Katie POV

As soon as my butt hits the floor and the coldness of the wall sinks through my clothes and to my skin, I sigh. 

Today had been a shit-show from the very moment I put my feet on the floor. Not only was I late for work, but it seemed as if the world knew and made a point of making me even later. By the time I got to my cashier job, I was an hour late. My boss wasted no time in telling me that I am late and being docked the hour, then I was faced with angry customer after angry customer. 

It's my fault something is sold out. 

My fault that she broke her nail when getting a shopping cart. 

My fault that the guy can't read a damn packet and when it says that it is not suitable for vegetarians, it means IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS!

So when I clocked off, I knew the only place that I needed to come to, was here. Looking around the abandoned building, I find it somewhat comforting. This was the only place I could come to, to relax. To let my guard down and hey, maybe have a conversation or two. 

"I don't know how much longer I can keep coming here." I say out loud. "There is chatter in the wind that they are going to refurbish this place..."

The building around me groans and grumbles, as if understanding my concern. I didn't want this place to disappear, I want them to leave it untouched and I'm sure the residents who reside here feel the same. 

"If they turn up and start boarding this place up, then I'm out.." I tell them, pulling a small candy out my pocket and placing it on an old rickety table that looked ready to collapse. "For you, Tommy."

As soon as I say the name, a little boy appears from the wall and smiles before rushing over to see what I had placed down. His head tilts at the wrapper and I watch as he tries to pick it up and fails. 

"What I don't understand, is why you keep asking me to bring candy?" 

"I play with it. I collect them and that one is shiny." He smiles, trying again to pick it up. 

"How many tries does it take?"  I ask him. 

He shrugs and I can only imagine that he is there for a while, trying his hardest to collect the shiny candy. 

"See anyone else today?" I question. 

He nods. "A man was here. He didn't come in though. He just put his hand on the door and then got back in the car."

I frown and sit forward off the wall. "What man? A suit?"

"No," Tommy replies. "Funny clothes, like yours." 

"Did he say anything?" I probe, wondering if it could be the potential new owner of the place. I know it's due to go on sale soon. 

Tommy moves the candy, his eyes widen as he does. "Nope."

My lips part to question him more when a woman appears from the upper floor. "Katie, it's lovely to see you." She smiles, her long dress moving slightly as she lands on the floor and walks over to Tommy. 

"Hello Doris. How are you?"

"Very well." She answers, before picking up the candy and handing it to Tommy as if it was a human passing it to a human child. "There you go. Run along now."

Like a shot, Tommy is gone and understands enough about physics not to run through the wall with his candy. Although that did take some explaining when he first did it...

"Does the sell of this building concern you?" Doris asks. 

I nod. "It's like a second home now. You know how often I come here and well... Not everyone understands someone like me."

Her eyes, despite being ghostly give me a sympathetic look. "Perhaps you are not associated with the right people?"

"Hmm." I answer, not wanting to commit anymore to that.

Doris is about to say something when we both hear car doors slamming, scurrying off the floor, I peek through the crooked window blinds to see four men stood outside, looking at the building. 

"Katie, Katie, the man is back!" Tommy says pointing to the window.

"I see. I wonder who he is?"

Doris looks over at me. "Well I can't ask him. But I know someone who can..."

My shoulders drop. "I don't want to speak with anyone. They look bad news."

When a second car pulls up and a familiar woman gets out, I growl. "Fucking Jocelyn." 

"Is that-"

"My sister. Yes." I bite letting go of the blind and pacing the room. "What the hell is she doing here and with them?"

Doris drifts over. "Is your sister, like you?"

I pause. "No, nothing like me. She came here once and I think someone threw a rock at her. Now she claims its the devil."

A small snigger makes me turn and I find Tommy holding the shiny candy. "Oops." He giggles.

"That was you?" I ask slightly, amused. If only my sister could see this 'devil', she wouldn't believe it was a little boy in brown slacks and a white shirt.

"She said we were stupid." He frowns, recalling the memory. "Said that we don't exist and we are not real. But I am real, I am real. Isn't that right Katie?"

Whilst I want to go outside and kick my sisters ass for her brashness, I can't because the little boy looking back at me, seems terrified for my answer. So I crouch down and nod. "Of course you are. But remember, some people don't believe and that is okay.."

He sighs, put out. "I know. But she was mean. So I threw a stone at her."

"I think she probably deserved it. Don't you?"

Tommy nods before looking at Doris. "That man was here earlier. Do you think he is buying our home?"

Doris puts her hands together. "Who knows, sweetheart. But right now, we need to be on our best behaviour and Katie, if you don't want to be seen, you best be leaving..."

I give them both one last look before nodding, grabbing my jacket and head out the back entrance. The grass surrounding the building has grown to hip height, making it a little tough to tread through, sneaking around the side of the building, I almost walk into one of the guys, who seems to be scouting the place out. 

"Grass is too long to pitch a tent. We will have to set nerve up indoors." He says, pushing his shoulder length brown hair back. 

"Alright dude." Another answers.

"So who owns the car outside?" One guy asks, pushing the glasses up his nose.

"That belongs to my sister, Katie.." Jocelyn answers.

"Is she here too?"

"Probably. She is always here..."

"How do you mean?" One guy with a beanie on asks. 

I hold my breath, praying that she wouldn't tell them the real reason, but as soon as her lips part, I know that she is going too..

"My sister sees and hears things."

"Like what?" Beanie asks.

"Spirits. Ghosts. Whatever you guys call them.."

"And she comes here, a lot?" Glasses asks. 

"Too much. It's kind of weird actually."

"Do you think she would be down for an interview? It would be interesting to see and hear her opinion on the place. Maybe she can give us an insight as to what is going on here?" Glasses suggests making my sister nod.

"Sure, let me ring her."

My eyes widen and I drop my jacket in favour of patting myself down quickly looking for my phone. But like I said, the world is out to get me and as I am patting my butt down, my phone rings, in my jacket...

"Shit!" I hiss, grabbing my jacket and searching the pockets. 

"Zak." Someone says and before I can cancel the call, I'm face to face with Glasses.

"Hi, I'm Zak." Glasses smiles, holding out his hand. 

I look at it before looking back to him. "I'm leaving."

"Katie, right? I was wondering if you could help me out?" Zak asks following as I walk around him and towards my car. 

"No thank you."

"Oh hey Katie." Jocelyn smirks. For some reason, she takes great pleasure in telling everyone about my... situation. Not that they all believe her of course, but it does put me in the freak category. 

"You know the spirits in the house, is that right?" Zak pushes. 

"I don't know what you are on about."

"That is the reason why you are here, right? For the spirits?"

 I stop walking and turn to him. "There is no such thing." I say, mentally cringing. "I'm sorry you've had a wasted journey but there is nothing to see inside that building. Nothing."

"Are you sure? You seem pretty defensive over an empty building.." Zak replies, looking over his shoulder at the building. "So if I- What the fuck?"

My eyes flash to the window where Tommy is looking out, his eyes are widened and he quickly disappears. 

"What?" I ask. 

"Did you just see... No.." Zak says stepping closer to the building. 

Concerned, I race in front of him and stop him. "Did I see what?"

"The little boy?" 

The colour drains from my face and I gulp. For the first time ever, someone else has seen Tommy...

"Maybe it was something residual? I don't know but I definitely saw a boy. What was the name of the boy, Jay? The one who died here?" Zak asks the one with shoulder length hair. 

"Thomas. Thomas Edward Harrison. Thom-"

"His name is Tommy!" I snap suddenly.  As soon as Zak's eyes fall on me, I want the world to open up and swallow me whole..

"How do you know that he prefers being called Tommy?" Beanie asks to Zak's right.

I lift my chin in defiance. But my sister is here to put her size seven feet in. "Because she speaks to him. Right Katie? You bring him candy too."

"Candy huh?" Zak says, taking on that bit of detail. 

"What- No. No I don't. And he doesn't like candy- I don't know what you are on about. Honestly. I come here for the peace and quiet."

"For the ghosts." Jocelyn adds.

"For time alone!"

"Well you're never really alone are you? There's a whole bunch in there waiting to talk with you every day. Which one is Doris again? You didn't write much about her.."

My eyes flare when I realise why Jocelyn knows this much. She has been through my journal. "You bitc-.." I close my mouth and bite my tongue so hard that I taste blood. 

Zak smiles. "So his name is Tommy and he likes candy. Aaron, you know our trigger object tonight."

With a whistle from Zak, the guys descend upon the house and I'm left stood in the tall grass looking at the windows upstairs. Doris and Tommy are both watching the men approach and there isn't a single thing I can do to stop them entering the building.

When I catch their eyes, I mouth the word 'Hide ' and can only hope that they listen. 

"These guys are famous for hunting ghosts." Jocelyn says as she approaches. 

"What the hell!" I snap at her. "Why would you do that? They want to be left alone!"

"Tough. It's weird that you are here all the time and if these guys can get rid of them, then so be it. It's about time you got out of speaking to ghosts and found some real friends." She answers before smirking and walking away. 

I look back up to the building.. Here is to hoping that all the residents inside keep cool tonight, otherwise it could lead to more people invading their home. They just want to be left alone, not put on display like animals in a Zoo.  

Jocelyn flicks her hair as she bounces up the steps to the building and I can only smile at Tommy's confession. Perhaps a rock wasn't enough for her, maybe she needed a scare of her life... Or maybe she just needs some Nair in her shampoo?

Undecided on my revenge, I leave the building and pray to God that they leave with nothing...