Shadow Child

by Wendy Wang

  "Can you see a face?" Charlie asked. Is it a little girl, she added silently.

  Evan's lips twisted into a grimace and he shook his head. "No. Just a hand. A glowing pale hand."

  Charlie let out a shuddery breath and glanced around the yard. Her gaze landed on the playhouse again. They definitely needed to clean that space with some burned sage and salt.

  "Come on baby, let's go back to bed," Charlie said. She took Evan’s hand and guided him away from the dead bat and the unblinking stare of the playhouse. Neither of them cast a glance back at it as they headed up the steps to the safety and comfort of the cottage.

  Chapter 8

  Friday night, Charlie walked into the kitchen of the Holloway house followed closely by Evan. The kitchen was bustling with activity. The heavenly aroma of sage and chicken hung in the air, along with an undertone of apples and cinnamon.

  "Oh my gosh," Charlie said. "It smells like fall in here."

  "It's been a long week," Evangeline said. She bent over and pulled the oven door open. "I figured we could all use some comfort food."

  Charlie and Evan drew closer to get a peek at the two large casserole dishes in the oven.

  "Dressing?" Charlie asked.

  "Chicken and dressing casseroles," Evangeline said. "Plus collards, and green beans. And gravy of course."

  "Of course," Charlie said.

  "Which I still need to make," Evangeline said.

  "Don't forget the pumpkin pecan cheesecake for dessert," Jen added.

  "I swear, I would starve without y'all. Or at least my pants would be a size smaller," Charlie teased.

  "Hey Charlie," Daphne said as she entered the kitchen. "Mama, I finished setting the table."

  "Thank you, baby," Evangeline said.

  "Charlie you want a glass of wine?" Daphne asked and opened the refrigerator. She took a dark green bottle from one of the shelves and pulled out the cork. Several wine glasses sat empty and waiting on the counter. Daphne grabbed one by its stem and filled it a little more than halfway.

  "No thanks," Charlie said.

  "Is Tom joining us tonight, Charlie?" Daphne replaced the cork and put the wine back into the fridge and closed the door.

  "No." She glanced at Evan. "Why don't you go find Ruby and see what she's doing?"

  "Okay." Evan nodded agreeably and disappeared through the dining room.

  "Tom and I don't see each other much the weeks I have Evan," Charlie explained.

  "Really?" Daphne sipped her wine. "Has he ever met Evan?"

  "Oh yeah, once or twice. But I told Tom that until things get specifically serious with us, that he's not going to spend the night the weeks I have Evan."

  "How did he take that?" Daphne said.

  "Fine," Charlie said. "Tom is the most agreeable man I think I've ever dated."

  Daphne chuckled. "I'm sure, considering what he really is."

  "Daphne," Jen scolded.

  "What? It's not as if I'm wrong. He's a freaking reaper for crying out loud," Daphne said.

  "Hush," Jen and Evangeline said at the same time. Evangeline's eyes cut to the door. "That's enough."

  "It's not really a secret, is it?" Daphne asked.

  "Evan doesn't know," Charlie said. "I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to explain it to him."

  "Ruby and Daddy don't know either," Jen said keeping her voice just above a whisper. "And I'd rather keep it that way."

  "I agree with Jen," Evangeline said. "Jack is a very open-minded man, but I'd rather not push him beyond his limits."

  "Agreed," Charlie and Jen said.

  Charlie picked up a carrot from a tray of vegetables and dipped it in the little bowl of ranch dressing next to it. "So is Lisa here?" She bit into the carrot with a loud crunch.

  "You mean is Jason here?" Daphne said.

  Charlie's cheeks burned, and she cut an irritated gaze at her cousin. "He is here, by the way. He and Jack are talking about football in the living room."

  "Lisa's here too," Jen said not masking her irritation with Daphne. "She’s upstairs in the attic."

  "What's she doing up there?" Charlie asked.

  "She said she needed to look at a couple of my books," Jen said.

  "Hmm. I think I'll go up and say hello," Charlie said.

  "Good luck with that," Daphne chided. "She already chased me off."

  "Maybe because you have a big mouth," Jen scolded. "If she wanted our help she'd ask."

  "Whatever Jen. I'm gonna go back to the living room now." Daphne scooped up her wine glass and disappeared through the dining room.

  "She's in a mood," Charlie said.

  "Yeah," Jen said, looking at the door. "I'm not sure what's going on with her."

  "I'm sure she'll tell us when she's ready," Evangeline said. "Until then y'all just be kind to each other, okay?"

  "Yes ma'am," Jen and Charlie said in unison.

  "I think I'll go up and say hi to Lisa," Charlie said.

  "Okay," Jen said. "Would you pop your head into Ruby's room and let her know supper will be ready in fifteen minutes."

  "Can she tell time?" Charlie asked.

  "A little bit. It's more to get her prepared to stop whatever she's doing." Jen explained. "She can be a bit of a flibbertigibbet sometimes."

  "Right," Charlie said. "I'll tell her."

  Charlie popped the rest of the carrot into her mouth and finished it while she walked through the dining room and down the short corridor to the living room of her uncle's house. She could hear her uncle talking about Clemson and his hopes for their season."

  "I'm telling you they're going to Nationals this year. I can feel it in my bones," Jack said.

  "Yes sir," Jason said.

  Charlie took a deep breath and stepped into the living room. Jack sat in his leather recliner with a glass of bourbon in one hand. Jason sat on the edge of the couch, his elbows on his knees and a beer in his hands, listening keenly to Jack. Charlie fought the urge to roll her eyes at him for being such a kiss ass.

  "Hi Uncle Jack," Charlie said.

  "Charlie!" Jack said giving her a wide smile. "How you doing girl?"

  "I'm good, thank you," Charlie said.

  "Hey Charlie," Jason said. He gave her a hopeful look.

  "Hey," she said and quickly shifted her gaze to the game table at the other end of the living room where Daphne and Evan leaned over a board game. "Whatcha playing, honey?"

  "A quick game of Parcheesi," Daphne said. She picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

  "Like there is such a thing," Charlie teased. "I'm gonna run upstairs and say hi to Lisa." She didn't wait for a response from anyone. Instead, she walked past them into the foyer and up the steps.

  Charlie stopped on the second-floor landing and found Ruby's door open.

  "Hey Ruby," Charlie said.

  "Hey Charlie," Ruby said looking up from her place on the floor. Several stuffed animals made a circle with Ruby in the center.

  "What're you doing, honey?" Charlie asked.

  "I'm showing Barbara Jean how to make a wish circle," Ruby said.

  "What's a wish circle?" Charlie said.

  "You know, where you make wishes so they'll come true. Barbara Jean misses her mommy, so I told her we'd make a wish circle so she could see her again."

  The hair on Charlie's arms rose, and she glanced around the room. "Is Barbara Jean here now?"

  "Uh huh," Ruby said. She picked up a doll with long blond hair and smoothed it with her hand.

  "Where is she?" Charlie asked.

  "Over there," Ruby pointed to the child-sized rocker in the corner of her room. Charlie stared at the chair but saw nothing. Charlie couldn't stop herself from walking across the room and putting her hand in the empty space. Her heart thudded in her ears. She waited a minute to feel something. Cold air. A tingle. Some little sign that there was a ghost present.

  "She's not there anymore. You scared her," Ruby said.

  "Tell her I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare her," Charlie
muttered and rose to her feet. "Dinner's in fifteen minutes. Do you know what that means?"

  Ruby nodded her head and looked to the round clock on the wall with a crescent moon face and a teddy bear wearing an old fashioned sleeping gown and cap reclining against the curve of the moon. The dark blue hands of the clock read 6:15.

  "When the little hand and the big hand are on the six it will be time to come downstairs, okay?" Charlie said.

  "Okay Charlie," Ruby said. She hugged her doll to her chest.

  Charlie shook off the feeling she was missing something and returned to her mission. She headed up to the third floor, last door at the end of the second-floor landing and opened it, revealing a staircase.

  "Lisa?" Charlie called. "You up here?"

  "Yep, come on up," Lisa said. Charlie took the first step then closed the door behind her to keep Ruby's curiosity from getting the better of her. Charlie held onto the rail attached to the wall as she made her way up the steep steps.

  "How's it going?" Charlie said. "Daphne said you chased her off."

  Lisa sat on an old oak chair with a broken spindle in the back, a pile of books around her feet and one opened wide laid across her lap. She looked up from her book. "Daphne is a nosey Nellie."

  Charlie chuckled. "Yes, she is. What are you doing?"

  "I'm looking for a spell," Lisa said.

  "What sort of spell?" Charlie asked.

  Lisa turned a page. "Just a spell for a friend.”

  “Maybe I can help, but you’re going to have to tell me what you’re looking for," Charlie said.

  “A friend of mine lost something, and I need a spell to help him find it," Lisa said.

  “Him?” Charlie asked. She studied her cousin’s stoic face. “You mean Jason?”

  “No, not Jason,” Lisa said. “It’s someone I work with. He lost something very valuable to him and I promised I’d help find it. That’s all.”

  Charlie took an old stool and dragged it next to Lisa. "You know I love you and you don’t have to lie to me. Do you have the case file?"

  "No," Lisa made a disgusted sound. "Even if I did, he’s being stubborn. He doesn’t want your help. Sorry."

  "There’s nothing to be sorry for," Charlie said. “Maybe you really can help him.”

  “How? I am not the slightest bit psychic,” Lisa said, closing the spell book on her lap. “This would be so much easier if you two would just make up.”

  “You know what that would take,” Charlie said.

  “Yes, I do. ” Lisa set the spell book she’d been reading on top of the stack by her feet. “But since neither one of you is getting any less stubborn with age, I don’t see that happening any time soon.”

  "What did Jason say, when you asked him why he didn't want to apologize to me?" Charlie asked.

  "I didn't," Lisa began.

  "Yes, you did. Probably multiple times,” Charlie said.

  Lisa sighed. "He said he's not ready to trust you yet."

  "And that is why I won’t make up with him."

  "I swear y'all drive me crazy," Lisa muttered.

  "I know," Charlie said. “I meant it when I said you could probably help him.”

  "How?" Lisa folded her arms and focused her hazel eyes intently on Charlie's face.

  "Maybe you should consult the cards," Charlie said. “Ask a specific question, see what you get back. And if that doesn’t work, you can always ask Daphne to help.”

  “To what? Fix my hair?” Lisa said in a disparaging voice.

  “Come on now, she’s a hell of a witch,” Charlie said.

  “She’s also flighty and more interested in helping her paying clients than her family,” Lisa said.

  “That’s not true. She has always come through for us. Don’t sell her short, just because she likes to help people look and feel their best.”

  Lisa rolled her eyes. “Fine. So what’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing’s going on with me,” Charlie said. Saying those words was getting easier. Maybe if she said them enough, she’d start to believe them. “Why do you ask that?”

  “Your energy is off,” Lisa said. “It’s not as bright as usual. Like something’s dampening it. You sure you’re okay?”

  "I don't know," Charlie said. “It’s been a hard week. I got some bad news, and I need to figure some things out. That’s all.”

  “You want to talk about it?” Lisa asked.

  “Thanks,” Charlie said.

  "Dinner!" Jen's voice echoed through the house.

  Charlie smiled. "Maybe Later."

  "Okay. I'm here whenever you need me," Lisa said.

  "I appreciate that," Charlie said. "We better go before Jen thinks we got lost up here."

  Lisa nodded and rose from her chair, and the two of them headed downstairs. Charlie stopped by Ruby's room to make sure she’d heard her mother. “I’ll be along in a minute.”

  Lisa nodded and kept moving.

  Charlie stepped into the small dark bedroom. Her eyes scanned the shelves and the floor. Everything seemed to be in its place. She glanced at the circle of stuffed animals on the floor, now empty of their main wisher. From the corner of her eye, Charlie saw a flicker of light. She held very still, and a second later the apparition of a little girl appeared in the rocking chair. She wore a blue smocked dress with a Peter Pan collar and white trim around the short sleeves and hem. Her straight brown hair was bobbed at her shoulders and pinned away from her face with two fanciful matching barrettes.

  "Hello,” Charlie said softly. “What’s your name?” But she already knew. It had to be Barbara Jean, didn’t it? Yes. She was sure of it.

  The spirit’s eyes widened and her mouth opened a little. She let out a little gasp, flickered, and disappeared again.

  “It’s okay,” Charlie said. She glanced around the darkened room looking for any sign of the child. “You don’t have to be scared.”

  “Who’re you talking to?” Lisa asked from the door.

  Charlie turned to her cousin and shook her head. “No one I guess. I thought you were already downstairs.”

  “Nope. Everything okay in here?” Lisa said.

  “It is now,” Charlie said.

  “Good. Come on then. Let’s go eat,” Lisa said. “All that searching made me hungry.”

  Charlie headed toward the door but couldn’t resist looking over her shoulder one last time before leaving. Jen hadn't mentioned any strange happenings. Charlie would talk it over with her cousin as soon as they got a moment alone. She didn’t sense anything harmful from the girl, but still, it wasn’t her child sleeping in this room.

  "Charlie!" Lisa shouted from the top of the stairs.

  "I'm coming!" Charlie answered and headed for the staircase.

  Chapter 9

  Charlie dried the last dish and placed it in the cabinet. She leaned against the counter, watching Jen start in on the last of the pots. Charlie admired the meticulous way Jen scrubbed away little bits of burned-on food from the large glass baking dishes until they sparkled like crystal. When she finished the first baking dish, she rinsed it and handed it to Charlie. She took it and made quick work of drying it.

  "I don't know where this goes," Charlie said.

  "Just put it on the counter. I'll put it up later,” Jen said.

  "So," Charlie said feeling strangely awkward. "How've things been since Ruby got her wish?"

  "Hmmm? What wish?" Jen said, rinsing the second baking dish. She picked up the last pot and put it into the warm soapy water. Her hand swirled the scrubby sponge in a circle, inside the stainless steel, picking off the bits of leftover collards and smoked turkey neck.

  "For the playhouse. Any weird stuff happening I should know about?" Charlie asked.

  Jen lost hold of the pan, and it hit the bottom of the porcelain covered cast-iron sink with a thud.

  "Like what?" Jen wiped her hands with a nearby dishtowel.

  Charlie folder her arms across her chest and shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. Like a
ny shadows or footsteps or … ghostly children?"

  Jen's mouth twisted into a grimace and she made a choking noise. "What?"

  “I saw something in Ruby’s room,” Charlie said.

  “What?” Jen said.

  “A little girl. I didn’t get any sort of negative vibe from her. In fact when I acknowledged her, she got scared and disappeared,” Charlie said.

  "Oh my gosh,” Jen said, her voice fearful. “A child's laughter woke me up last night, but I thought it was just a dream.”

  "Sorry, sweetie. It wasn’t a dream,” Charlie said.

  “Great. That’s just fan-freaking-tastic,” Jen said, her usual optimism dissipating.

  “I don’t think she’s dangerous if that’s what you’re worried about,” Charlie said.

  “I don’t care. I don’t want her in my house,” Jen said.

  “I completely get it. What do you want to do?” Charlie asked.

  “Can’t you catch her and just make her move on?”

  “I wish it was that simple,” Charlie said. “I can’t catch something I can’t see and it appears as if she’s really good at hiding.”

  “What do we do?” Jen asked. “Ruby’s already in bed.”

  “First thing I would do is take that rocker back to the playhouse and leave it there,” Charlie said. Jen’s blue eyes widened. “That’s where I saw her, sitting in the rocker.”

  “Done,” Jen said. “I’ll burn some sage in there in the morning.”

  “We could put some crystals in the corners of the room tonight. Maybe that will keep her out for now. I’d really like to figure out who she is and coax her to move on, on her own, instead of forcing her.”

  “What I don’t understand is how she even got into this house,” Jen said. “I have the house warded up the wazoo.”

  “Hmmmm,” Charlie folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the counter. “There are two reasons that come to mind.”

  “I’m listening,” Jen said.

  “First she’s not negative. The cleansings we do, the crystals, the salt …” Her lips twisted with thought. “Although the salt might work … anyway, those things are for negative energies. Like I said, I don’t sense anything harmful about her. She’s just a little girl who is attracted to another little girl with bright, happy energy.”