The Guest House Hauntings Boxset

by Hazel Holmes

  Sarah glanced down at herself and found that she wore a similar dress. She traced some of the white doilies embroidered on her stomach. She’d never felt anything so soft before. Then, she got a look at her surroundings.

  An endless white stretched to the horizon in every direction. But no matter where she looked, it was only her and Iris.

  Finally, Sarah ended her three-hundred and sixty-degree tour and turned back to Iris. “Where are we?”

  Iris laughed. “It’s not necessarily where, but when.”

  “When?”

  “We’re in a place where time has no value,” Iris answered, spreading her arms wide. “I’ve been here forever, and I just arrived.”

  Sarah shut her eyes, shaking her head, unable to wrap her mind around what was happening. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “I know.” Iris smiled sadly and then placed her weathered hands on Sarah’s shoulders. “You ended a travesty that started with my family, and for that, I can’t thank you enough. I’m finally with my daughter.” Tears welled in her eyes. “We’re together, and there is no more pain, and that is all because of you.” She smiled sweetly and then wiped her eyes.

  “But,” Sarah looked around. “Where is everyone?”

  That sad smile returned to Iris’s face, and she cupped Sarah’s cheek. “You have one final choice to make, Sarah. One that will not be easy for you, though it might seem that way.”

  Sarah only frowned in response, and then Iris stepped back, and two doors appeared on either side of her.

  “The door to my left will take you back to the mortal world, and back to Dell, who you saved with your actions. But you will awake in pain, and there is no guarantee that you will survive your wounds. If you die after you are returned, the witch’s powers will consume you, and your soul will burn in hell with her just as she promised.” She pointed to the next door. “This door will take you with me, and you will live for eternity with your family. You will feel no pain, you will experience no hardships.”

  Sarah kept her eyes on the door to the right. “My parents are there?” Her voice made her sound like a little girl.

  Iris smiled happily. “Oh, yes. And they’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

  Sarah looked back to Iris, skeptical. “Is this some kind of test?”

  “No, Sarah. No test, no tricks, no hidden agendas. This is simply an offering for you to choose what path you want to take. It’s a choice that you were never really given, and it’s something that he wanted to give you now.”

  “He?” Sarah arched her eyebrows and then looked up, where again there was nothing but endless white. She looked down and stumbled, blinking rapidly. The place was disorienting. “When do I have to decide?”

  “Now,” Iris answered, and then she shrugged. “Or never.” She laughed. “Time doesn’t matter in this place, remember?”

  Sarah nodded. “Right.” But her tone suggested she still didn’t understand. She gazed at the two doors, mulling over her options. She had so many questions for her parents. But most of all, she wanted to feel the touch of their hands on her face. That was the earliest and only memory that she could ever recall about her parents. It was something that she clung to as a child, but while she didn’t think of it as much as an adult, the desire was still buried, waiting to be rediscovered.

  But then her eyes drifted to the door on the left, and a mixture of terror and fascination took hold. There was still so much that she wanted to do, so much that she wanted to feel. If she walked through the other door with Iris, then she’d never be able to act on those realities. But if she did walk through that door, there was still the chance that she could die, and the witch would burn her soul for eternity.

  And yet, even with all of those consequences staring her in the face, she couldn’t help but wonder what tomorrow would hold. What unexpected adventures were just around the bend.

  Iris laughed, and Sarah turned to find her at the door on the right, hand on the knob as she cracked it open.

  “What are you doing?” Sarah asked. “I haven’t told you my decision.”

  “I told you when I met you that I could read people, Sarah. And your desires are written all over your face. Good luck. And tell Dell and my grandson that I’m sorry.”

  And just like that, Iris was gone, and the door shut. But as Sarah stood there, both doors remained, and in the echoing silence and sheer vastness of this place that she found herself, Sarah couldn’t help but smirk. Curiosity always did get the better of her.

  90

  It was the touch on her face that woke Sarah, and for the briefest moment she thought that it was her father waking her from a bad dream. But the moment ended quickly and that warmth on her cheek quickly turned cold, and she trembled.

  “Sarah, just hang on. Help is on the way.”

  Sarah glanced down and saw a pair of hands, bloodied, on her stomach. She widened her eyes in terror, and she glanced up to the face that the hands belonged to. It was Dell.

  “Everything is going to all right,” Dell said, though his voice was shaking and his eyes were becoming red and wet. “Just stay with me, okay? Stay with me.”

  Sarah rested her head back down on the bed, and she realized that she was in the same position where she shot herself. The white sheets were soaked with blood, but the orb had disappeared.

  Footsteps and shouts echoed from somewhere down the hall, and Dell turned his head toward the door while keeping pressure on Sarah’s wounds.

  “UP HERE!”

  A few seconds later and there were more faces hovering above Sarah, who then forced Dell to step away. She tried to follow where he went, but he was quickly lost in the crowd.

  “Ma’am? Can you hear me?”

  “Gunshot wound to the abdomen, doesn’t look like the bullet went through. We need to get her moved. Let’s go. On three.”

  Sarah was suddenly weightless and moving. She blinked, the ceiling that passed blurred and dark. She was vaguely aware of her trip down the stairs, but the longer she stayed awake, the more cold she became. She just wanted to close her eyes and sleep. She just wanted to be warm again. But a voice kept her awake, a nagging, frightened voice.

  “Don’t give up, Sarah! Keep fighting!”

  She was floating again, and then doors shut, and there was the wail of a siren. She suddenly realized that her surroundings had changed and a mask covered her face. Every breath fogged the clear plastic, and the people on either side of her continued to work on her stomach, wiping away blood and cutting her clothes.

  Sarah wanted to ask for Dell, she wanted to ask where he was, but she couldn’t find her voice. She was so tired. And as the paramedics around her shouted for her to stay awake, Sarah couldn’t do it anymore. She closed her eyes and let warmth engulf her as the sirens continued to wail.

  Another burst of warmth. A touch. Feeling. It was familiar, and good. Sarah’s eyelids fluttered open as she awoke. At first she was blinded by white light, and she expected to see Iris again in that gown of white. But she wasn’t there.

  “Hey, whoa, take it easy.” Dell gently placed his hand on her shoulder and eased her back down onto her pillow before Sarah could straighten herself up. “Doctor don’t want you moving around.”

  Something tickled Sarah’s nose, and she reached up to find plastic tubes. She gave them a yank and felt the thick reams of plastic slide down the inside of her nose, and she breathed freely once they were gone.

  “Not sure you were supposed to do that,” Dell said.

  “What happened?” Sarah asked.

  Dell raised his eyebrows. “Whatever you did, it got me out of that hell.”

  “And Kegan?” Sarah asked.

  “He copped to everything,” Dell answered. “The murder of the girls. Your abduction. Everything. And he named Dennis as his accomplice, who didn’t deny it.” He paused. “He even confessed to Brent Alvarez’s murder.”

  “Are you serious?” Sarah asked.

  Dell nodded. “But y
ou’ve been summoned back to New York. Subpoena. After you’re better. But…” He rubbed his palms over his thighs. “Things are looking pretty good right now.”

  Sarah stared at Dell, though she wasn’t sure for how long. Long enough for him to smirk.

  “What?” Dell asked.

  And then without a word, Sarah raised her hands and cupped Dell’s cheeks. She held them for a long time, and then she started to cry. And as she cried Dell embraced her, holding her gently, but protectively and firmly.

  It was an embrace that she had wanted for so long, and she never could have imagined how good it would make her feel.

  The moment was interrupted by the doctors, who made their presence known by a stiff clearing of the throat. “Just need to check Sarah’s vitals.”

  “Right,” Dell said and then stepped toward the door. “I’ll be right back when they’re done.”

  “Okay.” Sarah smiled as she watched him leave, and when he was out of sight, a hollowness filled her heart. But it wasn’t painful. It was a promise that would be fulfilled. It wasn’t a feeling she was used to.

  “Okay, Ms. Pembrooke, looks like everything is healing up nicely.” The doctor smiled as he checked off some boxes on her chart. “Vitals are looking strong. Responding well to medication. You should be out of here in no time at all.” He placed her folder back into its slot at the foot of her bed, then rapped his knuckles on the bed’s foot end a few times. “I’ll send your friend back in.”

  “Wait,” Sarah said, stopping the doctor before he opened the door. “How long have I been out?”

  “A couple of days,” the doctor answered. “That’s normal after the type of surgery you went through, so nothing to worry about. And you’re lucky to have your friend out there.” He smiled as he opened the door. “He never left your side.”

  The door remained open for a minute, and then Dell returned. He had his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. It was here that she realized that he wasn’t in uniform. He looked more at ease. She liked that.

  “Doc said that you’re going to make a full recovery,” Dell said. “And that you’re pretty stubborn.”

  “Sounds like every adult who tried to reprimand me when I was a kid.” Sarah laughed, but then stopped when a sharp, stabbing pain spread through her body.

  Dell rushed forward and placed his hand over hers. “Yeah, you won’t be able to do that for a while.” He gently rubbed his thumb in a circular motion on her hand. “Better?”

  Sarah smiled. “Better.”

  After a week in the hospital to recover, the doctors finally said it was time to part ways. Dell had managed to get her clothes washed, and he escorted her out the doors to his police cruiser and helped her inside.

  “Oh,” Sarah said, settling into the seat as Dell walked around the front to the driver’s side.

  “You okay?” Dell asked as he slammed the door shut hard enough to rock the car, which caused Sarah to cradle her stomach.

  “Just take it easy on the speed bumps,” Sarah answered.

  Dell laughed and then started the car, shifting into drive. He looked at her in the passenger seat before he took his foot off the brakes. “You sure you want to go back?”

  “I’m sure,” Sarah answered.

  Sarah kept her eyes glued to the view out of her window. All she had seen for the past week was the inside walls of her hospital room. The scenery of Redford, no matter how limited the view, was better than the off-white walls she’d stared at for the past week.

  She adjusted her bag that rested between her legs on the floorboard, and she must have been staring at it for a while because Dell nudged her with his elbow.

  “It’s not too late to just keep going,” Dell said.

  “I know,” Sarah said. “But it’s something I want to do.” She smiled at him. “And thanks for the ride.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, you have as many rides as you want for the rest of your life. Consider me your personal driver.”

  “A girl could do worse.” Sarah shrugged, making sure that Dell noticed the indifference, but then tossed him a bone as she smiled. “Thank you though.”

  “You’re welcome,” Dell replied. “All right, looks like we’re here.” Dell pulled up to the front of the church and shifted into park. “You sure you don’t want me to come inside with you?”

  “I single-handedly defeated the army of evil from marching across the earth,” Sarah answered. “I think I can return a bible without your help. And besides, you’ve done enough.” And it was true. Not only had Dell taken care of her medical bills, he’d also offered to drive her back to New York and help testify against Brent’s cronies and the legal aftermath of everything that occurred in Bell. And while everything was looking good, Sarah had learned to not trust that little sinking feeling in the back of her head that insisted on complacency. There was still work to be done.

  “We’re in this together, Sarah,” Dell said. “And I mean that. No matter what happens, I have your back.”

  If her innards still weren’t burning with pain, Sarah would have taken him right then in the driver seat. She’d nearly done it in the hospital, but she still wasn’t fully healed, and a part of her told her to take her time with Dell. Because for the first time in her life, she didn’t feel like she had to rush things. She knew that he wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Be back in a sec.”

  Sarah heaved herself out of the car and denied Dell’s attempts to at least help her to the door. She needed to do it herself, and she needed to get back into the habit of normality. So, despite the pain, Sarah shuffled her way up toward the church’s big double doors and heaved her weight behind one of them as she pushed it open.

  Panting and red in the face, Sarah step-shuffled down the center aisle, again finding the pews empty as she did on her first visit to the church. She kept her gaze focused on the statue of Jesus on the cross. For some reason, he looked different than the last time she was here, but she couldn’t exactly put her finger on it.

  “Can I help you, miss?”

  Sarah turned to her right and found an older gentleman dressed in a priest’s uniform. He had thinning white hair that was trimmed short and neat, with round glasses that complimented his plump and red cheeks.

  “Yes, I wanted to return this bible.” Sarah fished it out of her pack, and the priest moved closer to grab it, but Sarah wouldn’t give it to him. “I was actually hoping to return it to the guy who gave it to me.”

  “Oh, and who might that be?” the priest asked.

  “The other holy guy that works here.”

  The old priest smiled and shook his head. “Well, I’m the only priest at this church, and I’m sorry, but you don’t look familiar.”

  Sarah frowned. “You’re the only priest that works here?” She looked around the empty church. “So, you didn’t have anybody else, like, covering a shift for you last week?”

  “No, I’m sorry, I’m stationed here seven days a week. Perhaps you received that bible from another church?”

  Sarah stared down at the bible and ran her fingers over the gold lettering, and then looked back up to Jesus on the cross. The disbelief spread across her face but quickly transformed into a smile as she looked back at the old priest. “Actually, Father, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to hang onto this for a little while longer.”

  “Of course, my child. Is there anything else I can do for you? Perhaps hear your confession?”

  Sarah tucked the bible back into her bag. “No, thank you.”

  “Well, have a blessed day.”

  “You too.”

  The priest stepped away, and Sarah looked back up at Jesus. A ray of sunlight penetrated the stained-glass windows high on the walls, and Sarah couldn’t wipe the smile of disbelief off her face. She slung her backpack over her shoulders again and headed out the doors, knowing that tomorrow would come and that she’d be able to handle whatever life threw at her.

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  Hazel Holmes, The Guest House Hauntings Boxset