While it’s not technically there in the title, there’s an implicit “Part 1.” I like where it is in its short for here, but I also kind of want to see what’s next for Andi and the house. We’ll see…

“I just want to be clear before we go any further, the last time we met you said to me, and I quote, ‘I want out of that hellhole house! If I stay one more minute I feel like I will be murdered brutally or possessed.’”

Andi coughed nervously at the recollection. “Okay…” she started, “That’s true, technically…”

“And now you’re here intending to rent the place again?”

Andi sighed, “I am. But, to be fair, you’re here entertaining the possibility of renting it to me, so that says something as well.”

Daniel let a smile escape, “You’ve got me there. The Dillard place is haunted. It’s no secret. Finding – and keeping – tenants is nigh impossible.”

“I can understand that…” Andi mumbled under her breath.

“Which is why  I’m wondering why you’re sitting across from me. I don’t know exactly what you went through in that house for the three months you lived there, but based on what you said the last time we met it sounded pretty traumatic.”

“Oh, it was…”

“And yet,” he spread his hands out, “here you are again.”

“Here I am again.”

“Why?”

Andi raised her gaze to look him in the eyes. “Because while it was hell in that place… honestly, it’s a different kind of hell everywhere else.”

“It’s that bad?”

“It’s worse.”

Daniel sighed, “I imagine it is. But I want to be open about this: six month lease, it explicitly states paranormal activity is not a valid reason for breaking the lease.”

“Same rate?”

“If you sign on for this six-month lease, I’ll knock a hundred dollars off a month.”

Andi’s eyes widened.

“I want someone living in that house.”

“You’ve already got someone dead in that house.”

“That wasn’t what I mea—”

“I know. Sorry, couldn’t resist. Yes, I recognize the terms. Six months. No getting out of it.” Andi raised her hand to shake his.

***

Andi raised her hand to the doorknob. She took a deep breath remembering the last time she slammed this door behind her as she fled in the dead of night. Was she really ready to do this again?

She let the breath out slowly.

She was.

She opened the door and stepped inside. She reflexively reached for the light switch but realized that the lights were on already. Despite the brightly lit entryway, she could make out the distinct form of a shadow in the shape of a man on the stairs ahead of her. She could feel its malevolent gaze on her as she closed the door behind her.

“You’re back?” the voice seemingly emanated from the whole house, but she knew it was this figure.

“I’m back.”

“This is going to be fun…” It laughed menacingly.

“First,” Andi said, “I appreciate the welcome. Last time you lulled me into a false sense of security with a few weeks with no activity. This,” she gestured to the lights, “and you, I mean… thank you.”

“I will torture you.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“I will terrorize your dreams.”

Andi nodded, “I fully expect you will.”

“Why?”

“Because I just parked my car in a driveway. My driveway! In a house I’m paying half of market rate for. There’s a washer and dryer inside! There’s no mold! You’re the loudest thing in the neighborhood. No one comes knocking – even the Jehovah’s Witness stay the hell away!”

The shadow figure took a step down towards her.

“I am going to invade your psyche and make your every waking moment more terrible than you can possibly imagine.”

“It’s ten pm and 90 degrees out there,” she said. “Thanks to you it’s 64 in here,” she stepped towards the figure. “And I know there’s no AC in this place.”

“I will make you wish you never came back.”

She came face to shadow with the thing. “You’re the ghost I know,” she smiled. “I’ll take that any day.”