve such a task? How is she going to manipulate time?

This is not a marvel movie with supernatural powers and sci-fi elements.

I'm so confused at this point!

"Oh, oh!" Demon girl flipped another page and pointed to a sketch of what looked like a castle merged with a music box. "House of Forgotten Sound! Every creak, chime, or breeze in this house carries a sound lost in time. A lullaby your grandmother hummed once. People can record it and take it home."

"Haunted Spotify," I mumbled.

"Haunted healing Spotify," she corrected with finger guns.

Dad was nodding so fast, I feared he'd injure his neck.

"And THEN," Demon girl said, now bouncing on her feet like a caffeinated spirit guide, "We'll have seasonal limited editions. Oh my stars, these are so good, just wait!"

She twirled again — she really needed to stop doing that before she created a personal cyclone —and jabbed her finger into the air like she was pointing to a constellation only she could see.

"Okay! First, picture this:- The Mirage House. But here's the twist—it only appears to people who've completely lost themselves. You know, like post-breakup, existential meltdown, quit-your-job-on-a-Tuesday levels of lost. If you're not in crisis mode, you won't even see it. Invisible. Gone. Pfft."

She mimed disappearing with jazz hands. Liana giggled like she was watching a cartoon.

"Then, there's The House of Unfinished Endings," she said, lowering her voice and clutching her chest like she just read a tragic poetry collection. "You step inside, and boom—your past confronts you. That conversation you never had? That letter you burned but never sent? That dream you shelved because life got too loud? This house will bring it all back to the surface so you can finally let it go."

I'm almost certain someone sniffled. I didn't even bother to check who.

"And THEN!" she squealed, clapping once, "My personal favourite:- The House of Laughter & Grief! Half of the rooms make you laugh till you can't breathe. Like, crying, gasping, hiccupping. The other half make you cry so hard that you loop back around and start laughing. It's emotional whiplash. It's unpredictable. It's therapy but fun!"

"Will there be tissues?" Mom asked softly, looking genuinely concerned.

"Of course! Organic, enchanted, lavender-infused tissues that self-destruct after use," Demon girl said without blinking.

Dad nodded as if she had just suggested a new branch of government.

"And get this," Demon girl added, dropping her voice to a dramatic whisper. "You won't know which room is which. That's the fun part. You go in blind and come out... transformed."

"That sounds so wildly unstable," I muttered.

She turned to me, smile wide. "So does love, Grrrgal. So does therapy. So does every moment of life. Unstable is just another word for 'alive.'"

God help me. I was beginning to think she was making sense.

"Wait, what about safety regulations?" I asked, for once trying to inject a drop of reason.

Demon girl gasped and pointed at me like I was the prophet of doom. "Don't you worry, grrrgal. We'll hire soul-friendly contractors, cosmic insurance agents, and emotional first responders. Our HR department will include at least one medium, two ghost-whisperers, and a celestial boundary consultant."

"This is absurd," I whispered.

But no one heard me. They were enthralled. Mom was taking notes. Kaiya had tears in her eyes. Liana whispered to her doll, "I want to live in the laugh-cry house forever."

"And lastly," Demon girl said, voice soft now, "There will be one secret Super House. A house no one can buy, rent, or build. It only appears to people who've truly lost all hope... and when it finds you, it restores what you thought you'd never feel again."

The room went silent.

Even I, Prince of Skeptics, felt a shiver crawl up my neck.

"That one," she said, closing her notebook, "I'll call The House of Return."

They all looked at her like she was some kind of divine architect.

I looked at her and thought - She's absolutely out of her damn mind. It is impossible to build something like.

Purely, logically and even illogically – it is impossible.

But...

What if she builds it?

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hello Sweeties,

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Lady Prim