Ashley squinted peering at the road ahead. For just a moment it looked like there was someone standing there. The windshield wipers were a fast metronome with the space cleared quickly blurring again with water. But it was there again. Just a glimpse but enough to know it was someone standing in the center of the road!
“Stop!” Her hand shot out to grip Mason’s arm. “There’s someone there!”
Mason hit the brakes but they still shot forward caught on a sheet of water. Ashley jerked back waiting for the impact but the truck came to a stop. There in the center of the road was the old woman. She walked to the passenger side and her hand with fingers splayed banged on the window.
Ashley’s heart pumped fast against her ribs. “Drive. Let’s get out of here!”
But it was too late. Leah had pressed the button to lower the glass. The old lady stared at Ashley. Her dark eyes were flinty framed in the worn lines of her face.
Her lips pulled back, revealing small sharp teeth. “You!” She glared at Leah. “What have you done?”
Mason gaped at her. “They haven’t done anything! What’s wrong with you, standing out in the rain like this? I could have hit you. Step back. We’ve gotta get home.” He pressed the button on his side and the window rose shutting the old crone off.
As he pressed the accelerator he looked over at Ashley, “Okay. I can see why she freaked you out. She’s seriously crazy. I could have hit her with the truck in this storm.”
Ashley ignored him and looked at Leah. “She knows about the Ouija board and what we’ve done. That day she came out after me. I think she was trying to warn me.”
TWENTY THREE
IT WAS A MAD DASH for the house when the truck pulled in. Maya and the others hopped over the side of the bed before they were fully stopped.
When they got inside, water pooled on the floor around Maya and the boys. Ashley looked over at them. “Stay here. I think there’s a load of towels in the dryer.” She toed her sneakers off and raced to the back of the house.
When she returned, Mason was standing at the kitchen window looking out at the lake. “I’m not sure this is going to clear up.” He turned and looked over at her. “That old woman...thank God you saw her in time.”
Leah wiped her face with the towel Ashley handed to her and spoke, “Yeah. She must have really wanted to talk to us coming out in this weather.”
“She’s crazy. Isn’t that what crazy people do?” Henry sneered and went back to drying his hair. He looked at Maya. “Can I put my clothes in the dryer?” He put his hand against his cheek. “Maybe I should get in the dryer with them? I’m totally soaked!”
“Sure. I’ll lend you and Preston some sweat pants and shirts. I’ve got a pretty pink set just for you, Henry.” Maya smiled before leaving the room.
“I’m not wearing pink.” Henry nudged Preston’s arm. “That’s your color, bud. It’ll look good with your pretty blue eyes.”
“Nuh...no way.”
Ashley looked over at Mason. “I don’t have anything that’ll fit you. Unless you want to wear my bathrobe.”
Mason sighed and stepped over to his brother. “Maybe we should get going.”
A piercing scream from above filled the house. Maya’s voice following in a shattering screech, “ASHLEY!”
Ashley tore across the room ignoring Leah’s words behind her, “Oh God. What now? Shit! I never did the cleansing.”
She bounded up the stairs and gasped standing in the doorway of Maya’s room. Her sister’s fingers covered her cheeks, and her eyes were rimmed in white as she stood in the center of her room. Ashley’s jaw fell open. It was like a cyclone had touched down in there! Every drawer in her dresser was pulled out. Clothes were strewn over the floor and the bed. Even the closet was open, the clothes bar now empty with only a few hangers.
“What the hell?” Mason walked into the room looking around at the mess.
Henry went over to Maya. “What happened in here? You redecorating or something?”
“Not funny Henry!” she snapped.
“Ih...it’s still here.” Preston turned and looked at his sister. “You wuh...were supposed tuh...to have fi...fixed this.”
“I didn’t, Preston. I was going to do it again but I never got the chance.” Leah stepped over to Maya and rubbed her back. “Get whatever clothes you need and go downstairs.”
Henry shook his head. “No problem finding them. They’re all on display.”
Mason turned to Ashley. “I’ll help you. But we were only gone for about an hour—if that! Do you think someone came into the house and did this?” He answered his own question, “That doesn’t make sense. To just break in and wreck one room. Nothing is missing is it, Maya?”
Maya burst into tears and yelled, “It’s that stupid board and that girl! She did this!”
If she wrecked Maya’s room then...Ashley broke away from the group and raced down the hall to her own room. Her mouth fell open seeing it. Everything was pitched helter-skelter around the room. Even the curtain rod hung down from one side. “She did it here too!”
Leah stood behind her looking over her shoulder at the mayhem. “This is creepy. Nothing was upset downstairs. Just your rooms.”
Mason came up and pushed past them, stepping into the room. “Do you think maybe that old woman came in while we were gone? She had enough time and you didn’t lock the door. Just like she moved the Ouija board. That’s got to be it.”
Maya called from across the stairwell, “Aunt Claire’s room wasn’t touched.”
Ashley breathed a sigh of relief for that small blessing at least. Ignoring Mason she turned to Leah. “You mentioned that you hadn’t brought holy water yesterday. Maybe it didn’t take—the ritual I mean—without it.”
Preston came up behind his sister and looked up at Ashley. “We guh...got what wuh...we need. We’ll tuh...take Maya downstairs and sih...sit with her.”
“Thanks, Preston. Don’t leave her alone for a minute, okay?” She looked back at Leah. “The holy water, Leah. Did you need it for this to work?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.” Leah pulled her bottom lip in, biting down at it as she looked around the room.
“Well—find out! Go online and ask in that group you belong to! We need help with this!” Ashley was on the verge of tears. They couldn’t live like this with some spirit or entity scaring the hell out of them. And if not for Leah they never would have played around with that board! Wherever the hell it had gone!
Mason had been watching the exchange between Ashley and Leah. He looked at Leah. “I’ll help Ashley tidy the two rooms. You go do whatever it is she wants you to do.” When Leah left, he said, “I’m glad I didn’t just drop you off and leave. I’m going to stick around until your aunt gets home.”
She looked up and the concern in his eyes melted her resolve not to cry. Tears flowed as she murmured, “Thanks.”
He pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back with his hands. “It’ll be okay Ashley. You’ll get through this.”
She wasn’t sure she had the strength to get through anything like this. Looking up at him she sniffed. “It started so innocently. We wanted to contact my parents. We did...or I thought we did. Now I’m not sure.”
“Ashley, you’re strong. But you need a shoulder to lean on right now. I’m that shoulder.” He smiled and stroked her hair. “But it’s a cold shoulder I’m afraid. I’ll take you up on that offer of your robe, if the offer ‘s still open.”
“Pink? Like Henry’s?” She managed a small smile.
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “See? That’s the spirit. Told you you’re strong.” He leaned down and grabbed her white terry robe that was draped over her rug. “Not pink though. I’ll just be in the bathroom across the hall. You get changed out of those wet things too.”
Ashley closed the door after him. When she turned, she shuddered looking around the room. They had used the Ouija board in her room and in Maya’s. The two rooms which were attacked. That was no coinci
dence.
She peeled the wet clothes from her body and grabbed the first things she saw to throw on—jeans and a T-shirt. Opening the door to set the wet clothes outside, she saw Mason emerge from the bathroom. She had to smile seeing him in her robe. It ended just above his knees and there was a red rose embroidered on each pocket over his hips.
He smiled and then did a vamp walk down the hall toward her, primping his hair with his fingertips. “Modeling the latest creation by Jackie Chang is Mason Sherwood.”
“It’s Vera Wang, you nut!” She couldn’t help laughing at his antics. He was trying to make the best of a horrifying nightmare, making her smile.
“Jackie Chang works for me, Ash. And speaking of work...” He slipped by her and began picking up the clothes.
Ashley swooped ahead of him, grabbing her undies and shoving them into the top drawer of the dresser. She rolled her eyes. Here she was picking up after some ghost attacked and thinking of her privacy. Crazy.
“And you thought you’d be doing something fun like building a raft. Ha!” She paused setting the lampshade back on the bedside light. “Seriously Mason. If Leah can’t fix this, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I can’t go on like this.”
He looked over at her and sighed. “If you’re right, and I’m not entirely convinced you are, there has to be another solution. Maybe even getting a priest to visit to bless the house. I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that.”
Ashley sank down onto her bed. “That means Aunt Claire will know. Leah’s mother will know. But it might be the only way.”
“What’s worse? Getting grounded for a week or continually cleaning up after a ghost. I’d take the grounding in a heartbeat.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “C’mon slacker. We’ve still got Maya’s mess to clean up.”
A clap of thunder made Ashley jump as she walked after him to the other room. “Let’s hurry and get downstairs. I want to check Maya and see what Leah found out, if anything.”
“If you want to go ahead, I’ll finish up here. Don’t forget the wet clothes though. With any luck mine will be dry by the time I finish. Henry will never live it down...me prancing around in a girl’s bathrobe.”
She grabbed the clothes and then smiled as she walked past him. “Don’t forget he’s decked out in pink.”
“Take a pic, will ya?” He laughed as he went into the room.
Ashley checked the clothes in the dryer and pulled them out, tossing hers and Mason’s in afterward. She went back to the kitchen and saw Maya sitting at the table, bordered by both boys. Maya looked up. “Is it all cleaned up?”
“Mason is doing your room. I wanted to see how you’re doing.” She went over and rubbed her hand on Maya’s shoulder.
Her sister’s eyes welled with tears. “I want to call Aunt Claire. We’ve got to tell her everything, Ash.”
Ashley looked at Preston. He’d be sure to catch hell at home as well as Leah. But he nodded his agreement with Maya. She took a deep breath watching her sister. Maybe Maya was right. This was turning out to be way bigger than they could handle.
Leah came bounding into the kitchen. Her eyes were lit up and she actually grinned. “I’ve got it, Ashley! I talked to this girl out west. She had an actual run-in with a demon! Crazy huh? She threw salt at it and it worked! You’ve got to read her story. Honestly.”
Ashley hardly dared to hold out hope. She held her voice even when she spoke, “What’s a demon got to do with this, Leah? This is a troubled spirit. This Skylar girl is trying to get our attention.”
Maya murmured, “She’s got mine all right.”
Henry chirped. “Well, I want to see her too—is she good-looking?” Everyone stopped and stared at him. “What?”
Leah threw her head back. “Shut up, Henry.” She blew out a long exasperated sigh. “Salt. We didn’t use enough! Don’t you see? We need to cover every opening and leave it there. You swept up what we left yesterday so your aunt wouldn’t see. But we can’t do that. We need to leave it and even leave a bowl of it in the room.”
Ashley blinked looking at her friend. “That’s it? I can’t believe it can be that simple, Leah.”
They all jumped at the sound of a yelp from upstairs. Mason’s footsteps raced down the stairs and he ran over to where they were standing. His face was as white as the robe he wore. “I saw something! That thing you saw, Maya! A girl’s face was in the window staring at me!” He panted, his voice breaking in fear gulping air while the whites of his eyes showed.
Henry popped to his feet. “Seriously? I gotta see—”
“No!” Mason grabbed his brother’s arm. “No way! You’re not going up there, kid. She looked mad and scary as hell.”
He turned to Ashley and Leah. “I didn’t believe you. Not until I saw that face! This is for real! Shit!”
Leah’s eyes narrowed. “Scared now, Mason? You thought we were crazy. Now you believe us!”
Crash! The whole house shook! Again, Mason yelped.
“Thu...that came from upstairs.” Preston grabbed Maya’s arm.
Ashley raced across the kitchen and stood at the bottom of the stairs peering up. But there was nothing to be seen. It could have been a tree limb coming down in the storm but she had her doubts.
Leah and Mason came out of the kitchen to stand beside her looking up the stairs. Mason whispered, “We should check it out.”
But Leah shook her head. “Let me get my things first. We need protection.”
Mason gave Leah a funny look but then he nodded. “Yeah. Protection.” He turned to Ashley. “Do you have a gun?”
Ashley grabbed her inhaler to take a deep breath, not caring that Mason saw her do that anymore. Her heart was hammering fast and she felt like she’d faint at any minute, if not have a heart attack! She shook her head, willing her heart to slow. Finally she was able to get the words out. “No. But a gun’s not gonna help anyway if it’s a ghost.”
“I’m calling Aunt Claire!” Maya stood in the doorway of the kitchen with her cell phone in her hand.
“Just give it a minute, Maya!” Leah pleaded with her eyes looking at Maya. “Give me a chance to fix this. And if I can’t, call her then. Twenty minutes. That’s all I’m asking for. You’re safe down here. The bad shit is up there.”
Preston and Henry appeared at Maya’s side, walking her back to the kitchen.
Leah raced to the living room and came back with her backpack. Digging into it, she handed the salt to Ashley and the crystal to Mason before flicking the lighter on the bundle of grass.
“What’s that? How is this gonna work?” Mason looked at the crystal and pulled a face sniffing the burning bundle.
“Never mind. Just do what I say. I’ll go first.” Leah led the way leaving a trail of smoke behind her as she walked slowly up the stairs. “By the power of God, I command you to leave.”
Ashley noticed she had changed it up a little, now mentioning God by name. Calling on the big guns for help now. Maybe that was good? She followed her friend and began the chant herself.
“Oh man,” Mason said, “this is too much.”
Ashley threw a scowl at him. “Just shut up and say it. This has got to work.” Now was not the time to be a smart-ass.
“Okay, okay. By the power of God I command you to leave.” He glared at her. “Happy?”
But Ashley was too intent on saying the words, peering around to see...what? A ghost? Please God, no. The storm had made everything dim with dark shadows crouching in the corners.
Leah didn’t hesitate going in Maya’s room. She kept waving the wand of dried grass before her continuing her chant. Ashley flicked the light switch and held her breath, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. Other than the room still being a holy mess, nothing was tipped over that could have made that crash.
“Put salt by the window, Ash,” Leah said.
She walked to the window and poured a thick line of salt along the ledge. She continued along all the walls until she got to the
doorway.
Leah waved the wand and turned to Ashley. “Leave a heap in the center of the floor. We forgot the bowl but it doesn’t matter.”
Ashley made a small mound and then followed Leah and Mason out the door. She poured a thick line across the opening. “Leave us in peace.” She straightened and her gut fell knowing the crash could only have come from her room and it was next.
Leah stood in the opening of Ashley’s room and her head turned, her eyes wide peering at Ashley. “Your dresser. That’s what we heard.”
Ashley crept forward peeking over Leah’s shoulder. Her face tightened seeing her dresser was on its side on the floor. Whatever had done that was strong. The dresser had to weigh almost a hundred pounds. What if she’d been in there? Or even Leah on the floor last night sleeping? She could have been killed.
“By the power of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I command whatever is in here to leave.” Leah stepped inside and then glanced over at Mason. “Can you pick that thing up for us?” She turned quickly away. “And pull your robe together please.”
He wrapped the robe tight and tied it closed with the belt before stepping over to lift the dresser from the floor, setting it upright.
It would have been kind of funny if Ashley wasn’t so damned scared. This was the room that was under attack. Her hands shook as she poured the salt along the window and then the floor along the walls. She murmured the words along with Leah, adding a silent prayer that it would work.
Leah took her time, stepping slowly and blowing on the embers to increase the smoke. All the while she kept up the litany. Mason held the crystal high as he walked around the room. Finally they were done.
Ashley left a pile of salt in the middle of the floor on her rug and then along the door opening. She looked at Leah and bit her lower lip waiting.
“It’s done. This room is cleansed. And I just know leaving the salt here will finish it. Demons and evil spirits hate salt.”
“Kind of like garlic and vampires?” Mason’s eyes smiled as he looked at her. For once he wasn’t making fun though.
A Grave Conjuring Page 13
