The Calling: A Paranormal Mystery Vol. I (8 page)

As the Hoskins family neared the front door of their home, their steps in unison, slowed, as they got closer.  Tom slid the key in the door and gingerly pushed it open.  He couldn’t believe what he saw.  He pushed Deanna back and said, “Hold on a minute.” 

“What?” said Deanna intensely.

Tom unconsciously began clenching his jaw.  Something was not right in the house.  He could hear water running and he could see pictures on the living room floor.

“Shit!” he exclaimed and shot through the door toward the sound of the running water.  He reached the kitchen in what seemed like just a few steps and turned the water off.  It had not overflowed anywhere, thank goodness! 

Deanna gasped as she came through the front door. She stopped cold three steps into her living room.  Glancing around in horror, she could see that their cherished wedding photos had been thrown into a pile in the middle of the floor.  She did not know whether to get angry or cry.  A combination of confused emotions swirled insider her.  Tom rounded the corner on his way to the downstairs bathroom to turn the water off.

“Deanna, will you go upstairs and see if the water is on in the bathroom?”

“Nope, I’m not going anywhere without you, nor am I going up there by myself,” she said emphatically.  Tom knew the look she was giving him was a mixture of fear and stubbornness and she could be stubborn! 

“I’ll go,” said Greg. He didn’t want to go upstairs by himself either but he wasn’t going to let on.  He took the stairs three at a time. In what seemed like one movement, he turned the water off in the sink and tub and was back at the railing making his way down the stairs.  Cleaning the red lipstick on the mirror with ’JOSHNOW’ written on it would have to wait.

The three stood in the living room looking dazed and confused. 

“What now?” asked Deanna.

“I probably should have said something earlier, but the girls from my triplex texted me last night saying they had some people coming to do a blessing on the apartments to see if they could get rid of the spirit.  They texted me again while we were at breakfast. They want me there so they can go through the whole place.”

“Under the circumstances, Greg, I think you should call them and let them know what is going on,” Tom said, even though he was having a hard time believing it himself.

Greg dialed Tina and stepped onto the front porch to talk.  The house did not feel very inviting.

“Can they come here and help us?” asked Deanna.  She began picking up the pictures off the floor and started hanging them back in place.  “This is ridiculous! I’m so freaked out!”

“I know,” said Tom. Just then, he felt someone or something softly touch his cheek.  

Deanna caught Tom out of the corner of her eye.   She saw the blood drain from his face.

“What’s wrong?”

Tom shook his head back and forth, as he turned to go out to the back patio.  “I need a minute to deal.”  He walked straight to a patio chair at the corner of the deck and sank down with a long sigh.  He pulled his wallet from his back pocket. Slowly he removed a yellowed and frayed newspaper clipping from a little secret pocket in his wallet. As he unfolded it, he felt the weight of 20 years of guilt settle on his shoulders.  The obituary was relatively long considering she was only 16.  There she was, Sunday Stewart, all of 16, dead of an overdose. 

“I’m sorry Sunny, I am so sorry!” he whispered. 

Deanna worked alone in the living room hanging her wedding pictures back into place. Suddenly, the room filled with the smell of Loves Baby Soft perfume.  All the hair on her arms stood straight up creating goose bumps at every follicle.  One of the wedding pictures sitting on the mantle propelled itself across the room almost hitting her in the head and landed on the floor. 

“That is it!” she shouted into the room and ran out the back door. “It’s in there again,” Deanna yelled to Tom. “The perfume is back and a wedding picture took a flying leap off the mantle all by itself and almost hit me in the head! What are we going to do?”

Tom wrapped his arms around his wife.  He loved her so much, how would he be able to tell her what he’d done? 

“Let’s see what Greg’s friends have to say,” Tom said as he folded up the newspaper clipping back into his wallet.

Tina yelled out, “ It’s Greg, he’s finally calling.”

Just in time
, Lizzy thought since they were just about done with the first two apartments. She felt it was important for them to bless the whole house as well pray for protection.  

Anna moved to Tina’s side so she could listen as Tina talked to Greg. There were a lot of ‘uh huhs’ and ‘what's going ons?’  Tina’s face was somber as she hung up with Greg. 

“He’s on his way.  You won’t believe what he just told me. Now Greg’s parent's house is haunted!  Everything that was going on here has been going on there since Greg arrived home. His parents are beside themselves and Greg is feeling so guilty he doesn’t know what to say or do.  He feels he took it over there.”

“He did,” said Lizzy, “but, he can’t blame himself.  I had never heard of a ghost hitchhiking around before this.  I did do a little research last night and I guess it isn’t all that uncommon. I am glad he will be here to finish this blessing.” 

“Greg wants to know if you would go to his parent’s house and maybe help them there?” Tina asked Karen.

“Lizzy, we can do that can’t we?” Karen asked. 

“Of course!  We’re here, we might as well finish this thing out,” said Lizzy.

Tom and Deanna sat on the back porch for a few minutes and then decided to brave the house.  They approached the living room and found all their wedding pictures were in a pile on the floor again. 

“Oh come on!” exclaimed Deanna in frustration.  “I just hung all this back up!” 

“I’ll help you,” Tom said picking up one of the pictures and setting it on the mantle.  He remembered his wedding day like it was yesterday.  He smiled despite the odd circumstances going on in his home.

“This was a great day, Deanna.” 

“Yes, it was,” she smiled back.  They moved toward each other and embraced. 

“It’s going to be ok,” said Tom.  “I do love you.  You know that, right?” he asked.

Deanna pushed back from his chest, looked up into his worried eyes and nodded.  Deanna noticed he was acting a little strange.  The whole morning was strange, of course, but she was just picking up on something else.

Tom received a text from Greg letting him know they would be coming back to the house to do a blessing.

“Let’s just wait to see what Greg has to say after they bless the apartment house.  We should get ready to meet these people who are helping out. Greg says they will come here next.”  Tom moved toward the coach.  The picture he just set on the mantle fell to the floor, again.  Tom dropped down on the couch and motioned for Deanna to come sit next to him.

“Just leave them on the floor for now.  I have a feeling this is going to keep happening until we are able to address the real issue.” 

“What the heck would that be?” asked Deanna.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see what these ‘ghost busters’ have to say,” he said.  He hoped the issue could be figured out without him having to make a big confession.  He knew in his heart that some things he had tried to bury were working their way into the light of day.  If he could keep them buried, he would.

Greg pulled into his parking spot at the triplex. Tina flew out the front door and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a big unexpected hug. 

“Are you ok?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Greg shot back.  “I didn’t get any sleep again last night.  You can’t believe everything that went on at my parent's house.  When I realized what had happened, that I had taken it there, I felt so bad!” 

“I know,” said Tina. “I felt the same way when I realized I was the one who brought it here.  I’m so sorry!” 

“It’s not your fault, obviously this thing, whatever it is, just latches on to people and takes a ride.  I’m so creeped out I don’t know if I’m coming or going!”  Greg said. 

“We’re almost done blessing the house.  Karen is like my second mother.  Lizzy, her friend, is a Minister and Janet is a psychic.” Tina was talking a hundred miles an hour now, “Janet, the psychic, said immediately something was missing and we didn’t know what she meant and then we realized it was you!” 

“Ok, ok, slow down there, you’re gonna hyperventilate!” Greg said patting Tina on the shoulder. 

Tina took a slow deep breath as they stepped into the foyer.  She hadn’t realized she was so wound up. Inside the foyer, the group was waiting for Greg and Tina. 

Greg walked through the door and Janet immediately said, “So you’re the missing one!  I see you dropped your baggage off before you came back here.” 

“What do you mean?” asked Greg feeling confused.

Janet looked at Lizzy and Karen, “She’s not with him.”

“Greg,” said Lizzy, “may we bless your apartment and then talk about your parent’s situation?”

“Sure,” he said, unlocking his apartment door and pushing his way inside. “Make yourself at home.” He motioned them all to go in.  They stepped into his kitchen.  There was no perfume smell and he felt nothing.  He hoped that was a good sign.  The entourage walked single file through each room with the blessings and prayers of protection, and then finished up in the foyer.

Lizzy blessed the foyer and they all moved onto the porch where Lizzy sprinkled salt in front of the main doors.  They prayed for a barrier of protection against anything negative.

“Greg, why did you leave last night?” asked Lizzy.

“I just completely lost my cool.  I came downstairs after talking to the girls and I got this overwhelming whiff of perfume.  My mother says its Loves Baby Soft.   It was at their house last night when we came home from dinner.  My Mom knew the name of the perfume.   I smelled it and felt like someone was standing right next to me in my apartment and I just bolted!” Greg looked down at his feet. “I feel ashamed that I left the girls here alone.  I wasn’t thinking.  I just knew I couldn’t stay here one more minute.”

Greg began relating the events of the past 24 hours.  They all listened, riveted by his story.

“Ok,” said Lizzy, “we are willing to help, but just so you know, we are amateurs.  We will do what we can but I can’t guarantee anything. ” 

“Greg,” asked Janet, “may I touch your hand?” 

“Sure.”

Janet placed her hand on Greg’s and took slow breaths.  “We need to go to your parent's house.  She is there.”

“How do we know it’s a ‘she’?” asked Greg.

“We’ve all felt it. That has been the impression we’ve all had so far,” said Anna. 

“Admittedly, I felt the same thing,” said Greg.  “Let’s get this show on the road then.  You can follow me to my parent’s house.”

Tina and Anna jumped in Greg’s car. The women gathered up their ‘blessing bags’ and hopped into Lizzy’s car and were off to the next adventure.

“Oh, wow,” commented Janet.  “I just had the most overwhelming feeling of sadness. Lizzy, I’m feeling some trepidation about this meeting.  I feel so sad and I’m not sure what to expect.”

“None of us knows what to expect at this point Janet,” said Lizzy. She wondered to herself,
What have I gotten us into?

Karen had not said much during the blessing.  Although she wanted to help Tina, she secretly wished she could bow out.  “This is a lot of drama.  I wish we could go home.” 

Janet leaned in from the front seat, “The drama isn’t over yet, sorry.  I feel there is more to come when we get to Greg’s parent’s house.  There is something more, something being hidden.  I just feel it.”

“I feel pretty convinced the spirit is Sunday Stewart. It all fits.  Mary told me it was a sad situation.  Sunday’s brother found her when he got home from school. The family left the house and moved back east shortly after Sunday’s death.  It tore the family up, which is understandable.” Lizzy said. She couldn’t imagine finding her sibling dead nor could she imagine how a parent lived through such a terrible loss. 

“I feel like it was an accident,” said Janet.

“What do you mean?” asked Karen. “I thought she left a note.  I thought she killed herself?” 

“She didn’t mean to die.  She didn’t think she would actually die,” Janet responded.

“Let’s see what you pick up when we get there.  All of us need to be on ‘psychic alert’,” said Lizzy.

Karen squirmed in her seat. “My gut hurts, is that alert enough for you? Let’s not do this.”

Lizzy felt nervous as well but knew they couldn’t turn back now, “We HAVE to finish this.  I really feel we have to help them, especially since it kind of originated at your house.”

“I know. I know,” Karen said totally exasperated. “I just don’t know how this could be happening to me, us…it’s surreal. For the record, it did not originate at my house.  It originated from Justin Blake’s house.” She did not want to participate further. She wanted out of this drama and the sooner the better.

“Looks like we’re here,” Lizzy said as they slowed to a stop behind Greg. 

Greg’s parent’s house was a cozy-looking Craftsman built in the mid 40’s.  It was painted a brownish grey with grey-blue trim.  It had a cottage feel.   The front yard was adorned with a quaint flower garden.  Greg led the way as Tina and Anna followed close behind.  Lizzy, Karen and Janet grabbed their bags and walked toward the house.  Deanna stood in the doorway as the entourage approached.

“Welcome,” Deanna said with a half-smile trying to act relaxed. She led everyone into the living room. Right away, Lizzy noticed a thick feeling in the air.  Janet reached out and touched her arm as they gathered in the coffered ceiling living room. The home was quite beautiful. In the middle of the floor was a pile of wedding  and family pictures.

“Please sit down,” Deana motioned to the couch and love seat.  I will go get Tom.”

The distinct odor of Loves Baby Soft spun through the air.   Lizzy, Janet and Karen all looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

“I haven’t smelled that since high school!” exclaimed Karen.

“I know,” Lizzie said, “I used to wear that!”  It was funny how that smell brought back a hundred memories of her own teen years. 
Oh, the angst and all the intense feelings
, Lizzy remembered.  “I’m glad those days are behind me.” Karen and Janet agreed. 

“The pictures were like this when we got home from breakfast this morning,” Greg pointed out. 

Tom and Deanna entered the room.  Tom, a tall attractive man in his mid-forties was just beginning to show speckles of grey in his thick dark hair.  He had a strong athletic build.  Greg was fortunate to inherit much of his father’s DNA.  Tom, however, did look noticeably drained.  Lizzy could feel that his energy was very low.  She supposed it stood to reason after having a night of spirit antics keeping them all from sleeping.

“Hello, I’m Tom Hoskins,” he thrust his large hand out and enveloped each woman’s hand as he gently shook each one.  When he got to Janet, she took his hand with both of her hands and held it. She looked deep into his eyes and perceived a secret. 

How am I supposed to deal with this?
she thought, almost out loud. Janet got a strong sense of a young girl’s energy attached to his aura.  Tom finally gently pulled his hand away.  They all sat down. Everyone introduced themselves one by one. 

“Janet is an Intuitive, a Psychic,” Lizzy explained.  “We want you to know that we’re here to help in any way we can, however, we also need you to know we are new at this.  This is literally my, well my third ‘case’.  I must say, my first case was in Karen’s house. I was quite proud of myself thinking I had blessed and cleared the house of this spirit. Of course, I realized the blessing I did had no effect on the spirit because this spirit has been attaching herself to people and moving around. I don’t believe she has actually been in any of the locations we’ve blessed so far.”

“She’s here now!” Janet blurted out loudly. “She is next to Tom.” Tom felt self-conscious.  He looked around but saw nothing. What he felt, however, was something else.

“So, my point is,” continued Lizzy, “we will bless the house but we don’t guarantee anything.”

“You know more than we do at this point,” said Tom, “so I feel comfortable in your hands as long as Deanna is in agreement.”

“Of course I’m in agreement,” Deanna shot back.

“Let’s begin then,” said Lizzy. “We have all felt that this spirit is a teenage girl.  After doing some research I believe her name is Sunday Stewart.  She died in the mid 90’s of a suicide.”

Tom noticeably squirmed in his chair and seemed to avoid eye contact with Lizzy.

Janet spoke up, “Before we go any further I need to say something to Tom. This is the first time I’ve utilized my gift in this way. I never know exactly what or how I will receive information. I feel you are very guarded.  I am not sure I should proceed with the information I am getting.”

Tom looked down at his hands and fiddled with a piece of string he had found on his shirt. “It’s all right,” Tom said barely audibly, “It’s time. Go ahead with what you need to say.  It is important that we get this taken care of and that my family doesn’t suffer further due to my mistake.”

“Your mistake?” asked Deanna. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I will tell you all everything I know, but let’s first have Janet tell us what she has picked up.” Tom said. He was felt a bit of relief knowing the truth was finally coming out. 
I hope Deanna and Greg don’t hate me when everything is on the table.  What if this blessing doesn’t work and my family is tormented forever because of my cowardly decisions?
He started to to panic as these thoughts raced through his mind.

Janet asked everyone to change seats so she could sit next to Tom on the coach.  She gently took his hands and began calming herself.  It was like water flowing through a pipe as she began, “This girl, I see her as a petite blond with blue eyes and a broad smile.”

Tom nodded. 

What is this? Why is he nodding his head? Did he know this girl?
Deanna’s mind reeled.

Janet continued, “She is telling me it was an accident.  She didn’t mean to kill herself, although she was very angry and hurt and wanted to get your attention.”

Tom’s head hung and a tear rolled down his cheek.

Deanna stood up, her blood boiling, “Tom! What is this?  You knew this girl?”

Tom looked up at Deanna and quietly said, “Deanna, please sit down.  Let Janet finish. I will explain everything I know, I promise.”

Deanna couldn’t remember the last time she had witnessed her husband crying.  He seemed earnest so she sat down to listen.

Janet felt the soft tingle run up her arms. Goose bumps began to appear.  She knew what she was feeling was right on, “So, she is telling me that you broke her heart.” 

Tom nodded, “I was a coward.  I am so sorry I didn’t tell you in person.  I’m sorry.  I’ve been sorry for 20 years.”

“She is showing me a picture of a boy finding her, her brother,” Janet was quiet. A long minute passed as she processed the information that was coming to her.  “Sunday sat for a long time with him after she died.  He was devastated and blamed himself for her death.  He believes that if he had come home earlier from school he could have saved her.”

Sunday was using all the energy she had to project the information to Janet. She began screaming, “Not true! Not true! He could not have saved me.” Sunday had to find a way to reach her brother.  If this didn’t work, she didn’t know what she would do.

Janet continued, “She says, ‘Not true.’ She had been gone for a while before he discovered her.  She was very confused.  She didn’t realize she was dead at first.  She knew something had happened but it wasn’t clear to her at the time.  Then, she says, her family was gone and she didn’t know how to find them.  She rambled around in the house, angry and confused.”

Tom stood up, “What can I do? I’m so sorry!”

“She says you’re still kind of an asshole!”  Janet didn’t usually curse, especially in front of a group. “Sorry, this is what I’m getting,” she said.  “This is not actually entirely about you Tom, it’s more about her brother, her family. She has a message for her brother and she wants you to deliver that message.”

“Are you kidding me?” Tom yelled, “Josh hates me!”

“She says that he will listen to you and she doesn’t know how to find him.”

If Sunday could jump up and down, she would.  “You owe me Tom! You owe me!” she yelled into Janet’s mind.