Lewd Legend

[DeliciousMaiden]

"I have seen people try to sell my home in the past. I've never seen any take detailed notes and give some thought to what should be renovated, if anything. Most people only want to sell this place to boast about how good they are,"

Cassidy laughed at the irony of his words. Ironically that was exactly what she was supposed to do; sell the place to prove herself.

"I do possess this house, that is true. In the past I've scared away kids, vagabonds, and many others. Most have deserved it. None of them seemed to care about the creation of the house, just selling it.
I see you seeing this as a home, not a quick way to make money."

She felt a touch on her hair, strands lightly eased back, the gentleness making her smile and prompting her to confide;

"I'm supposed to prove my so called 'talents' by selling this place, to anyone, anyhow ... but actually my new colleagues are hoping that I'll get a good scare and taken down a peg or two in the process ... "

She sighed heavily. The pressures of work had stressed her more than she had realised. Outwardly being disliked hadn't affected her, yet obviously deep down, it had of course.

"I'm a bit old to have an invisible friend ... "

She murmured finally.

.. and very sad that sitting talking to an empty hallway was the most actual conversations she'd had since she'd relocated down here ...

 

[FireyIce]

"Why would your co-workers want to see you fail?" asked Jeff inquisitively. "Just remember that envy breeds envy. And it's a vicious cycle, they all know that."

Jeff ran his hand across her forehead, down her cheek and to her chin. He wondered what her personal life was like since she was so determined.

"What is your name?" asked Jeff. He slowly ran his finger across her lips as she started to answer.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Why would your co-workers want to see you fail?"

The voice asked her.

"They don't want me here."

Cassidy told him.

"I'm the boss's daughter. They think I had everything just handed to me. They don't believe I'm employed on merit ... and so if they add this house to my portfolio and I fail to sell it on, they'll think they're justified in their thoughts, that I'm not good at what I do ... "

She sighed heavily.

"Just remember that envy breeds envy. And it's a vicious cycle, they all know that."

She knew that was true, but it didn't really help her situation.

"I know, but... "

She halted as she felt him touch her. His touch wasn't cold as she might have expected and nothing like the icy chills she had experienced earlier in her visit.
It felt as if he was running his hand over her face, much as a blind person might in an effort to learn about someone's appearance.

"What is your name?"

He seemed curious about her.

"Cass... "

She halted as she felt a finger linger intimately upon her lip.

"Cassidy,"

She continued.

"Cassidy Weston."

Her lips parted slightly still as she gave a soft gasp.

"Who are you ...?"

She finally dared to ask him.

 

[FireyIce]

"My name is Jeff Williamson," he stated. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cassidy. I tell you that envy breeds envy because they have all failed. Therefore they may want you to fail."

He moved Cassidy's hair back a little bit more as they talked. He could see deep into her eyes, able to tell that her worrying was getting to her. One of the perks that he liked about being a ghost like this is that he could view whatever he wanted to without judgement. And he was currently liking what he saw as he looked up and down her petite and well taken care of body.

"How about we make a deal that may benefit both of us, Miss Cassidy?" inquired Jeff.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"My name is Jeff Williamson,"

He identified himself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cassidy. I tell you that envy breeds envy because they have all failed. Therefore they may want you to fail."

She wasn't aware just how talented her work colleagues were or if they had failed.
She believed it was that they simply resented who and what Cassidy was.
Somehow his hand was in her hair, easing it back, as she sat and sighed softly.

"How about we make a deal that may benefit both of us, Miss Cassidy?"

She smiled at the courteous way he addressed her.

"What would that deal be, Mr Williamson?"

She asked.

 

[FireyIce]

"If I can prove I'm not some trick that was set up for you then you buy the house for yourself," stated Jeff with an abruptness of confidence. "By doing so you'll be able to restore this home to it's prior glory where it one stood as a firm foundation for this town. You will also be able to live your own life, making yourself look better."

He studied her face long and hard as he was giving her his offer.

"I will still probably be here, however, since I have been here for almost a century. But I will respect your privacy."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"If I can prove I'm not some trick that was set up for you then you buy the house for yourself,"

He offered.

"By doing so you'll be able to restore this home to it's prior glory where it one stood as a firm foundation for this town.
You will also be able to live your own life, making yourself look better."

She laughed and shook her head; perhaps not the reaction he was expecting.

"I will still probably be here, however, since I have been here for almost a century. But I will respect your privacy."

She shook her head.

"No deal."

His offer was flawed in so many ways.

"Firstly, I know you're not some trick, so you have nothing to prove.
Secondly, I don't need to make myself look better. I'm good at what I do and whoever doesn't accept that, well that's their problem not mine."

She paused and looked around the hallway where she sat talking to him.

"As for the house ... I really don't know what I'm going to do about it ...
If I found people who really liked the house and wanted to make it a home, a family home, would you let them move in and not let them know you were here?"

She asked.

 

[FireyIce]

"How disappointing," was the simple answer that was given. Though he did like how her wavy hair twirled back and forth as she shook her head.

"I've made myself unknown to many for a lot of people. There are times where I may intervene if I feel it's necessary though..." as his voice trailed off a little bit. "Why wouldn't you like to live here for yourself?"

He slowly pushed a finger into her head and started to browse though her recent memories. He saw how small her apartment was, how she was isolated from her co-workers, her crush on one of her co-workers and so many more.

"Interesting," responded Jeff as he finished looking through some of her more recent memories.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"How disappointing,"

He responded simply.

"I've made myself unknown to many for a lot of people. There are times where I may intervene if I feel it's necessary though..."Why wouldn't you like to live here for yourself?"

She sighed. She had let herself get carried away with the house, but in truth she didn't belong here. There was no one she cared about down here, nothing important to her.

"I didn't say I wouldn't like to live here ... "

She said finally.

"It's a wonderful place, but ... this location ... it isn't home for me ... there's nothing to keep me here except this secondment and I might even leave there before my 6 months are up."

"Interesting,"

He commented as she spoke.

"Not really . I'm only a month into it and already I hate it and they hate me."

 

[FireyIce]

"If you're planning on leaving in a few months to move somewhere else and that pattern repeats itself, then where will home be?" Jeff asked. It was a simple question, but he hoped that it was somewhat complex enough to find a hole in her logic.

"What about your co-worker Adam? Would your crush just be a lost dream that never had the chance?" He slowly circled around her as he asked his questions. "I bet you'd love a guilt-free night with him, wouldn't you?" whispered Jeff.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"If you're planning on leaving in a few months to move somewhere else and that pattern repeats itself, then where will home be?"

She shrugged.

"Home is just with my parents so far ... I've kept flats when I've travelled round to work in different branches of the company. Finding somewhere to live is never a problem when you're a realtor."

She told him, deliberately side stepping the question.

"What about your co-worker Adam? Would your crush just be a lost dream that never had the chance?
I bet you'd love a guilt-free night with him, wouldn't you?"

She laughed at his words.

"Adam!?! Where did you come up with that idea?"

She sighed and stretched realising that she was getting stiff from sitting on the cold steps.

"Adam is cute and yes he's hot ... but also very gay ... and no .. I don't have a crush or want a night with him or anyone else.... "

She stood up and picked up her bag, irritated.

"I don't know how you knew about him, but my private life, or lack of it is none of your business."

She headed for the door, suddenly realising that she was tired and cold and well in need of a hot bath and a bottle of wine.

 

[FireyIce]

"Dear Diary, I wish I could see Adam as a lover. I wish I could have a night where he wasn't gay and we could make love... That's what you wrote last night before you went to bed, correct?" inquired Jeff. He watched as she stood up, realizing that it was getting late.

"If you were to bring him here I could possess him for you. I could make that a reality for you, Miss Cassidy," stated Jeff. "If I wanted to I could possess your body and make you do what I desire."

He watched as she headed to the door. He noticed that she had paused after hearing that, possibly wondering what it would be like for either her or Adam.

"If you do leave for the night I wish you well and I will still be here when you come back. To you home," whispered Jeff as he spoke into Cassidy's ear.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Dear Diary, I wish I could see Adam as a lover. I wish I could have a night where he wasn't gay and we could make love... That's what you wrote last night before you went to bed, correct?"

He quoted at her.

"You're not as clever as you think Mr Williamson."

She turned at the door and spoke to the empty hall way.

"I don't keep a diary and I don't want Adam as a lover."

She had written an email to her best friend telling her about how hostile the office was and how lonely she felt. She had mentioned that Adam was the only one who had seemed vaguely friendly and then described her other co-workers and ways they had tried to make things difficult for her at work. Unexpectedly she had received an instant reply. Tanya was online and wanted to chat over instant messenger. And so each on their side of the computer, the two girls had opened a bottle of wine and gossiped ... and yes ... perhaps after over half a bottle of wine whilst exchanging 'girl talk' about, 'if-you-had-to-who-would-you-do-it-with?' Cassidy might just have mentioned .....

She sighed and hauled her back over her shoulder.

"If you were to bring him here I could possess him for you.
I could make that a reality for you, Miss Cassidy,"

She turned back abruptly. What he was suggesting was wrong on so many levels.

"Possession? You'd better be kidding..."

She said warily.

"If I wanted to I could possess your body and make you do what I desire."

Her mind went back to the web pages she had read and for the first time she wondered if there was any truth in them.

"If you do leave for the night I wish you well and I will still be here when you come back. To you home,"

She laughed then.

"I love the house and yes, I was tempted to buy it."

She told him.

"But whatever you think, I want a place that is all my own, where I can do and think and say what I want without anyone else prying or making judgements about me."

She was disappointed and angry at him for encouraging her and then making it impossible for her to make this her home.

"I know you can easily stop me renovating and remodelling this house. I guess I knew that you'd be capable of possession and any amount of evil deeds before I even stepped foot in here and there's nothing I can do to stop that. But if you want this place to be saved, then you'll let me do my work here, let this place be worked on without harassing anyone. If not ... "

She looked around regretfully.

"As a house with the reputation you've built up for this place, this is worth next to nothing.
As a plot of land for development, we could recoup our losses ... "

It would be sacrilege to raise this house to the ground, even now, the very idea broke her heart, but if the resident ghost proved unco-operative, that was a decision she might have to make.

"You know how I'd feel about that. But it is a decision I'd make if I had to.
And I know you can tell that I'm not bluffing."

If he could somehow read her feelings, he would know that though conflicted, she would not let emotion stand in the way of taking that final terrible step in the interests of business. She didn't admit, even to herself, that if the house ceased to exist that would make it easier for her to walk away. Her preferred scenario was to have the property go to someone who would love it and care for it, but handing it over and walking away .... that was going to be difficult to do ...

 

[FireyIce]

Jeff listened as she stated her opinion. He could tell from the tone in her voice that she was displeased and firm with what she had threatened to do. Jeff figured that no good would come from continuing this conversation as he could see the small amount of fury in her eyes.

"I will let you work at doing your job as you would like, without distractions," stated Jeff as he threw his voice around the front of the house, making it hard to find out where he was.

Jeff figured he should walk out to the balcony and watch as the sun managed to set. Though all of the technological advances baffled him, he still enjoyed seeing the day end with the view that he had.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"I will let you work at doing your job as you would like, without distractions,"

It was clear from his words and the way his voice echoed around the house that he had chosen to detach himself from her presence and actually grant her request. Cassidy should have been pleased. She had 'won' after all. She would see to the place and then sell it on or rent it and all would be well.

She felt the silence, the emptiness. Was sure that he had decided to leave her to it, so with a heavy sigh, she headed out of the front door, determined to be sensible and to only be on site as much as was necessary. That way she wouldn't get attached to the property. She halted half way down the path.

"Easy to say Cassidy ... shame it's too late ... "

She was getting used to talking to herself she realised. An easy way to go crazy.
Being torn between common sense and ... the impossible wasn't what Cassidy had expected. The strategy she had, the crutch she always fell on when things got tough was to revert to her 'business' head, only somehow she still felt illogically guilty about her threat to demolish this house.

Easing into the driver's seat of the car she stared back at the house. Yes it was a mess and terribly run down, but she could see what it could be, what it had once been. How could no one over the many years have seen that?

Frustrated, she started the car and headed back to her sparse flat. She could hardly call it home; the four walls she slept in were nothing more than that.

 

[FireyIce]

Jeff saw Cassidy's car drive away as he was out on the balcony. He hadn't seen her stop half way and turn around, however, he did have a feeling that she would be back. He thought to himself that while she saw a lot of the house she still had to see the attic and basement. Jeff wondered how she would act when she did come back. There was much to think about and Jeff had more than enough time as he watched the sunset and the sunrise.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Cassidy

Cassidy was already at her desk when her colleagues came in to start their day by which time, she had already spoken to the Branch manager and taken great pleasure in informing him that she intended to focus upon the Bailey Place for the next 3 or 4 days and that after having found it impossible to find local tradesmen willing to work on the place, she had contacted her father and arranged through him for work to be carried out by companies they worked with regularly. She had never intended to play the ‘boss’s daughter’, or to pull rank over those she had found herself working amongst, but her welcome, or lack of it had been such that Cassidy justified her actions in business terms. She did have to admit however that she loved the look on the manager’s face when she told him that she had had[B/] to tell her father that the property had been running at a loss for years and that he was naturally concerned about the outcome of the renovations and subsequent sale or leasing. Revenge was sweet, she mused as she began to close down the windows on her computer, an obvious smile on her face. After all it was they who had foistered this property on her and it was hardly her fault that doing so might well come back to bite them!

”See you next week,”

She announced as she stood and reached for her brief case. She was amused by the comments about her taking an extended holiday, or working part time, which was ironic given that she was the one who had been in early.

”No … lots to do on the Bailey case. Orders from the top … well … orders from daddy … “

She hardly bit back a laugh as she grabbed her jacket and left the office. She had the rest of that day, Friday and the weekend if she chose to use that time also. Monday she would definitely come back into the office, though whether she would need more time on site afterwards would remain to be seen.

Swinging her car round to the tiny flat she was staying in, she was soon out of her work clothes and gathered her hair into a high pony tail before pulling on jeans with a t-shirt and a jumper on top. She also brought a box of equipment and basic supplied with her and additionally stacked up the back of the car with blankets and even a step ladder before heading back towards the abandoned property. Parked outside, Cassidy wondered if the ‘sitting tenant’ as she thought of him would make his presence known. She wasn’t foolish enough to hope that she’d been delusional and imagined what had happened the day before, but she couldn’t quite think of him as a ‘ghost’; that just seemed too … melodramatic. Torch in hand, bag over shoulder, Cassidy got out and found the pathway much easier to walk down in trainers. She would have a quick check round and then begin bringing her ‘supplies’ inside.

 

[FireyIce]

Jeff was simply relaxing, leaning on the balcony in the middle of the day when he noticed a car pulling up. He looked out and saw someone get out with bag and torch. "Who was this person," thought Jeff. Though he was never really expecting anyone, he was curious. He started to watch as the person started to walk around the house. "Could this be Cassidy coming back already?" he asked himself. Jeff thought the best idea was to see if this lady would come inside. He figured that if it was her she would probably announce herself when she entered.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Cassidy actually needed the key to unlock the front door. She pushed it open and stood in the silence. There was no draft, no slamming door and now voice to greet her. Light seemed to be pouring into the property today and she took the opportunity to walk around the reception rooms, much as she had done the day before and once again ended up in the kitchen. Seeing it in full sunlight did nothing to add to the room's appeal. Retracing her steps she turned to go up the staircase and as before explored the smaller rooms and then entered the master bedroom, now sparse with only an old double bed in its centre. Standing in the door she looked around confirming that all the rooms that she had viewed previously were all in the exact same state that she had left them in.

Next on the agenda would be the exploration of the attic and basement ...

 

[FireyIce]

Jeff decided to at least make himself known again as Cassidy stood in the doorway of the master bedroom.

"Welcome back, Miss Cassidy," stated Jeff. He had made it sound like he was farther away than he was as he looked at her lovely face, noticing her neck with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Did you sleep good last night?"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Welcome back, Miss Cassidy,"

The voice came from far off, but was unmistakeably the same as the previous day.

"Did you sleep good last night?"

Instinctively she looked around the room, but could see nothing.

"Morning, Mr Williamson."

She greeted him as if this were perfectly normal.

"I slept as well as I ever do ... "

She told him.

"I had an early start this morning."

She did not elaborate.

"What mood are you in today?"

She asked the spirit wondering if he would be co-operative, non-existent or troublesome.

 

[FireyIce]

"What kind of mood should I be in?" inquired Jeff. "To what do I offer the reason for today's visit, if I may ask?"

He watched as she walked around the room.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"What kind of mood should I be in?
To what do I offer the reason for today's visit, if I may ask?"

Cassidy looked out over the garden then turned back to look inside the room.
She laughed at his question.

"This isn't a social call. I'm not visiting you. As the person tasked with processing this property it falls to me to decide what should be done with it ... "

She knew he still considered this place his, an issue which might become problematical if he chose to make it so.

"I was merely enquiring as to how co-operative or otherwise you were intending to be ... "

She shrugged, not waiting for an answer before heading back to the staircase, downstairs and out of the door. The next ten minutes or so were spent unpacking the car and bringing her 'necessities' into the house and stacking them in the doorway.

 

[FireyIce]

Jeff watched as Cassidy unpacked her car. He felt a little sad, though as he didn't have a physical presence to help with her bringing her things in. Though he could be crude and heartless he still tried to be a gentleman at heart.

"I must say that I am sorry I cannot pick up your stuff for you," he said. "So you're going to just try to sell this house then?" He watched as she took a small break after finishing moving her stuff into the house.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

She stood in the hallway looking around her boxes and items, slightly out of breath it had to be admitted.

"I must say that I am sorry I cannot pick up your stuff for you,"

The word surprised her. She had not realised that he had been anywhere near and his regret at being unable to be of assistance was not what she had expected at all.

"So you're going to just try to sell this house then?"

She dropped down on the stairs as she had the previous day. It was strange to be talking to thin air, but somehow she was getting used to it.

"I honestly don't know what I'm going to do."

She told him with a sigh as she looked around the hall way. She still loved the place, but common sense had to come into play. A ghostly sitting tenant is not what she had in mind for the home she would eventually buy for herself.

"First things, first. I need to check out the attic and the basement and then work out what the options are and their cost."

She looked around wishing she could see him.

"You being here does ... complicate ... things ... "

She told him.