Spirits (Spirits Series Book 1) (29 page)

“Where would I find a book on that with legit information?”

“Check the basement.” Rouge says.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” I huff.

“No.” He says without hesitation and continues out the back door with Drew hot on his heels.

     I stare at the closed basement door building up courage.  There’
s a good reason screenwriters use this room to strike fear. Who in their right mind wants to hangout in a dark, damp, creepy, isolated place with only one way in or out? My heart pounds as I reach for the knob. One of them could have joined me. Fudge, Rouge could have got the freaking thing and gave it to me. Obviously he knows it’s down here. Opening the door I hesitantly step forward and feel along the wall for a light switch. My imagination is running wild which it tends to do when I’m completely freaked out. Just as I’m about to say forget it and turn around my hand slides across something sticking out of the cold wall and the lights flicker on.  Oh goody, now I don’t have an excuse although I’m sure Rouge would have sent me back with a flashlight.  The stairs seem to groan in protest as I cautiously make my way down.

    
It’s like I stepped back in time. There’s a ton of old furniture scattered around, some antique trunks and suitcases line the walls and rows of homemade shelves take up a third of the vast room littered with books and miscellaneous knick-knacks. Groaning quietly, I can’t help but think I’ll be here forever searching. He could have at least described what I’m looking for. I’m not sure where to begin there’s so much organized clutter!

     It’s sort of weird rummaging through other peoples belongings, sure they’ve probably passed on still I can’t help but feel I’m invading their privacy.  No luck so far, it’s been box after box of old clothes, blankets, and occasionally a photograph or journal, which I’ve set aside
undecided on whether or not to read. I move on to the next antique trunk decorated with odd symbols, I think this might be it… The lid squeaks open, I’ve hit the jackpot I think. It’s full of old leather covered books, the ones I can see have different symbol embossed on them.  As I reach in to investigate a movement from my peripheral vision catches my attention.  I don’t want to look, I want to ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist. Not that that ever worked in the past. Slowly closing the trunk I watch the stranger in the corner with their back to me. PLEASE be residual, is all I can think as my heart beats away at my eardrums and I attempt to lift the heavy box from it’s resting place. To large and awkward for one person… darn them for not coming down here with me! Dragging it is going to be my only option for now.  I attempt to quietly slide it across the concrete floor, which is impossible, all the while watching the apparition in the corner.  It seems to grow anxious as it rocks back and forth. I’m halfway to the stairs when I hear a door slam. Unwillingly I tear my eyes away and turn to see that my fears are confirmed, it was the basement door. Definitely not good! I glance back at the ghost in the corner; she’s watching me with a malevolent grin. “Where do you think you’re going?” She asks.

“I’m leaving, sorry if I disturbed you.” I cautiously begin to back away.

She steps forward, “Foolish girl, he won’t let you leave.”

“He?”

She speeds towards me and for some stupid reason my feet refuse to move.

“He has grown rather infatuated with you. You won’t get out alive, we never do.” She whispers in my ear before disappearing.

I glance around briefly deciding what to do. Should I leave the books? No, I didn’t come this far just to have some ghoul scare me off. Sure I may have suffered a minor heart attack but if I show up upstairs without the books Rouge will send me back down here to get them.  Grabbing the leather strap I tug the box the rest of the way towards the steps.  Just great, how am I supposed to get this thing up there? I’ll have to empty it until it’s light enough. Taking out an armful I dash up the stairs, open the door and sit them in the hallway before repeating the process. Third and final trip down; I’m getting the trunk even though I’ve emptied it’s contents. I now have a strange obsession with it, or it’s symbols shall I say.  Bending over, preparing to haul my new trinket upstairs, a ball bounces across the floor and rests directly in front of me. Please don’t be Molly… oh crap. “Will you play with me?” Molly appears at the bottom of the steps and smiles up at me.

Sorry kid I left my knives upstairs. “Um… I don’t, can’t play right now, sorry.” I grab the trunk and back up the stairs praying I don’t trip and fall.

“Why not? Whewe you going with that?” She asks following.

“I’m busy and I’m taking it to my room.”

“Do you have dollies?” She lights up.

“No, sorry kid.”

“Oh,” she says crestfallen.

“Is your name Molly?” I ask uncertain; she looks the same but doesn’t act like the demonic little child from last night.

“Yes ma’am. How’d you know?”

“When you,” were terrorizing me, “were playing in the driveway last night Noah told me.”

“Noah,” she beams a smile, “he’s my fwend, is he youw fwend?”

“I think so.” I hope so…

“Have you met Wose? She’s my new mommy.”

“Rose?” I ask and she nods. “No sweetie I haven’t. What happened to your mommy?”

“She left me,” she frowns briefly, “but it’s alwight, Wose loves me and I have lots of new fwends now.”

“That’s good sweetie.” Great I sound like my mom.

“What’s that say?” She asks pointing to a symbol on the trunk.

“I’m not sure, I can’t read it.”

“I can’t wead eithew, don’t feel sad.”

I chuckle, “I can read English but this is a different language.”

“Will you wead me a stowy? My mommy use to but Wose not wead to me.” She shakes her head sadly, “She’s to busy.”

“Sure honey.” I say before I realize it. Oh I hope she isn’t faking, that this is a ploy to gain my trust so she can slit my throat when I least expect it.

“What’s youw name?”

“Journey.”
             

She giggles, “That’s a funny name but I like you
Jouwney.” She says staring at me as I stand in the doorway.

“You’re not going to stay down here are you?”

“They don’t like it when I play in the house.”

“I think it will be okay this time, but no running or bouncing balls, you have to be quiet. Agreed?”

Dimples indent her chubby cheeks, “I pwomise.”

“Good, let me get this to my room then I’ll find a book to read to you.”

“Want me to help?”

“No I got it but thanks. You can wait in my room, I might have something you can play with.” I say as we walk up the stairs.

     She giggles happily as I pull stuffed animals from the bench at the foot of my bed. She takes the large bear and hugs it tightly to her chest, “Thank you Jouwney.”

“You’re welcome, keep it down okay, my dad’s sleeping. We’ll read as soon as I finish.”

She nods then sits in the floor playing quietly. Maybe Noah was right, she doesn’t seem bad at all. Actually she’s really sweet and I hope she stays that way.

     “Molly?” I ask entering my room with the last load of books. I hear her giggling
but I don’t see her. As I’m putting the books back in the trunk the closet door opens slowly.  “It’s okay, Jouwney’s nice she won’t let anyone hurt you.” Molly says backing out. Emily stands in the doorway looking around uncertain. I feel so badly for her, all the fear and countless years of isolation. “It’s alright, no one’s here but us.” I smile reassuringly.

She steps out timidly and glances around.

“I was just about to read Molly a book, would you like to join us?”

She looks as though she’s on the verge of tears as she nods.  Molly squeezes her leg, “Don’t
cwy Emily.”

“Will you feel safer if I lock the door?” I ask noticing that she keeps looking at it terrified. She nods again and sits on the floor no more than two feet away from the closet as I secure the door.

     I search through the bench once again, this time looking for a book from my childhood. It’s odd how we keep things from our past just to hold on to the memories. “How about Peter Pan?” I ask pulling out a child’s version and showing Molly the cover.  She claps her little hands excitedly and plops down in Emily’s lap.  Sitting across from them I open the book and begin immediately. Molly listens intently, oohing and awing as I show her the pictures. It gives me a sense of nostalgia; I’m sure this is what I was like when Mom used to read to me. Hanging on every word, so curious as to what would happen next.  Molly crosses the short distance between us, crawls into my lap and stares at the pages as I read over her shoulder.

     “Did you like the story?” I ask closing the book.
  Molly turns and looks up at me smiling. “Vewy much. I like Tinkew Bell, she’s my favowite, who do you like best Emily?”

“This is Never
Land without the fancies.” She says shaking her head.

“We don’t have
faiwy’s and mewmaids silly.”

“No we have an abundance of lost souls and monsters.”

Molly presses her head against my chest, “That’s scawy Emily, I don’t like monstews.”

I shake my head disapprovingly at Emily. Way to be blunt.

“We’re motherless and we never age but instead of playing games for fun, like hide and seek, we hide out of fear. Dear child there is no one coming to defeat the villain here, I doubt it is even possible, we are stranded here for eternity to be terrorized.”

“That’s enough, you’re scaring her.” I say as Molly clings to me.

“She should be afraid, you should be afraid. Get out while you still can.”

As I’m about to boast my disapproval there’s a knock on my door, Emily vanishes into the closet without another word. Molly however doesn’t budge.  “Who is it?” I ask rubbing Molly’s back comfortingly.

“Noah.”

Molly bounces from
my lap and runs to open the door smiling.

     Noah looks at me uncertain as I stand behind Molly.
“Is everything alright?” He asks.

“Yeah.” I nod my head as he enters then closes the door.

“Jouwney wead me a book and let me play with hew toys.” Molly says pulling his hand.

He kneels down on her level, “That was very nice of her. Have you been a good girl for Miss. Journey?”

“Uh huh,” she smiles, “I like hew, she’s my new fwiend but you still my fwiend.” She says wrapping her arms around Noah’s neck.

He smiles and picks her up, “I know Molly bug and you’ll always be my girl.”

“That’s wight.” She says adoringly with a smile.

“So what’s up?” I ask.

“I was just curious as to where you had run off to.”

“You see it.”

“Where’d you find Molly?”

“Downstairs.” What’
s with the twenty questions?

“In the
dawk woom with all the boxes.”

“The basement?” He looks at me surprised, “Why were you down there?”

“Fow that,” Molly points to the trunk, “and lots of books.”

He looks at it distastefully, “Why on Earth would you want that old thing?”

“It’s fascinating, why not?” I peak my brow.

“I must say I’m astonished you decided to go down there. That place gives me the creeps.”

“It is definitely creepy but there’s all sorts of interesting things down there.”

“Like?”

I’ve caught his interest. “Just things that people have left behind over the years. Mostly clothes, furniture, pictures, just old stuff you know.”

“Any i
dea where that came from?” He asks putting Molly down to get a closer look at my newest belonging.

“Not a clue but I really haven’t had time to check it out.” I say as he reaches to open it.  He snatches his hands back like it bit him and swiftly moves away.  “What’s wrong?” I ask as he stares at it with a mix of worry and anger.

“I can’t touch it.”

Molly giggles, “
Suwe you can.” She says reaching for it only to pull away just like Noah. “I don’t like it.” She pouts.

“Molly, sweetie, can you give Journey and I a moment alone?”

“But I like it hewe with hew.”

“I know but I need to talk to her about… grown up stuff that’s very important. You can go play with the other children now and visit Journey later, okay?”

She nods sadly, “Okay Noah. Bye Jouwney, I see you latew.”

“Bye sweetie.”

     “What are the books about?” Noah asks after he’s certain Molly is gone.

“I don’t know, why?”

He shrugs, “Why did you go down there?”

“You asked that already.”

“You never answered me.”

“I wanted answers and was told to start looking down there. Satisfied?”

“Not really. Who informed you of this?”

“Why does it matter?”

“It isn’t safe down there and I’m sure whoever sent you knew that.”