by Stephy Smith
"That is why I didn't tell you. I… I… didn't want to be laughed at. I sure didn't want any of you thinking I needed a room at the sanatorium."
"I didn't believe in them either, Grandma used to talk about them and the banshees…" Jessie's eyes widened. "Nope, don't even tell me there are real banshees running around."
Travis was concentrating on something. His brow creased, eyes squinted, and fist clenched. He pounded a fist on the table, his eyes wide as words flew out of his mouth. "I heard about this type of thing. Mother, have you seen any sign of strange writing or drawings anywhere?"
"No, why?" Sarah said as she heard the rain tapping on the roof.
"Witches can cast spells. This sounds like someone put a curse on your house." Travis said.
"How do we break this spell? Do we need to find a witch to take it away?" Jessie eyed Travis.
"No, I heard of this too. I think you can remove the spell yourself if you know how." Cord said.
"I've already tried, and it didn't work." Sarah spoke softly avoiding eye contact with her sons.
"We need to get Shining Moon. His campground isn't far from here this time of year. He's your friend, more than a friend. He'll know what to do." Jessie crossed his arms over his chest.
"What are you waiting for? Do you want me to go with you? He shouldn't be hard to find." Travis raised his brows.
"No. I can be back before sundown. He'll either be at his cabin or in the village." Cord grabbed his hat on his way out the door.
"You won't have to go far. He's been camped on the hill above the cemetery." Sarah called after Cord. She had followed Cord out the door and now stood on the porch and watched him ride up the hill. He was gone so fast she didn't even have time to reject the idea. Furthermore, she wasn't sure at this point that she would have rejected it. They had to do something, and this was their last option.
Sarah bit into her bottom lip. Her heart pounded, and the knot in her stomach tightened. Of course, her sons would want to call in Shining Moon. Ever since they were small, and after their father had died, Shining Moon had been the man in their lives. She had sent Shining Moon away with harsh words, why would he come to help her now? Furthermore, the last words he had said to her was one day she would need him.
The day seemed to drag on. Her faith and doubts battled as she tried to be patient until Cord returned with Shining Moon. She wiped the palms of her hands on her apron. A pounding in her chest would pick up and then calm down.
She paced back and forth across the porch. Well, maybe they were right. She did miss him, but could she face him? The things she said had been mean and hurtful. Worse, she had intentionally wanted to keep him away until her life got back to normal. Nothing her and her sons had done had even inched her closer to her old way of life. A shiver ran down her spine.
Her hands started shaking. Would he want to talk to her when he got here… if he came at all? There would be no blame placed upon him. She lowered herself into the rocker by the door on the porch. Would he think she was crazy? Would he laugh at her circumstances? Normally he wasn't that type of man. Sarah sighed.
"I hope this plan works. I'm sick and tired of waking up sick and tired every day." Sarah wiped her hands on her apron.
Jessie and Travis looked at each other, nodded their heads. "The only other solution I can come up with is to burn the place to the ground." Jessie hung his head, and he pushed a small pebble around with his toe.
"We can't burn Mother's cabin." Travis placed a hand on his hip. "As much as I would love to have her live with me, this is where she wants to be."
"We can't shoot it up either." Jessie smiled.
"We can't leave her here to fight these things forever." Travis stood looking in the distance, shaking his head. "I hope Cord knows what he's doing."
"You two can't stand there discussing me like I'm not here. Shining Moon is as worried as you three. He's been standing guard on that hill since your grandma died. He doesn't know what's happened here. I didn't tell him."
The two young men turned to look at their mother. Their jaws dropped open. She reached up with her hands and attempted to shut their mouths.
"I hope Cord can get Shining Moon to come with him. Indians can be touchy about these things. They may think Cord is touched by evil spirits." Travis said.
"I hope he gets back before tonight's battle. Shining Moon knows how to deal with these things." Jessie said.
"Oh he will. Shining Moon isn't far off. I feel him watching day and night. He's a sweet, caring man." Sarah glared at the hill. "How do you know that he knows how to deal with the ghosts?"
Travis and Jessie exchanged glances. She had never hidden her feelings for Shining Moon from them. Her mother had even made slight comments about how she should marry the man. Then when she had the chance to have Shining Moon all to herself, the ghosts began to show up nightly. There wasn't a question in her mind. She couldn't bring him into this place amongst the chaos.
Sarah headed up the hill when the rain stopped. Travis and Jessie followed her. Sarah opened the gate.
"Does anything go on up here?" Travis asked before entering.
"No, this is the only peaceful place out here, other than the barn. I guess we could sleep in the cemetery or the barn." Sarah's voice was shaky and fragile. "I've slept in the barn a night or two."
"One more night of fighting ghosts with Travis and we may end up sleeping in the cemetery... permanently." Jessie punched his little brother in the arm.
Travis smiled, "I got rattled. I didn't want Mother to get taken away. When that one grabbed my leg… we have to get rid of that son of a devil."
"Travis! Don't talk like that! We're on holy ground here." Sarah glanced up at him. She had heard him use the expression many times, and she shuddered at the mention of a devil on holy ground.
The three walked slowly down the hill. Sarah listened to the wind rustling the tall grass and watched the carefree flight of birds in the clear blue sky to lighten the burden.
A welcome relief washed over her. At least her children didn't think she had gone mad on them. She hoped Shining Moon wouldn't think they were all lunatics. Her doubts played tug-of-war with her hopes.
Travis and Jessie had a fence to mend while Sarah worked in her cabin. Silently, she cleaned up the rest of the mess. She worked in the garden and kept herself busy. Sarah hoped Cord would be back soon. She desperately hoped Shining Moon would decide to return with him. The shaman was the only chance they had left.
Chapter Nine
Shining Moon drew in a deep breath of fresh, crisp air. The aroma of the earlier rain floated in the morning air. With a storm brewing, he knew tonight's visits from the evil ghosts would be terrifying for the family. He packed everything he would need in a bundle of deerskin and tied it off with a strip of leather.
Even if one of Sarah's sons didn't come for him, he was going down to the cabin anyway. If Sweet Sarah wanted to be mad, then so be it. If she shot him, he at least hoped she would wait until he extricated the demons from her cabin. Even in death, he wouldn't be able to bear the thought of her facing such monsters.
He raised his head to an approaching rider. A sigh of relief escaped his lungs. Sweet Sarah must have allowed Cord to come for him. Finally, the stubborn woman had come to her senses. He worked his fingers faster to secure his herbs and the tools he needed to perform the ceremony.
"Mother thought you were camped on the hill." Cord greeted Shining Moon with a smile and outstretched arm.
"I have been. I only went back to the village this morning to check on my nephew. Standing on Edge seems to live up to his name." Shining Moon nodded to his sister's teepee.
"Mother expects us back soon. Reckon we should get back before she starts to worry."
Shining Moon tossed the rolled-up deerskin across his horse's back. The humidity that came after the shower thickened the air. Although it was a short storm, he feared it may come back to encourage the ghost's haunting the Eastin farm. If it did, thin
gs would get very bad. From what Sweet Sarah's sons had told him so far, nothing looked too promising.
His heart clenched. With a quick jump, he swung his leg over the back of his horse and followed Cord out of camp. His village was farther from Sarah's farm, but he had to return and pick up the items he needed. If only he had known today would be the day she would send for him, he would have stayed on the hill and sent Cord to the village to retrieve his pack. His people had known and trusted Cord from his previous visits. The bundle of herbs had been wrapped in the skin for days, as he waited for her to call on him.
"How long did it take to get her to agree to my help?" Shining Moon held his breath as he waited for Cords answer. The sideways glance from Cord warned him he may not want to know the answer, but then a grin lit the young man's face.
"We didn't give her time to reject the idea. Jessie, Travis, and I had decided last night that we were bringing you in, whether she liked it or not."
"Well, I suppose when she buries me for being there, you three will be along shortly to join me on the hill in that tiny cemetery. It may get a little crowded." Shining Moon chuckled after he spoke.
Shining Moon pulled a chunk of pemmican from a pouch tied around his waist and handed it over to Cord. The two continued on to Sarah's as the sun started to descend.
****
At sundown, Cord and Shining Moon stopped their horses in front of the cabin. Sarah tried to still her racing heart. She fought the strong desire to run to him and throw her arms around his neck. Shining Moon's presence stole the breath from her lungs. His strong muscular frame sat prominently on the straight back of his horse. She stood beside Jessie and Travis as they happily greeted the men. Shining Moon slid effortlessly from the back of his palomino paint. Travis took the horses to the barn. Shining Moon's creased face gave no indication of his thoughts. However, his voice, low and gentle, spoke in volumes.
"Bad medicine," he said reaching for the leather bag containing special herbs. Shining Moon stood a few inches shorter than Cord. He wiped a strand of gray hair that had escaped from the long braid that rested at the center of his deerskin-covered back. "How long have the spirits been here?" He turned to Cord and nodded toward Sarah's cabin.
"Four, maybe five full moons." Cord said.
"Come in, come in," Jessie gestured to the door.
"Would you like some tea? Are you hungry?" Sarah asked Shining Moon and Cord. She pulled in a long breath. Heat raced from her neck and covered her cheeks. Her hands shook, and she hoped Shining Moon hadn't noticed. On the inside, she felt giddy as a school girl, dealing with her first crush.
Surprise crossed her mind that he showed up at all. After the way she treated him, she wouldn't blame him if he hadn't. Her breath caught in her throat. His fresh clean scent radiated from him. Being near him calmed her, yet set off desires she didn't realize she felt, until now.
Shining Moon took one step inside the doorway. He lifted his eyes to the ceiling. Turning his head to the side, he appeared to be listening. Sarah watched, along with her sons. She wondered if the older man would ever speak.
"They're here," was all he said.
Sarah knew the ghosts were there. She had fought this feeling for a long time now. The hair stood on the back of her neck as a shudder ran down her spine.
"It will be about four hours before they make their presence known." Sarah said softly.
"How do they show?" Shining Moon asked.
"Most are black masses. Some are gray clouds, like mist." The pulse in her neck seemed to throb at the sound of his voice. He didn't sound as if he were mad or hurt by her harshness from the weeks before. Her breathing calmed. The spicy scent of herbs radiated from his body. She inhaled deeply.
"Can you hear them speak?" He asked.
"Yes, loud and clear, frightening actually." A shudder ran through her tense body. Sarah thought she was going to melt when she heard his sultry voice.
"Is this what's been bothering you, my Sweet Sarah? Why didn't you tell me? I've been..." Shining Moon waved his arms in the air while a frown creased his bronzed skin.
"What do you need us to do?" Travis interrupted.
"Fresh water, lava rocks, a fire, and a pot. I'll call them out if they haven't come before I'm ready." Shining Moon turned to Sarah. "How long have you seen ghosts?"
Sarah looked at her three sons and then back to Shining Moon. She knew he wasn't talking about the recent ones, but from all of her life. "The lava rocks are behind Mother's small cabin. They hauled them in to build the fence when they first came here." She glanced at her sons and then turned her attention back to Shining Moon. "I don't remember not seeing ghosts. Does that have anything to do with these?"
"No. Just curious."
Sarah knew that this man could help her. She had never told anyone she could see spirits. Jessie and Travis gave her a questioning look. They had never asked about ghosts before, she didn't see a reason to tell them. She assumed that if they were curious they would have come to her with their questions. There were many times when the children were young, Cord had asked her about the strange people that others walked through.
When he had asked, she would explain that the ghosts were the traces of dead people who had unfinished business on earth and couldn't leave until they finished it. Cord's brow would crease, and he would glare at them for a few moments before he turned away and followed his brothers down the wooden walks in Eagle Glenn.
She turned to them and said, "I've never been afraid of them until these showed up. Most are friendly and don't notice people. However, these ghosts intend to be mean and frighten everyone for some reason."
"These are the first to frighten you?" Shining Moon moved closer to her. Sarah was sure her heart had stopped beating at his nearness. His dark brown eyes held a serious glint. The crow's feet deepened the corners of his eyes as his gazed scanned her face. When his lips parted a fraction, her mouth suddenly went dry as she fantasized about brushing her lips over his.
"Yes." Heat rose to her cheeks and she lowered her head. If he could read what she was thinking, she was confident she would die of embarrassment.
****
Shining Moon lit a fire in the fireplace. He lifted the kettle and placed it on the wood burning stove. "Would anyone like some tea? It will be a long night."
"Yes, it will be that." Sarah said.
"I need all of you to remain calm during the ceremony. Try to hold your fears. Ghosts, such as these, feed off fear. You'll only make them stronger. I think a storm may be coming this way, tonight. They will also feed off of it."
"No wonder they seem to be extra powerful. They've had four here to feed from. If the storm gives them more power, this is not going to be good, is it?" Cord glanced at the ceiling.
"I would ask that you step out of the cabin, if I didn't need you in here with me. You would then be out of harm's way. All of you must stand tall, proud, and grounded." Shining Moon searched their faces. "Do you think you can do this?" A long clap of thunder rattled the windows.
"As long as Travis doesn't have access to a gun, I think we can all stay grounded." Cord rested his hand on his little brother's shoulder.
Small drops of rain splattered on the ground. Within minutes, the bottom seemed to drop out of the clouds, drowning out any noise outside the home. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Shining Moon watched as Sweet Sarah cringed. He knew in an instant she had been down this road before.
They all agreed to follow the shaman's instructions. "Good." As he handed each one a cup of tea, he prayed for the four. He asked that they be blessed and their spirits cleansed. It was the best he could do in a situation where he needed a little more time to do it properly, he explained. Asking for guidance, the shaman placed the lava rocks in the fireplace on top of the wood and lit the wood on fire. Shining Moon sat down at the table and waited for the arrival of the unwelcome guests, tormenting his Sweet Sarah and her family.
The occupants of the cabin closed their eyes. Shin
ing Moon fed the fire once more. He watched for a few minutes longer as the rocks grew white hot before he closed his eyes.
"Sar-rah, Sar-rah." The familiar voice jolted everyone awake. The devouring laughter soon followed, as Shining Moon glared at the ceiling for a few seconds. Sarah and her sons' eyes fixed on him as if waiting for his cue. He then nodded to them. One by one, he pointed to the places they should stand. They stood proud and tall in the center of the room.
The smell of sage thickened the air in the tightly enclosed cabin, as Shining Moon began his ritual, offering the smoke of the herbs burning in the bowl to the Great Spirit. Fanning the smoke with the wing of a bird, he distributed it to the four directions, the sky, and mother earth, then raised the bowl to his chest. With the wing, he pulled the smoke to his heart and over his shoulders as he went into prayer and chanted. Shining Moon poured water over the white-hot lava rocks to make steam.
Evil spirits swooped down at the heads of the family. The spirits' shrieks and taunts echoed in the cabin. Long finger-like threads reached out and tugged on his friends. Sarah and her sons visibly shook. Shining Moon's chest swelled with pride, and energy ran through his system, giving him added medicine. His chants grew louder.
The air in the cabin became thick as the ghosts continued their tirade. Slowly disappearing, one by one the ghosts dropped out of the shrinking circle above. Some of their shrieks sounded as if they were in pain, and he was satisfied those wouldn't be back.
Long before sunup, the ghosts had retreated. Sarah sighed as her shoulders sagged and she sat down in her rocker. "That seemed easy enough." There was a slight twinkle of her eyes when she looked at him.
"It is far from being over, Sweet Sarah. They'll be back." Shining Moon focused on the ceiling again. "Not as strong, but they will be back. Get some rest."