Tears in the Veil

Matthew watched as Rowan rushed out of the house blushing red in acute embarrassment. Well that at least told him if she remembered the dream or not. It also told him that she had never had a lucid dream with anyone before. He didn't feel any embarrassment himself as he was used to doing these things but he could understand someone who had never had such dreams before being very disturbed by them. He would have to talk with her when she got home and reassure her about a few things. Of course that would be if she would let him.

Smiling he finished off the pancakes then cleaned up. He washed all the dishes and after searching the cupboards he dried them and put them away as well as all the condiments. Once he wiped everything down he headed poured himself another cup of coffee and sat down in the lounge room. Sipping it he thought about what he was going to do for the rest of the day. What he really wanted to do was investigate the attic but he needed Sarah's help with that. Well he didn't really need it but he believed it would go a whole lot easier if she was there with him. Perhaps if he did something for her she would do this for him.

"Sarah could I talk to you please. I need to ask you a couple of favors but I think I can make it worth your while. How about you come here and we can discuss it please?"

Sarah appeared before Matthew. "Maurice had wanted me to ask you...about Tag. I don't know why they don't like to come inside the house. They just don't. Can we play again?" She asked.

"Of course we can," Matthew replied. "When would they like to play? Today or tonight? If it's tonight I think we might have to have a little talk with Rowan first. I guess you and the other kids have played tag with her like that before. Well to her she thought they were only dreams and in a way they are, but when I came along and played to I guess she just thought she was dreaming about me and didn't realize I was real too. She did a few things last night she is a bit embarrassed about, so if we explain to her what she will really be doing in her dreams maybe she won't be as embarrassed tomorrow."

Matthew smiled at Sarah. "I was also hoping you could help me with a few things as well. One is I was going to do as you suggested and order some delivery food for dinner tonight, but I forgot to ask her what her favorite food was. I was hoping you would know. Secondly I thought I might see who was making the noises in the attic. Last night when you showed us the place I got a feeling of loneliness, not anger or hatred like you would expect from that sort of noise. You also mentioned giving them toys and building things to distract it. That means you know whats up there don't you? I want to see if I can help that ghost Sarah. I have some things in my car it might find fun. Why don't you come out and see them and you can tell me if they are good enough."

Sarah listened and patiently nodded to each point. " I saw you two kissing and thought you might want some alone time to do some more of that. I allowed myself to be tagged so we could play on in your absence. And, Rowan loves Italian food, she's had sushi before and liked much of it, she's curious about Chinese but never been brave enough to just order a bunch to see what sorts of Chinese dishes she may like. I hope that helps."

As Matthew explained his hopes to meet the attic spirit she thought an explanation might be in order. "He's called 'The Beast' but he's just a boy, well, sort of...There's a lot of things wrong with him. I think he was locked up from really young because of being kind of...messed up...deformed and not able to speak and stuff...I think also being left alone up there and ignored or beaten also made his problems worse. Even when he grew up, inside his head he stayed a scared, abused little boy....He is lonely. I keep trying to make him understand he can leave but he doesn't believe the chains aren't there anymore, just like Maurice and his brothers can't seem to see or go into this house. " Sarah explained.

She looked out the front door and announced, "I would love to see what's in your car. I tried riding in Rowan's car with her once. We got as far as Wood Avenue, just one streetlight from the center of town, before I blinked and was back here on the porch. She said she saw me fading more the further we got from the edge of the driveway here. I guess town is my boundary. I don't get why. We all follow different physical rules. Some have specific time schedules, some have physical boundaries they can't seem to cross, some of us are aware of time passing and others are stuck in the same moment repeating over and over. Each of us is a world unto ourselves. " Sarah babbled as she walked with Mathew. "Do you think Rowan is pretty? If you could do grown up, naked things with her would you like that? Do you think she could even miss things like that without ever actually having done that ever before?" Sarah asked, feeling bold and nosey. "Have you done it before?"

Matthew was fascinated by the things Sarah was telling him. He had worked out some of them on his own, but to have an actual ghost confirm them was like having a talking T-Rex come to life and tell a Paleontologist they had been right or wrong in their theories. He was shocked that Sarah was also trying to help them cross over but then as he thought about it he guessed she would want what was good for her friends as well.

"So Maurice and his Brothers are stuck in a time when this house didn't exist so they don't see it, but they see the people that live in it and don't mind playing with them? I guess there just typical little kids trapped in an endless game of tag. They probably think all the new people are just new players that have wandered by to join in and they don't even notice how the style of clothes has changed. Maybe we have to get them to stop playing long enough to see the world has changed to help them move on."

Matthew laughed at all her questions. "Woah slow down pint size. I know you want to see Rowan and me get together and yes I think she is very beautiful, but I think she has the final say in the matter and judging from this mornings reaction I don't think I am in with much of a chance do you? I mean last night all we did was kiss and fool around a little fully clothed in a dream, and this morning she could hardly stand to look at me. Guess that means I won't be seeing her naked any time soon. Besides to answer your question miss nosey parker, yes I have done it before, but I haven't done it for awhile. Living and working on the road sort of makes it hard to form any kind of relationships and I am really not a love em and leave em sort of guy. As for her actually missing it without ever having done it. I don't think she is missing 'it' exactly. I mean she knows what it is of course, you can't grow up in today's society without knowing what it is by the age of thirteen. What I think she is missing is the feeling of having someone she could share that closeness with if she wanted too if she is missing it at all of course."

Matthew didn't feel strange having this conversation with Sarah. After all she was probably Rowans best friend and had known her since childhood and was older than he was. "now if you would like to follow me out to my car I will show you around and you can tell me what the 'Beast' would like and then maybe you could introduce me." He led her out and Sarah happily skipped beside him. Matthew was driving a mini van and he opened the two side door's that opened outwards and showed Sarah the converted inside. One side had a fold down bed that had pouches filled with cords and tools on the underside. The back had a few monitors and a hook up for his computer as well as a fold up chair. On the doors were more storage containers filled with junk components that he could use to fix his equipment plus soldering irons, glue guns and the like. "I also have a small camp stove, tent and a generator stored in a compartment on the roof," he told Sarah. "It's not much but it's home most of the time. Oh if you poke your head in a little more you will see all the ghost detecting equipment on the wall on the wall as well, although a lot of it is missing because it is set up already," he grinned.

Matthew gestured towards the doors. "So what do you think he would like to play with. I can basically afford to part with half of what is inside each box, although the tools will have to be out of bounds. I need those myself."

Sarah moved to touch some of the objects, her hand, not solid but energy, slipped through them leaving her looking a bit sad, though she covered it well. "He can pick things up. I only can if I'm very upset and then I lose my ability to make myself visible for days. Once, I threw a coffee table and it took me weeks to reform again, I didn't even have a voice... Rowan had been terrified I'd gone for good..." she said. "Nobody ever tried to break into this house again, though." She grinned triumphantly.

Sarah pointed to a few things the boy upstairs would be able to tinker with and Matthew packed them. "Nothing flammable! " she insisted. "No fires. I won't have this house burning down." Sarah said with a shiver as they moved back to the house.

Matthew carried the small parcel back and observed Sarah as she talked about her fire rule. He saw her shiver and he was pretty sure he knew what her backstory must involve. However he would not ask her. Maybe she would become comfortable enough to talk to him about it all on her own.

They walked inside and Sarah began to skip up the stairs. He followed her all the way up to the attic where he found a small door. Sarah just glided straight through and he reached out to open it but it was locked. Hmm great. Luckily it was an old style lock and he had an idea about that. Sarah came gliding back out and looked at him. "I thought you wanted to meet him Matthew."
"I do Sarah but the doors locked. I can't get in at the moment. I could break it down I suppose but I have a better idea. Most of these old doors open with the same sort of key, so all I have to do is find one still in the house. I noticed that the bedroom doors, the kitchen, the toolshed all of them have the same sort of lock so if we can find a key it should open this door too."

Sarah smiled at him and clapped her hands. "A treasure hunt. Yay we are going on a treasure hunt. I know where one is but we can't get to it. Rowan has one with her keys. It opens the front and back doors."
Matthew grimaced. He should have thought of that. "Well worse case then I can visit him tomorrow after borrowing the key off her then. However I would really like to do it today and I can't believe there would only be one key."
Sarah was still smiling. "Nope, I can remember there being lot's when I was a little girl. Almost every door had one in it."
Matthew smiled back."You are a treasure Sarah. See I win I found my treasure first," he laughed. "The only thing is where did all those keys go? If I remember right it was you then Rowan's great aunt then her mother and now her. So I don't think Rowan would have hid them, just not important enough for her and from what she told me her mother probably wouldn't have because she would have no need to. She was not sensitive enough to pick up on the fact that the house was haunted. So that leaves her great Aunt. Why she would do that I don't know and if she did I have no idea but it's our only shot. Where did she sleep Sarah and is there any of her old furniture still around."

Sarah had laughed when he had called her his treasure but secretly she had been happy. She was also impressed by his reasoning. "Well she slept in the same room as both Rowans mum and Rowan and I think the wardrobe in there and one of the cabinets is hers. The dresser in your room and the side tables are hers and downstairs there are the china cabinet, the table and chairs, of course most of the kitchen, the laundry, the sheds, and I think one or two display cabinets."

Matthew thought for a few minutes puzzling it out. If she did take them out she had left the doors wide open, so she had not locked everything. So obviously it was not a case of trying to lock something in, but allowing herself free access around the house. However if it was him he would still want to be able to lock the doors at a moments notice so he would keep a key with him at all times. That could be the one Rowan was using of course, but he would still have a hidden back up just in case. The question was where. If it was in the bedroom he would guess the side tables. Outside of them probably the china cabinet. It was a nice big piece of furniture and central in the house. Actually he wouldn't be surprised if both locations didn't have one.

"Hang on a moment Sarah I think I may know where there is a key, I will be right back."

Sarah waited at the article door.

Matthew ran down to his room and opened both side tables. He didn't expect to find a key just hidden in a draw, but he pulled them all the way out and felt on the bottom of them and looked on the backs of them. He didn't find one though and his face fell. He was so sure there would be one hidden in one of these. He began to put the drawers back, but as he was starting on the second one he noticed something on the inside of the cabinet. He activated the small torch in his cell phone and there it was jammed into the struts of the cabinet. An old key. Grinning from ear to ear he pried it out, then put the drawers back.

Running back up the stairs he showed it to Sarah. "I had a hunch I would find one of these hidden away in Rowans great Aunt's furniture. Now to see if it works." He inserted it into the lock and slowly turned it. There was a moments tension as long disused parts resisted moving, then the lock clicked open. Smiling he picked up the parts and opened the door. "Well looks like I can follow you again Sarah. Show me your friend 'The Beast'." Matthew strolled after Sarah as she led him deeper into the gloomy attic.

As Sarah led Matthew up the old attic stairs the air thickened with long undisturbed dust and the sounds of soft moans and squeals could be heard, growing louder as they approached.

They passed typical rows of attic junk, old furniture and boxes of things, likely antiques by now. The door to the annex the Beast resided in was locked with the turn key system Matthew now had the key for but also with a thick, rusted chain and a padlock which also needed a key of its own.

Sarah pointed to it. "Do you have one of those tools which can cut a chain link? " she asked hopefully.

Matthew smiled at her. "Well I do, but not one that would cut a chain this big, but it just so happens I have another way to get into places like this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather pouch. "Now this will just be a little secret between us Okay Sarah," he said as he crouched down and he took out two small pieces of wire. Inserting them into the lock he wiggled them around a little then took one out and exchanged it for another before trying it again. Several careful jiggles later and the padlock sprang open.

"Compliments of many years of breaking into places and abandoned buildings. It sometimes comes in handy." He took down the chain and then unlocked the door with the key he still had in his hand. With a little shiver he opened the door and peered inside.

Just as in the dreamland of the previous night, moans came from the little, dusty, junk laden room. They sounded like those of a man who spoke little, if not at all. Stringing together sentences had never been expected or encouraged from this creature, chained and beaten all through death just as he'd been in life, the "Beast" now cowered in a corner at the strange person's entrance.

Matthew looked at the man in a combination of horror and pity. Here was a person who had obviously been chained up and beaten from a very early age and by the looks of it had died in these very chains. His body was hard to describe. It had not grown straight and tall like it should have, instead it had grown hunched over and stunted because of the weight of the chains and the way he had been forced to walk around hunched over in the small space provided him. His arms however were hugely muscled again caused by the weight of the chains as were his chest muscles, but his legs were not so well developed. Matthew guessed that meant he spent most of his time sitting down another reason for his hunched appearance. His arms looked funny and then he realized that they had probably been broken many times and had set wrongly over the years as had his legs. His face had a badly lop sided nose probably for the same reason and his cheekbones looked wrong as did his jaw. His eyes were a dazzling blue but at the moment they looked at him in fear and he slunk as far into the corner as he could.

"He hates Adults you know," Sarah said from beside him. "I should have remembered that. Perhaps if you got down on your hands and knees so you weren't so big he wouldn't be so afraid and if you held out some of your presents."

Matthew thought this was a pretty good idea and he quickly sat down and waited for the 'Beast' to calm down. It took about ten minutes for him to edge out of the corner and then Matthew began to play with a few items in the sack making a little man from a few of the components. The boy watched fascinated and when he put it down he clapped and giggled in glee. He sounded just like any child Matthew had ever heard and when he held out the bag to him the man's eyes lit up and his hand reached out. He was going to stand up but remembered at the last minute and crawled over and handed the bag to him.

Matthew expected the bag to simply fall to the floor but a surprising solid feeling hand took it from him and then poured the contents out on the floor. Again came that happy laugh and he began to twist things together. Soon he had a man exactly like Matthews, then a horse and a dog. He looked up and Matthew smiled. "They are great my friend, much better than mine. Can you make a cat to go with the dog and maybe a woman." At the mention of Woman however he shook his head violently and cringed back. "Okay no woman, I get it. Then just the cat." He smiled again and got to work.

So a woman was doing this to him and probably a family member. The signs were there. A young boy in the Attic for so long under constant abuse, he would guess the mother but it could be the Aunt or maybe the Grandmother. He doubted the latter because of the length of time but he couldn't discount it.

The beast showed him the cat and Matthew laughed with him. "You are a whiz my friend. How about you do yourself. Can you do that?" He nodded vigorously and set to work and Matthew watched as he fingers flew over the pieces and a shape began to form. He couldn't quite see it but soon he showed it too him. It was a small boy and he smiled at him again. "A perfect likeness. You are a smart boy aren't you." The boys eyes watered and he looked at him with joy and one of the smaller chains disappeared. "You keep playing and I will bring you more things tomorrow. Just remember how clever you have to be to do this huh." again a small chain disappeared and he backed out on his hands and knees. As he got to the door he heard a small "Bye" from behind him and he turned and saw the boy waving at him. "Bye to you to. See you tomorrow." Then he walked back down the stairs leaving the door open.

Sarah sighed once they were out of the attic again. "It's sad, isn't it? How do people who do awful things move on yet we get stuck? It's like... don't tell my grandparents but sometimes I think everything I was taught about heaven and hell and an afterlife was lies, or at least, very bad guesses. Parents should love their children no matter what...What kind of God would allow...that?!" Her form faded and flickered as old emotions threatened the balance of her concrntration. "Do you think whoever did that to him is still around? I've never seen her. Doesn't he relive the real thing every night or memories of it?" Sarah wondered aloud, following Matthew out to his truck.

Matthew looked at Sarah and knew she wasn't just talking about the boy upstairs. She was definitely hiding something and he knew it was about the reason she was still here. Still he was not going to pry into it just yet. It looked like he still had a lot of other ghost's to help first.

"Well Sarah I am not sure about God but we can find out about this woman. I am going to set up some recording equipment in the attic for tonight. It should tell us if this person is in his head or really does exist. I am wondering if she is like those civil army ghosts. They only show up at a certain time and do the same thing every time. If this is the case if we can free him of his chains he will be free of her as she will just forever beat empty air. We may need Rowan's help too, in fact I am sure of it, but that wont be until later. For now let's get this stuff set up. I will need you to distract him while I put some of these in. The cameras need to be in a high place and I don't want him to be spooked again."

He grabbed what he needed and headed back to the attic. He needed to hurry if he wanted to do this and still arrange his surprise for Rowan.

Setting up the equipment was easier than Matthew had anticipated. The second visit to the attic room went smoother since Sarah took charge of keeping the boy distracted, helping him to refurbish an old typewriter and, using scraps of paper, he happily typed letters. "S-A-R-A-H...Yes, good job typing. Those letters, Sarah, that's my name. Do you know how to spell your name?" She ventured.

But, this got him upset and he threw the machine through her, it hit the ladder Matthew stood on, nearly toppling it.

Sarah used a gentle tone to calm him down as he whipped the heavy chains around, beating his own head brutally. "SUUUPIIID! " he slurred between shouts.

Sarah reached out tentatively, finding she could touch him. She reached him and hugged him, shh-ing."You're not stupid. You're not. You're brilliant! You can fix just about anything. And, you make such amazing toys! You are truly amazing. Not knowing how to spell doesn't make someone stupid. You weren't taught to spell...that's OK. Can you say it? I want to know my friend's name."

He sobbed, holding Sarah in his arms, yet almost comically, she was the one doing the soothing. Finally, he whispered, "Daybid. "

She understood him through his broken face and lisp, "David?"

He nodded, sniffling, and she helped him to retrieve the typewriter, fix it, and told him the letters to type.

"D-A-V-I-D. "

He took the paper out of the typewriter and kissed it, grinning wide. Seeing his name in print made him very happy.

Once Matthew was out of the room, the devices having been installed, Sarah said goodbyes to David, promising to see him again later and leaving the door open.

Sarah met Matthew downstairs and clapped her hands happily, "That went well. He's got a real name!"

Matthew laughed along with her. "You are very good with him as well Sarah. I saw and heard how you calmed him down and you are right he is not stupid. I think someone was telling our friend David he was from a very young age and he still believes it. However you have shown him that he can do things if he is just shown it. We are going to have to do lots of things like that with him. In fact I may go into town and buy some alphabet blocks for him," he mused.

Looking at the time he suddenly got wide eyed. "Oh darn it's this late already. I have to set the table, pick some flowers and order the food. I don't even know where any pamphlets or menus are for a Chinese place in town or where the plates and things are kept."

"The phone book in the desk drawer in the corner of the living room. I believe there's still company ads there. Or, trying the computer. Rowan does have an internet connection on it. If the phone book doesn't help searching online will, right? I've seen these things done all the time on television. Remember yesterday, where the stuff to set the table was? Oh, and I think Emerson's Flower Shop still exists, his great grand nephew runs it now... That's on Tremaine Road, and I think Rowan said there was a plaza built acrossed the street from it and there was an Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, Hong Kong Garden (Chinese place), Subway Sandwiches, Mc Donalds, and a Chilly's, all there in the plaza with the department store, shoe store, furniture warehouse, and Kliebold Car Dealership.... so, at the very least I could direct you to Tremaine and you can find what you seek there." Said Sarah quickly.

Matthew almost grabbed Sarah to twirl her around in glee. "Sarah remind me to give you a big hug and kiss tonight. You have probably saved me and hopefully made Rowan very happy."

He madly dashed around setting the table and then placed a vase just off center on the table and a couple of candles on it as well which he found with Sarah's help as well. Finally he rushed out to his car and following her directions made his way quickly to Tremaine street and the Flower shop. He saw the plaza and turned in parking in front of the Chinese store. Rushing in he ordered several dishes to take away and told them he would be right back. Running across the road he entered the flower shop and looked around. Finally he found a beautiful bunch of flowers of bright hues and colors. He took them to the counter and quickly paid for them, then rushed back. He put the flowers in the van then walked inside and picked up the food.

He drove back quickly and was only ten minutes ahead of Rowan's expected time to be home. He placed the food in the oven to keep warm and put the flowers in the vase. Looking at his preparations he nodded to himself. Well it all looked good, now all he needed was the guest of honor.

Rowan's stomach was in knots as she drove home from work. She was thinking about the odd happenings of the dream the night before. How, Matthew seemed as in control of his faculties in these dreams as she was and, somehow, it seemed like they had both been in the same dream together. Lucid dreaming, he'd called it. It would gave been fascinating had she not been so entirely mortified at her actions with what she'd assumed was just a dream character who looked like Matthew, not the real Matthew. She'd been so brazen! How embarrassing!

She parked in the driveway and took a long walk to the front door, keys ready to unlock it, when the door opened and Matthew stood there, a warm, welcoming smile on his handsome face.

Matthew smiled at Rowan as she approached the door. "Good evening Rowan, you look a little tired at the moment. Why don't you come inside and put your feet up and tell me about your day." He opened the door for her and watched as she walked inside with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. He sighed quietly to himself as he followed her. Obviously she still hadn't got over the dream from last night and what they had done together yet. He would have to talk with her about it before dinner or the atmosphere would be ruined and he just knew Sarah would be unhappy with him. He smiled at that, thinking that the child like ghost being upset was the only reason he was doing this. Truth was he wanted tonight to go well for his sake as well.

He followed Rowan into the lounge and sat at the other end of the couch as she flopped into it. He allowed her a few minutes to just rest before he started. "Look Rowan I know you ran out this morning because of the dream last night and you are still a little upset over it." He saw her tense up but he pushed on. "Truth is I thought it was just a dream as well although I was pretty sure Sarah and the other kids were real. You though,well I thought you were just a part of the dream. Seems I was wrong though huh," he laughed nervously. "The thing we did was called Lucid Dreaming and while many people can do it, not many can do it as well as we can. I don't know if it is because we can see ghosts or just another skill we share but this one let's us control our dreams and sometimes ghost's will interact with us while in them. However I have never heard of two people interacting that way, that was a first for me too. The other thing is you don't need to be embarrassed about anything you do while dreaming. Yes you can control your dreams but you are still dreaming. Everything is more emotional in that state and you tend to go with your feelings while in there so it was really not your fault. Although I must say I am flattered you did want to kiss me like that, and you obviously know I wanted to kiss you too."

He looked up to see if this was making it any easier for her to be near him. Hopefully it was or dinner was going to be very awkward.

Rowan listened, looking down at her fidgeting hands on her lap with a blush on her cheeks. After a moment of awkward silence she looked up at Matthew, "I...I just got embarrassed at my part in all that, not sure what you would think about me. I'm not...slutty... I'm fairly certain of it. I think people act differently when they dream, yes. It's not exactly how I thought my first kiss would happen..."

Shaking her head, Rowan looked at the time, deciding to drop the uncomfortable subject. "It's getting late and I smell of fry grease. I'll go take a quick shower and change my clothes. Then, I'll get started on cooking us some dinner, alright?"

Matthew smiled. "Sure you go take your shower and change. I can wait for dinner." As soon as she had headed upstairs he checked on the food. It was still nice and warm so he listened out for the shower. He needn't have really bothered as Sarah came floating down.
"She has finished and is just getting ready. Hurry up and get everything on the table." She was almost jumping in excitement.
Matthew had a tray ready and he quickly loaded everything onto it and placed it onto the table neatly. It took him two trips but he soon had everything arranged with serving spoons and forks and everything else that was needed. Sarah faded into a corner making herself almost invisible. She didn't want to spoil Matthews big surprise but she wanted to see Rowans expression.

Matthew rushed back to the living room and calmly sat on the couch again. Two minutes later Rowan walked down the stairs, changed and looking better after her shower. "You look better after that," he commented. "Why don't we go into the dining room and talk about dinner." He guided her to the door before she could protest to much and opened it showing her the feast spread out before her. "Surprise Rowan. I thought I would get dinner tonight. Hope you don't mind?"

Rowan's blue eyes widened, a slow smile spreading on her face as she took in the scene before her. "Oh, wow! Is that...You got Chinese take out food! I've always wanted to try that!" she exclaimed, smiling as she peeked at the different dishes, taking in all the interestingly unfamiliar sights and smells. "Do you know what's what? I've never had Chinese before, except for supermarket egg noodles and I tried an eggroll once." Standing before Matthew, she hugged him in thanks and looked into his eyes as she asked, "Be my guide?"

Matthew was delighted that she was so happy and he smiled at Sarah in the corner. Another thing he owed her for. "Sure Rowan. Most of it is pretty straight forward." He led her to a chair and sat her down before taking his own seat. "We have your basic fried rice and these are called Singapore noodles but are just fat noodles with vegetables and pork in it. This is called Black bean steak, chicken and cashews, sweet and sour pork, sizzling garlic king prawns, and these are chinese vegetables. These long things are spring rolls and these two containers are full of corn and chicken soup."