The Lodge at Whispering Pines

by Melissa R. L. Simonin

  We listened to Miles play, and tried a few more of the appetizers on the tray.

  “Remember how we’d play Barbies?” Doreen asked.

  “Now that you mention it, yeah,” I laughed. I would have been mortified if my friends at the time had known, but she wanted to play, so…

  “That was fun,” she said.

  “Yeah, it was,” I agreed. “They had some crazy adventures.”

  She and I both laughed as we remembered a few of them.

  “We used a bookshelf for their house,” she said. “Our Ken dolls couldn’t stand up though, the shelves were too short!”

  “I remember that! We used a gallon sized Ziploc bag as a waterbed, too,” I said.

  “That didn’t work so well, your Barbie’s waterbed flooded my Barbie’s apartment.”

  I laughed and she did too. Her Barbie gave mine a very big piece of her mind over it!

  We were interrupted momentarily as Joe refilled our glasses.

  I took a sip of water and glanced over at Doreen. By the look in her eyes, her thoughts were far away now.

  “Then I was too sick to do anything,” she said.

  “How do you feel now?” I asked, remembering that horrible time. “Is everything all good?”

  “Yeah, I’m great. Everything’s good.”

  We listened to Miles play, and ate more of the delicious artichoke dip. It was good enough to eat with a spoon. This should be put on the menu as a soup item! I’d suggest it to Chef, and he’d laugh. He’d think I was kidding.

  “I’m sorry Grandma’s in the hospital, but I’m glad I get to stay here,” she said. “I was sick for so long, and by the time I started to feel better, you were already gone.”

  She sounded wistful, and kind of sad about that. I wasn’t sure what to say. Good thing I was chewing, it gave me a second to think.

  “Yeah, I guess I was engaged to Miles and going to college, before you started feeling better.”

  “What was going on when we moved to Glen Haven, and you stayed behind?” she asked, her blue eyes rather piercing.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.

  “I don’t know. I just know something was. You talk in your sleep.”

  “What?” Miles never mentioned that…

  “Yeah. I don’t get it. How could you dream about Miles, if you didn’t meet him until after we moved away?”

  I took a sip of water because my mouth was dry, and I needed a second.

  “Hm. Well… not having heard what I said in my sleep, I can’t really comment.”

  “You cried, and begged him not to leave you.”

  “Are you serious?” I was so stunned, water spilled out of my glass as I set it back down. I grabbed a napkin, thankful for something to do besides stare into my sister’s searching eyes.

  “Yeah. I didn’t know if you were dreaming about someone you really knew or not, and I was too sick then to obsess over it.”

  “Clearly that’s now changed…” I said, continuing to blot the minor spill that was already practically dry.

  “Then we move, and don’t see you again until you bring a guy named Miles with you. Mom had baby monitors set up all over the house you know, so if I needed her she’d hear no matter where I was. I wasn’t asleep. I heard him and Dad, I know he wanted to marry you even though you just met.”

  “You’re lucky you weren’t listening in on the conversation that was going on in the kitchen,” I said shortly. That would’ve taught her never to eavesdrop again! With a vengeance!

  “Then Jenny said at your wedding something happened before you met Miles and you were grieving, lost in grief, something like that.”

  “You’re just full of observations tonight, aren’t you,” I said, fanning my face with my hand and looking around. Did we always keep the dining room this warm?

  “What did she mean?” Doreen asked. She leaned forward, her eyes and voice intense. “Mom and Dad couldn’t figure it out, and it really bugged them. They decided not to ask because you guys were already married and they were afraid whatever it was, Miles didn’t know, and it would cause problems. They wondered what happened to you though, between us moving and you meeting him.”

  “I bet they did,” I said. I leaned forward too now, my own eyes and voice intense. “Look, sis. There’s stuff I can’t tell you. Okay? I’m going to be honest with you, and say that yes, a lot of stuff has happened in my life, and in Miles’, that we can’t talk about. It would put at risk all of the good that we’re able to accomplish, and my life even. Can you just… accept that? Please.”

  “Oh my goodness,” she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. She leaned closer. “He’s a spy? Or you are! Or you both are!”

  I laughed shortly.

  “No. It isn’t that. It’s even more serious, so please… you want to be older than eleven, so show the maturity of a one-hundred sixty-five year old, and accept that there’s just stuff I can’t tell you.”

  “You could die over this?” she asked, concern and a trace of fear in her eyes. That part must have just registered.

  “Yes. I’m not being dramatic. It is that serious. And I know this is driving you crazy, but Doreen, please just accept that I can’t talk about it, okay? And don’t discuss this with anyone.”

  We looked at each other for several seconds as she processed that, trying to come up with a scenario that would fit what she’d observed, and what I said. Various thoughts caused wave after wave of changing emotion to wash over her face. Then she nodded.

  “Okay.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “So to clarify, you’re going to accept it and not talk about it, right?”

  “Yes,” she said seriously. “Not to other people.”

  Good. She’s telling the truth.

  “You’re the best. Thanks, Doree,” I said with a sigh of relief. I leaned over and hugged her.

  “You’re welcome, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t ever ask you about it again!” she pointed out.

  I rolled my eyes, and she laughed.

  The song Miles was playing came to an end, and another soon started. The playing sounded different though. Before I could look up, Miles sat beside me.

  “Jadon’s here,” he smiled, and kissed my cheek. “I hope you both weren’t too bored having to wait.”

  Stressed is more like it… I’d tell him later.

  “Are you kidding?” I said. “I love hearing you play. It’s been a while.”

  “Yeah, it was nice,” Doreen said.

  “Good. Let’s order then,” Miles said, signaling Joe. “Maybe we’ll have time to order a movie when we’re through, and still get to bed on time.”

  “That sounds great,” I said.

  “Yeah, that sounds great!” said Doreen.

  That’s exactly what we did.

  ~*~

  “Honey… wake up,” I heard Miles’ voice, as I felt him shaking my shoulder.

  “What?” I rubbed my eyes. The lamp was on, Miles was sitting up in bed, and looking at—

  Elizabeth.

  “Right on time,” I said, looking at the clock on the wall as I scooted over to sit beside Miles. Maybe she was on some sort of schedule. But why?

  Elizabeth stared fixedly at Miles with her luminous blue eyes.

  “Yeah, he’s different,” I said.

  Might as well get that over with.

  “But… not as different as the other,” she said, looking at him hard.

  “Anika, remember that story my friends and I made up a really long time ago?” Miles asked me.

  “Yes, I do. Why don’t you tell it to me again though, Miles.”

  “It was about a pretend girl named Elizabeth Conner,” he said.

  “I am Elizabeth Conner,” she spoke up.

  “This girl had twelve brothers and sisters,” Miles continued. “Each had a bracelet. Their parents died, the children were scattered, and Elizabeth had to search until she found them all.”

  “That’s right,” I said, as Eliza
beth watched us intently. “Then everyone began to tell the story, and costume shops sold Elizabeth Conner costumes.”

  Miles reached into the drawer of the nightstand and held Elizabeth’s bracelet out to me, and I took it.

  “This is the bracelet to one of those costumes,” he said.

  “Really?” I exclaimed. “How interesting. It’s made in China, and everything!”

  “That’s… my bracelet,” she said, as she looked at her thin transparent wrist in confusion. “I’m Elizabeth… ”

  Miles and I waited to see if she would respond further to what we just said.

  She looked down at her gown.

  “This isn’t mine,” she said. She looked like she was thinking.

  She slowly felt of her long blond hair, her eyes focused on something far away. She brushed the fingers of both hands through her hair, and the long blond tresses slipped aside to reveal short dark hair underneath.

  “I guess that makes sense,” I said quietly.

  She looked at me, her gaze steady and her forehead creased. Some of the confusion seemed to have slipped aside along with her wig.

  “Who are you?” she asked, her voice steady.

  I glanced at Miles.

  “I’m Miles, and this is my wife Anika.”

  She fastened her luminous eyes on him now.

  “Are you the Miles that wants to talk?” she asked, frowning as she ran her fingers through her short hair over and over, trying unsuccessfully to smooth it.

  “Yes, I am,” Miles said.

  Elizabeth reached behind her neck, doing something with her gown. I heard the sound of Velcro being torn loose, and she struggled to free first one arm and then the other from her costume. Not only was she wearing jeans and a t-shirt underneath, but also a heavy jacket.

  She held the costume out and frowned at it, then dropped it on the floor on top of the wig.

  Still frowning, she looked back and forth between me and Miles.

  “So talk,” she said.

  “You may wait for us in the sitting room,” said Miles. “We’ll join you shortly.”

  She vanished.

  “You really think she’s in the sitting room?” I asked.

  “I know she is,” Miles said, as he got up and opened the closet. “I sent her there. She won’t be able to leave even if she tries.”

  “Wow. You are so cool,” I said, catching the t-shirt he tossed me, and the velour pants. “So why did you send her to the sitting room?”

  “I don’t fault her for showing up here as out of it as she was at first, and in response to my message,” Miles said. He traded in pajama pants for jeans, then held my velour jacket for me so I could slip it on. “I do want to talk to her, now that her mind seems to have cleared. But not in our bedroom, and not in our pajamas!”

  “Good point,” I laughed, taking the hand he held out as we walked toward the doors that led to the sitting room.

  A bloodcurdling scream rent the air.

  “My sister!” I exclaimed, heart pounding, as the bedroom doors flew open, the lights came on, and we ran into the next room.

  Doreen stood in the doorway of the bathroom, pale as the transparent Elizabeth, their blue eyes fixed on each other. It was hard to know who was more disturbed.

  “Doreen, oh my goodness Doreen!” I said, near tears.

  “I forgot—I completely forgot she was here!” said Miles, as distressed by this as I was. We both hurried to reach her, and each supported an arm as she began to wobble. “Anika, help me get her to the couch.”

  “I can’t believe this happened, I can’t believe it!” I said, breathing fast, my voice shaking.

  “Honey, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking, I—”

  “Miles, I can’t believe this happened! How could this happen? Why am I surprised this happened? Why wouldn’t it happen! If it didn’t happen, that’s what would be surprising!”

  My sister moved mechanically, her eyes never leaving Elizabeth.

  I glanced at Elizabeth as Miles and I moved past her to the couch, and gently encouraged Doreen to sit down. Elizabeth had recovered her equilibrium. She was frowning again. I guess being screamed at by a normal person is a lot less traumatic than coming out of the bathroom in the middle of the night, and seeing a transparent one with glowing blue eyes. Oh my goodness, Miles and I have scarred my sister for life!

  “I don’t have a lot of time you know,” Elizabeth said, annoyed. “If it’s all the same to you, I’ve got better things to do than waste it waiting around.”

  She pushed on the invisible barrier that prevented her from leaving the space she was in.

  “Well too bad!” I glared, snapped my fingers, and pointed to a chair. “Sit down and practice some patience. You need us, not the other way around!”

  Apparently I had a look in my eyes that was as formidable as it felt, because she lost the attitude, sat, and was silent.

  “Anika,” Doreen quavered. If her eyes got any wider, they’d fall out. “What’s going on?”

  I sat down and put my arm around her, and Miles sat beside me. I put my hand on his knee and squeezed to reassure him. This wasn’t his fault, and I didn’t blame him.

  “Doree… I don’t even know what to say.” I took a deep breath and prayed for help. I seriously needed it!

  “Let me help, honey,” Miles said softly. He put his arm around me and turned so he could make eye contact with Doreen. She fixed her eyes on his. “Doreen, this is Elizabeth. I guess you could say she… came with the Lodge. We thought the rumors of a ghost haunting the place were made up, until we got here Tuesday morning and talked to the employees who hadn’t been scared away already.”

  Doreen was breathing hard, and I rubbed her shoulder, trying to reassure. I let Miles continue to do the talking, though.

  “We can’t have a ghost tormenting staff or guests, and to exist the way that Elizabeth is… well it’s miserable. Anika and I would like to help her if we can figure out how. We’ve yet to learn what her story is, but perhaps there’s something she needs to accomplish in order to be set free.”

  “I need to know who killed me,” Elizabeth said clearly.

  Doreen was breathing even harder now.

  “Really, Elizabeth?” I snapped. “You couldn’t have kept that to yourself until after the poor kid got used to the idea that there’s a ghost in the sitting room?”

  “Sorry,” she looked like she meant it. “I just figured that out, though. It’s been hard to hold onto thoughts long enough to think them.”

  “You just found out Tuesday?” Doreen gasped out, her eyes latched onto me now.

  “What?”

  “You just found out about her on Tuesday?” Doreen’s eyes bored into me as she jabbed a finger in Elizabeth’s direction.

  “Yeah, we believed the staff when they said they’d seen her, then that night she showed up in our room around midnight.”

  “You believed them,” she repeated back to me.

  “Yes,” I said, puzzled.

  “You believed them,” she said again. “Why?”

  “Well, I… knew they were telling the truth,” I said.

  “I don’t get it,” she said, closing her eyes and rubbing the sides of her forehead. “If I didn’t see her sitting right there, and you told me you’d seen her, I wouldn’t believe you!”

  “Thanks, sis,” I said sarcastically.

  “Well would you believe it if I told you?” her eyes latched onto me again.

  “If you were telling the truth I would,” I said.

  “And it’s just not hard at all for you to accept this?” Doreen asked incredulously, as she waved toward Elizabeth. “What are you, paranormal investigators? Oh my gosh, is that what it is? Is that what you couldn’t tell me?”

  Her eyes were huge, and she was starting to breathe hard again, and she was wrong.

  “No, Doreen. We’re not paranormal investigators,” I said.

  “Then why does this not freak you out! You sit here, and you
just—snap orders at her, and she—obeys!”

  “Hey!” said Elizabeth, sounding offended.

  “Tell me at least you were a little scared when you first saw her!” Doreen demanded.

  “Um… I yelled,” I said truthfully.

  “Yeah, I remember that!” said Elizabeth excitedly. “I was trying to touch Miles, because he’s different.”

  Elizabeth looked intently at Miles, then back at me.

  “But you yelled at me to back off, or something. You were so ticked off!” Elizabeth sort of laughed. “But next time I couldn’t. There was something in the way, like this.”

  She pounded on the force field with her transparent fist.

  “Anika, I am going to cry,” Doreen looked like she meant it, and her voice began to rise. “And then if you don’t start talking right now, and start making sense, and tell me why you and Miles are not freaked out and back at your castle as far away from this as you can get, I’m going to call Mom!”

  “No! You call Mom, I’ll start crying!” I threatened fiercely.

  “Girls, girls,” said Miles. “Come on. No one’s calling anyone. Anika, we’ve got to tell her everything, the only chance the poor kid has at not being permanently traumatized, is to know there’s nothing we haven’t told her.”

  “That’s right!” Doreen pointed at Miles, but looked at me.

  “You don’t think knowing will permanently traumatize her?” I exclaimed.

  “I’m calling Mom!” Doreen wailed.

  I started to cry too.

  Miles rubbed my shoulder and reached across me to touch Doreen’s arm and get her attention.

  “Doreen, if you will please calm down long enough to listen, I promise to tell you the truth. As long as you first tell Anika that you’ll keep it to yourself, and never tell another person. You’ll have to mean it, or otherwise you can call your Mom, because I’m not saying another word and neither is your sister.”

  Doreen gave Miles a long look, then looked at me.

  “I promise,” she gulped. “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “She’s telling the truth,” I sighed in resignation and slumped against Miles.

  Doreen gave me a funny look.

  “I’ll go first,” I said, then turned to her. “At dinner you mentioned several things that didn’t make sense. You said when we lived in the cabin I talked in my sleep, that I cried and begged Miles not to leave me. You wondered why I was dreaming about Miles, since I didn’t meet him until after you moved away. Then, Jenny said at our wedding that before meeting Miles, I suffered a loss that you knew nothing about.”