The third and final piece of The Haunting of Hill House puzzle is Abigail, Luke's friend. Throughout the series' flashbacks, young Luke remains adamant that his friend Abigail, who lives in the woods near Hill House, is real. Hugh insists that Abigail is made up, but the audience has little reason to doubt Luke. After all, his twin, Nell, is haunted by her own ghost, the Bent-Neck Lady. Why should Luke be any different?
Except Abigail isn't a ghost. She's a real, live human girl, at least for a little while. Hill House's caretakers, the Dudleys, have a daughter about Luke's age. However, the girl isn't allowed to visit Hill House. In fact, Mrs. Dudley rarely lets the child leave home at all. And where do the Dudleys live, you ask? Why, in a house near the woods, of course. Yup, Luke was telling the truth after all.
Ultimately, Luke invites Abigail over, and the young girl sneaks out of her parents' house to join her friends for a slumber party. It's a fatal mistake. Hugh rescues Nell and Luke from Olivia's poisoned tea but doesn't get there in time to save Abigail, and the girl dies moments later. That's not the end, though: Abigail lives on as one of Hill House's many, many ghosts, and the Dudleys convince Hugh to leave Hill House intact so they can visit their daughter. In return, they'll keep Abigail's murder a secret, saving what's left of Olivia's reputation. Hugh agrees, but on one condition: beside the Dudleys, no one else will ever enter Hill House again.
