Restless Spirits: Chapters 15 & 16

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Chapter Fifteen

Hours passed before Joe finally reappeared in the kitchen. Lilly jumped up from her chair when she saw him. “Joe!”

I looked up to see him standing in the doorway. “Oh, thank God,” I muttered, standing and going to meet him.

“I don’t think God had much to do with it.” He staggered over to his usual chair. He looked. Well, he looked pretty much the same, but it wasn’t hard to tell that he’d just been through hell.

“We’re glad you’re okay,” said Lilly.

“Yeah.” I glanced over at her. “Lilly refused to leave this kitchen until she knew you were safe. I stayed to keep her company.” Lilly’s eyes widened at the lie, but she didn’t correct me.

“That so?” he asked. “Thank you, Lilly. That was right kind of you.”

“I only—what I mean to say is…I-I’m glad you’re okay.” She sat back down.

I winked at her and turned back to Joe. “We both are. You are okay, right?”

“Right as rain,” he said, but the haggard look on his face said otherwise.

“Listen,” I said, taking a seat, “I owe you a sympathetic ear. If you’d like to talk about it—”

“I appreciate the offer, but that’s all right.”

“Are you sure? I seem to remember some pretty sound wisdom about how talking about it can do a lot of good.”

He smiled but shook his head. “There are also some things better left unsaid. Look, I appreciate you ladies waiting for me and all, but I’d really just like to be left alone right now.”

“Oh. Sure. No problem.” I stood up and looked at Lilly, who also rose to her feet.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Joe,” she said again, then, looking embarrassed, headed out of the room.

I followed her. As we reached the parlor, I said, “See? He doesn’t like me any more than you.” I said it to reassure her, but I couldn’t help feeling a pang of disappointment.

“I wish I didn’t become so tongue-tied around him,” she said. “Thank you for what you said. About me being the one to refuse to leave.”

I shrugged it off, but part of me regretted the lie. “That’s what friends are for. So, want to go hang out in the attic?”

“Perhaps later. I should check on my parents.”

“Right. Well, I guess that’s where I’ll be if you need me.”

I popped up to the attic. I could hear the soft murmur of Ed’s voice coming from his corner. He was probably talking to his wife’s picture again. I didn’t want to disturb him, so I took a seat on the Victorian settee near the front of the attic. An old wooden box sat on the table before me. Out of boredom more than anything else, I leaned forward to see if I could pop the latch. It took some concentration and working myself into a bad mood, but I did it. Next, I opened the hinged lid and looked inside.

The box was full of old photographs, greeting cards, and letters. I recognized a younger version of Ed in the photograph lying on top. Out of respect, I shut the lid. It didn’t feel right, snooping through his things. I wondered if his kids knew this stuff was up here. Did they even care? They didn’t exactly strike me as the sentimental type.

What else was hidden in this attic, though? With all of the people who had lived and died in this house, I doubted everything up here belonged to Ed. I got up and pushed toward the back, marveling as I went at the convenience of being able to just pass right through any obstacles in my way.

As I got closer to the eaves, the cardboard boxes and plastic containers gave way to wooden crates and old leather suitcases and steamer trunks. I saw more photographs, these in frames, of people I didn’t know. People Sarah had grown bored with, I figured, and shuddered. Toward the very back, I saw another photo filled with familiar faces. The Bairds looked out at me in faded sepia tones from behind a cracked frame.

I looked inside one of the trunks. It was filled with keepsakes. Dolls, old clothes, some more pictures...and a scrapbook. I reached for it, but my hand passed right through. I sighed and slumped back on my knees. I was really getting tired of having to work up a good rage just to be able to touch something. I doubted it was worth it just to look at a bunch of old pictures of strangers, anyway.

Unless it was the Bairds. Lilly might enjoy looking at family photos. I wondered if she knew this was here.

I decided to leave it for later. For now, I got up and kept rummaging. I was checking out an old Singer sewing table when I heard something skittering around behind me. “Buster?” I called. “Is that you, boy?” But I knew Buster didn’t normally make that much noise. I heard more scratching and followed the sound. That probably wasn’t a smart thing to do. What if this was another one of Sarah’s games? What if the burned guy was stalking me?

Ew, what if it was rats?

Apparently, I was a slave to curiosity. I kept following the sound. It seemed to come from an old grandfather clock. There was a hole in the shattered glass cover, and the pendulum was missing. The clock face was permanently set at two-forty-six. More scratching. The clock shook, its chimes jingling a tuneless cacophony that echoed through the attic. I steeled my nerves and reached for the door.

“It don’t work,” said someone behind me. I jumped and let out a short scream, then spun to see Joe holding up his hands. “Whoa. Sorry. Wasn’t trying to scare you.”

“Yeah, well,” I said, clutching my hand to my chest, “you did a pretty good job anyway. What are you doing here? I thought you wanted to be alone.”

“I thought I did, too. But then I got lonely.”

“So you came looking for me?”

He shrugged. “Felt bad for the way I brushed you off. After the way you sat up waiting—”

“I told you, I was just keeping Lilly company.”

“Right. Lilly. Well, the next time I see her, I’ll be sure to thank her properly. Right now, I’m trying to offer you an apology.”

“You don’t need to apologize. You’re right, it’s none of my business what you went through. I just thought you might want to talk about it, but if you don’t—”

“I don’t.”

“Well, there you go. Your prerogative.”

“It’s not ‘cause I don’t want to open up to you, it’s just—”

“Don’t worry. I get it.”

“I’m not sure you do.”

I wasn’t sure, either, but it wasn’t as though he owed me anything. He wasn’t my boyfriend. We barely even knew each other. Okay, he knew quite a bit more about me than I did about him, and that was hardly fair. But it wasn’t like he forced me to spill my guts about my dad.

“It’s just that it’s too painful,” he said.

“It’s okay. I understand.” I did. Sort of. I mean, more painful than having accidentally killed your own mother? He’d better be harboring one whopper of a secret if he was going to go there. “Anyway, maybe I’m not the one you should be opening up to. Lilly’s a pretty good listener.”

“Is there some reason you keep talking up Lilly to me?”

“Did you hear that?” I asked as the clock chimes jingled.

“Yeah. So?”

“There’s something in there.”

“Probably squirrels,” said Joe.

“Or maybe it’s one of the lost ghosts.”

“Could be, but my money’s still on squirrels.” As if conspiring against me, a little gray head popped out of the hole in the glass. I let out another scream and jumped back into Joe. Energy sparked between us. He held out his arms as if to steady me, then pointed. “See?”

“Yes, I see. Thanks.” I headed back to the front of the attic.

He followed me. “That’s one mystery solved.”

“What’s the other?” Besides you, I thought.

“What you’re doing up here.”

“Should I be somewhere else?”

“No. I mean, what are you doing?”

“Oh.” I shrugged. “Snooping. I was bored.”

“Find anything interesting?”

“I found an old scrapbook that looked promising. I’m too wiped to pull it out of its box, though. Maybe after I get some rest.” I headed back toward the settee. “You know, I bet Lilly would love to hear how much it meant to you that she waited to make sure you were safe.”

“That brings us back to my question.”

“What question?”

“Why you’re suddenly so interested in making me interested in Lilly.”

I started to make an excuse, but I couldn’t think of one. I sighed. “She likes you, Joe.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

He chuckled. “You haunt someplace with someone for seventy some odd years, you’re bound to eventually pick up on the fact that somebody’s got a crush on you. ‘Sides, teenagers ain’t exactly subtle. For that matter, neither are you.”

We reached the settee. I sat down. He stood nearby, arms folded, looking down at me. I fidgeted, uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and decided to turn the tables on him. “So you know how Lilly feels about you. Why don’t you do something about it?”

“Uh, because she’s sixteen.”

I waved that niggling fact away. Okay, yes, under normal circumstances, this sort of thing would totally squick me out. “But does that really matter?” I asked. “Sure, she was sixteen when she died, but technically, she’s pushing ninety.”

“She’s sixteen in all the ways that matter, and you know that. Besides…” he said, moving closer. He leaned over me, propping himself up on the couch, and said, “Is playing matchmaker between me and Lilly really what you want to be doing?”

He was close. So close that I could see the shadow of freshly shaved beard getting ready to poke back out from beneath his skin. A beard that would never see the light of day again. I also thought I could smell him, that masculine scent of sweat and soap that no bottled cologne could reproduce. Had to be my imagination.

I swallowed. Not out of any physical need—I supposed I was beyond physical needs, although that didn’t make me wonder any less what his bottom lip tasted like—but because it felt like the thing to do. “Um,” I finally managed. “I’m just trying to be a good friend.”

Joe straightened back up, and I was torn between relief and disappointment. “Well, nobody can fault you on that count. I suppose you’re right, though. I should go give Lilly my thanks.” With that, he vanished.

I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of... I don’t know. Relief? Frustration? Irritation? All of the above? There was only one thing at that moment that I could be sure of: I was falling for Joe.

And here I thought death was supposed to simplify these things.

Chapter Sixteen

I spent the next day avoiding Lilly and Joe. I wasn’t ready to face either of them with my newfound feelings. I didn’t even know for certain what those feelings were. Besides, the last thing I needed right now was to be a point in a love triangle. I already had more drama than I could handle with Sarah.

I hid out in the little cubby back by the grandfather clock. It was peaceful there, and quiet, even with the squirrels, and there was plenty to look at. Really, it was quite the cozy little nook. I didn’t have to reach too hard this time for the impetus to be able to grab the scrapbook. I sat on the floor with it spread open before me. Turned out it didn’t belong to the Bairds. I didn’t know who had put it together. It didn’t have the family photos I’d expected, but was instead filled with old newspaper clippings from around the area, dating all the way back to 1910. It made for interesting reading, if your definition of “interesting” was expanded to include weather forecasts and farm reports. Still, it was something to pass the time.

I was halfway through an article on some newfangled high-tech cleaning apparatus known as a vacuum cleaner when Buster started up a barking fit on the other side of the attic. I skimmed the article and turned the page, waiting for Ed to tell Buster to quiet down, but his order never came. I realized that it had been awfully quiet back in Ed’s corner. I had already gotten so used to the constant murmur of Ed’s voice that I barely even noticed its absence. As Buster’s barking grew more frantic, a bad feeling gnawed at my gut. I decided I’d better go check on Ed.

At the back of the attic, Ed’s milk crate sat empty. Buster’s barks turned to distressed whimpers when he saw me, and he hopped up on the crate as if to tell me something was wrong. I wasn’t really well versed in Lassie speak, so I didn’t bother with the whole, ‘What is it, boy? Has Ed fallen down a well?’ shtick. Instead, I went looking for Ed.

So much for my plans to keep to myself today. “Ed!” I called, looking around the attic. When that didn’t get a response, I popped down to the kitchen. The whole gang was there. Joe sat in his regular seat, quietly observing the Bickering Bairds and ignoring the shy glances Lilly kept sending his way.

He stood up when he saw me. “‘Bout time you joined us,” he said. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming down.”

“I wasn’t,” I said, then cut to the chase. “Has anybody seen Ed?”

“Isn’t he in the attic?” asked Lilly.

“No, he’s not. Hence why I’m looking for him. I think something’s wrong.” I headed out into the parlor, shouting, “Ed!”

“What could be wrong?” Joe asked, coming up behind me.

“Sarah? Duh. You go check the basement. I’ll take the second floor.”

I started toward the stairs, but Joe ran after me. “Whoa, hold up. He’s got to be around here somewhere. Maybe he just doesn’t want to be bothered.”

“What, you mean like all of the other people who are just ‘hiding?’” I condescended to use air quotes. I’m not proud of it. “Come on, Joe. Lilly told me there used to be like twenty ghosts in this house. Since I’ve been here, I’ve only seen the five of you and Sarah. Well, and that burned guy, whoever he is. I’ve been all over this house, too. If they were just keeping to themselves, my snooping would’ve turned up at least one, don’t you think?”

“So what do you think’s happened to them?” he asked.

Lilly came out to join us then, and I pointed to her. “Tell him, Lilly.”

She looked like a cornered bunny rabbit as Joe turned to her. I felt kind of bad for that, but I needed backup to get through his thick skull. “They’ve disappeared,” she said. “They’re not here, Joe. I think Sarah’s done something with them.”

He laughed. “Done what? What else could she do? They’re ghosts. It ain’t like she could kill them again.”

“Unless maybe she can,” I said.

He shook his head. “That’s crazy talk.”

“This is what I tried to tell you yesterday!” I shouted, having reached my limit. “Ed told me he saw her do something to one of the other ghosts. He said it was like she devoured it. And that’s not all. I saw her change into something.”

“Into what?”

“I don’t know. It was a big, nasty, demonic-looking thing. A thing that I don’t ever want to see again.”

He folded his arms. “You’re serious?”

“Look, I might be hard up for entertainment, but not so much that I’d make this stuff up.”

With a sigh he said, “Fine. I’ll go check the basement. You two look upstairs.”

“Gee, why didn’t I think of that?”

He pointed at me. “Don’t start.” He took off in the direction of the basement.

I turned to Lilly. “You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to.”

“I do want to,” she said. “I like Ed. I want to know if he’s all right.”

“Okay,” I said, “but stay behind me.” I took the lead as we headed up the stairs. No sign of Sarah at the top. That was something, at least. “You take that side of the hall,” I told Lilly, pointing to the spare rooms as I dissolved into the bathroom. “Ed?” I called. “You in here?” I peeked behind the shower curtain and in the cupboard. I even looked in the medicine chest. It seemed unlikely, but I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned.

He wasn’t there. He wasn’t in the master bedroom, either. I stood in the closet, looking up the attic steps and wondering if he had somehow disappeared onto the mysterious non-existent third floor, when I heard a scream.

I ran into the hallway in time to see Sarah—or rather, the big nasty that liked to pose as Sarah— looming over Lilly at the other end of the hall.

“Get away from her!” I screamed. It came out without any thought. It might have been idiotic of me, but at this point, I was too furious to be scared. I marched toward the monster as it turned on me. “What did you do with Ed? You ate him, didn’t you?” I vibrated all over with anger. I didn’t know what I was going to do. Maybe I’d get eaten, too, and then I’d know where it sent the others. Not exactly the easiest way to find out, but just then, I didn’t care.

“Ron, no!” cried Lilly.

Joe appeared at her end of the hall. “What in tarnation is all the screamin—oh, sweet Lord!”

“Get her out of here!” I shouted.

I heard Lilly protesting as Joe tried to get her to leave, but I was a little more focused on the demonic entity that was creeping toward me. Now that I was staring it down, I should be able to describe it a little better, but the closest I could come was to say it looked like a cross between a baboon and a rabid pit bull, with a big dash of Satan mixed in.

“I hate bullies,” I told it. “And that’s what you are. Just one big, ugly, disgusting bully. Maybe all you need is for somebody to stand up to you.”

“Ron!” I heard Joe yell. “Have you completely lost your head? Get out of there!”

I stood my ground. “You don’t scare me, Sarah,” I said. That’s when it lunged at me. Okay, that scared me. Terrified me, is more like it. I froze and closed my eyes. Whatever was about to happen, I didn’t want to see it coming. It really sucks to have your bluff called.

Something slammed into me, hard. I opened my eyes to see Joe ‘s shoulder driving into my midsection and his arms wrapped around my waist as he knocked me out of the way. We both tumbled, and then dissolved...

...and resolved on the floor of the kitchen. Lilly was already there, and her parents had apparently never left. They all jumped up at the sight of us.

“Oof,” I said as Joe climbed off of me and got to his feet. He held a hand out and I took it without thinking, letting him haul me up. Only when I was standing did I realize that we were actually, physically holding hands. I stared at them a moment, then became self-conscious and jerked my hand away. “How did you do that?” I asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said, seeming flustered for the first time since I’d met him. “I saw that thing about to attack you, and all I could think about was getting you out of there. After that, I pretty much stopped thinking and just moved. But what about you? What on God’s green earth were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t,” I admitted. “I was just really mad.”

“Yeah, well, you just about got yourself killed!”

“But she saved me,” said Lilly. “You both did.”

“Besides,” I added, “I thought we couldn’t be killed. That that was crazy talk.”

He just stuffed his hands under his armpits and glowered at me.

“What in blazes are you all talking about?” asked Maxwell. “What is this thing that attacked our daughter?”

“It was Sarah,” I told him. “She can turn into this thing. I don’t know what it is—some kind of demon, maybe?” At this, Ruth made the sign of the cross and started to pray. “It can apparently devour wayward souls.”

“I thought you were supposed to be some sort of expert on the spirit world,” said Maxwell. “Don’t you know what this is? How is it possible that it could destroy souls?”

“Only God can create or destroy souls,” said Ruth, then went back to praying.

“Hey, this is all new to me,” I said. “Until I died, my most exciting encounter was the sound of someone walking in an empty attic. We were scientific about it. We didn’t really go in for demonology.”

“A fat lot of good that does us now,” grumped Maxwell.

“Hey! It’s not like I planned on being stuck here with you guys! But now I am, and we’re all in this together! So we can either fight and tear each other down and make it easier for that thing to pick us off one by one, or we can rally together and figure out a way to stop this thing!”

“I vote rally,” said Joe.

“Thank you,” I said, but I was a little thrown by the sudden show of support.

“Sure, if it’ll keep you from going off half-cocked and getting yourself devoured.”

Okay, so it was backhanded support. But at least he was on my side.

“I want no part of this,” said Ruth, singing her favorite tune. “Maxwell, Lilly, you keep well away from this. This can only lead to destruction.”

“Sitting on your butt is going to lead to destruction, Ruth!”

“Language!” she cried.

“Ruth, stick it!” I shouted. She gasped. So did Maxwell. Lilly covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a smirk on Joe’s face. “This isn’t the time to be prim and proper. This is a time to get angry and put up a fight. But we have to fight together, not with each other. I mean, come on! This thing killed each and every one of us! I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m an angry spirit hell-bent on vengeance. Isn’t that supposed to make me pretty dangerous?”

“I’m a little scared of you right now,” said Joe.

I shot him a look. He just looked back at me with that irritating smirk of his. Man. He could go from incredibly sweet to complete jerk in no time. I rolled my eyes, took a deep breath to calm myself, and said, “Look. Ruth, you’re an ax murderer.”

“I wasn’t myself!” she said. “That wasn’t me!”

“Yeah, but the fact is you’ve got it in you to be a fighter. Max, you seem like you’re starting to grow a pair.” He bristled at my backhanded compliment, but I went on. “And your daughter has more cojones than the two of you put together. I don’t see why you’re so cowed by this kid.”

“Do we need to go back to the part where she can eat souls?” said Joe.

I inclined my head. “Okay, yes, that’s scary. But I’m betting she can’t eat us all at once. Not if we gang up on her.”

“Are you proposing we go up there and attack her now?” asked Maxwell.

“No,” I said. “No, even I realize that would be idiotic,” I added with a glance at Joe. “I need to find a way to talk to my sister again. See what she’s learned and tell her exactly what we’re up against. The better informed we are, the better it will be for all of us.”

“And what do we do in the meantime?” asked Ruth.

“Keep out of her way,” said Joe.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Just do your best to steer clear of her and don’t do anything to draw attention to yourself.”

“I was actually talking about you,” he said, but when I looked at him he winked. It was cute and disarming, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“And what are you going to do?” asked Maxwell.

I shrugged. “Work on a way to contact Chris.”

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Restless Spirits: Chapters 17 & 18

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