by BL Maxwell
“Those are perfect. Let’s take all ten of them.” I walked back to the front of the store and picked up a basket to carry them in. They had buckets of sidewalk chalk, so we added one of those in the basket with the candles. We browsed around a little more and selected a few more snacks and some cold drinks, then walked up the counter to pay for it all.
“Hi, boys, whatcha got goin’ on there?” the clerk asked. She was probably in her seventies, with spikey, short grey hair and reading glasses perched on the end of her nose supported by a chain draped around her neck.
“Hi, not much, just getting some extra candles in case there’s a power outage. We like to be prepared.”
She gave me an odd look as she rang us up. We paid, and she packed the candles and chalk in an old box, along with the snacks. Jason picked up the box and I lugged both bags of salt back to the car.
“You ready for this?” Jason asked, brows raised in question and concern.
“I hope so. How about you?”
“I think so. Come on, let’s get this shit show over with.” He gave me an impish smile, probably trying to diffuse some of the tension before we headed back to the house. I was glad we were leaving tomorrow. It couldn’t come fast enough as far as I was concerned.
We pulled up at the house just as the sun was setting. I was relieved we still had a little bit of light to go in by. Standing outside the car, it felt like the house was waiting for us and was ready to fight us as hard as we were ready to fight it. I shook my head to clear those thoughts and went to the trunk to help Jason carry in our supplies.
I hefted up the bags of salt, and he carried the box that held everything else we’d bought. He was trying to act like he wasn’t still in pain, but I could see him cringe when he made a wrong step.
The energy when we entered the house felt even heavier than when we’d left. Jason started upstairs, but I stopped him. “Wait. We should just leave this stuff here. We’re going to use it in the basement, so we might as well leave it so we don’t have to lug it back down later on.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Are you in pain?” I was concerned he was hurting more than he had let on earlier.
“No, no more than before. Don’t worry. I’ll tell you if it gets to be a problem. Would you mind if we go back upstairs and have a drink and a snack before we begin setting all this up?”
“Of course, I don’t mind. Come on, let’s get you off those feet.”
We set everything down right by the closed door except the drinks and snacks, and slowly started back up the stairs. When we were once again in our room, Jason walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. I took the drinks and snacks from the grocery store and set them on the side table right next to where Jason was sitting. He reached for a drink and chugged half down at one time.
“Here let me change your bandages.” I knelt down and started taking his shoes and socks off.
“Thanks, for helping me. I really do appreciate it.”
“Hey, you’d do the same for me, right?”
“Of course. You know that.” I stood up and hugged him while he sat.
“I do know that. I can’t wait to go home and spend some time with you in a clean bed with real sheets.”
He held me back by my shoulders. “You can’t say things like that when we’re stuck here in the middle of nowhere.”
My mouth dropped open, and I couldn’t control the look of shock that I knew was on my face.
“Hey, I’m a young guy. A young, horny guy. Who can’t wait to get home and show his new boyfriend what he wants to do to him.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” He cradled my face in his hands and kissed me deeply.
Without breaking the kiss, I put my knee between his legs to balance on the bed. I crowded in on him until he gave up and lay back, pulling me down on top of him. His eyes held so much wonder that he made me feel like I was the most precious thing he’d ever seen.
“Wade, I—” He was cut off by the sound of glass crashing at the bottom of the stairs. I jumped up off him and started to rush out of the room, but then I remembered his feet were still bare. There was no way he was walking around with nothing protecting his feet.
“Wait, let me wrap your feet first.” I put my hand to his chest and gently pushed him back to sitting.
“We need to go see what happened.”
“I know, but it can wait. Let me grab some more gauze, and I’ll have you wrapped up in no time.” I smiled up at him and patted his knee. I was trying to stay calm but deep inside I was freaking out. What the hell was that noise? I was afraid of finding out something happened to all the candles we’d bought earlier.
I hurried to grab the gauze, tape, and some wipes to make sure his feet were clean. I walked over to my backpack and grabbed a pair of clean socks and slipped those on over the bandages.
“Thanks, Wade.”
“You’re welcome. Now let’s get down there and see what that noise was. Are your feet feeling okay?”
“Yeah, it feels fine. Come on, let’s do this.”
I cracked the door open and checked the hall. Nothing was there. I grabbed Jason’s hand, and we slowly made our way to the end of the hall. Everything was so quiet. It was like nothing had happened. But we both had heard the sound, and together we’d figure out what it was.
At the top of the staircase we were able to see the entryway, which was right at the bottom of the stairs. It was still not quite dark out, so we were able to make out the supplies we had left there. The bags of salt were where we had put them, but the box that held the candles had been knocked over.
“You guys are crazy to fucking stay here.” The voice of Jimbo, the cook from the little café, boomed out of the shadows in the living room.
We both jumped and then ducked, so shocked to see someone else in the house.
“What the fuck? I thought you said there was no way you were coming back here?” I knew I sounded pissed, but he’d scared the shit out of us.
“I know what I said, but you assholes need all the help you can get. It’s obvious you two have no clue what you’ve gotten yourselves into.”
“And what? You know more? Why are you here?”
“I told you, I’m here to help.”
I thought about it for a second before I snapped back at him, “You never said that and we don’t need your help.”
“No? Then please tell me exactly how you plan to do everything Louise told you to do with your boyfriend there being hurt and neither of you having any clue how to do it?”
“Wait—What?” I stammered back at him. “How do you know she told us to do anything?”
He scratched at his chin then looked up to meet my eyes. “I might not have been completely honest with you earlier. Can we go somewhere to talk? Honestly, I feel a little too exposed down here.”
“Yeah, come on, let’s go back up to the room we’ve been staying in.”
“You’re sure it’s safe?” he asked, not sounding sure of it himself.
“Nothing’s happened in there. It’s all been . . . well you know.” I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud, but we all knew what I was avoiding saying. No place in this house was safe. They were spirits; they could get to wherever we went. But any place was better than the basement.
Chapter Eighteen
We walked back up the stairs, Jimbo right behind us.
“I can’t help but notice you bought salt and candles. You sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Hell no. We bought the things she told me to buy in my dream.” I turned around to find Jimbo gaping at me with his mouth hanging open.
“You’re serious?”
“Fuck me, I wish I wasn’t, but yes, yes I am.”
“Well shit, this just keeps getting better. What the fuck was I thinking?” He grumbled all the way to the room.
“Look, you didn’t have to come here. Why would you? You don’t know us, and you obviously don’t want to be here. So why? W
hy even bother?” I wanted answers, and if he didn’t start talking, he was leaving. We had enough to deal with without any more bullshit.
“Well?”
He slid down the wall and sat on the floor while we walked over to the bed and sat down facing him. “You’re not the only one she talked to.”
Jason and I looked at each other and then turned to Jimbo. “What does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?”
“Can you please explain to us why you showed up here, when you specifically said there was no way you would set foot in this house?” Jason asked him point blank.
“When I got off work earlier, I was tired as hell. I grabbed a beer and lay down on my couch to watch the Kings play. I must have dozed off because next thing I know I’m here.”
I could feel my mouth hanging open in disbelief. “What do you mean you were here?”
He rolled his eyes and continued to explain. “I was here, only the house was—”
“—like it was before, in the 1800s.”
Now it was his turn to stare at me. “Yeah, that’s exactly how it was. Everything was clean and in good repair.”
“Then what?” I prompted. Jason turned to look at me.
“I was walking through the downstairs, and when I passed the kitchen, Mrs. Chalmers was there.”
“She was cooking,” I added.
He gave me an odd look but continued, “Yes, and then she talked to me. She told me they want to leave here but can’t. But we can help them, all of us. If we work together we can help them finally leave.”
“That’s what she told me too. She said Jason and I had more strength than we know and we can help.”
“So how do we do this? Did she happen to tell you exactly what we’re supposed to do?” He looked between the two of us expectantly.
“She did; that’s why we bought the salt and candles. We just have to wait until it’s a little darker. We should actually start now so we’re done up here and only need to go into the basement after everything else is done.”
He listened intently. “I don’t want to be in that basement any longer than I have to be.”
“Me either,” Jason and I both said in unison.
“Right.” Jimbo started to stand. “Let’s get this done.”
“We just need the salt to start. Hopefully we’ve bought enough,” I directed.
Jimbo stood and started to open the door.
“Wait, let’s take some extra flashlights with us.” Jason walked over to the backpack we had them in and grabbed three. He gave each of us extra batteries and picked up the backpack.
“Is this necessary?” Jimbo questioned, while holding the batteries.
“Well, how comfortable are you if your flashlight goes out?”
“Uh, not at all.”
“That’s what I thought. Keep your batteries in your pocket and let’s get going,” Jason said.
“This is going to suck . . . bad.”
“You could be right, but at least we’ll know we tried. You guys ready?”
Jason nodded at me and Jimbo stashed his batteries in the pocket of his hoodie.
“Yeah, man, let’s do this. Whatever this is.”
Jimbo and Jason stepped out into the hall and turned to wait for me. I made sure my flashlight worked and followed them. I grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door shut behind me.
“Let’s start at the first floor.” I led them both down the stairs. At the bottom we moved to the entryway, and I explained what we’d need to do. “We need to block all of the doors to the outside with salt in a continuous line. And once we’re in the basement, we cannot break any of those lines. The salt will help to keep the sprits here once we summon them.”
“What the fuck do you mean summon them?” Jimbo asked.
“We have to get them both here so we can help them both crossover. Mrs. Chalmers wants to leave. We won’t need to convince her. But she can’t go to the basement. Come on, let’s get this done. Each of you take a bag of salt. We’ll start at the basement door and leave a trail of it along the inner perimeter of the house until we meet at the front door.”
The lack of rooms on the first floor made this easier than it would have been on the upper floors. We’d be able to get away with using the two hallways that moved from the basement all the way to the front door. They both tore a corner off their bags and we separated. Jimbo went off on his side trailing a generous line of salt as he went.
“Is that enough?” he asked.
“Yes, as long as it’s an unbroken line.”
He kept an eye on the salt that was forming a line as he walked along the length of the back of the house and then turned his flashlight on before turning to follow the other hallway.
“Ready, Jason?”
“I’m ready. Let’s hurry so Jimbo isn’t out there by himself.” A shiver ran through him and he immediately tipped his bag and started making a salt line that started at the edge of the basement door and continued along the hallway.
I followed along with him, holding the flashlight so we could make sure the line was unbroken. It was a little tricky when we were in the main room as we needed to move some furniture and other debris just to clear a path for the salt. We could hear Jimbo moving furniture on the other side too. I thought again about how glad I was Jason was here with me. I couldn’t handle being alone in this house.
Finally we were at the front of the house. “Jimbo, step it up, we’re almost to the door,” I yelled over to him as Jason finished a perfect line up to the edge of the door.
“Almost there,” he called out from across the house. I swung the beam of my flashlight over to where his voice was to see him grasping his flashlight under his arm while focusing on pouring the salt. Finally he met us at the other edge of the door.
“We’ll need the candles and the chalk now.” I picked up the box but didn’t see the bucket of chalk. “Jason, do you have the chalk?”
“Yeah, it’s in the backpack.”
He had also packed a lighter, a lantern, and a first aid kit. In addition to an EMF meter, and a small digital recorder. Always the Boy Scout.
“Make sure we have everything we need. Once we seal the door with salt, we won’t be able to come back in here until we’re all done. And bring the remaining salt. We’re going to need it.”
Jason and Jimbo both patted their pockets and double-checked for anything we may have forgotten.
“I think we’re good. Let’s do this.” Jimbo clapped his hands and started for the door. He turned the knob and stepped out onto the front porch and spun around to put the rest of the salt from his bag at the entrance that would seal this area completely.
Jason turned and used more of his salt to seal it from where we’d left off. Slowly both of them spilled the final bit of salt that would seal our trap. Once this was done, no spirit would be able to enter or leave the house. If they were in there now they’d stay until we were done.
The three of us stood there for a second before I motioned for us to go around the side of the house toward the basement. Jimbo took a deep breath and seemed to brace himself for what he knew was coming. He walked down the steps, carrying the remnants of his bag of salt.
“Jason, I want you to be careful. Promise me you won’t take any unnecessary risks,” I said before I could stop myself.
“I won’t, don’t worry. I want to get this over with as much as you do.” I kissed him lightly on the cheek and grabbed his hand as we started for the side of the house and the entrance for the basement.
Chapter Nineteen
Both doors were closed when we reached the side of the house. The outer door that was made of iron bars looked like it hadn’t been opened for years. Even though we knew for a fact it had been open a few hours ago.
“What do we do now?” Jason asked.
Jimbo and I shared a look, mostly because we both knew what came next and neither of us was anxious for it.
“We need to get inside to set up t
he candles. We’ll need to use the remaining salt but in a different way this time.”
I walked up to the outer door and tugged. Nothing. It didn’t budge at all.
“I need a hand here,” I called over my shoulder to Jason and Jimbo. Both of them stepped forward and grabbed the bars at different points.
“On the count of three, pull. One, two—”
We all pulled as one and the iron-gate creaked open. We shoved it wide open and made sure it was secured enough to not easily close. Jason stepped forward and grabbed the handle for the heavy wooden door.
“Jason, wait. Let’s not take any chances.” He let go of the handle. “I don’t want any of us to get hurt when that door opens. Just in case there’s glass or anything else flying out at us. Just be careful.”
Jimbo walked over to where Jason was standing and reached forward to grab the handle. He gave it a push, and it moved but didn’t open. Jason handed me his backpack and then took hold of the handle with Jimbo.
They both strained to push open the door. It opened slightly before slamming shut again. Jason and Jimbo considered each other before changing their grip and getting ready to push again.
“You ready?” Jimbo asked Jason as he braced his feet to push harder. Jason braced as much as he could and then both of them pushed with all they had. The door seemed to pull back against them before it released and opened.
They both tumbled back from it and Jason ended up on his backside.
“Whoa, you okay?” I squatted down next to him.
“Yeah, nothing hurt but my pride. Give me a hand up?”
I patted his knee before standing and holding my hand out for him. He took it and I pulled him up.
“Come on, you two, let’s get this over with.”
We walked over to the doorway and stood next to Jimbo. I tried to peer in but it was so dark inside that I couldn’t make anything out. I pulled out my flashlight and turned it on. The beam penetrated the dark and showed a small part of the broken glass and other destruction that I knew were inside. I moved to go in but felt a tug on my shirt.