Ghosts we leave behind

chapter 6; phantom

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Nora came back to a quiet house, catching herself thinking back to Friday. Elijah was still kind and soft spoken just as he was all those years ago which only made the past that more bittersweet to remember.

Nora knew her appearance had changed quite drastically since she'd known him.

Her red hair, she felt, had been brighter back then. She had let them grow longer and stopped trying to hide her freckles as much as she used to. Kicking off her shoes, she began to think of all the sports she used to play and when in her life, had she exactly stopped. There was something about coming back to her hometown that made her reevaluate every choice she'd ever made since leaving it.

Walking past the kitchen, she stopped abruptly. She took a few steps back and looked inside to see the basement door wide open. Her eyes drifted to the lock that sat on the kitchen counter before she realised what she was looking at.

"Nan?" she called out, slightly taken aback that the basement was open.

Walking further into the kitchen, she heard low and painful groans echoing from downstairs.

"Nan, is that you?" she balanced one shoe across the edge of the first step.

She continued to groan, and louder when she realised Nora was home. Nora made her way down and studied the room briefly before she approached Eleanor on the floor. She was on her side, holding the back of her head with her hands, her body writhing slowly back and forth. Nora was confused as she knelt beside her grandmother. She'd been so afraid of the basement for so long that now, being inside of it, felt surreal.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. "What happened?"

"Someone hit me," she moaned, her tears had dried on her cheeks. Nora looked around in alarm for what she had been hit by but she couldn't determine what it had been.

"I'm going to help you stand. Do you think you can do that?" Nora asked, glancing at the blood under her head and fingers.

"Y-Yes," she answered, weakly. "I think so."

"Okay," she mumbled gruffly as she gripped her arms and pulled her up, slowly.

Eleanor's foot gave way but Nora was able to steady her balance. She held her arms and waist for a long moment to be certain that she could stand properly before letting go of one of her arms. Eleanor looked around the basement, her eyes wide with fear.

Nora took slow steps with her to the stairs. "What were you doing down here anyway?"

Eleanor's upper lip trembled as she reached out for the hand rail. Unable to help it, Nora looked over her shoulder and at the basement she'd never seen before. It wasn't as broken down as Eleanor had described it but at the same time there was nothing impressive about it either. Except for an old bookshelf in the corner and some storage boxes, she could understand why Eleanor kept it locked up. There was a small window with a latch, too. She suspected that was where the water from storms trickled in from. Mold was visible on the wall behind the boxes and it made Nora grimace.

She nearly missed a step but Nora placed her free hand on her hip, supporting her grandmother's weight as they climbed the stairs. Turning off the light at the top of the stairs, Nora sighed when she realised a light had been left on in the basement. She dismissed it and told herself she'd turn it off later. This was more important.

Closing the door behind her with her foot, Nora helped Eleanor to the kitchen table and sat her down. She was still cradling her head and Nora looked down at her hands that were now stained red. Staring at them for a moment, it wasn't until Eleanor called her name that she snapped back to reality.