by Alexie Aaron
He watched as Mia got up and left the room. She stopped at his room and stuck her head in and asked, “Are you going to need the bathroom for a while?”
“No, I’m good.”
“I’m going to take a bath. I’ve been dying to since I first saw that tub.”
A myriad of naughty thoughts went through Ted’s head, but he refrained from saying anything except, “Call me when you want your back washed.”
Mia blushed and shook her finger at him. She smiled and left the room.
Mike heard the brief chatter between Mia and Ted and was comforted by having them near. They were two social misfits, a genius and a sensitive. But he envied the way each was finding a balance in their lives without succumbing to the pressures of what was normal and acceptable. He used his attractiveness to bridge the gap between his sensitivity and the world. He may not be able to see ghosts, but he felt them. He heard them, and to a certain extent he smelled them. Phantom smells that he cataloged in his memory came in handy when they were on an investigation.
He heard Mia’s bare feet as she walked to the bathroom. He heard the door shut. The water turned on, and in his mind’s eye he heard her robe hit the floor. He turned over uncomfortable with Ted’s cameras picking up on his natural show of desire and pulled the covers over his head.
Beth sat up in bed reading. She found some old gothic mysteries on a shelf in the sitting room. Glenda told her to help herself when she asked if she could borrow one to read. Glenda was into science fiction and scoffed at any book with a cover featuring a woman running away from a mansion. She said, “Women should stand their ground, be it ghosts, demons, or snotty relatives trying to take their homes away from them.”
Beth wondered how much personal truth was in Glenda’s statement.
Burt had just finished showering and was toweling off when he heard the water run above him in the third floor bath. He knew it was Mia. He thought back to their time together and the baths that they had shared. He wondered if she still thought of him this way, or had the handsome Whitney Martin claimed all her thoughts these days?
Glenda was cruising around Titan. The crew of misfit aliens in her book had her captivated. When she looked out at the night’s display of stars, she didn’t seek out romance, she was going at light speed to another galaxy. She sipped her whisky straight and put up with no nonsense in her life. Her son finally was starting to come along. He was a slow starter. Not in academics, there he excelled. He also was good at sports and radiated a natural charm, but he had no depth. Being a member of PEEPs and being exposed to the caliber of people in this group had done him good. Tonight for instance, she witnessed, for the first time, her son shaming her with her poor choice of comedic material. He protected the little wild thing. By golly, the boy had balls!
No one heard the screen door open, the backdoor knob turn or the three sets of footsteps on the recently swept kitchen floor. They walked with stealth and purpose.
Ted was alerted by a trap camera in the foyer taking a picture. Something had triggered the mechanism. He watched the monitor. The light of the hall was momentarily blocked as something moved up the stairs. He was puzzled by the width of the mass. It wasn’t until the second floor camera picked up the mass as it turned to advance up the next set of steps that he determined that it was three entities moving close together.
Mia heard a scratching at the door of the bath. She quickly moved out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her. “Murph?” she whispered.
Murphy moved through the door and held up three fingers and pointed outside.
Mia, oblivious at first of her state of undress, moved towards the door. Modesty filtered into her consciousness, and she grabbed her robe before she ventured out. She stood still as the three passed her and moved towards Mike’s room. She scooted into her room, grabbed her arsenal of ghost deterrents and moved quickly towards Mike’s room.
An arm shot out and grabbed her, pulling her into Ted’s room. Ted put his hand over her mouth briefly to stifle her scream. He pointed to the monitor he had set up, and the two of them watched as the three circled Mike’s bed.
“The salt is holding them back,” Ted pointed out. “He’s not in danger, but I’m not sure we will be…” his voice trailed off.
Murphy, who stuck close to Mia, maintained a vigil at the door. He had learned from previous investigations that his magnetic field tended to fry Ted’s equipment. He kept his distance from the computers and cameras.
They observed as the entities moved out of the room and into the hall. Murphy moved through the door and watched as the three opened the attic door and climbed the steep stairs. He saw them for what they were, cowards sneaking into this house, looking for someone. Hate radiated from their twisted forms.
Mia and Ted heard the footsteps above them. They heard boxes pushed aside and something dragged across the floor. Running footfalls stopped suddenly, replaced with a scuffle and then nothing.
Mia nodded to Murphy. They left the room and walked down the hall to the attic stairs. She climbed the stairs, letting Murphy lead the way, his axe primed and ready. Mia felt the chill of the attic. She strained her eyes trying to see through the gloom. A string brushed her head. Looking up she acknowledged the overhead light cord. She pulled the cord. The large wattage bulb came to life, and the attic was awash with light. Mia spun around and saw nothing but the accumulation of castoffs. The boxes were orderly, nothing seemed amiss. Murphy moved quickly, examining the corners and under the eaves. He looked over at her and shook his head. Whatever happened up here happened in another time. But didn’t the black masses seem connected to this time too? Mia shook her head. She would never understand the nature of haunts.
“I think they got who they were looking for, eh, Murph?”
He nodded and mimed a noose.
“Brrrr, I’m going to catch my death up here. We’ll look this over in the morning.” As Mia reached to pull the string for the overhead light, a hand caught hers and pulled her down to the ground. Another icy claw wrapped itself around her middle and pulled her to it. Murphy, caught off guard, floundered around looking for her. Mia felt the cold of the dead and fought against the entity holding her.
“Help me,” it hissed in her ear. “Don’t let them find me.”
Just as fast as she was taken, Mia was released. “Murphy,” she cried and felt the reassuring tingle of his presence. “Bloody hell, what the hell was that?” Mia tried to rise, but her legs wouldn’t hold her. They were bloodless and ice cold. Murphy took his axe and hit the attic floor.
CRACK!
Ted heard the axe and abandoned his post and ran up the steep staircase and found Mia curled up into a ball sitting on the floor. “What happened?” he asked pulling her into his arms.
“I’m so cold,” she said through chattering teeth. “My legs won’t work.”
He carried her down the stairs and right into Mike’s room. Mike sat up with a start as Ted handed him Mia. “Get her warm. And keep her in the circle,” he ordered and ran off.
Mike pulled Mia closer to him and grabbed at the blankets and pulled them over the two of them. She was trembling so violently he could barely hold on to her.
Ted ran back with his thermos of hot coffee and poured a mug of the hot beverage. He encouraged Mia to drink some. “Come on, honey, just a little bit. It will break the chill.”
Mia tried to be compliant but found she couldn’t hold the mug. Mike took it from Ted and helped her drink the brew. He cradled the back of her head and carefully eased the mug to her lips. She drank a little then a little more. He felt an easing of the shuddering her body was doing trying to stay warm.
“That’s a girl, drink some more,” Mike urged.
Mia complied, and as the warm fluid filled her stomach, she felt a warming of her limbs. She found her voice. “Something very cold grabbed me. It pleaded for help. It didn’t want to be found. I don’t understand. Ted, I thought we heard someone being taken?”
“Could there
have been more than one hiding up there?” Ted asked.
“Murphy and I searched the attic, and we didn’t see it.”
Mike cleared his voice. “You keep referring to the entity as an it.”
“It had a claw for one appendage and a hand for the other. It was ice cold. So cold…” Mia shivered again turning into Mike as he pulled her closer.
Mike looked over her head at Ted and said, “I know this thing she is talking about. Ted, go to the top drawer of the dresser and pull it out. Taped to the underside you will find a composition book, bring it here.”
Ted did as instructed. He dumped the contents on the top of the chest of drawers and found the book taped on the bottom of the drawer. He ripped the book from the old tape securing it there. He walked over and, careful not to disturb the salt ring, handed the book to Mike.
Still holding Mia to his warm chest, Mike used his other hand to flip through the pages of drawings he made as a child. He stopped and handed the book to Ted.
Ted whistled as he viewed the half man half crab that Mike had sketched as a child.
“It used to move up and down the hall at night. At first I thought it was a figment of my overactive imagination, but it wasn’t.”
Mia turned her head and asked, “Show me the picture, please.”
Ted turned the book to her.
Mike felt a shudder of revulsion go through her. “That’s it,” she said and sniffed.
Murphy tapped his axe against the ground. Mia looked up to see him pointing down. “I think we are going to have company soon.” Mia watched as Murphy pulled his shirt out like he was a woman. “Beth or Glenda,” Mia told them. “Shit,” she added as she realized she was in bed with Mike, naked except for the robe.
Ted stepped quickly into the hall and shut the door after him. He watched as Beth tiptoed up the stairs and headed for his room. She tapped on the door. He cleared his voice and inquired, “Can I help you?”
Beth jumped out of her skin. “Waah. You scared me. I thought I heard a lot of activity in your room. Mine’s below,” she explained, “I wanted to see if you needed any help,” she lied.
“Got things under control. I’ve been doing EMF sweeps of the hall. That must be what you heard,” he explained. He looked at her and noticed the skimpy little nighty she had on. “You’re going to catch cold in that. Let me get you my coat,” he offered moving towards his room.
Beth blushed and declined, mumbling, “I’ll just get back to my room,” before she scurried down the steps.
Ted waited until he heard her door shut before walking back to Mike’s room. He tapped on the door and opened it to find Mia sitting in the chair by the window wearing Mike’s little league uniform. The buttons were barely holding, and the athletic pants hugged her body like a second skin. Mia wrinkled her face and said, “It’s all we could find on short notice.”
Ted ran through several levels of Mario before he could speak. “Um that was Beth, and she’s back in her room.”
“What did she want?” Mia asked.
Mike answered for Ted, “Booty call.”
“Honestly,” Mia got up and grabbed her robe and, after getting the okay from Murphy, walked down the hall to her room.
When they heard her door shut the two men started laughing.
“I will never be able to watch baseball again without seeing Mia’s breast bulging out of the top of the uniform,” Ted confessed.
Mike smiled and shrugged. He could have told Ted that he saw Mia naked as she dressed quickly, but he didn’t. He could have mentioned that now all the PEEPs males had seen Mia nude, but chose not to. Instead he grilled Ted on what Bethy was wearing as she crept up the stairs.
“A gentleman never tells,” Ted said.
“But you’re not a gentleman,” Mike pointed out. He knew if he could fluster Ted that the tech would forget how Mia got from robe to uniform with Mike in the room.
“It was a filmy little pink thingy,” Ted said. “She looked nice.”
“You have ice water in your veins,” Mike pointed out. “I need to get some rest. Could you make sure the salt ring is secure before leaving?”
Ted did as he was told. He shut Mike’s door and walked up to the attic and turned out the light. As he descended he relived the moment of holding Mia to him and the smell of her hair. He shut the door to the attic and walked into the bathroom. Mia in her haste had left the tub filled and towels all over the place. He pulled the stopper and picked up the towels. He stopped and thought a moment and smiled. He walked quickly to his room to jot down some notes.
He needed to get to an internet source and do some research. In regards to the claw-handed monster, he knew what it was. He just didn’t know who.
Chapter Eight
Mia breezed into the kitchen and announced, “I need to go for a ride to get cell reception, who’s with me?”
“I am,” Ted sang out as he forked himself another buckwheat pancake. “I have to do some research before we can start on the attic.”
“K, that’s one. I have room for one more. Beth?” Mia asked.
“I’m scheduled to help clear out the front parlor, so Glenda and I can dig into those yummy papers.”
Mia looked at Beth, and her eyes actually shone with excitement. “You are a marvel, my dear. Burt? Mike?” Mia asked.
Burt raised a finger as he was still chewing. “I have the night’s tapes to go through but thank you anyway.”
“I’m going to help ma and Beth,” Mike said, wanting to switch places with Ted but fearing the wrath of his mother.
“K, then it’s just me and thee, Sherlock.”
“Could you stop by the market on forty-seven? I have a list,” Glenda walked over and handed Mia a piece of paper and a couple of twenties. “Now if they don’t have any scallions, some of those green onions will do in a pinch.”
Mia nodded. She scanned the list and knew pretty much what everything looked like. Ralph had put her through a crash course on buying fresh veggies at the Whole Foods store last time they were out.
“There it is again,” Glenda said, sticking her head into the deep basin of the kitchen sink.
Mia walked over and leaned in. “What are you…”
Glenda shushed her and whispered, “Listen to the pipe and tell me what you hear.”
Glenda eased on the water, and Mia nodded as she heard crying. “Women crying,” she reported, “not just one but a quite a few.”
“It’s only just after I turn on the tap. Before the water splashes out,” Glenda explained.
“Ma, it could be air in the pipes,” Mike offered.
Mia had her do it a few times, and it was the same noise. “It may be air, but it gives me the creeps.”
“I’ll check out the pump, make sure there isn’t anything loose that may be pulling in air.”
Glenda waved him off. “Let it be Eddy’s problem.” She looked at Mia and said, “Go on, make your phone call, and don’t forget to go to the store. Go on.”
Mia smiled at how quickly Glenda could change the subject. “I’m going. I’m going.”
Mia had already asked Murphy. He indicated he’d rather roam around the area than have a car ride to civilization. She waited in the truck for Ted who arrived with his laptop in tow. He pulled his hat around backward and got in beside Mia. She started the vehicle and handed him her phone. “Give a shout when we get three bars.”
“Aye aye Cap’n,” Ted replied.
Mia smiled and drove off toward interstate forty-seven.
The late November weather had eased off its chill after last night’s storm, giving them a nice balmy day of fifty degrees with partly cloudy skies. Ted and Mia were comfortable with each other. They never saw the need to make small talk when they were riding in vehicles. Mia was thinking of her call to Whit, and what to edit out of the conversation in regards to what exactly she was doing in Lund. Ted was typing up his log of last evening. He looked over at Mia and wondered how she could be so happy considering the meag
er amount of sleep she got last night.
As if she read his mind, Mia yawned. “Sorry, not much in the way of zees last night.”
“But still you are happy, amazing.”
“What’s not to be happy about?” she said with a dash of sarcasm. “We are staying in a haunted house. I spent most of the night in bed with Moriarty. We are going to be spending the afternoon in the attic with God knows what,” she listed.
“I’m sorry about the bed thing last night, but you were so cold, and I was worried about entities and Mike well…”
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s not mention it to Whit if we can avoid it. I am happy that I didn’t faint, pass out, or die, so we’re even. Thank you for your quick thinking.”
“You’re welcome. I have two… no wait, three bars!”
Mia signaled and looked for a place to pull over. Up ahead there was an entrance to a field. Since it had been harvested and the gate locked, Mia signaled and backed the truck into the small bridge over the culvert. Ted handed Mia her phone. He busied himself with the signal on the laptop, and soon he was downloading information from several medical sites.
Mia got out of the truck and listened to her voice messages before returning the calls. Whit’s brief, “Where are you?” made her feel a little guilty. She dialed the phone and was ecstatic when the call went through.
“Lonely hearts club, Whit speaking.”
“Very funny. How’s the east coast?” Mia asked.
“I’ve received many pats on the back and solemn glances. They actually used the phrase buck up little soldier. I’ve been to the MoMA to see Sherry’s painting with her folks.”
Mia blinked surprised. “And…” she led.