Little Lion Man

The girls name was Taryn, and she was beautiful.

It was merely an observation more than anything, her facial features aligned in the right way, the way she walked had a certain confidence about it... She was beautiful, that was a fact that I couldn't deny, but it didn't feel right having her living in Violet's room.

I was stressing out about it, pacing back and forth in the basement, rambling on and on to myself. I bet Violet didn't like that fact that strange girl took her room. I sure as hell didn't. I had no problems with her thus far, but taking that room... well, that wasn't okay. No one could live there except Violet... that was her room. It felt almost like she was replacing her, tainting her memory, soiling the bed sheets Violet should be sleeping on.

"What are you doing, you little freak?" Hayden's girly voice interrupted me. She had a tendency to appear out of nowhere and mouth everyone off... One of the reasons she was one of the least popular in the house.

Crazy bitch.

"Go away, Hayden." I snapped, turning on my heel and beginning my next line of pacing. She scoffed at me, rolling her eyes that had far too much make up on them. She was dead, what did she need make up for anyways?

"You're thinking about the new girl, aren't you?" She asked, walking over and slinking an arm around my neck. I wanted nothing more than to push her away, possibly snap her in half, take an axe to her face... I shook the thoughts from my head, and focused on her. "I saw you watching her."

"I wasn't watching her, I was seeing who moved in." I growled, jerking away from her touch. Her sly grin fell into a frown, but I didn't care. I hoped I hurt her feelings, nothing would make me happier. "I didn't even know the house was for sale."

"C'mon, Tate. Are you that stupid? The 'for sale' sign has been up for months..."

I guess I'd been too caught up in worrying about Violet to notice. It wasn't like I paid attention to those kinds of things, anyways.

"Just leave me alone, Hayden..." I nearly yelled, stalking away from her. She tried to follow me, but seemed to decide against it as I walked up the stairs from the basement, to the main floor. I knew the family that had moved in couldn't see me, so I moved about freely, examining their things.

Hayden was right in a way- I was watching Taryn. She reminded me of someone, and I couldn't place it. Her hair was shoulder-length, black, and messy all the time no matter how long she stood in the mirror with a brush. She wore a bit too much make up, and had a permanent frown on her face. When she did smile, it was quite gorgeous.

I observed her eat breakfast, get ready for school, do chores... I watched her walk down into the basement while her parent's weren't home, come back up and snort a few lines of a white substance. I watched everything she did for the first week she was there, and she had no idea. It was forbidden, dangerous... yet there was no risk. She would never know.

I sort of enjoyed the solitude of being dead. I could be all alone when I didn't want to see people (except the other souls that resided in this house), but I could interact with humans here when I wanted to... and something in me really wanted to talk to Taryn. Part of me wanted to yell at her, scare her away from the house so Violet could have her room back... part of me wanted to get to know her.

She'd already spotted me once, before I even know they'd moved in. I was on the gazebo, and she was in Violet's room (her room now, I suppose). We made eye contact, and even though I held a bit of hostility towards her, she made me curious. She didn't run and tell on me, she didn't shy away. She made me gaze, almost daring me to make a move of some sort. I had no idea why, but that was what I felt from her.

I started slowly trekking up the stairs towards her room, unsure of what exactly I was doing. I heard loud, angry music blaring from it, and smiled slightly to myself. The door was closed when I reached it, and I couldn't exactly open it and freely observe like I'd like to. Instead, I opted to go back to the gazebo... and maybe she'd spot me again.

I had no idea what I wanted with this girl... She was no Violet, not by a long shot, but I guess I was lonely. Hanging out with dead people got old after a while. She looked about the age I was frozen in, so maybe she'd make a good companion. A friend. I wasn't good at making friends... but maybe I could try it. It could be a long time before another teenage girl moved in. Maybe, if we got along well enough I could make her a permanent fixture in the house.

I reached the gazebo, and stared out onto the street. I hadn't left this yard since the first Halloween with Violet... I sort of longed to leave, just for a little while maybe. I could walk around, see some different sights. Anything. I made a mental note to do that next Halloween. I turned, looking up at Violet- I mean, Taryn's window.

She was sitting there, staring right back. Our eyes locked for the second time since she moved in, but this time... she moved from the window.

I tried to mask my disappointment, but failed. I feared she was going to call someone for help... not like they'd find me or anything, but it was still an irrational fear I had. I sighed slightly, turning my gaze to the ground.

I heard a noise then, the sound of metal scraping against concrete or something similar, and I looked up. Taryn was there, staring down at me from a now open window, as if daring me to say something.

So I did.

"Hi."

"Hi..." She called back, staring at me curiously. She wasn't afraid of me... yet. "What are you doing here?"

Fuck. Hadn't really figured out how to answer that one. "I used to live here, thought I'd see who just moved in," I answered. Good enough for now.

"Well, that would be me..." She said thoughtfully, turning her head to glance around her room, as if to make sure we were alone. "Hey, want to come in?"

"Yeah... I'd love to."