I pushed away from the computer and walked to the hall entranceway. As I suspected, the area at the other end, near the entry to the living room, was considerably darker than it should be. A very faint brush of cold air blew over me and I knew it just sent me an "I'm here" signal. I stepped away from the door knowing that it wouldn't come in the Sun Room. It was too well fortified with positive energy from all my spiritual paraphernalia.
Dennis jumped down from the fireplace then crept in cautious stealth mode to the hall doorway. He stopped, looked at me with his unblinking green eyes then peaked around the corner. His fur immediately ruffled with agitation and his bushy tail, standing straight up, started twitching. It wasn't until his ears flattened that I worried the dark energy at the other end of the house was coming closer.
It was at this point, however, that Alex scrambled to his feet and let out a series of low rumbling growls. He moved across the room toward Dennis in slow creeping steps, his head down, his ears perking then flattening, perking then flattening. Once he was next to the cat, he too peeked around the corner of the doorway and tucked his tail between his legs in response to whatever he could see and I could not. He let out a whining growl and the cat pushed close to him at the sound.
"Keep it away, Alex!" Hoping my new dog could live up to the task of protecting us from harm, I gave him an encouraging pat on the head and was rewarded with a quick glance that seemed to say "I'll do my best" before he returned his gaze towards the end of the hallway.
And then, as if they shared some sort of silent communication, the two entered the hall together and crept slow and steady toward the stairwell. They wanted to get to their safe haven. I just knew it. To help them out, I imagined a protective light cocooned around them and asked Sheila to add her protection as well. Her positive energy was sure to keep them safe.
The thought that she didn't do much for Tootsie filtered through my head and I pushed those feelings away. I hadn't asked for her help with Tootsie. Of course, that was because I didn't know what was about to happen to her. If only I had. But I couldn't go down that road again. It got me nowhere.
"What's going on?"
Kade's voice right next to my ear startled me so much I darn near punched him in the face. "My God, Kade, I didn't even hear you walk across the floor. You nearly made me jump out of my damned skin."
He dropped a kiss on my head. "Well, I'm glad that didn't happen. I rather like your skin."
"I think the Big Bad is back." The sound of Dennis and Alex pounding rapidly up the stairs told me they made it past the evil lurking at the other end of the house. The faint sounds of their steps going up the second flight of stairs made me sigh in relief. Why it was safe up in the attic, I didn't know but I was glad to know there was one room at least where the Big Bad seemed to have no power.
Kade glanced at his watch. "And just in time. It's nearly one. Mark and his friends should be here any moment."
"Let's go out the back door and wait for them in the yard. I don't feel like confronting the Big Bad just yet."
"Good idea. Let's wait until we have reinforcements." Kade clasped my hand in his and pulled me along with him. "Best to get out now before it tries to lock us in."
Thankfully the door opened without any difficulty and we stepped out into the warm sunshine. It was such a contrast to the atmosphere in my house and I really resented that. The Big Bad was ruining my new ideal life. "I hope Dennis and Alex will be okay."
"I imagine they are basking in the sunlight streaming through the window and enjoying whatever safety the attic seems to offer them." Kade stopped to stretch before heading for the porch steps. "I think the painting is nearly done. I'll even let you take a look at it the next time we go in the Sun Room."
"Oh good!" At least one of us accomplished something in the past hour.
A gray sedan was pulling into the driveway as we came around to the front of the house and it sure was a welcome sight. Help had arrived. As soon as Mark parked his car behind mine, we walked to greet him and I hoped our growing desperation was not stamped all over our faces.
"Well, Tess, I'm going to tell you right now that we've had several ... visions ... just since pulling off the road onto your private drive." Mark turned to point behind him. "There's an area in the woods not far in that seems to be crawling with paranormal activity."
"We all felt it at the same time," said an elderly lady who looked to be about a hundred years old. She was small and slight, her skin considerably wrinkled ... as if her body was shrinking faster than her skin could keep up. Her pale blue eyes were sharp and clear, however, when they met mine. "My name is Grace. It's nice to meet you."
She held out a bony hand to me and I noted how long and tapered her fingers were as I clasped them in mine for a brief but firm shake. Witch hands. Fingers like that suggested psychic ability and this woman's energy hummed with it.
Don came around from the passenger side and gave us a nod in greeting before draping an arm around Grace's thin shoulders in an obvious protective manner. "You okay, Grace?"
Grace patted his hand. "I'm fine. Been a long time since I encountered anything like that."
"What did you encounter?" I looked to Mark for an explanation for I could see that Grace was already preoccupied with studying my house.
"As I said, we were about halfway down your private road when suddenly the radio started crackling. Don and Grace spoke up about a split second before that to say that they were getting a cold feeling of dread. The car almost stalled but I stepped on the gas and then Grace started praying."
Pulling her attention from my house, Grace gave a soft laugh. "People under-estimate the power of prayer these days. Nothing combats evil better than God."
"Oh not everyone under-estimates it. I think Tess has been in constant prayer since arriving here at this house," Kade told her. His eyes met mine with a "we aren't the only ones who think something lurks in those woods" kind of look.
"Kade and I went walking yesterday and I think I know the spot you are talking about. Our dog Alex noticed it too." The five of us stood at the bottom of the porch steps and yet none of us made a move to ascend them.
"Dogs are very sensitive to the spirit world." Don glanced around. "So where is your dog?"
"Hiding in the attic with Dennis the cat," Kade told him. His voice was somber enough that no one took his reply lightly.
"Why are they hiding? And why the attic?" Mark asked.
"I think the Big Bad ... that's what we are calling the negative entity ... knew you were coming and is not happy about it. So when it started acting up, they ran for the attic where they feel safe. I’m thinking the Big Bad can’t go up there for some reason." I motioned for the men to head on up the stairs but Don and Mark held back until Kade led the way. I clasped arms with Grace and helped her up the steps.
"I've always been curious about this house, dear. I can't believe I am finally here." She patted my arm when we were at the top of the stairs to let me know she needed to stop and catch her breath. "I think I'm starting to get too old for this."
"The air is thin around here, Grace. You needing to catch your breath has nothing to do with age." Don too stood with his hands on his hips pulling in deep breaths.
I hadn't noticed it until he said something but now I realized that the air did seem to be losing its oxygen.
Mark stopped Kade from opening the front door. "I think we better stand here, form a circle and prepare ourselves before entering the house. Obviously the Big Bad as you call it is already starting its tricks to discourage us."
"You mean the entity is making the air so thin?" I had never heard of such a thing.
"It's using its energy to dissipate the oxygen. You might get lightheaded or nauseous. If any of us starts feeling anything ... I don't care what it is or how silly you might think it to be ... say something. Communication is key." Mark took my hand then motioned for everyone to follow suit. Once we were formed into a circle and linked together, Mark closed his
eyes. "Let's begin with a prayer. Grace, you want to do the honors?"
Grace murmured a few simple words and when she was through, I started reciting the Lord's Prayer because to my way of thinking, we needed every advantage we could get. Everyone joined in and when we finished, Mark directed us through a mental exercise that he said would open our chakras and energize our spiritual force. It was basically a meditation procedure and I never would have thought to use it for preparation in spirit work though it made sense. In any case, I was feeling more positive and secure about the situation. We would conquer this thing once and for all.
Mark turned to Grace and nodded toward the purse dangling from her arm. "I think we should wear some armor."
"Yes, I think you are right." She handed me her purse. "There are five necklaces in there. Amulets for protection. I made them myself."
"You dabble with herbs then?" I asked her. The amulets hung from leather straps just like mine did. The pouches holding the special mixture of earthly goods were made of white silk and had a four-leaf clover embroidered upon them. Although I knew it to be a good luck symbol, I wondered why Grace thought to include it on her amulets. “Why the clover, Grace?”
“Did you not know that the four-leaf clover was used by the Druids as a charm against evil? Many believers of the old occults consider it one of nature’s most natural and powerful talismans. Not only does it aid in clairvoyant powers but assists in protection against evil … especially while dabbling in the supernatural arts.”
“I didn’t know that.” Now that I did, I saw myself out on the lawn looking for the little charmers in the near future. I lifted my amulet to my nose and drew in its aromatic scent. "What's in it?"
"Cinnamon, marigold, fennel, St. John's Wart and cumin." Grace tapped a finger as she named them off and then stopped with a frown. "I know there's a couple other things as well but darned if I can remember them." She looked at me and smiled. "I have it written down. If you want the recipe to make your own, I'll give it to you."
"Cumin? As in the kind you cook with?" Kade asked. His eyes met mine and for a moment I couldn't figure out what he was trying to convey. Then I knew. That night in my room ... we smelled cumin.
"Well, most all the items I mentioned you can consume, dear," Grace answered him. "Spices are not just for cooking. They have been used for centuries in magick and occult practices. They aren't just beneficial to the body but also to the spirit ... depending on how you use them of course."
"What does cumin do?" I asked her.
"Cumin wards off evil. If you scatter it about the floor, it is supposed to drive spirits away. Salt can do the same which is why many ritual circles are fortified with salt." Grace looked at me with a raised brow. Or what would have been a brow if she had any left. "You've not studied herbal magick my dear?"
"I know a little but not enough. I even have a few amulets myself that I purchased at a psychic fair and used last night. But my knowledge is quite limited I'm afraid."
"You should learn my dear. It would be most beneficial to you. To anyone really. But given your talent and where you live ... you should get involved with it more."
"Where she lives? Because of the house being haunted?" Kade asked before I could do so. We thought alike he and I.
"Because this place is special,” Grace said softly, her expression reverent as she looked about her. “This area used to be known as Witch Woods. Did you know that?"
"We heard that just recently. Do you know why?" Excitement coursed through me that I was going to get more revelations about my property.
"Many years ago, a century or so, a woman lived here that was believed to be a witch. The property had been in her family a long time. Long before Buck and his people settled here. Many people didn't come here unless they were desperate for her help for the woods around her house, it's been said, seemed to be alive. After she died, though, and the older folks started dying off, a lot of the stories died as well. There aren't many of us around that even know about her." Grace gave a little satisfied nod. "I know because when you do what I do, you learn things. You attract people to you that know things. Like attracts like." She patted my arm. "And now, because you do what you do, you are attracting people like us to you and we are sharing what we know. That's how it works. The synchronicity of the universe at work."
And that would explain why Rid didn't know more about it. He was never interested in the spiritual aspects of things. He never pursued anything dealing with the supernatural or even believed in it until his wife died and started visiting him.
"Do you know the woman's name and how she died?" My heart was pounding so hard it was loud in my ears. I even wondered if any of the others could hear it. But this was all just so thrilling the way it was coming together.
"I'm sorry but I don't. So many people were afraid of her that they didn't even dare say her name. She was just called "the witch" and people left it at that. I'm not even sure if anyone knows how she died." Grace's wrinkled face scrunched into a puzzled frown. "It is strange how we know so little and yet so much."
"Did you know if there was a young girl who lived here with her?"
Grace gave it some thought. Obviously she was trying hard to recall what she knew. "I don't know for sure but I seem to recall that some of the stories claimed another witch lived here as well. It’s most likely so for all witches of her caliber eventually took on an apprentice, someone to pass on their craft in order to keep the knowledge alive." She shook her head, the thin covering of white hair ruffling in the breeze that kicked up. "I just don't know any more my dear. Perhaps we'll get something as we go through your house."
"Did the witch live in this house?" Mark asked her.
"Goodness no, I should think not. This house isn't that old. As I said, it was at least a century or so that she lived."
"When Jonathan Buck came and founded the town?" The timing was about right and it would fortify our belief that the apprentice was none other than Isidora.
"No, I think she came after him but I'm not sure."
Even so, the timeline worked. Buck’s monument was not placed near his grave until the mid-eighteen hundreds. If Isidora is the "young one" in my story, she was alive shortly before that took place. Naylee was pretty old so she may have been around when Buck was alive though she would have been very young.
The story of the monument being cursed by a witch fit well with this new knowledge. If the property was in Naylee’s family long before Buck arrived to settle the town, then she probably was descended from a Native American clan and was a practicing Shaman. This, of course, was considered witchcraft to many Christian settlers. I did not doubt that Naylee was carrying on the legacy of her mother. Witches often begat witches.
Don rubbed his hands together in a "let's get to work" manner and nodded toward Kade. "So let's begin this shall we?"
Kade glanced around to see if we were all in accord with the idea. Once we gave our nod of agreement, he reached for the door. Of course it wouldn't open. After giving it a few hard tugs, Kade turned and looked at the rest of us. "I don't think it wants us to go in."
Grace touched his arm and indicated that he step aside. "That's too bad. It doesn't get a vote." She reached for the doorknob then stilled when she finally noticed the symbols etched on the door. "Oh my. Who put these here?"
"I'm not sure," I told her. "Why?"
"The fact that someone thought it important to carve symbols into the door ... the main entry into the house ... is pretty significant. These ancient symbols have very specific meanings, as do all symbols of course. If I were you, I'd look each and every one of them up and learn their meanings."
"I plan to but haven't gotten around to it yet." It was definitely on my growing list of things to do.
For the next few moments, all five of us studied the door. Even though Kade and I had already done so, we found ourselves just as curious as they were. After a few reflective moments, I looked at each of my three guests. "Do you know what any of th
em mean?"
"Some of them are the signs of the zodiac," Don said.
Grace fingered a triangular symbol made up of letters that was etched in alignment above the doorknob. "Do you see these letters?"
"It's the gradual spelling of the word Abracadabra starting with the first letter and adding another with each row," I thought it interesting that Grace pointed out that particular symbol above all the others.
"Abracadabra is considered to be a powerful word. One that brings about healing. When the tip of the triangle is pointed up as this one is, it represents healing … an emptying of bad spirits from the body into the cosmos. If the tip of the symbol is pointed down, then it represents the infusion of power from the cosmos into the body to keep it well." Grace continued to study it thoughtfully. "Maybe whoever put that symbol on this door was trying to empty it of the bad spirits contained within the house."
"So is this symbol for the expelling of bad spirits or for healing?" Kade asked.
"Well, all forms of illness are considered to be caused by negative spiritual energy," Grace told him. She gave a decisive nod as she continued to examine the door. "It was quite typical for this symbol to be etched on amulets worn about the neck to help those who were ill ward of whatever evil spirit was attacking them."
"What about the other symbols?" Don asked.
"All have to do with healing and protection from the looks of it," Grace said. "The zodiac signs are here as well so it was encompassing all in its protection."
"Well I would have to say this door has failed its job then because it hasn't done anything to keep the Big Bad out." Kade tried the door again. It still wouldn't budge.
Grace touched his hand. "You must not open it with the intent to banish what is within. You must open it with the plan only to enter. Like this." She turned the knob and pushed the door open. "When you approach the spirit world with a specific intent, it knows what that intention is and responds to it."
I could learn a lot from Grace.
"Why don't I enter first?" Mark brushed past Grace who stepped aside to allow him passage and then taking my hand, she entered behind him, pulling me along with her." Kade followed next, keeping close and Don last.
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