The Spirit Key

by Parker Williams

  “Do you know who she is?”

  “I don’t care who she is. Get away from us.”

  “This is Sofia Červeňák.”

  Obviously my name meant something to them, because they stilled.

  “I am sorry that I’ve offended you.” What had I done, and how could I make it right? “You must understand, Silvanus came to us and said—”

  “My brother is dead.”

  “Yes, I know. His spirit came to us last night.”

  “And his spirit told you I’d killed him? Why would he say such a thing?”

  Tania stepped from behind Patrin. “Silvanus would never say such a thing. He loved his brother. When Silvanus… died, Patrin took us in. He’s been caring for me and my child, even though we belonged to his brother.”

  “No!”

  I spun on my heel and found Silvanus there, glaring at us. His energy was darker than before, crackling with malevolence.

  “You must ruin him. Kill him. You can’t listen to his lies.”

  He rushed at me, but Vano came to my aid. Silvanus tried to get by him, and no one was more surprised than me when Vano gripped Silvanus by the throat. I had never known it was possible to touch a ghost, but Vano did it. His rage was a sight to behold as he lifted Silvanus into the air.

  Vano’s lips parted as he sneered. “Why did you attack her?”

  “She must avenge my death! He cannot be allowed to have my life.”

  Silvanus began to cry, and my heart broke seeing him falling apart. I didn’t understand why he wanted us to murder his own brother, but I truly pitied him.

  “Put him down, Vano.”

  There was confusion in Vano’s expression. “What? Why?”

  “Please. Just put him down.”

  It was good that Vano listened to me, because I don’t think I could have stopped him if he chose to ignore my request.

  I went to Silvanus and knelt down before him. “Why would you do this?”

  Silvanus looked up, and his eyes showed the depth of his pain. “This was my life. My wife. My child. It was all I ever wanted, and now he has them both.”

  “He’s trying to help them. Surely you can’t be angry at him for that.”

  I reached out and took his hands, surprised that I could feel the cool skin, and for a heartbeat, Silvanus and I were one. I saw him stopping at a farm and asking about a job. It wasn’t one he wanted, but he had a wife and baby daughter to support. The owner spat at him, called him vile names, and told him to get off his property. Silvanus pleaded with him and said he would work for pennies, but he needed a job.

  The owner called out to two men who came and grabbed Silvanus. They dragged him out into the woods and began to beat him. Pain coursed through me as I shared Silvanus’s anguish. The agony as bones broke, an eye was crushed to pulp, and yet, the only thing that Silvanus thought about was Tania and his newborn baby daughter. As he lay dying, the men spat on him, then threw him into an old well. Silvanus died frightened and alone.

  “You don’t blame your brother. You’re angry because you were killed and taken from your family.”

  “But he has my life.”

  “No, he’s protecting your legacy. He wants your family safe—don’t you see that?”

  Silvanus looked up at his brother, then back to me. “It’s not fair.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “And I can’t even say goodbye to Tania and Roma.”

  With Vano at my side, I held out a hand to Tania. “Could you please come here?”

  She gave the baby to Patrin, then made her way to me.

  Vano leaned in close. “What are you doing?”

  “I don’t know, but I have to do something. He’s in so much pain.”

  Tania took my hand and let out a gasp. “Silvanus? My love?”

  Silvanus looked up, and a bright smile bloomed over his face. “Tania?”

  Both of them stared at each other for a moment, then started to cry.

  “I’m so sorry I left you. And I’m sorry I was angry at Patrin. Everything was so dark, and I hated him for stealing my life.”

  “But he didn’t. He gave us a place to live, that’s all. I swear nothing else happened.”

  Silvanus shook his head. “No, don’t shut him out. Patrin is a good man and would make a good husband for you and a strong father for our child.”

  “But I don’t want—”

  Silvanus tightened his grip on Tania’s fingers. “Don’t say no. See where your heart leads you. It may be to Patrin. It may not. Either way, my only wish is for you both to be happy.”

  I needed to ask. “What changed your mind?”

  Silvanus gifted me with a grin. “You. When you touched me, all the anger bled away and I could see clearly again. You truly are a gift from God, Sofia.” He tilted his head back and looked at Vano. “And you are her guardian. Heed my words, both of you. I came to you because I heard that Sofia transcended death itself. It will not only be me. Many spirits will come to seek your aid. Vano, you must stand between them and Sofia. You must protect her from those who would use her or do her harm. And Sofia, you must help where you can, but never let spirits take over your life. Use your gift wisely and listen to Vano. He will be the lock that spirits must get through to see you. And you? You are the key that will free the spirits from their bonds. Even now as peace settles over me, I can feel myself being tugged away.” His gaze shifted to Tania. “I love you more than I ever loved anything. The day you agreed to be my wife, everything that came before no longer mattered. When Roma was born, I could see our future in her eyes, hear how our love had grown in her laughter. The two of you will be the only thing in life that I will miss. Be well, my love.”

  Silvanus began to vanish.

  “Please tell Patrin how sorry I am and let him know how much I love him. Tell him that should you decide to be together, you both have my blessing. And never forget, my heart was always yours.”

  And with those words, Silvanus was gone.

  Tania turned to Patrin and threw herself into his arms. He stood there, holding his brother’s wife and child, stroking her back, whispering to her, promising that everything would be all right.

  I stood and was surprised when Vano pulled me to him. “What you did… it was incredible.” He put a hand on my hair and brushed it back. “I have never been prouder.”

  Warmth flooded me at his words. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I am sorry I didn’t heed your warning.”

  “There’s no need to apologize. I understand your desire to help him, and if what he said is true and others come to seek you out, I will stand with you and do my best to keep you from harm.” He leaned in close and kissed me. I’d never been kissed like this before, and it was a surprise. “I love you, Sofia….”

  I was grateful when I found I was no longer merged with Sofia. She now stood there, gazing up at Vano with love in her eyes. The scene faded, and for a moment, I was alone in darkness. Then the images came rapid-fire.

  Vano and Sofia’s handfasting. The people and spirits they’d helped, their son’s birth, and finally, two decades later, Vano dying, followed not long after by Sofia. Their son, Manfri, now in his midtwenties, meeting the woman who would become his wife. Then finding another family who had a son that would become Manfri’s lock.

  History continued to unfold. I saw every lock and key that came before Tim and me. Their friendship was as strong as any I’d ever seen, and they shared a goal and a bond that transcended both life and death.

  I also witnessed the cruelty against the Romani. The slums, the abuse. I broke down and cried as hundreds of thousands were herded to the Nazi death camps, then murdered. Their spirits were trapped until they approached the lock and key, who worked tirelessly to help them move on, though it cost them their lives when they expended too much of themselves.

  That was the defining moment for me. I learned the Romani people were strong, even in the face of adversity. It made sense to me that these were Tim’s prede
cessors, because he was very much like them.

  The one thing I didn’t understand was why I had been given the gifts that were part of the Romani heritage. I wasn’t strong. I didn’t know suffering as his people had. So why?

  “Because you’re strong of heart.”

  I spun around and was shocked to find myself face-to-face with Sofia. Only this time she was a spirit.

  “I know you’re surprised to see me. Believe me, I understand.”

  “Why are you here? How are you here?”

  She smiled. “As you found out, a key is willing to sacrifice to save others. Those who came after me learned that the greatest thing they could do for others was to give of themselves. These powers? They require an exceptional person to wield them, because it has to be someone who had that drive, the compassion to be more than they are. You? If a more perfect candidate existed, I have never met them.”

  “But I’m just… me.”

  “Oh, you are so much more. You showed that after your death. You helped a boy who died far too young to fulfill his final wish. You were there when the spirits spoke to you, though you could not understand. We tried to teach you, but in truth, neither you or Timbo had the capacity to grasp your new role.” She sighed. “Do you remember the lady in your dreams? The one who tried to tell you what you’d become?”

  How I hadn’t seen it before, I didn’t know. “It was you.”

  She smiled. “Yes, it was me. Trying to get you to understand who you were to become was akin to holding on to water. Your heart was there, but your mind? It was impossible for you to process what I needed to show you.”

  “But I’m older now. You can show me.”

  “See, there’s the problem. Yes, you’re older, but you’ve already started on the path to understanding. I realized that you were going to have to teach yourselves, just as Vano and I did.”

  “No, you had your people and—”

  “And you have Timbo. He will be your guide.”

  This wasn’t right. It couldn’t be. “But he doesn’t know either. Neither of us were trained.”

  “Just as Vano and I weren’t. Yet we did fine. Why? The same reason all locks and keys work together. They fit. You are impetuous, but you have a heart as big as any I’ve ever known. Timbo is strong and courageous. Trust in that to guide you.”

  “But what if we—I—can’t?”

  She reached out and touched my hand. Hers was cool but had a warmth to it. “You saw how my first attempt to help went awry. I accused a man of murder. That right there should have dissuaded me from trying again, but Vano convinced me that I had helped the families find peace. With Silvanus’s blessing, Patrin and Tania went on to be joined and had three more children, who had their own children. One of their descendants is Timbo.”

  “But I’m not of the people.” I was so far out of my depth. I half expected Sofia to give up on me too.

  When Sofia gazed at me, I could see affection in her eyes. “Oh, Scott. You wept when you saw what happened to us at Hitler’s hands. Your eyes were opened to the plight we all shared. And, most importantly, you are loved by one of us. If that doesn’t make you family, what does?”

  My heart swelled at the faith she had in us, but also that she accepted our love. “I hope we—I—don’t disappoint you.”

  “You’ve already done well, and I don’t think you could possibly disappoint anyone.”

  “I have my whole life.” The truth of the statement burned like bile in my throat.

  “No, you can’t think like that. I love my people, but sometimes we fail too. Beth and Rebecca should not have listened to the old ways. They should have stepped up and forged a new path, because you are the key and it was their responsibility to teach you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She shimmered for a moment, a flicker of light I could see through. “They should have prepared you. There are dark chapters in our history, and one day they might come back to haunt you.”

  “I don’t understand.” And I didn’t. What she was saying made no sense to me.

  Sofia sighed. “There are things even I don’t know. If I could, I would at least warn you, but… if I’m honest, my hands are tied. Just remember, while Vano and I were the first lock and key, we were not the most powerful.”

  She nibbled on her lip. “And there is one very important thing they should have imparted on you. A lock and key draw on their own life energies to help spirits, as you found out when you aided Burton. Very few make it beyond fifty years, and most are lucky if they reach forty. You and Timbo need to decide together if you still wish to continue down this path.”

  Forty years? That means I might have sixteen left, maybe a few more. Sure, I could ignore the spirit’s needs, but seeing Burton? Watching as he found peace? Was it worth it for me to die young?

  Yes.

  “I’ll talk to Tim. Just so you know, I’m in.”

  “I know, but this has to be something the two of you agree to. A key must have a lock, and a lock needs his key. Without each other, you cannot help those who seek you out.”

  “How did I get chosen for this?”

  “It was unforeseen that Beth’s husband would die. With his death, the chain could have been broken. We needed someone else to take the place as Timbo’s key, and when the two of you met, it was obvious that you were perfect for him.”

  “But there’s a problem. Tim has a spirit inside him. It’s evil and has murdered children.”

  She sighed. “Spirits are very much like the humans they were. There are good ones, who merely need a gentle nudge to get them where they’re meant to go. Others are dark, insidious creatures, who only exist to hurt others. Your lock must learn the difference in order to protect you both.”

  “Is what’s happening to him my fault?”

  She pursed her lips. “In a manner of speaking. As his key, you would have been able to protect him. Without you there, however, the lock remained open and the darkness was able to gain a foothold.”

  The realization that I was to blame slammed into me with the force of a freight train. Never in my life would I want to hurt Tim. At least not more than I had already.

  “You bear a heavy responsibility, Scott. The role of key is not one to be taken lightly. Should Timbo agree, your lives will not be your own. There is, however, one thing that you need to forgive yourself for. Fleeing protected your mind. You were ill prepared to take on such a harsh task. That rests on our shoulders, not yours. No one told you who you were or what you’d become, and if you had stayed, you both would have suffered a worse fate than Timbo.”

  “Tim is why I saw the ghosts when I was a kid, isn’t he?”

  She nodded. “As you saw, our deaths begin our new lives. It shouldn’t have happened to you at such a young age. It was a tragic accident, one that no one could have foreseen. The day you died, Tim’s role started early. But as neither of you were more than children, there was no way for you to train without help. Which we did not provide.”

  “And that’s why you came to us.”

  “Yes, that’s why.”

  There was one burning question I needed an answer to. “Why are you still here?”

  She drew herself up to an impressive height. “As I said, some spirits are good, others are not. However, there are some spirits who simply don’t wish to move on. They’ve set themselves up as guardians for something, usually their family, and have no desire to leave.”

  “Is that you?”

  She smiled. “In a manner of speaking.”

  “What do I do if I meet another like you?”

  “Whatever you think is right. That’s all you can ever do.”

  She began to fade, and I could feel myself waking up.

  “But I have more questions!”

  “And with Timbo’s aid, you will find your answers.”

  “How do I help him?”

  “The best way is to know that sometimes we have to help ourselves.” She was little more than a whisper now. “I�
��ve waited a very long time to meet you as an adult, Scott. I want you to know, I’m impressed with the person you are. Care for Timbo, and both of you be well….”

  I opened my eyes to find Tim standing over me, his arms crossed over his broad chest and a piercing glare aimed at me. He was peeved.

  “I learned things.”

  “Eight years.”

  Well, I sure as hell wasn’t going to argue with him. At least not about that.

  Chapter Seventeen

  GEORGE PUT a cup of tea in front of me. After I finished my story, he’d asked all kinds of questions.

  Tim just sat there, his hands wrapped tightly around his cup, staring at me, his expression like granite. I could sense his anger, barely contained, just below the surface.

  George fluttered his hands, his eyes wide. “That’s… I have no words for it. And you saw this?”

  “No, I lived it. Somehow when I deal with spirits, I sort of become them. I can see what they do. Generally it’s how their life ends, but in this case it was more that Sofia showed me her life.”

  “Remarkable.”

  Tim pushed back from the table and leaped up. “Remarkable? Bullshit!” He turned a withering glare on me. “No, this is over. We’re not doing this.”

  I was pissed. “What do you mean? You don’t get to decide for me.”

  “The hell I don’t! If you’re going to do something stupid like, say, risking your life for dead people, I sure as hell can put a stop to it. You said both of us had to agree, right? Well, I don’t, and I never will.”

  He stormed out of the room, and I stood to follow. I turned to George and found him frowning.

  “You need to understand. Lock and key are revered positions for the people. We honor the sacrifices of those who give so much to those who no longer have anything. But quite often a lock wants more than what he’s got. In this case, I think he wants you more than he wants to assume his role.”

  And I got that. Really, I did. But…. “He has to understand. This? It’s more than just a whim on my part, because it’s the only way I can help him and others. The thing that’s inside of him is slowly warping his mind. I think that’s part of why he’s so angry. Tim has always had a strong will, but with the spirit forcing itself into his mind, it’s slowly stripping away bits of what makes him special. I think it’s getting close to assuming his body and forcing him to kill for it.”