by Alexie Aaron
“This is Lizzie,” Burt said helping Beth off with her coat.
“Thank you, Lizzie,” Beth said. She received a glare from the teen with made Beth feel old. She shrugged off the rejection and followed Burt into the living room.
Seated on the floor was the most precious looking child. Her soft brown eyes and brown hair mirrored the handsome man Beth had seen earlier. She was playing cards with Mia. By the pile of cards on her side, it looked as if she was winning.
“Go fish,” the child commanded to Mia’s request for nines.
“My hands aren’t big enough to hold all these cards!” Mia whined. She looked up and winked at Beth to acknowledge her presence before getting back to the matter at hand.
“Do you have any threes?” Gwen asked.
Mia pulled the errant three out of her hand. She passed it to the child, and Gwen added to the others and laid down her hand. “I’m out! I win!”
Mia dropped her cards and dramatically fell backwards on the floor. This caused Gwen to have a fit of giggles. She crawled over to Mia and began to tickle her. Mia’s eyes popped open, and she started laughing.
“I’m the winner!” Gwen said.
“Stay away from Card Shark Kowalski,” Mia said. “I’ve already lost two ghost barrettes, and now I’m going to lose my shirt,” Mia informed Beth and Burt. “Ted, pay the girl before she breaks my legs,” she called.
Ted came in from the kitchen holding a tiny PEEPs shirt. Beth didn’t know they had those, if so she would have given some to her girlfriend’s children.
Ted dropped down to the floor and handed over the shirt. Gwen grabbed it and clasped it tightly to her chest. “I’m going to take this to Disney World and show it to Cinderella!”
“Ted, call Cinderella and warn her about Card Shark Kowalski, otherwise she’s going to lose her glass slippers,” Mia said trying not to laugh.
Beth watched the three of them for a bit before Burt nudged her, and she followed him into the kitchen. The image of the young couple on the floor with the little girl was burnt into her retinas. To anyone else the three were comprised of two PEEPs members and a client. To Beth, she saw a family. The ease with which Mia and Ted interacted was telling. Gwen was a mere placeholder for what was to come. That is if Mia ever woke up and looked at Ted as other than a friend. Beth felt envious. She was irritated with herself. She thought she had come to terms with the situation.
“Beth, this is…” Burt introduced the rest of the family to Beth. She pushed away her musings and began her job observing the family, asking the hard questions, and taking notes on what independent research she needed to do.
Chapter Eleven
The journey back was taking its toll. One was lost during the attack on Hillside Drive. Another lost to lack of shelter when the sun rose. The smallest had to go. The old one watched him die painfully as the sunlight bleached the energy first, before the wind stripped away layer after layer of skin until nothing was left but ash. This evening he would not make the same mistake. The shelter would be large enough for his raiding party. He would lose a day but arrive back strong and ready to begin his attack. He had learned so much, watching from the shadows and probing people’s minds as they slept.
The removal of the golden child was unfortunate. The discovery of another one, older but stronger, was a bonus. How best to lure them was yet to be figured out. This tribe was a simple one. They would seek shelter nearby. In this case, the child would return to the farmhouse close to his lair. The other one would have to be hunted.
Icy droplets of water fell to the ground making it difficult to maintain the pace they were moving at. He watched as the vehicles carrying the people of this time lost adhesion with the hard, manufactured ground. They slid before stopping. The eyes of the drivers registered fear for the few moments before control was regained. He stored this information. This would be useful.
~
The house was full of people. Martha smiled as her daughter’s family took to the strangers as if they were long lost relations. Henry was agog with the promise of getting to see the PEEPs command center. Lizzie, who was determined to be pissed off at the interruption in her teenage life, kept to herself but seemed at ease with the extra adults moving in and around her space. Martha declined Richard’s invitation of going to Disney World with the family. She would take care of business here. First on her list was ripping out the wainscoting from Gwen’s room. With this in mind she approached Cid after overhearing what he did for a living.
“Young man, I know you have plans to go back to Kansas tomorrow. I was wondering if I could convince you to take on a job here. It wouldn’t take long, and I can pay you in cash.”
Cid looked up from his coffee and took off his glasses and cleaned the lenses on his flannel shirt. Martha was taken aback by the difference in the man. He reminded her of Jon Hamm from Mad Men. He put his glasses back on becoming Cid Garrett again.
“Your kitchen looks beautiful to me, Mrs…”
“Martha, call me Martha. I’m talking about taking off the wainscoting at Julie’s home and replacing it with something less lethal?”
“I don’t have my tools.”
“Did someone say tools?” Mia asked walking into the kitchen. Without her ghost clips, her hair fell forward into her face. She pushed it behind her ears. “I have a garage full of tools, Cid. You can borrow the truck as long as it is available for my snow removal jobs. I’m kind of a do it all person around here. Helps keep the wolf from my door,” she explained.
“Mia, I thought that we should remove the wood from Gwen’s room,” Martha told her.
“I agree, after Angelo has seen it of course.”
“Yes. I forgot about that,” Martha admitted. She turned back to Cid and asked, “Can you stay a few days?”
Mia leaned in and whispered, “PEEPs will pick up your expenses, if not you can stay with me.”
“I’m available. Think about what you want to do, decorating wise, and we’ll take a trip to the DIY.”
Mia patted him on the back. “Cid, bring the wood back here. We’ll deal with it, all of it, when we figure out exactly how.”
Beth watched Mia from the corner of the kitchen where she set up her laptop. She marveled at how easy it was for Mia to interact with Cid who by all means was a virtual stranger to her. Mia’s body language did not indicate she was attracted to the man. Surely she too had seen the Adonis behind the frames as she did.
Mia wasn’t interested in looks or men at the moment. All she wanted was to get the Kowalski family out of the area so they could concentrate on what was attacking them. She thought she better have a chat with Murphy and perhaps with Whit. He had left a terse message on her phone earlier that she still hadn’t responded to. Angelo was close. She could feel him probing her mind at the moment. “Go away, Angelo, not enough room in my head for me at the moment, let alone you,” she thought. She felt a strange warm sensation. “Are you drinking? Shame on you, it’s only past five.” Mia rolled her neck and flexed the joints in her hands. The winter cold was hard on her body. Lately she’d had too many traumas for her light frame. She felt stiff and old at the moment. This would pass. She only had to get through this investigation and she would take time out just for her. Maybe grow a pair of ovaries and take in some spa time with Ralph. Or a day in bed with Whit? She sighed, puzzled why he wasn’t the first thought she had.
“Angelo’s coming,” Mia said to Beth. “He’s got Mike with him. The two have been drinking so watch yourself. You know how Mike gets when he is ambered up.”
“Oh, yes. Let’s hope he is on his best behavior.” She dug in her purse and handed Mia a tiny canister of breath freshener. “Give Mike a spray before he meets the family. Wouldn’t want to upset the customers.” Beth looked at Mia and smiled.
Mia thought they shared a moment of friendship before heading for the front of the house. She didn’t see the dull film move over Beth’s irises as soon as her back was turned.
Angelo’s dr
iver opened the door. The icy air swirled in and roused Mike from his stupor. He waited until Angelo departed the Town Car before following. Darkness had fallen, and the farmhouse’s lights seemed warm and inviting. He was surprised that the PEEPs vehicles were all here. His team’s response time was amazing. Burt had walked out onto the porch. Mike watched as Burt shook Angelo’s hand. The two men conversed quietly before he opened the door and let the large man in.
“Sir,” the driver started. “Will you be needing your luggage?”
“Yes,” Mike said and walked to the back of the car.
“Shall I carry it in for you?”
“No, I got it. Thank you.” Mike dug into his pocket, and before he could hand the man a tip, he smiled and mentioned that Angelo had already taken care of all gratuities. He thanked the man again and walked towards the lit porch. Mia burst out of the front door and ran up.
He dropped his bags as she launched herself into his arms. Surprised, he hugged her back.
“I’ve missed you, hubby,” she said and released her hold on him.
“Well, Mrs. Dupree,” he said, referencing their stunt of pretending to be married for the benefit of the hospital employees. “Your wayward husband has been to the big city.”
“Did you have a good time?” Mia asked, grabbing one of his smaller bags.
“I was a bit lost, but Ma seemed to be a natural in navigating the Big Apple.”
“Glenda is amazing,” Mia said. “Wait, before you go in. Open up.” Mia faced him and opened her mouth wide to demonstrate.
He mimed her.
She sprayed breath freshener in his mouth causing him to gag.
“What the fuck?” he said coughing.
“Watch your language, there are youths about. I was just masking the booze smell. Won’t do to have the face of Paranormal Entity Exposure Partners come in smelling like expensive whisky,” she cautioned.
“How are you doing with your potty mouth, my dear?”
“It’s difficult,” she admitted. “Mike, did Angelo say anything about me?”
“Oh nothing much. Just that you two are going to have to have a talk about a certain Whitney Martin. And that Stephen Murphy is a bad influence on you.”
“Yikers,” Mia said.
Mike laughed. Mia was controlling her language. From his experience yikers was a place holder for a string of expletives that would make a sailor blush.
~
Burt waited until Mia and Mike came in before making introductions. The Kowalski family sat together on the couch while Martha rested in the rocker. She motioned to the large, oversized wing chair and invited Angelo to sit down. He smiled and opened his black suit coat’s buttons before sitting down. Ted, Cid and Beth pulled dining room chairs in and placed them in in between wherever they could find space. Mia sat on the ground next to Gwen who stared open-mouthed at the giant in Grammie’s old chair.
“First, let me say how sorry I am for your troubles,” Angelo said softly. His voice was rich with an accent of old world Italy. “Every once in a while things, unfortunate things, happen in this world,” he paused taking time to look at each of the family in the face before continuing, “No one has caused this thing that is happening to your family. It is just a case of the primal mind not letting go of an injustice, real or imagined. The negative energy causes a stain that festers until it forms a bond with an ATzxe.”
“Is that what they are called,” Richard asked. “Gwen called them darker-than-darks.”
“Gwendolyn has named them for their behavior I believe. Yes, there have been a few reports of ATzxe in history. This is a rare occurrence. It takes hundreds of years for them to form an army. I fear this is what is happening here.”
“What do they want from us?” Julie asked, rubbing her arms as if she could stop the chill from moving through her body.
“That is what we will find out. I understand you will be leaving in the morning and taking your family to Florida. This is a good thing,” Angelo said in comforting tones.
“Will they follow us?” Julie asked.
“No.”
“How can you be so sure?” Richard challenged.
“They may be paranormal, but they have to navigate in the natural world. It would take them years to move that kind of distance. They do not fly. They do not travel on any other plane of existence but ours. This is a good thing. This is how we will be able to contain and eventually defeat them,” Angelo said with confidence.
“If Gwen leaves, will you be able to find them?” Henry asked. “They want something from her.”
Angelo stared at the boy for a moment, reading his mind. “We do not use children as bait, young man. Your sister will be safe and having fun with the rest of you in this Disney World place. There is another that will attract them. I have seen it in the films.”
Mia shifted uncomfortably. She felt Angelo’s eyes on her. His gaze directed the others towards her. “Yeah, yeah, so I’m the bait, what else is new,” she said maintaining a bored tone. “Was it when I took off my glove and touched the wall?” she asked.
Angelo nodded.
“Well there you go, lesson learned,” Mia said avoiding Ted’s eyes.
“May I have your permission to visit your home after I talk with Gwen? You can stay with her while I do.”
“Yes, please. We, Julie and the kids and I need to get our things for the trip out of the house,” Richard informed him.
“First, everyone is going to eat,” Martha insisted. “I have been cooking all afternoon. No one leaves this house without eating first.”
“That is very generous. First Gwen and then food. Is there someplace quieter?” Angelo looked around at the full room of people. The PEEPs crew got up and headed for the kitchen. Mia stayed only because Gwen would not let go of her hand. Lizzie popped her earbuds in her ears and dragged Henry off the couch toward the stairs saying simply, “Come on, asshole, can’t you take a hint?”
“Lizzie!” her embarrassed mother admonished, “Language!”
The kids walked up the stairs. Once they heard doors slam and the conversations hush from behind the closed kitchen doors, Angelo motioned for Gwen to come to him. She got up and Mia rose with her. They walked over to Angelo.
“Are you an angel?” Gwen surprised everyone by asking.
“Many people think to ask me that, but you are the only one brave enough to do so,” Angelo responded. “Ah youth,” he mused. “Come stand by me. I am going to put my hand on your head. You can wear it like a hat. See,” Angelo demonstrated as he put his hand on Mia’s head.
“Quite fashionable, sort of like a tiara,” Mia said winking at Gwen.
Gwen smiled warily but consented.
Angelo placed his hand on her head and took in every memory the child had since she took her first breath. Mia who still held on to the nervous girl’s hand saw what he did. He pushed farther into Gwen’s soul, and two new doors of memory opened up. Mia’s stomach lurched at the evil behind these doors. She held on bravely as Angelo wasn’t doing this to hurt the child. He was extracting the bad things from Gwen and moving them into Mia’s mind. He placed some good images of fields of flowers and happy butterflies and unicorns into the space the evil once held. Gwen giggled as if she was tickled.
The only evidence of the transfer was a thick tear that rolled down Mia’s turned face. The only one to see this was Ted who stood vigil in the shadow of the living room. He had slid back into the room with the intention of moving the chairs back into place. He was there when Gwen asked her question and noticed that Angelo never answered her. He wanted to rush to Mia and comfort her. He was angry as she seemed to have been used by Angelo in some way. Mia turned slightly, taking in Ted. She closed her eyes slowly communicating to him that she was okay, not to make a fuss and that she would talk to him later.
He heard her, in his mind, he heard her. Or was it Angelo? Both? What the fuck was going on?
Angelo took his hand off Gwen’s head, and Mia dropped her hand. Gwen
turned around and danced to where her parents sat on the edge of the sofa.
Julie looked at Angelo and he smiled.
“Gwendolyn is fine now. ATzxe no longer will seek her,” he informed them.
Julie clasped her child to her chest. “I don’t understand? Are we still in danger?”
“We all are in danger, but Gwen no longer has what the ATzxe have been probing for. Mia has it now.”
“We’re grateful, don’t get me wrong,” Julie said. “But somehow this doesn’t seem right.”
“It’s the way it has to be,” Angelo said firmly. “When we defeat them, then Mia will no longer be plagued. It is temporary, for the sake of the child. This is why I am here.” Angelo pointed upwards. “He hears all. No child is forgotten. Now is time to eat, yes? I don’t want to be on the bad side of the wooden spoon of Martha,” he announced.
Richard got up, picked up his daughter and held his hand out to his wife. He pulled her off the sofa, and they led Angelo to the kitchen.
Mia walked over and sat down in the rocking chair and closed her eyes. Ted walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She grabbed it and squeezed. “Hell of a day. First I’m attacked by the straw man, and then the wizard lets me see behind the curtain.”
“Bad?”
“There are no polite words to describe it. Thanks for being there. You tethered me to earth, Teddy Bear.”
“Just one of the benefits of my genius,” he said in jest. “You know you spoke to me in my mind.”
“Yes, don’t get excited, it probably was facilitated by Angelo,” Mia informed him.
“What happened to you?”
“Do you think we could talk about it later, someplace away from here?”
“Yes. Hey, when you were in my head, did you see anything you liked?” Ted asked half in jest.
“A lot of math, some porn and an image of Murphy in the attic of Glenda’s old house. You want to explain that?”
