by Marty Shaw
With a final shove against the door, the thing soared high into the air, did a backflip, and splashed into the pool.
“Oh god,” the woman—Susan—said, her voice a fearful whisper. “I shouldn’t have come back.”
Before Derek could ask her what she meant, she gave him one last terror-filled look and then ran off down the hall, letting the shadows swallow her.
FIFTEEN
“Susan,” Derek said. “The thing definitely said Susan.”
“That thing used to be a person,” Lochlan said, glaring at Derek. “Try to keep that in mind.”
Ashley fought back a grin as her fingers danced across the keyboard of her laptop. She had discovered during their little road trip that Lochlan didn’t see ghosts as bad; not even if they killed.
“Would you call a lion evil just because it kills something that attacks it?” Lochlan had asked when she had referred to the thing at the pool as evil.
“Well... no,” Ashley had responded, caught off guard by the question.
“Of course not,” Lochlan had said. “A lion is a force of nature, beyond the manmade concepts of good and evil. A ghost is the same way; a force of nature, created by being snatched from life too soon. A ghost’s last memories are usually filled with intense pain and fear, because only trauma can interrupt the natural flow that allows a spirit to move on.”
Armed with that new knowledge, Ashley had refined what she was searching for online when they got to the hotel. And it had paid off. “Carla Bailey,” she said, a triumphant tone in her voice. “Died fifteen years ago in a drowning accident at the pool... and the swim team included someone named Susan Jones, AKA Susan ‘The Shark’ Jones.” She turned the laptop so the others could see the team photo she had found, pointing at Susan.
Derek nodded. “That’s her.”
Ashley smiled and clicked another tab, revealing an article in the local paper talking about the high school legend returning to her roots this past year.
“This past year,” Ashley pointed out. “Which also happens to be when the school decided to restart the swim team.” She glanced at Lochlan. “But is it the swim team being brought back or the girl coming back that disturbed the spirit?”
Lochlan shrugged. “Difficult to tell. Could be either one, or a combination of the two... or a combination of the three.”
“Three?” both Ashley and Derek asked simultaneously.
“Fifteen years,” Lochlan explained. “It’s a milestone year.”
Ashley and Derek just stared at him.
Lochlan sighed. “A milestone year is like an anniversary, and they have a very strong pull on supernatural energies. It’s been fifteen years since Carla’s death. That, all by itself, could be enough to cause the spirit unrest.”
“How do we find out which of the three it is?” Derek asked.
“We don’t,” Lochlan said. “We could do more research and see if we could find some more answers... but this isn’t a train engineer getting attention to have his name cleared. This is a rage-filled spirit out for blood... and she’s weaker now after attacking Ashley.”
“She didn’t seem very weak to me,” Derek said.
“You both survived,” Lochlan replied.
“I am all about the research,” Ashley said. “Usually. But if attacking her now is our best shot, I say we go for it.”
Lochlan glanced at Derek. The cameraman had a grim look on his face but it was replaced by a slowly spreading smile as he shrugged. “What the hell. We all have to die sometime.”
SIXTEEN
Lochlan and Ashley followed Derek as he led the way to the broken fire escape, bypassing the main entrance and any questions they’d be unable to answer. Lochlan knew it was risky to attempt an exorcism while the school was open but it would be even more dangerous if they waited until nightfall, after Carla had an entire day to rebuild her strength.
“Everyone remember their jobs?” Lochlan asked.
Derek and Ashley nodded; a tense frown on the redhead’s face. It was understandable, Lochlan thought to himself. Derek’s job was to simply make sure nobody entered the swim gym. Ashley’s job was also simple, but much more dangerous.
“Carla has seen you,” Lochlan had said back at the hotel, “and she’s already come after you once. I think your presence near the pool will be enough to draw her out.”
“So I’m bait,” Ashley had replied.
It wasn’t a term Lochlan would have used, but he hadn’t been able to deny the accuracy of the word. She clutched the pentagram necklace hanging around her neck, her finger sliding along the slim silver lines of the symbol. Lochlan didn’t think she was even aware she was doing it.
“Nice necklace,” he said.
“Huh?” Ashley’s eyes, which had been staring off into the distance, snapped into focus as she dropped her gaze down. She released the necklace, letting it drop against her From Dusk til Dawn t-shirt. “Thanks,” she said, a small smile easing the tension in her face. “I found it ages ago in an old antique shop.”
“Careful,” Derek said, “or she’ll tell you the story about how it called to her.”
Ashley’s cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink as she glared at her cameraman. “Bite me.”
“She could be right,” Lochlan said. “Everyone and everything gives off a unique energy signature, what some refer to as an aura, and sometimes two different types of energy can... call to one another.”
Ashley’s glare transformed into a smirk. She stuck her tongue out at Derek. He opened his mouth to respond as the bell rang.
“Behave, children,” Lochlan said, earning a glare from both of them. He ignored the looks. “It’s time to get to work.”
The three of them slipped through the door as the halls became flooded with kids going to their next class, moving through the seemingly endless torrent of bodies as they made their way to the swim gym. The trio received a few strange looks, but for the most part, the students ignored them as they went about their own business. Still, there was always the chance of a teacher glancing out their door at the wrong time. Ashley and Derek might possibly pass for students at a quick glimpse, but Lochlan knew he wouldn’t.
Fortunately, as the hallways began clearing, the door they were looking for came into view as they rounded a corner. Lochlan breathed a sigh of relief, although the hard part was just about to get started. He nodded at Ashley as she glanced at him. Fear flickered across her face but it disappeared in the blink of an eye, replaced by a steely determination. Once again, Lochlan couldn’t help but be impressed by her resilience at facing the supernatural. She took a deep breath and slipped through the door, leaving Derek and Lochlan standing guard outside.
SEVENTEEN
Into the lion’s den, Ashley thought as the door closed behind her. She was bait. And she was all alone. She didn’t like it, but she couldn’t argue with Lochlan’s logic. She had angered the ghost. Lochlan had driven it away, revealing a power the spirit might not want to mess with again so soon, which meant he had to stay outside.
She wrapped her hand around her pentagram necklace as she approached the swimming pool, hoping her voice sounded braver than she felt. “Hey, Carla,” she called out. “You here? Or did the ass-kicking my friend gave you drive you away already?”
Resisting the urge to look back at the door, Ashley walked right up to the edge of the pool. “Bet that was a surprise, wasn’t it?” she asked, feeling slightly dumb talking to a swimming pool. But she knew from experience that looks could be deceiving. She knew Carla was there. She could feel the spirit’s presence scraping lightly across her skin. “I read about you, you know,” Ashley continued, stepping away from the pool’s edge, knowing she was about to wander into very dangerous territory. If anything was going to piss an angry ghost off, this would be it.
“The papers say you accidentally drowned.” Ashley made air quotes as she said accidentally. “But I think the papers have it wrong. I think you killed yourself.” She continued walking along the
length of the pool, making sure to stay at what she hoped was a safe distance from the water. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the smooth surface of the water start to move. “Yeah, from what I’ve been able to uncover, you weren’t very popular. You didn’t take part in any extra-curricular activities.” She shook her head. “That’s kind of pathetic.” Ashley saw her breath in the air as the temperature dropped. She tightened her grip on her necklace as she saw a pale hand rise from the water at the edge of the pool. No geysers of water shooting into the air this time. Carla was trying to be sneaky.
Hating the mean things she was saying, and not feeling brave enough to keep pretending the spirit wasn’t there, Ashley turned and looked at Carla as she rose from the pool, her feet as white as the tile she stood on. “Did you kill yourself?” Ashley asked, no longer able to keep the tremble from her voice as she looked into Carla’s dead eyes. No, not dead, Ashley thought. Angry. There was a fury in the spirit’s eyes that nothing living could contain. She took a step towards Ashley and the door to the gym slammed open behind them as Lochlan entered.
“You’re not welcome here, spirit,” Lochlan shouted, holding a bible before him like a shield. “Let go of your anger and your grief, for those are reserved for the living. Find peace within yourself and let your spirit rise up into the light.”
Carla snarled, water dribbling from her clenched teeth. She looked from Lochlan back to Ashley and then charged towards the redhead, moving too fast for Ashley to respond. She stood frozen as the ghost’s waterlogged hands reached for her throat.
“Thurisaz,” Lochlan shouted, holding up his other hand, a glowing stone held between his thumb and palm.
Ashley ducked as Carla was flung into the air and over her head, crashing against the far wall and exploding in a burst of water. She ran towards Lochlan as he approached her, motioning for her to get behind him. Turning around, she saw Carla rise from the pool again, her face distorted with fury.
“Your time here is done, spirit,” Lochlan said in a loud, firm voice. “Be at peace and move on. If you took your own life, I release you from the burden of that sin.”
Carla clenched her fists, squeezing water from her flesh, and screamed. Ashley gritted her teeth and covered her ears as the windows along the far wall shattered.
“And if you didn’t take your own life,” Lochlan cried out, “I release you from any and all sins committed before your untimely demise and bless the life you lost too soon.”
The spirit screamed again, and was answered by a scream behind Lochlan and Ashley. They turned and saw a young girl with curly black hair staring wide-eyed at the sight before her. A glance over the girl’s shoulder revealed what happened. Derek could be seen through the narrow windows in the double doors, doing his best to hold back a crowd that had been attracted by the noise. Obviously, the girl had managed to slip by him.
“Get out of—” Lochlan yelled before he and Ashley were knocked to the ground as Carla rushed through them. She leaped into the air, her body dissolving into a stream of water as the girl screamed again. The water hit the girl with enough force to knock her down, flowing into her mouth as she gasped and writhed on the ground.
‘No!” Lochlan shouted, scrambling to his feet and rushing to the girl. The doors to the swim gym were flung open as Derek was pulled out of the way, and a crowd of people—children and adults—rushed in.
Ashley rose slowly to her feet as two teachers pulled Lochlan to his feet and dragged him away from the girl. “No,” he shouted. “She needs help.”
One of the men jabbed Lochlan in the chest with a pointed finger. From the size of his biceps and the slacks and polo shirt combo he was wearing, Ashley guessed he was probably a football coach. “Touch one of our kids again,” the man snarled, “and you’re gonna need help.”
“Dale,” the other man said, “don’t do anything crazy. Let the cops handle it.”
Clapping hands and cheers drew Ashley’s attention back to the crowd that had gathered around the girl. She was sitting up, looking at everyone around her, confusion and fear on her face.
“You okay, honey,” someone asked.
The girl seemed to think about it for a moment, and then slowly nodded. “I’m fine. I just fell down.” She glanced at Lochlan and an evil smile spread across her face. “I fell down when that man tried to attack me.”
The large man Ashley assumed was a football coach clenched a fist and glared at Lochlan.
“It’s okay,” another teacher said. “The police will deal with that man.”
“He’s a very bad man,” the girl said, slowly climbing to her feet.
“Take it easy, honey,” one of the teachers said. “Don’t take things too fast.”
“I’m fine,” the girl said. A thoughtful expression flitted across her face, and then she smiled again. “But I want to see my mom.”
“Of course, dear,” the teacher standing closest to her said. “What’s your mother’s name?”
“Susan Jones.”
“She means Susan Stephenson,” another teacher said, a sad expression on her face as she looked at the girl. “You poor thing. Are you sure you’re okay?”
The girl nodded, still smiling. “Yes, I meant Susan Stephenson. I’m sorry. I guess I just forgot for a second because I always hear everyone around here use her maiden name when they talk about her.”
“Her mom is Susan the Shark,” another teacher said.
A burst of excited chatter ran through the crowd at this revelation, with everyone trying to talk to the girl at once as they led her from the swim gym. Another large teacher was gripping Derek by the arm, standing just outside the door.
“What’s that in your hand,” the football coach asked Lochlan.
Lochlan glanced down at his left hand. “A bible.”
“Cute, smartass. I meant the other hand.”
Lochlan held up his right hand, revealing a tiny stone held against his palm with his thumb. Ashley could see something that looked like a crude ‘D’ etched into it. “It’s called a rune stone.”
The coach held his hand out, palm up. “Let me have it.”
Lochlan grinned. “If you insist.” He thrust his hand towards the large man and whispered, “Thurisaz.” The coach was flung off his feet, crashing onto the floor a few feet away. Before he hit the ground, Lochlan had turned and punched the other guy that had been standing next to him. He looked at Ashley. “Come on.”
Ashley could see Derek slam his elbow into the ribs of the guy holding him as they ran towards the door. He hammed the guy to the ground with an elbow across the back of the neck as they exited the gym.
“Susan the Shark?” Lochlan asked. “Does anyone think it’s a coincidence that Carla took possession of the daughter of the woman she tried to kill before?”
Ashley and Derek shook their heads.
Lochlan nodded. “Neither do I,” he said. “I think the mother’s in trouble. . . and I think there’s more going on here than an accidental drowning.”
Ashley forced herself to ignore the shocked looks and shouts as they ran for the broken fire escape. She saw two policemen round the corner at the far end of the hall as they slipped through the door and ran for the parking lot.
“What about the girl? What if she does something?” Derek asked.
Lochlan shook his head. “She asked for the mom. She wants the mom. She won’t do anything until the girl’s mother is here.”
“How do you know?” Ashley asked.
“I don’t know,” Lochlan said, frustration in his voice. “I could be completely wrong and she could be busy killing everyone in the school even as we speak. . . but she asked for her mom. She could’ve done or said anything, and she asked for her mom, who went to this school at the same time as Carla. That has to mean something.” He held his hand out to Ashley. “Keys.”
“I can drive,” Ashley said as they ran towards the parking lot.
“I know you can,” Lochlan said, “but you’re not.” He glanced at De
rek. “Your turn to be the bait.”
Derek nodded, not appearing surprised. He held his hand out as they approached Ashley’s hearse. “C’mon, Ash. This car’s not subtle. Someone’s gotta catch their eye.”
Shouts from the side of the building indicated that the cops had come through the fire exit.
“Damn it,” Ashley muttered. She dropped the keys in Derek’s palm. “Be careful with her.”
“Make it look good,” Derek said as he opened the driver side door and slid behind the wheel. “I don’t want to go to jail for nothing.”
Lochlan opened the passenger door while Ashley opened the back driver side door. He watched as the cops came around the corner of the building. “Wait for it,” he said softly. After some quick looking around, the cops spotted them and headed in their direction.
“Now,” Lochlan said, ducking down and closing his door. Ashley did the same, following Lochlan as he crawled around another car as Derek backed the hearse out of its parking space. They watched from their hiding space as the hearse pulled out of the parking lot and squealed the tires as it accelerated down the road.
“That’s being careful with her?” Ashley groaned.
“It’s not about being careful,” Lochlan said as a police cruiser sped out of the parking lot. “It’s about leading the cops on a merry chase. The longer it takes for them to discover Derek’s alone in the car, the longer we have to deal with this.”
“And exactly what is this?” Ashley asked. “Why didn’t your stuff work?”
“Wrong tool for the job,” Lochlan said.
“What the hell does that mean? What’s the right tool?”
Lochlan looked towards the swim gym. “I don’t know, but we need to figure it out. Soon.”
EIGHTEEN
Lochlan glanced at his watch. They had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes. He figured the girl’s mother should be showing up any second now.
