Café de Nuit

As George is sitting at a table corner, reading his books and reading, another misfit approaches him, another he has met before. It's the odd girl, Alma.


"What are you reading, George? Is it ghost stories? Tales of long-forgotten crimes?"


This time, she seems focused on George, although he can't help thinking that she looks like she's always high on something.

George looks up from his book at Alma. "Euh, not that. I read those in me own privacy. This is just a history book. I like reading and studyin, in case ye haven't noticed, " he says with a non commital smile. "Ave a seat if yer like. I can read later."

She does sit, but her oddity, shall we say, does not change much.

"I like ghosts, George. You ever talk to them? People are afraid of them, but they're my closest friends.
All those books that you read, do they make you happy ? Are they friends to you?"

Ail wrote:She does sit, but her oddity, shall we say, does not change much.

"I like ghosts, George. You ever talk to them? People are afraid of them, but they're my closest friends.
All those books that you read, do they make you happy ? Are they friends to you?"

George utters a soft chuckle. "I never really thunk bout it ter be honest. Books aint me friends, but ye kin learn a lot from em ter be sure. Now, I aint never thought about 'avin a ghost as a friend or even about ghosts ter be honest. Yer serious when you say you see em an talk to em? I aint got nuthin againsdt it if it were so, believe me. I knows a bit about some occult stuff. Maybe ye kin show me some time how ye do it.

As a matter of fact, what does the dead peoples ave ter say about these deaths aroun 'ere? DO they know anythin about them ruins?"


George is now interested in what she has to say and it shows.

Alma smiles a bit. She has a kind of light and childish sparkle in her laughter, very much contrary to her usual black clothes.

"How I do what, George? Don't you see ghosts? They're always around us, I just see them."


She smiles.


"Mostly it's just my grandma and old sisters, they keep me company. The days are long here, and I don't have many people who like to talk with me. I see you so alone I thought you had your ghost friends too!"



"Sometimes I see other people. They don't talk as often, it's as if they didn't know I am there watching. But I see their talks, it's like being in the theatre. They come and go like that, then the curtain closes and all I see is the walls around me.
Some of these talk of the ruins, but they dress funny. I guess they only talk about old news. But there are ghosts in the ruins, I'm sure.
Once I talked to my granny about them, she said they were bad people, and that I should not go there. There's bad sorts everywhere, even in castles, and you can't trust everyone you meet. But I so much want to go there!"

"You're pretty interesting. Well, maybe we could go see the ruins, but not just us two. I know probably Oliver and my friends Christine would be interested in going."

He pauses a moment before continuing

"I think you're lucky to talk to ghosts. Hey, maybe yer granny could tell you what happened in the ruins. It might help us for when we visit. And how do the ghosts in the ruins dress exactly? Oh, hey, what do yer think of that boys death?"

He tries to remember the medallion and what it looked like to describe it to her.

"I would be happy to." she says.



"I don't know how they dress in the ruins. The ones I see here dress with old clothes".

The style Alma describes reminds George of the late middle ages.


"Someone died? I don't know, I didn't hear."


She shakes her head as George describes the medallion.


"That does not tell me anything, George".

"Fair enough then,"

So the dead people in the ruins were from a few hundred years ago, he surmises. Be interesting to find out what happened back then. What were the ruins before they were ruins to be exact.


"Hey Alma, do yer think yer gran or anyone ghost you talk to might be able to talk to or know what happened to the dead boy? I don't think he were killed by a wolf or animal. Maybe they knows what happened to him."


He looks around then looks at her "Do yer think ye could show me ow ter see dead people? I don think it odd or weird, just a nice gift. Somethin ter be very proud ter ave. Ave yer had it fer long? Do ya remember when yer got it fer tha first time?"

"Ok so more like a gift then? Makes sense ter me.And you can come sit with me any time just ter talk or what not. I won' treat any different than anyone else."

Since he arrived a bit sooner than the others he was looking for, Niles already seated when George enters the room, followed shortly afterwards by Frances and her two friends.

George looks prepared to immerse himself in study, armed as he is with a book and writing materials, so Niles declines to call his attention. Better to let George focus on his classwork.

Frances and the other girls don’t seem to be so occupied, so Niles gestures them over to his table when they enter the room.

The girls hesitate a moment as they see Niles inviting them. Frances looks at the others, who shrug undecided. She says something to them, and then all three come, with Frances in the front.

"Hello Father, do you wish to speak to us?" Frances asks.

Niles hesitates for a moment, then says:

"I would speak with you for a moment, but only if it does not discomfort you overmuch... I have heard you were a friend to Basil Gribble."

Here he looks to Frances, making clear that he is referring to her.

Ail wrote:
"Thank you, George, it feels nice to have someone to talk to."

"No problems. I don't mind talkin an you gots some interestin ideas. Well I am gonna read some. I gots me history book ere and me notebook fer notes. Yer welcome to join me if yer likes, Alma."