"The Joker would love this," she thought.

Another wave crashed into the seawall and she could feel the floor vibrating under her chair. From where she sat she could see up and down the coast from horizon to horizon and she knew she was alone. Every house on the crowded beach was closed for the winter and would not be opened again until the first of May. For a moment, the isolation weighed heavily upon her as the waves hit the shore with a steady rhythm, like a seige machine battering down the gates of an old castle. At least the ghost was quiet tonite.

She and the Joker had moved into the old beach house about 5 weeks ago after a New Year's blizzard damaged the roof of their Hamdom apartment. Three feet of snow had fallen in a day's time, shutting down all of New York City and the Connecticut coast. The Joker had been trapped at work for five consecutive shifts before he was able to crawl home behind a snow plow. The weight of the snow damaged their ceiling and MRA didn't hesitate to find them another place. The housing coordinator won their eternal gratitude by moving them into the 17 room beach house.

It was a huge old structure built in the middle of the last century with several additions and modifications over the years. Now, as it stood, it had three floors plus attic and basement with six bedrooms, three baths, 2 living rooms, formal dining room and large modern kitchen with breakfast nook. There were two enclosed porches on the beach side and the one where Spiral was sitting on the second floor was heated. An attached guest quarters on the street side above the three car garage completed the structure. The owner stayed in New York City and wanted it occupied over the winter. The Joker payed only $400 a month for the place.

The house had been closed since Labor Day. A heavy layer of dust coated the interior and it probably had not been given a thorough cleaning in years. It was fully furnished rite down to the blankets and kitchen utensils but the real treasures were hidden away. As Spiral began a top to bottom cleaning project she opened long closed closets and chests and pulled out wonderful antiques, comforters, and nik-nacks. It was like going to a flea market with someone else's money. She fixed up each room with its' own theme: the master bedroom, the little girl's room, the monk's room etc. Her masterpiece was the large living area on the first floor overlooking the beach which she divided into two areas- the wicker room and the sitting room next to the large stone fireplace with its carved, hardwood mantel. Coming down the stairs, the Joker could look across the room decorated in blue and on out to the blue ocean beyond. It was a breath taking view. Spiral had even made him an art room up in the third floor gable where he spent more time gazing out to sea than he did painting.

Spiral's favorite room was this second floor porch that ran the entire width of the house. Heavy storm glass and a powerful heater made it quite comfortable. She made herself a desk and craft table and spent hours there reading and studying. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she intended to take full advantage of it. And the ghost seemed to appreciate her efforts too.

The ghost was the mistress of the house. From old pictures Spiral found tucked away and other odds and ends she found hidden in the closets, she figured the ghost was the spirit of a woman named Anna who died in the house after a long illness around the turn of the century. Spiral felt her presence soon after they moved in. It wasn't an evil ghost by any means. She just loved the house and was jealous of it. Anna had given the Joker a frite the day after they moved in. He had carried some boxes up to the third floor at sundown when he became aware of her presence behind him. Spiral had warned him not to over react should he meet her so he fought to keep calm even after Anna tapped him on the shoulder with her unearthly finger. Slowly he turned, not knowing what to expect and, seeing nothing, he laughed. A moment later, as he bent over an opened box, Anna gave him a sharp swat on the butt that sent him sprawling upon the floor. At that point the Joker decided that unpacking could wait until tomorrow and, controlling his rising panic, walked slowly down the stairs. Spiral was on the porch going thru some papers and she looked up at him.

"Looks like you've seen a ghost," she said.

Eventually Anna calmed down, sometimes joining her new family in the living room while they sat in front of the fire. She preferred the wicker rocker where she would sit rocking slowly with the cat curled at her feet purring loudly. Gizmo still growled softly at her from the safety of Spiral's lap and Anna still enjoyed giving the Joker a slap on the butt now and then. But overall, she seemed very content- perhaps for the first time in decades.

Downstairs Spiral heard the door open. The Joker was home. Gizmo howled for him at the top of the stairs and the cat came down to greet him. He'd been standing down on top of the seawall and was soaking wet with melting sleet stuck in his hair and beard. After a warm bath they sat out on the porch watching the storm before going to bed. They fell asleep to the beat of the crashing waves.

Early the next morning, Spiral awoke just before sunrise. The storm had passed and she sat up in bed. The sun was just below the horizon and she could see that the water was as smooth as glass. It was low tide and a flock of seagulls floated peacefully in the icy tidel pools. As the sun crept upwards the water changed colors from deep purple, lavender and tourquoise to fire red and orange. Smoke from a distant chimney curled lazily in the still winter air as lites blinked on a far shore. She nudged the Joker. He opened his eyes and saw the sunrise relected in her face.

It was the most beautiful site he'd ever seen

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