by Krista Lakes
The driver left, and the two of them stepped onto the sidewalk. Marco looked around and then pulled out his phone to double check the address.
“I believe it's around the corner,” he said.
Marco was surprised at how quiet the little neighborhood was. They were in lower Manhattan, in an area called 'Greenwich Village.' It wasn't how he had imagined it would be, though. It was calm and peaceful, with very little foot traffic and just the occasional lonely car driving down the road next to them. It was quite a bit different than the other areas of New York that he had seen up to that point.
“So, can I get a hint as to where you're taking me?” Sabrina walked alongside him as she spoke.
Marco broke his gaze from his phone and looked at her.
“I can give you a hint, but I'm afraid if I do, you won't want to accompany me,” he said.
She stopped in her tracks. “Marco, I thought you said I was going to love it.”
“You will.” Marco insisted. “Once we get there, you'll love it. But if I inform you as to what it is, you might overthink it and not want to go.”
Sabrina looked at him suspiciously. “How about a hint then?”
“It's a tour,” he said, taking a few steps forward in an effort to encourage her to do the same. “Please trust me, okay?”
“Okay, I'll trust you,” she said, following Marco once again.
They walked around the corner and toward a small group of people who were gathered in front of one of the old apartment buildings. There were maybe five or six strangers, but they all had their cameras out and were snapping pictures of the building in front of them. Marco knew he was at the right place.
I sure hope she enjoys this, he thought. If she doesn't, I suppose we could always try to find something else to do in the neighborhood.
The two approached the group. Marco cleared his throat as they got close.
“Excuse me, are all of you here for the tour?” Marco asked. “I'm sorry to interrupt, I just need to confirm that I'm in the correct place.”
“Indeed,” a tall man in a black t-shirt responded, stepping out of the group and extending a hand toward Marco. “I'm James. I'll be leading you on the ghost tour. And you're just in time. We were about to head inside.”
“Ghost tour?” Sabrina looked at Marco, her eyes widening.
Marco shrugged. “Now do you understand why I couldn't tell you?”
“Ghost tour, really?” Sabrina repeated.
“You're right, it's a silly idea,” Marco said. “We should go find something else to do.”
“What? No, Marco. This is an incredible idea!” she said, her lips curling up into an excited smile. “Honestly, I've always wanted to do one of these kinds of tours. This just wasn't what I was expecting. Seriously, though, I love it.”
“Are you certain?” he asked. “You don't have to agree to it just because it's something I want to do. There are plenty of other things we can do today that would be fun as well.”
“Yes, I'm completely sure,” she said, her face beaming with joy. “This is going to be amazing.”
It delighted Marco to see her happy and he was so glad that he had made the decision to buy tickets for the tour.
This is going to be good, he thought.
James, the tour guide, was still standing in front of them. “If you guys are ready to go, let's get started.”
“Yes, we're ready,” Sabrina said.
Marco and Sabrina walked to the back of the group, while James made his way up onto the concrete steps that led to the door of the apartment building. The structure was made of red bricks and the wood around the windows had been painted white. Marco didn't think it appeared all that much different than any of the other places on the block. At least until he heard what James had to say about it.
“Welcome, everyone, to the House of the Deceased,” James said. “I won't spend too much time talking out here, since most of the good stuff is actually inside. But I will tell you a few things that you might find interesting. First off, for those of you who didn't know, New York is said to be the most haunted city on the entire planet.”
The crowd drew in a breath in unison and everyone looked at each other.
“Yes, it's true,” he continued. “And on top of that, the building we are currently standing in front of is said to be the most haunted building in New York. What does this mean? It means we are about to step inside of the most ghost-inhabited structure in the United States. This apartment was built in 1890 and at the time, was often used for prostitution, underground slavery and all-around bad things. That's not the interesting part, though. What makes this place special is the countless sightings of ghosts from all who have ever stayed here. Of course, nobody lives here now. My company owns the building. But I'll tell you right now, there is no way in hell I'd ever spend a night in this place.”
“Why not?” Sabrina asked, her voice sounding loud over the quiet crowd.
James looked toward her. “According to history, there have been at least twenty murders here, including several murder-suicides. Mark Twain, the author, actually stayed here in the year 1901 and claimed to have experienced supernatural incidents, even before he knew that the place was haunted. Also, in the mid 1950's, there were three different tenants who were all sent to psych wards after just one month of living here. It's said that they all told similar stories to their psychiatrists; something about a man on the stairs outside of their door whispering to them while they tried to sleep.”
The tour guide looked very serious as he spoke, but it only made Marco smirk. He assumed that it was all part of the show. Sabrina, on the other hand, was obviously becoming a little nervous. She had wrapped her hand into the crook of Marco's elbow and was squeezing him tight.
“Now, if you will all follow me, we'll go inside,” James said, spinning around to open the door.
The rusty hinges let out a loud groan as he pushed it open. It almost sounded like the building was crying out, hurting from all of the torment that had gone on there over the years. Marco looked over to Sabrina as they walked up the concrete steps.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” she said, still holding onto him with a death grip. “This place just suddenly feels a whole lot scarier now that we heard a little bit of its history.”
Marco tried to act tough and stoic, but he couldn't deny that a few goosebumps had popped up on his arms after hearing the story about the ghost on the stairs. A few more popped up when they stepped into the entryway of the apartment. The wood floor beneath their feet creaked louder than the door had and the smell of old mothballs entered his nose. The place looked infinitely more drab and creepy on the inside than it did on the outside. The only light came from a small window at the top of the first flight of stairs.
“If everyone will follow me up to the second floor, that's where we'll start our tour,” James announced.
The group followed him up. Marco and Sabrina were at the back of the crowd. She was squeezing him firmly as they ascended the stairs and it put a smile on his face. He liked that he was making her feel safe. He would protect her from any ghosts they happened to come across.
They all got to the top of the stairs and the group followed James into the first apartment on the right. Marco and Sabrina were still out in the hallway when they both suddenly stopped in their tracks and looked at each other.
“Did you feel that?” Marco asked.
A light breeze had blown across the back of his neck. It was ice cold and sent a chill through his entire body.
“I definitely felt something,” Sabrina said, rubbing the top of her shoulder. “It felt like a burst of wind.”
They glanced up and down the stairwell. There was only the one window and it appeared to be painted shut.
It's an old building, Marco thought. A breeze could have come from anywhere. But it is strange that it was so cold. It's a hundred degrees outside.
Marco wrapped an arm around Sabrina
's shoulders to comfort her. He could tell that she was getting nervous about being in the haunted building.
“I'm confident it was just a draft,” he said, leading her into the apartment to meet up with the rest of the tour group. “Or possibly the air conditioning.”
James overheard Marco and brought his attention to him. “Air conditioning? This old building doesn't have A/C. Did you feel something out there?”
Marco didn't want to make a big deal out of a light breeze, even though it couldn't be explained. “No, nothing. We were talking about something else.”
Marco held Sabrina close as they positioned themselves in the back of the group. The apartment where they stood looked like it had been neglected for decades. The paint was peeling off the walls and the floorboards were warped, twisting around like ribbons underneath their feet. It was the most dilapidated place Marco had ever seen in his entire life, even worse than the houses he helped fix in Haiti after a hurricane.
“I know that you're all wondering why I took you into this particular apartment,” James said. “This is where a very famous axe murderer lived for a short time during her young life. Her name was Lizzy St. James.”
Every jaw in the place dropped as they heard James' words. Marco felt as Sabrina wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself as close as possible.
“But don't worry, Lizzy only lived here for about two months,” he said. “So not a very long time, but still long enough to commit three murders in this very room.”
“What?” Sabrina's eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, completely,” James said. “In fact, where you're standing is where one of them took place.”
Marco and Sabrina gasped as they looked down at the floor. Maybe it was his imagination, but Marco was sure he saw the remnants of an old blood stain in the wood. Before he could react, the door of the apartment opened up a few inches, letting out a loud creak. The entire group, including James, looked over at it.
“What was that?” Marco asked, looking toward the sound and then back to James. “Who pushed that open?”
James let out a chuckle, though didn't smile. His expression remained stern. “That's Lizzy. Every single time I do a tour of this apartment, she lets herself in. The door opens a little further. Every time.”
“How do you know it's her?” one of the woman participating in the tour asked.
“It's just a guess,” James said. “But it only happens in this particular apartment and only in the middle of a tour, specifically after I mention her name. I have a hard time believing that it's just some sort of coincidence.”
There was a silent pause as everyone stared at the door. Marco wasn't sure what he was expecting to happen on the tour, but definitely didn't think he was going to feel this uneasy. Between the breeze on the back of his neck and the unexplained opening of the apartment door, he was now thinking that this tour was the real deal. This apartment building was absolutely haunted.
If someone didn't believe in ghosts, they should give this place a visit, he thought. I have a feeling it would change their mind about the paranormal.
“Well, I think we've had enough time in here,” James said. “I get the feeling that we're invading Lizzy's space and I don't really want to make her mad. Let's head up to the fourth floor.”
Marco looked over to Sabrina, who was still latched onto him. She was frozen, just staring at the doorway.
“We can most certainly leave if you're not enjoying this,” Marco said, as he affectionately rubbed Sabrina's back. “This is a bit more frightening than I thought it would be.”
“No way,” Sabrina said. “I mean you're right, it's terrifying. But that's a good thing, right? Who would want to go on a ghost tour where nothing happens?”
“Are you certain you want to stay?” he asked. “I want you to have a good time.”
Sabrina took a long breath, as if readying herself to follow the group out of the apartment to see what was next on the tour. “I'm fine. I just having the weirdest sensation in here, you know? This apartment feels like there's actually someone else in it, even though it's just the two of us.”
Marco let the idea sink in. It caused a shiver to crawl up his spine. Now that the tour had gone upstairs, it was just him and Sabrina in Lizzy's apartment. And Sabrina was right. There was an undeniable feeling that they weren't alone there. It was like someone was watching them, quietly observing.
“I feel like we should catch up with the group,” Sabrina said, as she walked toward the door, dragging Marco along with her.
“Yes, that's a great idea,” he said, following her to the stairs.
Despite the fact that Marco was a little agitated the haunted apartment, he still felt a giddy happiness inside. The way Sabrina clung to him made him feel like she was his girlfriend and he liked that feeling very much.
The two walked up the second flight of stairs and into the mouth of an empty hallway. They looked down toward the end, noticing closed doors on both sides. Silenced filled the air and the only sound that could be heard was their breathing.
“Did we lose the group?” Sabrina asked, her words piercing through the quiet.
“We must have,” Marco said, stepping into the hallway and straining his ears. “Were they going to the third or the fourth floor? I can't recall what James said. Maybe they're in one of these rooms down here.”
He started to walk, but Sabrina grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Marco, we can't go down there without the guide. I don't want to stumble into some haunted room without knowing it. What if we get possessed or something? We have no idea what we'll be walking into.”
Marco spun around and pulled Sabrina toward him. She brought her gaze to his and he smiled at her. Her blue eyes were big and beautiful. They mesmerized him and demanded his attention. He couldn't help but to stare.
She licked her lips nervously, and all he wanted in that moment was another kiss. He wanted to taste her again. He knew it might not be the best place or the best time, but he didn't care. His heart wanted her close once more, despite the fact that they were in a building filled with ghosts. Without a thought, he leaned in and kissed her.
Sabrina didn't pull away. In fact, she leaned and let out a soft moan. It was as though she'd been waiting all afternoon for Marco to kiss her again. Marco felt a surge of energy as he caressed Sabrina's soft lips with his own. Their tongues darted out, colliding with passion. It turned Marco on so much. He couldn't believe how badly he wanted this innocent girl from Memphis. Every part of his being craved her, with a desperation that was foreign to him.
It felt incredible. Marco's hands drifted down her body, gently touching the top of her hips, before making their way back up. He wished they were in his hotel room instead of on the tour, because he so badly wanted to take off her clothes and kiss so much more than just her lips.
Suddenly, Sabrina jerked away from Marco, breaking the kiss. She quickly took a step back and looked around. Her eyes were wide and filled with terror. Her chest rose and fell as she took in heavy breaths. “What in the hell was that, Marco?”
Confused, Marco shrugged. “Huh? What was what? I don't know what you're talking about.”
Sabrina rubbed the back of her neck. Then she brought her hand into the stream of light that was coming in through the small window at the end of the hall. Her fingers were soaking wet.
“Is that water?” Marco asked.
“I don't know,” she said, wiping it on the front of her pants. “But this place is creepy as hell. I want to get out of here.”
A few drops of cool liquid fell over Marco's shoulder, causing his heart to leap out of his chest. He didn't want to scream like a school girl, but it was difficult to remain stoic after their experience in Lizzy's room.
“I just felt something land on me as well,” he said, as he wiped the back of his neck with his sleeve.
It was too dark to tell what exactly the liquid was, but it didn't matter. One way or the other, they had both just exp
erienced something completely out of the norm. He wanted to leave, but oddly enough it wasn't for his own safety. It was for Sabrina's. He felt the need to protect her and keep her safe. What had dripped onto their necks was likely just water from a leaky pipe, but there was always the chance that it was something much more evil. For all Marco knew, this was how ghosts possessed the living.
Maybe it starts out with a few drops of water. Next thing you know, our heads are spinning around and they're calling in an exorcist from the church to try to save what's left of our souls, he thought.
“Maybe we should call it a day,” he said, ushering Sabrina toward the stairway. “Let's head back to the hotel. I think we've had enough excitement.”
They turned to head down the stairs. Sabrina appeared scared out of her mind and ready to run out of the building at full speed. But before they could descend, Marco heard the sound of a man's work boot. He turned around, expecting to see a ghost hurtling toward him only to find a man in a black t-shirt. It was the same shirt that James, the tour leader, had been wearing. The stranger was standing in the shadows near where Marco and Sabrina had just kissed. The man was carrying a small bottle of water and had a devilish grin on his face.
“Sabrina, hold on a moment,” Marco said, rolling his eyes. “That wasn't a ghost. This guy splashed some water on us.”
The man stepped out from the shadows. “Dammit, I didn't think you guys were going to see me back here. I had you pretty good with the water thing, though, didn't I?”
“I must assume that you're employed by the ghost tour company?” Marco asked, though he knew it was the case, based on the man's shirt.
“Yes, that's correct,” he admitted. “Sorry to scare you like that. But it's my job.”
Sabrina came back up the stairs. She had a relieved smile on her face. “You scared the crap out of me.”