The Haunting of Seafield House (The Spirit Guide Book 1)

by Caroline Clark

  "I'm sorry," Gail said.

  A scream of anger echoed across the cellar and Gail was hit from behind and knocked to the ground. A feeling of cold and pain seared across her muscles and yet she knew she could not give in. Quickly, she rolled onto her back and scooted along the wall. Stood in front of her was Sarah. Though she could not hear anything, Gail could see she was shouting at the woman. Then the two spirits seemed to mingle. It looked like the woman was fighting. Sarah's form was forced away from her and back towards the hole in the wall. Hands appeared from the dark. They flexed and reached and grasped, and they took hold of Sarah and held her tight.

  The cellar was full of whispers. A hundred voices, all talking at once surrounded Gail. Fighting down her fear she tried to concentrate. Yet her eyes were drawn to the hands holding onto the ghost of Sarah. The girl was furious and fighting hard, it was obvious they would not hold for long. Gail had to do something, and she had to do it now.

  "I can't hear you. Talk one at a time," she called into the darkness.

  The whispers rose and thickened, as if angry, and then they faded away until just one voice spoke.

  "There are ten of us here. Ten souls, ten of us trapped by this wicked girl. Help us, save us. I beg of you, give us peace."

  "I will," Gail said. "But you must help me. We must get Jesse out of here alive."

  The whispers rustled like leaves and Gail believed they were consulting.

  "We will do what we can, but she is strong, you must be stronger."

  The figure of the woman flickered, it was as if the talking had taken all her strength. She was fading, becoming more and more translucent and then she was gone. At that very instant Sarah escaped from the hands. A sneer formed on her face and she charged at Gail.

  Gail felt her knees go weak, her stomach tense. How could she fight this? How could she survive this? Then she looked down at Jesse, and she knew she had to. So, she waited, and just as the child got to her, she stepped to one side. The ghost whooshed past her in a blast of cold air, but Sarah turned so quickly. Much quicker than Gail could, and hands of ice hit her back so hard, she was pushed into the ground.

  For a moment, Gail was stunned. She could feel the figure on her back, could feel it forcing her head into the ground and terror started to take over. Would she die in this cellar choking on the dust?

  Then a voice appeared in her head.

  "You must be strong, Gail," it was Jesse’s voice from earlier, and it boosted her.

  Gail gathered all her strength and rolled her hip. The child was flung from her, and she managed to roll over onto her back gasping desperately for breath. Yet, before she could stand Sarah was back on top of her.

  The cold weight on her chest seem to be compressing her lungs, and she found she could not breathe. It was as if her lungs were frozen and could not move enough to draw in even a bit of air.

  Sarah sat atop of her, a look of glee on her face.

  "Give in," Sarah whispered inside Gail's mind. "I am in control, and you are going to die, why make it hard?"

  For a moment, Gail wanted to do as she was told. It was as if she had no energy and no fight left. She felt drained by the cold and just as she was about to let go, to succumb to the peace of death, her eyes saw Jesse. He was still not moving, maybe he was already dead. It didn’t matter, she would not give up on him as he would never give up on her.

  "I'm not afraid of you, and you will never win. Not this time, you evil bitch. So, back off from me or die, the choice is yours."

  The pressure on Gail's chest eased just a little. Maybe this was working, maybe this would be her way of exorcising the spirit. It didn't matter, it felt good to take back control even if only for a little bit.

  Sarah drew back her hand and slapped Gail across the face. She could feel the bones beneath the fingers. They were like shards of ice and sliced into her cheek. She could not let her do it again as she did not think her body could take much more. The pain in her head had returned with the slap, and she felt as if the tumor was squeezing her brain. It made her dizzy, and she knew she did not have long. Once more, she rolled her hip only this time Sarah was ready, and the child tilted to the side and was not unseated.

  Was this it? Was there nothing more she could do?

  No, she would go down fighting and if words were all she had to fight with, then that was all she would use.

  "Leave here, you evil, unclean spirit. Be gone, for I cast you out in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. No one wants you here, you rotten, evil, spawn of Satan, be gone for I am not afraid of you."

  Sarah started to flicker, and the weight on Gail's chest was much less.

  "I cast you out, you spawn of Satan," Gail chanted as she rolled her left hip this time and tipped the spirit from her body.

  It was like a block of ice had been lifted from her, and she was filled with energy. Her lungs gratefully took in a gasp of air. Taking no time, she stood up and moved towards the hole in the wall. The ghost of the woman appeared again, and lots of hands were showing over the bricks.

  There must be more bodies behind there?

  Gail pushed the thought out of her mind. That was something for another day. Today she had this battle to fight, and she was going to win it. For some reason, she reached out and took hold of the ghost woman's hand. At first, there was nothing beneath her fingers, but as she began to chant and shout at Sarah, she could feel flesh developing there. Part of her knew it should be gross and yet it gave her strength. She continued to shout and wail at Sarah, not knowing what she said or whether it would work. It didn't matter, it gave her strength.

  Then she noticed the sound of Latin in the air. It was a sweet, clear voice and she turned to see the woman talking. Soon other voices added to the chorus.

  "Be gone, you foul-smelling, rotten, evil spirit,” Gail continued to chant. Part of her wanted to laugh at the words she was using, but then she remembered it's all about intent and she poured her soul and heart into the words. Imbuing the words with her meaning. The intention of forcing this ghost from this house and from these other spirits.

  Suddenly, there was another woman to her right. Gail felt another hand on hers, and she squeezed it gently. Together they would face this, and together they would win.

  "I cast you out, evil spirit, I cast you out in the name of the Lord, and I claim this place as a place of peace. Be gone, for you are not welcome here and we do not fear you."

  Sarah let out a scream and seemed to fade before them.

  "No one fears you anymore. We think you are nothing. Evil is nothing, and it is not welcome here. Be gone, unclean spirit, be gone and never return."

  Before her eyes, Sarah's face distorted. It transformed through a myriad of emotions. There was fear, anger, and fury, but with each emotion, she was getting weaker, fainter. As Gail continued to shout her nonsense exorcism, Sarah dissolved into nothing.

  Once she was gone the cellar seemed lighter, and Gail took in a sweet deep breath.

  "Jesse will be all right," the woman's voice was inside Gail's head. "I have things to tell you, things I must ask you to do, and I apologize for my part in this. Will you help us?"

  Gail nodded and blinked away tears. If Jesse was safe she could do anything... for however long she had left.

  The woman put her hands on Gail's head, and for a moment she felt an intense pain. It was as if white light was searing through her brain and then she began to see images and understand things. It was as if she was living through other lives.

  The woman's name was Jenny Thornton. She had moved here with her husband in 1900 after the death of her first child. Jenny had not been able to let the child go, and she would pretend it was still there. Sometimes, she saw this girl who she now knew was Sarah. At the time, she thought it was a blessing, the spirit of her dead child, and she spent all her time with her.

  This incensed her husband, and his jealousy and rage grew. She knew it was her fault, that she was not paying him attention but she could not l
et go of the daughter she had lost and the new one she had gained.

  What she now knew was that Sarah was the child of a woman who was the first occupant of the house. She had seen her mother murdered at that window and had killed her own father in a fit of anger. As her mother took her last breath, she cursed Sarah to walk the earth and exact revenge on all men. Jenny found out that Sarah could make men angry and jealous. That she played on those emotions and drove them mad.

  One day, Jenny’s husband broke under the spirits spell and threw her from the window.

  Once more, Gail was falling, this time she knew it was not herself and yet the terror was every bit as bad. Down and down she tumbled until she hit the sharp rocks at the bottom of the window. Something broke inside of her, and the pain was so intense that she cried out. Then there was blackness.

  The next thing she knew she was in a dark hole, and she was scraping against bricks. Overcome with terror she screamed and scraped until her nails were ripped off and her fingers were torn to the bone, but still, there was no escape. Eventually, exhaustion and her injuries overcame her, and she fell unconscious. She woke two more times before she finally died, each time she was more and more afraid. The dark was like a living beast that teased and taunted her. There were noises within it, and there was the fear of what came next. Would she meet her precious daughter or would she simply be gone... be nothing?

  Gail had to bite down her own screams as she felt the fear and desperation, and then she was thrust into another home and another family. They were watching television, it was old and black-and-white, and they were dressed in clothes from a time long ago. Then she saw Sarah and another burst of fear went through her. Was this not over?

  Gail could not control the visions, and soon she watched as the father beat a woman and Sarah seemed to look on with glee. Then the scene changed, and the telly showed the moon landing. It was 1969 if she remembered rightly and she had never seen it. How could that be? Something as momentous as the first time a man walked on the moon, and she had never seen it. Tears formed in her eyes and suddenly she wanted to watch that broadcast more than anything. She wanted to live, even if only for a few months.

  She was part of an argument that developed, and she felt the fear of the victim as well as confusion as the husband was shouting at her. Then he hit her and then he was handed the knife by Sarah. The man was enraged, and he stabbed her over and over. Each blow filled her with excruciating pain, and she felt the fear and confusion of the victim and then the sadness just before she was dead.

  Gail watched as the police arrived and they searched for the girl, but she could not be found. Then she saw Jenny as a spirit, hiding the child. Only Sarah escaped, and she cornered the man in the bedroom that Jenny had fallen from. The next thing Gail saw was Sarah pushing the man from the window. As soon as he fell she blinked out of existence. Had she been a ghost even then? It looked like she had. It looked like she created havoc between whoever lived in this house and she fed on the fear and death that she caused.

  Gail was shown more and more visions and each time the same thing happened. There were a couple who were dared to stay a night in the house. Just like her and Jesse, they came across the girl and tried to look after her. They were both killed, the woman murdered by the man and he was pushed from the window. The bodies were never found. Time after time Gail lived the horror that happened to these people. As she did, she got to know them. She knew their relatives, knew who to tell and she promised each and every one of them that she would see that they were put to rest and that she would let their relatives know.

  After the last vision, Gail collapsed on the floor. She was exhausted. She managed to crawl over to Jesse and laid down next to him. Somehow, she knew she was safe now and so she let the sleep come.

  Chapter 16

  Gail woke in the dark. She thought she heard voices and a burst of adrenaline raised the hairs on her arm. Was this not over? Then she heard the voices again.

  "Gail, Jesse, where are you?" It was a man's voice this time, and she recognized it, but still, she could not place it.

  There were sounds of somebody walking, and the light was getting closer. Though she ached and felt bruised and battered, she did not seem to be in a bad state. Slowly, she sat up. Where was Jesse?

  "Jesse, Jesse, are you there?" She was feeling beside her, but the lamp seemed to have gone out in the night but at last her hands found Jesse. Someone was coming and as they walked the light flashed across Jesse's face, and she saw his eyes blink.

  He was alive!

  Joy filled her, and she reached out to hold his hand, for some reason she no longer feared what was to come. She had a few months left, and they would spend them together. For what time she had left, she would live. Then a light seared into her eyes, and she shut them tightly.

  "Is that you? Gail, Jesse, is that you?"

  This time she truly recognized the voice. It was Ben from the pub, and she could not be more pleased to see anyone. She had tears in her eyes, and she blinked them away not wanting him to see her as weak. Could she stand? Tentatively, she tried, and though she was stiff, she got to her feet.

  "Yes, it's us," she managed as she walked towards him. "Jesse's hurt, I don't know how badly but we need help."

  Ben was suddenly in front of her, and he pulled her into his arms.

  "You did it, you survived a night in Seacliff house. That is really something, in fact, I never thought I’d see the day. Most of the people, they think that no one died here. They think people just got bored and left, but I knew something was wrong. I came into this place before, and I could feel the evil. I swore I would never come back but you two... you two have made my day."

  "Is help coming?" Gail asked as she pulled out of his arms.

  "Not yet but I can make a call. Would it be all right to move Jesse? Can I carry him out of the house?"

  Gail got back down on her knees and took Jesse’s hand. He was awake and breathing easily.

  "How are you?" she asked.

  "My ankle hurts like hell, and so do a few other bits, but I feel better than last night. I'll survive… thanks to you. Some kind of spiritual investigator I turn out to be... saved by my girlfriend.”

  Gail laughed and pulled him into her arms and for a moment, she simply hugged him tightly.

  "Ben’s here, do you want to wait for the paramedics or he can get you out of here?"

  "I just want to see the sunlight," Jesse said. "It's good to see you, Ben. I think you have the best pub in the country and I might even take you up on that room."

  "The things I'll do for a compliment," Ben said as he stepped closer. As he moved the torch, he saw the hole in the wall and the skeleton in there.

  "But, I'll be…" he said. “Is this the cause of our haunting?"

  "Not exactly?" Gail looked at the skeleton, and she pitied the spirit left there. "This woman helped me."

  "I sense a story coming on here?" Ben said, and then he swooped down and lifted Jesse easily from the floor. He handed Gail the torch.

  "You lead the way, but be careful, there is a lot of debris."

  Gail set out across the cellar floor. Now that the spirits were gone, that the house was at ease, it looked so much different. It was just a dilapidated old house. Still, she was glad to get upstairs and find that the door was where it should be. It looked like Ben had broken it down. Maybe that was what woke her. As she stepped out of the door and felt the sun on her face, she laughed and turned in a circle. It felt so good.

  Ben placed Jesse sideways in the passenger seat of his Volvo. Then he went to one side and called an ambulance.

  "You have to tell me all about it," Jesse said.

  Part of Gail wanted to forget everything that had happened, but another part wanted to tell the story. If she had longer, maybe she would even write it all down, maybe she would even publish it. Only, she did not know how long she had and it was imperative that she talk to the relatives to see that they found peace. No, that was not th
e first thing she had to do. The first thing was to see that the bodies were laid to rest and that the spirits that had been trapped in this house were finally allowed to go... wherever they would go.

  For now, she stood next to Jesse and held his hand and told him what had happened.

  The story was just complete when the ambulance arrived. Jesse's eyes were huge, and she could see the excitement there, but there was one thing more that she had to say.

  "You remember I told you I have a brain tumor. At times, when I was hearing things, seeing things, I thought I was hallucinating. Well, I don't have long to live, but I want to live to the fullest with whatever time I have left. There will be no more hospitals, no more talk of ghosts. I will honor my commitment to the spirits here, and then I want to enjoy the time I have. Can we do that?"

  "Yes," Jesse said, and she could see tears running down his face.

  She pulled him close and hugged him until the paramedics separated them.

  They were taken to the hospital. Everyone seemed to be staring and whispering behind their hands, but they did not care. They had survived, and they were together. Both of them had injuries, he had a broken ankle, two broken ribs, a deep gash to his forehead and lots of other cuts and abrasions. The doctors said he would make a full recovery.

  Gail had a broken rib and cuts and bruises, she needed a few stitches here and there but all in all, she was pleased with how little harm she had suffered. It could have been so much worse.

  After they had been released from the hospital, Gail and Jesse returned to the house to find the police still there. The officers allowed them in and explained to them what they had found. In the cubby, in the cellar, they had discovered 11 adult skeletons and then they had found the skeleton of a young girl amongst the floorboards.