by R. J. Bonett
Frank and June seemed to be hanging on every word, intensely interested in our strange conversation. “If you’re having another séance tonight, would you mind if Frank and I join you?”
“I don’t mind, if Delores doesn’t think it’ll be a problem. You’ll have to bring two chairs though. I only have four chairs with my kitchen set. Frank, I have to pick up George at 5. Want to come along?”
“I’d like to.”
“Ok, I’ll pick you up at 4:30.”
They seemed excited we invited them and watched as they walked back to their pickup truck in conversation, then start back down the hill. I was reassured that Frank and his wife would be great neighbors.
During the morning, Delores swept out the upstairs, while Don helped me carry out the old carpeting and linoleum I had piled in the dining room from the previous weekend. While Don and I were working, Delores used my car to get to town and buy more cleaning supplies, and while she was there, picked up lunch. When she returned she remarked,
“You must have been working hard. The both of you are pretty dirty.”
“Yes, I couldn’t begin to tell you how old those carpets are, or how long they’ve been on the floor.”
We washed up the best we could, then Don jokingly remarked, “I’m not used to doing this kind of dirty work. I’ll sure enjoy that shower and a clean set of clothes tonight.”
Hurriedly, we had lunch then headed for George’s. As we pulled into the driveway, he got out of his chair with the branch and old spring in his hand, tools of his trade.
“Ray, is that the branch and spring in his hand?” Delores asked.
“Yes, strange isn’t it?”
“Good afternoon, are you ready for the demonstration?” George inquired.
Delores replied, “George, I’ve been ready since Ray told me about it last night.”
Handing me the spring, George began the lesson.
“Here’s how you hold the branch.” Taking it with the end of each fork of the Y in his hands, he held it waist high with his elbows at his side and the branch straight out.
The four inches of branch that extended from where the two sides were joined were what I thought might be the part that extends to the ground.
Delores asked, “George, what kind of tree did you cut the Y fork from?”
“I cut my forks from a cherry tree, but they say any pitted fruit tree would do. Some folks only use the branch of a willow. They say a willow tree always seeks water because they grow so fast, and that’s true. They always grow quicker near a stream or a wet area. Here, Delores, you hold it.”
At her first attempt, she didn’t hold it properly, and with a smile, George corrected her.
“Ok, now what do I do?” she asked.
Motioning with his finger, he said, “Walk slow right down through the yard there. If you have the ability to witch, the branch will point down to the ground where there’s water flowing.”
As she started down through the yard, George told her, “You’re not running a foot race, walk slower.”
As she passed a spot, the branch began pointing down. Stopping, she asked.
“George, I’m trying to hold the branch straight out as you told me, but it’s hard to do. Am I doing something wrong?”
“Well, go forward and see if it comes back up.”
After walking a few feet farther, the branch returned to its original position.
Don asked, “Are you doing that Delores?” laughing at her success.
“No, whatever it is, it’s controlling the branch.”
“Here Don, you try it.” George said.
“No thanks. Let Ray do it.”
I took the branch from Delores and following George’s instructions, began walking slowly down through his yard.
“Look, George, the branch is pulling down right here. It’s pulling hard too.”
“Well, walk a little farther and we’ll see what you do.”
I walked farther, and the branch returned to its original position. A few steps farther and the branch pulled down again. Experimenting, I backed up and to my astonishment, the branch slowly returned to its normal position.
I walked slowly backward the rest of the way to the porch, and in every spot Delores and I walked over feeling a reaction, I got the same result. “Damn, this thing really works. It’s uncanny,” looking at George I remarked.
George laughed. “You sure you don’t want to try it Don?”
“Ok, give me the branch,” he replied.
Holding it the same way as Delores and I, he began walking down through the yard. No reaction, nothing. He might just as well be carrying a walking cane or an umbrella.
“I didn’t feel anything, why not?” he asked.
“Well, not everybody does,” George replied, “It’s like the spirit world- certain people have the power but most don’t.”
I asked, “George, I know this is your yard, so I assume you’ve witched it before. Were we right where the branch pulled down?”
Turning around pointing, he said, “Do you see that small shed? That’s the old spring house. Now look over at that cement slab. That’s the well I use now. They’re both in line with where you witched. Yes, you two graduated. How does it feel to be a water witch?”
Delores replied gleefully, giving George a hug. “It feels like you’ve added another page to my accomplishments. What’s the spring for?”
“When I find a spot, I hold the spring by one end- fist clenched, with the bolt under my thumb, like this.” Demonstrating as he did with the branch he held it out and said, “Here Ray, you try it.”
Holding it as he instructed, I said, “George, the other end droops down.”
“That’s what it’s supposed to do. Now stand over the spot where you felt the branch pull down the strongest.”
Doing as he asked, in disbelief, the loose end started to bob up and down.
“What’s happening? George, am I doing something wrong?”
“No, count how many times the spring bobs. For every bob, that’s about a foot, telling you how deep you’ll have to drill for the water.”
Don quickly remarked, “You’re kidding, right?”
“No sir: If you continue to hold it, it’ll stop; then in a few seconds it’ll start bobbing again. It will be half the count as the first time and the third time it starts it will be half of that count.”
Holding it again, I tested his theory. Sure enough, his analysis of what would happen did exactly what he predicted.
“George, can I take the branch and spring home and try it in my yard?”
“Sure, you can give them back when you’re finished with them.”
After an hour of conversation about George’s accomplishments, we left and returned to the farm. Another hour of cleaning and we were ready to go for dinner. It was getting late in the afternoon and I wondered where the day had disappeared to so quickly. I had to pick up Frank at 4:30 then drive out to get George.
After picking him up, I told him about the lessons in witching George gave us. He seemed more interested in talking about the séance, and talked about it all the way to George’s asking questions I didn’t have an answer to. When we got to his house, he was waiting on the back porch just as he promised. Getting out of his chair with an unsteady hand, he grasped the porch post to keep his balance. I quickly got out of the car and hurried up the path to help him.
“Are you sure you want to come tonight? You look a little unsteady. Is it because of the knee?”
“No: just an old man’s failings. When I got home last night, the knee didn’t hurt anymore and when I looked this morning, there still wasn’t any bruise.
Hurt like hell at the time though. Hello, Frank, I see they got you involved too.”
“No, it wasn’t my idea, it was June’s. I don’t know whether I’m
going to like this or not. I hear you were giving lessons today on witching, did they pass or fail?”
“They both passed, Don failed. He couldn’t do it.”
I helped George to the car, and he seemed shaky. Skeptical about his involvement I asked again, “You sure you want to go George? I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
When we got to the farm, as I figured, Delores and Don had already filled June in on what took place last night. The table was ready to go with the YES and NO papers at each end, and the blue bottle was on its side in the middle. The candles were also in place where they were the night before, and walking into the kitchen, I lighted each one then turned out the light.
I couldn’t help but notice the way June and Frank were wide-eyed, apprehensively gazing around the candle lit room. Although we were seated, the flames flickering from the candles made our shadows on the walls seem as if they were moving. Frank, warily looking around, seemed astonished that a room so familiar to him, the very room he and his family had numerous meals in, harbored such a history. I could only imagine it was beyond the scope of his imagination, and he looked as though he wasn’t anxious to discover the secrets he never knew.
Chapter 10
We finally settled in the order Delores directed. Her at the head, George at the far end, with Frank and June on one side, Don connected to Delores and me on the opposite side. She began by asking us to join hands. Closing her eyes and slowly bowing her head in an almost reverent manner, she seemed to be going into a trance, a world she was familiar with. In a monotone voice she asked, “Adda, are you with us tonight?”
After a few moments, her hair fluffed up. Slowly raising her head she opened her eyes staring at the blue bottle, a stare that was completely blank and seemed to be devoid of our presence. Her lips began to quiver and she began to speak in a different tone of voice, alien once again from her own.
“Yes, I’m here. Where’s Levi?”
All our attention had been on Delores, when suddenly we looked at George. Without noticing, he had already been possessed apparently by Levi. Staring at the blue bottle, he quickly answered, “Adda, I’m here. I know you’re here, but you seem to be in a different house, not our own. The rooms are different. Where are you?”
I thought to myself, “George was right. The bottle does have mystical powers.”
Quick thinking on June’s part, she asked the same question Delores asked before she went into her trance.
“Adda, are you here with us?”
Frank was surprised June was so eagerly involved, glancing at me as though I somehow had an answer to his inquiring look. He seemed to want reassurance from me that no harm would come to him if he didn’t immediately flee the house, escaping the spectacle he was witnessing. We were familiar with the change in George’s voice, but Frank and June were startled, knowing it wasn’t his normal tone. They weren’t here last night to witness it. It was a deeper, youthful voice completely foreign to their ears. It wasn’t George speaking, it was Levi. The spirits that were manifested began a conversation, as if they were only using the physical means of communicating through Delores and George, as if we weren’t in the room.
“Adda, has Daniel been here today?” Levi said through George.
“Yes, he makes me uncomfortable when I’m here alone with him,” Adda replied through Delores.
“There’s no need to fear Daniel. We’ve been friends for a long time, since we were children.”
June quickly asked, “Are you and Levi husband and wife?”
The bottle spun gently in a slow motion as if it was content to answer, stopping, it pointed to the word YES. We realized we were witnessing a conversation between a husband and wife that happened over 200 years ago. There was a moment of silence before I asked, “Levi, were you the one fighting with a person in the living room?”
The bottle shook violently then spun a complete revolution pointing to the word YES- the paper on the table in front of June.
June drew back her head, frightfully looking down at the bottle as if it would cause her some harm. The look on her and Frank’s face was as if they had actually seen a ghost. I could see they were both wide-eyed, and it looked as though they wanted no part with continuing, instead, wanted to exit the house quickly as possible. Realizing it, I presented my next question to Adda, hoping it would attract June’s attention making her less frightened listening to Adda’s gentle voice.
I asked, “Why do you feel uncomfortable with Daniel?”
With a brief moment not knowing if she would answer, Adda finally broke the temporary silence of the room.
“His sister Salema warned me that he was still containing a rage because I rejected his offer of marriage, but Levi dismisses that because they had been friends since childhood.”
Don surprised me when he asked, “Was the fire in the house accidental?”
The bottle rattled on the table as if something was holding it back from giving the answer, but after a few seconds of struggling back and forth, it finally turned to the word NO. Don quickly asked Adda another question. “Did Daniel start the fire?”
The bottle shook violently this time turning in the direction of the word NO.
Suddenly, it seemed to be overpowered and dramatically reversed, rattling and shaking the whole table until it settled pointing to the word YES. It appeared there was another spirit present, who was obviously angered at the question, preventing the bottle from giving the correct answer. George startled us when he suddenly stood up staring at the ceiling; then yelled out loud, “Adda, quick! Get Joshua and get out of the house. It’s on fire!”
With my clasped hand holding Franks, I could feel his palm sweating. He began pulling away from mine and I grasped it a little tighter, preventing his release so it wouldn’t break the human chain. There was too much at stake, and I didn’t want the séance to end until we found out more. Don and I realized it was Daniel in his anger that set the fire and maybe after setting it, Levi walked in catching him in the act. I quickly asked Adda, “Did Daniel know you were in the house when he started the fire?” Again, the bottle turned slowly to the word NO, as if Daniel didn’t want to interfere with Adda’s answer.
George yelled, “What are you doing Daniel? Adda’s in the house with our son Joshua.”
At that point, George groaned and grabbed his knee. When he did, the chain was broken, but the possessions didn’t stop. They grew stronger, and all of us who were conscious wanted it to end. An air of anger swept through the room so strong everyone sensed it. A kitchen cabinet door opened and we turned to look, hoping it was a loose hinge, until it slowly closed again on its own. Another door opened a little quicker then slammed shut.
Our eyes were following the activity in the room with astonishment, sending our heads in the direction of every new movement. A drawer suddenly opened, exposing its contents then closed by itself. Another drawer opened, then another. Cabinet doors began rapidly opening and closing on their own and fear suddenly swept over the room. To add to the crescendo of horror, the light that had been turned off began flickering on and off. With the cabinet doors opening and closing faster and more violent, one of the cabinet doors split down the middle, sending the severed end hurling across the room. Dishes and cups began falling from the shelves, smashing on the floor.
At this point everyone was frightfully looking at one another by all the spirit activity in the room, wondering what would happen next.
Surprisingly, Don became involved and asked, “Adda, why did you reject Daniel?”
Asking that question seemed to subdue the activity of the cabinets, as if Daniel was waiting for the answer from Adda that he had been lamenting for 200 years.
“He was too possessive and accusing, even when I would speak to my friends. My friend Sarah is married to Daniel’s older brother. She stopped by my parent’s one afterno
on to seek temporary shelter from the rain. When she walked in, Daniel was in a rage, accusing my parents of causing our separation. She told me, as she was leaving the house, she asked him to come home with her, but instead he ran out into the storm. Pleading, she called to him again, but he wouldn’t listen.
Sarah’s parents tried to warn me and Levi several times of his feelings, and to be careful and not be too trusting. They knew their son was having a problem with my rejection and were worried, fearing for Levi’s life and mine.”
The candles were growing dim, and Delores came out of her trance. It seemed that the confrontation between spirits was at an end for the evening, and I think Frank and June were as glad as Don and I.
I asked, “George, do you remember what you were sensing when you groaned?”
“I felt anger, a feeling I never had before, it felt strange like.” trying to recall exactly what he experienced he continued, “I think I might have been fightin’ with a fella. He was swinging a hatchet at me when I was on the floor. I was trying to fight him off, but it wasn’t doin’ no good. He just kept at it. I thought he hit me on the knee. I felt a sharp pain on the side of my head, then after that I didn’t feel nothin’.”
“Do you remember anything else George?” I asked.
“I could hear a woman’s voice. I think she was screaming my name, sort of in a state of panic. She kept yellin’. I think she was sayin’, ‘Levi, I’m upstairs. I can’t find Joshua.’ I kept hearin’ it until the voice and the anger just seemed to fade away.”
I quickly remarked, “Don, they say the last sense to go when you’re dying is your sense of hearing. It’s possible what George was feeling was the first hatchet blow to his knee and torso- then the fatal blow to the head.”
Frank and June, both still trembling like all of us, got up from their chairs surveying the damage to the room and broken dishes on the floor. They were sweating like the rest of us, but they were also nervously relieved that the séance was over.
Stepping carefully through the debris, I closed the few drawers and cabinet doors that were open. I picked up the piece of cabinet door that was split in half and examined it. The force that was needed to do that kind of damage was powerful. On the edge where the wood was exposed, I noticed the door was made out of Maple, an extremely hard wood. Now I had my answer to the sudden increase in hot water- Daniel’s spirit was violent.
