DEADLY WISHES

by Marianne Spitzer

  “It’s a warning to keep you from looking into whatever is to come,” Claudia explained and poured Kellie a second cup of tea. “Hope and Faith’s abilities will present in due time.”

  “What’s to come?”

  “Evil and it is connected to the severed head. Lance will return from California at the end of next week, and he will help. If you allow him to do most of the investigating on this, you may keep the evil further away from Hope and Faith. You must be careful since any evil will want to eliminate you. In the past, you successfully removed all evils you encountered. Whatever this current evil is knows this, too. It will bait you.”

  Kellie shook her head slowly back and forth. “Why now after all this time? Why me? Why here?”

  Claudia replied, “Someone tried to summon a spirit to grant a wish. They made a mistake and will get more than they asked for.” She smiled. “I have cookies for the girls.”

  Claudia stood, and Kellie knew she didn’t have more answers at the moment. Claudia placed a plate of cookies on the table, poured two glasses of milk, and called the girls. While they enjoyed their cookies, she excused herself. When she returned, she slipped a silver chain with a soft pink amulet over each girl’s head.

  Hope and Faith saw the pretty gifts and squealed. Kellie’s eyes opened wide, and Claudia smiled. “Beautiful stones for lovely girls and to bring a bit of peace to their mom.” She winked at Kellie. “They are protective stones.”

  Kellie nodded and understood another layer of protection covered her girls.

  When the cookies were eaten, and extra hugs were given to Shadow and Light, Kellie and the girls were ready to leave for home.

  “Thank you, Claudia. If you hear anything, please let me know.”

  “You know I will, dear.”

  Hope and Faith waved as Kellie pulled away from Claudia’s home. Kellie’s thoughts were conflicted as she drove home. Miss Annabelle and the pink amulets meant extra protection for her daughters, but why did they need protection? What was out there that could harm them? Kellie was ready to find out. She knew Lance would help. Kellie said a silent prayer for strength.

  Chapter Three

  A week and a half had passed, and Kellie felt relaxed preparing blueberry waffles for the girls and Max. It was Max’s weekend off, and she decided to make it special for all of them.

  The girls bounded into the kitchen followed by Max. All three wore hungry grins. Kellie set the plate of waffles on the table and grabbed the bottle of syrup before Hope could reach it.

  “When can we pour our own syrup,” Hope asked squinting at her mom.

  Kellie smiled, “As soon as you learn that syrup is used to make the waffles taste better and not meant to soak them. Neither is it meant to be eaten with a spoon after the waffle is finished.”

  Faith crossed her arms, “Why not, it tastes good.”

  Max laughed and was ready to speak. Kellie stared him in the eye and said, “Don’t you dare agree ‘Mr. I Can Never Get Enough.’” He answered her with a wink.

  The four enjoyed their breakfast between giggles and ideas for a fun weekend. Kellie’s cell phone interrupted the merriment with a text.

  After reading it, she motioned with her head for Max to follow her into the living room. “The text was from Claudia. She needs Taylor and me to come to Springs Park immediately. I don’t know why.”

  “You can’t go. If it’s Claudia asking, then it’s something dangerous. It has to do with the roses and the girls. You need to stay here,” Max insisted.

  “I can’t. I’m sure Hunter is having the same discussion with Taylor, but I need her or Claudia wouldn’t have texted both of us. The girls are safe and will remain safe. Whatever this is, I have to go.”

  Max sighed. “I know it’s dangerous, but you and Taylor are stronger together. Promise me you won’t do anything crazy.”

  “Who me?” she replied and hugged him. Taylor’s knock on the patio door broke their embrace. Two voices calling, “Mommy, Auntie Taylor is here,” and two dogs barking had them both hurrying back into the kitchen.

  Taylor bustled into the kitchen, “Let’s leave before Hunter changes his mind. He threatened to lock me in a closet.”

  Max looked at Kellie with raised eyebrows.

  “Don’t say it,” Kellie cautioned. “Why don’t you and the girls spend some time with Hunter, Ethan, and Kayla. I’ll text you as soon as I know anything.” She kissed his cheek, grabbed her purse, and headed for the garage with Taylor on her heels.

  Kellie and Taylor didn’t speak during the ten-minute drive to the park. Kellie parked near the entrance as close as the police tape would allow.

  “What now?” Taylor wondered.

  Kellie shrugged. “Claudia thought it was important for us to be here and the police are here. It can’t be good news. I feel a strange electricity in the air as if something evil passed through the park.”

  “Is it still here?”

  “No, let’s go see what we can find out.”

  Kellie and Taylor scooted under the yellow police tape and walked toward the group of people standing and sitting in the middle of the park.

  “What in the world is that?” Taylor asked looking beyond the people to an area marked off with orange snow fencing.

  Kellie squinted in the morning sunlight and answered, “It looks like a wishing well. Why is it cordoned off and since when is there a wishing well in the park?”

  Kellie saw her uncle and called out, “Uncle Mike, what’s going on?”

  “Why are you here,” he snapped not happy to see her or Taylor.

  “Claudia texted me. For some reason, it’s important I be here. Where did the wishing well come from?”

  Mike shook his head. “No one seems to know. We received a complaint that a few older kids threatened to toss the younger boys into the well. They’re sitting over there.” He motioned with his head to a group of boys sitting a dozen yards away from the wishing well.

  “Why is it cordoned off?” Taylor asked.

  “We have no idea how a two-foot-wide stone wishing well appeared overnight in the park. Joggers saw it early this morning, and people began showing up to toss coins in before the ground gave way.”

  “What? I don’t see any holes, Uncle Mike.”

  “The hole is inside the wishing well,” Mike grumbled.

  “This I have to see,” Kellie insisted and strode toward the wishing well.

  “Not so fast. It seems to be a bottomless sinkhole. The officer guarding the wishing well dropped his flashlight in it, and the light disappeared. We can’t hear stones hit the bottom. We’re waiting on a tech and a camera.”

  “I want to see,” Kellie walked forward and pushed the snow fencing aside. She gripped the side of the wishing well and looked down into the darkness. She stood up quickly, and the ground began to shake.

  “What the hell,” Mike shouted and stormed toward the wishing well. He glanced down and turned back to Kellie and Taylor. “The hole is gone. It filled back in.”

  “Maybe you need a geologist, Uncle Mike,” Taylor suggested.

  “I’m glad it filled back in, but I’m keeping a police guard here until we know what happened. I don’t want to worry about what or who someone might try and toss in that well.”

  Kellie offered, “I wouldn’t worry about what was thrown in, Uncle Mike. I’d worry about what came out.”

  “Nothing came out,” Mike insisted. People were here when the ground fell away. They watched and we guarded it after we were called.”

  “I didn’t say it was something you could see,” Kellie answered. “I need to go to Claudia’s. I’ll let you know what I find out.”

  Mike watched Kellie and Taylor hurry toward Kellie’s SUV. He ran his hand down his face and mumbled, “Not again.”

  ~ * ~

  Claudia stood on her front porch wearing a bright yellow cape over a soft brown floor length dress. She waved as Kellie’s SUV pulled up and parked in front of her house. Her cape fluttered beh
ind her as she turned to open the front door.

  “Come in, come in, we have much to discuss,” Claudia insisted.

  Kellie and Taylor followed her through the door and into the kitchen.

  “Sit, I heated water for tea and made applesauce muffins.”

  Both young women sat watching Claudia flit around the kitchen pulling cups and plates from her cabinets.

  “Claudia,” Taylor asked. “What do you know? What’s going on? Uncle Mike said there was a sinkhole under the wishing well and then it closed up. It’s something bad, isn’t it?”

  Claudia nodded. “Have some tea. It will help calm your spirits while we discuss what went wrong with the wishing well, what came through, the severed head, and the blood drinkers.”

  “Blood drinkers?” Kellie stammered.

  Claudia nodded again.

  “There’s no such thing,” Taylor insisted as she pulled out her phone and did an internet search. Her eyes opened wide and her hand flew over her mouth when she realized Claudia was correct. “There are blood drinkers.” Her voice trailed off.

  “Vampires?” Kellie suggested. “Here in Malone Springs?”

  “No,” Claudia answered. “Some people believe drinking blood strengthens them. Hunters have done it for centuries when killing their prey. They drink the blood of their kills for strength before butchering them. Centuries ago, the blood was consumed to help the hunter continue his quest to feed his family or village. It is said to give the stamina needed to continue in a hostile environment. It continues today to a lesser extent, but some drink the blood of their first kill as a rite of passage.”

  Kellie sipped her tea, “I’ve heard of that. It doesn’t seem unreasonable.”

  “That doesn’t, but this article explains some also drink human blood, but they’re not vampires. They also claim it gives them strength. People volunteer or are paid to let someone drink some of their blood.” Taylor shuddered.

  “Yes, Claudia said and if everyone agrees it’s not usually a problem. Many things go on in our world between people with similar ideas. However, things can go wrong, and someone may feel the need for more strength.”

  “Then what happens?” Taylor asked not sure if she were ready for the answer.

  “Then my dear,” Claudia continued, “A person may decide to go a step further and try to connect with an entity they believe can help them. A blood sacrifice and a wish can be a deadly combination.”

  Kellie looked up from her cup. “The head was supposed to be part of a sacrifice and summoned the wishing well? What came out of the well?”

  Claudia closed her eyes for a moment. “I don’t know exactly. Evil, of course, but the head was disturbed. The sacrifice was completed sometime in the past. Whoever tried to summon the evil had to complete several steps. The head would be a gift to the entity to consume the brain and eyes to know and see what the world sees today. When the police removed it, and the coroner performed his job, the head was no longer complete. The entity decided to arrive on its own and used the wishing well as a portal.”

  “A portal from where? Who put up the wishing well?” Kellie asked.

  Claudia looked at her and calmly replied, “It came from the darkness and whoever performed the sacrifice placed the wishing well to allow it entry.”

  “Why the park?” Taylor mused.

  “It’s the heart of the city. This entity, whatever it is, gathered strength from each person near it as it emerged.”

  “That’s why I felt the electricity or energy when I arrived at the park. It had passed through there, but where is it now,” Kellie inquired.

  “I wish I knew. My connections are fuzzy about this new energy among us. It can remain hidden,” Claudia explained while lifting a piece of muffin to take a bite.

  “Then what do we do?” Kellie drummed her fingertips on the oak tabletop.

  “Be aware of what you feel. If you sense something, listen to it. Feel it. Let it encompass you. You are strong enough and have ample protection not to be harmed or controlled by this new entity. You can get close enough to learn more. Lance will return soon, and he will help you.” Claudia leaned closer to Kellie and patted her hand.

  Taylor asked, “Where is this entity now?”

  Claudia shook her head back and forth slowly, “I don’t know. It could be in one place or many places. Kellie will feel it. Whoever performed the sacrifice might know.”

  “Mrs. Donahue’s great-nephew is the person who placed the head in the freezer, I think,” Kellie answered.

  “Find the nephew. He’ll know who is responsible. For some reason, I don’t believe he performed the sacrifice, but he helped cover it up and stored the head. Love is involved. Look for a girlfriend or lover. I think both are in danger,” Claudia explained.

  “From the entity or another source of evil?” Kellie asked.

  Claudia drew in a long, deep breath. “The entity is angry. The portal closed. It is trapped here. Find how it was brought here and send it back. Sorrow will invade Malone Springs before this is over.”

  “My girls,” Kellie gasped. “That’s why Miss Annabelle is here. Are you sure the girls are safe?”

  Claudia nodded and assured her, “Yes, as I explained, they cannot be harmed. They can be frightened, but their guardian will do her best to keep the fear from them. She’s pure love and strong. The only ones who love Hope and Faith more than Miss Annabelle are you and Max. Try not to worry. The girls may be of help. They may feel the entity, too. They most likely will not understand what they feel. Their powers are still forming. Listen to what they say. If they feel uneasy, be alert.”

  Kellie rubbed her face with her hands. “My girls have powers and will only get stronger. How am I supposed to explain this to Max?”

  “Honestly,” Taylor suggested. “He needs to know everything you do.”

  Kellie shrugged. “You’re right.”

  Taylor looked at Claudia, fought the urge to run, but needed to ask, “Kellie is stronger with me. Are my children in danger?”

  “No, my feelings are you will play a minimal role in this battle. You will help Kellie uncover valuable information, but you will not take part in the final battle. Lance will be of more help. The entity will not see you or your family as a threat,” Claudia explained.

  Taylor slumped in her chair and took a cleansing breath. “Thank you. Hunter wouldn’t understand. I think he’d pack them up and take off to parts unknown.” She tried to smile and failed.

  “I hope Max doesn’t get that idea,” Kellie added.

  “He won’t,” Claudia said. “He knows they will be safe with you. Don’t worry about them or Max.”

  Taylor summoned her courage to ask, “What kind of final battle will take place? Is Kellie in danger?”

  “Unfortunately, yes, and I do not know what type of battle will ensue. I do not have a clear vision of what evil she faces. I will listen and tell you what I learn.”

  “Easier said than done. I think we should head home before Max and Hunter send out a search party. Thank you, Claudia.”

  Claudia closed her eyes and raised her hands to her temples. When she opened her eyes, she used both of her index fingers to point toward her den. “We need to turn on the TV.” She hurried off with Kellie and Taylor following.

  Claudia’s den was in stark contrast to the rest of her antique furnished home. A large oak desk sat in the middle of the room with a desktop computer and two laptops sitting on top. A wood file cabinet sat in one corner. A large brown leather sofa graced one wall with oak end tables on either side. Across from the sofa, a large flat screen table took up nearly half of the wall space.

  “Sit, please,” Claudia said as she turned on the TV.

  The screen filled with an image of the park and wishing well. Kellie could hear the voice of the new reporter explaining what he witnessed. She was pleased the female reporter that had given her problems in the past left town for bigger and better opportunities.

  “What’s going on now?”
Taylor wondered aloud.

  The image on the screen broadened to take in most of the park and show what drew the reporter’s interest. Dense fog rolled slowly from one end of the park toward the wishing well.

  The reporter’s voice startled Kellie, “We’re here at Spring’s Park watching an interesting phenomenon taking place. Fog has descended on the park only rolling across the grassy areas. It hasn’t moved onto the sidewalks surrounding the park. It seems to be contained only within the park proper. My cameraman and I retreated to the safety of the van when we observed odd small flashes of fire in the fog. The fires seem to be increasing as the fog nears the wishing well that appeared seemingly out of nowhere overnight.”

  The three women sat and watched exactly what the reporter described.

  “What is it?” Taylor asked. “It isn’t typical fog.”

  “Evil,” was Claudia’s simple reply.

  Kellie leaned forward as she watched the fog roll over the wishing well and continue across the park. When it reached the other side, the fog dissipated quickly leaving the park exactly the way it was except for one thing. The wishing well had disappeared.

  Before Kellie could ask the question, Claudia gave her the answer. “The evil removed it and hid it where she believes it’s safe.”

  “She,” Taylor asked.

  “Yes, for some reason I feel this form of evil is or at least was a human female at some point. She’s still female and possibly human, but has changed over the centuries. She will be a formidable combatant in her quest to survive in our time,” Claudia turned the TV off and sat behind the desk. She crossed her fingers and placed her hands on the desk. “You and Lance will need all your strength and abilities to battle this one. Fire is her protection. You must be ready for it.”

  “Fire?” Taylor gasped. “This evil female will burn all of us alive. I don’t like this at all.”

  “Don’t worry, Taylor,” Claudia assured. “Her strength is fire. Each spirit Kellie has engaged had a strength and all as deadly. I strongly suggest you find out who wished her here. You may learn a few of her weaknesses.”