Trapped (24 page)

“
Elizabeth has found ways to visit me but you and your other sister have remained a mystery to me. Do you know why?”
I asked her, ignoring Abigail.

“Did you know w
e were af
raid of you?
We lived
in that house for a long time
before you arrived
. It
is where we died, all three of
us
and our parents
. I didn’t think we would ever leave it
again
, but as soon as you moved everything changed for us. Mary experienced the first transformation. She felt the release
immediately
and went
to meet our parents
.
Elizabeth experienced a different kind of release, she enjoyed
a new
freedom. She began
to roam be
tween the realms
, like the one you’re in now. I really wished I could have left with Mary, but unfortunately that didn’t happen, so I began following Elizabeth as much as I could, but since I couldn’t leave this realm I suffered fr
om loneliness a lot. I sunk into despair, worse than when we lived in your closet and losing my parents. That’s when I became sickly looking,” she said as she looked down at herself.

“
Elizabeth checked
in
on me but she enjoyed her freedom
to
o
much to stay
with me. That’s when Abigail
took me in. I joined her and h
er group of spirits that roam
the city,”
she glanced to Abigail the
n back to me
. I noticed a
smirk cross Abigail’s face.

“Are you done now Amy? Mommy is getting bored. I promised you just
a few minutes
,
she’s all mine
now
,” she shrieked as she flew
at me. I felt her cold
fingers sink into my skin. I am
not going to go
without a fight this time. I am
not going to run. I felt her fingers warm as she tried to ti
ghten her grip on me. I understood
than
that so many of the ghosts I met thru the years
were like Elizabeth, they could travel between both worlds. Amy just didn’t realize that she could escape or she
really
didn’t want too. In this world, this realm, they ha
ve
no
physical
power over me. I looked into Abigail’s eyes and saw her despair as she came to the same conclusion. She tried to hold me tighter but
her hands just went through me.

“It’s over Abby.
I am not your
link back to
life.
I am not your
hope
for more
.
It’s
all
over now.
It’s time you went home,” I told her
as calmly as I could.
I felt my Kris
appear
in my hand as soon as I said these words. I sunk it
into her and watched her vanish the same way my father did when
I sent him on his way.
Ending their afterlife is
different in this realm.
I didn’t need any fancy transportation vehicles. I didn’t need to collect their light.
I could
just watch them fly away. It’s
nicer this way. Amy walked over to me and wrapp
ed her little hand around mine.

“Do you want to go see your parents now Amy?” I asked. I wanted her to have
the
choice. She nodded looking up at me, smiling. I held her close as I again lifted my
Kris
and sunk it in
to her little ribs. I heard
her whisper ‘thank-you’ as
she vanished into the blue sky.

“Blue sky?” I questioned my vision as I looked up
through the trees.
I could tell the sun would be setting soon. I had to get out of here, wherever here happened to be. A
grey haze
began to blur
my vi
sion
as I began to run
. I
could smell the ocean. I sighed as I realized that I hadn’t actually woken up, or left th
is realm, it must have been Abigail,
playing tricks on me. She must have known Elizabeth tried to send me back and she intervened somehow.
I must be back at
the beach house
again
. The tree branches bent
over the path creating what appeared to be a
dark hallway for me to follow
. At
the
end a
bright
light beckoned me
. Shadows
were beginning
to emerge on both s
ides
of the trail
. I wanted to believe I’m
alone
now
. I quickened
my
pace, still not knowing if I went
in the right direction, or what would be waiting
f
or me at the end.

I picked up a long stick and
glanced
behind
me
as I kept moving. I thought I saw some
leaves fall from a tree.
A shiver ran down my back
, my skin crawled, my bones ached. I had to find Hayden again. I placed my hood over my head and continued
to run
. I
remind
ed myself that I am strong, in this realm and the one I belong in
. I have
a
light
within me
that protects and guides me
.

I watched as the creatures of the night began to crawl out of their
daytime hovels. The darkness came at me quickly, winding
its way
down the path
toward me
as I ran to greet it
. Where am I running to
? Why am I here?
I tried to hold back my panic as
I ra
n
faster
, facing my fear instead of running from it.

A clearing must be up ahead because
a
diff
erent shade of dar
kness
seemed
to
be lining
the path
. The l
ight from the moon
began to show itself through the
thinning trees
as I
near
ed
the opening
. I ran as f
ast as I could.
W
ho
ever followed me was keeping
up
just fine.
I
broke through the entrapment of the trees and flung myself into
the wide open space
that now lay
before me
.

The moon hung over the water like a sp
otlight searching for a missing
swimmer. ‘I’m here!’ I felt lik
e sho
uting but I knew no one looked
for me
here. I am
on my own
again
. I had to find my own way back
this back
.

It felt so strange being back with Hayden, I should have known it wasn’t real. I should have trusted my instincts.
Hayden’s place is protected from
spirits. The fact that I heard them there
should have been a huge red flag.
Relief
finally washed over me as I saw my beautiful beach house in the distance. A light shone from the
kitchen
window
. Could Hayden be there waiting for me? I shook my h
ead and sighed. I wouldn’t allow
myself false hopes now. I approached the back porch cautiously. I had no idea who or what may be inside waiting for me. As silently as I could I walked up
the steps and opened the door.

It appeared just as I
left it. My beautiful red pi
llows on my white couch lay
recently fluffed. My slippers w
ere on the floor and a cup of te
a steamed beside the book I had been
reading.

A crystal v
ase filled wi
th yellow roses has
been
placed on the table
by someone
else
. A small white card lay beside it. I looked around as I walked towards the table. There wasn’t a hint
of a spirit in here. The air felt
calm and cool. I picked up the card and instantly recognized the hand writing.

My Dearest Natalie

I wish you were far away from here

It is not your time to be here

It was only a dream that went too far

A
ll you have to do is wake up

Wi
th love forever

Mommy

“Mother!” I shouted. I wanted her here. I choked on my tears. I read the card again. Why did she say it isn’t my time to be here? This is my beach hous
e. I have every right to be here
. I plucked a rose from the vase and carried it to the couch. I sat down and read the card again. ‘It was only a dream
that went too far
. All I have to
do is wake up.’ If only it’s that easy. The sound of the waves
crashing against the shore
made my head throb
.
The clouds opened and the
rain
poured down
.

I
ran to the door and
locke
d it
.
I closed all the windows. I walked back into the kitchen and
searche
d the fridge for food, but every
thing I touched has
gone
bad. As I t
ook a sip of tea I heard a knock
on the front door. I
carefully
placed the cup down
, trying not to shake too much. I walked to the door and
looked through
the peep hole. Nothing, no one
appeared.

“Hi Natalie!
” I jumped around.
How can
anyone sneak in on me?
I had a heightened sense of awareness
didn’t I? A
t least that’s what Clive had me
believe
once
. Maybe it
didn’t work here.

“Who is here? Why don’t you just show yourself
and quit sneaking around?” I felt
violated.

Elizabeth appeared before me
again. I should have known. She wasn’t in
her old woman form, but
appeared before me
as a youn
g
woman. Her long blond hair hung
off to the side, revealing
her
beautiful diamond earrings. As a child she looked poor to me, skinny and sick
, she would never have worn diamonds
.
I wo
ndered how she managed to
change her form
so easily
. I have never seen another spirit capable of doing this. They usually never change from the day they
die. Well, t
hat’s not exactly true, I thought,
they usually look
like a perfected v
ersion of their
once
li
ving body
, as it had been
on the day they died, but never to the extreme like Elizabeth
has
managed.

“Do you know where you are Natalie?” she asked quickly.

“In
my beach house,
” I replied just as quickly.

“No
you are not
Natalie. It may
appear to be but it isn’t. Do
you remember all the pla
ces you
have traveled
since you and Beth escaped the school? The moment you tried to escape Beth put a curse on you. Why didn’t you remember to heed my warning?
I told you people are not who
they appear to be. Do you remember that? When you were in the hospital
I told you this!
” She seemed so disappointed in me.

“That was so long ago. I hav
e been through so much since the
n. I thought at first you were talking about Hayden or maybe
even
Adam, but that would have been too late. I’m sorry Elizabeth. I didn’t think Beth
would
hurt me. She seemed so a
lone
when I met her. I thought we
were
friend
s
. We talked
and laughed. I
really
do
n’t understand why s
he would
hurt me?
” I asked more to myself than Elizabeth.