As Riley laid down on the bed with a groan, the weight of a full day spent on her feet sank her into a state of tranquility. On her last day in town, she visited a bookstore after dining at the inn's historical tavern, and a walk along the riverside was just a reprieve before more exploring. But she was beyond exhausted now. Of course, vacations were sometimes less relaxing than anticipated. To retire in this beautiful nineteenth century bedroom was a luxury however, and the four poster bed adorned with red velvet drapes made her feel like she was a statesman's wife. The innkeeper told her at check-in that some rooms were more haunted than others, but that was just marketing she thought. The town was full of silly ghost stories.
A shower was definitely needed, but she kicked off her boots and lay on the pillow to relax for a bit before starting her nightly routine. She placed both hands behind her head and looked around the dimly lit room. It was out-of-date compared to modern tastes, but the wooden furniture was beautiful, and the decorations were quite charming. She wondered who in the Browne family it belonged to back when it was a home. It was clear they were quite well off for the time period.
She sighed and closed her eyes, promising herself she wouldn't fall asleep before at least taking off her jeans. Distant creaks of the old floorboard were heard, but otherwise, there was a stillness that felt almost unsettling.
After a while, the sensation that she was not alone crept over her, though she knew it was impossible-the door had been locked when she entered. She sighed again and adjusted against the firm mattress.
"Good evening."
Her eyes shot open and she sat up in fear. Standing in the middle of the room was a young woman in a plaid bodice and skirt with a strange look on her face.
"Wh-who are you?" stuttered Riley. The innkeepers wore period costumes and she thought perhaps one of the workers had let herself in.
"I'm Rebecca," she replied. "What's your name?" The woman had a soothing voice, like it were enshrouded in silk, but it did nothing to assuage Riley's pounding heart.
"Uh-uh...Riley. Riley Thomas. What are you doing in my room?"
As if she had heard a load of balderdash, Rebecca tilted her head. "Yours? This room belongs to me."
Riley gasped as her pulse was throbbing now. Something felt incredibly off about this situation. "What?" she asked, her body tremoring as if she had caught a chill.
"These things aren't mine," said Rebecca. "But it's still my room. Although I can't seem to prevent the innkeepers from letting others stay in here."
Her words were confusing and Riley scrunched her brow as she thought. It couldn't possibly be...could it? "Rebecca...Browne?" She swallowed hard as the reality of the situation became more and more dreamlike.
"Yes, that's me," said Rebecca.
"So-so you're...a gho-a ghost?"
"I prefer to say spirit. It's less menacing."
The thud in Riley's ears began to subside and her breaths turned oddly calm. She studied the spirit and couldn't tell her apart from the living. She always thought if she saw one, it would appear as a faint whisper that dissolved if a hand ran through it. But Rebecca was quite comely in this light. Her soft features complemented the piercing blueness of her eyes whilst everything else about her looked to be flawless.
"So are you here to haunt me?" asked Riley. "I think if your intent was to scare me, you succeeded."
Rebecca shook her head. "I'm sorry to have frightened you, but it wasn't my intention. I was just lonely. A lot of the other spirits here aren't very talkative."
"Oh...I'm-I'm sorry," Riley replied. "That does sound very lonely." From their distance apart, she could see Rebecca looked quite forlorn. Her sapphire eyes glistened, but it was unclear if it was from the lamp at her bedside. It tugged at Riley's heart and reminded her of herself the last few months. After considering the situation, she couldn't believe what she was about to suggest.
"Wou-would you like to come sit with me?" She moved her legs under her and patted the edge of the bed.
Rebecca smiled and nodded before walking over and taking a seat. Now being closer, Riley could see how ethereal she looked-it was nearly distracting.
"A lot of the other spirits haunt our guests," said Rebecca. "There are some soldiers from the war here who are eternally restless. They take satisfaction in terrifying others. I don't see the point though, as I'd much rather make a friend. But most people close their eyes and hope for my disappearance the moment I come to them."
"Well, it's frightening," chuckled Riley incredulously. "But I'm sorry to hear that. You don't look scary to me though. In fact you look...almost transcendent."
Rebecca blushed and looked to the carpet. "Your words are much too kind."
Riley was unsure what sort of things to talk about with a spirit, as she had only seen ghost hunters on t.v with their contraptions yelling questions into the void with garbled answers thought to be a response. "Are you happy being here?" she asked.
"Yes," said Rebecca. "I find it comforting that my final resting place is my home. I died quite young here, and there are a lot of memories. My Mama and Papa are here too."
Riley remembered hearing from the innkeeper that she had passed from scarlet fever at age twenty five and it caused a twinge to form inside her chest. She felt almost bereft on her behalf thinking of all that she could have experienced if she had lived longer.
"When I died, my Mama cried that I never knew marriage," said Rebecca. "But that never bothered me. I had plenty of chances to marry that I refused."
"Why did you refuse them?" asked Riley.
Rebecca fingered her skirt and thought about her answer. "Well...I never felt love for those men, really."
"Do you think you ever felt love?"
"Oh of course! I felt a love that resembled the fire of a dawning sky. But it was never reciprocated. Although I must admit, I never made it known."
Riley causally leaned on her hand. She had somehow grown comfortable in this spirit's presence and felt perfectly at ease. "Why not?"
"She was already married to someone else," said Rebecca. "And such a thing would have been seen as a misdeed." It was shocking to hear her admit to these sentiments, but it only intensified her aura of endless longing.
