by Rose Pressey
The main floor of the library had rows of tables with green and brass lamps placed on top. They set off a cozy glow around the room. Beyond the tables, aisles of books extended the length and width of the building. The rooms were wrapped in rich warm wood trims. In the center of the room was a grand oak balustrade staircase. On sunny days the polished wood gleamed in the warm rays of sunshine. Massive windows lined the all the exterior walls. Stained glass decorated the upper parts of the windows, producing prisms of yellow, blue, and red around the room. The upstairs had more books, plus a conference room and the children’s reading room.
It was time to close and I had just enough time to get home, change, and back over to Devil’s Moon Cemetery. Tammy was lucky enough to find someone to cover her shift for her tonight at the tavern. Tammy was a workaholic and I was surprised she’d taken off. During the day she worked part-time at the library and then at the hair salon on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Four nights a week she worked at the tavern. I supposed I couldn’t say much since I worked the library and then did a tour five nights a week. When you did something you loved, it didn’t feel like work.
I was still waiting on one last call before I left the library. The thought had barely left my mind when my cell rang.
“Good news,” Brannon said when I answered. “I got off tonight so I can join the tour.”
“How did you know about the documentary?” I asked.
“This is Devil’s Moon, things like this spread quickly.”
I still didn’t understand how that could happen, but nevertheless, I was glad he could go.
“I need all the moral support I can get,” I said.
“You’ll do fine, Rip. I have faith in your skills.” Brannon’s voice held a confidence that soothed me through the phone.
Regardless, I was nervous. I stood a little straighter. I’d keep telling myself he was right and maybe it would be true.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said and then stuffed the phone into my bag.
As I walked through the library, I shut off lights and made sure everything was straight for the next morning. With a library this size that was no easy task. I didn’t mind though. The place was beautiful and I never tired of relishing in my surroundings.
Annie moved along beside me. My phone lit up with text messages.
If you want me to show the documentary people ghostly activity, then bring them to the library. I can guarantee a good paranormal time. Books flying off the shelves, lights flickering, and mysterious footsteps. I can also touch people if you’d like.
That sounded highly inappropriate, but I knew what she meant. I might have to take her up on that offer, but I hoped it wouldn’t last long enough for that.
“Sure thing, Annie.” I checked the lock at the back door. “It’s sweet of you to offer.”
I want to help.
Monica and Tammy had already left for the evening. It was just me, alone in the library with Annie and Jane Austen.
After making sure that the cat had food and water, I said goodbye to Annie. Occasionally Jane Austen came home with me, but most of the time she seemed happy to stay at the library. When she hid from me I knew she wanted to stay with Annie. I was almost sure they played all night. A few times I’d caught the cat playing with something invisible on the surveillance videos.
After locking the front doors, I headed down the steps, but paused once at the bottom. To my left was an old cemetery. Strange that the library had a graveyard right in front, right? It had been there before the building had been built. At one time there had been a church nearby. Some of the dates and names had faded from the old tombstones. Having the graveyard in front of the library certainly added to the stories about the place being haunted. Of course the place was haunted—by Annie. The rest of the ghosts were probably a direct result of me. I was more haunted than any building in Devil’s Moon.
One of the librarians was even buried there. Lately more than ever, when I walked by it felt as if someone was watching me. I really had no explanation for that, but I was starting to get used to it. Since I knew that ghosts really did exist, I couldn’t brush it off as nothing.
Chapter 3
I raced home and changed into my new jeans and oatmeal-colored cable-knit sweater. The weather grew a little warmer each day, but it was still chilly enough to need a sweater. Spring was right around the corner. I applied makeup, but I wasn’t quite sure how it would look on film. Too bad they didn’t have a makeup artist. Was I supposed to wear more than usual? I didn’t want to look like a clown.
I made the walk over to the cemetery. The old iron gate at the entrance leaned a little as if it would fall at the slightest touch. I felt that added to the ambiance. I knew this place like the back of my hand, though it would be easy for the tour-goers to miss a step and break a leg. For that reason I always used flashlights.
Tonight a silvery glow from the moon settled over the entire area. It made the dark spaces seem even scarier. The wind howled through the tree branches and whistled through the treetops. Add in the owl who loved to hoot from high in the treetop and this seemed like I’d staged the whole scene. There was nothing pretend about this though. The graveyard came to life at night. The souls roamed the grounds. I knew because I felt their presence.
Devil’s Moon was haunted, and I was just the tour guide for the dead. Devil’s Moon Cemetery had been around since the early days of town. Some of the headstones were so old that they were crumbled and hard to read. I was working on trying to get those restored, but it was a long process. I hoped they weren’t too far gone to save.
Sometimes I wondered how I’d ended up back here in Devil’s Moon. When I left after high school I thought I’d never return. Now here I was walking the darkened alleyways telling ghost stories.
When I approached the gates, I saw that the film crew had already arrived. They hadn’t been kidding when they’d said they would be here early. Mrs. Clatterbuck wouldn’t be happy about this intrusion. She was the ghost who haunted the graveyard… well, one of them. The others didn’t appear as often as she did. They weren’t as vocal either. Mrs. Clatterbuck didn’t like that I gave tours at the cemetery and she was always complaining that I was disturbing the dead. I liked to think of it as a remembrance for the people who were now resting in Devil’s Moon cemetery. We were definitely never disrespectful.
“There she is,” the producer said when he saw me.
Alex Stewart walked toward me, peering at me with pale blue eyes through his small-framed black eyeglasses. I had to look up when talking to him because he was so much taller. He was about thirty years older than me. Sprinkles of gray ran through his hair and beard. He wore jeans and a black sweater.
A couple other people were with him, a dark-haired man with the camera and a petite blonde holding a clipboard. Both were bundled up in black coats as if it was ten below. I wasn’t sure what the blonde was doing.
Alex talked to me as if we had been friends forever. “Thanks again for agreeing to participate.” He gestured toward the guy with the camera. “This is Heath Harmon.” Then he pointed at the girl with the clipboard. “And this is Jeanette Langford.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said.
“Okay, so I figure if you’re available tomorrow we’ll do the interview, but tonight we’re just doing the tour. So act as if we’re not even here.”
That was easy for him to say. I would know that they were following me no matter how much I tried to forget. I would try my best to act natural.
“Sure, I can do the interview tomorrow. How about before or during lunch? Afterward I have the tour.” I glanced around the cemetery and thankfully still didn’t see Mrs. Clatterbuck. Even though I wanted paranormal activity on film, I’d rather not upset her.
Voices echoed down the alleyway. Tammy and Brannon were walking toward us. Brannon had changed out of his usual police uniform. Now he wore jeans and a navy and white plaid shirt. I loved his casual look just as much as the uniform. His dark hair
was cut short, showcasing his chiseled features and gorgeous blue eyes.
“Look who I found wandering on the sidewalk.” Tammy laughed.
I was so glad to see them. I didn’t want to have to do this alone.
“Remember, just do everything like you would normally,” Alex said.
Heath started filming right away. The camera was practically in my face. A little too close for my liking. The lens was so close that I bet my pores would appear the size of the Grand Canyon. The light was insanely bright. Or maybe I was just a little sensitive to it and that made it seem worse. Either way, it made me feel uncomfortable. Heath balanced the camera on his shoulder as he walked backwards in front of me. I had no idea how he did it. If I tried that I’d walk right into a building.
“Now we just have to wait for the rest of the group to show up.” I forced a smile for the camera.
That was when I spotted Monica coming down the alleyway.
“Oh, brother,” Tammy said when she spotted her.
Wearing high heels and a little black dress, Monica looked as if she was going out to a nightclub or maybe a cocktail party. I wondered if they could edit her out of the documentary. Alex would probably want to since she stood out like a sore thumb. The rest of us wore jeans, slacks, sweatshirts, and jackets. Monica might regret her choice in footwear about halfway through the tour.
“I’m here. You can start now.” Monica waved her arm.
As if we would have waited for her. When the rest of the tour-goers showed up I was surprised to see the group was larger than usual. I supposed word was out about the documentary. Pushing back my nerves, I started the tour. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought for sure I’d spotted the ghost of Mrs. Clatterbuck. I sensed her disapproval. That was nothing new. “Welcome to the Devil’s Moon Haunted Tour. Tonight I will guide you around the streets and buildings of town.” I continued with my usual spiel. “Many sightings of ghosts have been reported in the town of Devil’s Moon. Follow along with me tonight while I take you to some of the most haunted spots.”
It felt strange having this many people hang onto my every word, plus follow me around. First, I would start by taking them through town and end at the graveyard.
“This is the second oldest graveyard in Kentucky,” I said. “A spirit of a man is often seen roaming the graveyard. His silhouette appears as a misty blue form.”
We headed down the sidewalk toward the tavern. A low fog had settled over town, adding the perfect spooky setting for the tour.
“Many paranormal activities are reported in this building,” I said as we walked along.
The tavern had at one point been a stagecoach stop and was the current heart of the Devil’s Moon social scene. The building was the oldest in town. Travelers used to hitch their horses out front before stopping in for a drink. Now there was a parking lot around back. On the corner of Flaget and Main Streets next to the tavern was a restaurant that was the same stone and brick style building. Both were built in the 1700s. Sometimes I took the tour up to the second floor of the restaurant, but tonight when I peeked through the window and saw the full tables scattered throughout the room, I decided to pass that one up. It was too bad too because there were claims that the ghost of a Civil War widow haunted the entire building. Past tour-goers always seemed to like that story.
Country music almost knocked us down when we entered the tavern. As usual a band played at the back of the room. C.M. and the Boys had been playing there all week. It was the first time I’d heard them, but they sounded good.
I led the group across the old hardwood floors so that we would be tucked away from all the action. All eyes were on me, waiting for me to produce some kind of paranormal activity. So far no ghost had appeared in the old stone building. I wanted the tour-goers to see something though. It always made for a fun and exhilarating evening when paranormal activity occurred. The group gathered together in the small space at the back of the room.
Reciting the stories from heart came much easier for me now, but I still loved every minute of it. We walked through the entire tavern. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, except for the documentary team and Monica. Alex kept looking over his shoulder, as if he’d seen something or was just waiting for something to happen. I hoped that I didn’t seem too distracted by the camera. It was hard not to mess up with so much at stake.
We moved on to the antique shop and then to one of the new locations I’d added to the tour. It was an old funeral home. It had been a private residence when it was first built. The huge brick mansion had been recently purchased by Meredith. She wasn’t sure what she would do with the place, but she didn’t want to see it destroyed. “Are we almost done?” Monica asked. “My feet hurt.”
Tammy glared at her. “Maybe you shouldn’t have worn those five-inch Christian Louboutin knockoffs.”
Monica smirked, but didn’t come back with any of her usual snarkiness.
Alex pulled me to the side. “Things are going great, Ripley. I have one question though.”
“You want me to get rid of Monica? I know she can be annoying, but deep down I think she’s a nice person.”
He paused in confusion. “No, it’s not that… How do I put this? We just hoped to get a little bit of action tonight for the cameras.”
I looked over at the group of tour-goers. Brannon was looking at me. I knew he wanted to make sure things were okay.
Alex continued. “I guess what I wanted to know is can we make stuff up? You know, give it a little edge?”
I frowned. “No. Absolutely not. Paranormal activity isn’t guaranteed on my tour. I stated that at the beginning.” I was willing to let Annie do something, but I didn’t want to fake it. Would this mean he wouldn’t include Devil’s Moon in the finished documentary? Everyone would be so disappointed. Would he edit it to add something in? I was having doubts about agreeing to do this now.
Finally, I gave in and said, “We can go by the library. You’re guaranteed to get something there.”
“Well, what are we waiting on? Let’s go. We should have started there.” Alex marched down the sidewalk, motioning for me to follow.
I wrapped up the tour of the funeral home quickly. I could tell everyone was beginning to tire.
As we headed toward the library, Tammy whispered, “Where are we going?”
“The library. They want ghostly activity. The only way I can give them that is with Annie.”
When we entered the library, Jane Austen darted away. I knew she would find a place to hide as soon as she saw the camera and lights. My phone dinged and I knew right away that Annie had a message. Alex would be shocked if he knew how I communicated with the ghosts.
Nod if you want me to do something.
“Bilson Library was built in 1851. Many people have reported ghostly activity… a touch from unseen hands, whispers, and shadowy figures out of the corner of the eye.”
After explaining some of the ghostly activity in the library, I received another text from Annie.
I think I’ll scare this group a little. They look as if they’re terrified already. LOL.
Had Annie just typed ‘LOL’ on her text message? She’d been peeking over the teenagers’ shoulders while they sent text messages. I nodded, giving Annie the signal. I had no idea what she had planned.
Without warning, Annie knocked a book off the shelf. Several of the tour-goers gasped, so I knew they’d seen the book. I reached down and picked up the book. Leaving it on the floor wasn’t an option.
“Did you see that?” Alex asked.
“That was the ghost,” I said.
“Did you get that on camera?” he asked.
Heath nodded. “Got it.”
Would Annie do anything else? The thought had barely left when the lights flickered. People gasped again. Annie was having a lot of fun with this tonight.
“I had no idea the building was so haunted,” one of the women whispered
I guided the group up the stairs. Heath was behind us this time with
the camera. I was glad to have it out of my face for a bit. I knew he’d be in front of me again soon enough.
It probably seemed as if I was fearless. Little did they know that I was aware of who was haunting the library. For me there was nothing to be afraid of. The group followed behind me. The upstairs of the library was just as ornate as the downstairs, with wood trim and stained-glass windows. We stopped at the first door in the hallway.
“The ghost has been seen everywhere in the library and the rooms up here are no different. Don’t be surprised if you see a shadow out of the corner of your eye.” I looked around for Annie, but she wasn’t next to me.
“Is there more than one ghost?” the blonde woman asked.
“Not that I’m aware of,” I said. Although I had seen shadowy figures that I knew weren’t Annie, I couldn’t confirm a ghost had made the library their main haunting location.
Chapter 4
Once I’d taken the group through all the upstairs rooms, I figured it was time to wrap up the tour. “Thank you for joining me tonight on the Devil’s Moon Haunted Tour. I hope you enjoyed the trip and please join me again.”
When I looked around the room to make sure everyone was there, I realized that some were missing. I had counted everyone at the beginning of the tour. As I scanned the group, I realized that Jeanette was one of the people missing. Did Alex know she wasn’t with us? When people strayed from the group it made me nervous.
“Alex, have you seen Jeanette? She’s not with the group.”
His jaw tightened as he narrowed his eyes, scanning the area for her. “She apparently doesn’t care about this project as much as she claimed.”
Wow, that was a lot more than the yes or no answer I’d expected. Well, now I had to find the group. One of the couples—a young man and woman— were missing too. Maybe they had gotten lost in the library. I told people not to leave the group. Of course that didn’t mean they always listened.
