by Alexie Aaron
Mia looked over the room. It was decorated for a young girl. Flowered wallpaper complemented the floral drapes which matched the window seat. Burt set her bag on the floor with a thud. “Nice room.”
“It has a good feel to it.”
“Are you sharing it with anyone?” Burt asked, referring to Mia’s ability to see the dead.
She looked around and smiled. “Not as far as I can tell. Oh, before I forget. The town has an interesting feel to it. I bet you and Ted can capture some spirits with your cameras. I would wait until dusk though,” she advised.
“Have you seen any?”
“No, but I can feel them.”
“What happened with Mike?”
“He’s not talking, yet. I can tell you that there was a residue of the paranormal in that shed. I don’t think the guy tripped. I think he was attacked with a bucket. The question is why?”
“I’m going to hit him with a bucket at any moment,” Ted informed them from the doorway. “He’s just fallen asleep. He’s been singing. Telling me about little league and a grand slam he hit, over and over. He made me dig through his closet and find his old uniform. He has it curled up under his pillow. He says, he’s going to dream about hitting several more homers.”
Mia pulled the bottle of pills from her pocket. “Maybe I shouldn’t have given him two.”
“You always tended to overmedicate,” Burt said, sharing a memory with her.
Ted looked at the both of them and was uncomfortable with them getting along so well.
They heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Burt worried that Beth had come looking for them. He didn’t want her to make a scene because Ted was in Mia’s room. He left the room to head her off at the landing. When he got there the steps were empty. He walked over and looked in Ted’s room. It was empty. He continued down the hall and found Mike alone, peacefully snoring on his back. The last room on the floor was the bathroom. He tapped lightly on the door, expecting that one of the ladies needed the facilities and the other bathroom was in use. The door moved inward as it was not latched. The bath was empty.
Burt turned to go and ran into Mia. She stuck her head in the bathroom.
“Whoa, look at that tub.”
Burt followed her gaze and looked at the large claw foot tub that was centered in the room. This had been a small bedroom at one time. When indoor plumbing became the thing, the occupants of the house chose two rooms and converted them into bathrooms. This one had a nice bathtub in it. The one below was outfitted with a shower. The slanted roofline and cutout windows gave this room an intimate atmosphere.
Mia walked over and ran her hand along the curved side of the bathtub. She made sure she didn’t make eye contact with her former lover. She felt the pull of their past relationship but was determined to keep it in the past. Burt was an attentive lover. He gave more than he took. She and Whit’s relationship was intense, but he wasn’t here right now. Mia forced her mind to think of Mario, excused herself and left the room.
“Is everything alright?” Ted asked Burt as he passed by.
It broke the spell of the bath, and Burt took a deep breath.
“Are you okay, dude?” Ted asked again. “You look like, well, odd. Are you on medication?”
Burt laughed, “Not yet. Hey, was it my imagination or did you hear someone climbing the stairs a few minutes ago?”
“I’ve been hearing it all day,” Ted admitted. “I didn’t want to say anything, this being Mike’s mom’s house and all, but the sucker’s haunted. I think we could experiment with the new cameras.”
“We’d have to get permission,” Burt warned Ted. “I’m not too sure Mrs. Dupree would be too keen on us poking around.”
“How about on this floor and the attic? She’s an old broad and won’t be climbing up here unless Mikey needs her.”
“If you can smuggle the stuff in…” Burt trailed off, remembering that Mia’s duffle had landed with a heavy thud. Murphy! Maybe he was the sound on the stairs. “Mia,” he called softly.
She stuck her head out of her room and asked “Did you call me?”
“Did you bring Murphy?”
Mia shushed him and waved him and Ted over to her room.
“I had to, he was causing a ruckus at April’s, and she has family in for the week.”
“Is he in the house?” Burt questioned.
“No, he’s an outdoors kind of guy. I can call him, why?”
“I heard footsteps on the stair.”
“Oh, those, I was hoping they were Beth’s or Glenda’s.”
Burt shook his head.
“I’ve been hearing them since I got here, and Murphy, I assume he was with you two at the hospital?” Ted inquired.
“Yes. He was. I haven’t broken it to Mike yet that he’s here. You know how much Murphy likes to torture the guy. I was hoping that Murphy would stay out of his way.”
“You’ll have to tell him, but wait until he’s of sound mind,” Burt advised.
“So if it’s not Murphy climbing the stairs, who is it?” Ted asked them.
“I don’t know, but I hope its friendly,” Mia answered for all of them.
Chapter Five
Mia and Ted left Burt in charge of checking in on Mike while they had a meeting with his mother. Glenda drew a memo pad from her pocket and tore off a list of what she wanted accomplished. “I don’t relish climbing all those stairs to the attic so I’m going to clear out a corner of the parlor, and you can bring whatever is still up there and place it over there. I’ll sort out what gets kept, donated and trashed. I’ve talked to George Albert, and he is having a dumpster delivered tomorrow morning.”
“Can we have it left in the street?” Mia asked.
“Suppose so. This is a dead town, not much traffic traveling down the street. Why?”
“I’d like to back the trailer in as close to the house as possible. You have some heavy pieces here. It may save some backs if we shorten the journey.”
“Yes, I like the way you think, girl.”
“It was Burt’s idea,” Mia admitted.
Ted was looking over the list and put his finger on an item. “What’s DSOS?”
Glenda scrunched up her face and leaned over to see what Ted was talking about. “Oh that. Debunk steps on stairs.”
“So you’ve been hearing them too,” Ted confirmed.
“That and the screen door keeps slamming even though it’s latched.”
“The place has had a lot of deaths in it,” Mia pointed out. “All old houses have a residue…”
“G damn, irritating.” Glenda thought a moment. “There has always been something here, even when I was a child. But this is different. It reminds me of when I stayed here with Mike, while Michael senior was stationed in the Middle East.”
“Something clobbered him with a bucket in the shed,” Mia mentioned. “He said he would tell me about it when he was ready.”
“Stubborn boy.”
“Oh, speaking of stubborn boys, I feel I should let you know what went on at the hospital.”
Ted got up to leave. “I’ll pull the other trucks out of the driveway and let you two have a chat.”
Mia smiled and appreciated the tech’s instinct that maybe he shouldn’t know all that went on at the ER. She waited until he was out of earshot and gave Glenda a blow by blow of the events, editing out her taking off Mike’s clothes.
Glenda’s face broke into a wide smile. “Mrs. Dupree, eh?” Her laugh was robust and infectious.
“At the time I thought that they may bar me access to him if I corrected their assumption. Mike challenged me to keep up the charade.”
“You rascals!” Glenda said and continued to laugh. “I wondered why George Albert asked me why you kept the Cooper name. I said it was a good name and none of his business. Oh, the joke’s on both of us!” She drew out a hanky from her apron pocket and dabbed at her eyes. “Let’s not say anything contrary. I’d like my sister to wonder why she didn’t get an invite to the w
edding. Let’s see whether she holds her tongue or how she brings up the subject.”
“Mrs. Dupree…”
“Better call me Glenda or Ma, since there’s now two of us,” she said and burst out laughing again.
“Glenda, I now see that Mike and I aren’t the only rascals,” Mia commented.
~
Mia touched Burt on the shoulder. He looked up and said, “Our tot has been dreaming, look at that REM action.”
She sat on the bed next to Mike and watched his face. “Do you think we ought to wake him?” she asked in a whisper.
“Hate to destroy a dream that would give him that,” Burt pointed out the tented cover over the sleeping investigator.
Mia popped off the bed so quick that Burt almost peed himself laughing.
“Honestly, the boy has been showing wood all day,” she said as she moved behind Burt as if he could shield her from Mike’s libido. “You wake him. The doctor said we had to from time to time.”
Burt got up and gently shook Mike’s shoulder. “Mike, wake up.”
Mike opened his eyes and yawned. “You wouldn’t believe the dream I had, man. I was Mario and… Hello Mia, I didn’t see you there.”
“How are you feeling?” she asked, trying not to look at his lower regions.
“A bit woozy, but that must be the drugs they gave me in the hospital.”
Burt put his hand on the side of Mike’s face to check his temperature. “You feel a little warm, but I don’t think you have a fever.”
“Thanks, doc.”
“I’ll go get your ma, unless you think you can make it downstairs?” Mia asked.
“I think I can navigate. I may take a shower before descending on the others though.”
Mia turned to go.
“Wait, I owe you an explanation. Burt, I want you to know too, so let me tell you both.” He waited for his friends to settle in before continuing, “When I was a boy, my mother moved us here when my pa was overseas. At first it was fun to be around all my cousins. Most of them were older, but they were nice kids and didn’t torment me too much. My cousin George Albert was married by then, but he let me hang around his farm. He taught me stuff, solid guy. Ma’s grandparents had passed on. So there were only her parents living in the house with us at that time. I went to school and made friends, many of them from the outlying farms. The days were ideal. It was the nights here in this room that frightened the crap out of me.”
Mia moved back to the bed and sat at the foot. She watched the man recall his memories while glancing at Burt from time to time. He normally was a good listener. Today he was captivated by what Mike was telling them.
“A black mass, not unlike the one today, would form at the base of my bed, and yell about a well to me. Before he came, I would hear his footsteps as he climbed the stairs every night. I would pull the covers over my head as the heavy booted feet walked along the hall towards my room. Then nothing. As soon as I thought I was safe I would lower my covers and BAM! He would be right in my face warning me about a well. Yesterday, I had the same experience. And then my mother got the phone call about selling this place. I thought it was a dream. There was a weight holding me down, I had a hard time breathing, and when I opened my eyes, there he was.”
“How long has it been since you were visited by this mass?” Burt asked.
“Oh, maybe a couple of months ago, in Vegas.” Mike looked at Burt and confessed, “I’ve been having these visits all my life.”
“I didn’t know.”
“It’s part of the reason I wanted to hunt for ghosts. To find a reason for what was happening to me,” Mike explained.
“So, if these aren’t dreams, then you are the catalyst for the hauntings,” Mia reasoned. “But if it started here, then perhaps we can end it here.”
The men looked at her and saw the determined look on her face. “Any idea what well? The one here?”
“I’ve thought about it. There is no city water here, obviously. We’re talking about over a dozen wells in Lund,” Mike said frustrated.
“I think we need to unleash our secret weapon,” Mia advised. “Beth. If she can get a good history on this place, the whole town not just the house, then we can suss out a plan of action and perhaps free you of this attachment.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Burt nodded. “You want to ride lead on this investigation?” he asked Mia.
“I’d rather not, as I have no interpersonal skills other than pissing people off.”
“Mike?”
“No perspective because I’m the one haunted. I vote for you, Burt.”
“I second that,” Mia said and hopped off the bed. “I will leave you guys to it. I haven’t unpacked yet and I have a… oh… Mike… I hope you don’t mind. I brought Murphy with me. You see…”
Mike smiled and waved her off. “Actually, I’m glad the son-of-a-bitch is here, but don’t tell him that.”
Mia raised her hands, “It won’t come from me.” She leaned in and kissed him on the forehead and whispered, “I hope to hell I’m not Princess Toadstool.”
He blushed and looked guilty. Mia winked at Burt as she turned around, left the room, and walked down the hall.
~
By the time Glenda had the evening meal on the table, Ted and Mia had the vehicles and trailer organized on the long drive. Ted positioned the PEEPs command vehicle, a midsize converted truck, close to the back door. From there he could easily connect into the house’s electricity. The trailer would block it in, but there were three other vehicles that could be used in a pinch. Burt had called a mini meeting of the PEEPs minus Mike who was showering. He gave them all assignments. When Beth and Ted realized they would not have internet and cell phone use would be spotty, there were some groans.
Beth opted to go old school and asked Mia’s help in going through the family bible and help her search through old papers. Mike’s mother’s memory would also have to be mined. Ted and Burt would set up the house and pump house with cameras and microphones. Ted wanted Mike to wear a camera, but they all knew that Mike would rather be in front of the camera than be a glorified camera stand. They would all work with what they had. Before they broke up the meeting, Mia asked if she could have a word with the three.
“I’ve been experiencing some problems that may or may not be connected with my bilocation. The blackouts and periods of regression have me concerned. If at all possible I will curtail my use of OOBing unless someone is in life threatening danger. It will slow down my communication skills, but I think between all of us we will be able to get the job done. There is a lot of talent here. I’m just a cog in the PEEPs well-oiled machine.”
Ted had watched her and the others as she spoke. Beth and Burt had been having troubles relating to Mia, and their personalities had taken a turn for the negative. Mike had pointed out that Mia’s theory that their personal contact with evil entities could have fueled this destructive behavior. Burt had started seeing a shrink, and Beth decided to expand her life and get in touch with her friends from her college days. Ted was seeing evidence that the team was gelling again. He hoped the mending would continue.
Mike arrived in the dining room scrubbed and in fresh clothes. He styled his hair to cover the red angry bump on his forehead. He led the group in prayer and soon they were enjoying Glenda’s delicious meal. Beth was very chatty, and Mia did her best to try to relate to the subjects she was interested in. After the meal, Burt and Ted volunteered for dish duty so the others could start digging through the Lund family papers.
“This house has always had a feeling of others in it,” Glenda confided. “As children we would see shapes and sometimes figures in the halls and at the foot of our beds. Ma used to tell us they were angels, guardian angels, and we just accepted her explanation. Since I never had a bad experience with any of the shadows, I never gave it a thought. All old houses have history, and sometimes the history leaves a residue.”
“The house I was born in had a ghost, but she wasn’t there b
y choice. Eventually I was able to set her free,” Mia shared. “I think that there’s a lot of study still needed to be done as to why people hang around after they die. Each case is different.”
“Each ghost is different,” Mike pointed out. “Some can manifest into familiar human forms. Some can speak to us, some can’t.”
“Some are just echoes,” Beth added. “A few can reach into our world and disrupt our lives.”
Mia reached over and patted Beth’s hand in understanding.
“Tell us about the first time the black mass contacted you,” Beth asked Mike. “Maybe we can connect its actions with the history of the place. Determining whether it was male or female would go a long way in finding out who it is.”
“Gee, let me see. I remember it being right after that long hot summer…”
“The drought of eighty-four,” Glenda supplied.
“I guess so, I would have been…”
“Seven,” Glenda filled in.
“Thanks, Ma. I was having a hard time sleeping, stomach ache or something, and was reading a comic book when I heard the creaking on the stairs. I assumed it was Ma coming to check on me, so I was surprised when she didn’t appear at the door. I just went back to reading. The room got very cold and the light seemed to dim. I would later learn that it wasn’t losing light, it was the mass forming in front of the light itself. I put my book down and saw a shadow that grew up from the floor. I was so scared, I couldn’t make my voice work. It was moving, not unlike Grandma Hoffman did, you remember, swirling like a contained twister.”
Mia and Beth nodded.
“It formed a hand, and it moved towards me and pointed at me. It warned me to stay away from the well. I nodded. And then it went away.”
“But it didn’t stay away did it,” Mia asked.
“No it came back. If I was sleeping I would feel something on my chest cutting off my air. This would wake me up. I tried telling it that I wouldn’t go near the well, but it was as if it didn’t believe me.”
“Did you know about the ghost?” Beth asked Glenda who was vigorously shuffling through some papers.