Chapter 8: The Ghost of Oli

The mansion felt colder than before, a deep chill that had settled into the bones of everyone in the group. Emmy, still ensnared by Tango's charm, had wandered off with him again, leaving the rest of them to deal with the growing unease that had begun to take over their minds. TSOTI, Violet, Shade, and Leefy were left huddled in the parlor, silently watching the fire flicker, the crackle of the logs the only sound breaking the suffocating silence.

TSOTI leaned against the wall, arms crossed, sunglasses resting low on his nose, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his arm. His usual dry humor had been replaced by a tightness in his chest—a feeling that something was deeply wrong. He didn't like how Emmy was acting, how she was so completely swept up in Tango. He didn't like the way the ghost had changed the atmosphere in the mansion.

"We need to get her out of here," Violet muttered, breaking the silence. She was looking at the door through which Emmy had disappeared, her fists clenched at her sides. "Before it's too late."

"I'm not sure we can," Shade said, her voice quiet, thoughtful. "I'm pretty sure she's already too far gone."

Leefy, who had been leaning against a nearby table, raised their eyebrows. "What do you mean, 'too far gone'?"

Shade shifted slightly, clearly uncomfortable, but her voice remained calm. "I've been watching her. She's... changed. Tango's not just giving her affection. He's influencing her. The way she talks about him, it's like she's worshipping him. Like nothing else matters anymore."

Violet glanced at her, then at TSOTI, and then back at the door. "So what do we do? Just leave her?"

"Hell no," TSOTI replied, pushing off the wall with a sigh. "We find a way to pull her back, and we don't stop until we do."

Before anyone could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Shade stood up straight, her body tensing, but relaxed as soon as she saw who was walking toward them.

Tango.

Emmy was trailing behind him, a smile on her face that didn't quite seem real. The expression was almost too wide, too intense, and it was clear to everyone that she wasn't quite herself. Her usual carefree nature had been replaced by an almost unnatural calm.

Tango's ethereal form glowed faintly in the low light of the parlor. He didn't seem to be in any rush, almost as if he were savoring the attention. When he reached the group, he stopped just beyond Emmy, his gaze flicking between them with a faint, amused smile.

"Is everything alright in here?" Tango asked, his voice smooth, as though he were speaking to old friends. He had a way of making everything sound calm, easy, like nothing was wrong.

"Yeah," TSOTI replied, his tone flat. "Just wondering what your deal is, Tango. You've been really quiet about... everything."

Tango's smile never faltered. "What do you mean by 'everything', TSOTI?"

"You know exactly what I mean." TSOTI pushed away from the wall and stepped closer, narrowing his eyes behind his sunglasses. "You're messing with Emmy. I can see it. And I don't like it."

Emmy's eyes flicked to TSOTI, but there was no recognition in her gaze, no anger—just a slight confusion. "I'm fine, TSOTI. Tango is just... helping me. He understands me like no one else does."

Tango, as if sensing the tension in the air, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his fingers brushing against her skin. "Don't worry, Emmy. They just don't understand. But they will."

Shade watched the interaction, her expression unreadable. She was silent, as if contemplating something, but her gaze lingered on Tango for just a moment longer than it should have. Something about the way he spoke, the calm assurance in his voice—it made her uneasy. And yet... there was something else, too.

"Who else is here?" Shade asked suddenly, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Tango looked at her, an amused glint in his eyes. "Who else? Oh, well... there's another ghost in the house. But I'm sure you've already sensed him. His name's Oli. He's a bit... quieter than I am, but just as present."

Shade's brow furrowed slightly at the mention of Oli, but she quickly masked it, looking away to hide any hint of curiosity.

"Oli?" Violet asked, her voice laced with confusion. "I thought it was just you."

Tango chuckled softly. "Well, I was the one who caught your attention, but Oli's been here long before I was. He's more of a... behind-the-scenes kind of guy. Doesn't like to interact much. But he's here, just watching."

Emmy seemed to brighten at the mention of another ghost, her enthusiasm nearly palpable. "Oh! I'd love to meet him. Maybe he's just as nice as you, Tango."

Tango's smile tightened, his gaze flicking to Shade for a brief moment before returning to Emmy. "Perhaps. He's different, though. Not quite as charming, I suppose." He gave a soft, teasing chuckle. "But I can't speak for him. He likes to keep his distance."

Shade's gaze flicked to the floor for a split second, her mind whirring. A new ghost, huh? She wasn't sure how she felt about this. The more Tango spoke, the more she felt like there was something off about all of it. But she wasn't going to let on. Not yet.

"Well," Shade said, drawing herself out of her thoughts, "we should probably check on Leefy. They're still working on a way to undo whatever you've done to Emmy, right?"

Tango's eyes flickered with amusement. "Leefy? Oh, they can try. But I think they'll find the task... more difficult than they expect." His tone was almost smug, and something about it sent a chill down Shade's spine.

Before anyone could speak, the sound of light footsteps echoed through the hall again. This time, Leefy appeared in the doorway, their face tight with concern. "Hey, um... I think I found something," they said, voice quiet but urgent. "We might be able to stop Tango, but it's gonna take all of us working together. We need to—"

But they stopped, their eyes flicking to the others. Emmy's presence, the glow of Tango beside her—it was clear she was already too far gone.

Leefy sighed, their shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's too late, isn't it?"

Tango's smile widened just a fraction, almost too pleased. "You could say that. But don't worry. Emmy is exactly where she belongs."