But instead of the sounds of splintering, Mason yelped again.
She turned and saw him holding his arm and the chair was on the floor in pieces. His jaw dropped and he gaped at them. “It bounced off the glass! It should have gone through.”
Claire straightened and her voice was flat when she spoke, “We’re trapped. Whatever this thing is, it won’t let us go.”
Leah was crying as she held onto Preston’s arm. She looked up at the ceiling, yelling, “WHAT DO YOU WANT? LET US GO. PLEASE!”
Preston’s voice was low when he spoke, “We need to use the board again. She wants to tell us something.”
Ashley stared at him feeling the hair on the back of her neck tingle. The thought of using the board made her blood run cold, but Preston had sounded so convincing. Again, his speech had been smooth like the other times he had used the board.
“Are you nuts? That’s how this shit got started, Preston!” Mason glared at him and ran his fingers through his hair, making fists pulling it.
Aunt Claire nodded slowly. “He’s right. We use it and this time we end it.” She looked over at the board and yelled at it, “This is the last time!”
Leah picked the board up and looked at her brother, “How? She broke the reader. We won’t know what it says.”
Claire straightened and sneered at Leah before marching over to the cabinet. “Ever hear of a shot glass, little girl? I’ve got some experience with that damned board too.” She plucked two small glasses out of the cabinet.
“Two? We don’t need two.” Leah cast a puzzled look at Claire and then set the board on the table.
“You’re right.” Claire reached into another cabinet and took a bottle of whisky down. As she poured she grimaced. “One for the board and one for me. It’s been a long time. The last time I used this board, I saw my brother’s death. It scared me so bad I threw it out. I thought if I did that, it wouldn’t happen.”
Ashley gaped at her aunt. “You saw Dad and Mom’s death? Did you actually see it or—”
“That’s not how that damned thing works Ash! You should know that. It spelled out the message.” She poured the whisky and then lifted it to her lips, tossing it back in one swallow. There was a sad look in her eyes when she continued, “I thought Robert would be spared. I tried begging, pleading as I used that damned board. We know how well that worked out.” She brought the other glass to the table and then took a seat.
She continued in a voice that was flat, “It possessed me. I had nightmares and would wake up to see a dark shadow hovering in the corner of my room. It got so bad that I saw it during the day, out of the corner of my eye and when I’d look, it would disappear. I had to get rid of it. But it wasn’t through with me, apparently.”
Ashley fought a fresh batch of tears as she took her seat, sliding her chair closer to Maya who was openly crying. She noticed that Leah looked down. At least this time she had enough sense not to pretend she knew what the hell she was doing, not in light of what Claire had just said.
Even Henry was quiet as he sat down next to Preston.
Mason looked around. “Where am I supposed to sit?”
Preston looked up at him. “Guess you’ll have to stand. You broke your chair.”
Ashley smiled and looked around to see that Preston’s remark had eased some of the tension.
Mason muttered, “Very funny.” He squeezed in next to Ashley, bending and extending his hand toward the shot glass in the center of the board.
“Just your index finger of your left hand.” Aunt Claire placed hers there first.
“Shouldn’t we have a candle?” Leah’s eyes were narrow peering at Claire.
Aunt Claire shot a look at Leah which was enough to snap her mouth shut and join everyone with a fingertip on the glass. Claire gazed at the small object for a few moments silently before she spoke, “We approach, in peace, whatever spirit resides here. I know that you are here. Are you the spirit of the girl who appeared earlier?”
Ashley glanced over at her aunt. Whatever shock she’d suffered when she first saw the board was not in the confident way she spoke then. She was more like the aunt she’d always been. Maya sniffled next to her and her hand rose to swipe a tear threatening to drip from her jaw. Even a look at Henry showed him waiting expectantly for something to happen. Like her, he was a believer now.
It was deathly still, except for the sounds of their breathing and the white noise of the rain continuing outside. The glass edged slowly across the board and then picked up speed to stop directly over the word “Yes.”
Claire took a deep breath staring down at the “reader,” “Skylar, what is it you wish of us?”
The reader moved faster now, shooting to the letters, “F,” “I,” “N,” “D,” “B,” “O,” “D” and then to the letter “Y.” “Find body.” Aunt Claire was about to ask another question but the reader kept moving. “F,” “I,” “N,” “D,” “K,” “I,” “L,” “L,” “E” and then “R.” Claire’s forehead creased. “Find killer.”
Henry whispered, “Why can’t she just tell us who killed her?”
Ashley looked at her aunt. It was something she was wondering too.
Leah hissed over at Henry, “She’s probably not allowed, jerk.”
“He’s not a jerk. Cut that out, Leah.” Mason glared at her. “It makes sense to me too.”
Aunt Claire shot each of them a look. “Shush.” She turned back to the reader. “You’ve told us where your body can be found. We promise we’ll do everything we can to find your remains. Please spell out the name of the person who caused your death.”
The reader began doing wide circles around the board. Ashley held her breath saying a silent prayer it wouldn’t fly off the board before they could properly end the session with “Goodbye.” Although from all the scary things happening in the house, her spirit was already there creating havoc.
“Stop this! You’re angry. We get that. But you need to settle down and tell us. Spell it out or we stop.” Claire used her “no nonsense” voice, and her eyes were narrow.
The reader paused and then shot to the letter “T,” “O” and jerked back to the letter “O.” But it wasn’t finished. It went to “L,” “A,” “T” and then “E.”
“Too late?” Leah looked over at Claire. “What does that mean?”
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Ashley just about jumped out of her skin! It came from the kitchen door! Maya’s finger left the board and she clambered over onto Ashley’s lap.
BANG! BANG! BANG! “LEAH!”
Leah screamed, “It’s come for me!” She jumped up and ran out of the room.
Preston stood up and crept over to the door slowly. “It’s a man out there! There’s someone at the door!”
Claire shoved the shot glass across the board to the word “Goodbye.” She looked at Ashley. “That’s how you end a session.” She got to her feet and took a deep breath. “Someone’s at the door. That’s all. It’s just someone knocking on the damned door!”
Ashley looked at her aunt and wondered if she was trying to convince them or herself that it wasn’t related.
“You can’t open it, remember? And it might be the killer!” Mason followed her, walking slowly. He grabbed the bottle of whisky holding it like a club.
Claire grasped the door handle and peeked out the window before she turned it. “What the...” Her hand moved quickly and the handle turned easily. Mason was right behind her with the bottle ready to clobber whomever entered.
She yanked the door open and cried out, “Jake?”
“Claire?”
Ashley sprung to her feet tugging Maya after her. It was unreal! Her uncle Jake!
Jake held a gun high and smiled up at Mason. “My gun beats that bottle kid but I’ll take a drink if you don’t mind.” He looked back at Claire. “Where’s Leah? Who is Leah? Can I come in out of the rain at least?”
When he stepped inside Ashley raced toward him and threw her arms around his neck. “U
ncle Jake!” Tears once more rolled down her cheeks but this time it was relief and happiness at seeing him.
“Ashley! And Maya! Oh my God! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be home with your mom and dad?” He hugged them one handed, holding the gun high out of reach. “Not that it’s not great to see you but...” He pulled back and looked at them.
Ashley was openly bawling now, heart-wracking sobs and it was Maya who answered, “They’re...they’re dead, Uncle Jake.” She took a step back while Claire hurried forward to tuck her into her arms.
Claire spoke next, “They were killed in a car accident two years ago, Jake.”
“What? Oh my God.” He pulled Ashley into him again, kissing the top of her head. “You poor, poor kids. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Oh God.”
Leah broke the moment when she spoke, “Angela? She sent you, didn’t she?”
“Are you Leah?”
She nodded. “Angela said you helped her family with a ghost in Alexandria Bay.”
He nodded.
“She said you’re in the FBI?”
“Yeah.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a leather wallet, flipping it open to display his badge and ID card. “FBI” was printed in large letters next to his picture.
“Holy shit!” Henry said. “Like the X-files? There’s a real X-files and you work for them?”
“No,” Jake said, putting his ID back in his pocket. “Angela and her family…” he hesitated. “They were under our protection because of a case. That’s all I can say.”
Leah nodded. “Yeah, she wouldn’t say anything about that either. But she said that you’d believe her.”
“I did, that’s why I came right away.” He reached out and held Ashley close as he stepped farther into the room. “She said you were in trouble. Something to do with a murder and...” He hesitated a moment. “...ghosts.”
He looked over at the table and then at each of them before fixing an icy stare at Claire. “What’s going on here, Claire? And why the hell didn’t you let me know about Rob and Gail? They were my friends as well as my sister and brother-in-law.”
The door slammed shut behind him with a force that shook the house. He jerked and then spun around with his gun in hand. But before he could even come to a standstill, a crash upstairs reverberated through Ashley’s gut.
She looked over at her aunt and her voice was a soft whisper, “It’s happening again.”
TWENTY SIX
“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” Jake raced over to the doorway and then looked up the stairs,
The pounding continued. It was like every door in the upstairs slammed shut and then opened again to slam again.
“It’s her! She wants us to find her body! She’s not going to leave us alone until we do!” Ashley screamed to be heard above the banging.
Jake spun around scowling at Claire. “Salt! Where’s your damned salt!” He raced to the cabinets and flung the doors wide, shoving things aside to find it.
Claire raced over and opened a bottom door. She grabbed the box and handed it to him. “Here! But it isn’t going to work! We need to find her body! That’s what she wants!”
He looked at her. “We need to settle this thing down! Can’t you see these kids are scared out of their minds!” He looked over at Ashley and Maya. “Screw that! We need to get out of this place. Now!”
Henry raced for the door, just ahead of Mason. He pulled and yanked at the door. “She’s locked us in again! We’re trapped here!”
“What do you mean? I just came in that door!” Jake banged the salt down and with a few wide strides he was there, elbowing by the guys. He pushed and pulled trying to get the handle to move. Finally he turned away. “Damn it!”
Mason huffed a fast sigh. “Even the windows won’t break for us to get out. I tried it already.”
Preston shouted, “No! We haven’t finished doing the board! We need to go back and finish it!”
“He’s right! There’s more she wants to tell us!” Leah raced over to the table and took a seat.
Ashley stood still silently crying as she watched her friend set the shot glass back in the center of the board. God. Just make this stop. She trudged lifting her hands to cover her ears from the bedlam in the floor above them.
Maya sat next to her while Preston sat on her other side.
“Claire? What the hell are you doing fooling around with Ouija boards? You shouldn’t have this thing and more importantly, not use it with kids. For God’s sake, Claire!”
But Ashley tuned her uncle out, raising her hand to join the others. Even Henry and Mason had come over to the table. They all placed their fingertips on the shot glass as before.
Leah began, “Skylar. We need—”
“No! I’ll do it this time!” Preston wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“Your voice, Preston. What’s with—”
“Be quiet Henry! Let him do it!” Maya gave his leg a kick under the table.
Preston started again, “Skylar. We need to—”
“Skylar! Wait a minute! I know that name! There’s a missing person alert that just came out.”
Ashley looked over at her uncle. “Uncle Jake! Please we need to do this.” Of course they knew she was missing. She was dead.
“Can I just do this please?” Preston shot a look over at Claire and Jake before turning to the board. “Skylar who killed you? We want to help.”
Once more the reader refused to cooperate at first going in small circles. From the corner of her eyes Ashley saw her uncle go out to the hallway and start up the stairs.
The reader jerked over to the letter “L.” It started up again but before it could stop at the next letter, Claire’s scream pierced through the kitchen.
Ashley jerked back and looked over at her aunt! Claire’s eyes nearly popped out on her cheeks, staring at the door.
“I saw her! She looked straight at me! Oh my God!” One hand clutched the edge of the counter while her other hand rose to cover her throat.
Jake flew back into the kitchen. “What happened?” He rushed over to Claire. “Are you all right?”
She turned and fell into his arms. “No! It was her! That Skylar girl!”
The board was forgotten in the rush over to look out the window.
Mason looked at Claire. “The face. It was just black holes where her eyes should have been, right? And she looked really angry, right?”
Claire nodded. She looked up at Jake and stepped back from him. “I can’t take much more of this. None of us can take any more!”
Preston went back to the board and yelled, glaring down at it, “Stop this!” He touched the glass reader. “We want to help you! Can’t you get that!”
Ashley went over, watching him. When Leah stepped to the other side of the table she looked at Preston and then turned to Ashley. “Let him do this alone. There’s something...” Her voice trailed off as she watched the reader jerk across the board, pausing for a fraction of a second at the letters, answering him.
L I A R It spelled the word liar. It was about to repeat when Preston yelled.
“I don’t speak so good but I don’t lie! I’ll prove it! I won’t spit swear, I’ll blood swear! Blood for blood!” Preston picked up the glass and smashed it on the edge of the table. He sliced his finger with a shard, watching his hand as blood immediately ran from the cut.
He slammed his hand on the board spattering blood over it. “There! Now stop this! We will find your body first thing in the morning when the rain stops. I swear a blood oath to you, Skylar!”
Suddenly all was silent. Only the hiss of the rain outside disturbed the air. And the air—it seemed lighter and easier to breathe for Ashley. She looked at Preston. “You did it.”
Maya went over and lifted his hand from the board. “You did it. You also really did a number on your finger, Preston.” More blood oozed out and dripped onto the board.
“I duh...don’t know whu...what came over muh...me.” He smiled down at her. “
It wuh...worked though.”
“Yeah…yeah it did.” She swiped a tear from her eyes with her other hand, not letting go of his injured one.
In the background Ashley heard Jake whisper to Claire, “What’s with his speech?”
The lights came on, and the buzz of the refrigerator starting up made Ashley look around. It was only in the glare of the light that she realized how dark it had been in the kitchen.
“Let there be light.” Henry came over and clapped Preston on the back. “You did it, bud!”
Mason dashed over to try the door. It opened as easily as it ever had. “Hey! We’re not trapped anymore. We can actually go home now, Henry!”
Preston turned and shouted, “No! We all stay here tonight. I gave my word. We fix this! We don’t call the police or anyone else. We’re in this together!”
Ashley looked at him. Preston was adamant about all this and considering he’d managed to restore some kind of order in the house, they had to listen to him.
“Well, technically, the cops already kind of know, right?” Jake said pointing at himself.
Claire had grabbed bandages and paper towels and was administering to Preston’s cut. She looked over at Jake. “You could have knocked me over with a feather seeing you at the door.”
Leah took her phone out of her pocket to try it. “They must have fixed the cell tower. I’ll let Mom know you’re staying the night, Preston.” She stepped across the kitchen, and her voice was a low murmur from the living room when she spoke on the phone.
Ashley was still in shock waiting and watching for the lights to go out or the upstairs to start banging again. But Preston looked confident, even smiling as Claire applied the bandage. He had some kind of connection to the board and the girl. The smoothness of his words was evidence of that.
“I’ll take that soft drink now if the offer’s still open.”
Claire looked at Henry, answering him, “Help yourself. They’re in the fridge. I think they should still be cold.”
She finished with the bandage and then went over to the counter, pouring another whisky for herself. “After all that I need this.” She looked at Jake. “How ‘bout you? You always liked scotch.”
A Grave Conjuring Page 15