“Can we at least take the globe back to the shop,” Gail asked, “and get it away from Margie?”
“I don’t want to do that either.” Jesse kept his tone light and friendly, making eye contact with both of them. It was important that they understood and didn’t do anything rash. “If we do, we risk moving the spirit, and risk it attaching to someone or something else. Then we lose any advantage our knowledge gives us.” He turned to look at Margie. Her brown eyes pleaded with him to protect her and he wished he could stop this for her now. “Don’t worry, we will keep you safe.”
“How?” the question was not demanded but asked quietly, almost as if she didn’t care, as if she didn’t believe they could.
“Tomorrow we will take a picture of the globe to the shop and see what we can find out. Until then, we will surround it with salt. That should keep the spirit inside for now. We can also surround you with salt, Margie, so if he is not residing in the globe, then he won’t be able to get to you.”
“Salt?”
“Yes. It is pure and can be used to disperse a spirit or to prevent it from crossing. A line or a circle of salt is protection, and we will keep you inside of one from now on.” What he didn’t say was that the spirit could use some of its power to disperse the salt line. They would need to be vigilant, but it should help to give them some peace for the rest of the night.
“Why didn’t you do that earlier?” Margie asked.
Jesse knew his mouth had dropped open and he didn’t have a really good answer. For a moment he couldn’t talk as a lump formed in his throat. Luckily for him, Gail stepped in.
“We didn’t know where the haunting was originating from at first. We needed to find out as much as we could, but now we can protect you much more effectively. Don’t worry; we will have this place cleansed soon.
Margie nodded. “I’m just so tired. Maybe I can get some sleep tonight, knowing you will keep me safe.”
“You can,” Jesse said past the lump in his throat.
Gail nodded at him. “We will take it in turns on the floor over there. You can set up on the sofa. You will be safe, and one of us will be awake all night, so don’t worry.”
Margie nodded. “I’ll make some more tea,” she said, and went into the kitchen.
While she was out, Jesse pulled Gail into his arms and hugged her close. “I was so worried about you,” he whispered into her hair. Part of him wanted to tell her about the ring and all the plans he had made earlier. Was it just hours ago that he’d planned to propose?
It was, and the excitement still filled him with joy. Only he knew now wasn’t the right time.
“I’m fine,” she said against his neck. The touch of her lips was invigorating against his skin.
“It was you who got knocked across the room, again.”
Jesse laughed and pulled away. “I’m getting pretty good at being a spirit’s punching bag. Now, why don’t I get these salt lines set up before our Romeo ghost comes back for another visit?”
Gail shuddered.
Jesse placed the snow globe in the middle of the table and surrounded it with two circles of salt. Then he set four candles around the rings and lit them. The flame would help purify the air and keep the room safe.
While Gail watched, her brow furrowed as he put salt lines across all of the doors and windows of the living room. It made the room a sanctuary from the spirit. If it was in the snow globe then it couldn’t get out. If it was out of the room then it couldn’t get back in. They would be safe for the night and could relax, for a while at least.
He was just finishing as Margie returned with the tea. She looked better. Just doing something had relaxed her, and Jesse had to smile as she handed him a cup. They had drunk so much tonight he doubted he would get much sleep. He would be too busy going to the bathroom.
Chapter 14
The rest of the night was blissfully peaceful. Margie slept on the sofa. Jesse and Gail took it in turns to monitor the equipment and to make sure the salt lines remained unbroken.
Jesse was mildly disappointed that the spirit didn't come back, but he was not surprised. It had used an incredible amount of energy and would, no doubt, need to recoup and recover before he returned. Jesse read his book as the sun came up over the horizon. He knew this wasn't finished, but they were getting somewhere.
After a quick breakfast, they took a photo of the snow globe back to the shop. Margie was not happy to be left in the house, but Jesse did not want her with them. They needed Fiona to cooperate, and Margie was still scared. With Margie there, it was possible it could turn into an argument, so they dropped her at the local library and went on to Occult Mysteries without her.
Now that he knew that one of the objects from the shop was haunted, Jesse was filled with excitement as he approached the door.
"What do we do about the rest of the haunted items?" he asked Gail.
"You're the expert," she said with a wink.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's deal with this one first and then see what Fiona says."
The doorbell tinkled as they stepped inside, and Jesse walked straight down to the counter. Fiona stood behind it tidying up some decks of tarot cards.
"Hello again," she said.
"Hello," Jesse managed to keep his voice friendly; after all, he wanted her cooperation.
"I wondered if you could shed any light on this article?" he said, and placed the photo on the counter.
Fiona pulled her glasses out from her pocket and looked down at the photo. "Ahh, yes, I remember this one. It's quite a tragic story. This was given to a man named Frank Parsons by his wife for their anniversary. If you unscrew the bottom, there is an engraving, a message of love from her to him. Almost exactly a year later, she disappeared, leaving nothing but a note. Apparently it said that life was too much for her and that she had taken her own life."
Jesse was confused. "Then how is the item haunted?"
"The story doesn't end there,” she winked at him. “Frank was heartbroken and died in a road accident shortly afterward. The car went off the road and over a cliff. He didn't stand a chance, and the police believed he had killed himself."
As they left the shop, Jesse didn't know what to think. "That is a tragic story," he said, "but why is he haunting Margie? Why is he haunting anyone? It doesn't make sense."
"Maybe he's just sad and lonely and lost between worlds." Gail took Jesse's hand and led him back to the car. "Maybe I can just explain to him that he’s dead, and that his wife is waiting for him… maybe that will be enough and he will leave."
Jesse nodded. "Maybe."
"You're not convinced. What is it?"
Jesse stopped in the street and ran a hand through his short brown hair. It gave him time to think. "Something just doesn't add up. The fury of this haunting just doesn't add up to the story we’re hearing. In that scenario, he should be distraught, wanting to get back to his lost love... and yet, he wants to hurt Margie. Why? Does he believe she’s his wife? If so, why? The bigger question is why does he want to hurt her, his wife? Because she left him? Does he blame her for his death? None of it makes sense. If he killed himself to be with her... then why is he still here?"
"Could it be the wife?" Gail asked. "Could she be the one doing the haunting?"
Jesse had to admit that it was a possibility. But he didn't believe it was her. The attack was gradually becoming a sexual assault. He had never heard of a female ghost behaving in such a manner, at least not under these circumstances. No, this was Frank, and he was angry at Margie, or he thought Margie was his wife. Either way, he was mad enough to kill her, and so cruel that he wanted to hurt her first… to scare her… to taunt her. This was bad; it was very bad, and they would have to be careful if Margie was to get out of this alive.
Maybe they should get her to leave the house. Maybe they should deal with this without her. The problem was, he didn't think it would help. Somehow he thought Frank was now tied to Margie, and he was going after her no matter wher
e she was. No, she was safer with them, and it was safer if they tackled this head on and got it over and done with.
When they got back to the house Jesse opened up the bottom of the snow globe and found the inscription.
To my dearest Frank
All my love
Always,
Samantha.
It was a sweet inscription and should have made him feel better, but somehow it just filled him with dread.
"Why don't I make us something to eat?" Margie asked.
"That would be great," Gail replied, as Jesse checked on the equipment and the salt lines. There had been no activity and the lines were all still intact.
With Margie in the kitchen, Gail sat down next to Jesse. "What now?," she asked
"Now we wait for Frank to show himself again."
"How can he with the salt?"
"It will play out one of two ways: either he will keep testing the lines and pushing it until we miss a breach, or make a mistake. He will eventually find a way through. Or, we let him out when we are ready and try talking him down."
"What about Margie?"
Jesse rubbed his head once more. He had gotten very little sleep the night before, and as the adrenaline ran down, he was getting tired. "We keep her safe and we keep her near us. I also want to see if we can find anything out about Frank and about his wife's death. Something isn't right, and until we find out what it is, we are still driving blind."
They spent the next hour researching the couple, but there was very little to find. They had no social media presence, and there was very little online about them. The local paper had a short passage about Samantha's disappearance and presumed death. Then there was a small column later on about Frank's accident. A month later, there was a report from the inquest saying that his death was considered suicide. They had learned nothing new.
Margie cooked up a nice hot pot which she brought through and served them all at the dining table. It seemed surreal to be seated around the snow globe surrounded by its double circle of salt and candles.
As she ate, Margie’s eyes would flick to the globe again and again. It obviously made her nervous, but she kept up small talk and smiled like a gracious host.
Jesse talked to her, but Gail carried most of the conversation, and as they started to eat, they were talking about her garden and how some clematis was taking over a fence. Jesse let his mind drift and took a bite. He didn't expect to be hungry; he rarely was when he was searching for spirits. This time, the search was over. He knew there was a haunting and so he didn't expect to be able to eat at all. The excitement usually overrode his appetite. However, when he took a bite, the food was so delicious and his stomach rumbled, so he began to eat, grateful for the nourishment. They would need it as the night wore on… of this, he was certain.
"What happens now?" Margie asked, as she tidied away the pots.
"I think we need to allow Frank to materialize," Jesse said.
Margie's eyes widened, and the dishes she was holding rattled together in her hands. "Oh!"
"Then we can talk to him. If we explain what happened, that he's dead and that Samantha is waiting for him, then maybe he will leave."
"And if he doesn't, if he comes after me again, what then?"
Gail took the dishes from out of Margie's hand before they clattered to the table. She set them down, and with a hand on her shoulder, she eased Margie back into her seat. "We will be with you all the time and we will make sure he doesn't hurt you."
"Why? Why not just leave him where he is?” She pointed at the globe. “We could seal the snow globe in concrete and throw it in the ocean and he would never find me then. Why can't we do that?"
"Because concrete and the ocean wouldn't stop him. And because he is suffering, too.” Jesse could see the pain that caused Margie, but he couldn’t stop his words. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but we need to save him as much as we need to save you."
Jesse could see from the look on her face that she was not impressed with his words. In her mind, this man had attacked and terrorized her, and now Jesse was telling her he wanted to help him. He looked at Gail for some support, and she nodded.
"We don't know why Frank is doing this," Gail said. "If we find that he is evil, then we will exorcise him and force his spirit out of here and into hell. If however, he is just lost and scared or confused... then maybe there is a chance to help him. You come first, your safety and your sanity are more important than his. He lost our sympathy when he attacked you."
Margie nodded. "Okay, then when do we start?"
"There's no time like the present," Jesse said.
Chapter 15
Margie sat at the cleared dining table, her hands in front of her clasped together on the worn and faded wood. They were thin and fragile, the joints swollen in places and distorted from arthritis, and yet they wouldn't stay still.
The fear rolled off her in waves so thick you could almost cut it. It wasn't just that her hands that were constantly moving, it was the way her eyes were open so wide that the whites completely circled the irises. It gave her a perpetually startled look. These little brown circles sat in an ocean of white. She couldn't stop nibbling at her bottom lip, and it was beginning to look sore.
"Almost ready to start," Jessie said, and winced as Margie jumped in her chair. "I promise you we will do all we can to keep you safe, but you understand we have to do this."
Margie nodded as a speck of blood appeared on her bottom lip.
Jesse knew that the longer he waited the worse this would be for her. He had already taken up a lot of time setting up his cameras and recording equipment, none of which in and of themselves would help Margie, but they may help someone, someday.
What they were doing was dangerous, but much less so than leaving the spirit as he was. Yes, they could make some arrangements to keep him out of the way for the time being; but, in Jesse's experience, a spirit filled with the hate that Frank has would always find a way back. If they took the short way out, the easy way out, then Margie would be in greater danger when he finally got loose. The chances are they wouldn't be there to help her. They had to end this, and end it properly for Margie's sake.
The Snowglobe was still set in the middle of the table. It looked pretty and so innocuous that you would never imagine the trouble it had caused. Around it were two circles of salt, and on the outside of those stood the four candles. They needed to allow Frank to come out, but they wanted to control him as much as they could.
Quickly, Jessie moved the four candles to the outside of the table and snuffed them out. As a long lazy curl of smoke drifted upward from each candle, he glanced across at Margie. Her eyes were pulled to the smoke of the nearest candle, watching the gray as it drifted towards the ceiling, and Jesse found himself unable to look away.
When the smoke was gone, Margie blinked, and her hands began clenching and unclenching on the table once more.
It was time.
If Jesse dragged this out much longer, she would never cope, and yet part of him wished they didn't have to do this.
"Margie."
She turned to look at Jesse as if hearing her name had dragged her back to the present.
Slowly she gave a gentle nod.
"I need to dim the lights."
If it was possible, her eyes opened even wider. They were like two spots of brown in twin seas of white.
"We will leave the hall lights on and only turn off those in this room."
Her mouth opened to protest, but no sound came out. There was moisture in her eyes now, but she nodded and then turned back to stare at the snow globe.
Jesse nodded to Gail who turned off the lights, and the room was plunged into semi-darkness.
Margie let out a gasp; Jesse ignored it and continued with his plan. The quicker they got through this, the better it was for everyone. At least, that was what he hoped.
Pulling a lighter from his pocket, he lit the first candle.
"Dear Spirits, as I light th
ese candles, bless this sacred place."
Walking clockwise around the table, he moved on to the second candle as the first one flared to life.
"Let the light of these flames radiate love and protection to all four corners of this room."
With the lighting of each candle, the room felt safer. He walked on to the next one and struck the lighter, but nothing happened. A lump formed in his throat. This had never happened before. Was it just short of fuel, or perhaps the flint was worn?
He had used this lighter since he was a child; it was a gift from his grandparents, and it had never let him down. Once more he struck it, and again there was nothing but a signal spark.
Margie let out a small groan and he knew he had to take control. Shaking the lighter, he could tell it had fuel in with the weight and the way it sloshed in his hand. So, he closed his eyes and struck it again. This time the flame flared and he lit the third candle.
"I ask that all negative energies be released from this space. With a bath of white light, I ask that it be cleansed and neutralized. Turn this room into a sanctuary."
Almost completing the circuit around the table, he approached the fourth candle. Breath held, he struck the lighter. The flame was instant, and he lit the fourth candle, now completing the circle.
"May this place be the foundation for our teachings and the inspiration for our higher perceptions." He finished the cleansing incantation and nodded to Gail.
She sat down at Margie's left.
The candles flickered, casting shadows on the wall, but there was nothing scary about them. Instead, they gave off a warming and protecting glow. Jesse smiled at Margie and she managed a small smile back.
They were ready to start.
He reached down into a bag he had placed next to his chair and pulled out a large salt shaker. Walking around the table once more, he laid a salt circle just on the inside of the candles. When he got back to his own seat, he sat down. All that was left now was to release the two inner circles and to allow Frank to come out of the snow globe.
DarkMan: Ghosts and Haunted Houses (The Spirit Guide Book 3) Page 7
