The Haunting - Part 9

October 5, 2023 – A Stroll Through Marietta

Morning painted Marietta in warm golden hues, contrasting sharply with Rafferty’s unsettled mind. Willow suggested a stroll down Sessions Street, a quiet avenue lined by historic homes and autumn-tinted trees.

Their relationship had blossomed quickly, bonded by curiosity and an unspoken connection. As they walked, Willow pointed to a Victorian home marked with a "Sold" sign, its stained-glass door capturing their attention.

"Let's take a selfie," Willow suggested, holding out her phone.

Reviewing their photos, both paused abruptly. Behind them, through the stained-glass, was the unmistakable silhouette of a woman—her face pressed against the glass in silent longing.

Rafferty’s heart quickened. Turning back to the house, he noticed something else unsettling—the door was slightly ajar.

They quickly moved on, Willow attempting levity, "Only in Marietta."

Yet Rafferty felt the house watching them as they left.

Echoes of the Past

Lunch in Marietta Square helped shake the unease, their conversation turning to history and hauntings. Willow suggested visiting the Civil War cemetery, sparking Rafferty's intrigue.

The cemetery was quiet, solemn. They wandered among graves marked by regiments and forgotten stories. Rafferty wondered aloud if the spirits of fallen soldiers lingered here.

"Maybe they do," Willow responded softly, her voice respectful, reflective.

Sitting together in the gazebo, the past seemed close, tangible. Willow leaned into him, their silence rich with unspoken thoughts. Rafferty turned, their lips meeting gently—a quiet promise.

Yet, as they left, Rafferty felt unseen eyes following their steps, shadows shifting at the edge of his vision.

Ghosts of Marietta

As evening fell, Willow excitedly suggested joining the Marietta Trolley Ghost Tour.

Amid the playful narration, a young man approached them.

"You into this, or just here for fun?" he asked, voice hushed. He spoke of a lesser-known haunted spot—"The Devil’s Turnaround," a cemetery with dark stories.

"Locals keep quiet," he warned. "There are things you can’t unsee."

Rafferty’s curiosity was piqued, but so was his anxiety. As the trolley moved on, he glimpsed a shadowy figure standing silently at the street corner, quickly vanishing into the darkness.

Quiet Confessions

Back at Willow’s apartment, warmth returned. Settling together on the couch, their conversation turned introspective. Willow revealed a dark memory—a string of unsolved murders from her childhood that haunted Marietta.

"The town wanted to forget, but I never could," she admitted softly.

Rafferty listened quietly, sensing the deeper threads of mystery connecting them.

Their conversation faded into comforting silence, intimacy growing naturally.

Fingers traced skin, whispered confessions passed gently between them. Finally,

Willow guided him to bed, their closeness a shelter from the ghosts lingering outside.

As they drifted to sleep, a streetlamp flickered once—just enough to remind Rafferty that the past was never far behind.