Haunted Happenings

by Lucrezia Black

  The cupboard doors slammed closed and the lights went out. The kitchen door slammed and the kettle toppled off the stove.

  “I think this is only the beginning.”

  They opted to spend the rest of the day out of the house. It put a bit of a damper on Ellen’s plan to relax for the day but she didn’t want to be in the house while things were happening.

  She hoped that it was only temporary. She hoped that she was just imaging it. But considering the fact that John had seen everything that she had seen it was hard to chalk it up to anyone’s imagination anymore.

  They took Julie to the park. She didn’t really play the entire time that they were there, but they agreed that the fresh air was good for her. Time away from the house and the phone that had been her life for the last few days was good for her.

  She sat on the swing set and rocked back and forth absently. Her eyes were distant. Her face was solemn.

  She looked like someone who was grieving the loss of his or her best friend. And perhaps she was. Ellen didn’t understand what kind of relationship Margaret had formed with Julie. It was clearly co-dependent but there was something more to it.

  She needed to find out who Margaret had been. She needed to know what had happened to her if she was really going to understand it. She wasn’t certain that she wanted to. But she also wasn’t certain that they could move again.

  She didn’t think that she could take the mental stress of moving. She didn’t think Julie could handle moving again. John would deal with it. He always adapted to whatever happened. But as they sat their on the bench and watched their daughter sway back and forth as if there was nothing less interesting in the world than being at the park she knew that this was taking a toll on him as well.

  When they returned to the house everything was surprisingly calm. The lights didn’t flicker when they turned them on. The doors didn’t slam as they walked through the house. Nothing peculiar happened at all.

  They put Julie to bed early because it had been a stressful day. Not just for her but for all members of the household. Ellen knew that she could use a glass of wine and a hot bath before she settled in for the night. Perhaps she could use a whole bottle of wine if she was being completely honest.

  Maybe the worst was over. Maybe it had just been a repercussion of destroying the phone, an aftershock so to speak, and now they had nothing to worry about. That seemed possible, she thought.

  But realistically she had no idea what was going on. She had no idea what to think. She just was happy that things had stopped for the time being.

  She waited an hour. She wanted to be certain that Julie was asleep before she poured herself that glass of wine and sunk into a bath. If John was done his work she’d invite him to join her. It had been a while since they’d had a night together and she guessed it would be a while before they could get another one once the café opened tomorrow.

  At the hour mark she went to Julie’s room to check on her. The night-light added an odd purple glow to the space that extended out into the hall. Ellen took a moment to consider it. She hadn’t paid much attention to it before but it had an eerie appearance.

  She rounded the doorway and stepped into her room, fully engulfed in the purple glow. Her eyes went to the bed and it took her a moment to process that it was empty. She glanced towards her play area in the corner of the room but she wasn’t there either.

  She was about to step out of the room to call John when she heard the whimper.

  Her eyes went back to the bed. Still she found no sign of her daughter. The whimpering sounded again and her eyes followed the noise this time bringing her attention to the ceiling.

  Julie was pinned to the ceiling, her arms and legs spread wide, and despite the whimpers she wore a menacing expression.

  Ellen screamed. She called John’s name but she didn’t move from where she now stood at the end of Julie’s bed. She heard his footsteps pound up the stairs and he came storming through the doorway.

  “What the hell!” he announced but she grabbed his arm and pointed at their daughter. “Jesus!”

  John ran a hand through his hair. He wasn’t certain he was even awake. He wanted to tell himself that he was dreaming. That he had fallen asleep on the couch and this was all some terrible dream. But he felt Ellen’s hand on his arm and he knew they were living this.

  “What the hell is happening here?” he looked at his wife the fear clear in his eyes.

  “I don’t know, but we need to get her down.” Ellen looked around the room for something to aid them. The ceilings on the second floor were lower than those on the first. They had a better chance of reaching her here than they would if they were in the living room. “We can stand on her bed and try to pull her down.”

  John nodded. He didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t know what else to do.

  He climbed up onto the bed with Ellen and they both reached for one of her arms. They each grabbed a hand and they tugged.

  Nothing happened.

  They pulled again, but whatever force was holding her to the ceiling was set on keeping her there at the moment.

  “She’s not your daughter anymore,” Julie spoke, but it wasn’t her voice that came out of the little girl. It was an older voice, a raspy voice. It sounded unnatural coming out of the body of a seven year old girl. Just as unnatural as the menacing grin on her face. “She’s mine.”

  They pulled at her again and this time she fell from the ceiling and into their arms. Ellen pulled her close and collapsed down onto the bed.

  Julie was whimper, her eyes filled with tears. “Mommy?”

  Her voice was her own now even if it was weak.

  “Yes little one, I’m right here.” Ellen hugged her close and her eyes locked with John’s.

  “I’m scared, mommy,” Julie cried cuddling in closer.

  “I know, darling. I know.”

  Chapter 7

  A Night Out

  * * *

  Ellen debated cancelling the opening of the café. After what had happened the night before she didn’t know if it would be safe to leave Julie at home alone with the babysitter they had set up. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Karen. The woman seemed quite capable. It was more so that she wasn’t certain if her daughter would remain her daughter for the evening.

  Thinking over the events of the last night sent a chill through her. She didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t know what to do about it.

  Julie was like a zombie that morning. She wandered from her room to the couch with no interaction with either of them. She skipped breakfast. There were shadows under her eyes. And she simply stared at the TV despite the fact that nothing was playing on it.

  Ellen convinced her to eat before she headed out to work. It was all she could manage. She needed to get to the café and prep everything before the afternoon opening. John would be joining her in a few hours. She assumed that he could handle Julie until then. She hoped that he could.

  John watched Ellen drive away and felt his heart sink a little. He didn’t want to be left alone in the house with her. He knew it was terrible to think that about his own daughter but after what he’d seen last night he was terrified of her.

  She was still sitting on the couch. She was still staring at the TV screen as if watching some show that wasn’t actually playing. She was completely zoned out.

  Yet the moment he stepped into the room she looked over at him with sleep hollowed eyes and a wide grin on her face. The combination was unsettling enough to have him taking a step back in retreat.

  “Hey Daddy,” her voice sounded small but he was glad that it was still her voice.

  “Do you want me to put something on the TV for you, little one?” He forced himself to take a step into the room, to be closer to her. It was ridiculous to be afraid of his own daughter.

  Julie glanced at the TV as if confused that it wasn’t turned on. “Oh, I didn’t realize.” Her brow creased in confusion. “I thought I was watching someth
ing.”

  “No, darling. The TV has been off this whole time.” He walked over to it and switched it on setting it to her favourite channel.

  “Oh…” she looked genuinely confused.

  John moved from the TV to join her on the couch. He had to fight against the overwhelming urge he had to leave the room. To let her just watch TV until he had to leave for the opening. But he knew that he should talk to her. He knew that he needed to let her know that they wouldn’t be home tonight. He needed to find out how she was doing.

  “Little one,” he began drawing her attention away from the TV. When she looked at him with those sleep-hollowed eyes again he almost regretted that choice. “Your mom and I will be gone tonight. Karen, you remember her from town right?” He watched her nod absently. “Karen is going to come watch you.”

  “Why can’t I just come with you?” She turned her attention back to the TV and for the first time in days actually sounded like her normal self. He watched her cross her arms and affix a pout to her mouth. It wouldn’t work, but it was cute that she still thought she could try.

  “This is really important to mommy, okay? And we are both going to be really busy tonight. We won’t have any time to watch you, little one.” He reached out to run a hand over her hair. Maybe she was going to be alright. Maybe she wasn’t completely lost to them.

  “I could behave. I could just sit quietly in a corner and wait for you guys to be done.” The pout staying in place and it rang through in her voice.

  “It’s for one night, little one. You’ll survive, I promise.” He listened to her grumble and continue to pout. “We’ll be back before the day is really over.”

  He pressed a kiss to her hair and left her there to pout. She was still seated there when he left the house to head to the café. Her eyes still glued to the TV as if it was the only thing she cared about.

  He left her in Karen’s capable hands and hoped for the best. Because, after all, that was all he could do.

  Ellen thought things were going well considering it was her grand opening. For the townspeople it was a re-opening really. Everyone was supportive of the new venture and even more supportive when they realized that she was Jenna’s niece. In a town like Birchwood family mattered and passing businesses on through family members were important.

  She was glad when John showed up to help, but she was worried about Julie. After last night she was concerned about leaving her at the house alone. True, she wasn’t completely alone, she had Karen, but Ellen wasn’t certain if the problems were over.

  As the event got busier, her attention was pulled away from thoughts of home and her daughter. She had to focus on interacting with people and making sure that everyone had the food and beverages that they wanted.

  Tonight was not about making money. Tonight was about getting to know the community and letting them know that she was here to stay. She wanted her café to be a place that people wanted to go. She wanted it to be a hot spot for people of all ages. That’s what it had been for her aunt. She wanted people to know who she was and what she was about. That was the purpose of the opening.

  She was busy preparing drinks when a woman she didn’t recognize approached her. She was middle aged with greying hair and a kind face, but she had a look of concern in her eyes that Ellen couldn’t help but spot.

  “You’re Ellen Gillingham, the owner, right?” the woman asked, her voice steady.

  “Yes, that would be correct.” Ellen continued to busy herself with drinks. She didn’t want to be rude but she also wanted to make sure that these drinks made it out to the people who wanted them.

  “And you just moved into the Trowbridge House, right?” the woman continued.

  Ellen’s hand faltered on the one drink, almost spilling it. “Yes, how did you know that?”

  “Oh I don’t mean to sound like I’m prying. I’m Mrs. Bannerman. I live in the house next to yours,” she introduced.

  “Oh, well it’s nice to meet a neighbour.” Ellen wiped her hand off on her apron and extended it in greeting.

  “It is indeed.” Mrs. Bannerman frowned. “I was wondering how you were getting on with the House.”

  Ellen frowned. This was not the conversation she had expected to be having at her opening. “It’s a nice house. Bigger than anything we had expected to have.”

  “Oh it’s lovely, I will give it that.” She continued to frown. “But you know the history of it, right? You know about Margaret Trowbridge?”

  Ellen froze at the mention of the name and her eyes went to meet the other woman’s. “Did you say Margaret?”

  “So you have heard the name before.” Mrs. Bannerman nodded. “It would figure that someone would have told you about what happened before you moved in. It’s only a courtesy.”

  “No one told us anything,” Ellen replied, her voice quiet. “The first time I heard that name it was from my daughter.”

  “Oh dear…” Mrs. Bannerman’s hand went to her mouth and her eye’s went wide.

  “What happened in that house?” Ellen flagged down someone else to handle the drinks. She had more important things to worry about at the moment.

  Mrs. Bannerman seemed to hesitate for a moment as if she didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news. But then she spoke, “Well Margaret Trowbridge was accused of witchcraft. They went to arrest her and found the bodies of a dozen dead children in that house, crammed into the closet under the stairs. When they found Margaret she was already dead. Killed herself it would seem, but she was holding a telephone when she died. They could never quite figure out why.”

  “A candlestick phone?” Ellen felt the fear climb up her spine and taste like copper in her throat.

  “That’s what the story says, I believe.” Mrs. Bannerman looked at the younger woman and read the signs clearly. “You’ve seen the phone, haven’t you dear?”

  Ellen debated answering. She wasn’t sure what this woman would think of her saying she’d seen the phone, that she’d heard a voice on it. But she felt the need to tell her. The need to let someone else know what was going on. She felt like everything was spiraling out of control.

  “I’ve seen the phone. I’ve spoke to Margaret on it.” She watched Mrs. Bannerman’s eyes go wide. “And then I smashed it into a million pieces. And I’m afraid…” She paused trying to gather her courage. “I’m afraid that I let her out when I did that.”

  Mrs. Bannerman seemed to consider this for a moment. “You said your daughter was the first one to say the name to you. Was your daughter the first one to find the phone?”

  Ellen nodded. “I think Margaret plans to hurt her. She was pinned to the ceiling last night.”

  “This is serious, Ellen,” Mrs. Bannerman’s voice was grave. “I’m a spiritualist, but I’m no priest. Let me speak to Father Simon for you. He can come and perform an exorcism if you are really worried about your daughter.”

  “An exorcism?” Ellen’s brow furrowed and her fear threatened to choke her. “Isn’t that a little extreme?”

  “You’re dealing with a very powerful spirit. Margaret Trowbridge was a very dangerous woman. It’s not extreme in the least.”

  Ellen bit her bottom lip and glanced across the room where John was happily conversing with people from the town. She knew she would have to tell him. She would have to ruin his night, as her had been ruined.

  She nodded to Mrs. Bannerman and watched the woman cross the room towards an older looking gentleman in conservative dress. She was about to go join the conversation when her cell phone range.

  She picked up the phone, her hands shaking.

  “You need to come home…now.”

  Chapter 8

  Possessed

  * * *

  Ellen and John raced home. She knew that Mrs. Bannerman and Father Simon wouldn’t be far behind them. She had tried to brush off the hasty exit, but Mrs. Bannerman’s suspicions had been thoroughly peeked. There was no avoiding it now.

  And Ellen wasn’t sure she wanted to avoid it
.

  Perhaps this was what they needed. An exorcism. It seemed so extreme to even think it. But the image of her daughter pinned to the ceiling kept flashing through her mind. It seemed to be the exact kind of situation that would call for something like this.

  The station wagon screeched to a halt in the driveway and they bolted from the car. They had barely made it to the front door when Karen was running out of it.

  “I can’t do this. She’s gone crazy.” Karen threw her hands up, her eyes wild.

  “Calm down, Karen,” John tried to sooth. “What happened?”

  “I can’t even it explain it.” Karen kept shaking her head back and forth. “One minute she was this sweet little girl and then it was like something took her over.”

  Ellen and John exchanged a glance.

  “She had the most evil smile on her face. How can anyone smile like that?” Karen looked at them for answers.

  “Go on home, we’ll handle it from here,” Ellen insisted but she could taste the fear in her throat. She wanted to run away as much as Karen did. She wanted no part of any of this.

  They watched Karen drive away, race away if they were being accurate. They were about to go through the front door when the next car pulled into the drive. Mrs. Bannerman and Father Simon emerged and hurried to join them.

  “You didn’t think I would let you handle this alone, did you?” Mrs. Bannerman asked Ellen and Ellen gave her a thankful smile.

  The four of them walked into the house and were shocked by the eerie quiet of it. If they didn’t know that there was a child in the house they would have assumed that it was empty.

  They checked the living room first. The TV was on but the room was empty. There were some toys scattered about but for the most part it looked exactly how they had left it.

  They continued through the main floor of the house but saw no sign of Julie. The lights flickered and doors slammed, but no one reacted.