I wake up in a cold sweat, and my hands go to my throat. The memories that morphed into a nightmare lingering in my mind.

Tears streak my face. It seems that I had been crying in my sleep. Ugh how embarrassing. I Check the time. It was late in the evening. I knew that I would not be doing any more cleaning, but I still wanted to look at the attic.

I walk back up the stairs, go to the end of the hall, and pull down the chord, a set of stairs swing down. It was a bit of a stretch to reach the first step hanging in the air, but I managed, and climb up into the attic.

I sneeze a few times from the dust up there. Jeeze, I will need to clean this place! That will be on the docket for tomorrow.

I find a light switch and flip it on. I take a glance around and see that there were large windows going all along the walls, showing a gorgeous view outside. I bet this is a beautiful sight when it is fully dark, and stars dot the sky.

I pull my eyes back inside and keep looking around. I see a door leading into a separate room, which I find interesting. I don't often think of there being separate rooms in an attic.

I walk over to it and try to turn the doorknob. Not only was it locked but it felt like a shock ran up my arm. I quickly pull my hand away, rubbing my arm. I then shake it out and take a few steps back.

I did not like the way that felt, and I can't understand what happened. Right, right, a haunted house. Why wouldn't it have warded rooms?

I shake my head and decide to look around the rest of the area. My eyes fall on a telescope, star charts, chairs and warm blankets. Seems that the owner of this place has a fondness for stargazing.

I do as well, although I have never used a telescope. A little ways past the equipment is a hatch. I open it and climb out and find myself on the roof, a cool evening breeze blowing through my hair.

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Noah wonders to himself if he is the only ghost here right now? He didn't know why but the other ones weren’t awake yet, a bunch of slackers sleeping all year.

He remembers all of them sitting together being told that there would be new people coming to the cabin. How did she say the rest of them would wake up? He sits in his room trying to remember.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Maybe the person telling him wasn't sure. Was it something about the length of time since they had been dead? Was it how long the new caretakers were around? Or something about how close of a relationship the people end up having with the ghosts here?

They all felt vaguely right, but he decided that it doesn't matter. He writes a quick note telling Aurora he needed a nap and that he hoped he hadn’t missed anything. He leaves his room and sticks the note on her door and hears crying.

Noah, being shy and awkward, is uncertain what to do. He knows there is specific protocol for helping a crying girl but he knew none of it, so he waits outside of her door. After a few minutes he tries the door anyway but realizes he couldn’t enter without permission.

Noah wondered to himself if he was actually a vampire and if he would need to drink blood. He thought about it for only a moment, eww.

When he sees her leave the room, he is relieved and follows her. He had decided to forgo the nap thinking Aurora needed company more than he needed rest.

He winces when she gets shocked and then stands with her on the roof hoping that his presence was a comfort.

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Standing there, wind blowing through my hair I felt my head clearing and my spirits lifting. I did not need to be held down by my past, by the memories that have haunted me, or by my nightmares. "I'm letting it all go!" I shout into the wind and laugh.

I almost felt like singing about how free I felt at that moment, but decided against it. I laugh at how close I came to singing a very popular song but chose to let it go instead.

I walk to the edge of the roof and look down. It was only then that I realized how high up this roof is. I shudder but sit down anyway and let my feet hang down over the edge.

I know that at some points in my life the thought of jumping would have been strongly on my mind, plaguing me and ruining the moment. I chose not to let it, and it worked.

I was truly able to just enjoy this moment, looking out over a sea of green trees. Wafting on the wind was the fresh smell of newly blooming flowers. Spring was here and I was all for it.

I know that for some spring symbolizes new romance, the sweetness of it. To me, in this moment, I felt that spring had come to me in a different way. This was a new chance, a new start, a time for reflection and growth.

"I'm... I'm unsure how to let myself grow." I say into the wind. It might have been only my imagination, but it felt that there was someone with me at this moment, and I took comfort from it.

"I know that I was supposed to be getting to know myself and discover my own hopes and dreams away from the pressures of other people and life, but I am glad that I am not alone.

The thought of being alone was supposed to comfort me. It did, but only the thought of getting away from the negative influences in my life. But Noah, if you can hear me, I don't think that you being here is a negative thing at all.

Your notes give me warmth, a warmth that has been missing from my life for a while now. I know that I haven’t been here for even a week, and I can't even see you, but still… Still... Thank you."

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Thank you. Had he ever heard those words said to him in such a way before? Noah stopped to think about it and came to realize that he hadn’t.

Most people hadn't been thankful towards Noah, they didn’t say it but he knew he was a burden. Instead, Noah held a lot of gratitude for the people that had been in his life.

The doctors, nurses, his parents, and the other people that had shared rooms with him and that had been willing to talk with him. Being the one to be there for another person was a new sensation for Noah, a new experience, and one that he liked very much.

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