They agreed and it only took ten minutes to go through the story again, describe everything as it happened, and answer a few more questions. Hollywood felt like the memory of that night would stay fresh in her mind forever. Dylan provided a recent picture that was taken by the police of the top of the canopied entrance. Both teens narrowly pinpointed the exact spot where they’d seen the specter standing from above.
“Well, that’s about it from our end,” Dylan said. “Is there anything you’d like to ask us?”
“Well, kind of,” Hollywood said, in a shy, curious, and roundabout way. She broached the one question that perturbed both of their young minds. “We were wondering what exactly you were going to do when you get there. I mean—”
“She means, what are you going to do to stop that thing that killed Jimmy?” Snake’s tone was not an angry one, but an impassioned plea for answers to Jimmy’s death.
What would happen when the investigators entered Cedar Manor? Would they suffer the same fate as Jimmy? Would the evil in that house continue to reign and be discovered by others? They posed these lingering questions to the investigators.
Leah reached over and touched Hollywood’s hand.
“You have every right to ask those questions,” she said. “So, let me assure you. I had planned long ago to go back into that house in order to confront many things in my past. The fact that this incident happened to you all is a mere coincidence. I have every intention of going in there and ridding that house of the evil that destroyed my family, even if it kills me in the process. Your friend, Jimmy, will not have died for nothing.
“After this is all over,” she continued, “we hope to have you back here with news that will put closure to this tragic memory in your young lives, forever. And who knows, maybe you can complete your junior-investigating with us.”
The suggestion broke the tension in the room, and smiles broke out among them.
“Absolutely,” Dylan said. “There’s only one way to learn, but unfortunately, this one’s too dangerous, as you’ve already discovered.”
“Sounds great,” Hollywood said, smiling at Dylan, and then she remembered the reason she came. She motioned toward Leah. “One more thing before we go. This is mine, but I wanted you to have it with you when you go in there.”
She took Leah’s hand and placed in it the gold and ruby cross she’d clutched often for protection in times of distress.
“Keep this with you,” she said. “I wish I’d thought of giving it to Jimmy when he climbed up that ladder. I fear you may need it.”
Leah’s eyes widened in what looked like heartfelt surprise; she took the cross from her.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I have one of my own somewhere, but...it’s been so long.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Hollywood said. “It’s never too late to call upon Him.”
“Thank you,” Leah said. “I will gladly keep this with me. And I promise I will come out of there to return this to you.”
Hollywood gave a half-sigh through nervous laughter. She felt somewhat relieved at seeing Leah’s determination and the group effort in front of her. They knew what they were doing. Just then, Susan spoke up.
“Now, how are you two getting home?” she said. “Do you need a ride?”
“No,” she said. “We’re taking the 2:30 bus from here.”
“Right now, we’re just going to kill some time,” Snake said. “Anyone have suggestions?”
“Well, my favorite hangout is the library,” Sidney said. “But, you guys might like the planetarium upstairs; just don’t party on Mars too long or you’ll miss the bus.”
The laughed on their way out and exchanged ‘Merry Christmas’s among final goodbyes. Snake and Hollywood stomped up the stairs toward Sidney’s suggestion, when Snake began to taunt her in a teasing, childhood tone.
“Holly likes Dylan Rasche...Holly likes Dylan Rasche...”
“Shut up, Snake!” she said, and elbowed him in the ribs. His gasp of sudden pain echoed up the hollow staircase.
* * * *
After the two teens had left, Leah sat staring at the cross. Her heart felt the touch of joy at Hollywood’s gesture, despite the web of confusion she felt trapped in. She would keep it with her and see it safely returned to the girl. She laid it down for a moment and took the picture of Allison from her purse. She studied it even harder now, tracing the ever so slightly forming lines in her young face, the perfect rows of teeth in her magic smile, the feathered hair that flowed and laid much better than hers, and the blue eyes that were so familiar, so identical, as though someone had taken them from Allison and given them to her.
So, I have her eyes, she thought, and she has mine. Then another obscure thought struck her like a fast moving locomotive. What about the third one? Did she have a third eye, like me?
She turned to see Susan, Dylan, and Sidney watching her.
“He gave me this, today,” she said, holding the picture up.
“What is it?” Susan said.
“My mother,” she said, “my real mother.”
“So, he told you?”
“You knew?” Leah asked Susan.
“I’d deduced that Janet was not your biological mother after reading your memoir, Leah. Whether you know it or not, your subconscious mind had painted that picture through your own words. The way you favor your father in your story is one thing, but I felt that the bond between you and Janet didn’t seem strong enough to be that of mother and daughter.
“Don’t get me wrong, Leah, I’m sure that she loved you dearly and that you felt the same towards her. But the Janet in your memoir is self-absorbed and inexperienced with children. Also, her reactions and attentions toward you don’t seem concurrent with that of a natural parent. Children often perceive things as they are, and your childhood memories displayed that in your book, though you never consciously realized it.
“I confronted Paul with my conclusion, and he admitted it. It wasn’t something I was aware of during my treatment of him, I assure you.
“And now,” she continued. “I assume that he’s finally told you the truth in an attempt to stop you from going into the house, am I right?”
“He’s coming with us,” Leah said. “I can’t stop him.”
“Yes, I was expecting as much,” Susan said.
“This sounds like it’s going to be a very interesting evening,” Sidney said.
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Dylan said, looking at Leah.
“Don’t be.” Paul’s voice came from where he stood in the open doorway. “Sorry to barge in,” he said. “I hope I’m not too late, but, as I told my daughter, if we face this, we face it together.”
Though not crazy about the idea of him tagging along, Leah was happy to see him. He took a seat next to her at the long conference table. Just then, Sidney spoke, as the minutes ticked away toward the meeting.
“Where’s Brett?” he said. “It’s four minutes of the hour. I’d like to address everyone before the meeting gets under way, especially now that you’re here.” He motioned toward Paul and then unzipped his duffel bag and removed the heavy black tome from it. Leah’s eyes widened as he laid it on the table.
“Is that what I think it is?” she said.
“Yes,” Sidney said. “Goddard called me into his office today; I went there and picked it up this morning. I studied it for a few hours this afternoon in the library. Not only did I come across a few things, but Goddard filled me in on issues we hadn’t known previously.”
He turned to Paul and Leah.
“But much of what I have to tell, and hopefully investigate, depends on both of your memories. The thing is, I don’t want to have to repeat this, so where is Brett? Did he make any progress on his mission?”
“Mission?” Leah said.
“Yes,” Dylan said. “We took the liberty of asking for outside help with this case from someone you’ve been hoping would be able to help you.”
“That’s right,” Susa
n said. “You see, Leah, we thought it might help if we at least tried.”
“Tried what?” she said, tiring of all the cryptic talk, as though they all walked on eggshells around her.
Susan and Dylan began to fill her in on Brett’s assignment.
* * * *
Brett and Tahoe trudged up the stairs on their way to Room 208. The traffic had been heavy early today as people made last minute dashes running errands before the oncoming storm. They’d made it just in time for the meeting. Brett had picked the old man up at his hotel and driven him. He was not surprised that Tahoe seemed to know the university intimately, as though he’d seen it before.
But, what lingered on Brett’s mind was how he would explain having found Tahoe Manoa in such little time. He’d left Room 208 a mere forty-eight hours ago, passionately convincing them that he would pull through on this assignment and find the old man. In his rash behavior, he’d failed to anticipate their reactions when he disappeared and returned so quickly with the man in tow. And worse was the thought of the old man spilling his secret.
“Just one last thing,” he said, as they reached the top of the stairs. “Not a word about me, even if they ask. Remember, our focus is only on Leah.”
“I need say nothing my friend,” Tahoe said. “All will be revealed in time.”
They arrived outside of Room 208, and Brett told him to wait outside the door for just a moment; he would make sure they were ready to meet him. Brett opened the door and entered to see the regular faces greet him, though this time in surprise, and with Leah’s father among them.They stared at him in anticipation.
“I’m back,” he said. “Sorry I waited so long to call, Dylan, but it was a hectic and long flight back and forth.” They continued to stare at him, especially Sidney, who would miss nothing. He glimpsed the anxiousness on Leah’s face. So, they’ve told her.
“Not a problem,” Dylan said. “Glad you made it. I take it you didn’t find him?”
“Yes, I found him,” Brett said. “He’s here.”
Everyone tried to speak at once, overwhelming him.
“How did you find him?” Dylan said.
“How did you find him so soon?” Sidney was quick as Brett had expected.
“Where is he?” Susan said.
Leah stood from the table and faced Brett.
“Is he here?” He saw relief attempting to wash over her face, but waiting. He watched as silent, wishful pleas raised her eyes upward in hope.
“He’s outside,” he said. “I wanted to alert you all first, especially Leah. The meeting hasn’t started yet, has it?”
“No,” Sidney said. “We were waiting for you.”
“Well, I’m here,” Brett shrugged, knowing that he was not acting like himself. Their eyes locked on him, especially Sidney’s, so he turned and went to the door to usher in their guest.
* * * *
It was the first time she’d seen him since she was a little girl, and now there he was, having walked through the door behind Brett. Silent gasps abounded as he stood there, staring at her with the same smiling face that seemed only slightly older now. She remembered his appearance so well. The only difference now was that his long, black hair was no longer speckled with salt and pepper; it was now gray and still hung in a ponytail.
He walked over to her, as though marveling at her. He took her hand in his.
“Hello, child,” he said. “It’s been a long time.” He turned and saw Paul, who’d stood alongside Leah. “And an equally long time as well, my friend.”
After exchanging greetings and introductions, especially one with Susan who boasted over the honor of meeting him, he turned back to Leah.
“Your friend is a very loyal one, Leah,” he said. “He came a very long way to find me, although, he wouldn’t have needed to convince me. I would have been here.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for helping me.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. As she pulled away, he held onto her arms so that they faced each other. He looked into her eyes.
“What you are about to face, child, is insurmountable evil. What dwells inside that house is the very nature of Hell itself: distortion, mutation, as well as repetition.”
“I’ve tried to talk her out of going,” Paul said. “She won’t listen.”
“Nor should she,” Tahoe said. “No one must stop her, for it is she who is the prey of the house’s evil, no one else. She must confront this evil and win. She cannot allow it to torment her or to steal her soul. To release it from its domain is her calling.”
“You mean, like an exorcism?” Dylan asked from behind them.
Now, Tahoe turned to the entire group assembled in room 208, and as they became seated around the conference table, he stood addressing them.
“Inevitably,” he said. “I have seen the evil of that house with my own third eye, and I know why it’s there.”
He told them about standing outside of Cedar Manor the night before and the visions he’d seen: the rituals, the men draped in black, the chalice, the pyres, and the mutations forming into entities, but more importantly, the demons.
“Demons,” Susan said. Her voice dismissed the notion as incredulous, but the slightest hint of fear underneath it said otherwise.
“Through a doorway, a legion once entered,” Tahoe said. “Ancient words were called out to summon them, and they’ve dwelt within the structure ever since. They gain their power through the souls of the living, hence the sacrifices that occurred there. But to them, the soul with the greater power is the one with the foreknowledge, the powerful third eye, the one whom they have watched and waiting for through endless eons.”
His eyes pointed in Leah’s direction. She felt a chill inside of her, yet nothing she’d heard came as a surprise. Only Hell itself could define what the eyes of a child had seen in that house.
“So, what’s inside Cedar Manor is after me because of my ability?” Leah asked, but she ultimately knew. After Tahoe finished speaking, Sidney addressed the meeting.
“What I have to report coincides with what he’s saying,” he said. “Allow me to begin?” Dylan motioned for him to speak, and Tahoe sat between Paul and Leah.
“While leafing through this book that once belonged to Angus Marlowe, I discovered these two small, watercolor images, one that was stashed in the book. This one is an actual page in the book.”
Sidney held up the book containing the small watercolor sketch that displayed the mirror and the strange light emanating from it.
“Leah, this is the mirror that you remember, the one you were forbidden to go near. As you can see, this sketch appears to show light coming from the mirror, a strange, green glow according to this depiction.”
Leah saw Tahoe’s eyes close when Sidney showed the picture.
“This other watercolor sketch fell from where it was hidden between two pages that had been bound together.”
He held up the second sketch as the book with the first was being passed around.
“This one is a little more disturbing,” he said. “This one depicts people walking hand-in-hand in front of the mirror and behind it, as though the mirror is a doorway.”
“The mirror is in fact, a doorway,” Tahoe said, and all eyes turned to him. “It was through this doorway, or gateway, that the legion passed.”
“Do you mean to tell us that another realm exists inside that house?” Susan said.
“In a way,” Tahoe said. “As I said, the mirror is a doorway to that realm, regardless of its location. The house is plagued by that which has escaped through to this realm via the doorway.” The old man went on to tell how the ancients believed that mirrors were often doorways to the unknown, but he himself had never experienced such a scenario.
“The mirror,” Leah said, now as it fully dawned upon her. “My mother didn’t want me near it.” She turned to Paul. “She must have known. Why else would she forbid me to go near it? I was right; she was a prisoner of that mirror.”
Paul said nothing and hung his head, a familiar sign to Leah that he knew she was right.
“But, there’s more,” Sidney said. “Goddard informed me that the mirror we’ve now identified as a doorway was one of a pair. Leah, the mirror you remember had a gilded frame. Its counterpart had a silvered frame and was an opaque mirror, just like the smaller, handheld one that disappeared. The twin, opaque mirror has never been seen and was not among the log of artifacts found in your late wife’s possession, Paul.”
“I never saw any opaque mirror inside the house,” Paul said.
“No, there wasn’t one,” Leah said, shaking her head. “We never saw the handheld mirror either, only the gold-framed mirror.”
“I recall you telling me that. I wonder what ever happened to the doorway’s ‘opaque sibling,’” Sidney said, scrunching his index fingers to make quotation marks. “Before you lived there, the last person in that house was Angus Marlowe in 1970. One night, witnesses reported seeing flashes of light, like lightning, inside the house. When police went to investigate, the house was abandoned, as I’m sure most of you know. He was never seen, nor heard from again.”
Brett joined the discussion, sprouting a sudden surge of hypothesis.
“So, if the mirror from Leah’s childhood is a doorway,” he said. “Let’s say we remove the mirror from the house, what happens?”
“Then, the doorway is removed,” Tahoe said, “but not that which has already passed through it. The evil that exists in that house was summoned; it will most likely remain until the house’s destruction or until someone drives it out.”
“You mean someone like me,” Leah said, and silence swept the room.
* * * *
Idle odds and ends were discussed, and it wasn’t long before Dylan resumed control of the meeting. He sat at his usual place at the head of the conference table and addressed them on the plan of action the team would take.
“Detective Goddard told me that he would contact me tomorrow, whenever the utilities in the house were turned on,” he said. “I’ll alert you all when that happens, and we’ll meet here, ASAP. From there we’ll travel in Sidney’s van, as well as Susan’s car, to Cedar Manor. That is, unless this oncoming storm derails us.”
The Third Eye of Leah Leeds Page 15
