She looked over at Savanah to say something but noticed her looking at a particular headstone. It was in the same direction of the spike on the meter.
“Do you see anything over there?” Lina asked.
She seemed to shake herself awake before answering with a “no”, so Lina let it go and they continued on through their section without picking up anything else that night.
The girls all met back at the gate once again just before dawn. Other than one or two single incidences, they all reported nothing major happening and agreed to meet back for the last night of investigating. It would be Halloween night, and they had decided to head back to Virginia a day or two early since there wasn’t any excitement in this cemetery.
Chapter 5
After finding just a few anomalies and chalking those up to passing traffic, the girls spent the afternoon doing some last minute sightseeing. They walked the streets, took pictures of the old buildings, and then found out about another small cemetery outside of town.
They went to check it out just in case it had some potential since they were so disappointed in Lake View. It proved to be nothing more than a really small family plot beside an old abandoned farmhouse.
They stopped in the town of Mayville next for more sightseeing. Of course, they asked around about any old cemeteries and checked those out too. Finding nothing of significance, they returned to their hotel to get a nap in before going back to Lake View for their last night of investigating.
After waking up and getting ready, the girls met at the truck once again. All the gear was loaded into the backpacks along with something Lina said she had been waiting until that night to try.
“I’ll explain it when we get there that way I can show Savanah too. I have a feeling tonight is going to be THE night to find something.” Lina stowed the extra bag in the back and closed the door, effectively ending the conversation.
They pulled up to the little side gate, got out, and unloaded the gear. Each girl took a backpack with Allison carrying the one for Savanah and Lina carrying the extra bag. Savanah was waiting for them on the inside of the cemetery and held the gate open.
“Hello lovely ladies. How was your day?”
“Hey, Savanah. It was pretty good. We walked around town taking pictures and sightseeing then headed over to Mayville and did the same thing,” Briana told her.
“Oh, wonderful. Did you see the Mayville House?” asked Savanah.
“The what?” Lina looked at her long and hard.
“The Mayville House. It’s absolutely stunning.”
“The Mayville House burned down in 1914 Savanah.” Allison turned around to speak directly to her.
“Oh. I must be thinking of another building then.” She turned to Lina to ask about the new bag she was just opening.
Both Allison and Briana looked at each other for a long moment before finally turning to Lina to see what surprise she had in the bag.
“This is the new anomaly cam. It shows both IR and visible light spectrums at the same time. That way if we think we see something on the IR, we can check to see if it’s traffic or bugs at the exact moment it’s happening.” Lina proudly held up the camera in front of everyone’s flashlights.
“Who gets the new toy?” asked Allison.
“I do of course. After all, I’m the one who knows how to run it right now.”
“Okay girls, let’s split up and head off. We meet back here as usual just before dawn,” said Briana.
They walked farther into the cemetery, each pair going in their own directions. Lina was with Savanah again while Allison and Briana went into the sections past the Soldiers’ Circle. They decided to wander farther out since it was the last night, and they were really hoping for action.
Briana and Allison slowly walked up one row and down the other, watching the IR camera and the EMF meter. They had a spike over one particular headstone, so they stopped to do an EVP session.
“Is there anyone here with us tonight?” asked Briana.
They stood quietly, giving the “whatever it was” time to answer before going on to another question.
“Are you James Marvin Young?” asked Allison as she read the name on the stone.
Again, they stood and waited quietly.
Nothing happened. They wouldn’t be able to check for any voices until they got back to their room and downloaded the recorder, so they moved on to another section.
Briana and Allison continued to move among the headstones in their section until they reached a place opposite of where they came in through the little gate. There hidden among the trees, they found a strange little building.
“It seems to be nothing more than a maintenance shed. According to the map anyway.” Allison turned back toward the road and started off with Briana trailing her. They arrived at the potter’s field and did another EVP session. The girls found several hits on the EMF meter and several shapes that looked vaguely human on the IR.
They were super excited and couldn’t wait to share their finds with the other two. But first, they had to finish their sweep of the old section.
They checked in with Lina and Savanah on a small-walkie talkie that each one carried.. The radios were only to be used to check in at each hour mark or if there was trouble.
So far, there had been nothing more than the hourly reports. So far!
Chapter 6
Lina and Savanah found themselves up toward the front of Lake View as they wound up and down the rows of headstones. In those sections were the famous graves like Lucille Ball, Reuben Fenton, those who founded Jamestown, and others.
After several hours, they found themselves standing in front of a large monument with an empty glass case. It was surrounded by four large Romanesque pillars and a roof and base both reminiscent of the Roman era.
“Wasn’t there a statue or something in there?”
“No, I don’t remember there being one.” Savanah turned quickly away and acted like she was panning the EMF detector.
“Didn’t you say you’ve lived here all your life? How could you not know about this shrine then?” Lina looked over at Savanah.
“I am not in here all the time you know. I do have other things to spend my time on.” She started off in another direction as if she was angry at Lina for questioning her.
“Okay then. I’ll let it go.” Lina went to walk after her friend, but not before she panned the new camera over the monument. She froze as the monument came into view, and she clearly saw the statue of a woman in a long dress holding a small flower.
She looked at the camera closer and went from the IR side to the visible light side. On the IR, the statue was clearly visible, but on the visible light side, there was nothing. She turned the camera off then back on. She let it boot up before sweeping it back over the monument once again.
The statue was still clearly visible on the IR side, but when she looked up at the glass case, she saw nothing. Lina quickly called for Savanah to come back and got on the radio to call Briana and Allison.
“Oh my God, you guys get over here. I have something you need to see.”
“We’re on our way, ETA five minutes,” said Allison.
Lina looked around for Savanah but didn’t see her anywhere. She got back on the radio to call out to her but received no answer. She thought she could hear herself on the other woman’s walkie but couldn’t tell what direction it was coming from.
Before she could decide whether or not to go looking for her, the other two girls showed up all out of breath from running. It looked like Allison had torn her jeans at the knee, but it was something Lina would have to ask about later.
“What is going on that we had to run all the way? And it better be really good,” Briana managed to get out in between gasps.
“Oh, I think you’ll agree with me once you see this.” She turned the new camer
a toward the girls and told them to point it at the empty case.
They stood close to each other so they could see the screen at the same time, then panned it over the monument. They gasped in surprise and did it again and again.
“How the hell is this possible?” Briana kept looking between the headstone and camera.
“I have no idea, but there’s something else. I can’t find Savanah.”
“What? Where is she?” asked Allison.
“I swear at times I can hear her radio but then nothing. Should we go look for her?” asked Lina.
Briana chose that time to pan the camera out behind the other two girls. She came across a cold spot standing near by another headstone. “What’s that over there?”
“Where?” Allison turned in the direction she was pointing and saw Savanah standing next to another much smaller marker. “Savanah, come over here and check out what we’ve got.”
Briana kept the camera on her as she slowly walked over. She looked up into her new friend’s face, which held such a sad look. She didn’t say anything to the other two about there being no heat signature. She waited to see what would happen.
Savanah looked up at the case with that same sad look. She didn’t say anything as Lina and Allison chatted excitedly. She looked at the camera that Briana was holding out to her, saw the empty case on one side, and a statue on the other.
“Do you have something to tell us, Savanah?” asked Briana.
“You can see the resemblance, can’t you?” Savanah turned to Briana, looking away from the camera.
“Yes.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Allison overheard them talking.
“Yeah what resemblance?” Lina joined in.
“My real name is Grace, and that is my tomb. I can only come back during the month of October when the veil between our worlds is at its thinnest. I stand up there day after day watching people come and go, leaving flowers for their loved ones, and I get so lonely. Since my secret love Herbert passed in 1939 and my father and brother before that, no one comes to visit me anymore.” She walked up to the monument and sat down beside it. “I just wanted to make some new friends.”
The two girls, Lina and Allison, stood in shock for several minutes before bursting into laughter. Briana didn’t move or say a word.
“That’s a good one, Savanah. You really got us!” Lina straightened up from laughing so hard.
“I am telling you the truth, Lina. Ask Briana, she believes me.”
Chapter 7
Lina and Allison turned to Briana who was still looking between the camera and the case. They noticed she hadn’t joined in their laughter.
“Briana? What is she talking about?” asked Allison.
Briana finally looked up from the camera and at Savanah/Grace. “I believe her.”
“How can you believe something like that?” asked Lina.
Before Briana could answer, Savanah stood back up and gazed up at the case again. The three girls saw how sad she looked as they stared at her long and hard.
It was then that they could see she wasn’t quite solid anymore. Her form was dissolving in front of their eyes while the statue in the case that could only be seen by IR, was becoming more solid in the visible spectrum.
It was midnight. November 1st had arrived!
Neither of the girls spoke a word as they slowly walked back to the truck, shut the gate one last time, and heard the little lock snap into place. They drove back to the hotel in silence and went to their rooms.
None of them could bring themselves to speak about what had just happened. They would review the video and audio in the light of day when things seemed less dramatic. But for the rest of the night, they wanted to forget what they’d just seen.
The next morning they met in the lobby and went to their favorite little restaurant for brunch. They talked about all sorts of things, but none of them could bring up the subject of Savanah until finally, Briana did.
“We have to talk about this.” Briana set her cup down and looked across the table at the other two girls.
They talked over every detail they could remember, then went back to Briana’s room to go over the evidence. The whole thing had been captured on both IR film and visible. They watched it over and over. Finally, they decided to keep the evidence to themselves, agreeing never to mention it to anyone else.
“Let’s go back to the gravestone and say goodbye. We owe her that much at least,” Briana stated as she got up to grab a jacket.
“I agree, but can we stop at the little flower shop on our way?” Lina was always thinking ahead.
“Absolutely.” Allison drove to the flower shop where Briana bought three bundles, one for each of them.
They parked at the main gate since it was daytime and wound their way back to Savanah’s grave.
“It’s so strange to think of her as Grace and not Savanah,” said Lina as she put her flowers down.
“I agree, so to us she’ll always be Savanah, our friend.” Allison bent over to put her flowers on the monument next.
Briana looked up at Savanah’s face and smiled. “We’ll be back next year, my friend. Be sure to meet us by the side gate as usual.” She put her own flowers down beside the others.
She comes into view
The midnight ghost,
To mourn her love
She loved the most.
She sings her song
So, he will hear
Fading with the sun
To return every year.
Tessa Roberts
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I need to thank my husband for being wonderful and understanding. Second, my daughters for all they do for me. Third, my niece for her poetry and my great niece and her friends for letting me borrow them to be my main characters in this story. And last but not least, my bestie for dragging me to that Wednesday night writers group all those years ago. This is where The Glass Crypt started.
AUTHOR BIO
I’m the mother of two beautiful grown daughters, BamMaw (grandma) to two handsome young grandsons and one beautiful new granddaughter. I’m happily married to my best friend who I work with building our own line of live edge furniture.
I will read just about anything, but favorites are romance, science fiction, and horror. I started writing when I was young after the passing of my mom. It was and is a great way to escape to other places real and imaginary. I write all genre’s (including the naughty ones).
I love to make jewelry and remake dolls into fantasy creations and dressing up to play at Ren Faires.
I also redo furniture (shabby chic, cottage, primitive, country) along with building new live edge pieces alongside my husband. It’s a small family owned/operated business, just myself and the hubs.
LINKS
Facebook: T. Elizabeth Guthrie
Amazon: amazon.com/author/T.ElizabethGuthrie
Goodreads: T.ElizabethGuthrie
PUMPKIN SPICED DEMISE
Chandra Trulove Fry
Jackie was a quiet girl who loved pumpkin spiced anything. She would spend most of her time sitting in her favorite little cafe that served all things pumpkin spice. Her life was pretty boring until her grandmother passes down the family spell books, one for everyday common things and the other a more darker grimoire. Curiosity gets the best of her as she finds a way to open the dark book. Even despite a warning from her ancestor Dolman, she still considers trying a spell but at what cost? Would you give up the thing you love the most so you could have what you want the most?
Jackie walked briskly down the street wrapped up in her new long sweater. She had one hand on her beanie that kept trying to fly off her head while her other hand held a couple of books closely to her chest. She would gladly lose the beanie over the books that she clung to. These books were first edition spel
l books. Her grandmother had just passed them on to her and she could not wait to delve into them. The blasted Fall wind was doing a number on her as she desperately tried to make her way to her favorite little cozy cafe.
This cafe was the only one in town that served pumpkin spiced everything. Jackie absolutely loved all things pumpkin spice. It was only served in the fall though. So, every fall she would stop by on a daily basis and have a nice little treat while she read through her books. Aside from the pumpkin spice delights Jackie loved the atmosphere. It was small and had comfy little nooks you could hide away in so you wouldn’t be bothered. Jackie fought with the door but finally managed to get inside. Her cheeks grew warm as the door slammed behind her.
“Oh, don’t worry about that sweetie.” Mildred, the owner spoke out, “That blasted wind is causing quite a stir for many people today. Did you want your usual spot dear?”
“Uh... yes please. Thank you, Mildred.” Jackie replied sheepishly. She followed Mildred to the little hidden corner booth she frequented often. She had a sneaking suspicion that Mildred kept it unoccupied just for her. Jackie settled into the booth and placed her books on the table.
“What will it be for you today, Hun?” Mildred was at least in her early fifties. She was the warm motherly type that took you in and made sure you were cared for. Her eyes were kind and her words always gentle, that is, unless you hurt someone she cared for; that’s when her evil side came out. Jackie felt for sure she saw the woman’s eyes grow red a couple times.
“I think I’ll have a pumpkin spiced chai latte, hot with whipped cream and some pumpkin fudge please.” Jackie ordered.
“Ah, I see you got a bit of a sweet tooth tonight. Alright then. Oh my, I almost forgot! I made pumpkin bread today. I have a nice warm batch just cooling in the back. Want me to bring you a slice with some butter?” Jackie was touched that Mildred remembered her saying she wanted to know whenever pumpkin bread was available.
Tricks or Treats: An Anthology for Charity Page 10
