They sat in silence, and in only five minutes, Susan returned. Once inside, she stepped aside and held the door open, revealing the young people behind her. Leah looked up at them, the young girl with a round face and deep brown eyes that matched her hair, the young man, on the taller side with slick black hair and blue eyes. They looked at her, awestruck and eyes widened in curious fascination. She looked at them, recognizing them from her dream.
“Everyone, this is Michael ‘Snake’ Stone, and Holly ‘Hollywood’ Bates.” Susan was quick with her introduction. “I call them by their nicknames.”
She then went around the room introducing them.
“Snake, Hollywood, this is Dylan Rasche, Sidney Pratt, and Brett Taylor...”
The men rose and shook their hands each in turn. Susan introduced Leah last.
“And this is Leah Leeds.”
Leah lifted her head from the slightly lowered position she’d dropped it to and looked them directly in the face. Their eyes opened even wider than when they’d first entered the room. They just stared at her, a stare that she solemnly returned.
“Hello,” she said, and after seconds, she stood. She was sure they could see the tears in her eyes. She took their hands in hers.
“I’m so sorry to hear about your friend,” she said. But part of her wanted to shout at them, demand from them what they were thinking, and accuse them of being reckless. She suppressed this urge, knowing that it was futile and knowing that she’d made the irreversible mistake of not trusting her third eye that she knew so intimately well.
“Why don’t we all be seated and let them tell us what happened last night?” Susan maintained control of the room, and they all resumed their seats around the table. Just then, Leah spoke and led the discussion.
“Please, it’s extremely important,” she said. “I need you to describe everything as it happened to you. Please don’t leave anything out.” She sighed. “I, especially, need to know. I’ve been haunted by that house all of my life, and I’m sure you’ve heard the stories, right? That is why you went there, isn’t it?”
Snake and Hollywood exchanged looks of slight embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I understand. That house has a history, a very long one, and yes, I’m part of it. But obviously, I don’t need to tell you that you had no idea what you were dealing with when you went there. There is an undetermined evil inside that house. I fear that I’m the only one who can stop it. Out of respect for the life of your friend, you need to tell me everything, no matter how embarrassing or difficult it is for you, alright?”
They nodded in agreement.
Snake began, as he had for Susan the night before, by telling how they’d planned to go to the house on Halloween.
“So, you weren’t there on Halloween?”
“No.” They shook their heads.
“We were set to,” Snake said. “But, we noticed cops patrolling the house constantly. We couldn’t get near the place.”
Leah and the rest of the team were fully aware of some undisclosed incident that took place at Cedar Manor around Halloween. Strange activity had been reported by witnesses. The team had been contacted by the local authorities, asking if they, as an investigative team, had gone into the house, given its association with Leah. They hadn’t.
The police reported that lights were seen to go on and off inside the house on several occasions throughout the weekend and early week of Halloween, yet the house had been devoid of electricity for sixteen years. After entering the house, the police had found nothing unusual or disturbed within the great structure. They’d chalked it up to Halloween pranksters or even amateur ghost-hunters.
“The police kept asking us if we were there then, we weren’t.” Hollywood was adamant that it wouldn’t have been possible given the constant patrol of police cars that night.
Leah believed them entirely. Around Halloween, right after the case with Ryan Quinn, that was when the dreams began. Leah coaxed them to continue.
Snake told how they’d all met along Cedar Drive, and when they’d reached Jimmy, he had four beers left of a six-pack in his duffel bag. He and Hollywood hadn’t drunk any. Jimmy had even remembered the flashlight. They described how it was when they arrived and how the snow began to fall even faster.
Then, Hollywood told of how Jimmy showed them the ladder he’d hidden earlier in the bushes outside. They hadn’t planned on anything extensive, merely trying the doors, lower windows, or even finding the secret entrance to the basement.
“Good luck on that one,” Leah interjected.
She detailed how Jimmy decided to use the ladder to climb to the top of the canopied entrance. He’d then enter through a gable window and into house, and then open the front door for them. Dylan posed a question to her.
“You realize that would have been a highly unlikely feat?”
“We tried to tell him that,” Hollywood said. “He wouldn’t listen.”
“He pretty much did everything on his own; we could never stop him.”
“A daredevil,” Susan volunteered.
“He almost made it to the top of the canopy,” Snake said. “But, what happened next was what killed him.”
“He didn’t fall,” Hollywood said. “We saw what happened.”
“Okay,” Leah said. “This is where I need you to tell me precisely what occurred and exactly what you saw.”
“He reached the top rung of the ladder,” Hollywood said. “The ladder didn’t quite make it to the top of the canopy, but it wasn’t more than a few inches short. Jimmy decided he was going to try to make it.”
“Jim was an athlete,” Snake said. “He was going to make the climb for those few short inches, but when he tried—”
“His foot slipped and kicked away the ladder.” Hollywood’s voice broke through a painful sob. “His hands grabbed onto the top of the canopy. His feet were kicking and swaying. Then, the ladder—”
“It fell into the snow.” Leah’s conclusion was straightforward, her mind recalling the dream as the teens told the story.
“Yeah,” Snake said. “We tried to stand it back up for him as fast as possible, but—”
“Then, that thing appeared!” Hollywood’s anger was seething and alive.
“What thing?” Leah asked. Hollywood answered.
“It was just a mass, a shape; it was solid and black. Like we told Susan, it was so black we could see it even in the dark, but we couldn’t see through it. The snow was falling and flying around it. It stood still, hovering, and then moved on its own back and forth. And then, it moved over Jimmy’s fingers.”
“And that was when he started screaming,” Snake said. “We could see that it was nudging him off. It forced him farther from the edge; his fingers couldn’t hold on anymore.”
“That’s when he fell to the ground.” Hollywood began to cry, and Snake placed his arm around her. “There was blood everywhere!”
Blood in the snow, Leah thought.
“Once Jim hit the ground,” Snake said, “that thing disappeared, right into the air.”
“It was almost as if it was never there.” Hollywood’s crying had subsided, and she now dabbed her eyes and nose with the tissue Susan had given her.
Leah paused for a few seconds. The teens had managed to supply the details of the sudden dream that had shaken her from the armchair only hours ago. She knew they were telling the truth; their details fit the framework of what she’d dreamed.
“Is there anything else that you can recall, anything, even it sounds like it would make no sense?” Leah leaned in a little further.
“Oh, yeah,” Snake said. “There is one other thing, the breathing, the harsh, raspy breathing that came from it. We didn’t really hear it until after Jim fell. That thing was just breathing and looking down at us.”
Leah felt her eyes widen. The breathing, that labored and harsh rasping, just like in the first dream. In this strange moment, it almost seemed like a message was being delivered to her.
“The cops wouldn’t listen to us,” Hollywood said. “They just assumed we’d been drinking with Jimmy, and we hadn’t.”
“I’ve since asked them to refute everything they told the police,” Susan said. “It will make it easier for us when we go in.”
“It’s good that they didn’t believe you,” Leah said. “The less people know about this, the better.”
Now that the discussion of the previous night had dissipated, an awkward silence ensued, and Dylan interjected in an attempt to steer them away from their pain and confusion.
“So, Susan tells us that you two are interested in becoming paranormal investigators?”
“That’s true, especially now.” Hollywood’s voice was one of conviction, determination.
“Your interest is off to a great start,” Sidney said. “But, your approach needs a little work.”
“In his brutally honest way, Sidney’s right,” Dylan said. “It’s never a wise idea to go off half-cocked, unprepared, and unknowing of your subject. There’s so much research involved. You need to know your subject, or at least, have a pretty good idea before you undertake anything. When you’re dealing with the unknown, all caution must be taken beforehand. Remember, this can be dangerous, as I’m sure you’ve learned by now.”
“At this point in time,” Brett said. “We’re fully prepared to go into that house. Cedar Manor happens to be one of the biggest parts of Leah’s experience as a psychic. She knew the house well and was a victim of it as a child. So, when we go in there, we’re going to be prepared. It’ll be all of us together, and as result, the bond will be stronger.”
“I was asked by the society to write a memoir of my short time in that house,” Leah said. “I did that a few years ago. I’m going to suggest that you both read it. I want you to read up on what you were attempting to discover. I can send you both copies if you leave your addresses.”
“We’d like to go into that house with you all.” The members of the team glanced at each other at Snake’s suggestion.
“Not possible,” Leah said. “This could get extremely dangerous, and you’re both minors. It would be unethical of us to bring you. But, we may need you as contacts in the event that we have questions.”
“But most of all, if you stick with us,” Dylan said. “If you really want to learn and help people, not just get your kicks from ghosts and sightings, we may able to turn you into seasoned paranormal investigators one of these days.”
The teens both nodded with half-smiles on their faces, though the pain and grief were clearly visible.
“I’m going to drive them home,” Susan said. The meeting had concluded, and Snake and Hollywood left their contact information for Leah and the team.
“Susan, I need to see you when you get back,” Leah said. Susan nodded and left the room.
* * * *
Susan returned in twenty minutes. When she did, Leah asked the question she didn’t have the chance to ask before.
“Susan, what was in that book you closed as I walked in the door?”
Susan didn’t say a word as she and the team exchanged quick glances. She pulled the thick tome from her tote bag once again, laid it flat on the table, and opened it. “I started reading your memoir late last night.” She pointed to the picture she’d shown the team before.
“Is this Tahoe?” she asked.
The expression on Leah’s face answered the question. Seconds passed as she just stared at the picture, remembering.
“That’s him!” Leah said, devoting her full attention to the book in front of her. She quickly studied the pages, as well as the front and back covers. “How do you know him?”
“I don’t.” Susan said. “But, I did have the chance to study him, as well as many other world renowned psychics while focusing on my degree in Parapsychology. His name is Tahoe Manoa. I had no idea that you’d encountered him. I’m sorry, Leah, I should’ve read your memoir much earlier. He’s a famous seer, medium, listener, psychic, and many other titles that have been attached to him. He’s known as a psychic phenomenon.”
“I’ve searched years to find this man.” Leah’s voice dropped to a low-pitched tone of astonishment. “I could never find him.”
“That’s because he’s a recluse, living somewhere in the desert.” This, Leah had already known. “I think we should at least try to find him. I feel that he could help you tremendously in this investigation.”
Leah traced the date underneath the smiling man’s picture with her finger.
Tahoe Manoa; Arizona, United States
(1934- )
“Today, he would be in his late-seventies, right?” Leah asked.
“In or about,” Susan said.
“I remember him appearing as a man in his late-fifties, but he would have been a little older than that when I was a child.”
“Yes,” she said. “That’s because obviously, as you can tell from the picture, he looks much younger than his age.”
“But according to this, he’s still alive.”
“Yes, but keep in mind, this book was published eight years ago. Let’s hope that’s remained true.”
“I say we start searching for him now,” Dylan said.
“Yeah,” Brett said. “I think we can find him. I know I can find him.”
As Leah continued to study the book with Susan, she noticed Sidney and Dylan glance over at Brett, seeming to study his demeanor.
“I’ve always wondered why my father brought me to him,” Leah said. I know something must have happened for him to bring me to this man.”
“Now, do you see why Paul is a very important part of this investigation? Leah, your father is a crucial piece of the puzzle. He’s a main witness to the mystery of that house and your ability as well. Remember, he recognized your ability before you did.”
Leah slammed the book shut.
“I said ‘no.’ I don’t want him involved. That house took enough away from him. I don’t even want him knowing that I’m going in there.”
She turned to those she considered her brothers.
“Guys...I’m going in there one way or another, with or without Tahoe. So, if you’re going to find him, you’d better act fast. This can’t wait any longer. This isn’t the first time that house has killed someone. My mother was drawn in. This time, it’s crossed the line. That young man had his whole life ahead of him.”
“And you have your whole life ahead of you,” Sidney said. “So, if you think we’re going to let you go in there rashly, think again. As I said, we’re all in this together.”
“Then we need to figure out our plan of action,” Leah said, “right now.”
* * * *
Their plans had been made around the long conference table that seemed a permanent fixture in their lives. Day in and day out they’d sat roundtable, discussing, theorizing, and now planning an investigation that kept all of them secretly on edge. This case was potentially the most dangerous they’d ever undertaken. This was not about a pipeline connection or a search for a missing boy; this one dealt with the unknown on the highest level. This one threatened one of their own.
Dylan summarized their plans once they’d been discussed, agreed upon, and tentatively finalized. It was agreed that Brett would initiate and conduct the search for Tahoe Manoa, and then the discussion turned toward matters regarding Cedar Manor.
“The city now owns that house,” Dylan said. “So, Susan and I will have to obtain permission for us to enter and conduct an investigation. We can use the recent activity during Halloween as an excuse. We can also say that since the incident with the teenagers, we’re investigating to restore some piece of mind to all affected by the tragedy.”
“Lies, all blatant lies,” Sidney said, comically exaggerating an accusatory tone that lightened the mood, and for the first time in months, Leah laughed.
“You have a better idea, Sid? I’d love to hear it,” Dylan said. “And since you spoke, Sid, your assignment is to research as much as you ca
n about the history of Cedar Manor, find all that you can dig up. I have a feeling that house has bigger secrets than we thought.”
“I agree,” Leah said.
“Also,” Susan interrupted, revisiting a point mentioned earlier. “Every one of us should be reading Leah’s memoir, simultaneously. Those of you that have already read it—read it again. We need to acquaint ourselves with every aspect of that house as it pertains to Leah. We need to know what we’re up against when we go in there.”
“Is there anything else?” Dylan asked, looking around the table.
“Just one more thing,” Leah said. “I want this over and done with by Christmas. I want us all to be able to spend the holidays together with this behind us, behind me, forever.”
Dylan breathed in and exhaled a heavy, winded sigh.
“Leah, it’s already the eighteenth. That gives us exactly one week.”
“Then let’s work fast,” she said. “You don’t understand, I think there’s a message of time involved, here. I think that’s why I keep dreaming of the grandfather clock. That thing I saw in the mirror, I think it was dead, and I think it was supposed to be me.”
“And we are not going to let that happen.” There was nothing funny about Sidney’s tone now. He spoke with force, determination, and the vow of a fighter.
“Is everything settled?” Dylan asked. “Then we meet back here tomorrow to discuss our progress. At Leah’s request, we’ll work fast.”
On that note, the meeting was adjourned. Susan and Leah were the first to leave. The three men sat idly around the table in silent wonder.
“Well,” Brett said. “I’m off to find Tahoe Manoa. I’m almost positive I can get him to come here.” His demeanor was erratic and steadfast as he stood from his place at the table and headed for the door. “Later,” he added. “Oh, and by the way, if I don’t show tomorrow, I’m taking care of this business. But, you’ll hear from me.” With that, he left the room, the door hissing closed behind him.
The Third Eye of Leah Leeds Page 5
