Beyond him Peyton saw her mother on the bed, half covered by a blanket. Horror was written all over her face.
Luke was standing just off to the side of the bed, wet clothes sticking to him like they were part of his body.
"Get out of here--both of you!" he demanded.
"What was the shot all about?" Bryant gazed uneasily at his father, then Vance.
Luke frowned. "Never mind, son--just go! Take Peyton and Hugh with you."
"We're not leaving, Dad," Bryant said. "Not till we know what's going on here."
Vance jerked his head to look at Bryant and Hugh. For a moment his eyes seemed to have an eerie red glow to them as he bellowed, "You will get out--now!"
He lifted one of his hands in a sweeping motion. Bryant and Hugh were suddenly airborne and literally tossed out of the room. Then the door slammed shut. Peyton heard Bryant trying to open it, but it wouldn't budge as he called out in vain to her and his father.
Peyton realized now that everything was just like the last dream she'd had. Vance was going to kill them all, then himself. She was the only one who could stop him.
"Please, Vance," she begged, "you don't know what you're doing!"
"I know exactly what I'm doing," he snarled, giving her a wicked gaze. "Your mother is nothing more than a tramp. And the caretaker took full advantage of that. Now they both have to die!"
"No, they don't! You're making a mistake. Mom was not having an affair with Luke. You have to believe that!"
"That's what I've been trying to tell him," Luke said tensely. "I'm not involved with your wife, Vance."
"It's the truth," cried Melody.
"Enough of these lies!" roared Vance. "Think I'm such a fool not to know what's been going on behind my back?"
Peyton was desperate to do something. She had to get through to her stepfather somehow.
"Don't you see, this isn't you talking, Vance," she said, her voice quavering. "It's Byron St. Claire who once lived in this house. Fifty years ago today he murdered his wife, daughter, and the caretaker. Now he's trying to make you do the same thing. But you have to fight it, please. Otherwise you'll have innocent blood on your hands..."
For an instant this seemed to register with Vance, and Peyton clung to the hope that tragedy could be avoided. But just as quickly it became clear to her that he fully intended to carry out this misplaced act of vengeance.
"They're not innocent--they're guilty as sin," blared Vance. "Neither one is fit for living!"
He turned the shotgun at Luke, who lunged towards Vance in a gallant attempt to save himself and Melody. But the gun went off, exploding into Luke's chest. The impact lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall.
Peyton felt her knees grow weak as this horrifying scenario was being played out exactly like her dream. And, similarly, she seemed helpless to do anything about it. Yet she had to try.
She dove towards her stepfather as Vance aimed the shotgun at her mother.
Grabbing the barrel, Peyton screamed, "You can't kill her!"
"Let go of the gun, girl," Vance snapped. "This isn't your concern."
"It is my concern!" Peyton refused to back down. "If you want to kill her, you'll have to kill us both!"
"Do what he says, Peyton, and let go of the gun," her mother implored. "Please, you can't die--not like this..."
"Neither can you," she responded, trying to hold onto the barrel as Vance fought to gain control of the shotgun.
Peyton knew what was about to happen. She had seen it enough times in her dreams. He would shoot her; then kill her mother, before carrying Peyton out to the bay and drowning her along with himself. She was unable to do anything about it, other than pray and hope death was swift.
Peyton wondered if they would also become trapped inside this house for all of eternity, alongside the St. Claires and Trevor Newbury. If so, did that mean she might never see her father again, even in death?
A sudden gust of wind seemed to come from nowhere and Peyton found herself being pushed backwards by an invisible force, making her release the gun barrel. This was not part of the scenario Peyton had witnessed before, frightening her even more.
What was happening?
Even Vance looked confused for a moment, but recovered to aim the gun at Peyton's mother. Peyton tried to go to her defense, but was somehow prevented from doing so, as if being pinned down by powerful hands.
Then she did see something. Or someone.
Appearing between Vance and the bed was a sturdy male ghostly image. Peyton realized with astonishment that it was her father.
"Dad...?" She could barely believe her eyes.
He looked at her, but said nothing. Turning back to Vance, her father grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and the two men battled for possession of it.
Then Peyton watched with utter amazement as a ghostly Byron St. Claire pulled out of Vance's body, holding a transparent shotgun. He continued to fight with her father for control of the weapon.
Peyton held her breath, not certain of the outcome or even if this was really happening.
After several heart-pounding seconds, her father wrested the shotgun from Byron's grasp and tossed it aside. He glared at the man, daring him to try and get it back. Byron St. Claire suddenly looked like a defeated person, lowering his head.
Peyton looked with wide eyes as the ghost of Rebecca St. Claire sat upright from her mother's body and joined her husband, Byron. Then Trevor Newbury's spirit emerged from Luke's body and stood.
Lastly, Peyton watched in disbelief as Caitlyn seemed to emerge from her body. They looked at each other, but Peyton was at a loss for words.
Caitlyn was not. "Thank you for setting us free, Peyton," she said softly. "Somehow I knew you would. I'll never forget you--"
She drifted past Peyton's father and joined her parents. They, along with Trevor Newbury, vanished together.
Peyton was still speechless as her father moved toward her. "Dad, is it really you...?"
A smile lit his handsome face. "It's me, sweetheart."
Peyton put a hand to her mouth, the enormity of it all weighing on her. "You came back to save us?"
"No, Peyton, you saved everyone. I just fed off your energy and Caitlyn's and did my part to help out. I couldn't let anything happen to you or your mother before your time. I love you both too much for that."
"I love you, too." Peyton wept.
He tried to touch her face. Peyton couldn't feel it, but there was warmth on her cheek that she knew came from his spirit.
Her father moved toward the bed, where Melody was crying, seemingly in a state of shock.
"How is this possible?" she asked.
"I can't explain, other than to say that life and death are not always black and white," he told her. "This is that gray area where many things are possible if the need is strong enough."
"There's so much I never got to say--"
"I know and it's all right. I'll always love you, Mel. Don't be too hard on Vance. He's a good man, when he's not possessed by an evil spirit."
"Thank you, darling." Melody's voice cracked. "For everything."
He smiled. "Thank you for being the person you've always been to me and our daughter."
Peyton watched as her father eyed Vance, who appeared to have been transfixed, the shotgun on the floor beside him. The two men seemed to share an understanding and mutual respect before Vance rushed to her mother's side.
Peyton's father looked at her somberly. "I have to go now. Take good care of your mother when Vance isn't there."
"I will," Peyton said, sobbing. "I promise."
"That's my girl." He smiled. "I love you, Peyton."
"Love you, Dad," she reiterated. "Always will."
Peyton watched her father disappear, much like the St. Claires and Trevor Newbury had, as if never there.
Suddenly the door burst open and Bryant dashed in with Hugh. Both looked a bit shaken up, but otherwise unharmed.
"What happened?" Bry
ant asked, gazing wide-eyed at Peyton.
Before she could answer, they both heard a moan coming from Luke.
"Go check on him," Peyton said. "We can talk later."
As Bryant hurried to his father's aid, Peyton turned to her mother. Vance was comforting her as best he could and she responded in kind.
Hugh whimpered and Peyton patted his head reassuringly, knowing the dog had been just as affected by the strange turn of events as everyone else.
She was certain that, in spite of the ordeal they had been put through, it had somehow been necessary to rid the house of its ghosts and darkness. Again, she mentally thanked her father and Caitlyn for making it happen.
Peyton glanced at Luke. He was sitting up now and looked like he would weather the storm that hit him in the form of Byron St. Claire. She joined her mother and stepfather in a heartfelt embrace.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The next day, Peyton and Bryant went to the Shadow Bay cemetery to visit Caitlyn's grave. It seemed a good way to put to rest what had been a harrowing night before.
"Is your dad going to be all right?" Peyton asked, holding Bryant's hand.
"He's fine, just a little shaken up."
"It's amazing he was shot, but the gun didn't fire a real bullet, just a phantom one from another time," she said.
"Yeah, that is unbelievable. Guess my dad owes your dad for keeping this whole thing from turning into a real life nightmare."
"Dad says it was energy from me and Caitlyn that made it possible," Peyton said, looking at Caitlyn's weathered small headstone. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around actually seeing and speaking to my dad again three years after his death."
"Yeah, that must have been totally weird," Bryant concurred. "But, truthfully, after everything that's happened since you moved here, it pretty much fits right in."
"I suppose."
He grinned. "It's definitely been a summer that I'll never forget."
"You're right about that," she uttered thoughtfully. "Who would've thought that our house would be overrun with fifty-year-old ghosts?"
"Not me, that's for sure," Bryant laughed. "Guess they were just waiting for you to come along and make things lively."
Peyton flushed. "I think it was more that they had some unresolved issues and found the right family to bring them to the surface, so to speak."
"So what happens now?" He looked concerned. "Are you guys staying put? Or will this supernatural confrontation send you running back to San Diego?"
Peyton had asked herself the same question, and her mother and stepfather, once the dust had settled. All were of the same mind.
"We have a life here now, just like you and your father," she told him. "Leaving would be running away from something we've already become a part of. Mom and Vance believe the worst of it is behind us and the house is finally ours to live in without the presence of friendly ghosts and evil spirits."
Bryant squeezed her hand. "Yeah, dad feels the same way now that the cabin's been exorcised of the ghost of Trevor Newbury," he said. "If nothing else, it sure gives you a more open mind to the existence of a paranormal world."
"I couldn't agree more," Peyton said, meeting his eyes. "But, right now, I think I'll just settle for the real world, thank you--and having you in it."
He grinned. "Yeah, same here."
"Speaking of which, my mom and I are going to San Diego for a couple of days next month--just to visit."
"That's cool." Bryant looked down at her. "Wish I could go."
"Why can't you?" Peyton challenged him. "I'm sure my mother wouldn't have a problem with it."
"Seriously?"
She laughed. "Yes. We'd have lots of fun and I could introduce you to Erica and my other friends."
He smiled broadly. "Count me in. California, here we come!"
"Ready or not," she said jovially.
Their relationship had been tested far more than Peyton could have imagined and it had only served to bring them closer. Of course, she didn't know what the future held, but was grateful they'd have the chance to find out together one day at a time.
Peyton leaned her head against Bryant's sturdy shoulder, finding it a perfect fit.
He put his hand on her chin, lifted it slightly, and gave her a lasting kiss.
* * *
A week later, Peyton and Bryant went swimming in the bay. It was a warm day and the water was still reasonably warm. Peyton had overcome her fear of the bay and Caitlyn's ghost. She wanted to perfect her swimming techniques and try to keep pace with Bryant, an excellent swimmer in his own right. Not to mention she wanted to have fun like most teenagers, without the spooky things that had made her life in Shadow Bay anything but satisfying.
"Hey, I'll race you back to shore," Bryant said.
"You're on. But first..." Peyton swam to him for a kiss. "That was for good luck. You'll need it."
Peyton quickly dipped into the water away from Bryant and got a head start towards the shore, knowing she might need every advantage she could get.
Of course, it didn't really matter who won or lost the race, only that they had already won each other's heart.
* * *
Caitlyn moved gracefully through the bay like a mermaid, enjoying the harmony she sensed with aquatic life. She had watched Peyton and Bryant playing in the water, relishing each other's company. Neither could see her and it was better that way. She envied them and wished she'd been able to have a boyfriend and experience true love in her short life. Caitlyn was happy nevertheless to have her freedom again and to be able to spend as much time in the bay as she wished. Peyton had seen to that by breaking the hold Caitlyn's father had on her soul.
Now she could live again in her own way and try not to think too much about the past. Caitlyn could channel her energy into positive things and an imagination that had never abandoned her.
Caitlyn emerged from the water, invisible to all but those below. She watched as Peyton and Bryant reached the shore at about the same time. They kissed and sauntered away together.
"Bye, Peyton," Caitlyn murmured. "Have a good life for both of us."
She watched a moment longer before diving back into the water, finding comfort there as a ghost girl who would never grow up, but had matured in ways few could imagine.
# # #
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
R. Barri Flowers is an award winning, bestselling crime writer, and the author of more than forty books, including the adult thrillers Persuasive Evidence, State's Evidence, and Justice Served. He has also written a number of nonfiction books about teenagers, such as Street Kids, Runaway Kids and Teenage Prostitution, and Kids Who Commit Adult Crimes. The author's next young adult book is a time travel mystery titled Danger in Time.
Mr. Flowers resides in the Pacific Northwest.
Connect with me online:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/R-Barri-Flowers/1737991698
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RBarriFlowers
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rbarriflowerscrimewriter
Website: http://www.rbarriflowers.com.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/crimewriter_rbarriflowers
CrimeSpace: http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/RBarri
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AuthorRBarriFlowers
Ghost Girl in Shadow Bay: A Young Adult Haunted House Mystery Page 15