Something was coming. Frank turned to see the man running towards him. He felt the man approach with the Holy Water and panic ripped through his chest as he started to fade.
Quickly, he turned back into the orb and zipped straight through the wall. He could do this from outside and he would get the best view.
Chapter 23
The sound of a scream ripped Jesse from his sleep and he was instantly on his feet. Clutched in his right hand was a bottle of Holy Water. He had kept it close in case and it looked like he had fallen asleep, despite his best intentions.
The room was dark and another scream ripped through the night. Jesse ran, trying to find the danger, to find Gail.
In front of him, he saw a blue glow around the shape of a dark man. Frank was standing next to the sofa, leaning over Margie. It was wonderful and terrible all in one, and Jesse knew he had to send him away. He began to chant the Lord’s Prayer in Latin and unscrewed the lid on his flask of Holy Water.
“Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.”
As Margie screamed, the apparition turned around. There was a face forming in the mist. Dark hair covered a furrowed brow. A splattering of stubble traced across the skin, but the thing that stopped Jesse in his tracks were the eyes. One was black as the night and the other had taken on the color of the orb. It was a cold, ice blue, and shone in the darkness.
“Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie.”
Frank held a finger to his lips as if telling Jesse to be quiet.
The words froze in Jesse’s throat, but he was already throwing the Holy Water. Though he had ground to a halt, his arm carried through and water splashed towards the spirit.
It splashed Frank where he was most incorporeal and he faded even further. Before Jesse could pull back to throw more, Frank turned into the orb and disappeared through the wall of the bungalow.
Jesse ran to Margie. She was still flapping her hands in the air and screaming as Gail was starting to stand. As Jesse grabbed hold of Margie’s hands, he smelled gas. The room was full of it. Could Frank have set a leak?
Jesse tried to grab hold of Margie, tried to calm her, but she was still screaming and her hands beat against him.
“It’s me, Jesse!” he shouted, as he tried to find Gail in the darkness.
He spotted her at the same time as he saw Frank. The ghost with the icy blue eye was staring through the window. He was holding a lighter and Jesse understood.
“Gail no,” he called, as he saw her approach a light switch. If she turned it on, the spark would set off an explosion and they would all be killed.
Gail didn’t hear him, so he left Margie and dove across the room, shouting at Gail as he flew through the air. The impact was mind-numbing as his shoulder hit the wall, but he pushed Gail out of the way.
She let out a shriek and then kicked him in the back.
Jesse rolled over covering his head.
“It’s me, Gail! Stop! We can’t turn on the light.”
Gail stopped “Why?”
“Don’t you smell gas?”
Gail nodded and they both looked at the window. Frank was trying to open it and he still held the lighter.
“I’ve got this,” Gail said, and she ran to the mantel and plucked the snow globe.
Jesse watched her and continued to pray. He put every ounce of effort he had into communicating to Frank that this was not his wife. He believed it, believed that Frank would leave as he spoke the words.
“Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.”
“She is not your wife!” Gail shouted, as she held up the snow globe next to the window.
Frank was unable to open the window from the outside, so he had come inside and was trying to open it from within.
As he opened it, Gail slammed the window shut.
“Look at her eyes,” Gail said. “Your wife had green eyes and she had a beauty spot on her left cheek. Look at Margie! She is a good five years older than Samantha was and she has brown eyes.”
Frank pushed her away and pulled the window open.
“Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.”
Frank was on the outside. He picked up the lighter and held it out in front of him.
The scent of gas was overwhelming, even with the window open.
“Visit this place, O Lord, we pray, and drive far from it the snares of the enemy!” Jesse shouted, as he came up beside Gail.
“She is not your wife. Don’t punish this good woman, this loyal woman just because your wife cheated!” Gail screamed at the spirit.
Frank’s hand lowered. There was doubt on his face.
Jesse threw Holy Water and continued to pray, “May Your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace, and may Your blessing be always upon us, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.”
“You can still have peace,” Gail said.
Frank smiled and raised his hand once more. He was going to strike the match.
“I command thee begone from here you evil spirit!” Gail shouted, as Jesse threw Holy Water and kept praying.
“Leave this realm and go back where you belong. Begone you foul beast. Begone I command you.”
“Amen,” Jesse said.
Frank dissolved into smoke and the smoke was drawn towards them.
“Leave this place and never return!” Gail shouted, and she held the snow globe out before her.
“I command you, begone!”
The smoke swirled around her and into the snow globe. For a moment it was filled with black and then with a blue light and then nothing. As Gail held it out before her, the tiny snow inside swirled all around before settling on the ground and the top of the tiny church.
It was over.
“Everyone outside!” Jesse shouted.
Quickly he hurried them outside and into the street. Gail rang the fire brigade while Jesse searched around to find the stop tap. It wasn’t hard; Frank had left the cover off it. He turned off the gas, but it would be hours before Margie’s house was safe again.
While they waited for the fire brigade, Jesse went to the Jeep and pulled an iron box out of the back of it. It was special iron, lined with salt and blessed with Holy Water. He placed the snow globe inside and locked the lid. He truly hoped Frank had gone, but if not, this would keep him contained for a while. Just in case, when they got back to Seafield House, they would place the box in the incinerator and salt and burn the globe.
After the fire brigade had left, Jesse and Gail invited Margie back to their house to stay.
“Thanks, but no,” she said in a voice that was surprisingly strong. “I’ve decided I’m selling the bungalow and going down south. I can move in with one of my children for a while. Maybe I’ll get a small place of my own--maybe not.” She shuddered. “I don’t think I could spend another night in this place, despite all the wonderful memories.”
“We understand,” Gail said, as she helped her into their Jeep. “As long as you take the good ones with you.”
“I will,” Margie said. “Can you drop me at a hotel?”
Gail nodded. “Promise me you will let us know that you’re okay.”
Margie nodded, but was quiet until they dropped her off at The King George.
“You are safe now,” Jesse said, “but call us if you need to talk or for anything.” Jesse squirmed in his seat. This was their first paying job, but after all that had happened, how could they ever ask for any money? He decided to let it go and knew that Gail would be fine with his decision.
Margie got out of the car and Jesse grabbed her bag from the back. She was hugging Gail as he handed it to her. Before she took it, she handed him an envelope.
“Your fee was £450 I believe,” she said.
“Oh... well... I kinda...” Jesse spluttered.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Margie said, and pulled him into a hug. “I wouldn’t b
e alive without you, and what would be worse is I would have died thinking my Alan was doing this. You saved my life and my sanity. Don’t open the envelope until you get home, and thank you once more.”
Jesse found that his throat was tight and tears threatened at the corner of his eyes. He rubbed them away and waved as she picked up her bag and walked through the sliding doors.
When they closed and she was gone, he turned to Gail. She raised her eyebrows to let him know she had seen.
“That was the most incredible feeling,” he said.
“Don’t I know it,” Gail said. “And we got paid.” She snatched the envelope from him and ran back to the car.
Jesse climbed in. “You hope its payment.”
Gail laughed. “Maybe we shouldn’t open it, our first job and all.”
“No way. Come on, let’s get home and get some sleep.”
Epilogue
After a bath and a bite to eat they sat down on the sofa to open the envelope.
“We could leave this ‘till morning,” Gail said, as she rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m still too buzzed to sleep,” Jesse said, as he tore open the envelope.
A check fell out and he fumbled to pick it up. As he turned it over, he gasped. “£3000. She paid us £3000 wow... do you think we should return it?”
Gail laughed and looked at the check. There was a note with it as well.
Dear Gail and Jesse,
Thank you so much for all your help. This is a little something that my children gave me to use for a holiday. I don’t need that now as you have shown me that there is life after death.
It is a precious gift you have given me, for I know I will meet my Alan again. I no longer fear the future or dread the rest of my days. You have given me my life, but more than that, you have shown me that I can live it and enjoy it to the fullest.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Margie.
Jesse looked down to see tears running down Gail’s cheeks. He had to swallow the lump in his own throat.
“Softy,” Gail said, pointing to his own misty eyes.
“I’ve just got something in my eye, nothing else.”
“Yeah, you’re such a big softy--admit it.”
Jesse nodded. “I guess I can’t lie to you.
“It was such a shame that Samantha had to lie to Frank. If she had just left him, then none of this would have happened.”
Jesse sighed. “I get the feeling Frank would not have been that easy to leave.”
“You think he was a bad person; is that what made him a bad spirit?”
“I think he was a bad person, but what causes a spirit to be so angry and full of hate is not always that easy to figure out. Any spirit that gets trapped in between will usually turn violent in time, even the ones who stay for the right reasons.”
“It’s sad,” Gail said, and relaxed into his shoulder.
Jesse held her tightly and reached down into his pocket. The ring was there, but he knew they were both too tired for this tonight. He would propose soon, but it had to be just right.
Jesse’s phone pinged to say he had an email.
“Is that another one?” Gail asked.
“I don’t know, let me look.” He opened his phone and scanned the emails. There were at least a dozen asking for their help.
Gail moved off his shoulders so she could get a better look. While she did so, he spotted an email titled, Black Eyed Children. Before she could see, he deleted it and scrolled to the next one.
“Can we choose our next case?” Gail asked.
“Let’s see.” They scrolled through the list. Some were hoaxes. Casper is Here, being one, but there were a few that looked genuine. They would try and help them all, but one caught his eyes.
Please help. Something is wrong with my friend.
He opened the email and read.
Hi,
I’m Amy and my friend, Rosie has been wrong since she stayed at RedRise House recently. I am frightened that she is hurting people. I hear her talking to herself, and she looks at me with such cold eyes that she frightens me.
I know you may think I am crazy. but I can’t go to the police. Please call me back or contact me by email. I am desperate, and even a little scared to be around her.
Thanks,
Amy.
“Looks like we have a case,” Jesse said, but it can wait until tomorrow. I’m bushed. Let’s get some sleep.”
Gail nodded, but he could see the excitement in her eyes.
This really was the best life ever.
I hope you enjoyed The Dark Man. It was a harder book to write that some of my others. There is not a lot of substantiated reports of orbs but many reports of spirits molesting and attacking. I have spoken to a few people who have been involved in such attacks and their stories are truly heart breaking. Moving these spirits on is always a good thing.
If you enjoyed this book, read on for more books and a way to get FREE Advanced Copies of my books before they are available to everyone.
Never miss a book:
for a FREE eBook, new release announcements
and occasional free content: http://eepurl.com/cGdNvX
Called From Beyond – Preview
6th July, 2018
Country Road,
Yorkshire
England
11:59 p.m.
Mark stared out through the windscreen at the dark and twisty road ahead. The long drive back to civilization dulled his senses and the warm car tempted him with sleep. He stifled a yawn and shook his head to fight the fatigue. “We probably should have stayed the night.” Taking his eyes off the road, he turned to face Alissa.
Her feet were curled up on the seat next to her, her eyes almost closed. “Mmm, probably. It was good to see them again,” she said, pushing her long blonde hair back from her face.
He loved to see it when it fell in whispers across her pale skin, so fine and silky to the touch. Right now, he just wanted them back in the hotel so he could hold her. These bleak and lonely roads were no place for a couple of city kids like them, and he couldn’t wait to get back to the noise and bustle of Leeds.
They had booked a room at a hotel in one of the small villages—he had hoped to make it a bit of a romantic night as well as a reunion—but now he wished they hadn’t. Maybe he should have taken her away somewhere special, not just down the road from their house?
“It was good,” he said, pulling his eyes back to the road. “They both looked so healthy. And the food? Mmmm. Amazing.”
“Don’t I know it.” Alissa’s bright smile contrasted with the dreamy quality her eyes still held. “That stroganoff was so creamy and delicious. I think that’s why I’m so sleepy. I’m way too full.”
Mark laughed. “Or perhaps a few too many glasses of red wine?”
“You’re jealous because tonight was your turn to drive.” She stuck her tongue out and her green eyes danced with laughter.
“Funny, that.” He tried to put a stern expression on his face. “It’s always your turn to drive on the way there and mine to drive back.”
“Yeah, I like the way that works out.” She snorted a giggle and closed her eyes again. “Perfect, if you ask me.”
Mark laughed and turned back to the road. Fatigue was like a heavy blanket and his eyes just wanted to close. He quickly rubbed a hand through his short brown hair. Though he was no longer enlisted, he never let his hair grow more than a finger. He unwound the window and let a cool breeze travel across his scalp. The fresh draft was much more invigorating than the cold air from the blowers. Right now, he needed something to bring back his concentration. At least another twelve miles laid between them and anything that even remotely resembled an A road.
“Do you think they made the right decision?” Alissa asked.
“You mean moving out here?”
“Yeah, it’s a long way from London.”
Mark thought about it. He missed their friends so he wanted
to say no, then he thought about how much they’d laughed and smiled tonight. “We made the move for your job, what was it... three years ago now?”
“We moved to a city.”
“Leeds is a big city but it’s not London and you adapted.”
Alissa grumbled. “I know, but right out in the country and into that old rundown house?”
“It looked pretty nice to me. They’re happy there and that’s all that counts, right?” It hit him hard that he wanted things to change. That she wanted more from the relationship was no secret and finally, he understood. He turned to look at her.
That pretty smile he loved so much mocked him just a little. She was a picture to behold with perfect skin, a heart-shaped face, and the biggest green eyes you ever did see. A splattering of freckles danced across her nose and more tiptoed down her arms.
Sometimes he tried to count them when she was asleep.
They had been engaged for a year now, but when he proposed, it had simply been a stop gap for him—a way to appease her—and he never intended the engagement as a prelude to marriage. That stank!
She gave everything to him, was always generous and loving. His best friend.
How could he treat her like that? He wanted to marry her, but this was the wrong time to set the date. He had to make it more romantic.
She deserved that.
“Keep your eyes on the road,” she gently admonished.
Nodding, he turned back. The headlights hardly cut through the gloom and he eased up on the accelerator, slowing the car just a touch. The beams of light shone into the ether as they topped a brow, and then dropped to the tarmac as they began to descend. The dark and twisted trees lining the road on their right sucked the light from the moon. To their left, the ground sloped alarmingly away and more trees, along with the occasional sheep, dotted the grassland. He hated the fact that sheep were on the road. Where were the fences? Surely farm animals were supposed to be fenced in for safety?
DarkMan: Ghosts and Haunted Houses (The Spirit Guide Book 3) Page 11
