Chapter Text
A small black SUV with a U-Haul trailer attached to it, pulls into the immaculate driveway of a historic beach front mansion in Rhode Island. Known locally as the “Holiday House,” the over two hundred year old property has been kept in the Swift Family Trust as a museum; as a way of honoring its history and previous owners. At the end of the driveway stands an elderly man in a dark, pressed suit, his hand is held over his eyes to block the sun. A smile forms on his face as the new caretaker of the home parks her car and hops out followed by a yawning golden retriever and a grumpy looking black cat wearing a pink harness that’s attached to a matching leash. A second, purple, leash is attached to the dog as she stretches. The man waves at the brunette woman and holds his hand out as he greets her.
“Hello! You must be Ophelia? I’m George Swift, but you can call me Georgie.”
The young brunette woman reaches her hand out with a smile and shakes George’s outstretched hand. Her emerald eyes twinkle in the sunlight as she introduces herself and her furry entourage.
“Yeah, that’s me. You can just call me Ophie. My great grandma had a sense of humor. The sleepy pup is Karma and the angry void is Khaos.”
George laughs as he holds his hand out for the wiggly dog to sniff. Karma gives his hand a gentle lick before yawning and walking back to her owner. Khaos stares up at George with a look that vaguely reminds him of the stories of his great aunt’s cat, Meredith.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Ophie. So, first impressions, what do you think?”
Ophie looks up at the house with an awed expression on her face and smiles.
“It’s beautiful! I can see why Miss Swift loved it so much. My great grandma came here when Miss Swift had her “secret sessions” for the 1989 album. She always said it was the most beautiful place she’d ever been to.”
George nods with a quiet laugh and a knowing look.
“I take it she’s the reason you were named Ophelia?”
The girl snorts out a laugh and blushes as she nods.
“She named my grandma Marjorie, and convinced her to name my mom Augustine. I was almost named Betty.”
The duo laughs as they walk up the stairs leading to the front landing, George holds up a keyring and smiles conspiratorially.
“Well, let’s hope the house holds up to her stories then.”
With that, he opens the oak and stained glass French doors to reveal a large foyer, old photographs and paintings line the entrance of the home. The first few photos are of the home during and after its original construction, the date at the bottom reads “February 10th, 1929 - December 13th, 1930.”
George stands near a round table in the center of the room. He holds his hands out for a moment, letting Ophie look around, before pointing at the pictures on the wall.
“The property was bought in nineteen twenty seven by a woman named Pearl Pinkerton McClelland Snowden, the widow of a man who owned the Snowden Oil Company. The house first began construction in February of nineteen twenty nine, and was finished in December of nineteen thirty. Mrs. Snowden fondly called it “Holiday House.” In nineteen fifty four, it was bought by the heiress of the Standard Oil Company, Rebekah Harkness.”
George points to another set of photographs, the first one being of Pearl Snowden, and the second being of Rebekah.
“Rebekah’s life here was one of… infamy, I suppose you could say. She would throw lavish parties, hold gambling tournaments, and ultimately became the bane of her neighbors’ and the State Supreme Court’s existence. Though, despite her public image, she was actually a great supporter of the arts and many charities, something which history seems to conveniently forget.”
Ophie stares up at the photo of Rebekah with a fond smile.
“She seems like my kinda woman.”
George laughs heartily as he motions for the girl to follow him to the last set of photographs. Ophie’s breath hitches when she looks up at the photo of the last owner of the home, Taylor Swift. The blonde’s piercing blue eyes stare down at her, as if sizing her up; seeing if she’s fit to be the new keeper of the home. Ophie gulps as she smooths her hands down her shirt, like she’s trying to make herself presentable for a woman that lived over a hundred years ago.
“And finally, we have my Great Aunt, Taylor. She bought the “Holiday House” in twenty thirteen; and like Rebekah before her, threw many parties on the property. In twenty fourteen, she brought up a proposal to rebuild the seawall and add a fence to the property, as you may or may not know, Aunt Taylor was victim to many stalkers during her career and she felt safer having the property gated. Of course, this brought discourse with the residents; who felt that they should be allowed to continue having access to the beach as they had for the years that the home was uninhabited. She ultimately was able to add the fence, but this didn’t sit well with the residents for a long while.”
George sighs as he points to a framed bill sitting next to photos of the house’s completed expansion photos. At the top of the bill, in red glittery ink, is a note written by Taylor herself saying; “Taylor Swift Tax, that’s how you know you made it!” with a little heart drawn as the point of the exclamation mark.
“In twenty fifteen, the governor of Rhode Island proposed a tax on homes within the state with over a million dollars. It was known as the “Taylor Swift Tax.” Though the residents of the state fought to have it withdrawn, and won, stating that it would lower tourism; which continues to fund a lot of the state’s infrastructural resources.”
Ophie shakes her head with a laugh as she once again stares up at the photo of Taylor, finding herself getting lost in the eyes of the glossy portrait.
“Good. It sounds like they were targeting her. If a man had done any of the things she and Rebekah did, they probably wouldn’t have had such a problem with it.”
George smiles as he pats the girl’s back.
“You know, I think the house may just end up taking a liking to you, Ophie.”
As they move to the next room, Ophie turns back to get one last look at the blue eyes that have captured her attention. For some reason, she can’t quite explain why, she feels like the eyes hold a look of approval in them. Like she’s passed a test she didn’t even know she was taking.
Karma and Khaos follow the humans into the living room and quickly make themselves at home on the rug in front of the fireplace. Ophie reaches down to remove their leashes and lays them gently on the sofa. George grins as he once again spreads his arms and motions around the room.
“And now we get to the fun part. The tour of the house. I know you got a digital tour during your interview with my sister, but nothing beats seeing the house in person. Some of the furniture and decor are original to Pearl and Rebekah, but a lot of it was hand chosen by Aunt Taylor. Taylor was a bit eclectic with her styling, I believe the term at the time was, “cottagecore?” She loved this house, she used to say that every time she came here, it would welcome her with open arms and a martini.”
Ophie cracks a grin as she follows George through the living room and into the dining room. Her eyes widen as she takes in the opulent room. A large dining table sits front and center, with twenty chairs surrounding it. More photographs line the walls of Independence Day parties, Halloween parties, Christmas get togethers, and New Years celebrations. In each photo stands Taylor, surrounded by friends and family, smiling brightly into the camera.
“This was the main dining room, it's seen many parties and hosted many dinners. The table is original to Rebekah’s time as owner, though it was restored by Aunt Taylor. The wallpaper is also a recreation of Pearl’s original choice.”
Through another set of French doors is the kitchen, Ophie grins as she imagines Taylor running around, making sure the food is perfect for her guests. For a moment, she can almost smell fresh baked bread and homemade jam. The brunette shakes her head and focuses on what George is saying, though the scent lingers in the back of her mind.
“And this is Aunt Taylor’s pride and joy, her kitchen. This is the one place, other than the music room, where she could be found. My grandfather, her brother, used to say that Aunt Taylor was always making some kind of strange bread here. She used to get ideas and sometimes, at two in the morning, she’d come down here and turn those ideas into a loaf of bread.”
The rest of the house tour is much the same, with anecdotes of Taylor’s time living in the house, facts about the art or furniture, and silly stories about party mishaps. Though, when they get to the last room of the house, the music room, George grows somber.
“This is the music room, this is the last place Aunt Taylor was seen before she disappeared. Everything in here is just as she left it. Including the notes she left behind for her friends and family. Please make sure that when visitors come here, they are made aware that nothing in this room is to be touched.”
Ophie nods, her face serious as she follows George into the brightly lit room. Large windows line the right wall, overlooking the ocean. To her left, sits an old recording studio and computer. In the center of the room is a large, grand piano and a small sitting area. A glass case surrounds the coffee table between the sofas, on it lay handwritten notes.
“The notes are all mostly the same, just a quick message saying that Aunt Taylor felt like she was suffocating, that she felt like a ghost in her own life. The notes to her parents, my grandfather, and to her fiancé are more detailed. Though, those are kept in her office. Those were too personal to be shown to the public.”
George sighs as he sits tiredly onto one of the sofas, his eyes never leaving the letters in the case.
“Aunt Taylor struggled, I think becoming famous at a young age, it hurt her in ways that we couldn’t understand unless we were in her shoes. Growing up in the spotlight, she wasn’t allowed to make mistakes, if she did… she was villainized. If she set boundaries, she was seen as selfish or ungrateful. If she smiled, she was called fake. If she cried, she was manipulative. If she defended herself, she was “passing blame.” I think, with all of that, and the news of her fiancés’ betrayal… she just snapped. I hope every day, that wherever she went, whoever she became, that she found happiness. Peace.”
Ophie moves to the seat across from George, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“You think she ran away?”
George looks up at her with saddened eyes and then past her to look out the window towards the ocean.
“I have to. The alternative… well, I won’t voice it.”
The room goes silent, except for their breathing. Ophie shudders at the thought of just what the “alternative” that George could be talking about. Surely Taylor Swift wouldn’t? No, George may be onto something… Taylor may have just run from the life that expected too much from her.
George shakes his head as he turns to look back at Ophie.
“You know, the last three caretakers of the home have left with more questions than answers. What makes you think the house won’t do the same to you, Ophie?”
He watches as the girl straightens her spine and lifts her chin, a defiant look settles on her face as she looks around the room.
“I’ve spent my life hearing and learning about Taylor. First through her music and through my great grandma’s personal effects. Then at school. I originally wanted to be a producer, I wanted to make music that could change people’s lives, like she did. At first, she was just this… untouchable force. “The Music Industry.” But, the more I learned about her, the more I saw the woman behind the music. I don’t want to learn about what she did, I could just google her if that were the case. I want to learn about who she was.”
George smiles as he stares at the girl in front of him. For the first time in five years, he feels like they’ve made the right choice. He feels like Ophie may just be the breath of fresh air the house needs to heal. He leans forward and holds out the keys to the property, watching as Ophie takes them with a gentle reverence.
“Well then, welcome to the Holiday House, Ophie Anderson. May she give you the same care she gave my aunt.”
Ophie stands on the front steps of the house, smiling as George makes his way towards his car. The man turns for a moment and waves, though Ophie can tell he’s not just waving at her, but at the house as well. Before he can get into his car, Ophie calls out to him.
“George? Why did the other caretakers leave in such a hurry?”
George Chuckles as he sits in the driver’s seat.
“They said the house is haunted. Do you believe in ghosts, Ophie?”
Ophelia laughs and shakes her head as she leans against the railing.
“No. But, I’ve never seen one before. So, who knows?”
George grins as he rolls down his window and shuts the door.
“Who knows, indeed. Just remember something, the past has a way of… clinging to what it knows, to what it loves. The old creaks of the house settling may just be more than they seem. Treat the house kindly, and she may just whisper her secrets.”
With that, George drives off, leaving a chuckling Ophelia behind. The girl turns back towards the house and steps inside, her eyes once again falling to the portrait of the most recent owner of the property.
“Well, what secrets do you have to share, Miss Swift?”
As she makes her way back to the living room where Karma and Khaos are napping, she swears she can hear a whispery, feminine voice calling out from the foyer.
“Stick around and find out, Ophelia.”
She spins on one foot and looks back, her eyes wide, only to see an empty foyer. With a chuckle, she turns back to the living room and shakes her head.
“Ghosts. Hilarious.”
Notes:
Listen, I’m being so for real with you guys when I tell you I have no idea what this is. I was just sitting here listening to Opalite, and the “I thought my house was haunted, I used to live with ghosts” lyrics just slapped me in the face with a story. Blame Taylor for this, not me. She clearly possessed me and made me write this lol.
But in all seriousness, I’m 90% sure this is gonna turn into a multi chapter fic. As I'm writing this A/N right now, I’ve already planned out so many scenes and have new ones popping into my head. I’m essentially gonna be useless until this story is complete.
If you guys like this, please let me know. If you don’t, too bad, there’s more where this came from.
This will also be cross posted onto my Wattpad, (omg I’m really telling you guys this. If you know me, no you don’t.) FolkloreVibes13.
Chapter 2: Moving In
Summary:
Ophie, Karma, and Khaos officially begin the process of moving in; but weird things happen.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Ophie sighs as she lugs the last box into the foyer. Over the last week, she’s been slowly but surely moving her possessions into the East wing of the house. During her tour, George had mentioned that her room used to be the Master bedroom, but for privacy, they made a replica of the room on the West wing. Karma and Khaos watch from the stairs as Ophie pops her back and groans.
“Just be glad you two don’t have opposable thumbs, or you’d be helping me lug this stuff inside. Most of it is yours anyway!”
Khaos blinks slowly, showing his disinterest in her grumbling. Karma yips once, her tongue lolling out of her face as she wags her tail excitedly. The girl shakes her head as she bends down once again and carefully maneuvers her way up the stairs towards her new room. The box is set gently on the floor as Ophie makes her way towards the bed to lie down.
The house has been closed to the public by the Swift family, to give Ophie some time to settle in, something Ophie is infinitely grateful for as she looks around at the boxes littering her room. With another sigh, Ophie pats the bed for her companions to join her.
“A mysterious house with a glamorous past, think we can handle it?”
A bark and meow are the only responses she gets.
“Yeah, me too.”
“Hey, mom. How are you?”
Ophie puts her phone on speaker as she digs through the first of many boxes, unpacking her belongings and putting them away as she goes.
“I’m fine, honey. How are you? Did you three make the trip okay? Do you need anything?”
Ophie laughs at her mom’s concern as she shakes her head.
“I’m fine, mom. The three of us made it here in one piece. Mostly, Khaos did try to gouge my eyes out halfway through Missouri.”
A laugh rings through the speaker as she breaks down the box in her hands. From the corner of her eye, she can see the cat in question cleaning his paws with, what she can only call, a smug expression.
“That’s good, honey. I’m sure he was just nervous, you know he doesn’t like being cooped up. Your dad was worried you’d have car trouble, he kept checking the insurance to make sure you didn't need to call AAA.”
“Nope, all good. Shelby’s still chugging along. I swear, dad should have more faith in her, she’s been in the family since before I was born.”
In the distance, she can hear her dad’s voice.
“That’s why I'm so worried. That car can’t possibly have very many miles left in her!”
Her mother’s voice is muffled as she scolds her father before returning to the call.
“Well, I just wanted to check in on you. You know I worry about you being so far away from home. Even more with you being across the country.”
“I know, mom. I promise, I’m doing okay. The museum will open back up in three weeks, and I’ll send you pictures so you can show Nana. I’m sure she’s been bugging you about it.”
Again she can hear her father’s voice as he calls out through the phone.
“She has! At this point, I’m ready to ship her off to Rhode Island so she can live with you!”
“Jacob! That’s not funny!”
“I wasn’t trying to be.”
Ophie snorts at her parents’ grumbling as she finishes with the last box. Not too long after, her mother hangs up with assurances that she’s fine, and she’ll send pictures of the house. The brunette looks around the room once more, her eyes not fully believing her surroundings.
Karma yips, circling her legs as she sniffs for food. The girl laughs before leading the pup into the other room. The office, once Taylor’s, has been set up as a sort of home base for the property. On one side is a cabinet with hidden security monitors, and on the other is a large, cherry wood desk facing the window. Towards the back wall is a bar that may have once housed outrageously priced liquor, but now it houses all of her pet’s needs. Karma wiggles happily as her food is scooped into her bowl, her tongue peeking out as she waits for her release command. Khaos struts into the room gracefully and stares at Ophie as she opens a tin of his food. Both of them stare up at the brunette as she gets out of the way to avoid being trampled.
“Go ahead!”
The girl watches them eat for a moment before making her way downstairs to the kitchen. Despite being a historical site, the house is still fully functional as a home, a fact that surprised Ophie when George mentioned it. Originally she thought she’d live in the guest house, which was rebuilt in 2025, but George mentioned that after Taylor’s disappearance, the guest house was never fully finished.
“It’s mostly for decoration. The electricity and water were never set up after Aunt Taylor disappeared. Grandma Andrea and Grandpa Scott stopped the building process after the remodel was finished. And with Travis being the main suspect for Aunt Taylor going missing, no one stayed in there, so there was no point.”
Ophie looks in the fridge before remembering that she hasn’t had time to shop for groceries and groans. She reaches into her back pocket for her phone and decides to order take out and makes a note to get groceries later.
“Pizza for dinner, at this rate, the delivery guy is gonna know me by name.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, goosebumps cover her arms as she hears a whispered chuckle fill the room. She quickly turns, her eyes wide as she looks around the empty room. Once is a coincidence. A trick of the mind. Twice… maybe there is something to the whole “haunted” theory George mentioned
“Hello?”
The temperature in the room drops slightly before returning to normal. Despite her racing mind, her body relaxes without a second thought. Her eyes dart back and forth between the hallway leading to the rest of the house and the formal dining room.
There’s no answer, though she didn’t really expect one. Ophie blinks a couple of times and decides it's just her mind playing tricks on her. Until she sees a ghost with her own eyes, she’s not gonna fall for weird breezes and possible whispers.
“Thanks.”
She smiles as the delivery boy gets into his car and drives away from the gate. Making her way back up to the house, Ophie can't help but wonder about the whisper she heard earlier. There has to be an explanation, maybe one of the displays in the house has a video that needs to be shut off?
As she approaches the house she can't help but look up at the window leading to her bedroom. She almost drops her pizza when she sees a shadow move away from the glass. Quickly, she makes her way inside and leaves her food in the foyer, pulling her phone out to call the police as she sprints down the hall to her room.
“Hello? I've got the police on the phone, they'll be here any second!”
She bursts through the door of her room and looks around, not seeing anyone, she runs to the closet and pulls the doors open. With no one hiding in the closet, she checks the bathroom, under the bed, office, and guest bedrooms; only to come up empty once again. Her heart races as she stands at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide, and her ears picking out every little sound in the mostly silent house.
Karma and Khaos stand behind her, their ears twitching as they too, listen for any intruders. Not hearing anything, Ophie makes her way down the stairs to the second floor; checking every room, including the music room. Nothing. There's no one, besides her and her pets, in the house.
Later that night, after getting ready for bed, Ophie moves the blankets on the bed only to find an old and worn polaroid of Taylor. The edges are slightly brown due to how old the picture is, but in the background she can see herself, walking up the driveway with a pizza box in hand.
In the photo, Taylor has a slight smile on her face as she stares straight into the lens. Her blue eyes gleam with mischief as she points at a girl walking up the driveway with a box of pizza in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other.
The photo falls from her hands as she stares wide eyed at the window where she saw the shadow earlier. Her mind reels as she tries to make sense of what she’s just discovered.
Ophie spends most of the night awake, searching for anything that could explain the photograph she’s just found. In her search, she discovers an old archive site with posts and clips of news on Taylor in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. With the photo clutched in her left hand, she reads every article and watches every clip, hoping that someone mentions the picture.
People Magazine Website, June 14th, 2026.
“Travis Kelce Leaves Taylor Swift at the Altar! $1 Million Wedding Turns to Heartbreak in Rhode Island”
“In what’s being called one of the most shocking celebrity breakups of the decade, Travis Kelce reportedly left Taylor Swift waiting at the altar during their planned wedding at her Rhode Island estate on June 11th.
Sources close to the Kansas City Chiefs star say, “Travis didn’t mean to hurt Taylor, he simply got cold feet.” The lavish ceremony, which insiders claim cost over $1 million to organize (including $50,000 just for security), was expected to draw a star-studded guest list of Hollywood A-listers and Sports royalty.
According to several attendees, the couple had agreed to meet each other at the altar, but only Taylor showed up. After waiting more than two hours, the pop icon was reportedly persuaded by her mother, Andrea Swift, to step back inside the mansion as guests were quietly escorted away.
Family members were said to be devastated by the incident. One insider revealed an emotional moment between Taylor’s father and brother, claiming, “Scott was furious. I even heard him tell Austin, ‘I’ll kill him if I ever see him again!’
As of now, neither Taylor nor Travis have released an official statement, and both sides have remained completely silent despite repeated inquiries from People Magazine and other outlets.”
US Weekly Magazine Website, June 17th, 2026
“Global Pop Star Taylor Swift Has Stepped Out Of The Spotlight!”
“Just 48 hours after NFL star Travis Kelce left Taylor Swift at the altar in what fans are calling “the heartbreak heard ’round the world,” the tight end has already been spotted getting close to someone new.
According to eyewitnesses, Kelce was seen sharing a “very intimate” moment with an unidentified woman in a dimly lit bar in Georgia late Friday night. The pair reportedly slipped out together soon after, heading to a nearby hotel.
In response to the photos and growing speculation, Swift’s longtime publicist Tree Paine confirmed the split in a statement:
“Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are no longer in a relationship. Yes, the breakup was sudden and heartbreaking, but as of right now, Travis is free to do what he wants with who he wants. Taylor asks that the public please respect her privacy and she will return when she is ready. As of this moment, this will be the only statement she gives regarding her previous relationship with Travis.”
As fans reel from the shocking turn of events, one thing is certain, the fairytale romance that had captivated the world has come to a dramatic and public end.”
People Magazine Website August 8th, 2026
“Pop Star Taylor Swift Reported Missing From Her Rhode Island Home!”
“Pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift, was reported missing on Tuesday, according to the Rhode Island Police Department.
Swift, best known for her“Eras Tour” and her recent chart-topping album “The Life Of A Showgirl,” was last seen around 11:45 a.m. at her Rhode Island home by her parents. Detectives say there are currently no signs of foul play, but the investigation remains ongoing. “We are currently exploring every possibility,” said RIPD spokesperson Sgt. Maria Lopez in a press briefing. “We ask that anyone with information about Ms. Swift’s whereabouts come forward.”
Swift’s family and management team have released a joint statement urging privacy and cooperation. “Taylor is deeply loved by her family, friends, and fans,” the statement read. “We are doing everything we can to bring her home safely.”
Fans have taken to social media using the hashtag #WhereDidTaylorGo, sharing messages of hope and organizing online campaigns to raise awareness. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Rhode Island Missing Persons Unit at (517) 490-6980.”
People Magazine Website August 29th, 2026
“The Search For Taylor Swift Continues After Missing Singer’s Called-Off Wedding!”
“It’s been three weeks since pop superstar Taylor Swift mysteriously vanished from her Rhode Island estate and the world is still searching for answers.
The “Fate of Ophelia” singer, disappeared just two months after her failed lavish seaside wedding to football star, Travis Kelce, leaving family, friends, and fans reeling. Her car keys, cats, phone, and personal belongings were found untouched inside her Watch Hill mansion. “Every day feels longer and more soul crushing than the last,” a family source tells People. “We’re holding on to hope, but it’s been hell.”
Investigators say the case remains open and active, though leads have grown scarce. Local police confirmed that search teams have combed the nearby shoreline and surrounding woods, while the FBI has reportedly joined the investigation. “At this time, we are pursuing all avenues of possibility,” an official said earlier this week.
Fans have taken their heartbreak online, flooding Talor’s social media pages with messages under the hashtag #WhereDidTaylorGo, which has now trended worldwide as social media has erupted with speculation. “She’s been through heartbreak before,” one fan commented on X (formerly Twitter) “But this feels different. This feels like a goodbye.”
Meanwhile, those close to Swift describe her as a woman “heartbroken but determined to heal” before her disappearance. “She was sad, yes,” said longtime friend; Selena Gomez, “but she wasn’t broken. That’s why this feels so wrong.”
As the third week passes with no sign of the pop star, the world continues to hope that the voice behind so many beloved songs will one day be heard again.”
US Weekly Magazine Website September 1st, 2026
“Travis Kelce Named as Primary Suspect in Taylor Swift’s Disappearance. FBI Reportedly Focused on Ex-Fiancé as Investigation Takes a Dark Turn.”
“Four weeks after pop superstar Taylor Swift vanished from her Rhode Island home, sources close to the investigation now confirm that Travis Kelce, the NFL player who left her at the altar earlier this year, has become the primary suspect in her mysterious disappearance.
According to officials, the FBI began looking more closely at Kelce after “inconsistencies” appeared in his statements about the days leading up to Swift’s disappearance. One law enforcement insider tells US Weekly, “Travis’s timeline doesn’t completely add up. There are a few key hours we’re still trying to account for.”
Swift, 35, was last seen at her Watch Hill estate after her highly publicized split from Kelce. Investigators reportedly discovered several personal items, including Swift’s phone, pets, and keys, still inside the home; fueling speculation that she never intended to leave on her own.
Representatives for Kelce have strongly denied any involvement, calling the allegations “baseless” and “incredibly painful.” In a brief statement, his attorney said, “Travis is devastated by Taylor’s disappearance and has cooperated fully with authorities from day one.”
Meanwhile, the Swift family continues to hold out hope. A source close to the family shared, “They just want answers, and they won’t stop until they find her.”
As the investigation intensifies, the once storybook romance between America’s sweetheart and her football star fiancé has turned into one of the most haunting celebrity mysteries in recent memory.”
Good Morning America News Segment September 1st, 2026
Michael:
We turn now to the latest developments in the mysterious disappearance of pop superstar Taylor Swift. This morning, law enforcement sources have confirmed that Travis Kelce, Taylor’s former fiancé, has been named as a person of interest in the ongoing investigation.
Robin:
That’s right, Michael. It’s been four weeks since Taylor vanished from her Rhode Island home, and now, investigators say they’re focusing on Kelce after what they describe as “inconsistencies” in his account of events leading up to Taylor’s disappearance.
George:
According to FBI officials, Kelce has been questioned multiple times and has provided what his representatives call “full cooperation.” However, a law enforcement source tells ABC News that several details in his timeline “don’t completely match up.”
Robin:
Taylor’s personal belongings; including her phone, three cats, and a handwritten journal, were reportedly found inside her Watch Hill estate, suggesting she may not have left voluntarily. Family members remain at the home, hoping for answers.
Michael:
Kelce’s legal team released a statement overnight denying any wrongdoing, saying, “Travis is devastated by Taylor’s disappearance and continues to assist investigators in every way possible.”
George:
Meanwhile, fans around the world are expressing shock and heartbreak over the latest twist in a story that began with what was supposed to be a fairytale wedding.
Robin:
Authorities say the case remains active and open. Anyone with information about Taylor Swift’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police or the FBI tip line.
Good Morning America Morning News Segment December 5th, 2026
Robin:
We begin this morning with heartbreaking news in the ongoing story surrounding global pop superstar Taylor Swift. After four months of intense searching, authorities have now suspended the official search for the singer, who vanished from her Rhode Island home earlier this year.
George:
That’s right, Robin. Both the Rhode Island State Police and the FBI confirmed late last night that, despite months of interviews, searches, and community tips, they’ve found no credible leads on Tylor’s whereabouts. Officials say they are now shifting their focus from an active search to what they’re calling a “long-term open case.”
Robin:
In a statement released just hours after that announcement, the Taylor’s family shared their heartbreak, saying quote:“While the authorities have suspended their investigation, we will still be looking and waiting for Taylor to come home. We have hope in our hearts that she is still alive.”
George:
Taylor’s longtime publicist, Tree Paine, also issued a press release, confirming that the family will remain at Taylor’s Rhode Island estate, the same property where she was last seen, in hopes that she may one day return.
Robin:
That statement closed with a direct message to Taylor herself: “Taylor, wherever you are, we hope you are safe and happy. We’ll still be here when you’re ready to come home. Please remember that you are still loved and cared for by so many.”
George:
A truly emotional update for fans and family alike. Of course, we’ll continue to follow this story and bring you any new developments as they happen.
After the last clip from an old news segment, Ophie’s eyes start to slip shut. Khaos curls up on the pillow above her head as Karma lays her head on the sleeping girl’s arm. None of them seem to hear the soft sound of the piano playing a mournful tune from the music room. Even if they had, they wouldn’t find anyone else in the house.
Notes:
So here we are, chapter two with a bit more background. I'm gonna be so serious right now, I hate writing fake articles like this.
Let me know if you guys like it. See you soon!
Chapter 3: The Photopgraph
Summary:
Ophie gets some help from Georgie, and together they learn some things that could help unravel the mystery.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Ophie wakes the next morning with a start, scaring Karma and Khaos from their slumber. The now dead laptop lays on its side from her tossing and turning in the night. The brunette looks around the room, her chest heaving as she makes sure that she’s alone. She isn’t sure what woke her, but the adrenaline in her veins won’t let her relax. She looks down at her left hand and sees that she’s still clutching the photo and makes a choice to text George.
Ophie reaches over to the nightstand where her phone is plugged in and opens her messaging app, pulling up Georgie’s contact and writes out a text message before deleting it and starting over.
“Hey, is there any way you can come over soon? Something weird happened. It’s probably gonna sound insane, but I really need to talk to you.”
After hitting the send button, she climbs out of bed and places the picture in her pocket, making sure to keep it close so she doesn’t lose it. After feeding the fury gremlins and making herself looks somewhat presentable, she heads downstairs to let Karma out. The phone chimes as she makes her coffee and looks out of the kitchen window.
“I can be there in an hour. Are you okay? Do you need to call the police? Do I?”
Ophie chuckles as she reads the message and types a short response, she clicks send and opens the back door to call Karma back inside.
“No. It’s not that kind of weird. I’m fine-ish. I’ll explain what I can when you get here. Just, don’t throw me in a looney bin.”
An hour later, George and Ophie are sitting at the kitchen island, George is holding the picture in his hands with a look of pure shock on his face. Ophie looks between George and the picture as she finishes telling him about what’s gone on in the last week.
“I swear I’m not crazy, Georgie. Maybe the other caretakers had a point? Maybe this place is haunted. But I swear, I know what I heard. I know what I saw. How could Taylor have taken that picture of me over a hundred years ago?”
George’s hands shake as he stares at the picture, his mind unable to comprehend everything he’s hearing and seeing. He shakes his head and turns to look at Ophie, his eyes wide as he clears his throat.
“I- I truly don’t know what to say. This isn’t possible, but the proof is right here. Have you heard any more whispers?”
Ophie shakes her head as she leans back in her seat, she reaches for her mug of coffee and takes a sip.
“No. I thought I heard someone laugh last night and the room got cold. That was before the picture was taken, but I haven’t heard anything since. Georgie, I don’t get how this is possible.”
The duo stares at the photo for a while, no words are spoken between them. Really, what can they say? How do you explain something like this, when you have no idea what “this” is in the first place?
“Would you mind if I stay tonight? I’d quite like to be here if something happens again.”
Ophie nods, her face showing her relief at not being alone again tonight.
“Absolutely! Please. It sounds silly, but I really don’t want to be alone tonight.”
George smiles slightly as he places his hand on hers.
“None of the other caretakers had anything like this happen to them. They simply had a feeling of someone watching them, or disapproving of them. And they certainly never called when they had these feelings, they only called when they were leaving. Whatever this is, I’m grateful that you’ve called me. If it really is Aunt Taylor, I’d love to meet her.”
That afternoon, George orders some groceries to be delivered when he notices that Ophie doesn’t have any yet, despite Ophie’s insistence that he doesn’t need to. The older man simply waves his hand in the air and changes the subject. As they wait for the groceries to be delivered, they start to go through some of Taylor’s possessions that were stored away in one of the old guest rooms that is now used as storage.
In the room, they find a trunk with diaries that have been preserved in special boxes to keep them from being destroyed by time. Carefully, the duo reads through some of the later journals, specifically the ones labeled from 2020 to 2026. Ophie’s eyes widen as she reads an excerpt from the journal labeled ‘2024’ out loud.
“August twenty fifth, twenty twenty four. I think my house is haunted. Travis and I are staying at the Holiday House for a while, his season’s going to start soon and I have some down time before I start the last leg of the tour. Ever since we got here last week, I’ve been hearing a voice in the house. Travis can’t hear her, he thinks I just need to rest, that the stress from the tour is getting to me; but I swear I can hear her. She sings my songs sometimes, or talks to her pets. At least, I think they’re her pets. Last night, I heard her talking to her mom; she was talking about living here, at my house. I think… I think maybe I might be going crazy.”
George looks up from his journal with wide eyes, his mouth dropping as he registers the words.
“That would’ve been five days after she started her break before the final leg. Wait… she can hear you? She- She can hear you!”
Ophie sits in shock, her eyes reading and rereading the words on the page. George’s words don’t register in her mind until a few moments later when she looks up and spots his journal, labeled “2025.”
“What does yours say? Anything?”
George opens his journal and starts to read through it, his brows furrow as he looks at the pages. There’s entire sections missing, like they haven’t been written yet, interspersed throughout the random thoughts and updates.
“It doesn’t make sense, there’s some parts that are missing. I don’t know how to explain it, it's like the words haven’t been written yet.”
There’s a moment of tense silence between them as they try to make sense of their new discovery. The doorbell rings, startling them out of their reverie. Karma barks as she makes her way out of the room and down the stairs. Ophie, places her journal back in its box and stands up, her hands shaking slightly as she points to the bedroom door.
“I’m gonna bring the groceries inside, maybe we can take a few of the trunks downstairs later and look through them. There has to be more than diaries here, there has to be more than this.”
George nods his head as he stands up to join her. As they make their way down to the first floor, they can’t help but wonder if the missing parts of the diary aren’t “missing” but just haven’t happened yet. If Taylor can hear Ophie, maybe Ophie has to ask questions in the future to get answers in the past.
Ophie stands at the stove, making dinner for herself and George while George sits at the formal dining table. They’ve decided to use the formal dining room as their base of operations for the moment. So far, they have two trunks, each one containing diaries, photos, and thumb drives with digital photos. All of the contents from Taylor’s phone, tablet, and computers were downloaded not too long after her disappearance as a way to make sure nothing was lost to time.
Along with the diaries, they have found several journals filled with poetry, random song lyrics, incomplete songs, recipes, and doodles. While George goes through all the hard copies and physical papers, Ophie has taken to looking through the digital copies, so far she hasn’t found anything too interesting.
“Okay, dinner. We won’t find anything on an empty stomach. I hope you like spaghetti.”
George looks up from his papers with a smile, and removes his glasses, setting them aside for later. He gratefully accepts the plate and smiles as she hands him a glass of water.
“Thank you, Ophie. It smells delicious!”
“Thanks, it was quick and easy. I don’t think either of us are in the right mindset for any difficult meals. Have you found anything?”
George shakes his head as he swallows his bite of food.
“Nothing much. Anything dated past August of twenty twenty four is filled with missing segments. It’s almost as if there’s entire days or moments that have been… redacted.”
He takes a sip of his water as he uses his free hand to reach for the journal Ophie read from previously.
“Although, this is interesting. The next few excerpts after the twenty fifth are pretty standard, but then there’s this: “I saw her! It was blurry, but I saw her in the kitchen. She said she was ordering pizza and that the delivery boy would know her by name. She’s funny. Can ghosts be funny? I tried to get a picture of her with my phone but it just looked like I took a picture of the kitchen. Maybe if I use my Polaroid? Travis is gonna think I’ve fully lost it, but I’m gonna carry it around, just in case I see her again.”
“That was last night. She saw me?”
At her question, George nods his head and shrugs before handing the journal over to Ophie.
“Maybe it works both ways? Perhaps you should try to take a picture of her. Finding some instant film for the Polaroid camera can’t be that difficult, can it? I believe we still have Aunt Taylor’s old camera in storage. I'll call my sister and see if she can’t get it sent here. ”
Ophie looks up with a thoughtful expression as she sets the journal aside.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Polaroid camera in person before. I think my grandma might have one that she got from her mom. I can call her tomorrow and see if she has any idea where to get some film.”
Later that evening, after getting ready for bed, Ophie and George lay in their separate rooms, waiting to hear something. The clock ticks by, hours pass and nothing… until… 3:15 a.m. As soon as the clock hits three fifteen, a haunting, mournful melody begins to play from the music room. George and Ophie’s eyes meet as they both pull their doors open and step into the hallway.
Quickly, and silently, they make their way to the music room and peek through the door. From their angle, they can see that there’s no one in the room but not much else. As they step inside, the music begins to swell, becoming a dark, heartbroken tune that rattles them to their core. As they walk around to the front of the piano, they can see the keys being pressed by an invisible force.
Ophie pulls out her phone and pulls up the camera app to record. The camera doesn’t catch anything other than the keys moving on their own, and the melody that fills the room. As the music begins to fade, the duo hears a voice whisper brokenly.
“Every note I leave behind… Holds me in the quiet night…”
The temperature in the room begins to drop as the voice sounds like it's trying its best to muffle sobs. George watches as Ophie sits on the bench, her hand outstretched like she’s trying to reach out and comfort someone.
“Taylor?”
Notes:
Well, here's chapter three! I hope everyone likes how the story is starting to flow. This will be a slow burn... but we'll get there eventually.

swiftafboi113 on Chapter 1 Sun 26 Oct 2025 01:20PM UTC
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Scullysstrap on Chapter 1 Sun 26 Oct 2025 09:54PM UTC
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swiftafboi113 on Chapter 2 Fri 31 Oct 2025 03:05PM UTC
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Scullysstrap on Chapter 2 Fri 31 Oct 2025 03:43PM UTC
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swiftafboi113 on Chapter 3 Thu 06 Nov 2025 04:03PM UTC
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