1 Chapter 1

God, I can’t believe that I am here again, was my thought as I stepped out of my plane. Which is true, I never thought I would step foot in Key West after what happened to my Grandmother. You see when I was sixteen years old my Grandmother whom I knew as Mimi took me to Key West for the summer.

Everything was going great until one day she told me that she was going to spend some time with Doc. Doc’s a friend of hers, well at the time I had a headache so I decided to stay in our hotel room and sleep. I fell asleep rather quickly because of my headache and was later woken up by pounding on the motel door.

I quickly got up to open the door expecting it to be Mimi because sometimes she has her hands full and can’t open the doors instead, I came face to face with two officers. I could only stare at them wondering why they were here, I didn’t have to wonder for long because they started asking me questions about Mimi. They asked questions like

‘ How was she acting when she left? ’

‘ What exact time was it? ’

Stuff like that, I couldn’t answer any of those questions because I had already been falling asleep when she left. When I asked them why they were asking me these questions they explained to me that after four hours of waiting for Mimi and calling multiple with no answer Doc decided to call the police. He gave them the name of our motel we were at and they came here to see if she was here.

When they couldn’t find her they, of course, started asking me questions, not wanting to leave me alone the officers told me to pack my stuff and they took me to the police department. While I was there they called Gigi and told her Mimi was missing and she demanded I come home right away. I wanted to stay longer and help them but the police said I would just get in the way.

One of the officers that got me from the motel took me home, I ended up falling asleep and was woken by the sound of the car door opening. Gigi pulled me into a hug and I could feel her shaking as she pulled me closer so I wrapped my arms around her. When she finally pulled away I could see tears in her eyes and her eyes were red and puffy telling me that she was crying recently.

About two years later around eleven o’clock on the day, I graduated from high school, we got a phone call from the police. I thought they had called us to tell us they had a lead on Mimi’s case but instead they called to tell us they are closing the case. They told us after two years of finding nothing they had decided to close the case until they find something.

I begged them to continue but they said they couldn’t because there have been no leads for two years. Nothing I said could change their minds so I hung up in anger. Eight years later about a week ago I got another call and this time they told me they have found a lead on Mimi’s case.

Before I could ask what they found they told me that I should head to Key West, I was about to argue when the officer on the phone said they couldn’t relay police information over the phone. So here I am now stepping off a plane into Key West. I look around the airport for Doc who said he would meet me at the airport after I called him to tell him about the lead in Mimi’s case.

While I was looking for him my phone rang when I looked at the caller id I saw that it was my sister Cecelia White. I decided I was in the mood to answer her.

“ Hey, what do you want ”?

“ Hey, Bella how are you, ” She asked ignoring my question.

I rolled my eyes at my phone “ I’m good now what do you want ”?

She was quiet for a little bit before she said: “ I heard about Mimi’s case being reopened ”.

I stiffened at those words and was about to ask who told her that when someone asked.

“ May I have a word, miss ”?

I told Cece I had to go then turned around and came face to face with a man with a hook.

" Who are you “?

He just grinned at me and grabbed my arm with the hand that wasn’t a hook and pulled me with him. I tried to pull away but his grip was way too strong for me to get away. I was about to scream when he covered my mouth and pulled me aside so no one could see us.

Once he made sure no one was near enough to see us he finally released me. I was about to bolt when he said.

" If you run you will never find your Grandma “.

Those words are what stopped me from taking off I mean if this man knew anything about what happened to Mimi then I wasn’t just going to walk away.

“ What do you know about my Grandmother ”?

He looked at me amused “ What do I know, well I know she’s been missing for ten years sh- ”.

“ That is not what I mean ” I snapped at him glaring.

“ Maybe so but you must learn to ask the right question or you will get a wrong answer ”.

“ Fine, do you know what happened to my Grandmother ”?

“ No, but I know someone who does ”.

Before I could ask whom he placed a note in my hand and pushed me into the crowd right into Doc, I picked myself up instantly and turned back to where he was to ask him something but when I turned back he was gone. With a frown, I turned back around to help Doc up as I said.

“ Sorry about that lost my footing ”.

I don’t know why I didn’t tell him about the man with the hook I just felt like I should keep it to myself for now.

He grinned at me “ It’s ok you’re probably worried about being here after all these years, why don’t I treat you to lunch to get your mind off it ”.

" You don’t have to I don’t want to be a bother ” I protested.

He waved away my protest telling me it was not a big deal and before I could protest again he was already walking away expecting me to follow him. Not wanting to be rude, I quickly caught up with him and we walked to his car. When we got there he held the passenger door open for me and I got in. He got in the driver’s seat and tried to start a conversation with me but I was too busy thinking about the man with the hook to want to talk.

I mean why would tell me he knows someone that knows what happened to Mimi but doesn’t tell me who. Then slip me a piece of paper and pushes me into Doc, wait the note where is it. I was just about to ask Doc to turn back around when I glanced down and saw it on the floor of the car.

Not caring how it got there I leaned forward to pick it up and carefully unfolded it.

Meet me at the museum that houses Robert the doll.

I frowned for a second before I remember something, that man with a hook was from the spooky trolley ride we took. I think he was called the Hooker or something like that, he was the one Mimi said didn’t look like a ghost. Well, it looks like I’m going to be going there after I go to the police station.

******

" What do you mean you never called me about a lead on Mimi’s case “?

" Just as I have been saying Ms. White we never called you about a lead on your Grandmother’s case because we don’t have one “.

I stared at him stunned ” how is that possible when I got a call three weeks ago “?

" Someone must have called you pretending to be the police, it doesn’t happen often but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen at all “.

You’re probably wondering what happened right, well after me and Doc ate lunch I found myself a motel and got some rest. Then I woke up around five o’clock got dressed and went to the police station. When I got there the station was quite busy because something was stolen from the museum that houses Robert the Doll so I had to wait for seven hours before I got to talk to anyone. Now they are telling me that they never called me about a lead because they never found a lead on her case.

“ I guess I’ll be going home then ”.

He sighed “ I’m sorry that this happened to you, Ms. White if there is anything we could do for you just ask ok ”.

I gave him a tight smile before gathering up my stuff and leaving, I still don’t understand how this happened but I guess I’m going to go back home. I took out my phone and was about to call a cab when a piece of paper fell out of my pocket. It was the paper that was given to me by the man with the hook asking me to come to the museum that houses Robert the doll.

I stared at it for a second before deciding, I can’t be rude and don’t come right. I hope Mimi never heard I did this because if she does, she would probably kill me. Note to self don’t tell Mimi that I went to meet a man I barely know who has a hook because he said he knows someone who knows what happened to her.

With that thought I took a deep breath and set off in the direction of the museum, I hope I’m going the right way at least. I pass by different things that me and Mimi had passed by ten years ago and I was starting to feel uncomfortable being here again. It took me about half an hour to get to the museum but when I did no one was waiting for me at the front so I slipped around back to see if the man with the hook was here.

When I got there the back door was wide open with no one in sight, I peered in the doorway trying to see inside but no matter what my eyes couldn’t seem to adjust to the darkness. Not wanting to go inside somewhere I was most likely to get killed I turned to walk away when someone grabbed me covering my mouth and pulled me into the museum. I could hear the door closed after I was pulled in and I couldn’t help but panic struggling against my captive, that was until he said.

“ You don’t need to struggle, miss, I’m not going to hurt you ”.

Right away I recognized the voice of the man with a hook and stopped struggling, he instantly let me go and turned on the lights.

“ Ok now sit for a little bit there is something I need to tell you ”.

I nodded before sitting on one of the wooden boxes.

He sighed “ remember when I told you that there are only three types of ghosts well I lied ”.

“ You see those aren’t the only types of ghosts, there are ghosts that possess people and objects, there are ghosts stuck in a time loop on how they died, there are ghosts that stick themselves to certain objects, and ghosts that look completely human ”.

“ You will need to remember all 5 while looking for your Grandmother because you will be meeting different ghosts that will help you find her but not without a price “.

I nodded for him to continue even though I didn’t believe a word he said.

He sighed “ I understand if this is a little hard to believe but I’m sure you will understand soon ”.

Right after he said that the lights turned off nearly causing me to scream, a second later the lights turned on and Robert the doll sat in front of me. I stared at him wondering how he got here when a voice said.

“ You know it’s rude to stare Isabella ”?

I jumped and looked around trying to locate the voice.

“ I’m sitting right in front of you girl ”.

I blinked in surprise and looked at Robert sitting right in front of me.

“ That’s not possible ”.

“ Oh but it is I’m the one that has information on your Grandma but before I tell you anything I need your help ”.

I frowned “ what do you want ”?

He chuckled “ right to the point you are quite different from when we first met ”.

I blinked “ Really″ how ”?

“ When I first saw you I saw a carefree girl in her own world but now I see a young woman who has lost her carefree attitude the day her Grandmother disappeared ”.

I frowned “ I don’t see why any of this matters so why don’t you tell me what you want ”.

“ Fine if you insist, I need you to find something that use to be a friend of mines before he died, the thing is it has been lost for centuries now ”

“ Wait, so you want me to find something that hasn’t been seen for centuries how exactly do you expect me to find it ”?

“ The Hooker will take you to the last place it was seen but the rest is up to you girl ”.

I opened my mouth to argue with him but before I could the lights turned off again before turning back on and instead of Robert the doll in front of me it was the Hooker.

“All right miss we should get walking to where we are going because it is quite far and we need to get there before sunrise ”.

I nodded then stood up following him to where I have to go wondering if this will be all for nothing.

I frowned looking up at the watchtower wondering why exactly we are here I mean what would a watchtower help me find anything.

“ You’re probably wondering why I took you here ”.

“ Yeah, maybe a little bit ”.

“Some time ago a man died up there and his ghost is still up there watching, he is the main informant for ghosts so he will most likely know something about the object you need to find ”.

I nodded and was about to go up when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“ I will warn you right now girl never I mean never owe a ghost a favor they will make you do things that could get you arrested maybe even killed so listen to my warning and never tell a ghost you owe them anything ”.

I was about to argue with him because I would do anything to find my grandma but when I turned around he was already gone. I frowned before turning back to the stairs and slowly made my way up to them, with each step I thought about what the Hooker said. Which also made me wonder how exactly am I supposed to get information about it when I’m not supposed to tell ghost I will do them favors, what will the ghost want as payment?

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice I was at the top of the tower until someone said.

“ If you keep walking you will probably fall off this tower, you know that right ”?

I jumped in surprise and turned towards the voice expecting to see someone but for some reason, I saw nothing.

The voice chuckled “ Sorry if I frightened you, I don’t like to show myself to people so can we talk like this ”?

“ Sure I guess ”.

“ Great, you have two questions so choose wisely Isabella ”.

I blinked in surprise but decided not to waste a question by asking, instead I ask.

“ Do you know anything about the location of Roberts’s friend’s object, and What do you want for payment if you tell me ”?

He hummed “ those are great questions I’ll answer your second one first ”.

I nodded at the ghost for him to continue.

“ Since I owe Robert a favor I will let you cash it in to help him find his friend’s thing and as for where it is I don’t know the exact location but I have heard some rumors about it near the cemetery, the one you and your Grandmother walked by all those years ago ”.

“ Thanks ”.

I turned to go but then a thought crossed my mind about asking him about Mimi when I turned back around the ghost was gone and in its place was a pair of reading glasses. It looked exactly like the pair of reading glasses I lost in Key West about a day before Mimi disappeared. Not knowing what to do I slowly picked it up and that’s when I saw a piece of paper underneath it.

I thought this would help on your journey to find your Grandma I found these near the cemetery and have been looking for the rightful owner since, put them on when you are at the cemetery and you will see why they are useful.

I decided not to question it and instead pocketed the glasses and headed towards the cemetery. I got a little turned around but finally got to the cemetery half an hour later and I could say that it looks exactly like it did all those years ago. Since Key West is an island most of the graves are above ground and stacked on top of each other. I looked around trying to see why exactly the ghost would send me here when I remembered the ghost saying the glasses would help me.

I reached into my pocket and pulled the glasses out and examined them trying to figure out what is different about them. After a couple of minutes, I decided to just put them on since I couldn’t find anything different about them, when they were placed over my eyes I saw something that I could understand. There were ghosts everywhere, different shapes and sizes, male and female, etc.

When I took them back off I could see nothing in front of me in the cemetery but when I placed the glasses back on I could see different types of ghosts. I took it back off trying to make sense of all this when a voice said.

" The ghosts aren’t just going to disappear sweetheart “.

I spun around and came face to face with the Hooker.

" Why are you here “?

" I wanted to make sure you didn’t do anything to get yourself killed “.

I frowned ” why would you say that “?

Before he could answer me a wind blew by and his head turned as if he heard some kind of sound before he disappearing right in front of my eyes. I stared at the spot he was just standing a second ago before turning back to the graveyard wondering what exactly I am looking for here. I slipped the glasses back on and slowly advanced into the cemetery looking around at the different ghosts.

There were men, women, and children, there were even some that had clothes on from the olden days and others that wore clothes a lot like mine. None of them seemed to notice me as I walked by besides the sideways glances and whispering when I passed by someone. At least that's how the adults acted the kids were quite different whenever I passed by they stopped doing whatever they were doing and stared.

I looked around at each of the different graves trying to see if anything was there that shouldn’t be because there has to be something specific to help me find Mimi. Did the ghost want me to ask the other ghosts here or did he want me t-.

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice the grave in front of me until I tripped over it and nearly fell face-first into the dirt. I quickly got up and dusted myself off before looking at what the grave said on the headstone.

Robert The Doll

Born Unknown

Death Unknown

I stared at in surprise wondering why this is here when it is very obvious that Robert isn’t buried in this grave so why would someone make Robert a gravestone.