All characters in this story are over the age of 18-years-old. There are no underage characters.
This is a Halloween contest story. Please vote.
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Ghosts come out to play on Halloween
"Well, here we are," said John, the Mayor's assistant, pulling up to the house. A typical politician, he was a gray-haired, portly man in his late fifties with darting eyes, a plastic smile, and a weak handshake.
"The house is so big," said Helen, the building inspector. "It will take me all day to inspect this place. I'm going to have come back later in the week with help and a 30' ladder to get up on the roof," she said shading her eyes to look at the chimneys.
She was a tall, thirty-something-year-old, thin albeit shapely, intelligent blonde with modest breasts and a keen eye. It was rumored that she got the job as building inspector over more qualified and experienced candidates by sleeping with the mayor. She did.
"It's so beautiful," said Kathy, the health inspector. She was a short, twenty-something-year-old, busty, redhead with big, blue eyes and freckles, it was rumored that she got the job over more qualified and experienced candidates by sleeping with Helen. Not true. She slept with the mayor too.
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"The house hasn't been occupied in more than 50 years when, let me see," said John looking through some papers to read from them. "When Thomas and Irene Connor, married and lived here for sixty years. They died of natural causes. Probably carbon monoxide poisoning," he said with all the fireplaces in this grand house while looking up at the house. "He was 80 and she was 78. They were both found in bed holding one another."
"Eww," said Helen. "That's so gross."
"Gross? That's so romantic," said Kathy swooning. "That's how I want to go, that is, if ever I find a man to marry."
"So, do you think this place is haunted?" Helen looked to John before looking to Kathy.
"Haunted? Nah, don't be silly," said John waving a disbelieving in ghosts hand. "Built in 1880, according to the neighbors who have called the police after seeing some unearthly things and hearing some unearthly sounds, this house is wicked haunted," he said with a laugh.
"I don't understand why it took more than fifty years for the city to come around to claim this place after it was abandoned in the 60's," said Kathy.
"Shit happens. It fell through the cracks, no doubt, during reelection time," said John with a shrug and a laugh. "We put liens on it, of course, for unpaid back property taxes but the house just disappeared from the city's records one day."
"A comedy of errors," said Helen. "What else is new?"
"With one department not communicating with the other department, it was probably at the time when we were computerizing everything. Then there was the housing crisis when every other house was being foreclosed. With residents walking away from their mortgages, properties were being abandoned all over the city. The important thing is that we're here now to photograph it, check the condition of it for us to assign a value, and sell it," said John.
Helen and Kathy alighted from the car and Helen looked back to John from the sidewalk.
"Aren't you coming? Or are you afraid of the ghosts?" She laughed.
"In a minute. I have to return the mayor's call," he said calling the mayor.
"Well?" Helen looked to Kathy. "Shall we have a look inside?"
"If you don't mind, I'd rather wait for John," said Kathy looking back to John talking on the phone while holding her pocketbook to her chest as if she was ready to bolt. "There's safety in numbers."
"C'mon, don't be such a scaredy cat," said Helen pulling Kathy along. "Haven't you ever watched Ghost Hunters?"
"Ghost Hunters? Yes all the time and I have and I have nightmares for days after watching it," said Kathy.
"The dead can't hurt you, only the living can," said Helen marching up the stairs unafraid with Kathy lagging behind.
"Hello? Building inspector," said Helen opening the unlocked, front door and peeking inside.
"Health inspector," said Kathy following close behind her friend.
"Wow! Look at this place. Look at all of this natural woodwork everywhere and with all of this Victorian detail. She walked around the first floor checking off her list while rattling off the items. "Original hardwood floors, beamed ceilings, pocket doors, and imported tiles will be great features at auction.
"This is a one-of-a-kind house," said Kathy.
"I love it," said Helen. "I wished I owned it," she said walking around the first floor while impressed with the grandeur of the house. "Built in bookcases, china hutch, and a butler's pantry, the wood looks like cherry or mahogany to me, perhaps a little of both."
Ready to continue their inspection of the house, they both stopped at the main staircase to look up at the grand entrance.
"Health inspector," said Kathy with her voice echoing through the reception hall and up the stairs. "Hello? Is there anyone here?" She stayed in place while looking up the stairs. "Suddenly, expecting Morticia Addams or Lurch to come walking down the stairs, I feel as if I'm in the Addams' family house," she said with a little laugh.
As if suspended in time with everything in place and covered with cobwebs, mice and roaches now took possession of the period home.
* * * * *
"Tom! Wake up! There's someone in our house," said Irene.
"Hello?" The two women called out again as they climbed the grand stairway to the second floor. "Is anyone here?"
With his wife shaking him awake, immediately Tom awoke to the women's voices.
"We're from the City," said Helen. "I'm the Building inspector."