by Gerald Lopez
Chapter 30
A Ghostly Tale
“YOU’RE GONNA TELL the story about the priests who founded this church and cemetery,” the portly, red-haired security guard who’d just walked up said.
“I was,” the woman said. “They were good men, trying their best to do the Lord’s work. Eight of them, varying in age from novice-in-training to gray-haired old man. The townspeople loved them.”
“Were there any kids my age?” Chip said.
“Oh yes,” the woman said. “The old widow who cooked and cleaned for the priests had a little boy and a little girl. They loved playing in the yard around the gravestones. But all their fun ended the day the treasure from Russia arrived, and the church here was put in charge of its safekeeping.”
“Poor bastards,” the security guard said. “Pardon my French. Don’t repeat that word I just said, little boy, it’s a naughty one.” He chuckled, and it came across as scary.
Chip moved closer to me, and I put my arm around his shoulders.
“The pirates came after the treasure,” the woman said, and brushed back a long, stray, blonde hair from her face. The breeze had blown through her ponytail.
“It’s windy up here,” Chip said.
“It was windy that day too,” the woman said. “On that sad day, the pirates attacked this church and everyone in it in an attempt to find the treasure. No one was spared.”
“What do you mean exactly?” I said. “Didn’t the pirates find the treasure and hide it?”
“The other pirates weren’t as bad—they had their own treasure to hide,” the woman said.
“And rumor was that the church’s treasure was never hidden up here,” the security guard said. “Or at the very least it was split up.”
“What happened to the kids? Chip said.
“They were the victims of men’s greed’,” the woman said.
The breeze picked up, and the woman’s ponytail came loose and her long hair blew around her wildly. Her eyes grew large as she looked at us.
“We should all probably go downstairs,” the security guard said.
“No,” the woman said. “Not before I finish my tale. The wind was fiercely howling all around the tower that day, so much so that the children shivered and cried when they were brought up after the priests.”
“I’m getting scared, Daddy!” Chip said, and clutched my leg.
“They were scared that day!” the woman said as the wind howled. “On that day evil prevailed. Evil men had their way when they threw the innocent priests off this tower to their deaths. Greed! Greed ruled the hearts of men that night as it will once more tonight!” She laughed. “Those priests couldn’t say anything even before their tongues were cut out by the pirates and they were led up here.”
“That’s enough, I think,” I said.
“Oh, do you think so?” the woman said. “That’s what the mother cried when they threatened to kill her children! She begged them to stop! Swore that they didn’t know where that damned church treasure was located!”
“OK, time to head down,” the security guard said to the woman as the wind picked up even more.
“Down!” the woman said. “I begged them to let us go back down. To let at least my children go down.”
She let out a scream that turned into a howl and her face changed, became more sunken in like a skull.
“I saw my children tortured then thrown off this damnable tower!” She turned to us and the flesh on her face shrunk away, revealing a skull and fire shooting out from where once there were eyes.
Chip screamed, and the security guard fired his gun at the ghost woman to no avail. I pushed Chip behind me protectively then remembered he had the water gun in his pocket.
“Chip, the gun!”
The wind was screeching through my ears as I reached for the water gun Chip handed me.
“In Jesus’ holy name leave us in peace and be at peace,” I said and fired the holy water filled gun at the ghost who shrieked once more, then disappeared.
Chip grabbed me tightly.
“I’d heard about this sort of thing happening,” the security guard said, “but I’m new to town and this is my first time experiencing it.”
“Heard about what sort of things happening?” I said.
“Lots of stuff,” the security guard said, then looked at Chip. “Good thing you had that water gun. I’ve seen people carrying them. They’re filled with holy or blessed water, right?”
“Yeah,” I said, answering for a trembling Chip.
“Layton!” Pete shouted from below. “Layton, are you and Chip alright? We saw the ghost from down here. She wasn’t the only one to make an appearance in the cemetery!”
“We’re fine!” I said. “Shaken up, but fine! We’ll be down in a second.”
“I need to change my pistol for a water gun and quick,” the security guard said.
“That’s probably not a bad idea,“ I said. “What else were you told would happen here tonight?”
“Things that would make this ghost experience we just had seem like a walk in the park,” the security guard said. “I didn’t even believe it all. But if this just happened then that must mean—”
“The other stuff they told you is probably true too,” I said.
“Y’up and that would really make your skin crawl,” the security guard said, then looked at Chip. “Little guy, you’d better keep that water gun handy and loaded.”
Chip just nodded. I turned to Chip, picked him up, and held him tightly. “It’s OK, buddy, we’ll make it through this I promise.”
“Those other kids died,” Chip said. “Their ghost mommy said so.”
“That happened a long time ago,” I said. “And we know how to defeat the ghosts now.”
“We sure do,” the security guard said, trying to help me calm Chip.
“But how do we know it’s enough and that the ghost pirates won’t kill everybody tonight, even us little kids?” Chip said.
I put Chip down, then crouched in front of him so we were face-to-face.
“Sometimes, kiddo it just boils down to having faith,” I said. “You believe in Jesus, and he’s all powerful.”
“But they must’ve believed in Jesus too,” Chip said, “the kids who died, and their mommy too. They worked in a church.”
“Oh well, that doesn’t mean anything,” the security guard said.
“If they believed in Jesus, then the kids have been in Heaven a long time,” I said.
“Then why was their mommy here as a ghost?” Chip said.
“Kid’s got a point,” the security guard said. “Who’d leave Heaven just to scare us.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Haven’t got a clue. One thing I do know is that they’re not getting my kid.” I picked up Chip, and headed back downstairs followed by the security guard.
Pete met up with Chip and me, and after saying good-bye to the security guard, the three of us went back to Julio and the kids. I ate a chocolate bar that Julio handed me, and Chip went up to join Bogie and Antoinette who gave him some gum.
“Those ghosts were scared to come up here,” Bogie said. “They knew Antoinette and I had water guns and water balloons and we were ready to clobber them.”
“That’s right,” Antoinette said. “Bogie is really good at throwing water balloons. He learned how to do it from the clowns at our circus. ”
I smiled when I heard Chip giggle.
“It’s all fun and games till the ghosts show up,” Pete said. “And so far we’ve just seen the friendly ones.”
“Say what?” Bogie said.
“Pete’s right, actually,” Julio said. “Wait until the really bad ghosts show up. They’re just playing with us right now. Once people start going after the treasure in earnest, then all hell will break lose.”
Chapter 31
Hero Boy
“I SHOULD LET the ghosts take Antoinette and run for it myself,” Bogie said.
“No!” Chip said.
/> “What do you care?” Bogie said. “You’re practically a baby.”
“No, I’m not!” Chip said. “Antoinette’s too pretty to give to the ghosts.”
Before anyone could stop Chip, he clobbered Bogie on the head.
“Hey!” Bogie said, and raised his fist.
“That’s enough, boys,” I said. “Chip, I don’t think you needed to clobber Bogie. He wouldn’t really give Antoinette to a ghost.”
“Chip is my new hero,” Antoinette said, then kissed Chip on the cheek.
I smiled when I saw Chip blush bright red.
“The heck I won’t give you to a ghost now!” Bogie said. “Going around kissing babies!”
“I’m no baby!” Chip said. “Now I’m staying here!”
“What?” I said, taken aback. “Buddy, we’d better go.”
“No!” Chip said.
“Oh shit,” I said, then looked at Pete and Julio. “I’m new to this whole parenting thing, what do I do? Do I pick him up and throw him over my shoulder?”
“I don’t have a problem with him staying,” Julio said.
“Take him with you, Mr. Layton!” Bogie said.
“Shut up!” Antoinette said. “Chip is so cute, I just wanna hug him and squeeze him like he’s a stuffed animal. He’s my hero and you’re just dumb, Bogie.”
“That’s it!” I said. “Chip, young man, you’d better come down here before I go up there.”
“No,” Chip said. “I’m staying.”
“What the heck?” I said, then decided I’d had enough. After kicking off my flip-flops I went up the wooden steps to the treehouse.
“It looks like Layton’s decided what to do,” I heard Pete say to Julio.
I sat down next to Chip, and hung my legs under the rail and over the edge of the floor. Chip looked at me defiantly and stuck his little chest out.
“You look like your Daddy Forrest with your chest out like that,” I said. “Aren’t we buds, Chip?”
“Yes,” Chip said. “But I’m staying!”
“Bogie,” I said, “tell Chip you really wouldn’t give Antoinette to a ghost.”
“No!” Bogie said. “I might really give her to a ghost.”
“Bullshit,” I said. “You were practically crying when the ghost took over Antoinette in the pavilion.”
“No, I wasn’t!” Bogie said.
“Whatever,” I said. “Enough of this.” After standing, I picked up Chip and he started kicking and fussing. “Stop it, you don’t want me to drop you, do you?”
“I don’t care!” Chip said. “I wanna stay with Antoinette!”
“Don’t worry, Chip, I won’t give her to the ghosts,” Bogie said. “And even they wouldn’t make the mistake of coming after her a second time.”
Chip still struggled so I put him over my shoulder and held him tightly as I went back down.
“Have fun guys,” I said, then left with Chip.
When we got back to the golf cart Chip still fought with me. After I got him in his seat, he crossed his arms against his chest and pouted.
He was silent while I drove downtown. Being a new Dad wasn’t all fun and games.
“I couldn’t leave you there, you know,” I said.
“Why not?” Chip said.
“For one thing Daddy Forrest would clobber me if I did that—and he’d be right to do it. I told him I’d take you back to the chapel after our outing, and I don’t break my word.”
“Well, I didn’t promise to go back.”
“You promised not to fuss, and you have been fussing—that’s not nice. Antoinette’s too old for you anyway.” I chuckled.
“Hey,” Chip said.
“Hay is for horses,” I said. “Besides, how are you gonna go against your old man for a girl you just met?”
“I don’t know,” Chip said. “But I don’t want the ghosts to take her.”
“There’s no real reason they’d go after her,” I said. “And every reason they’d avoid her.” Again I chuckled, then put my arm around Chip’s shoulders. “That was our first fight, huh, pal? And it was over a girl—wow. At your age too, stud.” Now I was laughing. The whole thing had suddenly struck me as funny. Antoinette wasn’t an ugly little girl—a major pain in the ass, but sort of a cutie pie.
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Chip said.
“I forgive you, kid. Who knows, if it were up to me I might’ve even let you stay back there to defend your girlfriend?”
“Ewww,” Chip said. “I’m too little to have a girlfriend. She was just pretty and she gave me a kiss—that was it.”
“OK,” I said.
“Where are we going?”
“To go buy some crosses and stuff,” I said.
“What kind of stuff?”
“You’ll see,” I said.
I stopped at several small shops and convenience type stores looking for a water gun, and ended up with one even smaller than Chip’s gun. At least the kid and I had a good laugh about it. We had one more stop to make, and that was to buy some crosses. The blond guitar playing young man I’d given money to earlier, was where Pete said he would be, and the man’s sister was beside him, selling her homemade crosses.
There was an older couple talking to the brother and sister. Someone else was with them sitting in a wheelchair, but I was too busy parking to see details. When we were both out of the golf cart, Chip happily held my hand again.
“Never underestimate the greed of men,” the blond singer’s sister said, as we approached.
She was as pretty as her brother was handsome. Both had beautiful, blond hair and brilliant, blue eyes.
“We didn’t even know about the treasure hunt until we got here,” the tan, white-haired man with his hand on the wheelchair said to the sister.
“My husband had a dream that brought him here,” the woman said, then looked at Chip and smiled. “Aren’t you a cutie?”
“Thank you,” Chip said.
While they talked, I peeked at the wheelchair, and was surprised by what I saw. I’d been expecting an elderly person, but instead there was a young girl. She moved awkwardly to look at me and smiled. Drool ran from her lips.
“What’s wrong with her, Daddy? Chip said. “Did the ghosts do that to her?”
“I don’t think so, buddy,” I said.
“Our granddaughter was in a serious car accident that killed her parents and left her in a bad state,” the man said. “We… I dreamed that I brought her here, and a miracle occurred. I didn’t expect to run into ghosts and the like.”
“That must’ve been a shock,” I said.
Something had caught Chip’s attention. He watched as the sister tied a colorful piece of yarn to a small wood cross, then he took it from her as she handed it to him. Chip looked at me for approval and I nodded that it was OK for him to take the cross.
I reached into my back pocket to retrieve my wallet and get some cash. While I did that Chip spoke to the sister.
“Is it alright if I give the cross to the girl in the wheelchair?” Chip said.
My heart swelled with pride at Chip’s sweet move.
“He has a pure heart, like most children do,” the brother said, then took the ten dollar bill from me. “Thank you for your earlier donation too.”
“You’re good,” I said. “I’m no music expert but you’re gifted.”
“Thank you,” the brother said. “The music spills out from the joy in my heart.” He began to play his guitar. “We all have our giftings, Layton Shayne. Sometimes warriors are hard to find.”
I was about to ask how he knew my name when the brother began to sing.
Be at peace, Layton, for the Lord knows your name.
He has determined that today the battle is yours to win
In your darkest hours you’ve always turned to him
And you bring glory to his name
“Daddy, he knew your name,” Chip said.
The older couple looked my way with questions in their eyes.
�
�Who do you serve?” I said to the brother.
“You’re learning the right questions to ask,” the brother said, still strumming his guitar as he smiled.
“We serve at the bequest of Jehovah God,” the sister said.
The older woman gasped, and put her hand to her mouth.
“I made these crosses for you and yours, Layton Shayne,” the sister said. “It is faith that is the true power behind the cross.”
“Faith and the blood shed on the true cross so long ago, by Christ the one who defeated death itself when he rose from the grave,” the brother said.
The siblings stood, and were suddenly bathed in a golden light. Their casual clothes were replaced by gleaming white robes, and their immense wings encompassed all of us. I felt safer than ever.
We are but God’s messengers,” the male angel said. “He aims to be triumphant in this place where darkness would try and take a hold.”
The female angel began to sing to the older couple in a voice sweeter than any I’d heard.
Your faith has brought you here today says God on high
With no doubt in your heart you came
And God is ever faithful to those who know his name
He will show his light even here… and there will be miracles.
A warmth filled me as a light fell upon us. Then a breeze flowed that felt altogether different than anything else we’d experience so far on the key.
All the heavens and the Earth praise the name of Jehovah ever faithful God who loves his people beyond all measure.
The girl in the wheelchair floated out of it and hovered above. Her crippled body seemed to be stretching back and straightening into proper alignment.
“Fall on your faces and praise the name of Jehovah-Rapha, God who heals,” the boy angel said.
I dropped to my knees, lowered my head and praised God, as did the others. When we looked back up again the angels were gone, as was the wheelchair. But even more had changed.
The girl from the wheelchair stood in front of us smiling.
“I’m healed, Grandpa, Grandma,” the girl said.
Her grandparents hugged her with tears in their eyes. The girl turned to Chip and spoke.