Paranormal is Relative

by S.J. Drew

sheets of water. Leah did remember to grab the large, sturdy duffel bag that held a variety of supplies. Almost as soon as they were inside, the power went out. As Leah passed out flashlights, Mrs. Gable approached them.

  "Would you girls like to join us in the breakfast room? Everyone's a little put out by the storm, so we're all downstairs waiting it out."

  They agreed and found all the guests sitting in the breakfast room. Mrs. Gable took a seat next to Mr. Gable looking for all the world like they had answered a casting call for, "stereotypical if slightly clueless grandparents." Ruby and her mother sat at a table by themselves. The little girl was wearing green pajamas with orange flowers and ducked every time thunder rolled. Her mother was wearing a rumpled sweatshirt and her dark hair was in a ragged ponytail, making her look even more frazzled than earlier. There was a middle-aged pair of men who were wearing business casual, tweed jackets, and looking rather scholarly; they were reading books on e-readers. There was a young couple sitting at a table with an early-retired couple. The young wife was wearing an outfit not dissimilar to the band's stage costumes and her husband was all in black. The early retiree husband looked somewhat bored as his wife was talking with the young woman. There was an Ouija board out on their table and it seemed like the young woman was trying to talk the other two into using it.

  "Hm. I guess the haunted houses were booked up," Nora said in a low, disdainful voice to the others. They took a seat at an empty table. The Gables had set out candles at each table and had the fire going in the former living room to provide warmth.

  The young wife walked over to them. "Isn't this exciting?" she asked. "We think the ghost of Fitzwilliam Gable has returned and we want to ask him a few questions. And we thought this place wasn't haunted. Would you like to join us?"

  "Yeah, thanks but no thanks," Leah said.

  She shrugged. "Suit yourself. We're still going to try to make contact through the Ouija board."

  "Good luck with that," Nora replied dryly.

  She walked back over to the table and soon their whole table was asking questions. The Gables watched with detached interest, the scholarly men ignored them, and the mother was busy trying to keep her daughter calm.

  Isabella subtly cast a spirit sight spell on herself and the rest of the band.

  "That might actually work tonight," Maryann said in a low voice, referring to the séance.

  Isabella shook her head. "It's not necessary. If he wants to talk, he won't need that."

  "Do you think he'd manifest in front of all these people?"

  "I don't think so. He doesn't want this place put on the tours, you know?"

  "So what do we do?" Leah asked.

  "We wait," Nora answered immediately. "Given the time period when he lived, he'll make his intentions clear."

  They didn't have to wait too long. A few minutes after the séance started, the ghost of Fitzwilliam stepped out of his large portrait on the mantle in the former living room. He looked at Isabella and held out his hand.

  They all stood up.

  "Goodnight, ladies," Mrs. Gable said.

  "Goodnight," Maryann replied brightly.

  Isabella of course did not take Fitzwilliam's hand, but he knew they could see him so he walked (as much as a ghost walks) next to her as they went upstairs to Isabella and Nora's shared room.

  "Well?" Isabella prompted.

  "I had hoped you would tour the house with me," the ghost said, "and we can find out if it brings back any memories."

  "With the power off?"

  "The house was not electric when my beloved Elise lived here. I thought it would be more authentic by candlelight."

  Maryann kind of sighed, clearly thinking this was a romantic idea. Nora and Leah rolled their eyes.

  "The other guests have confined themselves to the breakfast area, so we should not be disturbed," he said.

  "Fine. I'll take the tour and then will you be convinced I'm not Elise?" Isabella asked.

  "We shall see what happens as we go," he said stiffly.

  "I'm bringing flashlights," Leah said. "There's no way I'm walking around any strange house in the dark with nothing but a candle."

  "Very well," he replied, looking faintly annoyed. Fitzwilliam lead them through the house, much of which was not used even though it was a place of business. The band assumed this was because the Gables simply didn't have the money to fix it all up. The ghost regaled them with stories of his life and periodically asked Isabella questions. He was obviously disappointed when she couldn't answer them but continued the tour. They ended up right back in the bedroom.

  "So do you remember anything at all?" the ghost asked.

  Isabella sighed. "Fitzwilliam, let's talk about this logically, alright? I know you went to Harvard. You are clearly an intellectual man."

  He looked both pleased and confused. "How did you learn this information?"

  "The Internet."

  "Oh, this modern technology. Yes, I do pride myself as an intellectual."

  "Then let's talk logically. Logically, why would love endure beyond death like this?"

  "Please clarify your inquiry."

  "Look, if you and Elise both went beyond the Veil, then I can see love lasting like that," Isabella. "But you stayed and she moved on. How could that work? Even if she reincarnated, she'd be alive and you'd still be dead. You can't touch her."

  He looked sad. "That is true; it would not be as our love was in life. But love can overcome many obstacles."

  "If you even got to that stage. You don't change. Your 19th century sensibilities and attitudes are going to be largely offensive to a modern mindset."

  "Like assuming we were servants," Nora huffed.

  Isabella continued. "A reincarnated Elise would grow up in a modern world. Assuming, again, she was the right age and even in this country and area to begin with, she'd be a very different woman. Her modern sensibilities may not be compatible with yours either."

  "That is a good point, but still, we already overcame many obstacles," he said.

  "And if you even got the chance to try, what if it didn't work out this time? Maybe you already learned everything you were supposed to. Maybe that's why she moved on and you didn't."

  He seemed to consider this. "You do put forth a sound argument, which is very much like my Elise."

  The band sighed collectively.

  "Even though she had a limited formal education, she was a very rational person, especially for woman..."

  "That's the kind of 19th century attitude Isabella's talking about," Nora snapped.

  "I am certain if you remained in the house just a bit longer you would remember," he said, ignoring Nora.

  "We're leaving tomorrow. We've got another gig," Isabella replied.

  His eyes glowed with a cold, ethereal light. "I'm afraid that just won't do," he said. "You will simply have to stay here."

  Isabella pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket that she had prepared beforehand. It had Japanese kanji written on it that translated most closely to, "Be gone evil spirit."

  "She's not staying," Nora said. "We're a band and we need her to play."

  "Then you can all stay here. It will be nice to have music in the house once more."

  Isabella smacked the piece of paper right into the middle of Fitzwilliam's forehead.

  He looked surprised but seemed unable to move.

  "I tried to reason with you because you seemed like you might be a reasonable ghost. Since reason didn't work, I'm going to have to get a little mean. My name is Isabella," she snapped. "I was born in Georgia. I am a musician. I also happen to be a natural medium and know some spirit magic. And I am not your dead wife."

  He blinked his glowing eyes and tried to say something but couldn't form words.

  "I can't exorcise you from this house since it's your house, but if you really try to force me to stay here against my will, I can make you pretty miserable. Also, and
I can't emphasize this enough, I am not your dead wife!" she said, practically shouting out the last words.

  He continued to stutter.

  "Now, I'm sorry you've been waiting for her for so long. I personally think you should move on, but your afterlife isn't my business. So, are you going to stop behaving like a creepy obsessive stalker..."

  "That means blackguard, ruffian, and brute," Nora interjected.

  "Right, so are you going to stop behaving like a blackguard and a bully, or is this going to get really ugly?" She plucked the charm off of his forehead. The paper turned black and then disintegrated.

  Fitzwilliam was so shocked he could not speak for several moments. "You! You are not my Elise!" he roared as lightning flashed. "You-you are some witch! You have made a deal with the forces of evil!" Thunder rolled.

  "Do you not know the reputation of this town?" Leah asked dryly.

  "Of course I do but I have never actually seen anyone with the ability to command dark forces."

  "First time for everything."

  "Are you going to stop throwing this temper tantrum now?" Nora snapped. "You're keeping everyone awake, including a three-year-old little girl who did absolutely nothing to you. We all need to sleep, and we need to leave early tomorrow."

  His eyes stopped glowing and his anger faded quickly. The rain outside almost immediately started to slacken. "My apologies. I had forgotten there was a child in the house. I should never show such violence in front of a child."

  "Good. Are you convinced I'm not your dead wife?" Isabella asked.

  "Yes. You are alike in form and face, and I know not exactly what binds you to the Other Side, but it is clearly not the soul of my