Lawrence had stepped into the room to let us know about dinner. From the bewildered look on his face, he’d caught enough of the conversation. “The mail lady? This is who you think will act as your Guardian, going forward?”
Guardian? He made it sound like being a Guardian was like royalty or something. Plus, this was the first I’d ever heard the term, for what he did. My chin lifted higher as I stared into his eyes. “She’s not just a mail lady! I’ll have you know she’s a physicist. She was working on her PhD when she had to drop out in order to look after her father. She’s incredibly smart, and...” I groped for a word to describe Gwen, but all I could come up with was, “Nice!” I crossed my arms. “I’m pretty sure we’ll make a good team.”
“But Keira... there’s more to it than being smart. There’s loyalty.”
“Undying loyalty!” Lawrence tried to underscore GM’s words, speaking louder and squaring his shoulders.
GM smiled and looked up at him, the affection showing in her eyes. “Yes. You’ve proved that more than once, my dear.”
His eyebrows bobbed high and he sniffed. “Not to mention, my ability to sense impending danger. I admit, I wasn’t born with it but I’ve trained myself.”
“Well... so could she.”
GM chimed in, “Not to sound sexist, but the role of guardian would be more appropriate for a man. I mean sometimes, it takes physical strength.”
“I’m not worried about that, GM, she’s in terrific shape.” The discrepancy between Gwen’s physical fitness and Lawrence’s would be cruel to point out. Especially now that he was starting to warm up to me.
I decided to switch tacks. “All I’m saying is that I want you to meet her. I want to know your impressions. And you can’t deny my vision can you? We were together in the future and I know we were about to catch a plane to do your work, GM.”
She sighed and her gaze flickered over to Lawrence. “Okay. We’ll meet Gwen and give you our impressions. I’ll keep an open mind.” Her eyes turned thoughtful. “But... you need to keep an open mind as well, my girl. Don’t just jump at the first person who comes along. Gwen may be nice, physically fit and seem perfect but... she may not want the role of guardian. It’s not without peril. And she has her father to look after. She has to know what she’s getting in for.”
My hands rose before me. “Whoa, whoa, back up. I haven’t said I was taking the job. My heart was doing cartwheels in my chest. Gwen would be interested. How could she be a fan of Stephen King and not be? “So lunch tomorrow?”
“Not tomorrow. I’ve got something planned for us that will take up most of the day. How about lunch the day after?” GM looked over the rim of her glass at me as she took a sip.
Lawrence walked over to the sideboard and poured a drink for himself before turning and offering more to us. “She’ll be working then, delivering mail. The day after tomorrow is Monday, Pamela.”
“Don’t be a snob, Lawrence.” GM held her glass out for a refill.
He topped up her glass and then turned to top me up. “Why don’t you ask her for dinner instead? She can come early, have some drinks and I’ll prepare something special.”
“Of course you must join us, Lawrence. Your input is invaluable.” GM batted her eyes at him again. Geeesh! She acted more like a helpless schoolgirl than I did sometimes! I watched Lawrence puff up at her sweet talk and shook my head. “You two...”
Lawrence’s eyes darted from GM to me. “What?”
I waved my hands. “Nothing. Forget it. So you really think Gwen coming for dinner’s a good idea, Lawrence?”
“I did suggest it.”
“That’s true.” I was a little surprised.
He nodded. “Yes. This woman is your candidate, Keira. I think a little more formality would be in order.” He cocked his head. “This is important, so let’s put our best foot forward.”
“Thanks Lawrence. I think she’s going to be impressed.”
TWENTY
LATER THAT EVENING, I looked for my cell phone to call Gwen. I slapped myself upside the head when I realized I had left it in her bathroom when I changed. It was a little late, so I figured I’d drop by the next day and pick it up. I’d extend my invitation to dinner for Monday night while I was at it.
***
The next morning was gloomy and it was tempting to just roll over and go back to sleep. Instead, I got up; a half an hour later I joined GM in the sunroom.
“Hi, GM,” I balanced coffee, a bowl of cereal and a banana tucked between my elbow and waist as I entered.
She had on gardening gloves, a pair of snips in her hand, pruning some dead shoots from a large potted plant. “Good morning, Keira.” She turned and a smile twitched her lips. “All quiet in your room now?”
“Too quiet. I never thought I’d say it, but I miss Molly’s housekeeping.”
GM laughed lightly.
“What’s so funny?” I took a bite of my banana as she sat down at the table across from me.
“You are, Keira.” She shook her head, her eyebrows elevated in amusement. “A week ago you were a night clubbing, New Yorker. And this morning you’re grousing about missing your spectral housekeeper.”
I swallowed and chortled myself. “Yeah... how things change, huh? From failed acting student to protector of the universe in seven days.” I glanced around. “So that’s it for the free housekeeping though, huh? No more ghostly servants?”
“Well... sort of.”
“What do you mean?”
GM made a face. “We still have one more spirit to transition.”
“Now wait a second, GM, how long have you been living here?”
“Many years. I moved here when your mother started boarding school.”
“And so you let these ghosts stay on all that time?” When she nodded, I asked, “Why?”
“Because they were going to serve a greater purpose by staying than by leaving. I knew I was eventually going to have a successor, and for... well, training purposes, I needed them here.”
“That’s pretty cold. You’ve kept them prisoner here so you could use them?”
She looked at me sharply. “I beg your pardon! Not at all! Any of them, all of them could move on the moment they wanted to. I wasn’t holding them against their will at all.” She tapped the tabletop. “And furthermore, remember how I tried to explain to you that time is different for them? In their state, they’ve just been here for a day.” She waved her hand around the room. “Time applies to us, not to spirits.”
“Still... it rubs me wrong, GM.”
She reached over and took my hand. “That’s because you’re good and kind, Keira. They’ve been happy to be here, and Molly and Sam were both happy to leave.”
I mulled it over; she had a point, I guess. I shrugged. “Okay, you said there’s one more, right?”
“I did, didn’t I? Well, this one you won’t be too keen on, trust me. But we’ll save him till after breakfast.”
I paused and swallowed hard. “Oh yeah? Who is this one?” From the look in her eyes, she wasn’t looking forward to transitioning this guy.
“I’m not.” Damn, she was good at that mind reading!
“Why?”
She held my gaze. “Because Jarrod is not a spirit that is pure of heart. Molly was child-like in her love, and Sam was a child. Jarrod is an adult who committed many crimes before his death.”
“He was a bad guy?”
“He did evil things while on this plane, yes.”
“So he’s afraid of going to hell.”
“I don’t think there is a hell like they talk about. In fact, I’m not even sure hell exists. What I do believe is that Jarrod doesn’t want to transition because he believes he’s due for punishment on the other side.”
“Is he?”
“I really don’t know, Keira. What matters is what Jarrod’s soul believes and that fear keeps him here.” She paused. “And he doesn’t belong here.”
“It sounds like we have our work cut out f
or us then.”
“I’m afraid that’s not all. A transition like this one has perils.”
“Perils. You mean dangers. You mean this can be dangerous.”
She closed her eyes and nodded. “Yes,” she said softly.
“What kind of dangers?”
“Demonic dangers.”
Whoaaaa.
***
A chill went through me. Transitioning Molly and Sam was hair-raising. Even so, I never had any sense of danger during the event. But now...
“Today, I’m going to teach you about the Ouija board. You need to learn how to use it but I warn you, only do so as a last resort.”
“If it’s so scary, why use it at all? We did pretty well yesterday with Molly and Sam.”
“Good question.” GM sat forward and her voice lowered. “Sometimes spirits can be pretty stubborn or just downright weak. The Ouija amps up our ability to communicate with them. The problem is that other entities tune in as well.”
“You mean demons? So those movies I’ve seen pretty much got it right?” My mouth was suddenly dry as dust as I hung onto the edge of my seat. From what I’d seen on screen, there was no way I wanted to see them for real.
She sighed and looked into my eyes. “I’m not going to lie to you... it’s frightening sometimes. But that’s something else you must learn... how to control your fear.” She rose to her feet. “If you’re done with your breakfast, we’ll move to the living room. When you take your dishes into the kitchen, would you ask Lawrence to join us?”
***
When I walked into the living room, the room was dim. GM had drawn the heavy brocade curtains shut. A single white candle flickered near the end of the coffee table. Next to it was a bundle of dried grass in a large seashell and a black, pyramid-shaped crystal.
GM sat forward in the chair across from the sofa. She had just placed a flat board on the coffee table. My gut tightened when I saw the familiar dark lettering and symbols. The Ouija board. When she placed the leaf-shaped pointer on the board’s surface, my heart began to hammer in my chest. Oh boy, here we go.
My eyes darted over to Lawrence before I slunk down onto the sofa. I barely dared to breathe as my grandmother’s words sounded in my mind—”a last resort.”
“Wait a second, GM,” I said. “Before we start, what exactly is the danger we’re going to be dealing with here?”
She looked over to Lawrence, and he nodded. Turning back to me, she said, “Did you see the movie The Exorcist?” When I nodded in reply, she said, “That pretty much covers it then.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, Keira, I’m not. If a demon is strong enough, it can fling things around, using household items like missiles. It can sow confusion in your heart and mind, and it can—if you allow it to—possess you and take over your body and make you do its bidding.”
Holy shit, this was real.
GM’s eyes met mine above the board. “Keira. What is the opposite of love?”
Was this a trick question? Anyone knew the answer to that. “Hate.”
“No, it’s fear. I can feel your fear and you’re right to be cautious. But fear... not only is it crippling, but it can be used as a weapon against you. I have found that facing your fear, instead of denying it, lessens its power. Accept your fear. Then release it with each breath, exhaling it. With every inhalation, you take in love, which is present all around and within you.”
I closed my eyes and tried to do what she said.
It didn’t work.
“Keira, look at me.” I opened them, and watched her eyes. They began to shimmer.
I will not be afraid
Fear is the soul destroyer
And would consume me
Were I allow it
I rebuke fear
To its face of many masks I stare unafraid
One by one, I will watch those masks fall away
Crumble to ash
And drift away
In the breeze of my love
Leaving nothing by myself
And I will still stand
Alone and unafraid.
Her words echoed in my mind and a vision of a pile of ash wafting away from the surface of polished white purity filled my mind’s eye.
My mouth hung open. “You did that, GM? You projected your thoughts into my mind?”
“Yes, Keira. I was only able to because of how strong you’ve become so quickly. I can’t do that with anyone, only one gifted as you are.” Holding my eyes, she sent that litany to me again. Over and over we repeated it until I was... no longer afraid.
“Now breathe, Keira. Rebuke the fear from you and inhale the love which is this universe’s nature.” Together we did the breathing, our inner voices joined with each inhalation and exhalation, over and over.
Now let us begin
“Yes,” I said.
Her hands rose and then with just the lightest touch, her fingertips rested on the planchette. Oh God. This was it. My fingers joined hers on the small triangle. There was a tiny tremble in the object which I hoped was the result of one of us, rather than...
“Is there a spirit in the room?” GM’s voice almost made me jump out of my skin and my gaze darted around the room.
The planchette vibrated and then jerked to the right! It stopped on the word ‘Yes’. My fingers tingled, like there was a small current of electricity running from the small object to my hands.
“What is your name?” GM’s voice was soft yet there was a commanding authority to it as well.
The planchette slid across the board to the letter J and then to A and R.
It then slid to the center of the board. It began to vibrate under our fingers. I stared at it, then looked up to GM. She watched the planchette intently, so I dropped my eyes back down.
The object darted to the L. I tried swallowing in a mouth which was dry as dust all of a sudden.
The planchette moved quickly through the other letters pausing only a beat on each one—E, A, V, E.
My eyes met my grandmothers and hers became narrower with purpose.
“What is your name?” When there was no reply, she repeated herself, louder and more commanding. “GIVE US YOUR NAME!” The power in her voice startled me.
The candle flame flickered, then blazed up, casting long shadows to the corners of the room. The air became colder and—dense. It became harder to breathe, and a stench suddenly filled the room. My heart pounded faster. There was something here in the room with us! It was totally unlike what I’d experienced with Molly or Sam. Whatever this was... it didn’t like us one little bit. I will not be afraid... I thought to myself.
Once more the planchette jerked, moving so fast through the same series of letters that it was hard to keep my fingers attached to it—L, E, A, V, E.
The Haunting of Crawley House (The Hauntings Of Kingston Book 1) Page 42