The sound of their footsteps echoed on the polished marble floor. “Sona told me to put some boxes of craft supplies away in the closet and I found a bunch of props, decorations and costumes, robes for the choir… all kinds of things.” They charged through the Rec room to the closet and swung the door open. “This is fantastic!” Pippi shouted. They found costumes for a nativity play which included kings, wise men, animals and angels. “It’s getting dark out shouldn’t we go back to the house now?” Pippi asked. “We’re good for a little while longer. Hey look what I found, a rope and some other stuff. What do you think this is for?” Shaley interrupted. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Pippi squealed. The two friends jumped up and down with excitement. ~
Cathy scowled at her Mother. “This is stupid! I don’t want to go.” She yelled much louder than was necessary. Trish grabbed the back of Cathy’s neck and squeezed the tendons that stuck out there. She leaned in closer to Cathy’s ear and whispered loudly. “Get your ass in the car… now!” Trish spat. “Alright, alright!” Cathy stomped over to the minivan and took her place in the passenger seat. Trish climbed into the drivers’ seat and tossed her duffle bag between them.
Trish drove slowly through town doubling back several times to make sure no one noticed them. She pulled into the parking lot of the diner and parked as far away from the building as possible. She shut the vehicle off and they started crossing the old Cole property, the Cemetery and finally the Church beyond. “Let’s go!” Trish ordered. Trish shouldered her bag and started trudging across the field with Cathy at her heels. The Cole property was 101.51 acres so it took longer than Trish expected to traverse the distance. “I’m getting mud all over my shoes and for what?” Cathy mumbled. She stopped to pick up a stick to scrape the muck out of the treads.
They eventually made it to the Cemetery property. Trish scoured the neat rows of headstones and dark corners for any sign of people. She sported an evil smirk as they trotted between the rows. Trish scrunched down at the edge of the property overlooking the Church. Cathy knelt down behind her holding Trish’s arm with a grip like the talons of an eagle. “Let go! What the hell are you doing?” Trish pried Cathy’s claw like fingers from her forearm. “I hate this place!” Cathy sobbed. She was so frightened she could hardly contain herself. “Let’s go back to the van please Mommy. Don’t make me go over there. That place is haunted.” Cathy begged.
Trish glared at her. “Shut up!” Trish said as she pried her daughters’ fingers from her arm once more. “We’re going to do this right.” Trish smirked. Even in the dim light of the moon that permeated the shadows Cathy could see the smile on her Mothers’ face and she knew that look very well. Her Mother had a mean streak a mile wide and the only saving grace was that for once she wasn’t the target. Trish watched for any movement at the old Church before grabbing Cathy’s wrist and the two sprinted across the open ground between the Cemetery and the Church. They leaned against the Church in the lee of its overhang panting for several minutes. ~
Shaley tied the rope securely and then gave it a firm tug. She even went as far as to hang her full weight from it just to be sure. “Are you ready?” She asked Pippi who was smiling broadly. The look on Pippi’s face was part unsure part elation. She nodded her head. “Let’s do it!” She exclaimed. ~
Trish took a large screwdriver out of her pack and pried open the basement window. She instructed Cathy to climb through the window before passing the duffle bag through and then followed herself. This was going to be a piece of cake she thought to herself. She stumbled slightly before gaining her balance then looked around what looked like a furnace room. The Church was extremely dark and this part of the basement smelled slightly damp. The walls were fieldstone rather than cinder block like most modern buildings. Trish took out a small flashlight and shone it around the room looking for the exit. “There it is! Let’s go.” She whispered.
They walked slowly toward the door. Cathy squealed as a cob web brushed her face. “Shhh!” Trish ordered shining her light along the wall and ceiling. A lone Daddy Long legs crouched waiting for its next meal to pass by so it could inject its lethal toxin. “Mommy?” Cathy started to protest once more but was silenced. “God damn it! Shut your pie hole!” Trish said clenching her jaw tightly. They made it to the hallway and hugged the wall stepping as lightly as they could. Cathy for her part shook uncontrollably with fear and anticipation.
They passed the Program room and climbed the back stairs to the raised chancel at the back of the Church. “Here hold this.” Trish told Cathy as she knelt at the raised platform. Trish took out a piece of sidewalk chalk and drew a pentagram on the gleaming hardwood floors. She placed the candles at each point and lit them. She then went back into her pack and pulled out a digital camera then stood there and admired her handiwork. Trish stood back to take her photo in just the right position to show the tapestries on the walls so there was no doubt where the photo was taken. “Oh wait!” She said to herself giggling with delight. “I almost forgot the best part.”
Trish pulled a dead chicken out of her duffle. She carried it by its still attached feet while its head swung eerily back and forth. “Oh god mommy.” Cathy mumbled in horror. Trish placed the chicken in the middle of her drawing, placing it just so. She stood back once more to see how it looked, went back and repositioned the bird before snapping a few photographs. She put her camera back in her pack as the front door creaked. Someone came marching in with deliberate steps. “What the hell are you doing in here?” Markie’s voice boomed. She stood there hardly able to believe what she was seeing.
Trish and Cathy stood motionless for a second paralyzed by surprise and fear. By the time they finally gathered their wits about them and moved to make their escape it was too late. Almost simultaneously Sunny came through the back entrance and spotted the kids hiding behind the curtain standing on the scaffolding that was used to hang decorations and props. Sunny was just about to yell to them to get the heck down when she heard Markie’s voice. “What the hell are you doing in here?”
Sunny turned her attention away from Shaley and Pippi and moved toward Markie and the strangers. “Shit!” Pippi exclaimed as her footing slipped, she tried to grab hold of the rail but missed it by centimeters. She swung on the rope they’d attached to her abdomen on one end and the other tied securely to the beam high in the rafters above. Pippi wore one of the angel costumes from the nativity and looked every bit the arch angel she wanted to portray. The rope creaked and strained as her weight pulled it taught.
The group standing on the chancel looked up to see an Angel with large white feathered wings swoop past at break neck speed only to bounce off the far wall. She splat against the wall with an audible “Oof!” from Pippi as the wind was momentarily knocked out of her. Shaley’s mouth hung agape watching her friend hit the wall. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth as Pippi’s body swung back the way it had come. “What the…?” Markie lost her ability to speak.
Cathy saw the image of an Angel descending upon them as a sign that God was very unhappy with their little prank. She clutched her Mother and started to cry begging whatever deity that was listening for deliverance. Pippi’s trajectory changed slightly after the impact and she found herself descending on the intruders. Shaley, Sunny and Markie all stared toward the heavens wondering where the Angel would land. Pippi’s swing circled them before smashing headlong into Trish and Cathy and they all went down like bowling pins in an alley.
The three fell to the ground as the rope knot loosened and they knocked down two of the five candles in the process. Sunny and Markie ran to extinguish the flames before they ignited the whole place. Shaley jumped down from the scaffolding and ran to make sure her friend was ok. Shaley snapped on the lights as Sunny and Markie blew out the candles. That was when they were finally able to take in the full extent of the scene… chicken and all. “What the shit!” Markie shouted and headed straight for Trish.
Shaley ran to her Bestie. This was not how their li
ttle adventure was supposed to turn out. She knelt down beside her and cradled Pippi in her arms. “Are you ok Pippi?” She asked. “Who? What?” Pippi mumbled. Shaley held up three fingers. “How many fingers am I holding up?” She asked hopefully. Pippi looked back and forth between Shaley’s worried face and her hand. “Banana?” Pippi answered. “Auntie come help Pippi!” Shaley exclaimed as a look of terror took over her face. “I’m ok Shay. I was just messing with you. Help me get up.” Pippi smiled.
Markie and Sunny were confronting Trish and Cathy. “What the hell is your problem? You could have burned the whole place down.” Markie shouted at the woman. “I’m calling the cops.” Sunny said pulling out her cell phone. Shaley helped her friend to her feet then went over to the duffle bag. The girls had watched the whole thing from their vantage point in the rafters. She picked up the bag and retrieved the digital camera. Cathy lunged for the camera but Shaley saw her coming and held it out of reach. “Get over there. You’ve caused enough damage tonight.” Sunny said to Cathy while pointing for her to return to her Mothers’ side.
Sunny was about to dial 911. “Wait!” Markie said to her friend. Sunny stopped and looked at her. “We don’t need the cops. No real harm was done here.” Markie said stepping closer to Trish. Sona wandered into the Church. “What the hell?” She shouted. Markie just held her hand up to Sona to let her know she had it covered. Shaley went through the pictures on the camera and deleted the ones from the Church while Sona checked Pippi out. “Come to the house so I can put some peroxide on that scrape on your knee.” She told Pip. Pippi was still quite the sight in her white gown and crumpled wings, her hair disheveled with dirt and blood on various parts of her body. “We’ll talk about this later.” Sona said glaring at Shaley. “Yes Ma’am.” Shaley replied politely but she didn’t immediately follow Sona and Pippi back to the house. She was very curious to find out what was going to happen to the vandals.
Markie stood with her hands on her hips. “Is this what you want to teach your daughter?” She asked Trish. “You would never have gotten away with it. We have video surveillance cameras all over this place and it wouldn’t have ended well for either of you. You could have killed someone or ended up in jail and your kids put in care. Is that what you want?” Markie asked trying very hard not to raise her voice.
Trish just shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “I don’t want to see your face around here again. I don’t want you near me or my family and if you dare try anything again I’ll have you arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Do I make myself clear?” Markie looked directly into Trish’s eyes. Trish for her part just stood clenching her jaw repeatedly and glaring at Markie. “And you young lady stay away too.” Markie said to Cathy. “Now get your crap and get the hell off my property!”
Sunny moved to stand beside her friend. “I’ll make sure they get to their car safely.” Sunny said sarcastically as she guided the vandals out the door. Markie went to the drawing on her nicely finished hardwoods. “All this mess for what?” Markie said spreading her arms out to encompass the entire scene. “That’s the girl Aunt Sona rejected for the after school program… and her mother. I guess she didn’t like being told no.” Shaley offered. Markie went behind the pulpit and found a cardboard box. She picked up each item and placed it in… all except the chicken. That she intended to bury in the yard along with the evil intentions of the intruders. ~
Epilogue
Shaley and Pippi sat on the front porch talking about their recent adventures. “I see your knees have healed after your Flying Nun imitation.” Shaley pointed to Pippi’s legs. Pippi looked down at her nearly healed scabs and picked at them absently. “I’m sure they’ll be fine soon. I still can’t forget the look on their faces, it was priceless.” Pippi giggled. Shaley couldn’t help picturing in her minds’ eye the image of Pippi in her Angel costume and didn’t even try to stifle her own giggle. “I thought I was going to pee my pants when you landed on top of them!” Shaley broke out laughing. “And and and the look on your Aunt’s face. Hahahaha” Pippi laughed as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
Shaley watched her friend laughing with fascination. She watching her friend laughing so hard it made her burst into hysterical laughter herself. ”Shay there is never a dull moment around here. I’m so glad you came to live here. You’re the best!” Pippi said wiping a tear from her cheek. “Nope!” Shaley said. “I’m you Bestie and you’re mine.”
Pippi sat on the step with her back against the rail frowning. “What do you think made Ms. Lawson go off the rails like that?” Pippi said picking a piece of lint off her trowsers. “I don’t know. I just hope I don’t ever get to that point. I’m incredibly lucky to have so many great people in my life that I can talk to. I am blessed.” Shaley said smiling. Pippi thought about her friends’ comment. She knew her friend had been through more than most people and still she found a way to feel blessed. Pippi wanted to find a way to be more grateful. ~
School was out but many of Sona’s kids still came by the Church. She loved her peeps and enjoyed having them around on a part time basis. Shaley spied the special needs school bus that transported the kids to summer school then dropped them off at the Church afterwards. It was hard for some of the families to find alternate care for their kids in the summer. They were allotted only so many hours of Personal Support care depending on the severity of their child’s disability so they had to schedule wisely.
Shaley and Pippi ran to the end of the driveway to walk the kids to the back door of the Church. Some days Shaley would stick around and play video games or do crafts with them but not today. Today she was going to spend the afternoon with her best friend in the whole world. The bus lumbered to a stop at the end of the driveway. Its electric door opened smoothly to reveal the occupants inside. For a school bus the special needs school bus was eerily quiet as many of the kids were non-verbal.
Shaley and Pippi peered into the interior and saw Mrs. Fisher the driver and her kind smiling face seated in the drivers’ seat. Some people underestimated bus drivers but Shaley knew many of them had other jobs or were retired. One man she knew had been a foreman at a steel plant down south, another woman was a writer and still another man was a Minister. To some it was just a job but to the majority they did it because they loved kids. They certainly didn’t stick around for the pay. Mrs. Fisher was a widow whose kids were all grown but she still wanted to feel useful.
She especially loved working with special needs children as they were gifts from God she would say. Shaley greeted each child that came off the bus with a hello or pat on the back followed by a big smile. She honestly loved Spencer and Elizabeth, Brandon, Reuben, Taehoon and Connor. They each had found a place in her heart. The kids started walking up the drive as Shaley turned to thank Mrs. Fisher. In the seat directly behind the driver sat a young man that Shaley hadn’t noticed nor remembered seeing before.
He sat with his head down and a stringer of spittle hung from his lower lip. He lifted his head and looked Shaley directly in the eyes and smiled a wicked evil grin. His teeth appeared to be stained red and his eyes shone garnet red as though they were lit from within. Shaley’s heart sank and she was momentarily speechless. Mrs. Fisher was bidding her a good day and would see her tomorrow. Shaley stood motionless as the driver closed the service door. Suddenly Shaley felt panicked and needed to warn Mrs. Fisher. The movement of the closing door snapped her out of her catatonia. “Wait Mrs. Fisher.” Shaley started to say but it was too late. The bus had already started pulling away. “No Mrs. Fisher…wait!” She called after the bus but to no avail.
Pippi who had been walking with the kids turned when she heard her friends’ voice. She stopped and came back to stand beside Shaley. “What’s wrong?” Pippi asked with a concerned look on her face. Shaley turned toward her friend with her mouth still agape. “I…I…I just needed to tell the driver something.” She stammered. Pippi’s eyebrows knit together, something was going on. Shaley would probably tell her la
ter. “Pip c’mon.” Spencer called to Pippi. She smiled and ran up the drive toward the Church. Shaley stood watching the retreating bus. “What the hell was that?” She said softly to herself.
She turned and sprinted to the Church as well. She needed to talk to Auntie Sona. “I hope Auntie Sona has the bus drivers’ phone number. I need to know she made it home safe.” She told Pippi as she ran by. An ice cold chill migrated up Shaley’s spine leaving her anxious and a little nauseated. The image of that horrifying face terrified her and Shaley needed to talk to Naomi… Now! ~
Another Series by B J Somerville
The Secret – Book One of the Marcus II Series
Prologue
“I’m telling you right now Conrad, those bastards are not going to highjack this project. It was conceived by us, it has been planned by us and we will not give up our autonomy to any of those damn talking heads, not now, not ever. Their threat to withdraw funding or deny access to state of the art equipment will not deter us. They want to turn Marcus II into their own personal bank account. If we make a deal with them they will strip that planet of its minerals, forests and anything else they can sell to make a profit. Marcus II will become a wasteland; future explorers will think it’s a twin to Terra. You can see with your own eyes what the result will be if they have any hand in this project, My project. They will not have the opportunity to exploit the resources of that planet.” Moira Murray ranted. This particular argument was ongoing, this was the tenth time the government had tried to force the researchers into playing the game of politics.
The Crystal Visions: A Families Journey into the Paranormal Volume 2 Page 14
