“You’ve really researched this, haven’t you.” It wasn’t a question in Ashley’s mind. She noticed the amulet that Leah wore when Leah bent to get the bundle of grass and a silver tray for the ashes. It wasn’t anything she’d ever seen her friend wear. It was a black stone with a silver wire looping over it.
“You have to know what you’re doing when it comes to this stuff, Ash. And that’s another thing.” Leah looked at each of them in turn. “Don’t be scared. Some entities feed off fear. We have to be calm and assured, trusting...no, knowing this is going to work. Got it?” Her gray eyes narrowed as she peered at them.
Ashley nodded. “Got it. Are we supposed to pray or say special words?”
Leah picked up the crystal and headed across the kitchen. “Just follow my lead. To be on the safe side, we’ll do all the rooms in the house.”
Leah looked like anything but a lady oracle in her jean shorts and T-shirt but she was sure acting the part. Ashley looked over at Maya before following her friend up the stairs. Her sister’s eyebrows rose high and then she blew a gush of air softly.
When she entered Maya’s room she looked around trying to get a sense or feeling of any presence. But if there was something there, she couldn’t sense it.
Preston strained getting the window to slide shut while Maya placed the bowl of salt in the center of her bedroom on the braided rug. Leah fished a lighter from her shorts and lit the bundle of grass. When it caught she grabbed the tray to catch any sparks. Leah let it burn and then blew the flame out leaving the ends smoldering brightly. The scent of the grass was pungent as it drifted in the air.
All three of them stood watching Leah as she walked to the far corner, blowing on the smudge to increase the smoke wafting from it. “I command any entity in the space to leave. By the power of light and goodness, I rebuke you.” She continued these words as she wandered to each corner of the room, waving the bundle of grass like she was yielding a sword.
She went to the center of the room and looked at Ashley. “This room is done. Now yours.”
Ashley looked up at the hatch covering the entrance to the attic. If they didn’t have to go up there it was fine by her. Eew, all that dust and the spider webs. She followed Leah out and into her own room.
She jerked back when she saw the dresser drawer pulled out and pairs of socks on the floor. What the hell? Her heart pounded fast as she crept over to peek inside. The Ouija board rested in the bottom drawer.
Her eyes widened and she turned to Maya. “Did you put the Ouija board in my room?” Maya shook her head, gaping at the board.
It was a shot in the dark but she had to ask, “Do you think Aunt Claire did this?”
“Maybe?” This time it was Maya who was grasping at straws, but there was fear in her eyes.
Leah’s head turned from looking at the board and her face was set in a frown. “I think we’ll have to take our time in here. If you didn’t move it and Maya didn’t move it...”
Ashley’s gaze roamed over her room from the bright green bedspread to the desk and her dresser. Oh God. She would give anything right about then for it to have been her aunt who moved it, even if it meant she’d be in trouble. Had the thing moved itself or some entity—
The doorbell rang and she jumped.
Her hand went to her chest and she breathed a fast sigh. “I’d better get it. It’s got to be the cable guy.”
Leah gripped her arm before Ashley had a chance to get out of the room. “This isn’t good, Ashley. Close the door after you. We’ll be a while in here.”
Ashley felt a mixture of relief and guilt as she raced down the stairs. She’s left them up there to deal with whatever was in that room. But if she’d been there she’d just be standing there watching Leah do her spell or chant or whatever. Plus, they needed someone there to tell the cable guy where to string the wire. Shit.
It had to be Aunt Claire who’d moved the board. Either that or Maya was playing tricks on her. Yeah. That had to be it.
She wished they’d never found that blasted board.
FIFTEEN
IT WAS PROBABLY THE TENTH TIME that Ashley wandered from the living room to the staircase looking up, listening hard while the cable guy worked in the living room. Leah’s voice was a soft, muffled sound, still working in her bedroom to cleanse it.
When the cable guy spoke next to her ear, she skittered sideways before clasping the newel post. Her heart was in her throat and she gasped.
He smiled. “Sorry to startle you. I’ve done the work inside. Now I’ve just got to install the dish and get it aligned.” His eyes narrowed watching her. “You okay, miss?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I’ve got friends over, and I want to get back to what we were doing. Do you need me down here anymore?”
“No. Go ahead. I’ll leave the invoice in the mailbox.” With that he went out the door, the tools on his equipment belt clamoring with each step.
Ashley raced up the stairs and hesitated for just a beat before entering her bedroom. God! They’d been up there for almost fifteen minutes! The room was a haze of smoke but she could see Leah standing in the center of the room. The bundle of brush was burned about halfway from its original size.
“You can open the window, Preston.”
Ashley stepped closer and gripped his arm. “Better not. If a cloud of smoke goes out the opening the cable guy might think the house is on fire.”
Leah nodded. “Good point.”
“Well? Do you think it worked?” Ashley’s stomach was a knot when she looked at Leah. She noticed that the dresser drawer was closed.
“I think so. But just in case I poured a line of salt along each wall. Salt is really good for repelling spirits. I don’t know why but everyone says it works. How about we do the rest of the house?” Leah stepped over to the door waiting for Ashley to open it, since she still held the bundle and tray for the ashes.
As Maya stepped by her carrying the bowl, she leaned in. “That was weird about the board, huh?”
Ashley examined her sister’s face for any twitch of a grin. But her sister was serious. So, if she hadn’t done it, it had to be Aunt Claire. She held Maya’s arm. “Is it still in the drawer?”
“Yeah.” Maya stepped out into the hallway.
“So...th...the cable i...is hooked uh...up?” Preston’s voice was calm, asking about the cable as if the ritual they’d just done was nothing to be worked up about.
Ashley turned to look back at him as they crossed the hallway to her aunt’s room. “Yeah. I think so. Preston, did you feel weird when you were covering up that bird?”
“A...a little. Whu...why?”
“Just curious, that’s all.” She turned and followed Maya into Aunt Claire’s bedroom. She looked around feeling like some kind of intruder. There was her aunt’s bed all made up, her night table with the book she was reading still open to where she’d left it. There was a shelf with more books next to the window. The photo album she’d seen when they were moving in was set up as a bookend.
Leah jerked her head, indicating the window, when Preston entered. “This room won’t take long. But we’ve got to do it just in case.”
Maya set the bowl down. “I hope she doesn’t smell this when she gets home.”
Leah started walking over to the corner, next to the closet. “We’ll air everything out. She won’t know.” She blew on the smudge and once more began the incantation, “I command any spirit to leave this place. By the power of light and goodness, I rebuke you.”
Ashley had heard it so many times she could say it in her sleep. But she kept silent, watching her friend complete the task.
When they were finished the room and even the bathroom, walking down the stairs, Maya asked, “Now that the house is just about cleansed of any evil spirit, I can still do the board to contact Mom and Dad, right?”
Ashley turned on her. “Are you crazy? We should get rid of that thing. We’re not sure that Aunt Claire moved that board, Maya! But we sure as hell know tha
t something did!”
Leah stepped off the bottom step. “We cleansed the house, Ash. Whatever was here playing a trick is gone.”
“So you say! I think we should get rid of that board. This isn’t healthy doing this.” Ashley looked over at Maya. “Let Mom and Dad be, Maya. You can’t bring them back.”
But Maya’s mouth was a straight line and her eyes flinty when she stared back at her sister. “You’re not the boss of me. If I want to contact them again, I will.”
Ashley looked over at Leah for support. Leah sighed but her eyes sparked. “Only do it if I’m there, Maya! Do you want to have to go through this every time you use the board?”
It was all Ashley could do to keep from yelling at both of them. “You’re as bad as she is, Leah! She wants to contact our parents, but you...you just eat this stuff up like its candy!” She turned to Preston, her last hope, “What do you think?”
His face colored pink and then he looked at Maya. “I th...think ih...if she wuh...wants to u...use it with Le...Leah, she can.”
Ashley ground her teeth so hard they crackled. Of course she should have known Preston would side with Maya. “Maya, leave this alone. I’m not telling you to, I’m asking. This isn’t something you want to pursue. Let. It. Go.”
“You let it go! First you think it’s all BS and then you’re scared of it. Which is it, Ash?” Maya stormed off to the living room and there was a plunk as she set the bowl of salt down.
Leah turned to her. “I’ll watch her. It’ll be all right, Ash.”
She hissed her answer, “But you’re not here all the time, Leah. What then?”
Leah shrugged. “Lock it up. Get a lock on your dresser drawer if you think she’s gonna use it without me. Actually that’s probably a good idea anyway.”
Her chin led the way getting in Leah’s face. “A better thing is to just burn it or throw it in the trash.”
But Leah only smiled. “Calm down, Ashley. It’ll be fine. I’ll look after everything. I’m fixing your mess now, aren’t I?”
Ashley’s arms clenched over her chest as she watched Leah and Preston follow Maya. For two cents she’d go back upstairs and break the damned board. She plopped down onto the bottom step. There was one thing she could do. She could tell Aunt Claire.
She sighed. Who was she kidding? She wouldn’t rat her sister out and also risk getting Leah into trouble. No. She’d have to go along and make sure Maya never played with the board on her own.
SIXTEEN
IT WAS AN HOUR LATER over a lunch of soup and sandwiches that Leah looked over at Ashley. “So? Were you ever going to mention the party on Tuesday to me? If anyone has a right to be pissed it’s me, Ash. Mason Sherwood is coming over and you were going to hog him all to yourself?”
Ashley’s eyes widened and she sputtered, “I didn’t get the chance. Not with all your voodoo shit.” Part of her had wanted to stay silent on the Mason raft-building thing, but she should have known that Preston would tell his sister.
“Huh!” Leah picked up her empty bowl and plate and brushed Ashley’s shoulder with her hip on the way by. “Well, I know now, don’t I? And that voodoo shit as you call it saved your ass, didn’t it?”
Maya looked over at Preston. “I’d like to give the board another try this afternoon while Aunt Claire is away.”
Ashley’s eyes narrowed. Well, that didn’t take long.
Leah looked over at Ashley when she spoke, “This time let’s set up the white candle I brought. It’s supposed to be helpful in only getting good spirits to come. Like your parents.”
Maya jumped to her feet and grabbed her things to take to the sink. “C’mon Preston. We’ll get it set up.”
The look in her eyes all excited shot a jolt of pain through Ashley’s heart. Maya was still trying to deal with the death of their parents and if this was the only way that helped, who was she to stop her? Besides which, she probably would sneak off to do it alone. And that wouldn’t be good.
She took the rest of the things from the table and watched as Preston rose to follow Maya. He’d even worn what looked like a brand new T-shirt and shorts, and his hair was smooth like he’d put some gel or mousse on it. The kid was going all out to impress her, even taking advantage of Henry’s injury to be with her and score points.
Ashley yelled after them when she heard their footsteps on the stairs, “Wait for us, Maya! Don’t you start this on your own!”
Leah turned to her and her gaze was even. “I’ll watch her, Ashley. Plus, it helped her with the guilt...you know, what she said to your mother that night.”
Ashley nodded, “Maybe. But I’m not sure about any of this. That Ouija board in my dresser. That freaks me out, Leah.”
Leah put her arm over Ashley’s shoulder. “We fixed the problem, Ash. From now on, maybe you’ll listen to me with all my voodoo shit, huh?”
Ashley slumped and led the way across the kitchen. “I can’t believe I’m doing this again.” She trudged up the stairs and then into her room. Leah was right behind her with a spring in her footsteps.
When they got to the room, Maya had pulled the curtain and had the board set on the floor between her and Preston. She looked up. “See? We waited.” She looked over at Preston. “What should we ask Mom?”
“Muh...maybe make shu...sure it’s her fir...first, okay?”
Ashley sat next to her sister and sat Indian style on the rug. “He’s got a point. Especially after what happened.” She looked over at Leah. “If you sense something else is taking over with the planchette, we stop immediately, right?”
“Absolutely.” Leah placed her fingertips on the board and looked at each of them. “Ready?” When all of them had their left hand on the reader she began, “Are there any spirits here with us? We seek benign spirits only. Robert or Gail Vincent. Are you present?”
The reader began to move, just a little at first toward the “Yes.” Ashley glanced over at Maya and saw her eyes lit up.
“Ask if they can see the future,” Maya whispered.
Leah shook her head. “Where they are is timeless and they can see everything. But they’re not allowed to tell us. Try something else.”
Preston whispered, “Ah...ask them suh...something that only thu...they would kn...know to muh...make sure it’s thu...them.”
Leah nodded. “That’s a good point. Especially after what happened.”
Maya thought for a moment. “If it’s Mom, what was your grandmother’s name?”
“You don’t know the name? How will you know if what they say is true?” Ashley peered at her sister.
“It’s in the family Bible. I saw it on Claire’s bookshelf earlier. We can check it and see.”
Leah shrugged and then asked, “Tell us the name of your grandmother.”
Ashley watched the planchette. It moved a little and then hesitated going in small circles. She held her breath wondering if this was going to be a repeat of what had happened the night before. But the reader slid over to the letter “P” and quicker this time it slid to “E,” “A,” “R” and then to the “L.”
Maya looked over at her. “Pearl?”
Ashley got to her feet. “Before you do any more let me check this.” She raced from the room and over to Claire’s. She grabbed the old, black-leather tome and then thumbed through to find it. It was there! A family tree with six layers of branches. Her eyes stung looking at her mother’s handwriting with her name and Maya’s. But three branches above it with another hand was written Pearl Elmsley nee Garrett.
She set the book back on the shelf and raced back. It was her. Pearl was an odd name, old-fashioned. When she entered the room they all looked up at her. “It’s true.” She took her place beside Maya and placed her fingertips on the reader.
“Mom? I miss you.” Maya’s voice was a faint whisper. “Do you miss us?”
The planchette began to circle the board and then it hovered over the letter “H.” Ashley looked over at Leah. “What’s it doing?”
L
eah’s eyes were wide. “I think she’s got a message for us.” She swallowed hard and then resumed, “Do you wish to tell us something?”
The planchette swooped to the letter “E,” “L” and then when it reached the “P,” it stopped.
“Help? You want to help us?”
The planchette shot to the “No.”
Leah sat back and let out a gush of air before continuing, “Help you?”
The planchette shot to the “Yes” so fast it was hard to keep her fingers connected.
Preston leaned close to Maya. “Ask her to spell out what she wants.”
Leah and Ashley shared a look. He’d done it again—spoken without the stutter.
“What is it you wish from us?” Maya leaned closer to the board.
The planchette shot to the letters “F,” “A,” “I,” “R” and then to the “Y.” Ashley’s fingers tingled as she tried to keep them on the reader. Fairy? “What is she getting at?”
Preston looked over. “I’ve got a feeling I know what’s next.”
The planchette scraped across the board to the “C,” “I,” “R,” back to the “C” and then the last two letters before stopping—fairy circle.
“I knew it.” Preston looked around at the others. He gazed at the planchette. “What about the fairy circle?”
Ashley’s breath froze in her chest as she waited for the board to answer. None of this was making any sense. She watched as the planchette once more began to move. It stopped at “B,” “O,” “D” and then paused on the ‘Y’ before starting small circles around the letter. Body. Fairy circle body.
She looked over at Maya. “What’s that got to do with Mom?”
Leah spoke, “Is this still Gail Vincent?”
Ashley felt a chill raise the hackles of her arm. She was ready for this to stop but still she kept her fingers on the reader. She gasped as it shot to the word “No” in the far right corner. That was it! Enough. She pulled her hand back.
But Leah wasn’t stopping. “What is your name?”
A Grave Conjuring Page 9