Harry put down his paper seeming to sense it was a little more serious than idle chatter and walked over to me leaning on his cane. “What’s on your mind?”
“Harry, tell me about the house we live in. Things are going on.” Casual and cool. That’s how I wanted to keep it.
Harry started to cough and splutter all over the place when I mentioned it. “Sorry, sorry. Something stuck in my throat.”
I shrugged off my jacket as I ran my hand over the original jackets of the books. “Harry, you know about the house, don’t you?”
“Who doesn’t know about that house? I thought you and your family were aware. I never tend to listen to the townsfolk with their idle gossip, but there is a record of several people dying in that house. Some say it’s possessed.” Harry revealed all of this information without flinching.
My heart dropped into my stomach as I stood frozen to the spot. “Harry! Why didn’t you tell me that when I started working here?”
Harry raised his bushy eyebrows at me. “Didn’t cross my mind. I assumed you were aware of the house’s hauntings and willing to take your chances. That house was on the market for the longest time. The family that lived there before you left swiftly. I suggest you do the same. There’s a wickedness that resides under the floorboards, I tell you.” The thick husk of his voice dropped even lower than normal as he sparked alive. “Matter of fact, I believe I have a book from a local author about the house. Let me see if I can find it.”
A cascade of thoughts were swimming in my head as I soaked in all Harry had revealed. Maybe the house called my father to it.
I figured I was about to find out everything I wanted to know.
Dee ~ Chapter Three
I wanted to know who Kimberlee was. See her face. Who she was stealing from and why did Roger want me to kill her? To go and identify her was a risk, but I figured it couldn’t be any more of a risk than being called to kill her. As I hung out the kid’s laundry, I reached back into my minds black vault of those nights when he’d left after midnight.
A wind whooshed through blowing Cleo’s t-shirt into my face. I fumbled my fingers through it and reclipped her shirt with the pegs on the line. I raised my hand to double-check, the air felt still. There was no wind. This was surely the end of our time in this house, no matter what Amber found out. We were leaving and putting the house on the market immediately.
Roger and I had parked all our hard-earned savings in the house, but there was a kitty I’d been living off. Given the holistic way we lived, we’d managed to save funds and stay afloat after Roger, even after the funeral costs.
I clung to the lapels of my robe as I looked out at the forest near our home. All it reminded me of was Roger, and I told the kids never to play over there. There was an eerie, haunting feeling left in that place. When we first arrived at Echo Creek, Roger, the kids, and I meandered through it. I once envisioned taking the kids there to camp and play, but no sirree was I doing that now.
Every cell of my being had to find out who Kimberlee was. There was a burning ache inside of me to know the woman I’d been possessed to kill. Her name didn’t stand out to me, and I hadn’t come across anyone in town called Kimberlee.
After hanging up the clothes, I showered, dressed quickly, and headed into town again. I figured I’d ask the town gossip Clare, who was a teacher’s aide at Echo Creek High, what she knew. I grazed my teeth over my bottom lip as I walked briskly to the local thrift shop where I knew she volunteered. The doorchime rang as I entered, and Clare called after a lady leaving.
“See you next time, Kim.” I froze, rooted to the spot as soon as the syllable left her tongue. Did she say Kim?
Too late for me to turn and see who she was referring to because ‘Kim’ had left the store. Clare plastered on her biggest and fakest smile. “Ah, Dee! How nice to see you. What can I do for you today?”
“I uh- I uh- was that a lady named Kimberlee by any chance?”
“Why yes, it was. Do you know her?” Clare asked as her eyes locked onto me for an answer.
“Umm. I know of her. I heard her name around town, that's all. Made me look up.” I laughed nervously trying to play down my obvious distress and thumping in my heart.
“I bet you’ve heard of her,” she said out of the side of her mouth as she covered it with one hand. “We’ve all heard of her and keep our purses close to our chests. I’m surprised she paid for anything today.”
I frowned as I touched one of the antique garnet brass rings in its felt case. “What do you mean by that?” Hopefully, I came across as innocent enough when I asked.
Clare folded away items of clothing and placed them in a bag. “Only that she does like a five finger discount. Apparently, she stole some money from a big law firm. Embezzled it. She used to work there and made a lot of money.” Clare kept folding, but she was obviously happy for a chance to relay the gossip as she leaned over the glass counter. The thrift shop smelt like mothballs, and I wanted to get out as soon as possible. All the information I wanted was tumbling out of this woman's mouth like the rolling river of scandal that she was.
“I see,” I said as the corners of my mouth tightened.
“But you see, she played with the wrong man. He took her to court, and she had to pay all the money back and serve time. Now she’s here and rebuilding her life, supposedly.” Clare pressed her hand over the folded clothes and brushed the other away in the air. “I don’t know. Call me crazy, but once a stealer, always a stealer. I mean how did she get that house in the woods if she’s got no money? How? I don’t understand it.”
Clare droned on clouding my thoughts as I rushed out of the store without saying bye.
So now you’re killing people who steal, Roger? What the heck? I was starting to cuss inside my brain, and I wasn’t one for cursing, especially around the children.
The rest of the day went smoothly. In the evening, as I made the kids dinner, Amber told me what she’d found out at the bookstore.
“Mom, the house is haunted. It’s not just Dad. There’s something else, or someone else, here too.”
I dished up the casserole I’d made as I threw Amber a skeptical look. “Come on now. I know it’s your father. He told me himself. I don't believe it, Amber.”
Of course, it was hard to believe anything that was going on.
“Mom. You know it’s true. Harry told me that’s why the house was on the market for so long.”
“I don’t believe you’re saying. It’s a little out there.” I put the plates down in front of the kids and she quieted as she looked at me.
“Mom. Believe me for once.”
We ate mostly in silence; the other parts of non-silence were Cleo and Dusty telling me about their day. The night wore on as I let the kids watch their favorite TV programs. Normally, I would give them a cut-off time and send them to bed. Sleep beckoned me and after some time I managed to fall asleep.
As I entered a deep sleep, the voices weaseled their way in. Silently, like thieves in the night, their shrill drifted through my ears.
“Deeeeeee, Deeeee, wake up. You saw her today didn’t you. Kill her. Kill. She stole from many. So many. Kill her. Doooo it.”
This round, the voices were stronger and the bed itself was moving, lightly shaking on either side. My heart thumped around in my chest as I felt myself being raised and flung forward to sit up, like I’d been fired from a slingshot. Someone was pushing me forward. A spirit had its grip on me. A magnet that I had no control over pulled on me as I found myself in the kitchen. The next moments vanished from my mind. Suddenly, I was standing outside of a house in the woods with a knife in my hand. Terrified, I dropped the knife and began to run back to the road in my nightgown.
Dee. We gave you a mission. If you don’t complete it, I will be extremely disappointed. You don’t want anything to happen to your kids, do you? Deee. Kill her.
“No, get away from me!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I wiggled and writhed trying to get away from t
he invisible energy.
Never. You must kill. You must do as we say. Roger will be mad. Roger will be mad.
I struggled to inhale and draw breath. My deep sobbing and panicky energy robbed me of any air as I continued flailing my arms around down the rural highway.
A pickup truck with its high beams on came towards me. I waved both my arms like a mayday signal. I wasn’t able to see the driver’s face, buthe rolled down his window and peered out.
“Please. Please help me. I need help.” It took all my strength to get those words to form, but my pitch of horror rose high enough to overcome the ball of fear lodged in my throat.
“Jump in. I’ll take you where you need to go.” The voices abruptly left. All that existed was a black hole between my eardrums. “My name is Harry, by the way.”
“Thank you, H-Harry. My name is Dee and I live at 666 Echo Creek Drive.”
The elderly man eyed me with a disturbed look. “Oh dear. You are in trouble.”
Amber ~ Chapter Four
“Harry, what are you doing here? Why is-'' It didn’t take long to understand that it was The Calling. My mother was standing in her nightgown looking bewildered as if she had no idea where she was. A grim expression dominated Harry’s face.
Her feet were soaking wet, with blades of grass stuck to the sides of her ankles, she must have been standing in someone’s yard. The bottom of her nightgown was splashed with mud and pieces of grass and twigs stuck to it. I placed my hands over my face making sure I was still alive.
“This kind man drove me home.” That was all the explanation I required to fill in the blanks. I could feel my pulse in the base of my wrist and my neck. I hoped she hadn’t killed anyone. Judging from the look on Harry’s face I didn’t think she had. As I looked down the hall, I saw my brother and sisters wiping the sleep out of their eyes. All of a sudden, things were changing.
Harry placed one hand on his hip as he leaned on his cane and stared at me with a critical eye. “Seems the problem you explained to me, Amber, is getting worse.” He cast his eyes over to my mother as she bit her nails and her eyes widened. “Ma'am, your daughter works for me at the bookstore. Might I suggest you get the hell out of this house, and while you’re at it, contact the local priest. He’ll be able to help with matters like this.” He was blunt and to the point with her. That was Harry - he needed to be; she wouldn’t listen to me.
“Personally, I think we should stay. We can fight this thing when we know what we’re dealing with,” I said, going out on a limb. I didn’t want us to give up so easily. What if my father kept harassing my mother regardless of where we moved? I let the stream of disturbing thoughts run through me.
“Could be a thought, but it wouldn’t be my first one” Harry mused as my mother moved inside to grab a jacket off the coat rack. She wrapped herself up in it as I kept an eye on her and my siblings stared at her with confusion. I didn’t bother letting them know what was happening. I let it be.
“Harry, I can’t believe you’re here. Where did you find my mother?” I pressed, with my heart now thumping in my chest.
“I found her right outside Kimberlee Patters’ house. God knows how far she’d traveled on foot. That’s a hike and a half. I know the road well.” As he mentioned it, I immediately looked down at my mother’s feet.
“Mom, your feet are bleeding!” She gasped as my siblings made it to the door. All I could think about was what Harry said about a priest.
“What will the priest do?” I asked, licking the dryness from my lips briefly.
“An exorcism. That’s what. Like how your prayer worked, but with a lot more firepower.” There are demons in this house, and I believe it’s cursed. I gave Amber a bunch of books about the local history of the place. I’m surprised she didn’t tell you.”
A look of shame came over my mother’s face. She had dismissed me earlier at dinner. I watched as her eyes trailed down to the porch looking at her bloodied and torn feet. The webs between her toes were trickling blood. She must have snagged herself on something.
“She tried to tell me,” my mother admitted.
I sucked in a solid breath as I surveyed Harry’s eyes. I stepped away from the porch to mop up the blood from between my mother’s toes. They would need to be attended to. A quick trip inside, and then I arrived back at the door with a wet washcloth in my hands.
“Here Mom. Wipe your feet.”
“Thanks, honey.” My mother took the washcloth not knowing what to do with it. “Harry, would you like to come in for a cup of tea? I’m so sorry. I feel terrible.”
“Nothing to feel terrible about. It wasn’t you. It was whatever the thing is in this house,” Harry commented as he scanned the room as if he would find something that stood out.. “There must be something that triggers it. Kimberlee. Did your husband know her or someone that stole from him?”
I understood what he was getting at, but my father cut off people’s hands, and he sure as hell didn’t go after people who stole stuff. He’d only gone after those who brutalized others.
Mortification covered my mother’s face. She didn’t know what to make of Harry. She was still recovering and was now gulping down water at the sink. She wiped her mouth and turned.
“No. He didn’t know a Kimberlee. He never had a problem with anybody stealing. I don’t understand, but let’s call the priest. I can’t stand this anymore. We’re going to leave town as soon as possible. I’m going to put the house on the market.”
“Mom! No, we just got here. Why can’t we stay? All my friends are here,” Cleo said, not understanding.
“You can find new friends Cleo,” my mother snapped at her as she put her glass down trembling. Cleo was the apple of Mom’s eye, and they didn’t fight, ever. That annoyed me a little, but she was my little sister and I loved her.
Dusty and Robbie stood dumbfounded as Harry observed us listeneing, but part of the time Dusty was drifting off as if he was in la-la land. He’d been doing that a lot lately.
“I better get going, this seems to be a family matter. If you need any more information, please do call, and here’s the number for the priest. I hope you find it useful.” Harry appeared to be in a hurry, and who could blame him.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Thanks for bringing my Mom back, Harry. See you at work.”
“You betcha.” He moved from the stool and pottered out to his pickup. The porch was flooded with light so I knew he would be okay. I threw up a hand as he drove away with a beep.
I pivoted back to my mother. “Mom, did you…” I asked, meaning did she chop Kimberlee up into little pieces. She registered what I was getting at before I finished the sentence polluting my sibling’s ears.
“God no! I couldn’t. I wouldn’t no matter what. Can you take the kids back to their rooms before you and I have a talk?”
“Sure.”
Looked like I was the guardian now that Dad was gone. Dusty wasn’t quite there yet and I was the eldest, so, unfortunately, I had the grand task of being the most ‘responsible one,’ no matter how good a job she told Dusty he was doing. I guess it was because I was the brave voice of reason. I tucked both Cleo and Robbie into bed, hugging their little necks. I didn’t want anything happening to my siblings. Dusty went back to his room and laid down looking up at the ceiling.
“Are you okay bro?”
“What do you think?”
“We’re going to sort this out. It’s gonna get better.” I didn’t even know if what I was saying was true.
“Until the next time Mom gets called. She’s going to end up killing someone. You know it. I know it. Then what? It calls us next? Runs down the line. It’s a joke and all of you are crazy for wanting to stay here. We should leave. We should leave, Amber!” My brother was low-key shouting and hissing at the same time.
“That’s why we’re calling the priest. We’re going to help Mom. Our family. We can do it.”
“Whatever. I’m going to try and go to sleep. Keep an eye on Mom.�
�� Dusty rolled over. Frustration rose inside of me. Everything was on me.
Everyone was inside their rooms, and it was me and Mom. She’d made herself and me a cup of tea. She was holding hers with both hands and she still had the shakes.
“We have to call the priest. It’s the only thing I can think to do. If we don’t… I fear I will end up killing someone,” she said, mirroring Dusty’s sentiments.
Dee ~ Chapter Five
“Hello, this is Father Clarence. How can I help you today?” Sleep evaded me and I feared if I went to sleep, I would kill, so I’d stayed in prayer throughout the night. It worked, there were no horrific voices in my head. My mind felt clear. Amber, bless her, stayed beside me on the couch the whole night. I let her rest. She’d been working so hard to help with the force that was beyond any of our control.
“Do you do house calls?” I asked desperately.
“Ah, well, yes. I can, depending on the situation. What seems to be the problem dear?”
“There’s a demon in the house. I was told to call you. I need help now. It comes in the night trying to make me kill people. It takes me to their houses. Please don’t call the police. I’m not crazy. I just really, really need some help.” I made my urgent plea hoping the father wouldn’t judge me.
“Oh dear. That is a problem. I do perform exorcisms, but this doesn’t seem to be quite the same. This might require some of my stronger holy oil, and I may need to bring more than one person with me. Where do you reside? I didn’t catch your name.”
“My name is Dee. I live at 666 Echo Creek Drive.”
The priest launched into prayer as soon as I mentioned the address. “Oh dear. Yes, I have heard of that house. I do know of its shortcomings. I will be around to see you in two days. I must prepare extensively. I take it this matter is urgent?”
“Yes. Extremely urgent.”
“Okay, I only ask that you make a small donation to the church on our behalf.”
The Revelation (A Paranormal Crime Thriller Book 2) Page 2
