The Cornelius Saga Series Box Set 2
Page 24
“Oh, okay. Would you like for me to sit with you?”
Cindy shook her head and gulped. “No, thanks.”
Sara helped her over to a chair on the front porch and made sure she was comfortable.
“Well, I guess I’ll be off. I was just about to take Max for a walk.” She noticed that Max was still at home, sitting at the edge of the carport; observing them from afar. She wondered why he hadn’t run over to the neighbor’s yard when she did, considering he’d taken off over there before without her.
“I appreciate you coming,” Cindy said, as Sara started to leave.
“Think nothing of it. You go right ahead and soak up as much fresh air as you need.” Sara smiled.
She hadn’t let on, but she was suspicious of Cindy’s reason for leaving the house, in light of the fact that her reason was never truly explained. The woman looked as if she’d seen a ghost. And what about that music she’d heard moments before she and Max walked outside? She was thankful the dog hadn’t responded the way it did before when loud music travelled from the Morrisons’ across to their house. Max was as calm as could be. Sara also noticed the piano stopped just as they’d hit the carport and that’s when they saw Cindy stumbling into the yard. She was convinced the woman was an oddball.
Cindy remained on the porch for hours until it was time to pick up Ashley from school. Sara had even hailed her after returning from her walk with Max.
Although the music had long stopped and she figured the faucets must have too, Cindy was not yet prepared to enter the house alone for any extended period of time and she detested the thought that she’d cast all rationale aside and allowed impossible events to consume her with fear. Fear she’d never openly express with a living soul; yet pure, unadulterated fear she’d come to know firsthand. Maybe Ashley’s sentiments about the house were reasonable after all, she reluctantly considered.
With that in mind, she went and grabbed her car keys from the little table near the front door and headed out for her daughter.
12
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After Mira arrived home from work that afternoon, Sara filled her in on her encounter with Cindy Morrison earlier that morning.
They were sitting outside, sipping a tall glass of fruit punch juice. Mira hadn’t bothered to change out of her work clothes before deciding to ‘shoot the breeze’ with one of her favorite people in the world. After all, she and Rosie would be moving into Bobby’s house after the wedding and they won’t be able to have as many of those porch talks as they had before, though she intended for mostly nothing to change between them.
Rosie and Max hung out on the carport. Rosie threw a Frisbee and Max would run after it and promptly return it to her. It became a regular evening sport for them. Max never seemed to get tired and Rosie often kept at it for as long as she could.
“I saw something a few nights ago, that I didn’t get to tell you about,” Mira said to her mother. “I guess I didn’t want to alarm you either. I’m used to these things, but I don’t want you to have to deal with them all the time.”
“Don’t ever worry about me, sweetheart. What is it?” Sara sat up.
“I saw a ghost on the neighbor’s property.”
“A ghost?”
Mira nodded.
“Well, do you think it’s Rebekah?” She might not have crossed over. God knows, those boys of hers sold her house so quickly and she loved that house.”
“It’s not Mrs. Sinclair,” Mira said.
“It’s not?”
“Nope. It’s a much younger woman. I’ve never seen her before around here.”
Sara sat back a little, surprised by the revelation.
“She’s been digging herself out of the ground and entering the house through the upstairs window,” Mira went on.
“What?”
“For the past few nights around ten o’clock, I’ve seen her do the exact same thing.”
“That’s weird.”
“It is—even for a ghost.”
“Why do you say that?” Sara was flabbergasted.
“Because she doesn’t need to do that. I mean…she can enter the house through the wall if she wants to. But each time, she does the exact same thing and before she climbs into the window, she looks back at me as if she’s trying to tell me something.”
“What’re you going to do?”
“The only way I’ll know what she wants is if I can meet someone who lives in that house, since it’s obvious she’s attracted to the new owners,” Mira replied.
“So, you’re going over there?”
“I don’t want to. I have to think about this.”
Just then, Ashley, who’d been watching Rosie and Max through her bedroom window for a while, exited their front door and walked over to the Cullens’ carport. Cindy was taking a nap and her father hadn’t yet arrived home from work.
“Hi. My name’s Ashley,” she said to Rosie.
“Hi, Ashley. I’m Rosie. This is Max.” She smiled.
“Hey, Max!” Ashley patted the dog’s head, who in turn, tried to lick her fingers.
“I live in that house across the street.”
“I know,” Rosie replied. “We saw when you were moving in. My grandma and I were over there that same day to welcome you all to the neighborhood, but your mom didn’t seem very interested.” She spoke softly.
“I know how my mom can be. You’d have to excuse her; she’s not very friendly.”
Ashley played with Max some more, hovering her fingers above him and tempting him to jump.
The kids giggled.
Rosie noticed a strange woman standing at the Morrison’s front door. She looked like she didn’t belong there and at first, Rosie hesitated to mention it. “I know this is gonna sound strange, but do you know that woman who’s been visiting you at night and doing all those weird things?”
Ashley’s eyes widened with shock. “How…how do you know about that? Did someone say something to you?” She knew it couldn’t have been her mother who spilled the beans and she could almost bet it wasn’t her father either, so how could this girl she’s never met before possibly know anything about that?
“No one said anything to me. I just know,” Rosie replied.
Ashley leaned in. “Are you psychic or something?”
Rosie felt embarrassed. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“Well, do you know what she wants? My parents think I’ve made the whole thing up or have gone mad.”
“I’m sorry. I have no idea what she wants. Maybe my mom can help. She’s usually good at these types of things.”
“Will you ask her for me?” Ashley was pleading.
“Okay.”
Just then, Mira and Sara approached the girls.
“Hi. I’m Mira. How are you?” Mira said to Ashley.
“I’m fine, thank you,” Ashley replied, sheepishly.
“Have you met my mom, Sara?”
“No, I haven’t. Pleased to meet you both.”
She looked Rosie’s way again. “Well, I have to be going now. My mom doesn’t know I’m over here.” She lowered her head.
“Okay, well, nice meeting you,” Mira said.
“You’re a lovely young lady,” Sara added.
“Thank you.”
She nodded to Rosie and headed back across the street.
“See ya!” Rosie said quietly behind her.
“Looks like you got your wish and met one of the Morrisons, huh?” Sara said, as she and Mira entered the house.
Mira took her mother’s glass and rested it in the kitchen sink along with her own. “It’s her bedroom that the woman climbs into, but she’s not there to scare her. She just can’t get through to her the way she needs to and she doesn’t realize she’s terrorizing the child.”
“Is there anything you can do?” Sara was very concerned.
Rosie and Max came in behind them.
“Mom, I told Ashley I’d ask you about the woman she’s been seeing in her room.”
“She came right out and told you about that?” Mira asked.
“No. I sort of mentioned it to her,” Rosie clarified.
“So, you’ve been seeing this woman too?”
“Just today after Ashley came over.”
She told her where she’d seen her and that she knew what she’d been doing.
“She wants to know why the woman keeps bothering her. She sounds really afraid. Can you help her, Mom?”
Mira sighed deeply. “I’m afraid if I help her, I’ll ruin her at the same time.”
Sara and Rosie were both startled and puzzled by those enigmatic words.
13
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John Morrison arrived home around 6:30 p.m. He met Cindy and Ashley sitting together in the living room waiting for him.
“Is there something wrong?” He asked, resting his briefcase on the table.
Cindy got up and walked over to him. “Ashley and I were just talking. She explained to me more of what she was trying to tell us all along about what she’s been experiencing ever since we moved into this house. I believe her, John.”
John shook his head while loosening his necktie. “I’m too tired for this.”
“Listen to me, John.” She reached for his hand, which somewhat surprised him. “I’ve experienced something today too—something that isn’t normal.”
“Like what?” he asked, almost arrogantly. Inside, he felt trapped and still wondered why that call he’d been trying all day kept going to voicemail.
Reluctantly, Cindy explained to both her husband and daughter what had happened that day. Ashley was aghast, yet relieved that now someone else in the family believed her. John was dismissive.
“That’s really odd what you’re telling me, Cindy, but I haven’t experienced anything out of the ordinary in this house. And furthermore, what do you expect us to do? Pick up and leave? We’ve invested a lot of money in this place. You know that!”
“So, in order for you to believe us, you have to have the same experience yourself. Is that what you’re saying?” Cindy asked angrily.
“That’s not what I said. Besides, you didn’t believe a word Ashley said before now, until you claimed to have experienced something paranormal yourself. How dare you judge me?”
Cindy turned away, knowing he was right.
Ashley stood up. “Please don’t fight again! I know you’re not gonna like this, Mom, but I went over to our neighbors, the Cullens, this afternoon and I spoke with Rosie, the young girl. She knew what was happening in my room without me telling her.”
“You took our business over to strange people?” Cindy was horrified.
“I didn’t go there for that. The conversation just came up.”
“You know how I feel about mixing with people, Ashley!”
“Oh, stop that nonsense for once in your life, will you?” John barked. “It’s old, Cindy. It’s just plain old!”
“So do you want her spreading our business everywhere like we’re a bunch of fruit cakes? How would you live that down on your job if it gets out?” She was almost in his face.
“Of course I don’t want our family business all over the place. That’s why you two need to stop with all of this talk right here and now, then there’s no way anything can get out. I don’t know what you’ve experienced, but what I do know, is no matter what, we can’t pick up and move again. I’m not dealing with that stress—financially nor mentally. I can’t take it. Not right now!”
“Maybe our neighbors can tell us why all of this is happening,” Ashley suggested.
“Ash, please…leave it alone. Whatever you think is happening is likely to go away on its own.” John spoke more calmly, as he gently gripped his daughter’s shoulders. “I’ve just reached home; I’m tired; I’m beat and I have a report to do tonight that’s due first thing in the morning. I’m gonna grab something to eat, go inside my office and I’m gonna forget about all of this. I would advise you two to do the same.”
He walked off and left them standing there.
A little more than an hour later, John was slugging away at the computer. His office, a one hundred and eighty square foot, sound-proofed room, was situated downstairs on the eastern side of the living room.
With a little less than half of his coffee remaining, he figured he’d be finished within two hours, then could finally put everything work-related behind him. He never knew their Mizpah office could be so busy, but at least he loved what he did. Something in life, aside from Ashley, was actually meaningful.
He picked up his cell again. It had been on the desk next to his keypad. He decided he’d try that number one last time and if there still wasn’t an answer, he’d accept his fate for what it was. He’d done so before and would do so again, this final time. Never would he bring himself to make that call again.
Just like all the other times, it went straight to voicemail. He opted not to leave another message. Tomorrow morning, he’d be changing his number.
At 9:47 p.m., John keyed in the last figure and saved his gigantic file. He breathed a sigh of relief that the report was finally done and he could put it behind him. After shutting down the computer, he opened the door and switched off the lights. He was about to leave the room when suddenly, the computer turned on again. Making a full 360, he saw the sign-in box being filled with little round dots where his password went, then the mouse’s white arrow clicked back into his work document. John slowly approached the computer, in awe of what he was seeing. At the top of the file where his report’s title was, appeared the letters, one by one: H A T E H A T E H A T E H A T E. Then, the cursor moved to the first paragraph and there again was typed: H A T E H A T E H A T E H A T E H A T E— until the letters filled ten rows, pushing the information he’d typed himself further down.
Unnerved by what was happening, but determined to save his file, he took the mouse, closed the document without saving the changes and shut the computer down again.
Then, out of the darkness appeared bright blue orbs darting around the room, shooting upwards, downwards, diagonally and in all directions. He even felt their energy. Suddenly, the computer turned on again, repeated the log in by invisible hands and this time, entered a blank document. Two words were typed: Miss you.
John flew out of the room and didn’t realize he’d screamed so loudly, which caused Cindy and Ashley to run downstairs.
“What’s going on?” Cindy cried.
“I…I…” John was pointing in the direction of his office.
“Did you see her, Dad?” Ashley asked.
“Who? No. I didn’t see anyone.”
“What happened then?” Cindy probed.
John ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Nothing. Nothing. Everything’s fine. I’m sorry I startled you. Let’s just go to bed.”
He switched off all the lights and followed Cindy and Ashley upstairs, who were both suspicious that he was concealing something. Before they reached the landing, the doorbell rang.
“Who can it be at this hour of the night?” Cindy stopped in her tracks.
“I don’t know.” John ran back downstairs and opened the front door. On the other side stood Mira Cullen.
“May I help you?” John asked, befuddled by her presence.
“I’m Mira Cullen. I live across the street.”
Cindy and Ashley joined John downstairs and stood behind him.
“Right! You’re Sara’s daughter?” John asked.
“Yes.”
“It’s very nice to meet you. What brings you here so late?”
He noticed her eyes were almost glued to a spot behind him and he glanced around.
“May I come in a minute? I won’t be long,” Mira answered.
“Sure. Come in.”
“Miss Cullen, it really is very late,” Cindy said. “We were just about to go to bed.”
“Cindy! Please!” John glared at his wife.
“Hi, Ashley,” Mira smiled at the teenager who waved an
d smiled back. She thought it best at the moment not to respond to Cindy Morrison. There was nothing friendly or warm about her energy.
“Would you like to sit down, Mira?” John asked.
“No, thanks.” She stood in front of a window near the front door.
“Mister and Mrs. Morrison…”
“Please…” John interjected, “…it’s John and Cindy.”
“Okay,” Mira replied. “I know you don’t know me other than the fact that I live across the street from you, but there’s something I must tell you and before I do, I think you should be told a little about who I am.” She searched their eyes and all she saw in them was curiosity.”
“You sure you don’t wanna sit down?” John offered again.
“No. I’m fine.” Mira paused. “I don’t know if my mother mentioned it, but I’m a medical doctor at Caring Hands Clinic in town. I also have a certain gift which some people may or may not understand.”
“What kind of gift?” John inquired.
“I’m able to see things that some people can’t see and I’m sometimes privy to information that might not be public knowledge,” she explained in a nutshell.
“Where are you going with this?” Cindy asked, impatiently.
Mira glanced her way. “You’ll see in a moment.” She turned to John. “May I continue?”
“Please do.”
Ashley stood there feeling like something good was coming—as if Mira was her savior.
“You have a visitor,” Mira said. “Someone who’s been uninvited has been here with you in this house from the moment you arrived.”
No one said a word. Each of them understood that statement in their own way.
“This visitor—a woman—desperately needs something from each of you.”
“This is ludicrous!” Cindy blurted. “Are you some sort of quack?”
“Maybe it would be better if you just saw for yourself,” Mira replied.