The Presence

by Charlene Neil

  She needed to call Rebecca to see if she was all right. She desperately needed to hear her voice, talk to her, and try to persuade her to come back to her. There was no way she could ever live without her…well, she could probably live without her, but she didn’t want to. Besides, Sarah would be so upset when she returned from her dad and found that Rebecca had left. Kayleigh tumbled into the kitchen and found her cell phone next to the stove. One missed call and a text message. Phone in hand, she staggered out the house, into the yard. The rain had eased into a mere drizzle.

  With shaky hands, she inserted her pin. The missed call was from Sarah. The text was from Rebecca. It read, what’s happening to us? I loved you. The fact that Rebecca had used love in the past tense made Kayleigh’s heart cramp with pain. Feeling weak, she sank down onto the lawn. She dialed Sarah’s cell number. It was eight o’clock and she was sure that Sarah would be up by now.

  “Hello, Mommy.” Sarah’s chirpy voice boomed through the phone, and Kayleigh had to swallow hard in order to compose herself.

  “Yo, kiddo! How are you? I miss you so much already.” She kept her voice steady throughout the conversation. Sarah was fine. Her dad and his wife had had their baby boy. Sarah was enjoying helping with the newborn. All the time while Sarah spoke, Kayleigh dreaded what she knew would be the next question.

  “Mommy, may I speak to Rebecca too, please?”

  “Oh, dear. Rebecca is still sleeping, baby girl. I’ll get her to call you later, all right?”

  After ending the call, Kayleigh gathered all of her strength to make the next and final call. Rebecca. Kayleigh dialed Rebecca’s number and waited.

  “The number you have dialed is not available at present,” the pre-recorded voice informed her on the phone. Kayleigh threw the phone down. Had Rebecca switched her phone off just so she didn’t have to speak to Kayleigh? Was that how much their relationship had deteriorated? Where had she missed the signs?

  Suddenly remembering the recording device, she knew she had to go back in to fetch it. Kayleigh entered the house, and quickly ascended the stairs. Fear overwhelmed her when she reached her bedroom door. She pushed the door ajar before entering, waiting for any sudden burst of cold air that would signify the return of the ghost. When it seemed it was safe to enter, Kayleigh hurried into the room. The recorder was on the floor, where she’d left it the night before. She snatched it up off the floor, hustled out of the room, sprinted down the steps, back out into the garden, and sat down on the grass.

  At that moment, she felt so drained and empty that she started questioning her sanity. Did Sarah and Rebecca actually exist? Or was she so far gone insane that she’d conjured them up out of nothing. She’d seen a movie once where someone had lived an imaginary life and made up all sorts of people who didn’t exist. Is that what Kayleigh had done? She shook off her dark thoughts and pressed rewind. She was afraid beyond belief, but desperation to get Rebecca back won out over her fear. Also, she had to admit she wanted to hear Rebecca’s voice and Rebecca’s voice would be on the recording. She hesitated for just a second before pressing play.

  On the recording, she heard her own voice: “Is there anyone here who wishes to speak to me?” There was silence for a few seconds, but then she could hear the sound in the background of Rebecca’s pacing. Kayleigh put her elbows on her knees and covered her eyes with both her hands. She wished she could rewind the time like she just did the tape cassette and go back to that night. If only she’d been more sensitive to Rebecca’s feelings, she would still be there right now. Hot tears slithered down her face and burned her raw cheeks.

  The next question came: “What’s your name?” Kayleigh heard another sound and then a slight whisper. The sound made her head jolt up in surprise. She rewound a little and completely turned up the volume. There was the question again, followed by a whispered, “Joshua.” Her heart leapt in her chest.

  She recalled the name Joshua Botha as being the first owner of the house. “All right, Joshua, you have my attention,” Kayleigh muttered. “Don’t stop now.” She continued to listen. The next question was, “Why are you trying to scare us?” There was nothing but the sound of Rebecca’s pacing and Kayleigh’s breathing. She could hear the fear in her own voice on the recording. Her voice sounded shaky. “Why are you trying to scare Rebecca?” The volume of the recorder was still all the way up.

  “Get out!” The deep voice that responded was angry. It came at such force through the voice recorder that Kayleigh jumped up from her sitting position.

  She wished everything could just go away, and life could return to normal. She wanted Sarah back. She wanted Rebecca back. She would do anything to sit with them both right now, sip on hot chocolate, and listen to Sarah singing to her CD. Anything. How can life change so drastically in the blink of an eye?

  She heard in the background what she now knew were the sounds of Rebecca taking the suitcase from the closet. She slowly sat back down again.

  “Was it you who beat up the burglars for us the other night?” The scuffle in the background continued and then another whisper, “Yes.”

  After the whisper, she heard Rebecca talking quietly to her. “I can’t do this. I’m out of here. You obviously think that this is a big fat joke, Kay, but I’m scared as hell.”

  Kayleigh cried. Oh, how she wished she could reach into the tape recorder and bring Rebecca back.

  She remembered being so shocked at seeing the packed suitcase. She heard her own voice as she questioned what Rebecca was doing and how Rebecca could possibly think that Kayleigh thought of the haunting as a joke.

  Rebecca’s angry and hurt voice came through quite clearly. “You with your ghost hunter’s crap, and I’m being attacked. I’m scared and you’re talking to them, or him, or whatever this is that’s messing up our lives. I can’t do this, I’m sorry, but I can’t be here right now. Are you coming?” She heard Rebecca’s feet as she walked past the recorder. Then the room was quiet. She heard her jump up and run after Rebecca. Kayleigh jerked at the sound of the door slamming shut at the top of the landing and the loud thump of Kayleigh hitting the floor. Her head still ached at the memory, which was really only half a memory.

  What she heard next made her skin crawl. She could only imagine that she was lying unconscious on the floor, so there should be nobody else in the house. On the recording, clear as daylight, she heard heavy booted footsteps walking down the hallway. They stopped and then the floor creaked. It sounded like someone lifting something. The footsteps became heavier. They walked toward the recorder, and then passed the recorder. Then she heard the bed springs. All her hairs stood on end at the thought that the ghost must have picked her up off the floor and carried her to bed. Her skin crawled as she remembered how the touch of his hand had stirred her awake. She listened to the remaining of the recording, but there were no other untoward sounds.

  Kayleigh sat there in stunned silence. She had no idea how long she’d sat there staring into space and thinking about the implications of what she’d heard. And thinking of Rebecca. She heard a car driving up her road. She jumped up in alarm. She didn’t remember having invited anyone over, and people hardly ever dropped by without calling first. It had to be Rebecca. But as the unknown vehicle turned into her driveway, she was disappointed to see that it wasn’t her.

  Chapter 31

  Early 1900s

  Catherine didn’t have the nerve to enter the house and went directly to Evelyn. Evelyn was shocked when she saw Catherine.

  “Hauw, nonna, me I thought you is dead!” Evelyn exclaimed.

  “I’m so happy to see you, Evelyn. Where is Carrey? And have you seen Joshua?” She searched frantically as she asked the questions, pining to see Carrey running around with the helpers’ kids. Then she turned her attention back to Evelyn.

  Catherine immediately saw the expression change on Evelyn’s face. She dropped down hard onto the ground as her legs gave out.

  “Master Josh, he’s back, nonna. He came back five days ago,
but he went into the house, and I haven’t seen him since that day. I think he’s too sad to come out.”

  Catherine stared up at Evelyn in disbelief. She jumped to her feet and gave Evelyn a hug. “Thank you, Evelyn. You have been most kind to me and my family. Where is Carrey?” She asked, still in denial.

  Evelyn frowned. “I don’t know, my nonna. Me I thinks she went with the soldiers.”

  “No, Evelyn, I told her to hide when the soldiers came. She must be here. You must be confused. Where is she?” Catherine shook her head anxiously while tears streamed down her face.

  “Sorry, my nonna. Then I don’t know. Me haven’t seen her. Not since that day the soldiers fetch you.” Evelyn wiped the tears that now flowed freely from her eyes.

  Catherine sank back down again. Evelyn tried to console her, but Catherine shook her off and told Evelyn to leave her alone in her sorrow. Evelyn allowed her some time to grieve, but eventually came back to Catherine and helped her to her feet.

  Catherine turned toward the house but stopped. “Please can you come with me, Evelyn?” Evelyn nodded and followed. The smell that came out of the house was unbearable.

  “Joshua?” Catherine called into the house as they walked in. No response. Catherine hesitated for a short while and then followed the drift of the foul smell. It smelled like death itself. The odor became stronger as they reached the bathroom. Catherine put her hand to her nose as they entered. And there he was, hanging from the shower curtain railing.

  She trembled as she walked closer to his decaying remains. His body had turned into a mixture of purple and yellow. His face was the shape of a monster’s face. His eyes had popped and there was a rotten blackness inside his eye sockets. Maggots slithered in and out of the recesses. Catherine bent over and vomited. She retched until there was nothing left inside her. Joshua had killed himself. He’d left her all alone in this cruel world. If he’d only been braver and waited a few more days.

  Evelyn touched her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, madam, I didn’t know.” She squeezed Catherine’s shoulder and pulled her out of the bathroom.

  Chapter 32

  Present day

  Kayleigh watched as a young nurse helped Mr. Norton out of the car into his wheelchair. She then seemingly struggled to push the chair up the rest of the gravel driveway. Kayleigh walked up to them, wondering what she must look like after her rough night.

  “Please pardon my appearance, Mr. Norton, I wasn’t expecting company.”

  “I felt bad,” he mumbled. “An old man shouldn’t die when he feels bad ‘bout something. I had to pay her to persuade her to bring me over.” He coughed. “Are you gonna make me sit out here in the cold all day and get pneumonia, or are you gonna invite me into my own house?”

  “No, Mr. Norton. Of course. Please, let’s go inside.”

  “It’s Martin.”

  “Sure, Martin.”

  The nurse fetched a fold-up ramp from her car, and pushed him up with great difficulty. Kayleigh shivered as the nurse pushed his wheelchair into the house. Kayleigh led the way to the kitchen and switched the coffee maker on. She proceeded in fixing some freshly brewed coffee for her and the nurse and tea for Martin, who assured her coffee would make him hyperactive with his Parkinson’s.

  She sat down at the table next to Martin and passed him his tea. He ordered the nurse to wait outside for him. Kayleigh told her where the lounge was so she could wait there for him instead.

  Martin began speaking without preamble. “My mom married an Afrikaner Boer before she married my father. She only told me this when I was a grown man, because she wanted to save me the embarrassment—as she called it. Those days, the English didn’t marry Afrikaners. It just wasn’t done. But my mom eloped with this guy. I believe his name was Joshua.”

  Kayleigh’s head shot up at the mention of the name, but Martin didn’t notice as he continued. “He loved her and she loved him. She had a daughter with him. Her name was Carrey. She disappeared during the war right after English soldiers took my mom to the concentration camp. I believe the girl disappeared at a young age. Three or four years old, I think.”

  He cleared his throat before continuing. “Joshua returned from the war. When he arrived home, my mom and Carrey were gone. He thought they were both dead, so he hanged himself in the shower.”

  Kayleigh nearly choked on her coffee. That was just what Rebecca saw behind her in the reflection in the mirror while she was in the bathroom that one day. A man hanging from a railing.

  “When my mom returned after being released from the concentration camp, she found him in the shower. He had decayed by then. No one knew where her daughter had disappeared off to.” He shook his head. “Ruined my mother’s life. She never got over it, became an alcoholic after that happened. Never wanted us, neither me nor my father. I believe that he’s lingering here, waiting for her to return. And so is she, Carrey. I saw her with my own two eyes. But she just shows up every once in a long while.”

  “Your mom’s name was Catherine?” Kayleigh could scarcely believe she was getting confirmation of everything they’d seen and heard in the house.

  “That’s right.” Martin confirmed with a quick nod.

  “My daughter saw Carrey when we first moved in. We’ve had loads of experiences here.” Kayleigh fumbled with her coffee cup.

  “I lived here for a while right after I renovated the place. Almost the whole place had burnt down to the ground. Only half of it still stood, but I fixed it up and decided to live here. Not many things happened, but I did see the man walking around a few times and the little girl looking out the window at the top. Like she was waiting for someone. That was enough to scare me away. I had my own place anyway. And then I got this damn Parkinson’s and ended up at the frail care center.”

  He took a deep breath and coughed again. “Like I told you before, you can move out any time you want. I won’t hold you liable for the remainder of your contract. Place is paid for anyway, and I really don’t need the money. The little nurse out there has no idea, but she’s inheriting the place after I’m gone. She’s done so much for me.”

  The nurse would be happy, but only if they managed get rid of the presence.

  Martin reached into his coat pocket and removed an envelope with photographs of his mother and one of Joshua. He gave her the envelope and told her she could keep it. In one of the photographs, there was a picture of Carrey. She immediately recognized the little girl from the time she saw her in Sarah’s room.

  Chapter 33

  Early to mid-1900s

  Catherine stayed with Evelyn for a while, until after Joshua’s burial. She searched daily, to try and find Carrey. There was no trace.

  After a few weeks, she went back to stay with her parents for a while until her father forced her to marry an Englishman, Edward Norton. They had a son, whom she called Martin.

  Edward Norton died at the ripe age of ninety-two, and in all those years, Catherine never returned to her farm in Hoekwil. She finally told her forty-three-year-old son about her life before she met his dad. Martin, until then, never knew that he had a half-sister who’d disappeared so many years ago. Catherine signed over all ownership of the farm to Martin.

  Chapter 34

  Present day

  After he left, Kayleigh cleared the table. While washing the cups, she glanced up out of the window and—to her shock—Carrey stood in the garden, staring back at her.

  Kayleigh removed her hands from the water and dried them off on a dish cloth. The little girl turned and walked toward the back of the house. Kayleigh frowned and decided to follow her. She went to the back of the house, and saw Carrey standing off in the distance, between the trees of the adjoining forest on the farm. Just as her gaze met Kayleigh’s, Carrey proceeded into the woods. Kayleigh ran after her, trying to keep up. About a hundred yards through the trees, Carrey stood still again, staring at Kayleigh. Kayleigh slowed her pace and walked toward Carrey. Carrey raised her arm and pointed at the ground. Then she d
isappeared. Kayleigh rushed to the spot and frantically started searching the area. It was overgrown, with inches of dead leaves strewn all over the ground.

  The spot where Carrey had stood was cooler than the rest of the area. Kayleigh’s footsteps suddenly echoed under her boots when she walked. She stomped at the ground and felt it was hollow underneath her feet. She fell down on her knees and dug away at the debris. She continued to stomp with her boot, even harder now, to pinpoint the hollowed spot.

  With shaky fingers, she managed to clear enough of the foliage and found a hinged handle underneath it. Hundreds of insects scuttled away when she cleared off the top of what resembled a hatch. There was a trapdoor. It was an exact replica of the pictures that Sarah drew months ago. Ignoring the insects, she lifted the handle and tugged at the door in the ground. It didn’t open easily. It was rusted shut. She glanced around the shrubbery and spotted a branch. She used it to pry the door open. A stepladder led down underneath the ground. She dug her cell phone from her pocket and activated the flashlight before she descended the steps to a miniature room underneath. It wasn’t deep, so she couldn’t stand up straight. There in the little room, she found her. The beams from her flashlight captured the petite body of the girl that had gotten lost so many years ago, right there underneath the ground, hardly a hundred yards from her house. She bent down over the skeleton with long black hair and very old fashioned pajamas. And Kayleigh wept for all the pain the child’s poor mother had gone through. For the cruel way in which this innocent child must have died. And for the child who never had a proper burial.