Chapter 18
Zoe sat on the bed in utter shock. Her cell phone was still gripped in her hand. Greg sat next to her, arm around her shoulders her complete weight on him.
Her father had died. She knew it was on the horizon but it still cut her to the bone. He’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago and had continued to steadily deteriorate. She hadn’t seen him for over a year because he failed to recognize her as his daughter. She was just a pretty young lady that came to visit him. It hurt her too much to see him like that and on the rare occasion where he did remember who she was, it broke her heart to see him so distraught over his current state.
In a way, it was a blessing.
“I’m so sorry baby!” Greg held her tight and kissed her head.
Joey was reading one of the new comics in his room, unaware of what had transpired. Greg couldn’t even fathom how Zoe was feeling but even thinking about losing one of his parents felt like someone had thrust a knife into his heart and twisted.
They’d been sitting in the same position for around ten minutes but Greg would sit there as long as she needed.
“There’s something else Greg,” she pulled away from him and sat up, wiping away tears. “My dad had a will and according to the lawyer, I’ve inherited the house I grew up in. It’s about an hour from here, in the countryside. Four bedrooms, three bath. My parents had planned on having a big family but after my younger brother drowned in the creek not far from our home, their dreams of a large family died with him.”
“I didn’t know you had a younger brother.”
She smiled weakly up at him. “I guess we both have some skeletons in the closet. It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you. I just don’t talk about that period of my life because my memory is a bit hazy during that time.”
“I understand. Do you want to go and check out the house?”
“I guess I should at least go out there and see what all he left me. I haven’t been to that house since I went away to college at eighteen. Maybe seeing it will jog some memories loose for me. Would you go with me?”
“Of course, sweetheart. Did the lawyer say when he wanted you to meet with him?”
“This Friday,” Zoe said, and then looked into Greg’s eyes. He saw apprehension and tinged with fear. “I’m really anxious and somewhat scared to go up there. Is that normal?”
“It’s been over ten years since you’ve been there and with what happened to your brother, I’d say it’s totally normal. It’s going to be okay. Let’s just go, read over your father’s will, and will move forward from there.”
She nestled in to him once more and he rested his chin on her head. DJ padded in and laid his head down on Zoe’s lap. She smiled as she stroked his soft head and her anxiety melted away like morning fog as the sun rises.
Chapter 19
One Week Later
“Holy shit! I think you may have undersold your old house baby.”
The house that rested in front of them was bigger than he’d expected based off of how Zoe had described it to him. Two stories, it resembled a remodeled plantation home and was surprisingly well kept. Light blue on the outside, with a nice front porch.
“Don’t make fun!”
“I’m not, I swear. Did you have a butler of maid growing up?”
She punched him in the arm and he laughed.
“Okay, that time I was messing with you but seriously. This house is fantastic.”
Standing in front of the porch, in an expensive looking black suit, could be none other than the lawyer Zoe had been speaking with on the phone. He waved as they parked and walked over to their car.
“Good morning Miss. Phillips and you are?”
Greg took the offered hand, “Greg Sanders and good morning.”
Zoe couldn’t take her gaze off of the house. As they’d rounded the last bend and the house was revealed, the beginnings of a small headache had taken hold. Now it throbbed behind her eyes and she gritted her teeth against the pain. It was a mistake to skip breakfast.
“Oh, good morning, Mr. Taylor. Sorry,” she atoned for being rude, shaking his hand. “It just takes some getting used to when it’s been so long. Hasn’t changed much.”
“Well it has required some work, but your cousin Benjamin has been doing repairs for the past week. We had a little incident with the front porch but it’s been fixed nicely.”
“What kind of incident?”
“I don’t want to get into too much detail but we’ll just say another family member disagreed with the results of the will and tried to shoot me,” he said with a nervous laugh as he led them up the porch. “He was drunker than a skunk so his shots went by me harmlessly but they did damage the door and front window here.”
Greg and Zoe couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
“Your cousin really does incredible work. He’ll be coming back on Monday to do replace all the doorknobs. They’re rusted and scuffed just due to age.”
“Is this disgruntled family member someone we need to be concerned about?” Greg asked in a serious tone.
“Not anymore. His current residence is a jail cell and will be for quite some time. If you’ll follow me into the living room, I’ll show you the will and…”
“Do you think I could go in and see it first? It’s just been so long. I’d just like a few minutes inside if that’s alright.”
The lawyer nodded and crossed his arms in front of him.
“Sure, take your time.”
Greg held her hand and whispered to her. “Want me to come in with you or wait out here with the suit?”
She squeezed his hand once. “Would you mind waiting out here for just a minute or two? It’s just something I have to do.”
“No problem sweetheart. I’m here if you need me okay,” he looked back at the lawyer. “I’m gonna go get the details about your trigger happy relative.”
Chapter 20
It was like stepping through a portal in time.
Nothing had changed. The living room that the door opened into was exactly the same. The ugly green carpet still covered the floor. Not to self: If we decide to keep the house, rip out that carpet and put in tile or wood flooring. The couch, recliner, and love seat were where she remembered them. Only noticeable difference was the HD flat screen that hung on the wall across from the couch. Her dad did enjoy watching his games on Saturday and Sunday.
She crossed the living room and carefully sat down in the recliner. The red leather had peeled and cracked in places and the leg extender was broken but it was her father’s designated chair. Closing her eyes she could picture him sitting in it now, watching one of the Virginia Tech college football games, beer in hand.
The house had nostalgia written all over it.
The kitchen had some changes. The countertops had been re-done with marble and there was a double sink, updated microwave and refrigerator. The den, which connected to the kitchen, was still a bit dark due to lack of lighting, had the bookshelves on one wall, her dad’s work desk across from it with just one lamp, and soon to be replaced, brown carpeting.
The bedrooms were upstairs. The stairs were lacquered wood, with a beige wall to one side, wooden railing on the other. She laughed when the eighth step up creaked under her foot. That was the one that had gotten her busted when trying to sneak out in her teen years.
Two rooms were to her left and two were to her right. She avoided going to the left because one had been her brother’s room and she avoided it at all costs. The other was used as a storage/catch all for the miscellaneous things they’d gotten a hold of and couldn’t find a place for. She had no desire to open that door and see the mess that surely sat behind it.
The right side held her parent’s master bedroom and hers. She couldn’t resist nudging open the door to her old room. Her parents hadn’t changed it in the slightest. Posters of bands like Matchbox Twenty, Third Eye Blind, and Event Horizon still covered one wall. A small bookshelf in the corner held some of h
er favorites: King, Koontz, Matheson, and some fantasy authors who she’d loved to read.
She thought her father would have changed the room at some point during the past few years, especially after her mom had passed. It wasn’t like she came to visit.
The window next to her bed caught her eye and she strolled over to it and looked out over the backyard and the forest beyond, which hid the creek. If the window were open, she could probably hear it if she listened closely.
A thick oak stood about forty feet from the house with thick shrubbery around its trunk. Her headache hit her with a vengeance as memories bubbled to the surface. Hidden by the shrubbery was a stone slab that marked her brother’s grave.
It was as if a faucet had been turned on in her mind and memories began to come pouring out. Some were good but others were horrible and were never meant to be re-discovered. She tottered on her feet and put a hand to her head. Her foot hit the bed frame and she spun. Her eyes rolled into her head and she fell sideways onto the bed, knocking over the lamp on her nightstand with her arm. She rolled off the bed and onto the floor with a light thud.
Chapter 21
“Can you hear me Zoe?”
“Yes.”
Her voice was flat, devoid of any inflection.
“Good. I want you to relax for me. Breathe deeply.”
Her parents stood in the entryway to the living room and looked upon her daughter’s prone form with concern. This was the last resort and they were praying it would help.
“I need you to answer any questions I ask and know that you’re safe and cannot be harmed. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
The doctor crossed his legs and leaned back in chair. Clearly he’d done this many times before and his posture helped relax her parents considerably.
“How old are you Zoe?”
“Fifteen.”
“Do you play any sports?”
“Soccer and softball.”
“Do you have many friends at school or on your teams?”
“A few.”
“Are there any that you would consider a best friend? Someone you trust with secrets?”
“One.”
“Can you tell me their name?”
Zoe shook her head and her arm twitched once.
“Why not Zoe?”
“Because she doesn’t like me to talk about her.”
Her eyes moved back and forth rapidly behind her lids.
“It’s okay. Relax, it’s just you and me, remember. This is a safe place. You can tell me anything.”
Her body relaxed slightly and her eyes slowed for the moment.
“What are some things you two talk about?”
“Anything. Everything.”
“Has she ever told you or made you do something?”
The lights in the room flickered. Zoe’s body shook slightly on the couch.
“Yes.”
The doctor uncrossed his legs and leaned forward.
“Zoe I want you to listen to me very carefully. She does not have control over you. You are the one in control! Do you believe that?”
Zoe didn’t answer but continued to shake.
“Can I speak to your friend?”
“NO!”
“Why won’t you let me speak with her? If she’s your friend, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
The bulb in the lamp next to the couch exploded and Elizabeth yelped before covering her mouth.
“She won’t talk to anyone else.”
The doctor put his clipboard down on the table next to him and rested his elbows on his knees.
“Zoe, I want you to continue to relax. I want you to think back to the first time you met this friend. Can you remember when that was?”
Zoe nodded her head.
“Good. Now I want you to picture one by one the different occasions in which you two spoke, did things together, interacted in any way. Take your time but I want you to visualize each individual time.”
Minutes went by and Zoe’s eyes moved rapidly once again. The doctor nodded to her parents reassuringly.
“Done.”
“Great. You’re doing great Zoe. Now I want to delete those images. Your mind is like a giant, organic computer. I want you to look at each one and delete it like you would on a computer. Can you do that?”
“Yes.”
It came out like a whisper.
“Okay. Begin doing that and let me know when you’ve finished.”
Her head swiveled in his direction, even though her eyes were closed, she seemed to be looking directly at him.
“You think you’re so clever with your fancy hypnotherapy. This isn’t going to work Doctor.”
The voice wasn’t Zoe’s. It was layered, deep, and raspy.
“You can’t delete me like some petulant virus. Do what you want but I’ll still be here. You can try and make her forget but I promise you I will find a way to cause her to remember. And when I do…”
“You aren’t real. You can’t make her do or say…”
“Shut your mouth, you ignorant pig!”
The couch shook violently but her body stayed immobile.
“You’re nothing but an annoyance. Once we’re through here, I’ll come pay you a personal visit tonight. After you’ve downed your three or four special drinks and head up to bed, I’ll be waiting in the darkness, whispering to you.”
“Enough!” The doctor’s face had turned a deep shade of red. “When I count to three, Zoe you will wake up and remember none of this. One.”
“She won’t but I will my sweet play thing.”
“Two!”
“See you soon.”
“THREE!”
The couch stopped abruptly and Zoe sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She looked at her parents then the doctor.
“How long was I asleep for?”
Chapter 22
Zoe woke to Greg shaking her shoulder and calling her name in a scared voice. He stood above her and so did the lawyer, concern on their faces.
“What happened?” she intoned as Greg helped her to her feet.
“You tell us. We heard a crash, came inside and ran up the stairs to find you on the ground and the broken lamp next to you. Are you okay?”
He held her face in his hands. Her face was pale and cold.
“I think we need to take you home.”
She waved him off.
“I’m fine, just got a bit lightheaded. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning. Let’s look at my father’s will and then we can go grab a bite to eat.”
Greg didn’t budge and didn’t believe her.
“Greg, I’m fine!”
She pushed her way past him and started down the stairs.
“Women,” he said in a low voice. “No point in arguing.”
“You’re not kidding.”
The lawyer closed her bedroom door and followed him down.
Zoe’s memory was still a bit fuzzy but snatches of it were coming back to her and it scared the hell out of her. How much of it was real and imagined? It felt as if someone had opened a lock and given her access to parts of her life she’d kept hidden from herself. Add all of this on top of her current predicament on when to tell Greg about the baby and her head wanted to explode.
Her therapist’s name evaded her still but once she remembered it, she planned on finding him and getting some concrete answers to what the hell had happened to her when she was younger.
Chapter 23
“So you don’t want to keep the house?”
“Correct. I want to get it fixed up and sold. I like where we live and the commute from here would be horrible with traffic. I just don’t see any positives to keeping it. I know you’re trying to be sweet and thinking of me but I really don’t want to live there.”
They’d been discussing what to do with the house for well over an hour and she wasn’t changing her mind. He wanted to be respectful of her decision because in reality, it wasn’t their decision but hers. They weren’t m
arried so what right did he have to tell her what to do with the house she just inherited.
“Got it.”
He walked to the living room and grabbed DJ’s leash to take him for a walk.
“Are you mad?”
“No. I just need to take him for a walk. We were gone all morning so I know he’s anxious to get out.”
DJ was curled up on his bed next to the couch but Zoe didn’t point out the obvious. Greg patted his leg and called DJ who jumped up and trotted over, tail wagging enthusiastically.
“Be back in thirty.”
She knew him well enough to tell that he needed space from his tone. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand his point of view, far from it. A house would mean more space, secure future together, and on and on. The truth was that the house frightened her. But how did she tell him why without scaring him out of her life forever? Tears formed in her eyes when she thought about it. He loved her completely. When he comes back from the walk, I’m going to tell him what I remember. How can I ask him to trust me with his past if I won’t reciprocate that?
She went to the bed and fell down onto it. Zoe hoped that taking a nap would give her some energy and give her mind a rest.
* * *
DJ sniffed anything and everything that gave off a scent. Mailboxes, garbage cans, flowers. A breath of fresh air helped Greg to clear his head and keep him from saying something mean that he would regret later. His situational awareness at the present time was good for nothing. He almost tripped twice, and narrowly missed colliding with a bicycler.
DJ barked excitedly and pulled on the leash, nearly ripping it out of Greg’s hand.
“Easy. Stop DJ!”
The dog ignored him and continued leading him towards a scent that had stood out among the others. Greg tightened his grip and halted DJ when he saw the box on the side of the road. A whimpering came from inside and Greg had an idea what he was going to find.
Some asshole had abandoned a little puppy of maybe eight weeks old on the side of the road in a flimsy cardboard box, with a small bowl of water (now empty) and no food.
Haunted II: Awakening Page 5
