The Long Way Home

by Phillip Overton

  ****

  The small grandfather clock softly chimed 10 o’clock in the dining room where it hung proudly on the wall. Rowena had inherited it from her late parents and for the first couple of months the clock had driven her nuts. Every passing tick-tock had only served as a constant reminder that her parents were no longer around. Not as though she had seen all that much of them in the last precious years of their lives, she had been too busy staying mad at them.

  It had taken a family event like Christmas, a birthday and ultimately their funeral to bring them into the same room together. Time however was beginning to heal old wounds, the clock continued to chime every hour and each time it did so Rowena would forget a little more why or what exactly had made her so mad at them to begin with. It had been nearly a year since they had passed away but the funny thing was she found herself liking them more now than when they were alive. While the pendulum continued to swing back and forth as it watched over the dining room table, Rowena felt as though they were still only a short drive down the highway in the northern suburbs of Sydney.

  The house was silent. Rowena tried to keep her mind clear like Colleen had told her earlier but it wasn’t easy to stay focused. She wanted to find answers, and to do that she had to keep the positive energy flowing around the circle. Colleen sat sighing heavily as she slipped into a trance like state. She had already set the mood for the evening when earlier she had warned Rowena of an impending death in the family while reading her fortune with the tarot cards.

  Rowena felt slightly uncomfortable being led along by a group of mostly strangers. Apart from Colleen, the only other women Rowena knew were Tracey Smith, her good friend from work who was sitting beside her and Hilda Abbott, the mother of that terrible kid who Simon always got into trouble with. She didn’t know if the boys were friends or enemies, but when the two of them got together, trouble was never too far behind. It was just one of the many things she didn’t understand about her son. Ever since Simon had come out of the coma he hadn’t been the same person, there was a certain presence to him that didn’t seem natural for a nine year old boy. Colleen had felt it too, she sensed a spirit being dwelling close to him and was certain it was his Grandmother. Of course it had to have something to do with her. How else could anyone explain the crucifix pendant that Simon continued to wear? Gail had convinced her that there was no way their mother could have given it to Simon so the question still begged to be answered, how then did it come into his possession?

  The seven ladies sat around the dining room table, staring tensely at each other over the light of the flickering candles. The feeling that something extraordinary was about to take place washed over them, like icy fingers prying at the back of their necks. Colleen stretched her hands out on the table, motioning for them to join hands. With some trepidation they took each other’s hand until they formed a circle. The stakes had just been raised for the remainder of the evening. In the centre of the table was an Ouija board.

  “We summon forth the spirit of Carolyn Hardwick.” Colleen spoke confidently. “We ask her to make contact with us tonight, to communicate with her daughter Rowena. We wish to ask what her intentions are in this household and with her grandchild who she watches over.”

  Nothing. The seven of them sat in silence, trying to stay positive that they would get an answer, but not entirely sure how or what form it might arrive in.

  “Carolyn, are you there? Do you wish to communicate with us?”

  Again nothing.

  “Carolyn, if you do not wish to communicate with us please knock once and we will not pursue this further.” Colleen spoke calmly. “If you do wish to make contact with us tonight, please knock three times.”

  Silence. It seemed to last forever. Rowena wondered if this was going to work after all.

  “Carolyn, we await you….”

  Immediately there came three knocks, loud and distinctive. Hearts stopped beating as around the table palms pressed together tightly in cold sweat.

  “Carolyn, we mean no threat to you here tonight.” Colleen spoke soothingly. “Your daughter merely seeks to contact you.”

  The table began to shake lightly, rattling the piece on the Ouija board and causing the candles to flicker momentarily. Rowena and Tracey immediately felt scared and let out a nervous gasp.

  “Keep the circle strong ladies.” Colleen tried to calm them down. “She is here. I can sense her presence, it is very strong.”

  The table stopped shaking and the room fell silent.

  “Look.” Tracey said, nodding her head in the direction of the Ouija board. “It’s moving!”

  They watched the planchette move by itself slowly across the Ouija board, pausing long enough on each letter for the circle of ladies to read it out loud.

  “R-O-W-E-N-A.” They read slowly in chorus.

  The house fell eerily silent. No one dared moved as they sat in stunned silence staring at the board. A full minute passed without anything happening. No words spelt out on the board, no knocking sounds and no voices from beyond.

  “That’s it?” Tracey asked.

  “Shhhh, patience.” Colleen kept her voice calm and low.

  Bang!

  The front door swung open and slammed suddenly against the wall! The ladies turned around in fright to be met by an icy cold wind that lashed against their faces, whipped through their hair and stung against their cheeks. The candles flickered violently on the table and died. All except for the large candle beside the Ouija board that continued to burn brightly. The cold gust of wind gathered within the circle of hands. A pile of paper napkins that had been sitting on the table were suddenly picked up and flown into the air, dancing merrily above them as though they were caught in a mini tornado.

  “Her spirit is angry.” Colleen nearly shouted. “It brings deep hurt that needs to be healed before we can get any answers.”

  The gust of wind continued to swirl violently.

  “I’m sorry Mum,” Rowena began to cry. Her heart was thumping wildly in terror at the thought of her Mum directing her anger towards her from beyond the grave. “I’m so sorry for the hurt I caused you.”

  The wind ceased. The seven ladies sat nervously as paper napkins softly rained down on them. Silence once again filled the room although a cold chill still remained in the air, joined now by a damp and musty smell.

  “What was that?” Tracey asked, growing more afraid of the ensuing silence.

  “My child, we have made contact with her spirit.” Colleen spoke calmly. “She is here with us now.”

  “Are you sure?” Tracey whispered.

  A collective gasp came from the group as the candles that had been extinguished by the gust of wind reignited one by one. They burned brightly once more as the planchette began to move slowly across the Ouija board.

  “Yes.” Colleen read aloud to the group as the piece came to a rest in the top left hand corner, clearly pointing to the word yes that was printed on the board.

  Colleen began to ask the spirit the questions she had prepared earlier in the evening with Rowena.