Rosemary's Ghosts (Tess Schafer-Medium)

by Deborah J. Hughes

  The ground started trembling with increasing intensity and Grace shot me an apologetic look before turning to her mother. "I love you, Mama." And though she was obviously reluctant to leave us, she disappeared instantly from sight.

  Rosemary and I flailed unsteadily as the entire island shook hard beneath us. We managed to grasp hold of each other but just as we did so a chasm opened up between us. I jumped just in time to stay with Rosemary but the ground broke again. Every time I managed to jump next to her, the ground broke apart and widened between us. We were fast losing solid ground and I wondered what would happen if the entire island splintered apart.

  We didn't have much of a wait to find out. Trees toppled one after the other, crashing into water that was fast taking over what little ground we had left. I wrapped my arms around Rosemary and though the sound of destruction and chaos were quite deafening, I put my mouth to her ear, knowing she would hear me.

  "I love you too. Our love is your saving grace. Please love us back!" and then she was pulled from my arms.

  Screaming in terror, Rosemary slid along the trembling ground heading straight for Cain. He stood a short distance away, his arms outstretched, waiting to catch her. And all the while his laughter boomed loud over the rumble of the island's violent death. He was taking away her sanctuary. It was up to her to fight him. I did all that I could do.

  The cabin began to splinter apart, the wood snapping loud in its destruction. Inside I heard the sounds of glass breaking and furniture bursting apart. Although I was only a few feet from the crumbling structure, the shaking ground made it near impossible to get to.

  In another dimension, my body was lying on its porch and I knew I needed to get to it or I might be forever trapped here.

  Time to go back.

  "No, I don't think so." Cain stood between me and the porch steps. Not that it really mattered. They were cracking apart and splintering so bad it was going to be impossible to ascend them. "She is mine now and soon so will you."

  When the ground first started shaking, I switched my focus from my imaginary light to maintaining balance and staying with Rosemary. As a result, my light had dimmed. But now I returned my attention to it and lit up bright and strong. Power surged within me and I drew from it to increase my energy. As if a wizard in a special effects movie, I swung up my hands and tossed a ball of light toward Cain's mocking face. His smile disappeared and then so did he.

  Though the trembling stopped, the island was rapidly crumbling to nothing and I grabbed the edge of the porch, heaving myself upon it. As the ground beneath began to give way, turning to mud, mixing with the black water of the lake, I crawled to the spot where my body was located, falling upon it. A massive shake made the entire cabin groan in rumbling agony and I feared it was about to crash down upon me.

  I needed to get the hell out of here!

  "Kade! Kade, come find me!"

  I pictured his handsome face and focused on it as hard as I could. Holding on to that image, however, made me lose concentration on my light and though I knew it would make me vulnerable to Cain's influence, I sent out a plea for Sheila to protect me then stopped worrying about it. If I couldn't get Kade to find me, it wasn't going to matter anyway.

  "Tess! Where are you?"

  Kade's voice filtered through the wind, sounding faint and yet loud enough for me to hear him. He wasn't close enough yet but he was in the area! "The island." Over and over again I repeated those words and prayed he got the message.

  "He's too late." Cain appeared above me with Rosemary floating next to him, her arm firmly in his grasp. He flicked his free hand and the porch gave way. I crashed down through it and kept going. Air whooshed by and as I tumbled faster and faster through the darkness, horrifying images passed across my view. Monsters of every sort and people screaming through mouths rotted away to yawning holes, their bodies nothing but decaying flesh. It all made me think of that show The Walking Dead that Kade liked to watch. This was a much worse production, however, for the images were accompanied by the stench of sulfur. It filled my nose and my stomach heaved with suffocating nausea.

  Dear God in heaven, what was going on?

  "Fight it, Tess. Please. You can do this."

  Kade's voice was so soothing to my terror that I closed my eyes in order to better focus on it. The free fall through space slowed but didn't stop. The cold increased to blistering degrees and my teeth began to chatter uncontrollably. Surely I was not falling into hell. Surely not.

  "Almost mine, Tess."

  I looked down, finding Cain there waiting, his arms outstretched in anticipation of me falling right into them. Although I twisted violently in an effort to change my course, it didn't make a difference. If I landed into his clutches, would I be trapped by him, stuck here forever?

  Arms suddenly wrapped around me and my fall stopped instantly. The arms were warm and I snuggled into them gratefully. "We don't belong here, Tess."

  It was Rosemary! Emotion welled and overflowed to such an extent that I started crying, sobbing with relief. Her arms tightened their hold.

  "We don't belong here." Rosemary repeated that over and over and then I became aware of something solid beneath me.

  I opened my eyes and knew at once that I was back in the land of the living and sprawled awkwardly on Rosemary's porch. Awareness brought with it my physical discomforts, of which I took quick inventory. My body was shivering uncontrollably, my throat felt as if it was on fire, and my head throbbed with pain. Even so, I moved it about in an effort to assess the situation. It seemed I was wedged amongst the splintered wood of a crumpled porch, which explained the various aches pulsing sharp and piercing across my back and along my legs.

  I was awake from the nightmare and now dealing with a new one.

  Chapter 13

  It was raining and the water splashing upon my face was actually welcome. I opened my mouth to capture some of the drops and my parched throat felt a small measure of relief from the soothing cold, wetness. Although the rain meant heavy cloud cover, it was light enough to guess that it was late afternoon. My heart lurched as that realization sunk in for there was no way Kade would be out on the lake in a rain storm with dusk fast approaching. Though I wanted to cry in disappointment, I drew in gulping breaths fighting hard to remain calm. Now I was awake, I could not allow myself to slip into unconsciousness and go back there. Besides, if Rosemary's rescue was anything to go by, she wouldn't be staying on the island anymore. Nor would she be with Cain. Thank God. At least I accomplished something.

  Though it was cold, my body felt as if it was burning up. Fever. I needed rescuing and I needed it soon. I wasn't sure how long I could hold on.

  "Sheila, please send Kade to me." I whispered the words, needing to hear my voice against the quiet of the island.

  "He's coming. Call to him."

  I turned my head at the sound of Grace's voice, relieved to see her for I knew it meant she was safe. Judging from the smile on her face, so was Rosemary. We stared at each other for a long moment, communing in spirit.

  "I'm so glad you are together again." I told her. "Be happy." Since it hurt to turn my head, I managed to turn onto my side and Grace gave me a parting wave before disappearing from sight.

  From this position, I could now see the lake and a quick, anxious scan showed no boat bobbing on its roiling surface. Conditions were quite rough and not ideal to be out boating. Even for a rescue.

  Tired beyond measure, I wasn't sure there was any strength left to fight for my life. Besides, the afterlife wasn't so bad. Not where Grace and Rosemary now were anyway. I wasn't worried about Cain. One way or another, I would always escape him. I didn't belong with him and the conviction of that belief relaxed me.

  Closing my eyes brought images of Kade. My love for him swelled my heart and I had to draw in a deep breath to make room for it. He would be devastated if I was to leave him now. We'd just found each other.

  And that's when I began to struggle for survival, rousing mysel
f enough to wiggle and squirm. If only I could roll off this porch and down onto the grass. I might manage to get to a point where someone could see me. Up here on the porch, lying amongst the broken wood decking, it would be hard to notice me from the water.

  But my body protested the movement and though I gritted my teeth, determined to bear it, a wave of nausea caused my stomach to start heaving. Frustration roared through me and I managed to choke out a cry of protest even as my stomach continued to lurch, clenching so hard I wondered if it was trying to claw its way up my throat and out my mouth.

  "Be still, my love. Be still."

  Mike's soothing voice was so welcome that I did exactly as he suggested and went still. My mind calmed and so did my body.

  "In the stillness you find all you need."

  Thank God for dead husbands who still loved you! Ever since I stopped fighting acceptance of his death, he has been here for me, coming in times of great need. Knowing that, I relaxed even more. It was going to be okay. How that was so, I hadn't a clue. Things weren't looking too good but I had to have faith.

  Ah. So that's what I was doing wrong. I was trying to do it on my own when I had a legion of angels to help me! All I had to do is ask, then accept their help without questioning they would do so.

  "Please bring Kade to me." And though it took straining effort to speak those words, I managed to whisper out two more. "Thank you."

  And with that I closed my eyes, giving myself up to their care.

  Chapter 14

  "Tess, open your eyes sweetheart. Please open your eyes."

  Kade's voice sounded so close that I savored it for a moment, loving its soft deep rumble. I thought I might be smiling but the gentle touch to my face conveyed the concern he was feeling and I knew it was my spirit that smiled.

  "Kade?"

  "Yes, baby, it's me. I've found you. I found you."

  I opened my eyes and there he was. The sight of his beloved face above mine opened the dam I'd managed to build and it broke with a vengeance. Sobs of joy flowed up from my soul and out of my eyes in a rush of tears.

  Kade knelt down, pressing his forehead to mine. "I love you. I love you so much."

  I wanted to tell him the same but I couldn't stop crying. And then he was moving away, though his grip on my hand remained firm. Other faces came into view.

  "Miss Schafer, don't move. We are going to transfer you onto a stretcher but we don't want you to help. Just relax and let us do all the work. Okay?"

  I tried to nod but someone had their hands around my head to hold it steady. So I just did what they asked and relaxed. I had Kade's hand and I had my life. There was nothing more to struggle for. Not at the moment anyway. There was always going to be challenges to meet. This incident with Rosemary was nothing more than a training ground for future events. Somehow I knew that and it didn't scare me. After all, I'd just been to hell and back. And I felt stronger from having done it.

  It took a while for the rescue team to get me off the porch. They weren't sure as to the extent of my injuries and so didn't want to risk causing more damage. Their kind patience and sincere concern helped me deal with the pain shooting out from everywhere. I couldn't help but wonder what happened to me. Because my head was strapped firmly to the stretcher, I couldn't move it to see the cabin and assess the damage. But I'd come back. Once I was recovered from this. I'd come back.

  The boat ride to shore was not easy, the rocking sway from the rough water and blowing wind made me feel almost drunk. When it came time to move me off the boat onto land, Kade held an umbrella over me and I managed to smile at him despite the strap around my chin. I couldn't speak but I hoped he saw the message clear enough in my eyes.

  "I love you too, baby."

  Aw, that was my Kade. He read me well.

  "We'll be taking you to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Miss Schafer. It's about a forty minute ride. We're going to give you something to relax."

  And that's all I remember of the ride to the hospital.

  When I next opened my eyes, I was in a dry, warm bed in a room that looked like any other hospital room. White walls, white ceiling.

  "Hi there."

  I turned my head, enjoying the surge of love I felt for the man sitting in the chair next to me, holding my hand, his thumb gently caressing the back of it. "Hi."

  "You gave me quite a scare you know."

  Guilt nipped at my conscience. "I'm sorry. I should have told you where I was."

  "Although you told me you'd be out of communication for a while, I knew you didn't mean two whole days. When I sent Mary over to check on you, she said it looked like the animals had been alone for quite a while."

  "How are Dennis and Alex?"

  "They are fine, Tess. They miss you though."

  "I miss them." I turned my head to look around and that made me aware that something was wrapped around it. I lifted my hand and touched the bandages with some concern. "What's wrong with me?"

  "A concussion and hypothermia. It's a good thing we found you when we did, the temperature dropped below freezing last night." Kade made himself comfortable on the bed next to me and I took comfort in his warm body pressing close to mine.

  "I feel like I got hit by a bus."

  "It looks like you fell through the porch. You've got some bumps and bruises from the fall but no broken bones and no punctures. You did split your head open in the back but you didn't lose too much blood from it." He cupped my chin with his fingers and gently turned my head so I'd look at him. His warm brown eyes bored into mine. "What happened?"

  "I was out kayaking and speaking of which ... did anyone find it?"

  "Yes." His mouth compressed and a flash of emotion shot through his eyes. "It was speculated that you might have drowned."

  I caressed his cheek with my free hand since he still had a hold of the other one. Besides, it had an IV clamped to it. "I'm so sorry to have put you through that."

  Kade turned his head to kiss my fingers. "I'm okay now that you are with me again. Besides, I didn't believe it. In fact ... " his face reddened at this point but then he went on though he was clearly embarrassed. "In fact, I thought you might have crossed into another dimension and my biggest worry was wondering how to get you back." He scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Crazy huh?" When I didn't laugh along with him, his eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

  "Rosemary was on the island. Her spirit was trapped there and she beckoned me over. But I slipped on the rocks after I got out of the kayak and hit my head."

  "But we found you on the porch which was in terrible condition, I can't believe you even tried to step on it."

  "I was in the throes of a vision by that point." And then I remembered calling him. "Did you get a phone call from me?"

  "Yes. So I'm guessing you were on the island when you called me? It would have helped if you'd told me that."

  His body tightened with annoyance and I brushed my hand up across his chest. He was wearing a blue flannel shirt and it was warm and soft against my skin. "I meant to. Was about to in fact when my phone died."

  "So this ghost lured you up onto a dangerous porch? Doesn't sound very nice of her."

  "It looked fine at the time. I was seeing the cabin as Rosemary saw it. She died there Kade and her spirit has been there ever since. Her daughter and other family members were trying to convince her to leave but she felt she deserved to stay there, imprisoned on her own island, in her own hell."

  "Why?"

  And so I launched into the story, telling him about Rosemary and her ghosts and about Grace. I told him about Angel and how I pieced it all together and then how things fell apart. I told him about Cain and he tensed visibly.

  "I hope you left the bastard in hell."

  I had to laugh because he looked so ticked off and really, Cain had enough problems without Kade wishing even more upon him. "He's where he needs to be. I hope he learns the error of his ways. But most importantly, Rosemary is with her family. Her spirit is a
t peace."

  "And what about you, Tess. After going through all that ... can you be at peace?"

  I thought about it for a minute and then nodded with a conviction I felt deep in my heart and right on into my soul. "Yes, I'm at peace. Twice now I've fought the devil and won. I think I got this."

  "Great. Now get well so I can take you home."

  We were both silent for a while, enjoying our reunion, being safe and sound. But then I remembered something he said. "Kade, you said you didn't believe I had drowned. Why is that?"

  In answer to my question, Kade pushed up from the bed and walked over to the cabinet. He opened it and pulled out a small canvas. My heart pounded when I saw what he had in his hands. On occasion, Kade connected with spirit through his painting and each time the painting had something to do with the haunting I was investigating. So what did he bring through this time?

  "I came back the day after you disappeared. Your car was found at the boat landing and then your kayak was found near shore ... in the opposite direction of the island so we didn't even go by there. We concentrated our search where the kayak was found. That night when I got home, after a heavy fog made us call off the search, I drew this."

  He showed me the canvas. It was Rosemary's island, including her cabin. I took the canvas from him, tracing the cabin with a finger. He even painted in the warped wharf that Grace used.

  "So you knew to look for an island."

  "I hoped that was the case. I had to argue with rescue crews for they wanted to keep searching and dredging the water near where your kayak was found. Finally someone with a boat agreed to take me around the lake when I showed him my picture. Said he knew a place that looked like that. Even though another storm came in, he didn't let that stop us and then when I saw that island ... I just knew you were there."

  Before I could say anything further, there was a knock on my door and my friend Mary pushed it open enough to pop her head in. "Hello?" She whispered the greeting but when she saw me awake, she broke out into a huge smile, rushing into the room. "Tess! You're awake. How are you?"