by Aiden James
Especially unsettling, the swarm would move up the windows and doors and then cross over the cabin’s roof as the entity sought entrance to his home. Fearing tonight might be the occasion when it finally found a way inside, he hurried over to the large stone fireplace in his living room, adding another log to the flames just in case the existing blaze wasn’t strong enough to keep the spirit out.
“It’s all right, boy,” he tried to assure Shawn, who continued to whine despite the log’s immediate impact on the fire’s brightness.
After casting another wary glance around the living room to verify he and the dog were truly alone, he sat down in his recliner. He pulled a colorful afghan over his shoulders, since lately he struggled to stay warm despite being attired for cold weather, wearing a thick flannel shirt and thermal snow pants.
Shawn nudged him with an imploring look in his pale blue eyes. Perhaps he noticed how his master had seemingly aged several years over the past two months, as John’s dark braided hair bore more gray than it had when he first met David Hobbs in October, and the lines on his face had become more pronounced as well. Still virile and handsome for a man well into his sixties, the entity’s aggression steadily drained away the strength and peaceful disposition that were his hallmarks.
It made him reconsider his determination to keep working as a ranger for the national park service until the age of seventy-two, just five years away. After spending the last forty-three years as one of the more knowledgeable and popular tour guides on the Tennessee side of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, he honestly didn’t know what else he would do. But if the current siege on his home and state of mind continued, he might have to find something else, and perhaps leave the land that had once been the cherished domain of his Cherokee ancestors.
Aware of his beloved pet’s need for protective assurance, he reached down to massage the area beneath Shawn’s chin. He continued like this until the unsettling noise diminished, signaling the assault’s end, the angry spirit moving on to some other destination.
John picked up a Christmas card from the coffee table next to his chair. The card still inside its open envelope, it came from David and his wife, Miriam. He had already read the card and David’s note several times. Soon, it would join the other cards he received from his daughter, Joanna, and his granddaughters, Evelyn and Hanna on his mantle.
The card included a small portrait of the Hobbs family, framed in an embossed holly print on gold foil. He removed the photograph and held it in his lap once Shawn curled himself around his feet. He reflected on David’s visit to the cabin just before Halloween, the first time the sound of swarming hornets plagued his home. At the time, he and David were under continuous assault from the angry ghost of a Cades Cove teenager who blamed David for her terrible rape and murder.
Allie Mae…may you rest in the bosom of the Great Spirit.
If not for his granddaughter Evelyn, whose talent and skills in the shaman ways exceeded his, the spirit would’ve prevailed in taking his friend’s life. After David confronted his ancestors’ role in the crime committed against her in the ravine, John hoped to provide lasting peace for her spirit by locating her remains and arranging a proper burial elsewhere. That part of the plan went well enough, with Evelyn invoking a Cherokee blessing when the bones were reburied in the McCormick section of the old Methodist Church’s cemetery in Cades Cove.
But other events, all ominous, had already begun once her bones were unearthed from beneath a heavy stone slab that rested on top of them for more than ninety years. The slab turned out to be part of an ancient temple—part of the structure’s ceiling, according to Dr. Walter Pollack from the University of Tennessee’s archaeology department. But there was more. Other bones lay buried underneath Allie’s crushed skeleton, though these remains hadn’t seen the light of day in more than a thousand years. Discovered alongside this much older skeleton was a jeweled scepter made of solid gold with an ornate handle and ivory blade.
Other skeletons, most showing signs of being beheaded, along with Anglo-American armor and jewelry from the early 1600s were also found. Not long after, when all of the skeletons and the splendid scepter had been removed from the ravine and brought to the Frank H, Mcclung Museum for further examination, the hostile visitations to the cabin ensued.
John and Evelyn sought legal injunctions to stop the excavation, and restore the older skeletons and other artifacts back to the original gravesite in the ravine. Meanwhile, the swarming menace grew stronger by the week; leaving Evelyn fully convinced that the entity behind the current mischief was in fact the very same one that fueled Allie Mae’s thirst for vengeance and exaggerated strength in October.
John intended to take up the legal battle again in January. Confident the NCAI would be successful in getting the remains returned to the ravine, since some of the skeletons had already been confirmed as Native American, getting the scepter returned remained the bigger worry. Inconclusive which ancient race of people it belonged to, the University had already dug their heels in for a potential protracted court war for its ownership. Using the unusual appearance of the largest skeleton to support their stance, the archaeology department had recently issued a statement claiming the scepter and skeleton belonged to an undetermined ‘non-Indian race’.
John lingered over the Hobbs’ portrait for another moment, listening to the low gusts of wind outside and pops from the hickory logs burning in the fireplace. He hoped the holidays would be a blessed time for David and his family. He started to smile, but stopped.
I’ve got to warn everyone…right now!
In haste, he stood up and moved into the kitchen area and over to the small cove where his phone sat, next to the refrigerator. He pulled out a number from his wallet and dialed it. After five rings the call went to voicemail, and John let out a low hiss of frustration.
“Peter, this is John Running Deer again,” he said, his tone worried. “I really need for you to call me back once you get this, and you have my number at the cabin. It doesn’t matter what time—just call me. Thanks.”
Dr. Peter Kirkland, a prominent member of the University of Tennessee’s forensic staff in Knoxville, had known John for almost twenty years. Their recent disagreement over who held the true rights to the ravine’s remains and artifacts threatened to end their longtime friendship.
After he hung up the phone, John remained in the kitchen. The powerful premonition from a moment ago grew stronger…. Something very bad will happen soon!
Peter’s role in this left him in terrible danger, though the professor, a pragmatist to a fault, would never believe in an ancient entity or curse unless either one bit him on the ass. As for David Hobbs…John prayed the other half of his premonition wasn’t true.
5:35 p.m. Two hours ahead of Littleton, Colorado. In all likelihood, the Hobbs’ family would be out doing some last minute Christmas shopping. David mentioned a relative coming in from out of town this weekend when they last talked, a little over a week ago. Regardless, he had to warn him.
Ignoring Evelyn’s admonition to not say anything until after the holidays, he grabbed the phone again and dialed David’s number. Pressing the receiver tight against his ear, he waited impatiently for the crackling line to Littleton, Colorado to connect.
Chapter Five
“Auntie!... Over here!”
David waved his arms to alert the smartly dressed older woman in the long beige overcoat that he and the rest of the family waited by the assigned luggage carousel for flight 1409. At first Ruth Gaurni’er didn’t see him or his antics, lost in the confusion of the holiday bustle that pervaded throughout Denver International Airport. But once he took a few steps toward her, weaving through the crowd of travelers anxious to grab their bags and skis before continuing on to whatever Colorado destination they headed to, she saw him and smiled, moving as quick as her arthritis would allow.
“Well, David, I made it here in one piece, don’t you know!”
She sat her carry-on bag
and purse down at her feet to give him a big hug. He responded in kind, nearly lifting her off the ground, and she uttered a slight yelp.
“It’s so good to see you, Auntie!” he told her.
Miriam and the kids navigated the stream of travelers to join them.
“Mir…it seems you haven’t aged a bit since I last saw you. Why, you’re lovelier than a winter songbird!” Ruth broke her embrace with David and reached out for Miriam. “It’s so good to see you, dear!”
“I’ve missed you so much, Ruth!” Miriam’s shoulders trembled as she fought to keep from crying. “It’s wonderful to have you here with us—so wonderful….”
“There, there, dear,” said Ruth, soothing, as the two hugged tightly. “I’ve missed you, too, you know.”
Despite frequent phone conversations between the two of them, until this past October, the anger and deep-seated resentment that her nephew previously harbored against her made it difficult to arrange a meaningful visit. Since she understood the painful history behind his animosity, she’d always been very willing to forgive.
David guided everyone closer to the carousel and out of the stream of traffic, which included less and less smiling faces for having to go around the group huddled in the middle of the aisle.
“Well, now… Jill, I see you’re growing up to be such a pretty young lady!”
Ruth stopped to admire her grandniece once they reached the carousel area, after Tyler had taken her claim tickets to retrieve her luggage. Jillian blushed, but still managed a smile that showed the dimples she inherited from her aunt’s side of the family. Ruth sighed softly, reminiscing about a younger version of David who had since passed his good looks on to his daughter.
“And, Chris…. My gosh, you’ve grown up too!” She stepped back to admire David and Miriam’s youngest child. “You probably don’t even remember your Aunt Ruth, do you darlin’?”
“I was just a baby back then. Mommy told me that.” Christopher blushed, looking down at his shoes for a moment, and then raised his eyes slowly, smiling up at her.
“Well, then we need to get reacquainted, don’t you know!”
She reached out her hand, and he eagerly placed his hand inside hers. Tyler returned with her bags from the carousel, and once she saw him she gasped in surprise.
“Boy, you’re the ‘spittin’ image’ of your great, great, great Uncle Zachariah Hobbs!” she marveled, unaware of the immediate uneasy looks on the faces of Miriam and Jillian. “Has anyone ever told you that? I know there’s a picture of Uncle Zach in the photo album I gave to your father back in October.”
“Yeah, Dad showed me,” said Tyler, uncomfortable.
“Um-hmmm.” She shook her head as she continued to study him. “David told me during our visit that you’re quite a hit with the young ladies in your school, Ty. And, I understand you’re admired by the young men as well. No doubt you’ll do us all proud, son.”
Tyler returned her warm smile with a shy grin, and by the time she looked around at everyone else again, the troubled looks on Miriam and Jillian’s faces had faded away. Busy watching everyone else’s reactions, Christopher tightened his grip on his great aunt’s hand. Not to be outdone, Jillian moved to Ruth’s other side and cupped her arm inside hers, drawing a look of surprised joy.
“So, how was your flight from Chattanooga, Auntie Ruth?” asked Jillian, letting her hand slide down and clasp Ruth’s.
“Oh, it was fine, dear… maybe a little bumpy once we got close to Denver,” she said, beaming from the reception she received. “But I made it in one piece!”
Her eyes twinkled, drawing another blush from Jillian.
The luggage collected, they left the baggage area and headed to where the minivan was parked. Tyler led the way, still carrying his great aunt’s coat bag and one of her suitcases, while she and his younger siblings followed close behind him. David carried her other suitcase, walking a short distance behind with Miriam, so they could talk.
“She’s such a sweet woman,” said Miriam, softly. “I’ve really missed her.”
“Believe it or not, me too,” David agreed. “Hopefully things between her and I will be a lot better now.”
He smiled until he saw Miriam frowning again. “What’s up?”
“Are you sure you didn’t tell her anything about what happened to us back in October?”
“I’m sure.”
Frigging October…when will it be behind us for good?
He had denied the fact an angry ghost followed him and Miriam home from Gatlinburg, Tennessee in October where they celebrated their fifteenth anniversary. By the time he fully accepted the reality of Allie Mae McCormick’s spirit and her violent tendencies, she’d murdered his best friend, Norm Sowell, and also attempted to kill Tyler. That’s what brought him back to Tennessee. He visited with his aunt before returning to Gatlinburg.
“What’s up with you?” she asked, noting the slight grimace on his face.
“Nothing.” He sought to hide his gloomy thoughts behind an exaggerated smile. “Just thinking how much fun it’ll be if the ‘old tree man’ decides to become more active while Auntie’s here with us.”
Not his original thought, but a quick and logical leap once he left the mental imagery of the previous haunting. After all, the month and a half of peace that followed Allie Mae’s expulsion from their world could only mean something if the latest situation hadn’t occurred. All bets now off, they moved through uncharted territory with an entity that seemed quite irritated with him again.
“I’ve already decided to call Sara tonight, once we get settled for the evening,” she said evenly. “Don’t even try to talk me out of it, either.”
Sara Palmer, a gifted parapsychologist, was a good friend of Janice Andrews, Miriam’s best friend. David thought of her as a New Age crackpot until her insights proved helpful in banishing Allie Mae’s spirit. Since then, Miriam remained in contact with Sara, as much for friendship as additional guidance.
“Okay, but aren’t you a little concerned that having a witch lady show up with feather dusters and incense will make Auntie a little suspicious?” he asked, in a definite attempt to do just what she warned him against—to talk her out of it, at least for now. “It’s not like Sara will show up with a white-bearded fat man in a sleigh drawn by a dozen reindeer.”
“David, stop it!” she hissed in response. “You know damn well she’ll know how to handle this discreetly. If I’d followed my gut instinct last time and called her right away, instead of waiting on you to get us into deeper trouble, maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand….”
Her voice trailed off, as if she realized what she said came out different than intended. True, his procrastination in enlisting professional help to deal with the ghost allowed the haunting to escalate far beyond what either one expected.
“Yeah… I’ll never forgive myself for that,” said David, his mood immediately depressed.
“Honey, I’m so sorry. That’s not what I—”
“It’s okay,” he interrupted her; grimacing as he thought of Norm. The best friend he ever had aside from her was gone forever. Before he fell any deeper into despair, she moved in close, clasping his gloved hand in hers.
“It’s not what I meant, and I’m really sorry it came out like that,” she whispered huskily, pressing her bosom against his shoulder.
He looked at her and mustered a weak grin.
“I know,” he replied, forcing a wider smile. “It’s Christmas. Everything will be fine.”
Ruth glanced over her shoulder at them and smiled, perhaps admiring how they seemed so much like true lovebirds, hand in hand and leaning into each other. They drew in even closer once outside the terminal building, everyone walking briskly to where the Chrysler waited.
***
The minivan pulled up the circular driveway of the Hobbs’ Littleton home just before six o’clock. The grand Cape Cod stood majestic, decorated in colorful holiday lights Tyler plugged in when they left tha
t afternoon.
“Now…that’s a beautiful house. Very fitting for ya’ll,” observed Ruth, once the van stopped and everyone else began to pile out. “It’s much roomier than the townhouse ya’ll lived in the last time I was here…wasn’t it in the foothills someplace?”
“In Lakewood,” said David. “With the kids getting older, we wanted a place where they could have room to run around.” He turned off the ignition.
“Plus, the schools are a little better, and I’m fortunate to have my practice just a few miles down the road,” added Miriam, referring to the pediatric clinic she co-owned with two other doctors. Both she and David had arranged their winter vacations to coincide with Ruth’s two week stay in Colorado, with David getting the longest reprieve. He didn’t need to return to Johnson, Simms & Perrault, the accounting firm he worked for as an auditor, until after New Years.
“I’ll grab Auntie Ruth’s bags and join everybody inside,” said Tyler, handing the PSP back to Christopher and climbing out before anyone else had removed their seatbelts.
He ran around to the rear of the Chrysler, waiting for his dad to open the back hatch. He grabbed both of Ruth’s suitcases and her coat bag. She continued to keep her carry-on with her, which became increasingly mysterious to Jillian and Christopher.
The scent of cinnamon-apple and pumpkin spice candles greeted them all upon entering the house, along with the powerful aroma from the decorated Douglas fir standing in one corner of the darkened living room. Unlike the unearthly chill David expected, the main floor was warm and cozy. The soft drone from the furnace pushing warm air throughout the house gave him a sense of well-being he hoped was genuine.
Jillian and Christopher raced each other for the privilege of turning on the Christmas tree lights. Meanwhile, David helped Tyler with Ruth’s luggage. Together they moved upstairs to the guestroom prepared for her earlier that day. She and the younger children settled downstairs in the living room while Miriam fixed everyone a cup of hot cocoa in the kitchen.
