Phantoms

by Terence West

  Bishop glanced back at Cane, who was standing triumphantly over a pool of black liquid. Cane turned to look at Bishop.

  "The eyes."

  Bishop nodded.

  Dawn took another uncomfortable step back from the dog. She didn't want to run because then the creature would charge and she knew it could easily take her. She watched the dog creep forward. It's every move a calculated adjustment. It knew she wanted to run. It was just trying to catch her off-guard. Dawn spotted Cane and Bishop moving toward the dog and started forming a plan. Rearing back, she tossed the heart toward Cane. "Catch!"

  Cane quickly moved under the heart and caught it with his good arm. Spinning around, he ran toward the back of the cave holding the heart like a football. "What now?" he yelled frantically.

  Bishop already knew what to do. As the dog spun around to chase Cane, he threw himself on top of it, knocking them both to the ground. Moving quickly, Bishop wrapped his palms around the dog's head and pressed his thumbs into its eyes. The shadow dog yelped in pain as Bishop felt his thumbs burst through the red membranes of the dog's eyes. A black fluid sprayed out of the eyes, washing over everything, including Bishop. Moving his hands, Bishop dug his thumbs further into the phantom's eyes. It was writhing in pain below him. With one final act of evil, a stray tentacle shot off the dog's chest and burst through Bishop's right thigh. Bishop held steady as he pushed his thumbs harder. He heard one final whimper from the phantom, then its body went limp. Taking a deep breath, Bishop fell backward off the dog and onto the cold floor.

  "Good work," Cane's familiar accent said from across the cave. "Can you walk?"

  Bishop nodded, "I don't want to, but I can."

  Dawn stepped in front of Bishop and extended a hand down. "Come on."

  Bishop grabbed Dawn's hand and forced himself up. He felt a burst of pain in his legs as he stood up. "I think I need a doctor." He looked over at Cane nursing his bloody shoulder, "And so do you. Let's get out of here."

  "Agreed," Dawn said as she wrapped an arm around Bishop.

  The three slowly walked across the cave, but stopped in the center of the pentagram.

  "We shouldn't leave this here," Dawn said.

  Cane smiled and lifted a small lighter out of his pocket. "I wholeheartedly agree." Flicking the lighter, he watched the small blue butane flame jump from the top. Kneeling down, he touched the flame to the edge of the circle and stepped back. The pentagram erupted into a circle of green flames, but then quickly burnt out, leaving nothing but a bare stone floor.

  "You've done that before, haven't you?" Bishop asked with a smile.

  "No," Cane admitted, "but I've always wanted to."

  The three walked out of the cave and into the arms of the waiting crew. Rivers stepped forward and stopped the three before they could move past. "Can you tell me what it was like in there?"

  "Incredible," Bishop said with a deep breath.

  "Please," Dawn said, pushing past Rivers, "we need to get these two to a hospital."

  Rivers turned back to the camera and smiled broadly. He heard Chloe in his ear telling him to wrap it up. "What you have seen here tonight is real. This was actual phenomenon in this house. There were no special effects used, and no camera tricks involved. We hope what you have seen has chilled you, but also deepened your understanding of the events that do happen in real life. For Ghost Chasers, Incorporated, I'm Rivers Gallows. Happy Halloween."

  He watched the red light blink off and could see the smiles on the faces of the crew behind it.

  Chloe's voice cut across their earphones, "And we're clear."

  Chapter 32

  Bishop and Cane sat together in the back of an ambulance while two EMTs patched them up. One was wrapping gauze around Cane's shoulder, while the other was applying an ointment to Bishop's ankle. The red and blue lights were casting an almost serene glow across the Grant House. Hurricane Katrina had let up about an hour ago and was moving back out to sea where she would become nothing more than a tropical storm, then return to the point she was spawned. Several police cruisers were sitting around the house working diligently under Detective Montoya's direction to clean up the scene. Dawn and Kelley were standing just outside the ambulance looking in.

  Cane looked up and smiled at Bishop. "Not bad for a first assignment?"

  Bishop laughed. "Not bad at all."

  "Still want to be a part of the team?"

  Bishop nodded without hesitation. "You bet. Somebody's going to have to watch after you."

  Cane extended his hand. "Partners?"

  Bishop grabbed Cane's hand and shook it firmly. "Partners."

  The EMT working on Cane patted him on the shoulder and stood up. "You still need to go to the hospital, but you're patched up for the time being."

  Cane nodded. "Thanks."

  The EMT moved to the back of the ambulance and helped Kelley inside. "We need to get all of you down to General as soon as possible."

  Dawn followed Kelley into the truck and sat down on the edge next to Cane, while Kelley was laid on the stretcher in the middle. Dawn, Cane and Bishop looked at each other, then at Kelley.

  "Where are you going to go after this, Kelley?" Bishop asked.

  "I don't know," she replied as the EMT worked on her.

  Bishop looked up at Cane with a smile. "How about a foursome?"

  Cane shook his head with a smile. "Not another rookie partner."

  Bishop looked back down at Kelley. "How would you like to come work for the Office of Paranormal Investigation?"

  Kelley smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

  ****

  The back doors of the ambulance were slammed shut and the vehicle made its way out of the driveway and onto the street. A light rain was still falling over Stone Brook, but it was soft and cleansing.

  A pair of red eyes appeared in the second floor window of the Grant House. It was half past midnight. It would have to wait another seventy-seven years to complete the ritual. It was so close this time, but it would be patient. It had to be. After all, it had almost eighty years to wait. Turning away from the window, it walked out into the hallway and took a left. Moving briskly down the hall, it stopped in front of a mirror and smiled. This would do nicely. It was everything it needed to seek its revenge. It was perfect.

  Moving down the stairs, it walked past several uniformed officers on the way to the door. One officer took notice. "Can I help you, miss?"

  Morgan looked at the officer with a smile, "No thank you." Turning away, she walked out the front door and into the night.

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