William knew it would need to come to an end. The thing about giving up was knowing the perfect moment to throw in the towel for the most dramatic effect. And they’d passed that moment a while ago.
“Please, move the glass, do something–”
“I think we should give up,” William interrupted, speaking for the first time in a while. “Nothing’s happening.”
Edward barely got a sigh of defeat out when the glass shuddered to life.
“Hold on. Did you feel that?” Edward gawped at the board, a smile lifting his lips into a beautiful arch.
“Yes, because you moved it.”
“No. I didn’t.” Edward locked his excited gaze upon William. “Say something else. Ask another question. Maybeitwill listen to you.”
“I don’t think you’d like what I have to say.”
“Try, please.”
Suddenly the tables were turned, and it was Edward who was desperate for this connection.
“I’d rather not.” William moved to remove his fingers until Edward snapped at him.
“Don’t take your fingers off the planchet, Will. It isn’t safe.”
“This is stupid.” William, part frightened but mostly exhausted, couldn’t control the bite in his tone. “Nothing has happened. Nothing is here. Whatever is going on with me has nothing to do with ghosts.”
It’s me. I’m the problem. All this is because I’m broken, mind, body and spirit.
It was on the tip of Edward’s tongue to refuse him, but that wasn’t in his nature. Instead, he bowed his head, loosed a breath and answered. “All right, I’ll close the board if you really want that.”
“Good,” William said.
“We’re going to say goodbye now. Thanks for your time,” Edward said, adding as much vigour to his voice as he could muster. He turned to William, eyes set with heavy concern. “Will, you can relax on the pressure on the glass now.”
“What?”
“You’re pushing down on the glass too hard. Let up so I can move it to goodbye and close the board.”
William’s brow creased. “I’m not pressing down on it.” His fingertip was barely brushing the glass. “I’m hardly touching it.”
Edward considered this momentarily, looking between William’s hand and back up. What William noticed was the light sparking back into Edward’s eyes. “Someoneiswith us.”
“Shut up,” William snapped, spine fixed in place, body immobile.
“I’m being serious–”
“Stop fucking around with me.”
Edward’s soft eyes widened. “I would never do that.”
As if in agreement, Hanbury Manor cried – not just a creak but a building beat of noise that started in the walls and raced across the entire framework of the house. Both men looked up, following the sound until it stopped in a certain place above them.
The attic room.
“This isn’t funny, Edward. I don’t want to play this game anymore.”
“Then say goodbye,” Edward said as calmly as he could muster. “Clearly, whatever is happening here is attached to you.”
“Take it back. Don’t say that!”
