Shadow Child

by Wendy Wang

  Okay. See you Sunday.

  Okay. Love you!

  Charlie tucked her phone in her bag and headed home.

  The gray October sky rumbled overhead and threatened rain as Charlie made her way to her uncle’s house. Ben had texted her earlier in the day to say he had to run to Columbia and wouldn't be able to meet her that afternoon. Charlie figured she didn't need him there to listen to the reel-to-reel anyway, or to read through the rest of the diaries. It was her mystery. She would solve it.

  "Charlie," her uncle called out when she knocked on the back door. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

  "Is this a bad time?"

  "No. Come on in," he said. "Jen should be home in a couple hours. And I need to pick up Ruby in about thirty minutes. Is there something I can help you with?"

  "No sir," Charlie replied. "I left something here for a work project. Some journals and the reel-to-reel tape that I'm listening to."

  "Oh right." Jack nodded and said, "Jen mentioned something about it on a voicemail. You're welcome to come in and do whatever you need to do."

  "Thank you."

  She headed to the dining room first to retrieve the diaries. Her cousins had left them on the dining room table last night, but now the table was empty.

  Charlie checked the drawers of the buffet server and all the chairs. "Hey, Uncle Jack?"

  "What's up, honey?"

  "I left three small books on the table here last night. Have you seen them?" Charlie asked, still looking around.

  "No. I haven't seen anything, honey. Maybe Jen moved them. Or Ruby," Jack said.

  "You haven't had anything strange happen here lately, have you?" Charlie asked, a little concerned.

  "You mean stranger than my niece’s boyfriend turning into the Grim Reaper?" Charlie let out a nervous laugh. "Right. Touché. It doesn't have to be stranger than that. But maybe along the same lines?"

  Jack was silent for a moment. "I had a window break for no reason I could discover."

  "What? When?" Charlie asked.

  "This morning. Early. Woke me up when I heard the crash upstairs in the attic. When I went up to check on it, the window had been shattered."

  "And you couldn’t tell what broke it?" Charlie asked, definitely alarmed now.

  "No. I didn't find a brick or a baseball or anything like that," Jack said. "Hence it fell into the category of strange."

  "Yeah. Can I take a look?"

  "Sure," Jack replied. "Have at it. I already boarded the window up. They’re calling for rain for the rest of the week. I went ahead and ordered new glass, but since these are double paned it’s going to be four weeks before it gets here."

  "Thanks, Uncle Jack," Charlie said. She touched his elbow as she passed him and headed to the stairs. Her senses heightened the closer she got to the second floor. She thought about turning around and going back to her house to retrieve a God's eye cross. Maybe it was time she just stopped trying to figure out Edwina’s story and how to help her and just move her on with what she did best.

  But something in her innermost gut stopped her. There was still Barbara Jean to contend with. And she had a sneaking feeling that Margaret Ruskin might haunt her dreams if she didn't help her daughter.

  When she got to the top of the landing, she opened the door to the third-floor attic and immediately saw the reel-to-reel player upside down on the floor. The tape, neatly wound the last time she saw it, now was a tangled pile of thin brown plastic strips. The box she had snuck out of Paul Ruskin's house lay open on its side, empty of the two other reels.

  Charlie's gaze shifted to the dark, plywood-covered window. Her heart thudded loud in her ears. Her skin tingled with the chill of the ghost.

  "All I want to do is help you," Charlie said. "Why won't you let me help you?"

  The reel-to-reel player began to drag across the floor. Then it suddenly jumped into the air and flew at Charlie. She barely had time to react, but she was able to lurch out of the way before it connected with the top step of the landing, bouncing all the way down to the bottom of the stairs.

  A large plastic box of ornaments Jen used for decorating at Yule fell onto its side. The delicate silver balls and gold suns lifted into the air and headed toward Charlie. She knew better than to stand there and argue with an angry spirit. She turned and ran down the steps, slamming the door behind her just in time for the ornaments to hit it and shatter into a million little pieces.

  Charlie put her head against the door. What the hell was she going to do now?

  "We are not burning down the house, Jennifer Elizabeth," Jack said. "And that is final."

  "Sheesh, Daddy, you don't have to yell," Jen said. "It was a joke."

  "I feel like this is all my fault." Charlie noticed Ruby picking through her crayons before she carefully selected the right orange to color in the jack-o'-lantern grinning back from the coloring page in front of her. The child seemed content enough to ignore the arguing between the adults in the room, but Charlie sensed her youngest cousin was actually listening and absorbing every word.

  "I think Uncle Jack is right," Charlie said. "We don't need to be too dramatic in our response. She's mad. Yes. And it’s my fault. But I really don't think she wants to hurt anybody. Especially not Ruby. Or you, Jen. She's trying to tell me something."

  "Yes, stay out of my business. That's what she's trying to tell you," Jen insisted.

  "And you know I can't do that. I won't do that. I know you're scared. But so far, she's not really done anything to hurt anybody. Except maybe that bat," Charlie pointed out.

  "Did you call Tom?" Jen asked.

  "I did," Charlie sighed. "He has a viewing that he has to attend until seven-thirty. He can't get here before eight."

  "Great." Jen threw her hands up in the air. "That's just great. And what are we supposed to do until then?"

  "I'm willing to try to capture her myself if that would make you feel better."

  "You are?"

  "Yes."

  "Now hold on just a minute," Jack protested. "What are you gonna do Charlie? And is it dangerous?"

  "There's a spell that I can use along with something called a God's eye cross. It's basically a spirit trap. I mainly only use them when things are really bad, to try to help the average, everyday spirit to move on." Charlie frowned. "I had hoped that's what I could do for Edwina and Barbara Jean."

  Jen’s gaze drifted pensively to the ceiling. "What I want to know is how the protections broke. That scares me more than anything else."

  "I'm not sad, Mama." Ruby didn't look up from her coloring. "And you shouldn't be either. Now Barbara Jean can come see me again."

  Charlie traded glances with Jen. "Ruby, did you happen to make a wish for Barbara Jean to be able to come see you again?"

  "Uh-huh," Ruby said and traded out her orange crayon for a green one.

  "When did you do that, sweetheart?" Jack asked.

  "This morning when I went to gather the eggs. Me and Barbara Jean petted all the chickens,” Ruby said. And then she stated very matter-of-factly, “And I told her that I wished she could come back in the house with me."

  "Oh, good goddess," Jen muttered.

  "You might want to close your mouth there, Charlie girl," Jack said. "You'll draw flies."

  Charlie snapped her mouth shut and then fought the grin threatening to break across her lips.

  "This is not funny, Charlie," Jen said.

  "It's a little funny," Jack said.

  Charlie broke into laughter first, joined by Jack and then finally Jen. Charlie wiped at her eyes and her laughter subsided. "So, what do you want to do, Jen?"

  "I want to fix supper. And help Ruby with her homework, and put her to bed. I'm just gonna have to trust that the spirits are not malevolent," Jen said.

  "I think that's a good idea for now," Charlie agreed.

  "You want to stay for supper?" Jen asked.

  "Yeah, that would be great." Charlie smiled and added, “I think Lisa may be joining us, too.” />
  Jen rose from her chair. “Did she say something?” she asked, gathering Ruby’s crayons from the table and putting them into the plastic shoebox where she kept them.

  “She texted me earlier. She got the file I asked for from Jason.” Charlie stood up and stretched her back. “Can I help you with supper?”

  “Sure. I hope pork chops are okay,” Jen said.

  Charlie’s smile grew wider. “Of course. They’re my favorite.”

  “I thought fried chicken was your favorite.”

  Charlie laughed. “All the food you make is my favorite, Jen. I thought you’d have figured that out by now.”

  Lisa gripped the doll in one hand and the file folder for the missing girl’s case in the other and climbed the steps to her father's house. She walked into the bustling kitchen and found her sister frying pork chops at the stove and her cousin Charlie chopping up heads of cauliflower and broccoli into florets. Charlie placed the pieces into a colander, and when she finished rinsing the chopped veggies, she dumped them onto a sheet pan, doused them with olive oil, then sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and thyme. Jen slipped the pan into the oven and set the timer.

  "Smells good," Lisa said.

  "Just in time." Jen grinned and gave her an order. "Why don't you set the table."

  "I should've known you'd put me to work," Lisa quipped. She unpinned the messy bun at the base of her head and shook out her long hair. Then slipped off her high heels and hung her purse on a coat hook near the door. She went to the sink and washed up her hands before counting out enough plates.

  "What's this?" Ruby asked, picking up the doll from the table.

  "Sweetie, please don't touch that," Lisa said.

  "What is it?" Ruby put it down and stared at her aunt with unblinking eyes.

  "It's a doll but not like the dolls that you play with," Lisa explained. "I'm going to use it to help me find a little girl who's lost."

  Ruby's eyes widened, and her gaze shifted back to the doll. "How is it going to do that?"

  "You know how sometimes you have dreams?" Charlie asked. She picked up the doll and the file folder that Lisa had brought and put them on the counter out of Ruby’s reach.

  "Yes.” Ruby’s gaze followed Charlie’s movements.

  "We’re going to use the doll to help us have a sort of dream."

  Ruby’s lips turned up at the corners. " Cool. I like the red thread."

  "Me too, honey," Lisa said giving her niece a smile. "Why don't you help me set the table. Can you count out five forks?"

  Ruby nodded her head. She counted aloud as she pulled each fork from the silverware drawer. When she finished, the silver rattled as she placed it on the table.

  “Here you go, Aunt Lisa.”

  “Thank you, baby.” Lisa began to lay the forks next to each plate. “Why don’t you go tell your granddaddy that supper will be ready in just a little bit and ask him to help you wash up. Okay?”

  “Okay. Got it.” Ruby chirped and skipped out of the kitchen.

  “Before y’all leave tonight,” Jen said to her cousins, “I want some help sealing off the attic. At least till we can get this whole ghost mess settled.” She placed the last of the cooked pork chops on a platter lined with paper towels.

  “Sure,” Lisa said. “I’m sure Daphne will be relieved that she can wear a glamour in this house again.”

  “No doubt about that.” Charlie peeked inside the oven. “I’m relieved Tom can visit, too, and wear a proper face again. Although, I’m not sure how Jack will handle seeing him now.”

  “He’ll adjust,” Lisa said.

  “Lisa’s right. Think about how much he’s adjusted in the last few months. He went from sort of knowing we are witches to acknowledging it and accepting us as we are,” Jen added.

  “True,” Charlie agreed. “But Tom’s not a witch. And Jack keeps saying he’s the Grim Reaper.”

  “Well he’s not wrong,” Lisa argued.

  “He is a reaper. Not the reaper,” Charlie corrected. “There’s a difference, and Tom gets a little upset when we say he’s death. So if y’all wouldn’t mind, maybe you could stop calling him that.”

  “Fine,” Lisa said begrudgingly.

  “Thank you,” Charlie said.

  "You sure you don't want to cast a circle?" Jen asked taking a seat in the chair next to Charlie at the dining room table.

  "No, not yet." Charlie picked up the doll and brushed her fingers across the hair trying to get a read on the missing girl. Flashes of the girl’s face flooded Charlie's mind. The pictures the news stations had used were the first images she saw. Then it changed. Charlie closed her eyes so she could access the vision more clearly.

  A man driving a black van with no lights on. He'd spotted the girl earlier in the day at the grocery store with her mother, and that's when he knew he had to have her. She was perfect.

  Charlie tried to guide the vision looking for any distinguishing marks on the van, but all she saw was black. And no headlights. Then she connected with a sickening jolt.

  He had parked at the ranger station after midnight and waited. Then he wandered through the dark into campsites looking for her mother's car. When he found it, he knew all he had to do was wait. He could feel it. She would be his. They would be together forever.

  Charlie gritted her teeth and fought the urge to vomit. Wanting to see more. Needing to see more. But he disappeared into a fog, leaving her with only the sick feeling in her gut.

  She put the doll on the table and opened her eyes.

  “Anything?” Lisa asked.

  “He’s in a black van, and he spotted her at the grocery store with her mother the day before he snatched her,” Charlie said. She wanted more than anything to scrub her eyes with the heels of her hands, to scrub away his thoughts from her head, but nothing would do that for her now. “I’m sorry I don’t have more. I couldn’t see a license plate.”

  “No, it’s okay. You tried. That’s what’s important.” Lisa reached across the table and touched Charlie’s hand. “Thank you. Seriously.”

  “Tell Jason to check if the grocery store keeps their security footage. It’s a long shot since it’s been a few months, but it’s worth chasing down,” Charlie suggested.

  Lisa nodded and gathered up the doll and the file. “I’ll have him check traffic cams too. There’s one at the intersection of the main road leading to Palmetto Point Beach and Highway 17.”

  “Good idea.” Charlie gave her cousin a reassuring smile and watched her disappear into the kitchen, wishing she could shake the feeling that it would take a miracle to find the girl.

  Chapter 16

  Charlie awoke in the middle of the night sweating. Her throat was bone dry. She'd been dreaming about the tunnel and being stuck inside it, with no light and no way out. She sat up. Tom was gone but he’d left a note on the pillow.

  Sorry love. Duty calls. I'll call you later. Tom.

  She folded the piece of paper and put it on the nightstand before making her way into the kitchen for a glass of water. And ended up drinking three large tumblers. But the icy liquid didn't offer the relief she had hoped for. When she finished the fourth glass, she rinsed it in the sink and glanced out the small window to the backyard. Two pale white forms descended the steps at her uncle’s house.

  Charlie watched with curiosity at first until it hit her. One of those forms was Ruby, and the other was Barbara Jean. She glanced at the clock over the small bistro table. It read 2:30 AM. Charlie put the glass in the drainer, and after stopping to put on a pair of old Ked tennis shoes she kept by the door, headed out of her house wearing only her sleepshirt.

  The chilly night air wound around her bare legs and dew from the grass quickly wet the canvas of her shoes, making her feet cold. Ruby and Barbara Jean had slipped into the darkness of the playhouse before Charlie had even left her porch. The Holloway house was dark with one exception. A pale-yellow light glowed from the attic windows. Charlie could see Edwina standing in that light, looking d
own at the playhouse. Even at this distance she could feel the spirit’s longing to be with her daughter. But something was stopping her. Charlie just couldn't work out what it was. She quickened her pace.

  "Ruby?" Charlie called. Giggling, high-pitched and girlish, washed through Charlie's mind. There was nothing earthly about that laughter. Nothing of Ruby. Panic stuck in Charlie's throat like a pebble. "Ruby Ellen Holloway? You answer me right this minute."

  Charlie pushed open the playhouse doors with such force that they slammed into the wall. The panic in Charlie's throat grew, tightening against her windpipe and robbing her of her breath.

  "Ruby?" Charlie searched every corner of the interior. But she wasn’t there. It made no sense. It's not as if there were a lot of places to hide. "Ruby! Answer me!"

  The only reply she got was the sound of giggling from a child.

  "This is a dream." Charlie said aloud. "This has to be a dream."

  She reached down and touched her shoes. She'd had some very real dreams in her time, but none that left her fingers wet.

  She stumbled out of the playhouse heading toward the darkened Holloway home. The noise of her fist banging against the back door echoed through her head but she couldn't stop. A few minutes later lights clicked on, first in the dining room and then in the kitchen. A groggy Jack Holloway opened the door, a double barreled shotgun in his hands.

  "Charlie?" he said his voice full of gravel and sleep. "What's wrong?"

  "I need you to check on Ruby. This could all be a really bad dream, but I just saw her go into the playhouse and disappear." The words ran together.

  Jack squinted, his mouth twisting. “All right honey slowdown. I'm not sure what you just said? I heard Ruby and playhouse, but that's about it."

  A moment later Jen came into the kitchen tying her pale-blue bathrobe around her waist. "What's wrong with Ruby?"

  "Come on inside, honey," Jack said. "You must be freezing."

  Charlie took a deep breath and spoke deliberately. "I'm okay. Is Ruby in her room?"

  "I think so," Jen replied. "Why?"