The Ghosts of RedRise House

by Caroline Clark

  “Don’t fret. Like I said I’m happy here. My agent said my book was the best I’ve done. Grittier. The money has to go into a trust for now, but it gives me something to do.”

  “Is it difficult with the other patients?” Jesse let his eyes skip around the room and grimaced at the insensitivity of his words.

  “Most of them are not that different. There are a few really disturbed individuals, but they are kept in a more secure area. I’ve made a few friends.”

  “That’s great.” Gail smiled she really was pleased that Rosie was taking this so well. Would she have done the same? She doubted it, but maybe Rosie was right. Having been forced to murder while possessed by an evil spirit must have been far worse than this secure hospital. It looked more like a club than anything and Gail had been surprised that it was mixed. There were male and female prisoners — patients.

  “Have you set a date?” Rosie asked.

  “We haven’t yet, but I wondered about the summer. We’re hoping you can come... will be allowed out on license for the wedding. If not we may have it here.” Gail laughed as Rosie let out a gasp and then jumped up and pulled her into a hug.

  “Have you picked a dress?”

  “Not yet, I have it down to a few choices, I can’t decide whether to go for a full fairytale or more sleek and modern.”

  “Stop, stop right now.” Jesse held up his hand and got up from the table. “I’m gonna go make us some drinks. I will be five minutes... when I get back, all wedding dress talk must be over.”

  The girls laughed as he walked away.

  “Do you have pictures?” Rosie asked.

  “Yeah, and he’ll be more than five minutes, so we have time.”

  Gail pulled a file from her bag. Though she had not been allowed to bring her phone in the guards had let her bring in some pictures. Quickly she spread them all out on the table.

  “They are beautiful.” Rosie looked at each in turn. “I think the cream ones will go better with your dark hair and complexion.”

  “I agree.” Gail pulled four of the pictures away. “Now help me choose.”

  Jesse left the girls talking, but instead of heading for the breakroom he signed out of the secure area to check his phone. On a previous visit, Rosie had told them how Shelly and Jack had come to see her and how she was afraid that they would go to RedRise House.

  The ghosts of the children had to be dealt with. Sent to peace but it was not proving easy. The owners would not allow them access. Somehow he believed that they knew what the house was. That they knew about the souls of the children stuck there and that they wanted it left that way. Rosie had promised the children she would free them and Gail and Jesse had taken on that promise. They would visit the house, they would release the children with or without the consent of the owners.

  What Jesse hadn’t told Gail was that he had visited the area and had spoken to a priest there. A man called Nick Aubrey. Jesse knew all about Nick from Rosie, and he had gone against his instincts in asking him for help. Nick had been reluctant, but in the end, he had agreed to keep an eye on the place and let Jesse know if anyone showed up. Of course, he didn’t have a phone, not even a landline, so Jesse had left him with one and asked that he call if anyone showed up. At the time he wondered if that were foolish. What if Nick couldn’t use the phone?

  It looked like it wasn’t. Two days ago Nick had left him a stilted message that was drowned out by static.

  “Jesse, I don’t know if this magic box will get the message to you, I hope and pray it will. I saw the Duncan’s at RedRise House. They are the... They are disturbing and would only show themselves if something was about to happen. I will speak into this again as soon as I know more.”

  Jesse had listened to the message over a hundred times. Each time he hoped to hear more, but it was all to no avail. The message was like a recording of a spirit, but that didn’t surprise him. Rosie had told them of her meeting with the priest. How he had written in the book about the house hundreds of years before and how when she tried to find his house she came to a grave.

  Jesse knew that Nick was dead he just didn’t know if Nick knew it. The other question that haunted his dreams was whether the priest was on their side or his own. He had a history with the house, and Jesse’s instincts told him that the man, spirit, was good but he had been wrong before. A lot was riding on this — he had to believe that Nick’s intentions were good for the only alternative was that he was trying to lure them there to give the house even more power.

  Taking his phone from the guard, Jesse stepped outside. The breeze was cold but the day was dry. Walking a little way from the building he turned on the phone and saw a notification that he had another message. The little red one kicked his pulse up a notch, and he dialed his voice mail.

  “Jesse, Jesse are you there. Jesse, I need to talk to you.” The message was lost as a hiss of static burst into his ear.

  Pulse racing breath coming in desperate gasps he pressed to play it again. The static was bad, the recording sounded scratchy, but he got no more from the conversation. Looking at the phone, he could see that it was received just fifteen minutes before. Should he call Nick back? He doubted if the priest would know how to answer the phone. Jesse had been careful to get Nick an older phone. One that had buttons and not a touchscreen. Even so, it had taken him over an hour to show him how to make a call.

  This left him no choice. They had to visit RedRise House and find out what had happened. As he swiveled on his heels his phone buzzed in his hand. Recognizing the number he quickly swiped and put the phone to his ear.

  “Nick is that you?”

  “Jesse, can you hear me, Jesse?”

  The man’s voice was panicked and unsure, and Jesse wanted to laugh at how difficult the modern world must be to a spirit like Nick. If the circumstances were different, then it would be funny.

  “I can hear you, Nick, what have you got for me?”

  “I don’t understand... before you were talking but not there. What sorcery is this?”

  Jesse ran a hand across his hair and tried to curb his impatience. “Don’t worry about that. I am here now, tell me what’s happening.”

  “Well I tried to call yesterday, but I couldn’t get this contraption to work. It was just not there most of the time.”

  Jesse understood. Nick was an old spirit, and so he could manipulate the physical world very well, but it would take effort. No doubt most of the time he did that automatically, but if he were worried, panicked, or tired then he would forget, and his hands would pass straight through the phone.

  “That is understandable in your circumstances. What did you want to tell me?”

  “Yes, yes of course. A young couple arrived at the house. I tried to talk to them. I even went inside, but I couldn’t stay. There is evil there, and I fear for the lives of the young couple. They do not know what they are doing, do not know what they have gotten themselves into. Can you help them?”

  “I will go straight there. Will the Duncan’s be a problem?”

  There was silence for a few moments, and Jesse wondered if the spirit had tired himself and faded from this plane, but then he spoke.

  “No, they will have expended a lot of energy to lure these people and will need to recuperate. If you come quickly, they will not trouble you. I will try and be there, but I am also tired.”

  “Thank you, Nick, when this is over I will come and find you and if you wish I will help you move on.”

  Once more silence descended between them there was just the occasional crackle of static.

  “I will not leave until I am sure it is over, I promise you that.”

  “I promise,” Jesse said, and the line dropped, Nick was gone for now.

  Now all Jesse had to do was explain to Gail that he had been lying to her for a few months and then get her to come with him to RedRise House. Then he thought about Rosie. He had to hide this from her. Knowing that it wasn’t over would hurt her. It might make her feel as if her
sacrifice was for nothing. He couldn’t do that. As he rushed back, he knew that he might not have a choice. Rosie was clever, she understood the nature of this more than any of them.

  59

  “You forgot the drinks,” Gail said as Jesse came back into the room. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing, just a client who needs help.” Jesse sat down at the table, he couldn’t look at Rosie, and he couldn’t keep his hands still.

  “You don’t have to lie to me,” Rosie said. “I know it sounds strange... I felt it awaken. Those two amateurs went to the house didn’t they?”

  Jesse thought about lying. The words curled on his tongue waiting to come out.

  Rosie cocked her head to one side, her long brunette hair fell across her shoulders, and as she tensed her jaw, the scar on her left cheek moved. Jessie understood that she knew, and she wouldn’t want him to lie.

  He nodded.

  “How do you know?” Gail asked them both.

  “I... I...” Jesse stumbled on how to tell her.

  “Jesse tell me.” She raised an eyebrow and pinned him to the spot with her big brown eyes.

  “I went to see Nick, the priest and got him to pass me a message if anything happened.”

  “How bad is it?” Rosie’s voice was little more than a whisper, but she looked strong.

  “They have been at the house since yesterday. I think Nick panicked and couldn’t get the phone I left him to work.”

  “A ghost can use a phone?” Gail asked.

  “I wasn’t sure.” He shrugged. “I thought it was worth a try. Nick has been around so long he is pretty good at controlling the material. I was going to go check myself if I didn’t hear from him soon.”

  “What now?” Gail had already started to stand.

  Jesse looked at Rosie. “Did they leave you a phone number?”

  “Yes, they did.” She reached over and opened a book and scrolled through the pages until she found one with some scribbled notes. In a circle at the top was a phone number. Without hesitating, she tore it out and handed it to Jesse.

  “We have to go,” he said as he took it. “Don’t worry, without the Old Hag they will have time. The house is still dangerous but what you did has saved their lives. If she still lived there, she would have sacrificed them by now and would bind them to her for all eternity.”

  “You will get rid of it this time,” Rosie said. “Promise me that! You will get rid of every last evil molecule of the place. Burn it to the ground if need be.”

  “We promise,” Gail said and then she walked around and hugged Rosie. “We will see you soon and tell you all about it.”

  “Be safe.”

  Jesse nodded, and the two of them walked away. He hated how those two words would not leave his mind. Once more he was taking Gail into danger and more than anything he wanted her to be safe. What was he doing?

  The corridor was dark as Shelly turned onto it, but she didn't notice. Fear snapped at her heels like a rabid dog. It pushed her onward, driving her away from its ferocious teeth. All she could think of was the children. The poor children, the terrible children. She had come here to save them — they wanted to kill her, to keep her here with them. Where was Jack? A sob escaped her as she tumbled forward down the never-ending corridor. She had brought Jack here. She had brought him to his death.

  With the phone clutched in her hand, she had a little light, but she didn't know where to run. The twin hounds of fear and despair chased her until her legs ached and her lungs screamed for air. But the corridor went on and on. From the light of the phone, all she could see was a few steps in front of her. The light flashing back and forward as she pounded her arms. The crazy flashing light was making her dizzy. Only adrenaline pushed her onward, but the lack of oxygen and despair held her back. And all the time she was chased by the shrill keening of the children's throats.

  A shadow passed in front of her. She dug in her heels and ground to a halt as terror turned her blood to ice. Raising the phone, she peered into the darkness. There was nothing there. The noise had stopped. The silence was deafening. Something moved behind her. She spun around, nothing was there. Spinning round and round she searched the darkness with the light of the camera. It showed so little, just a glimpse of a few feet in front of her and the more she turned, the dizzier she became until suddenly she didn't know which way was which.

  It made no sense the corridor wasn't this long the house wasn't this big. Was it panic creating this illusion or was it the spirits? Had they gotten into her mind, were they driving her crazy?

  Something moved against her leg, and she squealed and jumped back. Pointing the camera at the ground, she let out a hysterical laugh. The cat was there at her side.

  "You scared the bejesus out of me."

  She bent down and scooped him into her arms. He was still cold, even so, he was a comfort. He purred against her ear as she cuddled him to her face. The contact made her feel instantly better. It calmed her mind and gave her time to think. She knew what she had to do. She would call Gail and Jesse, she would call The Spirit Guides and then she would find Jack.

  Taking the phone, she checked the signal and battery. The first was no bars the second said 50% it was enough, but she didn't want to stay here. Not in this freaky long corridor with the children behind, or in front of her. The first thing she needed to do was find out which way she was pointing. She almost laughed at the absurdity of it. The cat purred in her arms.

  "Come on kitty, we'll find Jack, then we'll get you out of here.

  Taking the phone off camera, she turned on the touch app and shone it down the corridor. Relief washed over her and filled her eyes with tears as she saw the door to the bedroom just in front of her and the end of the corridor not far after that. Turning around she shone the other way, and sure enough, the corridor opened out into the hallway.

  "You must be my lucky kitty, come on let's go find Jack."

  As she set off toward the hallway, the lights came back on. Quickly she turned off the touch app and rushed down the corridor.

  The sound of her feet on the hardwood floor was now reassuring, normal and she welcomed any sound that wasn't the keening children.

  The hallway opened up before her and she wanted to run up the stairs but she instead she rushed to the front door. The key was in the lock, but it wouldn't turn. It was to be expected. When Rosie had told them that the house wouldn't let her leave Shelly had thought she was simply panicking. That she was inexperienced and scared of things, she didn't understand. Shelly believed it wouldn't happen to her but then she had believed the children would welcome her and would talk to her and pass a message onto her sister before she finally sent them to peace.

  She kicked the door and pulled as hard as she could, it wouldn't budge. For a moment she was swamped with feelings of inadequacy, stupidity, and foolish naïveté. Did she really believe she could handle the spirits? Of course, she had, but that was before, now she just hoped that she got out of here with her life and more importantly with Jack’s life. Tears flooded her eyes, she wanted to curl up on the floor and wail out her despair. “Stop it!”

  She had got them into this, she had to be brave enough to get them out... or at least to try.

  The cat wriggled in her arms, but she held on tight and smoothed his coat to placate him. Having the creature gave her company, confidence, it kept her able to think. If he was to disappear, she didn't know if she could cope.

  Balancing him against her hip, she scrolled through the contacts on her phone until she found the number for The Spirit Guide. Though she wouldn't tell anyone, she had watched Gail and Jesse's career with interest. Finding out everything she could about them. What they did intrigued and fascinated her. On the outside, she had always believed that she was as good as them — if she was just given a chance. Now she wondered if she would ever get the chance to tell them how much she admired them.

  She had to stop thinking like this. She had to find Jack.

  The lo
gical place to search was upstairs. That was the last place she had seen him. Like a hero, he had pushed her in front of him. Something must have happened as she raced down the stairs full of excitement. What a fool she had been.

  The lights flickered and dimmed for a moment. As she was plunged into darkness, fear squeezed her heart like a fist clamping on tightly. It froze the blood in her veins. For a moment she thought she would faint. Wobbling she reached out and steadied herself against the door. The cat meowed in her arms and struggled. She couldn't lose him. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself as much as she could. Listening, feeling in the dark for danger, for anything. As her mind calmed, the lights came back on.

  For a moment she wondered, were the spirits feeding on her fear? When she controlled herself things got better. The more afraid she was the worst they became. There again, maybe that was just life in general.

  Quickly she dialed the phone, but it flashed up no signal. She moved to the side and tried again. Raising the phone into the air, she tried again. It was no use there was no signal, but there was one way that might work. Quickly she typed out a text explaining where she was and what was happening she asked for their help. She pressed send praying the text would go. It wouldn’t there was still no signal. It didn’t matter, fingers crossed, sometime soon it would get a signal and help would be on the way. Until then she had to find Jack.

  Feeling more confident Shelly called out, "Jack, Jack where are you?"

  The words echoed around the empty house coming back to mock her. Part of Shelly wanted to keep quiet, wanted to sneak around the house without the spirits knowing where she was but she knew that was ridiculous. They lived here, looking at their clothes they had been here for many generations, and they were on a different plane. There was no way she could hide from them, whether she made noise or didn't, it wouldn't matter to them... it might matter to Jack.

  "Jack, hold on I'm coming for you. If you can give me a sign, do so, but if not I will find you... I promise."