“Don’t think, I’ve made this many trips to the island in my whole life.” He merrily offered as he docked the boat.
“It is beautiful,” Shawn noted accepting his offer to help her step off onto the dock. “The fence and gate are bit odd.”
“That’s left over from when they had horses.” He explained offering to carry her equipment. “My great Uncle helped with raising them. He didn’t know squat about horses.”
“Oh?”
“Didn’t work out.” He offered simply.
Shawn caught a glimpse of fireworks in the sky. She cast a gaze over to the small beach. Three couples stood huddled by a bonfire watching.
‘Happy Birthday, Tempe.’ One of the young men offered.
‘Happy Birthday, Preston,’ she chimed in return before turning to the woman who was leaning against her. ‘Thank you, Ella. This is the best birthday, ever. I don’t know how I can ever thank you for all of this.’
‘Just keep smiling.’
Just as quickly the past images had appeared they soon vanished.
“Are you here to help? It would be nice if Miss Ella’s project was finished.” Kirby’s voice brought her back to the here and now.
“I’m here to try to understand what is happening,” Shawn explained as they made their way up the dirt road that led to the gate. “If we know what is here, then maybe we can resolve the problem. You’re afraid of this place.”
“Yup, seen some odd things out here. Enough to keep me on this side of the fence. I don’t have the happy memories the older folks do. This is as far as I go.” He announced setting her cases down. “I’ll keep the boat docked. I’ve got an antenna in the boathouse. Gets decent reception on the little TV.”
“Catching the game,” she smiled having picked up on his enthusiasm. “My girlfriend is a Red Sox fan as well.”
“Smart lady.” He beamed and with a tip of his hat he was on his way back down the hill.
The sun was just starting to rise as she placed her hand on the gate. She jerked her hand back as the negative energy shot through her.
“This is going to be fun,” she grumbled noticing a woman in a long flowing coat standing in the distance. She shoved the gate open carefully, loading her cases on the other side. Taking a cleansing breath she stepped through to the other side.
Shawn stumbled suddenly awash with feelings of anger and sadness. One by one she moved her equipment cases closer to the charred remains of a structure. She took a moment to center herself. Looking around she couldn’t help thinking that if not for the construction equipment on the surface everything looked serene.
She could see where Faith and the others had laid salt paths. “That’s different,” Shawn noted scuff marks in the salt. She unpacked her equipment setting up cameras, recorders, electrical meters and other modern tools of the trade.
‘What is happening to you?’ A woman pleaded.
‘Stop acting like a whore.’ She was taken aback, instantly recognizing the voice.
Shawn was shocked by the bitter words. She looked around feeling the scene layered beneath so many others. All happy memories, blended with angry and hatred. But that was all they were, memories. Residual energy playing in a loop, like an old time record with a scratch destined to constantly repeat itself.
‘You should go.’ Was whispered in her ear. The message meant for her not some warning from a long forgotten past.
“Why are you here?” She questioned the misty figure. She recognized her immediately, having seen her picture the day before.
‘You should go. It’s not safe.’ The woman cautioned before floating across the lines of salt.
“Why are you here?” Shawn questioned once again as she watched the image of Temperance Muraille fading in a mist. She felt a chill run through her. Jerking her head up she spied a snarling horned beast standing on two legs. The beast kept its distance from the salt lines as it howled.
Her heart pounded as it began to cackle before fading away. “It’s keeping you at bay.” She looked down at the lines. “But, you’re not the one breaking the equipment. You want them to dig.”
As Shawn took the time to step away, she could see him following her. There was a darkness to the mist. All around him was a black cloud. “You shouldn’t be alone,” she muttered to herself noticing the way it carefully moved around areas that had been cleansed. She stepped closer to the charred remains, her chest seized. In her mind’s eye she spied a slender hand hovering over a decanter. The hand was male, yet small and delicate.
“What were you doing to her?” She demanded the faint smell of pine lingered around her. Her query was greeted by a feral hiss. Standing there she saw the two of them huddled together, whispering and plotting.
‘Bitch sent us. Now, we get it all.’
She stepped deeper into the circle of scorched earth. She could see what the grand home was once. In the foyer, stood the woman she had been seeing. She was sad, but not alone.
‘Daniel!’ She suddenly perked up as the tall blonde man clad in a military uniform entered the house. ‘And you brought Nora.’
‘Timing might not be right.’
‘No, it’s perfect!’ Temperance insisted. ‘The two of you getting married would have made Preston very happy. Ella did you know?’
‘We don’t have much time, I’m due back,’ Daniel sounded nervous. ‘But look who we brought to perform the ceremony.’
‘Henry? This makes everything perfect.’
Shawn stood there drinking in the happy memories. Clouds covered the sunshine as a chill ran through her. Suddenly, she was standing in a basement, bottles of wine rested in racks lined up against the wall.
Huddled in the corner was a woman covered in soot as she dug. Once finished she sprinkled water, salt and something Shawn couldn’t see over the dirt. She smiled as she placed entwined twigs on top.
‘Get through that you cheeky bastards.’
Two men dressed in black suits hovered around the spot. They were angry as they began to shove one another. One raised a pistol shooting the other one, before placing the gun against his temple. Shawn shrank back as she watched part of his head explode. The air was now freezing as he fell, dark hands grabbing him and dragging him beneath the earth. His screams for mercy filled the room as he fell into the fiery depths.
“You had that coming,” Shawn sneered as she watched a dark figure lurking around the edge of the woods. “Is that what happened? He killed you, then himself and ended up in Hell. Pity, they didn’t catch you before you figured it out. If she had been stronger, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
‘The chalice is still here.’
She stood there for a moment before moving on. Moving through the woods she heard the leaves rustling. Someone or rather something was following her. The sky darkened and something tugged on her coat. She fought against the pain, searing against her back.
“Leave me alone,” she spat out stumbling closer to the barn. Her body burned as he tried to take control. Filled with a mild sense of relief when she spied the salt running across the opening to the barn, she stepped inside. Thinking that Faith might have overdone it a bit, she noticed the sack of salt splayed across the floor. Also lying on the floor was an old tarp. The sleek airplane standing in the middle of the room, stopped her in her tracks.
Instantly drawn to the sight, she quickly found herself climbing inside. The feel of the space was once again a mix of happy memories tempered by a darkness.
“You never called ahead for landing lights.” She couldn’t help smiling as she listened to the teasing. Then, gritting her teeth, her breathing became labored as she fell into a darkness. She could hear the sounds of the engine whirling. Temperance seated behind the wheel, beads of sweat forming on her brow.
Shawn found herself sitting in the pilot’s seat, constantly glancing back at the two men. They were whispering, hovering over a wooden crate. Temperance’s fear mounting with each passing moment. The first moment she laid eyes on the d
uo she knew she had been duped. These men weren’t refugees and their prize certainly wasn’t the historical treasure its counterpart the Gundestrup Cauldron was.
“What did you tell her?” Shawn questioned aloud as she climbed out of the cockpit. The faint aroma of sage mixed with frankincense greeted her.
‘What are you doing in here?’
“Why did you listen to someone who spent most of her life trying to deceive you?”
‘This is none of your concern!’
“Do you know that she is still lingering in the lobby of your building? Dead, for a good thirty some odd years and she’s still trying to latch on to you.” Shawn listened and her eyes widened when she heard a faint murmuring.
“Kate needs to pick this thing up,” Delia snarled as she stormed into the barn. “We need to tear this thing down.”
“What is your time frame?” Shawn timidly questioned her body shaking.
“We need to have the foundations poured before the first frost. I wish Miss Westbrook had thought to get this going last spring. Hopefully, I can get things finished by next summer and the school can be up and running soon afterwards.”
‘Ella? My Ella?’
“Sorry to interrupt,” Delia apologized. “I’ll let you get back to work.”
Shawn nodded blowing out a terse breathe as she watched Delia storm off. “Your Ella is still alive. She misses you.” She offered in an effort to coax Temperance to speak with her. Feeling nothing, she understood her efforts had failed.
Shawn wandered around the pain in her back increasing with each step she took. He wanted to control her. Icy cold hands grabbed at her while a searing breath whispered obscenities in her ear. Freezing cold mixed with burning heat kept her off balance. Unable to endure the pain she stumbled towards the gate.
Once she passed through her body felt lighter. Eager for relief she hurried down the hill. “I hope I’m not interrupting,” she quickly apologized as she entered the boathouse. Kirby, who had his feet up on a table tipped his hat. Seated on the bed was an older gentleman clad in warm clothing.
“This is my Uncle Nat,” he nodded towards the man who offered her a toothless smile.
“How are they doing?” She questioned pointing towards the small television.
“Suck without Ortiz,” Uncle Nat offered with a hearty snort. “I hear that tall drink of water is your girlfriend.”
“She is.”
“You make a lovely couple,” Uncle Nat gleefully offered. “Kirby, tells me she’s a Sox fan as well. How ‘bout yourself?”
“I’m from New York.”
“No one is perfect.”
“Can I ask you boys a couple of questions, during the commercials of course?”
“Ask away, young lady,” Uncle Nat encouraged patting the chair closest to him.
“Does your property line end at the gate?”
“It does,” he nodded wagging his finger at the television. “From the dock to the gate belongs to my family. Then there is the Marina of course. Miss Muraille stopped by one day and just signed it over to the family. That’s how she was. She said that since my family had been working for hers for over a hundred years it was about time. Of course my grandfather thought it was only right that we keep working for the family. He made a deal with her and that was that.”
“Has anyone ever been out here to bless the island?”
“Yup,” Kirby spoke up. “A few folks in fact. Father Avery was the first after that nasty business with Conklin.”
“Father Avery buried those children,” Uncle Nat added. “Never could understand how someone could do such a thing. Sometime after that there was that Indian fellow.”
“John Little Feather,” Kirby corrected him. “He’s first nation.”
“Nice fellow.” Uncle Nat agreed. “What are you swinging at, you fool?” He shouted at the television.
“Was he a shaman?”
“Yup.”
“You know him?” Kirby prompted once the beer commercial began.
“If it is the same man I’m thinking of, then yes.” She responded pulling her cellphone from her jacket pocket. “Any chance I’ll get a signal?”
“Nope.” Kirby happily informed her. “That’s the only wireless you’ll find out here.” He added pointing to the old radio. “Can I radio the shore for you?”
“No thank you,” she brightly answered. “It can wait.”
Shawn watched the end of the game before heading back up the hill. All was well until she stepped through the gate. Looking up at the sky, she realized she had stayed longer than she thought. The setting sun filled her with a sense of urgency.
Flashlight and thermal imagining camera in hand, Shawn headed towards the woods. The air felt heavy. Her steps faltered as she made her way through the heavily wooded area. She cried out. It grabbed her. Shoving her forward. Her body seized as it tried to claim her.
Her body was on fire as he grabbed at her. Shawn stumbled and fell to her knees. Talons clawed at her back. She forced herself to stand. Pushing harder, she forced herself closer to the cottage she could see just off the path. The smell of sulfur assaulting her senses, her body seething with pain, she fought him. The moment she placed her foot on the steps to the cottage he was gone.
Gasping for air she stumbled inside. Instantly, everything felt better. She dropped the flashlight and camera before collapsing on the bed in the middle of the room. “Safe,” she choked out.
‘It’s not safe.’
“I get that,” Shawn barked shedding her coat, her skin still burning from his attempt to take control of her. “He tried to jump me.” She spat out looking around until she found her new acquaintance lingering by the window. “It is safe in here. Almost as if someone created a sanctuary. Would that be you?”
‘Go.’
“Love to, but I need to find out what is going on first,” Shawn growled the pain finally ebbing. “Why are you trying to stop the construction?”
‘They can’t find it.’
“Find what?” Shawn tried to sound calm, but the anxious look on Temperance’s face made her feel uneasy.
‘Rest here.’
“Is that why you come in here? So, you can regain your strength?”
‘Rest then go. It’s not safe.’
“How about you just tell me,” the words trailed off as Shawn sat up and looked around. “I know this place. You and Ella use to come here.”
‘Ella?’
“She misses you,” Shawn blurted in an effort to keep Temperance there. She could see a mist forming, knowing her friend was preparing to leave.
‘No.’
“She does,” she stressed. “Please tell me what happened?”
‘You need to go.’ She was filled with sadness as she vanished.
“Why can’t they just spit it out?” She groaned her body still aching. She looked around and shook her head. “Those two were just insatiable.” She rolled her shoulders shivering as she felt Temperance’s return. “I’m still here.”
‘Why?’
“There’s no need for that tone,” Shawn scoffed thinking that Temperance was doing her best to intimidate her. “You have no idea the things I’ve faced. Tell me what happened? You drew my picture. You must know that I am here to help.”
‘No one can help. I should have secured the house. The fisherman’s family would have been safe.’
“What were you afraid of?”
‘You need to go before he comes for you.’
Delia stepped away from her crew. She had watched the ferry pull away. She was more than a little upset that the plane couldn’t be moved. They would need to take the fence down first. She blamed herself for not taking the time to measure the plane.
During the day she would catch a glimpse of Shawn here and there. She desperately wanted to know what she could feel or see. While the crew loaded up and departed, she headed towards the woods. Eager to know if there was a solution she hurried her pace. She pushed past a tree as the ax sw
ung past her almost striking her. She fell to ground, instinctively covering her face.
“Aren’t you happy to see me?” He hissed as she pulled her arms down. Standing above her was her great grandfather the axe in his hands raised above her ready to strike. The scream caught in her throat as she watched in horror as it came down on her, vanishing just before it struck her body.
She laid on the damp ground unable to move for a long time. Finally, she pulled herself together and climbed to her feet. Still shaking she began to search for the others.
‘Tempe, over here.’
‘What are you doing, Ella?’
Shawn watched as the young lovers chased one another through the woods. Shaking her head, wondering how everything had gone so horribly wrong?
“I can see how much you loved one another.” She called out hoping to bring Temperance’s spirit back. She stood looking at the new construction. The image blurred as a tall wooden tower appeared before her.
‘Don’t be cleaning that!’
‘Waste. I’ll not have the floors looking a mess. All this whodoo voodoo is just nonsense. Pouring salt on the floors. Have you ever heard of such a thing?’
‘We’ll keep watch.’ A haggard voice promised as the image faded.
‘Stupid bitch gave us everything. Drive a wedge and I’ll pay you well.’ He laughed.
‘We’ll get it all after we kill the both of them.’
‘I get to play with redhead first, you promised.’
‘Yes, you can play with her. Then slit her throat.’
She gritted her teeth as she felt him lurking near her. She could hear the sounds of horses, mixed with people laughing. She circled back past the barn looking up when she heard the sound of a small airplane flying overhead.
It was strange being surrounded by so much happiness while a dark cloud lurked around her, following her every move. She found herself back at the charred remnants. In her minds’ eye she could see the once stately manor. Once again the happy memories were cloaked by a darkness.
“It was in the basement,” she whispered her body trembling. “She hid it well. Gerry. What is in the drink?” She kept looking around hoping to understand the jumbled images.
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