The Walk That Haunts Me

by Rose Pressey

  A couple of beige upholstered chairs sat across from me. I tried to move my arms but then realized that I was actually tied to the wood chair. What was going on here? Had I been kidnapped? I looked to my left and saw Jessie sitting there.

  “Did you hit me?” I asked.

  Jessie didn’t answer me. Was she sleeping?

  “Hello?” I asked. “I asked if you hit me.”

  She finally turned her attention to me and frowned. “Of course I didn’t hit you.”

  I looked down and saw that her hands were tied too. Plus, her legs. When I glanced down at my legs I saw they were tied up too.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “I have no idea. I woke up like this just like you.”

  Apparently it was the same person who had kidnapped Jonathan. Jenny had to be responsible for this, right? But where was she now? I wiggled my wrists trying to get them free, but they weren’t budging. Whoever had tied us really knew what they were doing.

  “We have to get out of here,” I said.

  “But how?” Jessie asked.

  “I’m really sorry about this.”

  “Why are you sorry?” she asked. “You didn’t do it.”

  “Well, you were just trying to help me, and this is what happens when people try to help me. I’m always in some kind of trouble. Don’t worry though. I’ll get us out of this,” I said.

  I told her I would get her out of this, but I really wasn’t that confident. I had no idea how I would get myself untied. I wiggled my wrists more, but they still weren’t budging. I looked around the room. Where were we? Whose living room was this? I assumed it was Jenny’s but I wasn’t sure.

  A door was set in the far wall in front of me. I guessed it led to the kitchen. No sooner had I focused on the door than it opened and Jenny appeared. She stared right at me as she walked across the room. The wild look in her eyes sent a shiver down my spine. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She wore a black T-shirt and ripped jeans. She looked just like the girl next door, but if the girl next door to me was this evil then I wouldn’t want her as a neighbor.

  She got close to us and then stopped. Her focus remained on me. The fact that she wasn’t speaking was really creeping me out.

  “What do you want?” I asked.

  After a few more seconds, Jenny said, “I need your help with an Ouija board.”

  “If you need my help, you know you could’ve just asked without kidnapping me and tying me to a chair.”

  “It’s not that simple,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure it is.”

  “You wouldn’t have agreed,” she said.

  “You didn’t ask,” I said.

  “Well, regardless, you have no choice but to help me now, am I right?”

  I released a deep breath. “I suppose I don’t have a choice, do I? If I help you will you let us go?”

  “Of course I’ll let you go if you help,” she said.

  Her voice didn’t instill much confidence in me. She sounded as if she was lying.

  “Messing with a Ouija board isn’t a good idea. I hope you know this. I recommend that you stay away from them,” I said.

  “Well, it’s too late for that,” she said.

  “You’ve already used a Ouija board?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Yes, Jonathan and I and the others used one.”

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “This isn’t a good thing. I want out of here,” Jessie said.

  “Well, we ended up conjuring three ghosts,” Jenny said.

  “The three ghosts,” I said. “Why did you do that?”

  “We found this picture in his grandmother’s album. Turns out the man and woman in the photo was Jonathan’s great-great-grandparents. One night we were just goofing off and I saw the picture and we thought it might be a good idea just to try to conjure them up.”

  “You should’ve left them alone,” I said.

  Things seemed fuzzy again. Jenny’s eyes widened. She took a couple of steps back.

  “We look different,” she said.

  “Yeah, I’ve been told that.” Even my voice sounded different when I answered her. This was really getting out of hand. “The reason I look different is all your fault,” I said.

  “My fault?” she asked with wide eyes.

  “Yes, because you conjured up the ghosts.”

  She laughed. “That’s ridiculous.”

  I’d figured out what was wrong with me. “One of the ghosts that you conjured is now trying to take over my body.”

  “The ghosts came to visit you?” she asked.

  “Yes, and if you hadn’t called them here this wouldn’t be happening.”

  “I can’t be responsible for what the ghosts do.”

  “You absolutely can,” Jessie said.

  “Look, I can’t do the board when the ghost is trying to possess me. The ghost will completely take over if I do that,” I said.

  “Well, that’s just a problem that you’ll have to deal with,” Jenny said.

  “Why do you want to do the Ouija board in the first place? Isn’t conjuring three ghosts enough? Now you want to bring more in?”

  “I don’t want to find more ghosts, I want to find Jonathan.”

  “I assumed that you were the one who kidnapped him,” I said.

  “Well, you assumed wrong. Why would you think I would do something like that? I love him.”

  “I guess I assumed you took him because I’m currently tied up and so is Jessie.” I motioned with a tilt of my head.

  “I only got the idea for that at the last minute. I was desperate. So you have to help me.”

  She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out the Ouija board. She placed it on the table and then slid the table closer to me.

  “All right, are you ready?” she asked.

  “How can I use the board if my hands are tied up?” I asked.

  She frowned. I supposed she hadn’t thought about that. “If I untie your hands will you try to get away?”

  “If my legs are still tied it doesn’t really matter if you undo my hands.”

  “No, I suppose not,” she said.

  I couldn’t believe she was making me do the board. This was seriously dangerous for me. But she didn’t seem to care.

  “What will you do to us if I don’t help with the board?” I asked.

  Jenny reached behind her back and pulled a gun from her waistband. “I don’t think you want to find out.”

  “Oh, my gosh,” Jessie said.

  “All right, we’ll do the board,” I said. “But you have to untie us.”

  Jenny walked over with the gun still aimed at me. One by one she unfastened our hands from the chairs. She moved the table over so that Jessie and I could both reach the board. I contemplated a way that I could get her gun, but I knew that with my limited range of motion there would be no time for me to get the gun and undo my legs before she would catch me and shoot me. Would it be possible for two women to overcome one woman? Not while tied up. That would never work. Jenny dimmed the lights and lit a candle. She was really creating the atmosphere for the séance.

  “I don’t like this,” Jessie said.

  “Neither do I,” I said.

  However, I’d just do it and get it over with. Maybe Jenny really would let us go.

  “Okay, everyone, place your fingers on the planchette,” Jenny said.

  Why was she asking for my help if she thought I didn’t know what to do?

  “Why do you need my help again?” I asked.

  “Because you know what you’re doing. And you can get information from spirits.”

  “What makes you think I can get that kind of information from a spirit?” I asked.

  “Because you deal with the paranormal. You know all the stuff.”

  “I’m glad you have such confidence in me. That’s very flattering, but I don’t know how to get in touch with spirits wh
enever I want.”

  “I guess you’ll just have to think of something,” she yelled.

  “Okay, okay,” I said, holding my hand up. “I’ll think of something.”

  “All right now, put your hands on the planchette,” Jenny ordered.

  My hands were shaking as I put them on the planchette.

  “If there are any spirits here, we need your help. I have to find someone and you can tell us where he is.”

  This was totally not going to work, but it wasn’t as if I could tell her that. The candle flickered. We exchanged a look.

  “Is someone here?” Jenny asked.

  The planchette started to move. We guided it over to the word ‘yes.’ Jessie let out a little whimper. I tried to remain calm even though I didn’t want to do this, and I hoped this wasn’t giving the ghost who was already attached to me the perfect opportunity to completely take over. I was definitely messing with fire with this.

  “Who’s here?” Jenny asked.

  The planchette didn’t move. Maybe this wasn’t a good time for the spirits to come through. But then again, that would make Jenny mad. What would she do if none of the spirits gave her the answer she was looking for? She would probably be furious with us and just get rid of us. I wished I could get to my phone and call Brannon. I wanted out of this situation.

  Chapter 22

  “Who is here with us?” Jenny demanded again.

  A few seconds later the planchette started to move across the board. At first it went to the letter P. We looked at each other. Next it moved on to the letter A. Slowly the planchette glided around to the letters until it had spelled out the name Patricia.

  “Patricia, can you help me find someone who is lost?” Jenny asked.

  The planchette moved across the board easily again going to the word yes.

  Jenny released a deep breath. “Thank you so much.”

  “This is scaring me,” Jessie said.

  “See I knew they would help,” Jenny whispered.

  Obviously, I had no idea who Patricia was, but I was just thankful that it wasn’t the name of the ghost trying to possess me.

  “Jonathan is gone. He’s the one who helped me use the board before. Can you help us find him now? Can you see where he is.” Jenny asked.

  I really thought this was ridiculous. Nevertheless, I had no choice but to go along. The planchette moved around the board again gliding over two letters. By the time it reached the letter S I had a feeling I knew what it was trying to tell us. Next it went to the T.’

  Jenny and I said the word out loud at the same time. “Woods.”

  “He can’t still be in the woods. That’s where we left him,” I said.

  “Oh, my gosh, what if he died there? Maybe he had an accident or something,” Jenny said.

  “I was shopping at the bookstore one minute and the next I’m talking to the devil,” Jessie said.

  “Why was his car gone?” I asked. “Did you take it?”

  “I don’t have a key to his car. He wouldn’t give me one,” Jenny said in a pouty voice.

  She sounded upset about that.

  “Then someone had to have moved it,” I said.

  “I don’t know who did that. But if the board says we have to go to the woods then that’s where we go,” Jenny said.

  “Just because the spirit says it will guide you doesn’t mean we should trust the spirit.”

  “You’re just telling me that,” she said. “We’re going to the woods.”

  “I don’t want to go to the woods,” Jessie said.

  Abruptly Jenny stood up from the chair. She grabbed the gun from the table. “All right, this is how it’s going to work. I’m going to undo your legs and then we’re going to get in the car. I’ll be right behind you, so don’t try anything crazy.”

  If there was any way I could get away from her I actually would try but at the moment, I couldn’t think of any way. She would be behind us with that gun. First she unfastened Jessie’s legs.

  “Don’t get up,” Jenny ordered Jessie.

  Next, she came over and untied my legs.

  She motioned for us both to get up. “Remember I’m right behind you.”

  “How can I forget that?” I asked.

  We moved through the living room and into the kitchen. Jenny opened the door that led into the garage. We stepped out into the space as she pushed the button and opened the garage door.

  “Get into the car,” Jenny said.

  I started into the back seat when Jenny said, “Stop. You’re going to drive the car.”

  “Me? Why do you want me to drive? Do you trust me to do that?” I asked.

  “When I have a gun, yes,” she said.

  “All right, I guess I’m driving now.” I got in the front seat.

  She handed me the keys and then slipped into the back seat. Jessie was still standing in the garage as if in a trance.

  “Get in the passenger side,” Jenny yelled.

  I was just hoping that Jessie didn’t make a wrong move and try to do something crazy like run. Thank goodness Jessie did as she was told and got into the car. I buckled my seatbelt and started the ignition.

  After backing out of the garage, Jenny said, “Hit the button on the visor and close the garage door.”

  I pressed the button and then backed out of the driveway. I was still trying to figure out how she’d gotten us into the car and into the house if she’d knocked us over the head. Which, by the way, that spot on my head still hurt. Nevertheless, it wasn’t like I could get to a hospital and have it checked.

  Luckily, I knew how to get out of the subdivision and to the woods. It was about a ten-minute drive. My anxiety moved as fast as the speeding car as we headed down the road. It was dark and isolated.

  “Can you answer something for me?” I peeked into the rearview mirror.

  “What?” she asked suspiciously.

  “Did you leave the knife in my front door with the pie recipe, the recipe at the library, and the knife at the graveyard?”

  She sighed as if the answer was a huge task. “Yes, it was me who left the recipes and the knives. I just wanted you to be scared and to stop messing around with this investigation.”

  Well, she’d almost accomplished that mission. I had been terrified. I’d persisted though and hadn’t let her get to me and I was glad for that now.

  “But why the recipes?” I said.

  “I wanted you to think that it was someone with the bake contest. The woman who they suspected. It just fit perfectly.”

  “You killed Lucy Marcus. Where did you go after you killed her?” I asked.

  “I ran around the back of the library and fell in with the crowd that was running away.” Jenny smiled as if pleased with her deed. “No one suspected a thing.”

  Yes, I supposed it had fit perfectly. The police had thought the killer had been someone involved with the pie contest. Now I understood that it was all just part of her plan. Jenny had confessed to leaving the recipes and knives. That meant even more evidence against her. Her cunningness was unsettling.

  My phone dinged in my pocket. I couldn’t believe that she hadn’t taken the phone away. Wasn’t that kidnapping 101? If only I could maneuver enough to get it out and call someone. But I was afraid she would notice what I was trying to do.

  Maybe once we got to the woods I could distract her enough to at least call 911. Brannon was probably looking for me and texting. He would be worried soon. I wasn’t sure if he would come to the woods and look for me.

  Soon we arrived at the spot where I had met them on that fateful night. I pulled over in the same spot and shut off the car.

  “Now what are we doing?” I asked.

  “We’re going to get out of the car and we’re going to go look for him.”

  “I thought you already did this,” I said.

  “Well, we did, but if the spirit told us to come here, then obviously we didn’t look hard enough or in the right place.”

  “I really
think this is a bad idea. He will look for me soon.” The words came out but not in my voice.

  “Who? Detective Landon?” Jenny asked.

  “My name is Agatha and Neil will come for me soon.”

  “She really is losing it,” Jenny said. “You better not be playing games with me.”

  “What are you talking about?” I said.

  “You’re acting strange again, so knock it off and get out of the car.” Jenny motioned with the gun.

  I exchanged a look with Jessie, indicating that we should probably go ahead and get out of the car now. I climbed out from behind the steering wheel and into the night air. Thunder rumbled in the distance again and I knew another storm was brewing.

  Jenny got out of the car and stood behind us. “All right, let’s go into the woods and see what happens.”

  “It’s dark in there. We won’t be able to see,” I said.

  “I’ll use my phone as a flashlight.” Jenny pulled it from her pocket and illuminated the small area in front of us.

  It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

  “I’m scared of this,” Jessie said.

  “Oh, don’t be such a chicken,” Jenny said as we walked forward.

  The smell of the fresh air encircled us. It was muddy, but nonetheless we stepped under the archway of the trees and into the wooded area. Branches crunched under our feet as we walked along.

  “I see no sign of him, just like before,” I said.

  “We’ll just keep going,” Jenny said.

  Soon we came to the end of the woods.

  “What’s on the other side of this area?” she asked.

  “It’s a farm,” I said.

  “We should probably continue to the farm to search for him,” Jenny said.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It would be trespassing,” I said.

  “Oh, great, now we’ll be arrested. I’ve never been arrested. I just want to go home and read my books,” Jessie said.

  “Do you think I care about trespassing right now?” Jenny snapped.

  “No, I suppose you don’t,” I said.

  We continued on to the farm. The land was surrounded by black painted horse fencing.

  “What’s that building up the hill?” Jenny pointed.