The Haunting of Roan Mountain

by S A Jacobs

  “Breathe, my dear David,” she said as she stood up and walked toward me.

  “How many cases am I gonna have featuring these damn Sovereign Lords?”

  “Well, by my math you only have two more after this.” The sarcasm in her voice was as thick as the smoke in the room. “You are connected to them. There is something drawing these to you. All is connected, nothing by accident.” She was even more zen-like than normal.

  “Yeah, yeah. I get it. But Melanie? Really? I can’t get her involved in this. What if this one turns out like Sam?”

  “What makes you think you have any control over her involvement? So far no one has chosen to be connected to them. Yet, they all have been.”

  “Just stop!” I snapped at her. “I just wish you would have given me a heads up is all.”

  “David, you know as well as I do, I didn’t know what your connection was. But now, your concern...that is much clearer to me.” She gently put her hand on my shoulder. “Please listen. You need to separate your feelings for Melanie from this case. Yes, your feelings for her are strong, but you must draw a line. You must understand that her being involved is beyond your control. You are not there to keep her from this. That die is cast. You are there to help finish things.”

  I let out a deep sigh. “Dammit, Linda. You’re right, I know that. I just wish you weren’t sometimes.”

  “And David...I am glad you have decided to explore the possibilities with her. You both deserve that.”

  “Jeez, is it that obvious?” I asked.

  “Let’s just say that there is an aura around you I’ve never seen before.” She smiled and gave me a hug.

  I walked out and back to my truck. Having a clairvoyant as the only person to turn to was difficult at times, especially when it came to relationships. I hated how she saw right through me while still unable to really offer direct advice. In the end, it felt like she oozed common sense. Yet, so often, that was exactly what I needed.

  On my way to meet Melanie, I stopped off at a liquor store to pick up some beer. Walking through the store, a display of Jefferson’s Small Batch Whiskey caught my eye, and I picked up a bottle. I stashed the paper-wrapped bottle in my backpack and headed for a quick stop at the retirement home. This time, I had no issue getting to John’s room.

  “You know I’m not saying a word until I’m paid.” John said.

  Looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was around, I retrieved the paper bag and put it in his hand.

  “That’s more like it,” he said. “With that, what would you like to know now?”

  “Absolutely nothing,” I said with a large smile. “I just felt like I should repay you for the last time we talked. Enjoy!”

  Without another word, I turned and left.

  I made it to the Gap about ten minutes early. The day was hot. I could feel the heat radiating off of the blacktop parking lot. I opened the gate of my truck and sat down, pulling a beer out of the cooler in the back. I observed the people coming and going. A family was taking their photo in front of the National Forest sign. It was a few peaceful minutes for me to try and collect my thoughts. As I closed my eyes, the bright sun bled through my eyelids, and I could see Robert Mason’s signature slowly appear and burn into my mind. My eyes snapped open, and I shook my head to hit reset. As my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, I spotted Melanie standing in front of me.

  “Wake up!” she yelled.

  I jumped, startled at the sight of her. I’d only closed my eyes for a second. She walked up and took my hand as I jumped off the back of my truck. She pulled me straight into her arms and greeted me with a quick kiss. The show of affection was amazing but also left me unsure of how to respond.

  “If I knew that was how you were going to greet me, I would’ve tried to meet you this morning,” I said, smiling.

  She stepped to the side and grabbed my open beer from the truck. She took a swallow and turned away, walking towards the trail head.

  “So are we doing this or just sitting in your truck?” she asked looking over her shoulder at me.

  “Hang on, I’m coming!” I quickly threw some beers in my backpack and hurried to catch up to her.

  From the trail head, it was just over a half mile trek until the canopy gave way to the bald of the mountain. The canopy provided a respite from the heat of the day. As we walked, I started to explain the basics of what I’d learned at the retirement home. She seemed to be genuinely interested. Unfortunately, while hiking, I was behind her and unable to really gauge her reactions. Also, my mind had started to drift elsewhere.

  While behind her something caught my eye. On here orange backpack was a small, one-inch pin. It was black with a white drawing of an eagle skeleton on it. I immediately recognized it. I’d given it to her years ago.

  About midway through the hike, the trail passed a large boulder. She stopped, seemingly to check and make sure I was keeping up. She leaned playfully against the rock, shaking the empty beer bottle.

  “I think it’s time for a refill,” she said, biting her lower lip.

  “Funny, considering you took my drink.”

  I took her empty bottle and replaced it with a new one.

  “So, if you learned everything from that guy, why’d you return to my place?”

  “I wanted to see if I could pinpoint the energy to the actual structure before I go jumping down the Cloudland rabbit hole.” I took a swallow from my own beer.

  “Well, Cloudland is waiting. Let’s get up there.” Without another word, she started hiking again.

  I couldn’t help but feel like she was leading me like a little puppy. Although it would’ve been a lie if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

  As we neared the end of the tree-covered section of the trail, I felt conflicted about where to take the conversation. I wanted more than anything to bring up the fact that I’d noticed she was clearly not living at the house. Yet, I was having fun with her. I knew bringing it up had the potential of derailing the light-hearted nature of the walk. For the moment, I remained silent.

  As we exited the canopy, the beauty of the mountain opened up. It was always an awe-inspiring vantage point. She led me along the trail to the crest of the hill.

  “Why so quiet? Too much of a hike for the city boy?” She smirked as she looked back at me.

  “Oh please. You think just because it’s been years, I can’t still out-hike you?”

  “Based on what I’m seeing, I think you’re working far harder than I am.”

  As we reached the crest of the mountain, there was a spot where the lush grass gave way to rocks. We stopped at an uncovered rock and sat down.

  We sat silently for minutes, observing the world from that peaked vantage point. I put my arm around her, and she shimmied closer to my side.

  “You remember the last time we were up here together?” she asked.

  Of course I remembered that night. That was the last evening I’d spent with her. It was just after she’d gotten engaged to Austin.

  “Yeah, I certainly do.” I paused for a moment, unsure of where to go next. “No offense, but I like this hike much better.”

  “This may sound silly,” she said, reaching over to her backpack, “but that night you gave me this.”

  She pointed to the pin on her backpack. The tiny pin was scratched and worn.

  “Yeah I remember that. I can’t believe you still have it!”

  “This was your most prized possession! You spent forever trying to find this on eBay. It was from some band that played on the Warped Tour, but only overseas. Then you gave it to me. I still know nothing about the band or what the pin was, but it has been with me ever since. It has been my link to you.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. Looking back on it, maybe it was silly. I had given it to her while saying something about it being a symbol of my always being there for her. I hadn’t thought about it in years, but seeing it now, I realized just how much she took those words to heart.

  “Well first off
, it isn’t just some band. It’s the pin of Die Toten Hosen who did perform on the European and Australian leg of the Warped Tour. But yeah, I gave it to you hoping you wouldn’t forget about me. I’m surprised to see it again. I thought we’d drifted too far apart.”

  We did… well I did. Look... I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’m sure you know the rumors about Austin and me. None of that is ever what I wanted. It’s taken me a long time to get away from him and finally start to pull my life together. I guess I just wanted to say that I never forgot who we were back then. The fact that you are here shows me you haven’t forgotten either. I’m just thankful that we could be here again together.”

  She was right, we had both come a long way since then, but we were still the same people. As much as I wanted to dive headfirst into these memories, I needed to clear the air first.

  “So... I got a question for you, something that has been nagging at me since I was at your house.” My heart sped up as the words left my mouth.

  “Go ahead.”

  “I couldn’t help but notice that it doesn’t really seem like you’re living in the cabin.” I could see her smile fading. “So, what’s the deal with that? I mean, I ran into your neighbor, and he had never even seen you.”

  She took another sip of beer and set it down with a sigh.

  “Sorry,” I said trying to retreat. “It’s none of my business. Forget it.”

  The few seconds of silence before she spoke felt like an eternity.

  “I haven’t really moved in. I’ll give you that. Most of my stuff is still stored at my mom’s. It’s just that when I first moved in, it was so uncomfortable. The combo of being alone for the first time in years and then this ghost or whatever…I just never felt like I could stay there.”

  “I get it, Melanie.” I squeezed my arm around her a little tighter. I still wondered where she was living, since it wasn’t her cabin, but didn’t push for more information.

  “What about you?” she asked, clearly ready to change the subject. “How the hell did you end up on TV?”

  “I don’t know. I just kinda fell into it. I mean, after I got the press coverage for putting the ghost of Murderous Mary to rest, I started getting contacted left and right. I didn’t know it, but there were enough people around here dealing with hauntings for me to do it full time. Then came Jim’s estate in Chicago. I had no idea what I was getting into there, but apparently the right people learned about it, and next thing I knew I had a production company calling me.”

  She turned to face me. The right side of her mouth curved up slightly into the cute smile I remembered. “Tell me about this place in Chicago.”

  I retold the story of Jim and his inherited mansion, and the hauntings that went on there. I spoke about how Jim ended up being the reincarnated son of the estate’s original owner.

  “It was the most intense, yet rewarding, experience I’ve ever gone through,” I said.

  “So, do you like the show?” she asked.

  “I have kinda a love hate relationship with it. I mean, the money is great! So is the freedom to do whatever, when I’m not working. The show itself is really the opposite of what I want to do. Like your house, for me it isn’t about experiencing the fact that something is there. It’s about understanding why and how I can help free whatever is stuck there. In the show, there is no history, no story. It’s whatever can be done to get compelling video footage.”

  “Well, since you brought up my house…I know you said it was built from Cloudland wood, but so what? What does that fact really mean?”

  “That’s what troubles me. Cloudland alone is nothing. I mean, in reality, it was an amazing place and, historically speaking, it should be remembered in that light.”

  “Ohhhh...I feel a but coming here.” She smirked at me.

  “Yeah, for sure. Cloudland has been tainted by a few really shitty people that spent a lot of time there.”

  “Wait! Are you telling me my house is connected to the KGC?” She stood up. I couldn’t tell if she was just anxious or excited. “After all of those wild treasure hunts for KGC gold you dragged me on when we were kids, how do I end up living in a house connected to them?”

  I stood up with her. Her eyes were wide as she fidgeted with her hands. I told her about what happened when I went back to the house earlier that day, about the name I’d seen and who he was.

  “This is a clue to the treasure, isn’t it?” she asked.

  “Wait a second! I wouldn’t go that far. Yes, Cloudland’s history is intertwined with the KGC. But that certainly doesn’t mean anything in relation to treasure.

  “Oh c’mon. If you taught me anything it is that any visible connection to the KGC is meant to be a clue.”

  “All I know is that for some reason Robert is stuck there. It could be treasure, I suppose, or something completely different.”

  “So now, we have to find out why he is there?”

  “That is certainly the plan.”

  I was so enthralled in the conversation I failed to realize that the sun was now starting to set. I looked out over the horizon as the sun painted the mountainside in fiery red and orange light. Melanie noticed my gaze and looked back at me.

  “You know, being here with you just feels right,” she said softly.

  I turned to look at her. The reflection of the sunset created a fire in her eyes. Looking at her left me paralyzed. Her hair was being tossed in the breeze. Her face, her soft lips, and her bright eyes were the last thing I saw as I put my arms around her and kissed her. As our lips touched, everything else faded away. There was nothing on top of the mountain at that moment. There was nothing in the world around us. All that existed was us connecting in a way I had never experienced.

  The vibrant sunset had given way to a still, blackened-blue horizon. Melanie and I were still locked in our embrace.

  “You do realize I’m not letting you run home this time,” she whispered.

  She took a small hiking tent out of her backpack, and we began setting it up while we still had a tiny amount of light to work with.

  “You should have been a scout ‘cause you have this preparedness thing taken care of for sure,” I joked.

  “Let’s just say I spend a lot of time up here, and the tent is more attractive than finding my way down the trail in darkness just to get back to a haunted house.”

  With the tent set up, we bid farewell to the darkened mountaintop as we closed the tent and embraced each other.

  Sleep did not come for us that night. We lay there holding each other. When we did talk, it was a light-hearted blend of reliving our childhood together and discussing the future that lay before us.

  With her head nuzzled in the crook of my arm, her eyes sparkled. My fingertips gently walked across her shoulder.

  “You know, it would be a lie if I even tried to pretend I hadn’t dreamt of being with you like this forever.”

  She smiled as I said this.

  “It would be a lie if I said I hadn't dreamt of it as well,” she replied. Then, her eyes dropped from mine. The smile disappeared. “David, I gotta tell you something.”

  Here we go. Nothing good could follow a statement like that, I thought.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “So, I haven’t been completely open with you about all of this…I mean, I haven’t lied, but there is more to it that you need to understand.”

  “About what?”

  “Ugh, about the house.”

  I stayed silent and let her speak.

  “You already know that I don’t feel comfortable in that house. What I didn’t tell you is that, when I moved in, I started having these super vivid dreams.”

  “What kind of dreams?”

  “I’ll get there. I haven’t been sleeping in that house. I hardly go there except to shower. I’ve been sleeping up here, on this mountain. Here, come walk with me please.”

  She threw on some clothes and then stepped out of the tent. I followed her lead until we were stand
ing hand-in-hand outside the tent on the top of the mountain. There was a silence and stillness in the air. It was dark, but my eyes had adjusted to the darkness. I could actually make out a lot of the landscape by the moonlight.

  “Come this way,” she said, grabbing my hand.

  We walked silently across the mountaintop, eventually stopping on an unidentified area.

  “Here, right here,” she said. “Let’s just say I wasn’t at all surprised when you connected the house to Cloudland. Right here was the western edge of the building. It is the exact vantage point from my dreams. Every dream was exactly the same. I would be standing here, looking out over the horizon. But there was something out there, like a spot of light glowing in the distance. I would try to move my head, and I could see a little of the inside of Cloudland. No matter what I did, this glowing spot of light would always be in the distance.”

  She let go of my hand to point.

  “It is out there, I can feel it,” she finished.

  I stood there in silence, partially because I was trying to take in what she’d said but also because I really didn’t know how to respond.

  “Look, I know I sound completely insane,” she said, “which is why I didn’t tell you in the beginning. Maybe I needed to hear you say that there was something there to believe I wasn’t crazy. I don’t know.”

  “You are not crazy. This doesn’t change anything.”

  “Are you serious? I just told you I spend every spare moment I have running around this mountain trying to find something I’ve only seen in a dream, and you can really say I’m not crazy?”

  I gently grabbed her shoulders and turned to face her. “You are not crazy. Sure, this isn’t exactly a normal thing to do, but you were reacting to what you experienced the best way you knew how. The only thing this changes is the importance of getting to the bottom of it.”

  “Thank you for not thinking I’m crazy.” She kissed me. “Oh, there is one more thing.”

  “And what might that be?”

  “I have been sleeping out here pretty much every night… but last night I slept at home, and not just at home. I slept in the loft.” She stared at her feet like a kid caught sneaking cookies. “I know you spent all that time trying to make things safer for me there. I’m sorry, but I had to try.”