A Strange There After

by Missy Fleming

  “You think you can escape in the middle of the night undetected?”

  She jumped, dropping a cute ballet flat on the floor. Her face hardened with determination. “Yes. I do. And I am.”

  “Um, no,” I said with surprise.

  Propping a fist on her hip, Catherine jutted her chin out. “You can’t babysit me every minute of the day. Sooner or later I will leave this cursed house and go somewhere no one can find me or knows who I am.”

  Her voiced cracked as she finished her statement. A chuckle slipped from my lips. She didn’t like that.

  “I should have done this earlier, but I didn’t want to leave him. Not yet.”

  “Kind of pointless to cling to Jason now that he knows the jig is up.”

  “Who said anything about Jason?” she snapped.

  Whoa, I wasn’t expecting that. “Jackson?” I said.

  She didn’t have to answer for me to know the truth. Itching to fully understand her, I opened my mouth to ask more, but another voice spoke.

  “How it warms my heart to see my two kittens together.”

  We both startled at the sound of Kalfu. Sure enough, he appeared out of thin air wearing a triumphant grin on his face. He snapped his fingers, and the lock on Catherine’s door engaged. I didn’t have to test it to know it wouldn’t budge. No one could get in. Or out.

  “What is the meaning of this, Kalfu?” Catherine demanded, fists clenched at her sides and a trace of panic lacing her voice.

  “Quinn and I have an arrangement.”

  She smirked, but it lacked the usual bite. “Oh, I know all about it. She banishes Cora to a happier place, and Quinn gets her body back. Don’t forget. I had a deal, too. I provided you with souls for your little collection.”

  “Wait. What?” I asked out of confusion. “Who’s collection?”

  “Catherine.” Kalfu muttered her name with a warning. His face hardened, darkened somehow, and finally I began to see glimpses of the formidable loa I’d been cautioned about.

  Catherine plowed right on. “I know you and that annoying ghost hunter did some research into all the mysterious deaths in this house. Did you really think it was all a coincidence?”

  I scrambled to understand her meaning, to circumvent the horrible possibility that I knew exactly what she was implying. “You killed all those people?”

  Guilt flashed in her expression for a split second. Then her bravado returned. “Not all of them. Some died of their own hand. I merely provided the extra push.”

  “Like with my mama,” I whispered. “So as long as you provided him with souls, he...what? Let you possess the ones he didn’t want?”

  Kalfu answered this time. “I let her live. Granted, most times it was through someone else, but little did I know she learned a few tricks of her own.” He stared at her with disdain. “Appropriating Quinn’s body was not in the agreement.”

  “I’ve done everything you asked!” Her shriek bounced off the walls.

  Kalfu actually laughed at her. The sound sent chills racing up my spine. One day, I’d be her. Standing before him, quivering in fear, helpless to stop what came next.

  He stroked his mustache. “Yes, you’ve done everything and more. It’s the more that nullifies our agreement. I choose who you terrorize. I tell you when you can act. I am the one who gives you the illusion of life.”

  Though the words were soft, malice dripped off each one. Catherine hunched into herself, the most beaten I’d ever seen her. I almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

  “I can still help you! I’ll bring you more. I was just settling in before I took it up again. There are so many people in this city!” she babbled.

  He pointed a long finger at the bed. “And the suitcase?”

  “Just a quick trip. Why limit our games to Savannah? I can find powerful souls for you.”

  “Enough. Already Quinn has done what you could not and set me free. Cora is gone. It’s the beginning of a new era. One I cannot allow you to share in. I promised Quinn to get you out of her life, and you know I always keep my word.”

  Catherine rounded on me full of fury. “You can’t just get rid of me! How dare you! No one in your pathetic life missed you. What do you have to go back for? You need me! I can tell you all about his collection and his weak—”

  “I think I’ve had enough of your incessant yapping.”

  Once more Kalfu snapped his fingers, and her mouth slammed shut. As hard as she tried, she could not open it. Her mumbles turned to muted screams, and her eyes bugged out so badly I thought they’d pop from her head.

  “Alright, love, are you ready?”

  Fear froze me in place, its icy fingers clutching my insides and squeezing tight. Not wanting Kalfu to see it, I nodded curtly. Gold glinted in his smile as he reached into his coat and extracted something enclosed in his fist. Stalking toward Catherine, he opened his hand. I saw a sparkly powder nestled in his palm. My brows snapped together. What was that?

  “It’s been educational, dear Catherine, but your time has come.”

  Without further ado he blew on the powder, much like Meena had done to me. The substance hit Catherine in the face. Her eyes rolled back in her head. With a groan, she slumped to the ground, twitching once before falling still.

  “What did you do?” I asked, rushing forward to kneel beside my body. My eyes raked over it, and I let out a sigh of relief when I noticed the rise and fall of the chest.

  “Don’t worry, love. It lives. The physical vessel can live for a while without a host. Although, I don’t recommend testing that theory.”

  “No!”

  The breathy gasp brought me to my feet. I turned to see Catherine standing near the bed, staring down in horror. This was Catherine as I remembered her, from the visions she’d shown me before. Rich brown hair, beautiful face, bowed lips. She stared at her arms, fingering the material of her old-fashioned dress. A single tear slid down her cheek, but when she lifted her head to look at me, murder shone from her eyes.

  “I’ll find a way to make you pay for this, Quinn.”

  Old habits die hard, so I retreated a step. A comforting hand landed on my shoulder.

  “False threats. She can’t hurt you anymore. I am a man of my word.”

  “She’s still here,” I grumbled, shocked at sounding like a spoiled kid who didn’t get her way.

  “Easy enough to remedy.”

  Catherine’s eyes widened as Kalfu snapped his fingers once again. She vanished. Just like that, she was gone. Shocked and confused, I stared at the spot where she stood only seconds before. I’d expected wrath of God kind of stuff, thunder and shaking ground and such. It was so...simple. I wanted to feel relief, but it never came. Was that good or bad?

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “Unfortunately, putting you back is not as easy. See, the body adapts, learns to accept and obey its new master. It might be a tad unpleasant.”

  “I don’t care. Do it.”

  I braced as he crouched over my prone body, murmuring words too low for me to hear. A breeze appeared out of nowhere, building in strength and ferocity. It whipped my hair into my face, obscuring Kalfu’s actions. His chanting grew louder, as did the roar of the wind. Instinct told me to back away, but I couldn’t. I was so close to getting everything I’d lost.

  A pinch caught my attention, like a hook grabbed my stomach and yanked. It drew me closer to Kalfu. As soon as I was next to the body on the floor, a sucking sensation began at my feet. A painful sensation. Invisible claws latched onto my legs, pulling me downwards. The painful heat made me hiss then scream as it climbed higher. Unbidden, a voice in my head warned me Kalfu had tricked me, but the agony cut it off. As the feeling continued up, everything below it faded into nothing. Wind buffeted me from all angles, pushing and prodding, mixing with the pain.

  When it reached my neck, I panicked.

  “Stop! No, please! Don’t!”

  Kalfu ignored my cries, just carried on with his strange mutterings. Then I could
n’t even scream. The pain reached my mouth, forcing its way down my throat. It felt like I was drowning in fire, suffocating on heat and agony. The last thing I remember thinking was how the voice had been right. I’d been played.

  The world around me disappeared, enveloping me in nothing. Blackness consumed me.

  Epilogue

  Warm. I felt so warm. Snuggling into the pillow, I basked in the feeling, counting my heartbeats until I reached a hundred. How long until I wasn’t constantly checking to see if I still had a pulse? I stretched, nearly groaning in pleasure as my toes curled, and the muscles joined me in a sigh of contentment. Rolling over, I lifted my arm and stared at it, bemused. Tanned? Since when? Oh well. I could live with a little more color. Live. What an awesome word.

  Last night seemed like a dream. Heck, the entire past two months were a terrible nightmare I hadn’t been able to wake from. But that was then. And Catherine was gone now. Back in the land of the living, there was no one around to torment me anymore. Sure, I still owed Kalfu three unknown favors, and I had two boys fighting over me, but those were things I did not mind. Not compared to living as a ghost.

  Throwing the covers back, I jumped to my feet and did a little victory dance. Wow. I missed being in my body so much! Surveying my surroundings, I grinned. No more waking up in the attic either. I was in Catherine’s room, the master suite, and I couldn’t wait to rid myself of every trace of her. The closet caught my attention. Okay, maybe not every trace. The girl had pretty good taste in clothes.

  As I glanced in the mirror, I frowned for the first time. I hated the light brown color of my hair. Ugh. And the blue eyes, which welled with unshed tears. I didn’t even recognize myself. I looked like her. So much for being rid of Catherine. I missed my black hair and purple highlights, the green eyes. Wait...was that a beauty mark on my cheek? My chest heaved as the floor tilted under me. The four walls pressed in close. Too close.

  “What have you done to me, Catherine?” I muttered. So much for starting today with a fresh outlook.

  Maybe Kalfu could do something about my appearance.

  I was about to turn away, intent on fixing this new problem, when movement caught my attention. The reflection in the mirror, which should have mimicked me, stared back with an all too familiar smirk.

  “It’s not possible,” I whispered, leaning closer.

  “Poor Quinn. Still hasn’t gotten your happy ending?”

  I stumbled backward, not expecting the girl to actually speak. Not a girl. A menace. Catherine.

  “What are you doing here?” I bit out.

  She shrugged. “Sorry to ruin your mood.”

  Reaching up, I shouldn’t have been surprised when she just stared at me in insolence. My mind raced. She was supposed to be gone, as in no longer in my life.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Help me find a way to get me out of here. It’s dark. Cold.” A tiny quiver of fear dotted Catherine’s plea, and I furrowed my brows.

  “Not gonna happen. If anything, I’ll do whatever I can to send you wherever you should have gone.”

  “I wouldn’t be too hasty, love.”

  I nearly groaned. Kalfu. He materialized out of thin air and sauntered up to stand next to me. Dread settled in my stomach.

  “Fix this,” I said, though not with as much authority as I would have liked.

  Flashing me his gold-toothed smile, he answered, “Catherine is here as a reminder for you to obey.”

  “I did everything you asked!”

  Catherine chuckled. “Always read the fine print.”

  “Yes, Cora is gone, but not as we discussed. I asked that you be the one to get rid of her. Not her boy. Since you half-fulfilled the bargain, I did the same.”

  Anger built inside me, begging to be unleashed. I ignored it. The consequences of using it on Kalfu frightened me.

  “Can she get out?”

  “Oh, no, she is quite stuck where she is.”

  I glared at Catherine, the root of all the evil that had been introduced into my life. “How long?”

  “She’s here as long as I see fit. Until I’m convinced you are taking our contract seriously. Until you prove your willingness and loyalty.”

  Catherine rapped her knuckles on the glass from her side. “Face it. You’re stuck with me. Might as well get used to it.”

  My jaw dropped open. Just minutes ago I’d been so full of hope and happiness. I had believed the worst was behind me. Now, standing here with these two, my hope vanished. I was right back where I started. Trapped.

  About the Author

  Missy Fleming lives in beautiful Bozeman, Montana where her love of being outdoors often conflicts with her love of writing. Luckily, winter makes it a little easier. Missy contributes to multiple writing sites and A Strange There After is her third published novel in the United States. She is blessedly single, dedicating her affections to travel, writing, reading, family and her six year old Bichon Frise, Jack.

  Other books by the Missy Fleming

  Happily Never After

  Into the Deep

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