A Crossing of Portals

Dive into “A Crossing of Portals,” the first installment of the “Between Worlds” series, where ancient rituals, supernatural entities, and timeless battles intertwine. Follow Jenna, a modern-day heroine who discovers her ability to see ghosts and traverse mystical portals, as she embarks on a perilous journey through time and otherworldly realms. From the historic fires of Watertown to the eerie caves beneath, from the mystical lands of Zalonia to the desolate ruins of Ruinoneo, Jenna and her friends confront demons, face ethereal challenges, and uncover secrets that could alter the balance of the worlds. Will Jenna’s newfound powers and allies be enough to safeguard the future and unravel the mysteries of the past? Embark on a journey where the boundaries of time and reality blur, and every portal leads to another layer of intrigue.

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A Crossing Of Portals - Between Worlds Series Book 1

Introduction

 

1520 A. D.

Osha felt the deathly wind hit her face as she gazed up at the Beaver Moon. It had grown dark, and she met with some members of her Haudenosaunee tribe. They called themselves “The Keepers of the Faith” and were often given the duty of certain religious rights. Osha was exceptionally talented at banishing evil spirits, as she was part of the False Face Society.

The False Face Society was a healing group that used masks to scare away evil spirits. They made masks in the image of Hado’ih, the grandfather spirit. Osha had prepared a painted red and black mask with a twisted nose and deep-set eyes. Tied patches of tobacco were used for the hair.

Tonight, they intended to banish evil from the land. The evil resulted from Tawiscara creating a stone bridge where sinister beings could enter the world. While the bridge fell to ruin, some of the demons still made their way across and caused havoc among the tribes. The spirit was a spirit of greed that caused the tribe members to fight amongst themselves.

People gathered around, and Osha told the story of the ritual:

“The creator God, Shonkwaia’tison, had just finished creating the earth when a stranger approached him. Shonkwaia’tison asked the stranger who he was, and the stranger said he was the Creator. Shonkwaia’tison told the stranger that he was wrong because it was he who created the lands. The two quarreled back and forth and eventually decided to have a contest. Shonkwaia’tison pointed to a mountain and said, ‘Whoever can move this mountain the furthest is the true Creator.’ However, the stranger decided to add another rule: they had to face their backs toward the mountain, and when one had finished their turn, they would look back and see how far the mountain had moved.

“They decided that the stranger go first. He went, and when they turned back around, he saw that he had been able to move the mountain a little bit. It was Shonkwaia’tison’s turn, and they again turned their backs to the mountain. The stranger turned around too early because he heard a noise behind him. When he turned around, he hit his face against the mountain and hurt his nose, damaging half of his face. Shonkwaia’tison was announced as the winner.

“However, Shonkwaia’tison knew that the stranger contained a degree of power because he was able to move the mountain just a bit. At first, Shonkwaia’tison wanted to remove the stranger from the land because he didn’t want the stranger interfering with the people he intended to create. However, the stranger offered to help. He offered to protect the people’s crops from the winds.”

Osha gave a moment of silence so her audience could reflect on what she had said. She continued, “However, this night’s ritual has a different purpose. The stranger, whose name was Hado’ih, also offered to heal sicknesses if we were to wear a mask in his image.

“Tonight, we will banish the evil spirit of greed that has come upon this land.”

Rattles started to shake, and the tribe burned tobacco as they performed the ritual. The people chanted. Osha felt relieved when they drove the spirit from the area. However, she had a dream the night before that she would need to finish the ritual herself and go down to the caves below.

She made her way from the crowd, carrying a torch in the darkness. The moon helped light her path, but she would need the torch for the caves. Osha loved to be out in nature with the smell of plants surrounding her. She walked down toward the river to find the entrance to the caves. The water flowed, roughly splashing against her. She had to hold her torch high so the water wouldn’t extinguish it. If it weren’t for her torch, the darkness of the caves would have engulfed her.

She entered and knew from her dream the route she would need to take to finalize the ritual. The caves smelled of mildew.

She came upon a man who was bound in chains. He looked up at her pleadingly.

Osha spoke to the man, “Dark face of greed, your time has come. I banish you from this land.”

The man laughed at her, “Yes, you have defeated me. I’m not done with this land. I will return within five hundred years, bringing even more destructive spirits with me.”

“You cannot enter back into the land unless if one….”

“Unless one performs a ritual out of greed in this very place,” he finished her sentence and let out another laugh.

Osha looked at him in horror. “How can that be possible? No one comes down here. Even if someone did, they would have to perform the ritual.”

“Osha, you think too highly of mere mortals. Evil eats at the heart of humankind, and they will be drawn in by their greed. I will answer them.” With that, the man disappeared.

It wasn’t long after when Osha’s tribe and other tribes abandoned the area. It would be 280 years before pioneers from New Hampshire would come to explore the area, now known as Watertown, New York.

May 13th, 1849

The angel Rizoel stood at the entrance of Orville Hungerford’s store in Watertown, New York, as she watched the flames in the village light up the sky. The fire had started at the horse barn behind the Wheeler House on Arsenal Street. People were frantically running around, trying to escape, while firefighters attempted to fight it. It was a losing battle for the firefighters, as their only water source came from a cistern on the Mall of Watertown. The Mall was where all the city’s businesses were being set up at the time, known today as Public Square.

Fires were arching over the streets as Rizoel continued her hunt. Undoubtedly, an evil presence brought about these fires, and she was determined to find the source. She began walking through the streets but was untouched by the flames. The flames were at their worst on Court Street.

The fire chief was on horseback, racing up and down the street shouting orders, yet the firefighters were making no headway.

Suddenly Rizoel saw a shadowy figure emerging from one of the burning buildings, and she quickly transported herself to see what it was. As she appeared before the creature, it looked back at her with trembling chin and lips.

The figure was a demon who carried a pan full of flaming red coals. His large eyes and ears gave him away as Ukobach. Rizoel could tell that the monster wasn’t willing to fight her. She spoke, “You come with me now, and I will go easy on you.”

“As you command!” he replied while looking out the window, finding pride in the disaster he had created.

Rizoel lifted her hands, and they both vanished from the place and reappeared in a beautiful meadow. There were no buildings or anything else in sight. The only thing that they could hear was the sound of crickets chirping.

“You have created enough mischief in this town. You started two fires in 1833 and then again last year. I will create a vortex and send you to another dimension, where you can make your mischief without harming innocent people,” Rizoel said with a crooked smile.

Ukoback seemed relieved as he entered through the portal. Rizoel instantly sealed it and returned to the skies.

For years, the vortex seemed to remain sealed. People started coming to the area and made this place into a park. At first, the park was called the City Park, but in 1924 it was renamed Thompson Park. The park flourished, with a wading pool and playground, which people often visited in the summer.

Everything changed when the vortex became unsealed—

*          *          *

Watertown is a relatively small city situated in Northern New York with a population of approximately thirty thousand. It was founded around 1800 and appeared to be a prosperous area. One of the things that drew the early settlers was the powerfully flowing Black River, a fast-paced river that runs through the city that drops approximately one hundred and twelve feet from one end of the city’s border to the other.

The courageous men who discovered Watertown had to overcome dangerous obstacles, including rough terrain. As the city developed, the Black River became a valuable energy source during the 1800s, making the Watertown area one of the wealthiest areas in the United States. Some even referred to it as “The Ideal American City.”

It was also said that the river had caused a network of underground caverns to form. Watertown and nearby towns were built upon a giant sheet of limestone. Limestone is a soft rock that will sometimes react to carbon dioxide, which is found in water. This reaction will form carbonic acid that can dissolve through limestone, which was how the caves were made. Rumor has it that stalagmites, stalactites, and running streams are in the underground caverns.

The public square, which was initially uneven by about fifteen feet, was built into one of the most beautiful public squares and still runs busy today.  It was opened in 1805 and called “The Mall” at the time. The park at the center of the square was established in 1853, with a fountain in the middle.  Since cattle roamed the court in the early days, a fence was put around the two ovals at each end of the square park, and they remained until 1906. Many celebrations have taken place on Watertown’s Public Square and continue to this day.

Businesses such as mills, hotels, factories, and cotton manufacturing quickly emerged in the early nineteenth century. Even after the devastating fire of 1849, Watertown prospered, building more and more businesses.

The first dam was built in 1802, and the first paper mill was made in 1808, where paper is still made today. The American Eagle was the name of Watertown’s first paper which began in 1809. However, in 1861 the Watertown Daily Times was founded and has been the dominant newspaper since. In 1851, a state railroad was built into Watertown, strengthening the village’s prosperity.

Watertown was designated Jefferson County seat in 1805, attracting attorneys and other businesses to establish themselves within the community. On April 5th, 1816, a charter was granted, allowing five trustees to be elected. Several years later, Watertown became a city officially on May 8th, 1868.

Some refer to Watertown as “The Garland City” due to the decorative bunting in the American flag’s colors. These used to be placed on several buildings near the Public Square. Watertown was recognized as the first city in the United States to make a portable steam engine.

Frank Winfield Woolworth was the grandfather of the Five and Dime stores. In 1878 he borrowed money from his former employer, William Moore, to start a Five and Dime shop in the city of Utica. This attempt failed, but he was determined to continue his idea, so he started another store called “Woolworth’s Great Five Cent Store” in Lanchester, Pennsylvania. It is believed that many major retail stores today, such as Walmart and Kmart, were initially influenced by Frank Winfield Woolworth, who originally birthed his idea in Watertown.

While this book tells of the evil presented in Watertown, there are still a lot of positives. In 1929 the town was awarded the cleanest city in New York State. Again, that same year, it was awarded the city with the best fire prevention in the nation. By 1941, the National Safety Congress awarded Watertown the safest city in the country.

Located in Watertown is the United States’ longest continual operating covered mall called the Paddock Arcade, which was built in 1850 by Loveland Paddock. Then there’s the Watertown Fairgrounds, which holds the longest continually running fair in America, the Jefferson County Fair. The Watertown Red and Black football team is the longest-running semi-professional football team in the nation.

In the 1960s came the “urban renewal,” which saw many buildings and historical architecture come to an end. Much of it was torn to the ground. The urban renewal intended to help the lower class; however, that is not exactly what happened. Because buildings were being demolished, many businesses had to move out, and some ended up closing.

Today, Watertown is also known for its nearby army base called Fort Drum, which gives businesses in the town a boost in their economy.  Originally called “Pine Camp,” Fort Drum is the home of the 10th Mountain division. What makes the 10th Mountain division unique is that it is the only division of its size to have specialized training in arctic and mountain terrains.

Abandoned warehouses and factories can be spotted throughout the city, echoing the once-prosperous industrial area of the past. Many businesses and stores moved to the western part of the city on Arsenal and Coffeen Streets. However, Public Square can still boast of successful companies such as the Crystal Restaurant, which has been there since 1925 and is the oldest restaurant still open in the city.

The evil that was bound in the caves became lost and forgotten. However, evil decided to reenter the area at the turn of the millennium. It started in the nearby village of Carthage, where a mysterious ferryman appeared on the scene, coinciding with unexpected disappearances. What became of the ferryman is unknown, other than he had a long history of running ferry services along with people disappearing. The most recent one he ran in Carthage was called “The Mephistis Pheles Ferry Service,” which has been chronicled.

It was almost two decades later when evil hit the heart of Watertown. Does this have anything to do with the Carthage ferryman? Does it have to do with the evil bound beneath the city? Or could it be both? Either way, darkness came over Watertown with a vengeance.

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Modern Times

Simon was held back to the wall by a powerful, invisible force. It felt like invisible ropes were holding his arms down, and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t budge. He tried to talk, but nothing came out.

The only light he could see was that of the flashlight he had dropped just before being pushed against the wall. The cave ranked of dampness and mildew: old beer cans and mud lay at his feet.

He wondered where his friends were—if they were still in the same cavern as him. He assumed they were probably in the same predicament as he was. He wished he could go back in time and undo the ritual he and his friends had performed. The ceremony was driven by greed and a longing for power. Simon and his friends were sick of struggling financially and never getting anywhere.

Simon hated his job working as a cashier at a gas station. It wasn’t the worst job in the world, but he felt stuck. The furthest he could move up to was a management position; however, it seemed that the managers always stuck around, and a job never opened.

While never really believing in the supernatural, Simon let his friends convince him to do the ritual. He had always wanted to explore the caves beneath Watertown since he had heard about them a few years prior. He had visited other caverns with tourist guides but had never explored caves on his own. His friends shared the same interest, and Todd, who loved exploring the supernatural and dark magic, had devised a ritual and magical spell they could do in the caves. Simon had no choice but to believe that a power outside himself was holding him back.

Besides financial problems, life had been good. He had just spent the prior evening out with his girlfriend, Jenna, watching the sunset on a small island in Alexandria Bay. The image ran through his head as he thought back to that moment.

He had been seeing Jenna for over two years and fell in love with her. He was confident that he wanted to marry her, so he took her to her favorite spot in Alexandria Bay. It was a tiny island attached by a small bridge to the mainland. First, they grabbed a bite to eat at a local restaurant that gave them a good view of the St. Lawrence River. It was romantic to look out at the islands and boats that passed by. They then walked up, crossed the small green bridge, and went out onto the island.

Jenna gave him a squinted eye and observed, “You seem nervous.”

It was true; he was very nervous. However, he didn’t want her to know about the surprise. He had planned to propose to her. He was anxious that she would turn him down. He had paid a pretty penny for the ring, but she might not be ready for this. “Everything is fine,” he replied while trying his hardest to keep his voice from shaking. Jenna looked as beautiful as ever. Her long, wavy, light brown hair flowed in the wind as the sun fell below the horizon. Her brown eyes looked into his as if she was trying to read them. Her Chilean descent only emphasized the pulchritude of her appearance. He had to turn away before he accidentally revealed his deep unease.

The time had come, and his adrenaline was getting the best of him. He was amazed a woman like Jenna would even give him a second glance. Not only was she beautiful in her physical appearance, but she was both fun and understanding. She stood by Simon in his darkest moments without flinching. Simon never was able to share his deepest secrets with anyone before Jenna came along. His dad always taught him that men shouldn’t express emotions, as it was a sign of weakness. Jenna helped him realize this wasn’t true and taught him how to share his feelings. Not only were they a couple, but they were also best friends.

She stood up, and he bent down on one knee and gently pulled her hand into his. Jenna’s breath caught in her throat as she looked down at him, her eyes wide and lips tight. He put the ring on her finger and asked, “Will you marry me?”

She continued to gaze down at him, and everything seemed momentarily still. He could feel his hand tremble as he held onto her hand tighter than he intended.

“Oh my gosh! Yes!” she said at last.

Excitement and joy coursed through his body. He felt like he was the happiest and luckiest man alive. He stood up, and for a long moment, they held each other. Jenna cried as she put her face in his chest. Simon felt like crying but was accustomed to holding back his tears.

Hand and hand, they walked to the car together and headed back to Watertown.

That had been the best day of his life. Now he was stuck in the caves, held up to the wall by some unseen magical force. He felt regret churn in his stomach as he thought about the good things in life. Perhaps it wasn’t such a terrible thing to struggle financially. At least he had met the girl of his dreams before visiting the caves. Images of her flashed before him as he feared he would never see her again. All his hopes and dreams were being crushed.

The force holding him against the wall would surely kill him. He was angry with himself for letting Todd talk him into doing the spell. Todd wasn’t one to give up easily, and Simon had figured that the supernatural wasn’t real anyway. Despite Simon’s objections, Todd was forceful and wouldn’t let up on doing the spell.

With all his strength, Simon continued to fight against whatever was holding him down. However, it was no use. He felt like he was pinned beneath a tree.

A hooded figure in brown entered the room with their hand drawn out. They seemed to be using some invisible power to hold Simon against the wall. It was too dark to see who was behind the hood. The figure moved over to the stone that Simon and his friends were using for an altar and chanted:

“I conjure thee, O Ancestor of Gods

I summon thee, Creature of Darkness, by the Works of Darkness!

I summon thee, Creature of Hatred, by the Works of Hatred!

I summon thee, Creature of the Wastes, by the Rites of Waste!

I summon thee, Creature of Pain, by the Words of Pain!”

The altar burst into flames that reached the ceiling of the cavern.  Simon saw another figure emerge from the fire. The figure had a pale face, and his clothes didn’t catch fire. His broad-brimmed hat hid his upper face except his eyes, which flared red like burning coals. Fear gripped Simon as he gazed upon this figure dressed in black as he had never felt before. He attempted one last struggle against the invisible bonds that held him before darkness took over. That was when the nightmares began.

 

 

Chapter 2

 

Two weeks later

The smell of the cool spring night filled Jenna’s nostrils as she, Simon, and four of her friends walked up Franklin Street, heading toward Thompson Park. The moon and stars shone brightly in the midnight sky, giving almost as much light as the streetlights. Jenna felt a degree of uncertainty when entering the park after it closed at dusk. The police sometimes scouted the area after dark to make sure there were no problems and would ask anyone to leave that was there after hours.

Her best friend, Sierra, was even more nervous. She was an employee at the Thompson Park Zoo and did not want to risk being caught and losing her job. Jenna and Sierra had been friends since the second grade, and they knew each other as well as they knew themselves. Sierra usually loved to explore the supernatural, but even more than that, Sierra loved her job. She adored animals. Jenna could tell Sierra was annoyed with her for having talked her into this.

Jenna’s friend, Sean, also tagged along and constantly mocked them for why they were going. They were there to visit a vortex rumored to be up in Thompson Park near the golf course. Sean believed it was a bunch of nonsense and had no problem expressing his opinion.  Jenna was unsure if he came along to hang out or because he enjoyed making fun of everyone.

At the age of twenty-seven, Sean was known by the ladies as being tall, dark, and handsome. His dark brown hair was parted on the sides, accentuating his penetrating brown eyes.  He was a hotshot divorce attorney who could swim with the best of sharks. Jenna could see his caring heart underneath the tough exterior he built around himself.

The idea, of course, was Lance’s. When he mentioned it, Jenna’s other friend, Hillary, perked up at the suggestion, and between the two of them, they pushed the rest into going. Lance was always interested in the paranormal, so it didn’t surprise Jenna that he would persist in going to the vortex.  Sometimes, to Jenna’s annoyance, Lance was an over-determined person, always persistent in doing something once his mind was set.

There had been other occasions when Lance had persisted on something that Jenna didn’t want to do and ended up getting his way. One time he pushed Jenna to have a get-together at her apartment when all she wanted was a peaceful night and some time to herself. Lance got his way, and even though Jenna was expecting four or five people, over ten people showed up, and the party got a bit out of control. The noise apparently bothered the neighbors, who gave Jenna dirty looks for the next several days.

Of course, Jenna was sticking up for Sierra this time, but Lance had insisted that they go at nighttime. Sierra would have been more willing to go during the day.

Lance was a strange man and the group’s elder at age thirty. He liked his drugs and alcohol and was rarely seen sober. His outlandish dirty blonde hair, along with his unkempt goatee, seemed to sprout in every direction. His drug of choice was marijuana, and he liked to dress hippie style in his tie-dyed t-shirts. Jenna wished the guy would get off alcohol and the harder drugs and get his life on track.

Jenna had heard things from others about the vortex, but she did not really believe them. Although she loved learning about spiritual things, she was skeptical about things like this, especially when she had only heard them through word-of-mouth. She would rather be out with her friends at Mo’s Place, a local all-night diner, or at home hanging out. Some people told her that people had their watches stopped and cellphones turned off while entering the portal. Another rumor was that when a person entered the portal, they would suddenly find themselves on the other side of the park. Other rumors circulated that it was a time warp, and one would find that several minutes had passed in what seemed like a few seconds.

Her boyfriend, Simon, didn’t seem to care whether they went and was unusually quiet.  He wore his light brown hair with a little length where his bangs would get in his eyes. Jenna thought that he looked like he could play in a grunge rock band with his blue flannel and Alice in Chains T-shirt. He was half a foot taller than her and well built. Jenna had known him since she was sixteen when he moved to the area. Before they started dating, he had been her best male friend for a while. While he got along with most of her friends, he did not like Sean, and the tension was a little much for Jenna.  Sean would make fun of him for being shy and quiet, while Simon was annoyed with Sean’s overly confident attitude.

Simon and Sean got into a fistfight when they were younger, and Jenna had to break it up before they seriously hurt each other. She often tried to make peace between them, but it seemed impossible. Sean constantly flirted with Jenna to intentionally upset Simon, but Jenna ignored it.

Other than that, Jenna and Simon had a strong relationship. They were both hopeless romantics and loved to go on scenic drives heading up to the small town of Alexandria Bay to watch the sunset over the St. Lawrence River. Their friends seemed to envy their relationship and would often say so.

It had only been two weeks since Simon had proposed. He had taken Jenna by surprise while watching the sunset in Alex Bay. She had been hoping he would propose, but he never really talked about getting married. They planned on having their wedding the following year at Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands. It’s a castle situated on Heart Island and built from 1900-1904 but was left incomplete. It had been reconstructed as a tourist attraction. Jenna imagined a romantic wedding out near the water. She couldn’t wait to pick out her wedding dress. They decided to marry in September when the leaves would first change colors.

The park was silent, besides a breeze that rustled the trees surrounding them. Jenna looked over at Simon, who was walking apart from the rest of them and in his own little world.

Are you okay, hun?”

For a second, she thought Simon didn’t hear her, but he snapped out of his thoughts and responded, “Yeah, it’s just… everything that happened down in the caves.” They all knew the story of the murder of four young men exploring the city’s caves. Simon had been with the four when they were brutally attacked and had been the only one to escape to tell the story. He did not have much of a story since it was dark and almost impossible to see what was happening. First, he claimed a bear down in the caves attacked him and his four buddies. However, upon retrieving and examining the bodies, the marks were inconsistent with a bear attack. None of the experts could pinpoint what had caused this type of damage, as it did not line up with any of the animals native to the area. While people hoped that whatever was down in the caves stayed there, they did not get their wish.

One week after the incident, there was a brutal murder of a woman in her late twenties. The wounds on her body closely resembled the marks that investigators found on those of the dead men. The animal disappeared without a trace. It did not even leave footprints.

“From what I know, the portal is somewhere near the golf course,” Sierra stated as they neared the center of the park. They crossed the large playground area. Jenna had fond memories of the playground when she was a child.  She and her friends would keep themselves busy moving about the play structures while pretending the ground was lava.

However, the playground had been recently rebuilt, which made Jenna feel a bit melancholy. They had replaced the wooden structure with one made of metal. The design did seem more solid and safe than the old one, but there was something cold about it. A tall blue tower past the playground gave the city water.

Sean looked at Hillary, who was also with them. She was a beautiful girl with hair that flowed as dark as night to her waist, whom Jenna met in high school. She and Jenna had been close friends ever since. Hillary was often taunted for her lifestyle. She had been with more partners than she could remember. She also struggled with crack addiction. Jenna constantly urged her to quit, which seemed to help. It had been at least a year since Hillary had smoked it.

Sean broke the silence, “Last time we were up here, I remember hiding in the playground smoking it up.” He was referring to pot, not crack. Sean had never used hard drugs.

Hillary giggled, “Yeah, then there was that police car driving on the road by the pavilion.”

“I remember when we hid from that dumb fucker. We were never caught,” Sean responded with pride.

Sierra piped up, “I remember that, and I would never touch that slide after you two hid there long after I said the cops were gone. It makes me glad they put up a new playground.”

“Shut up!” Hillary said playfully.

Sean laughed, “It was hard to get you to shut up that night, Hillary,” he shot back.

“I’m loud, sorry. Does everyone need to know all the details?” Jenna could tell that Hillary was blushing even though it was dark.

“Nah,” Sean replied. “It just goes to show how good I am.”

Jenna rolled her eyes at Sean’s arrogance and caught Sierra looking at her shaking her head simultaneously. Another good reason not to date Sean was that he had been with many women sexually. Jenna wanted to save herself for when the right man came into her life. So far, Simon seemed like the right one.

Simon, who was uncomfortable with sexual topics, changed the subject. “It’s sure nice and peaceful in the park at night with no kids and people.” They were walking up the road between the pool and the parking lot. The pool had been shut down for a few years. Jenna heard rumors that they were thinking about either repairing it or building a new one, but the city was uncertain if they wanted to fund it.

If they had turned and walked directly through the parking lot, they would enter the Thompson Park Zoo. Jenna hadn’t been to the zoo since she was a child. Sierra told her the zoo was thriving with many visitors throughout the Northern New York summers. They continued straight down the road and took a left on a walking path that led past the physical fitness course. Sierra led the way, as she was the one who knew where the vortex was allegedly located.

Lance suddenly spoke up, “Hey, look, we know we’re in the right place; there’s a sign.”

Jenna was surprised to look up and see a sign reading, “Watertown’s Area 51 – Thompson Park Vortex.” There was a green alien head glaring at them.

“What’s funny,” Lance continued, “is that the real Area 51 in Nevada is sometimes referred to as the ‘Watertown Strip.’”

“Weird!” Hillary exclaimed.

At the same time, Sierra asked, “How in the world do you know that?”

“Wikipedia,” Lance responded as he quickly walked past the sign toward where the vortex was. The rest followed closely behind.

“Oh no! I feel like I’m being sucked into something!” Sean yelled out. They all looked at him only to find him laughing. “I can’t believe you guys believe this shit.”

Jenna had to agree with Sean, but she did not want to speak up for Lance’s sake. She tried to be supportive of her friend.

They made their way to the trees, where mist lightly hung in the air. “Okay, this does feel weird,” Simon mentioned. He appeared serious. This was unusual for Simon since he was usually skeptical about the existence of ghosts. He was not as doubtful as Sean, but he usually didn’t discuss anything regarding the supernatural realm.

The others, except for Sean, seemed to sense something. Sierra looked like she wanted to run. Jenna tried to remain calm, telling herself it was just the psychological effect of expectation. However, the feeling remained no matter how hard she tried to rationalize it.  Hillary appeared frightened out of her mind. Lance was excited, hoping something interesting would happen.

Nothing happened for at least five minutes as they stood where the supposed portal was located.  The only sounds were vehicles off in the distance and a cricket chirping.

“Come look at this!” Lance called out. Everyone gathered around to see what he was looking at.

On a tree was carved, “May Anu, Enlil, and Enki rise again.”

“Oh, it’s nothing; people carve things everywhere,” Sean said.

Sierra immediately took an interest in this, “Those are Sumerian gods. Three of the well-known ones. I wonder why someone would carve their names into a tree. I don’t know much about them. I’ll look more up on them when I get back to my place.”

They continued walking with no incident. A smile of satisfaction crossed Sean’s face while the others were beginning to grow bored. Lance spoke up, “Well, perhaps there is nothing to it. I just wanted to see for myself.” He seemed disappointed and embarrassed at the same time.

Hillary sighed. “Yeah, but it’s still a nice night out. Let’s walk across the golf course. The moonlight is so beautiful tonight, and since we already walked all the way here, we might as well make the most of it.” Jenna relaxed a little, seeing that Hillary seemed no longer frightened.

They all agreed with Hillary except Sierra, who said, “What happens if we get caught? I don’t want to put my job at risk for being in the park after hours.”

“Who is going to catch you?” Sean responded. “Hell, even if the cops see us, they will probably just ask us to leave without getting you in trouble. You’re so paranoid!”

Sierra did not argue the point, and she was not going to walk out of the park alone. She followed along as the group walked by the trees at the edge of the golf course.

The mist seemed to dissipate as they continued to walk along the golf course. Jenna started dragging behind as she became lost in her thoughts about what to do with her life. She had managed to get a Bachelor’s in Human Development and attempted to continue her education in the Marriage and Family Therapy program seventy miles away at Syracuse University. She ended up having to drop out due to panic attacks while meeting with clients during an internship. She felt frustrated thinking about it and all the money she now owed for an education she could not finish.

Jenna looked down at the ground and almost jumped out of her skin. Near her feet were four glowing green and yellow snakes with black stripes quickly slithering. They were at least three feet long with thin bodies. She almost screamed, but the world around her seemed to shift. She could see her friends turn into a blur, and her fear stifled any sound she tried to make.

The sky began to turn, and she could feel herself falling, yet everything felt weightless. She was looking toward the sky, which was polychromatic, with shades of red, green, and yellow. Everything kept spinning in a whirlwind, faster and faster. It felt like death was going to take her, and then—everything was still. Jenna was lying in the grass with the moonlight shining down on her. The ground beneath her was cold and wet from the dew. Sierra was the first to reach her. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Jenna did not want to feel stupid in front of her friends, so she quickly said, “Yeah, just slipped on the grass.”

Sierra gave her a look that said, Nothing you are telling me is true. We are talking later! 

It seemed everyone else bought Jenna’s lie. She realized that her clothes were wet, and she was cold. She just wanted to go home.

Sean spoke as if reading her mind, “Well, time to get out of here and have a few drinks.”

Jenna liked the idea, but she did not want to go out. “Okay, but let’s go to my house. I have some Southern Comfort, and you left a few beers in my fridge, Sean. We can watch a movie or just chill.” No one argued with her.

As they were leaving, Jenna looked up and saw a woman, likely in her mid-forties, walking down the road. “Shit, we’re not alone!”

The four of them looked at her as if to say, what do you mean?

“Right there… that woman,” Jenna pointed. She did not understand how no one could see her. She was dressed in a long white dress that looked straight out of a history book. Her unkept deep brown hair reached just past her shoulders.

“I don’t see anyone,” Hillary responded.

Lance then said, “Jenna, whatever you are smoking, give me some of that shit.”

“Seriously? You guys don’t see her?” Jenna said, defending herself.

Sierra looked at where Jenna was pointing and back at Jenna. “I don’t see anything, but something feels weird.”

“Yeah, but you are into all that weird ‘I sense things’ shit,” Sean blurted out.

Sierra rolled her eyes, and Jenna kept looking as the woman approached. The woman passed on the other side of the road, looking at Jenna in amazement. Jenna couldn’t hear her footsteps.

That’s when Jenna realized that the woman was transparent.

 

 

Chapter 3

 

Jenna felt chills run up and down her body. She was more shocked than afraid as she continued looking at the woman to ensure she was not imagining things. Her friends continued to walk, but Sierra noticed that she was acting weird. Jenna was glad no one said anything further as they left the park and converged at her place. She wanted to put the night behind but knew the incident would continue to haunt her for the rest of the night.

She tried to enjoy the night with her friends, but the earlier incidents were all she could think of. Could there really be a portal in the park? She had heard of it causing time lapses but not hallucinations of other people. Why did the woman at the park seem as surprised to see me as I was shocked to see her?

Sean guzzled down the beers in the fridge, becoming more obnoxious the drunker he got. Sierra could not tolerate it, so she left early.

Simon continued to be quiet, more so than usual. Even when Sean tried flirting with Jenna, Simon showed no sign of jealousy. Could the incident from the caves have had this much effect on him? Jenna wondered if it was because he proposed to her, and now that he had her, he did not feel the need to get jealous. Of course, he had only proposed to her the day before he went down to the caves, so the timing of the two events were close together. It was late when Jenna finally decided she needed some sleep.

*          *          *

The following day Jenna awoke, hungover from the night before. She had not intended to drink so much, but her anxiety had made it more difficult for her to stop. Sean had not stopped teasing her about it, so she’d continued to drink to block him out.

Am I going crazy? She thought to herself. She wished someone else had seen the woman in the park to verify that she was sane. Then there was the incident at the golf course. What was that all about? She went downstairs to grab a raspberry Monster Rehab out of the fridge to get rid of her cottonmouth. She felt queasy, and breakfast was the last thing she wanted.

The clock on her microwave read 11:30. She kicked herself for sleeping late. She vaguely recalled Sierra inviting her to stop by at one, so she hopped in the shower to wash the grogginess from her head. Everything seemed surreal as she continued to recall the events from the night before.

As she thought about it, she continued to feel angrier with Sean. She’d had a weird and frightening experience, and all he’d done was continue to make fun of her the whole time. Usually, she could brush off Sean’s jokes, but last night was more challenging. He especially made fun of her for seeing a woman in the park that no one else had seen.

It was a bright, sunny May afternoon as she walked out the door, and her eyes stung. After giving them a minute to adjust, she got in her car to go to Sierra’s. Sierra lived on Gotham Street, which was why walking to the park from her house was easiest.

Sierra lived with her wife and a male friend named Markus in a house for which they had taken a mortgage. Jenna remembered when they had purchased the home two years prior. It was an old two-story white house built in the late 1800s. At the time, they’d been looking for an inexpensive place to rent and could not find anything affordable. Then they looked at houses for sale and found that taking out a mortgage would be cheaper overall than finding a two-bedroom apartment.

Jenna knocked, and Sierra’s wife, Courtney, answered with her usual bright smile. The two had been a couple for just under four years and were hoping for a baby through artificial insemination. Courtney worked as a nurse at Samaritan Hospital and loved her job. She was mild-mannered and friendly toward others. She also did not have the same jealousy streak as Sierra’s ex-girlfriend. Jenna remembered not being able to be around Sierra without her ex-girlfriend getting upset.

Sierra came to the door and beckoned Jenna in. She had a ball python wrapped around her neck. Sierra loved reptiles. She kept five snakes in her room, along with a bearded dragon. Jenna grew up afraid of snakes but somewhat calmed her fears after Sierra exposed her to them. However, she still felt a degree of fear toward Sierra’s seven-foot red tail boa.

Sierra instantly wanted privacy with Jenna, so she led her to her and Courtney’s bedroom while Courtney watched TV. Jenna was always amused with Sierra’s posters of painted-faced men all over her walls. They mainly were black metal bands, a subgenre of heavy metal music. The face paint was often referred to as “corpse paint.” Sierra was into anything dark, from black metal to B-rated horror movies. Some people were judgmental of Sierra’s dark personality, but Jenna appreciated it and found certain things interesting, especially Sierra’s collection of dark poems she had written. While many people told Jenna that she needed to stay away from “negative” people, she found Sierra to be quite the opposite.

Jenna sat down on the edge of Sierra’s bed, trying to think of where to start. She had run over what she was going to say, but now it all seemed to slip away. The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt trying to explain what had happened to her at the park.

Sierra could read her best friend well. “You know you can tell me anything. I’m not like Sean. He is kind of an ass. Last night he was awful, and that is why I left early. I’m sorry I didn’t stick around to defend you.”

“It’s okay.” Jenna felt reassured by Sierra’s words. “I’ll tell you what happened, but you can’t tell anyone. I don’t even understand it, but I need to tell someone even though I don’t think anyone will believe me.” Before Jenna could further speak, she jumped about six inches off the bed. By the closet door stood a man dressed as if he were from the 1920s. He was a middle-aged man with a thick mustache and a gangster hat. The man wore white suspenders over a black dress shirt and a white tie.

Jenna gave Sierra a fearful look. Sierra gaped at her and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The man continued to stand watching them, and Jenna noticed that he was also transparent, like the woman at the park. Was she hallucinating? The man also seemed surprised by her reaction, almost fearful himself. Only half collecting herself, Jenna finally answered, “Something happened at the park. My body—well, I don’t know how to explain it.” She continued to look at the man while Sierra put a comforting arm around her.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” Sierra said. “Oh my gosh, you’re shaking. Are you alright? Your face is ashen.”

“Yeah, I’m good,” Jenna lied, knowing her friend would not believe it. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her anxiety. “I think I’ve been going mad ever since last night.” Sierra looked at her concerned and remained silent. “At the park, I saw snakes at my feet and felt like I was falling. The sky turned all sorts of colors, and then I came back to consciousness.”

To Jenna’s relief, Sierra seemed to believe her. Jenna continued. “After that, I seem to see people who are transparent, that no one else can see, like that woman.” Jenna wanted to mention the guy standing in Sierra’s room, but she did not want Sierra to freak out.

Sierra knew her too well. “Why do you keep looking at the closet like you see something?”

Jenna sighed, knowing that she had no way out of answering her. “As I said, I can see people that apparently others can’t. Right now, a man is standing by your closet, watching us.”

Sierra glanced over but could not see what Jenna was talking about.

“Hmm… weird,” Sierra said at last. She seemed more interested than frightened. “I would think my snakes would be able to sense it, especially my cat, but all the animals are acting normal.

“I don’t know; maybe I’m delusional,” Jenna said, frustrated.

“No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. Maybe the animals are used to the ghost being here, so they don’t react.” Sierra paused to think of a better way to make her point. “It’s kind of like a regular person. When they are around a lot, animals get used to them.”

Jenna did not find much comfort in her words. Even if what she saw were real ghosts, it would drive her insane if she kept seeing them constantly. She did not even want to think of what it would be like if she were alone and saw one. Just the thought of that happening made her afraid to be alone. She described the man she now saw in Sierra’s room to her.

“I don’t know much about the history of this house,” Sierra replied. But it seems like Courtney mentioned that a man died here several years ago. I may ask again to see when it was.”

Jenna was too lost in her thoughts to hear Sierra. She was getting a strong urge to leave. Maybe she could go back to the vortex and undo whatever had happened to her. Then again, she was worried that it could not be undone. How could she undo something that she did not even know how it happened in the first place?

“Let’s walk into the park,” she said at last.

“Okay, sounds good. Let me ask Courtney about the man who died in the house.”

They went to the living room, and Sierra asked Courtney, “Hey, can you tell me more about the man who died in this house?”

“Yeah, a man died here in the early 1900s. I’m not sure what he died from, but I read that he died in this house at a fairly young age. Why do you ask?”

“Just interested in the history of where I live,” Sierra lied.

Courtney laughed. “Why? Do you think it’s haunted?”

“No, I was just wondering.” Jenna hoped that Courtney was not catching on to their ghost talk. She was relieved when she did not say anything further.

Sierra and Jenna walked up Gotham Street hill to the park. The Gotham Street entrance to the park was almost directly across the road from the Unitarian Universalist church. Along Gotham Street, old stone pillars were placed to represent the park’s south side. They were about four feet tall and initially built in the 1930s. The park itself was founded in 1901 and was first called the City Park. The Park was given as a Christmas gift to the city in December of 1916 from an unknown donor. Later, the Donor was found to be John C. Thompson, whom the park was later named after.

They followed the road into the park, stopping a little up the road to relax at the lookout area outside the main park. It was a scenic view, facing west toward the City of Watertown. In the evening, couples could enjoy a romantic view of the sunset. Jenna and Simon often looked over the town while sitting on the stone wall. Now that she was thinking about Simon, she asked Sierra, “Does it seem to you that Simon has been acting weird lately?”

“What do you mean?” Sierra gave her a puzzled look.

“He just seems more distant and quieter than usual.”

“Maybe it’s just what happened down in the caves. Don’t worry about it too much. I’m sure he will return to normal after a bit, especially once you two get married.”

Jenna could not hold back a smile at the thought of getting married. She had always dreamed of having a life partner, and she was glad she had found the perfect man. She told herself that Sierra was right; everything would be fine.

Now and then, Jenna would look off into the woods or fields and catch a glimpse of what appeared to be transparent figures. She felt goosebumps go up to her arms. After walking for about fifteen minutes, they came to the central part of the park, where the playground, the zoo, the golf course, and other attractions were. Jenna had a difficult time understanding what was so fun about golf. Her grandparents often watched it on TV, and she thought it was the most boring thing ever. Jenna did not watch any sports on TV. She sometimes watched the World Series or the Super Bowl, but not much else.

Immediately, they headed over to the golf course. It was relatively empty, with a few people playing here and there. They followed the path they had taken the night before and came to where Jenna remembered having the strange experience. She walked back and forth through it with Sierra hoping that none of the others in the park were watching her and thinking of her as being strange.

Nothing happened. “I don’t get it,” Jenna said. “It’s like it isn’t even here anymore.” She could feel her anxiety well up at the thought of her situation being permanent.

“I wonder if it has anything to do with the veil being thin,” Sierra suggested.

“What do you mean?”

‘Well, today is Beltane. Many believe that the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest on Beltane and Samhain and that they can encounter us.”

Jenna was not good at remembering holidays outside the main ones Americans celebrate. It took her a second to recall that Samhain and Halloween were the same day. Beltane was celebrated on May 1. Being an Asatru, Sierra celebrated the Pagan holidays. The only thing that Jenna knew about Asatru was that it was a Pagan religion out of Northern Europe that supposedly predated Christianity. “I would think since it’s May First, I would more likely be able to use the vortex than any other time. Why can’t I cross it now, since today is Beltane?”

“Sometimes, it’s easier to cross the thin veil in the darkness.”

Jenna did not understand why people believed that the spiritual realm was generally easier to access at night, but she did not feel like arguing. She was seeing things both day and night, so she felt there wasn’t a difference. Perhaps the portal moved continually, and that was why it wasn’t at the spot that the sign indicated.

“I say we just walk around the park and enjoy the scenery for a bit,” Sierra suggested. Jenna wasn’t too keen on the idea since she’d started seeing the transparent beings, but then again, she didn’t know if she could go anywhere and not see them. She felt panic well up in her chest, so she tried to slow her breathing and take long breaths out, which seemed to ease the panic.

Jenna had been having panic attacks ever since she was raped when she was sixteen. It was one of the most horrible things she had experienced and often returned to haunt her thoughts and dreams. The worst part was that it was done by someone she trusted as a friend. Joshua and Jenna had been friends for three years before he decided to force himself on her. He thought she had wanted it, even though she continued to say “no” and push him away. She never understood how someone who was supposedly her friend could stoop to that level. She never had him arrested, as she was afraid of admitting it to anyone besides Sierra. She often thought of castrating Joshua in his sleep, but she would never really go through with it. In some ways, guilt consumed her because she had never reported it, and Joshua was free to commit these despicable acts on someone else.

Jenna could feel her surroundings become surreal. It was as if she were in a dream, but she knew she wasn’t. She was thankful she was outdoors and asked Sierra to walk with her to an area where there weren’t many people. She didn’t want to draw a crowd in case she had a panic attack.

They walked over to what was known as the lookout tower, which gave a broad view over Watertown. They stopped for a minute to look out over the small city. The lookout tower had a pleasant view of eastern Watertown, consisting primarily of houses, a couple of schools, and a plaza. There was a descending stairway next to the lookout tower, which they followed down, arriving at an area of paved trails with fewer people.

The green of spring was heavily setting in, and the sun was beating down. Jenna saw another transparent person, but it didn’t startle her as much this time. She was starting to get used to it. She didn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

Walking with Sierra was helping calm her nerves. Having someone to talk to distracted her from thinking about the possibility of a panic attack.

Sierra urged Jenna to go to Shirley’s Store. Shirley’s Store was one of the metaphysical shops in Watertown. It was just on the outskirts of town where the speed limit began to pick up. Shirley was known for her expertise regarding spirits and all things metaphysical. This was Jenna’s first time going to the shop, but she knew Sierra was a regular.

Jenna and Sierra entered the store. The shop had items including stones used in rituals, books, jewelry, knives, and many other interesting things. Shirley was a friendly lady of forty. Her hair was dyed black with streaks of blonde flowing down. She wore a Victorian-style dress that Jenna thought was beautiful. Her eyes reminded Jenna of someone straight out of an anime. Shirley was draped in jewelry, including necklaces, rings on every finger, and several bracelets.

“Happy Beltane!” Shirley said as Jenna and Sierra entered the store. “What can I do for you two fine ladies today?”

Sierra introduced Jenna to Shirley and then said, “So, Jenna walked through the vortex at the park, and since then, she has been able to see ghosts.”

Jenna gave Sierra a wide-eyed look for being so quick to spill her story.

“No, really?” Shirley said. “That’s wonderful!”

Jenna didn’t think it was the most wonderful thing in the world, but she could see why Shirley would think so. “Yeah, it’s scary, though,” she said.

“Oh, don’t be scared. Ghosts are generally friendly, and they don’t hurt people. Perhaps you could try talking to some of them.”

Jenna thought that Shirley believed her too quickly. Most people would look at her as if she had lost her mind and Shirley was a stranger. She was glad, at least, that she had someone else she could talk to about this.

“I guess I can try. What happens if they aren’t friendly?”

“Then just turn and leave them alone. A ghost shouldn’t bother you too much. They can’t touch our dimension very easily. Other sorts of spirits like to cause problems, such as faeries.”

Jenna wasn’t sure if Shirley was joking about faeries or if she really believed in them.

“Seriously, give it a try,” Shirley urged. Talk to one and see how it reacts. I sometimes think I can contact my daughter’s ghost.”

“You had a daughter?” Jenna exclaimed. Shirley was around forty years old, so her daughter must have been quite a bit younger than Jenna.

“Oh yes, she died eleven years ago when she was just ten. It was the most upsetting time of my life.” Shirley began to cry. “My daughter was murdered in cold blood, and her killer got away.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jenna said. Jenna thought back to when she was fourteen years old. She had witnessed a murder at a playground at nighttime. The murderer had seen Jenna and threatened to kill her and her family if she opened her mouth. She had kept it secret for the last eleven years. She hadn’t even told Sierra about it. It was the one incident in her life that was even worse than being raped by Joshua. Putting two and two together, she figured that Shirley’s very own daughter was the murder she had witnessed. She remembered the little girl lying dead on the slide.

Jenna could feel guilt well up as Shirley spoke of her daughter. She wished she could say something now, but what would the consequences be? Would Shirley be mad at her? Would Sierra be disappointed in her? It’s not like speaking up now would catch the murderer. She couldn’t even remember what he looked like since it had been such a traumatizing event, one she had tried to forget about every day since.

A couple of other customers came into the store, so Shirley changed the subject. “I have Angelite stones, which are good for protection.”

Jenna wasn’t sure if a stone could protect her from the supernatural. However, she would feel bad if she didn’t purchase anything because Shirley kindly answered her questions. The stones were generally inexpensive, so she wouldn’t be spending too much.

“Sure, I’ll buy a couple of stones.”

“I have a deal going on right now where you can get three stones for two dollars. Pick out the ones that call to you.”

Jenna was thankful that Shirley was done crying and seemed to be back in the cheery mood she was in when they first entered.

She purchased three stones, and she and Sierra said their goodbyes.

They walked back to Sierra’s house. Jenna didn’t want to go home yet, so she hung out in Sierra’s room while Sierra helped her wife Courtney clean the kitchen.

Jenna had another reason that she wanted to be at Sierra’s. She wanted to try to talk to the ghost in Sierra’s room. So far, the spirits seemed harmless, and the one in Sierra’s room had a friendly face. She’d forewarned Sierra to ensure that Courtney wouldn’t overhear. Sierra’s other roommate, Markus, was at work for the evening, so she didn’t have to worry about him.

When she first entered the room, she did not see the ghost. She looked in Sierra and Courtney’s closet but saw nothing other than clothes. She sat down to relax and almost jumped out of her skin when the ghost casually walked into the room. Her voice caught in her throat. The apparition spoke first, “You can see me, Jenna?” His voice was soft and gentle, but it didn’t quell her nervousness.

“How do you know my name?” Jenna asked, startled.

The ghost didn’t seem interested in answering her question. “You can hear me too? This is a first.”

“Yes, but how do you know my name?” Jenna insisted on an answer. She wasn’t sure if she should be so demanding of a ghost, but she needed to know. It felt very awkward trying to communicate with something that no one else could see. She felt her adrenaline rush and tried to slow her breathing so that she wouldn’t have a panic attack.

The ghost answered this time. “I can always hear the living, and you are always visiting. How is it you can hear me?”

“I don’t know,” Jenna answered. She felt embarrassed that the ghost had been overhearing all her private conversations with Sierra. “It just started happening after the park last night.” She hoped the spirit could help her understand why she was seeing them but guessed that she would get no answers from him.

“Ah yes, the park. I haven’t been there in almost a century. I wonder what it’s like now. Probably more to do.”

Jenna felt weird talking to a ghost about ordinary things, but he seemed harmless. In fact, the spirit seemed rather pleasant. “I heard that they rebuilt the playground in the 1980s. They recently tore that one down and made a new one.”

“What I mean to ask is, what could possibly be at the park that would enable you to see ghosts?”

Jenna told him about the vortex and her experience while the ghost listened intently. In turn, she found out the ghost’s name was Isaiac, and he was born in 1888. In 1926, he died of diphtheria just before a vaccine was widely distributed. The disease was widespread in the 1920s, mainly taking the lives of children. Isaiac was one of the unfortunate adults who came down with the disease. His wife and children moved out soon after he died. According to him, they were too sad to remain in the house where he had died. He had tried to contact his wife several times, but she couldn’t tell he was there. Jenna felt sorry for him. He didn’t know why he was stuck in this world and wondered if his wife’s and children’s ghosts were now stuck somewhere else, seeking Isaiac.

“I haven’t left this house since I died,” Isaiac said. “It’s dangerous for a ghost to go out and deal with the spiritual world.”

“What do you mean?” Jenna asked, recalling the scene from “Beetlejuice” where the main characters left their house and experienced a dreadful situation. She hoped it wasn’t really that bad.

“There are many spirits out there. Not only human spirits but animal spirits, faeries, demons, angels, extraterrestrials, ghouls, trolls, and just about everything you can imagine.”

Jenna felt her adrenaline rush. She didn’t know how much of this she believed. It was terrifying to think about it. “That’s creepy.  Why can’t I see those kinds of spirits?”

“I don’t know. You’re the only person I know that can even see ghosts. Then again, I haven’t been out of this house in ages, so there could be others. Humans are generally cut off from the spiritual realm.”

Jenna’s mind was still thinking about the evil spirits. “Can the mean spirits harm people?”

“That is a tricky question.  Generally, we cannot contact humans. If I threw a punch at you, it would go right through you. You might feel a cold chill go through your spine, but nothing more. However, as I have learned over the years, there are exceptions. First, a human can allow a spirit to control or influence them. From what I know, most spirits avoid this, but sometimes the sinister ones want power over someone. However, sometimes the non-ghosts can come about. Especially if someone is summoning up those kinds of spirits.”

“Well, there seems to be something on the loose that has been terrorizing people in the area. It killed four people in the caves and then murdered someone else, tearing up her body. My fiancé Simon was down in the caves when the murders took place.” Jenna had to get this off her chest. She wanted to be sure that her fiancé was going to be alright. Of course, looking for reassurance from a ghost wasn’t comforting.

Isaiac gave her a surprised expression. “That’s not good. It sounds almost like Dracula. Your fiancé Simon—did he tell you what he was doing down in the caves?”

“Just exploring, as far as I know.” Jenna wondered what could cause a vampire-type creature to come out of the caves and rip people apart. Was there someone down there who summoned it up? She knew Simon would never involve himself in something like that. However, his friend Todd could be strange at times. She wouldn’t put it past him to summon something up. Todd was killed, so why would he summon something up just to kill him? Perhaps something happened in the caves that Jenna didn’t know about. Possibly Simon didn’t even know about it.

“I will try to help you figure this out. I can check the Akashic Records, which should contain information.”

“The Aka-what?” Jenna thought she might have heard the term before but couldn’t recall for the life of her what it meant.

“The Akashic Records contain all the information in existence. I could learn all about you through the Akashic Records if I were allowed. Every soul of every being is contained in the Akashic Records.”

Jenna hadn’t believed in ghosts until her experience with the vortex. Now she was being told that every thought she had and all her actions were recorded. “Do you read the Akashic Records often?”

“I guess you could say that,” Isaiac said. “I am one of the lucky ones.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even in the spiritual realm, only certain spirits seem to have access to them. It wasn’t until 1978 that I had any access. There are still rules in this realm. Any spirit who misuses the information in the Akashic records cannot view them afterward.”

“How can you misuse them?” This conversation was getting interesting. There seemed to be a whole new set of rules for those in the spiritual realm. She wondered who could possibly make the rules for such things. Too bad the one who made all these rules couldn’t forbid spirits from possessing people. The rule maker needs to come up with some rules for that, she thought.

“Well, one rumor says that giving forbidden information to humans can be one way to get in trouble. I hope to be allowed to give you the information for the problems going on.”

Jenna hoped the same. She wanted to see what Isaiac could find out about things and was interested in learning more about the spiritual realm.

Jenna had another thought, “Who do you answer to?”

“What do you mean?” Isaiac asked.

“Well, you said spirits are sometimes banned from seeing the Akashic Records. Who bans them?”

“Oh, I see.  This will be hard to explain. It is kind of like the law of gravity. You know it exists while there isn’t anybody enforcing it. Gravity can harm you if you are not careful, but it is a great thing if you are careful and work with gravity.”

Isaiac continued with a friendly smile, “The Akashic Records are similar. If we are careful, we can view them, but we can’t if we get reckless. No one enforces the laws. It isn’t like a library where the librarian enforces rules.”

Jenna was confused, but she didn’t want to discuss it further. The idea of Akashic Records was new to her, so she was still curious. “Can people view these records?”

“Sometimes, but it is rare. Only through deep meditation, from what I understand. Most humans don’t know about the Akashic Records, and the ones that do usually aren’t dedicated enough to meditate to gain access.”

Jenna considered trying to learn to view the Akashic Records but wasn’t sure if she would want to go through the process.

Sierra came in just then, and Jenna ended her conversation with Isaiac. She filled Sierra in on what she and Isaiac talked about.

“I’ve heard of the Akashic Records before,” Sierra said. “I don’t know too much about them, but that is interesting that Isaiac would have access to them. I almost wish I could speak to the ghost. I would be asking all sorts of questions. Although he probably wouldn’t be allowed to tell me the answers to most of them.”

“I could try asking him some of them.”

“True, but I don’t want to be that annoying friend who makes you go back and forth,” Sierra laughed.

Jenna understood where she was coming from. She had Sierra go back and forth between her and Simon when they weren’t getting along, and poor Sierra would get frustrated.

“Sorry to change the subject,” Jenna said. “But have you found out anything about what was inscribed on the tree last night?”

“So far, I have only had a chance to do a little research into the god named Anu. He was a sky deity worshipped by the ancient Sumerians. Some of the information I found on him was good, and some was a little disturbing. He was considered the King of the Gods who sought to destroy wickedness among the people.”

She paused as she went to grab a book from her extensive collection. Sierra enjoyed collecting books on ancient writings, grimoires, and mythology. She pulled out one titled “Myths from Mesopotamia” and opened it up. “I started to look at this ancient story called ‘Atrahasis,’ and it seems to indicate that the gods had made humans to do the work that the gods had been doing.”

“So, the gods themselves had to do work before they created people?”

“At least according to ‘Atrahasis,’” Sierra replied. “You have to think in terms of finite gods when it comes to the Sumerian gods. Anu was the father of the gods and approved of putting this workload on humans.”

“Let me take a look.” Sierra handed her the book, and Jenna started reading. “Do you remember the names of the others carved in the tree?”

“I believe it was Enlil and Enki.”

“Ok, a warrior named Ellil is mentioned, and Enki is also mentioned. Could Ellil and Enlil be the same?”

“It certainly is possible; many ancient gods had more than one spelling. It kind of makes sense since it mentions both Anu and Enki. I just started reading it today.”

“Mind if I borrow it?”

“I don’t mind, as long as you keep it in good condition and return it. You know how I am with my books.”

Jenna let out a chuckle and said, “I know you’d kill me if I damaged one of your books.”

Sierra smiled at her. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but I would be sad. Please don’t bend the corners of pages when you want to mark your page; use a bookmark instead.”

Jenna went home and thought about everything she had learned. Questions entered her mind, and she wondered if she could help solve the problem of the torn-up bodies. At the same time, she didn’t want to involve herself. It seemed like a dangerous situation.

She thought about Simon and how he had been acting differently ever since his friends were killed. What if the thing was looking to kill Simon? She wanted to just go on with her life and let the authorities deal with it. However, she had contact with ghosts; if it was a supernatural problem, there might be a supernatural solution. The decision raged in her mind, and she grew tired. She eventually fell asleep.

She awoke upon hearing a child’s scream mixed with the sound of thunder. She quickly sat up and peered out her bedroom door. In her doorway stood a man holding a blood-soaked knife.

 

 

Chapter 4

 

Chuck walked the night streets of Watertown. He had been looking for work for the last month with no luck. No one wanted to hire a man recently released from prison. Social Services was able to help him find a place to stay and supply him with food, but he didn’t know how long that would last.

None of his former friends would answer his calls upon his release from prison. Even his family would not speak to him. He had lost everything dear to him and estranged everyone he cared about. He didn’t have a computer and didn’t care to have one because his parole officer told him he could get in trouble for going on the Internet. Chuck was a registered sex offender. Worse yet, Chuck knew he was innocent and had been framed. He became angry and resentful as a result.

He often thought of his life before he was convicted. He wanted to study criminal justice, hoping to become a detective someday. He studied martial arts from age five and became very fluent in them. There were many incidences when growing up where he had helped someone who was being bullied. Sometimes Chuck used his martial arts skills to get the bully to back off.

He was an “A” student throughout high school and on his way to getting an associate degree in Criminal Justice at Jefferson Community College. Things were good, as he had been dating his high school sweetheart for three years. Sandra was a gentle-faced brunette who always seemed to carry a smile.  She loved children, and Chuck hoped they would have their own someday. It was their dream that she would run a daycare while he was catching criminals and keeping the city safe.

Those dreams came to an end one fateful night. One night, he was invited out with one of the bullies he had fought in high school. The bully said he wanted to apologize for his early behavior. A night of live music sounded appealing, so they decided to see a local band at First Round near the center of town.

The bully offered to sneak Chuck a few drinks from the bar, but Chuck refused. He liked to always remain alert just in case. The live music was enjoyable, and the bully asked Chuck if he wanted to get some fresh air during the first break.

Chuck agreed, and they walked down Factory Street and to the Black River Walk. The path was lit at night and was a short walk by the river. It was a relatively peaceful spot near the square, which was considered the center of town.

The water was crashing hard this night in April, and most of the snow had melted. Chuck could see a group of people down near the bathrooms. At first, he didn’t think anything of it until he heard a woman among the group crying for help.

He made his way quickly to the group, and as he drew closer, he noticed that all the men were wearing ski masks. They were holding a woman by her arms up against the wall of the restrooms.

Chuck quickly recognized Beth, a girl he remembered from high school. Her attackers saw him coming and faced him. Chuck swiftly gave a roundhouse kick to the first one he had faced, knocking him to the ground.

Within minutes, the four attackers were on the ground while Beth called the police. Twenty minutes later, Chuck found himself in a police car being accused of assault and attempted rape. They had framed him.

The men in ski masks all ended up being bullies he stood against in high school. Beth, who was dating one of the attackers, was in on it, along with the man Chuck went to the bar with.

Chuck, who only had people’s best interests at heart, had been thrown in jail for trying to do what was right. As soon as the story had spread to the media, he lost the support of everyone. Even when he tried to explain his innocence to his friends and family, they turned a deaf ear.

His knowledge of martial arts came in handy, as many of the prisoners harassed him for what they believed he had done. He had even taken abuse from certain security guards who liked to harm those who committed sex offenses.

So far, life had not been much better outside of prison. Chuck enjoyed his nighttime walks because the darkness made it more difficult for people to recognize him. He grew a beard and wore his hair long to decrease his chances of being noticed. It had worked well for him.

He spent most of his time alone. It was better than being treated like garbage, but it was also depressing. He longed for Sandra but had not seen her since before his arrest. She must have believed the media too. If she believed him, she would have visited him in prison, but he’d never even received a phone call or a letter from her.

He decided to walk in the direction of her house, hoping to bump into her. However, he guessed that she might not live there anymore, being that it was her parent’s house. She’d probably moved on with her life and had gotten an apartment and a new boyfriend by now. Chuck felt pain in his chest when he thought about her with another man. He tried to diminish the thought but couldn’t help it as he drew closer to her house.

When he walked past her house, he heard a female voice call out, “Chuck.” Chuck’s heart caught in his throat as he knew immediately it was Sandra. In a way, he felt he was caught walking past her house.  He hoped she didn’t think he was stalking her.

He tried his best to remain casual and was glad it was dark, preventing her from reading his facial expressions, “Yeah, it’s me.”

“I almost didn’t recognize you with the hair and beard,” Sandra said. She flashed a half-smile and quickly averted her glance.

Chuck froze, mesmerized by her beauty. She hadn’t aged in the five years since he’d last seen her. The moonlight reflected off her long, dark hair, which flowed past her waist. He was speechless.

“Shall we walk?” she asked.

He nodded, allowing her to take his hand. He felt old emotions resurface, feelings he had tamped down for years. He looked into her eyes and saw his reflection upside down. He thought it strange but figured it was something he’d never noticed or had forgotten about. After all, he had spent the last five years avoiding eye contact with anyone.

“Where are you living now?” she asked. “Do you want to go to your place?”

“Sure,” Chuck answered. He was shocked by what sounded almost like a proposition. He told her the address, and they started on their way. “Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm?” she cocked her head.

“How come you never came to visit me in prison?”

Sandra sighed. “Oh, hun… I wanted to visit you so bad, but everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to see you. I still don’t drive, and no one would give me a ride. Plus, I was afraid everyone would bug me about it.”

Chuck tried to understand where she was coming from but found it difficult, as he reasoned he would visit her if she were in prison, and he believed her innocence.

Out of nowhere came an unusual noise from across the field they were walking past. The noise sounded like an enormous clock ticking. Sandra grabbed his arm to pull him along. Chuck scanned the area from where the noise seemed to be coming and thought he saw grass move in the distance. It seemed to draw closer, and Chuck could feel his adrenaline rush. He had heard about the recent murders in the caves and the young girl being mauled to death. He had never heard a ticking noise like this which was giving him the shakes.

They continued down the sidewalk until they reached his apartment. He looked around, searching for any trace of being followed, but didn’t see anything. Relieved, he pulled out his keys and entered his apartment. Sandra followed him in and immediately hugged him, and they held each other close.

They looked into each other’s eyes, and Chuck was enamored by the seductive look she was giving him. They entered his bedroom without turning the light on, and he took his shirt off. Sandra remained in the darkened doorway. After Chuck took his shirt off, he looked at her and found out why she was stalling. In place of Sandra was a creature Chuck didn’t recognize.

Its mouth was at least three times as large as a regular person’s and was wide open, displaying razor-sharp teeth. Its skin appeared dark gray or black, but Chuck wasn’t sure in the dark. He could tell the creature was powerful due to its large but athletic muscles.

Chuck looked at the door, but it didn’t appear broken. Sandra was nowhere in sight. He knew that fighting was his only hope, and he delivered a powerful spinning back kick to the creature’s chest. Usually, this would be enough to fracture a person’s rib cage. However, it barely seemed to bother the thing.

The creature grabbed Chuck’s leg with inhuman speed. With brute force, he was thrown against the wall over his bed. He could feel the wind being knocked out of him. He had no time to hesitate and quickly threw a lamp at the creature. The lamp was quickly brushed aside, but it gave Chuck enough time to regain his fighting stance and land a punch in the creature’s eye.

Chuck felt the creature’s leathery hand grab his arm. That was the last thing he saw as the creature’s enormous mouth bit over his eyes, smashing his temples and killing him.

 

 

Chapter 5

Bureau Chief of Watertown Daily Times, Jack Lavancha, sat staring at the wall in the kitchen of his apartment. Things had been slow for a while before the sudden attacks in the caves. He had contacted the police asking them if they had any leads, and they seemed just as baffled as he was.

He filled his shot glass with Jack Daniels and chugged it down with one gulp. Here he was, single once again. The night before, he’d gotten into an argument with his girlfriend, and she told him that she wouldn’t put up with his “arrogant, condescending attitude” anymore. He swore he had the worst luck with women. In his early fifties, he still had his looks and charm, so he concluded that he had a poor choice of women.

After a breakup, Jack tended to drink more to ease his pain. The pain always came back in the morning when he needed to take care of responsibilities. For years, he refused to succumb to alcoholism and felt he was master over it. He could quit if he chose to, but he didn’t choose to. Jack enjoyed an evening drink of Jack-on-the-rocks or a few shots now and then.

It had been fifteen years since Jack made his claim to fame when he co-wrote a story that made half the newspapers across the country. While he worked for the Watertown Times, he had gone to Carthage to look into some murders that had taken place there. It was often referred to as “The Reaper Case” because there were sightings of a Grim Reaper-type figure when deadly fires were being set, burning down some of the buildings in the town. The case was put into book form by the title of “Revenge of the Reaper” by Marcus J. Mastin.

After that, he was called back into Watertown to work on a case that involved a “soul eater.” He thought that catching whoever this was would continue his legacy. However, the “eater of souls” proved elusive and continually just out of his grasp. People had disappeared, and the police could never find a single legitimate suspect. Jack had finally made a breakthrough and was able to write about what had happened. His fame afterward was short-lived, and the small city of Watertown didn’t seem to have any more incidences to that serious of a degree.

The whole ordeal of covering the story of the eater of souls had caused him nightmares for the last several years. Some thought he had post-traumatic stress disorder, but he refused to go to a professional to be diagnosed. He didn’t believe in therapists and thought everyone would be diagnosed with something if they looked hard enough.

Since then, he moved up from being a reporter to a bureau chief with three reporters working beneath him. He still did reporting sometimes because he was easily better than any other reporter at the Times, and they needed him.

His cellphone rang as he was about to pour some Jack on the rocks. He picked up immediately, seeing that it was editor-in-chief Tom Prisley. “Hi, Tom.”

“Jack, there has been another murder, and I need you and your crew to get on this immediately. We need this story!” Tom rushed with his words. Jack took down the address and immediately attempted to contact two of his reporters. He tried to get a hold of Susan Lanchester and Mary Ann Putnam. Sometimes he missed being just a reporter, as he could work alone and not have to be responsible for other people.

He was glad when Susan answered her phone and agreed to meet him at the crime scene. However, Mary Ann didn’t answer her phone. His third reporter, Leslie Ottis, was on vacation for the week.

As he rushed out the door with his camera, he hoped he hadn’t drunk too much to drive. He didn’t feel tipsy, so he assumed it was safe. It was only a five-minute drive, and he arrived quickly.

He stepped out of his car and almost bumped into Susan Lanchester as he rushed to the police tape. Susan was an attractive thirty-three-year-old woman who’d been hired without any experience. Her motivation made up for her lack of experience, as she quickly caught on to her job. Susan wore her dark brown hair to her shoulders with bangs. Even though she carried a few extra pounds, Jack felt strongly attracted to her. He wasn’t comfortable telling her how he felt, fearing that she would reject him and cause problems on the job.

She was taking courses at college to help further her experience as a reporter. She often mentioned to Jack that her public speaking course was a breeze and would be beneficial in enhancing her reporting skills. Jack was glad he’d taken her under his wing, even though he didn’t feel comfortable letting her be on her own.

The crime scene was blocked off, but he would look for an officer and ask what had transpired as Susan followed him. Channel 7 news was already at the crime scene, trying to talk to any police officers or witnesses they could find. Jack avoided the news station, knowing that one of his nemeses, Lionel Ramsey, might be on site.

He looked among the officers present to find one he was comfortable talking to and was glad to see Officer Kurt McCloud. Officer McCloud was in his mid-twenties and in decent shape. He was clean-shaven. As Jack approached, the officer was scanning the area.

After exchanging greetings, Jack delved right into the heart of the matter. “So, what happened here?”

“Another brutal killing. The blood has all been drained, and there seems to be no trace of who was responsible.”

“Any witnesses?” Jack asked.

“There is one who claims to have seen the victim enter his apartment with a woman, but that’s it. She never saw the woman leave, and there hasn’t been anyone else around.”

“Do you believe this is connected to the killings down in the caves?”

“Absolutely. They’ve all been killed in the same manner, as if a vicious animal attacked them, with the blood drained.”

“Do you have any idea what is going on?”

“Looks like we have a vampire problem on our hands.” Jack knew that Kurt was joking, but his voice remained grim.

“Thank you, officer, for answering my questions,” Jack responded and walked away to find Susan. It began to rain, so he pulled out his umbrella. He filled Susan in on his conversation with Officer Kurt McCloud. “What did you find out?” He asked after he finished.

“I spoke with the neighbor who witnessed him going in with a woman. She told me that she was about five and a half feet tall with an average-sized body. I just don’t think it could have been her.”

This was the most bizarre case that Jack had reported on since the “soul eater.” He believed in the supernatural but didn’t believe anything supernatural could tear bodies apart. He would return to his office at the Watertown Daily Times and see if he could find a pattern with the murders. Between the reaper and soul eater cases, he found detective work rather interesting. Sometimes he thought about becoming a private investigator on the side, but that didn’t offer intriguing cases as the police dealt with.

Susan continued, “I just don’t see how someone could be ripping people apart and getting away with it.”

“Well, they must know what they are doing. Probably using very sharp blades.”

Susan was silent for a minute. She didn’t want to start an argument with Jack, but it obviously wasn’t done with sharp knives. “Well, I think we can rule out that it was an animal.”

Jack felt irritated as he tried to think things through, “Of course, it wasn’t an animal!” He snapped. Susan was stunned, and it showed in her expression. Jack’s tone lightened, “Let’s go to the office and see if we can piece anything together.” It wasn’t part of his job to do detective work, but that wouldn’t stop him.

“Hey Jack, are you worming your way into something where you don’t belong again?” Jack was disappointed to see that Lionel Ramsey had found him. Lionel was a much younger reporter who had gotten a job with Channel 7 News three years ago. The Channel 7 News seemed to have a friendly crew and were on amicable terms with Jack, except for Lionel.

“I don’t know how your crew puts up with you, Lionel,” Jack responded. “You hate people so much; you should be stuck at a cubicle working by yourself.”

“Skipping over the question just to attack me. Your ad hominin is pathetic, Jack. Just because you had a couple of interesting cases in your younger days doesn’t mean you still have what it takes, old man!”

“It’s none of your damn business what I do with my time. Maybe you should stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“Unlike you, I’m a real reporter, and it’s part of my job to stick my nose wherever I damn well please,” Lionel said, puffing up his chest. “The Times should let you go. Everything I have read by you lately is crap.”

Jack lifted his arm to take a swing at Lionel, but Susan grabbed him and said, “He’s not worth it, Jack! Plus, you’re always the one who gets in trouble.”

“He’s not worth it, Jack!” Lionel replied in a high-pitched voice to mock Susan. “Perhaps your girlfriend is right; she wouldn’t want to be scraping you off the ground.”

“Come on, Jack, let’s go,” Susan said, and Jack held his tongue. Lionel had a way of getting under his skin. He was grateful that Susan talked sense into him. Without her, he probably would have lost his temper and ended up in jail.

The two of them went to their place of work to report the incident and try to find a connection. Jack had found out the hard way that he needed to write a report immediately after it occurred. In his younger days, he would go home and get some rest, only to find that he had forgotten vital information in his reports.

Once they got their report in, they sat down together to consider what they had so far for information. “So, these six killings have all been done in the same way. They also seemed to happen about two weeks apart besides the first four, and so far, they haven’t found any animal consistent with how the victims were killed,” Jack stated. “If I ever thought that something like Bigfoot was real, it would be now,” he ended with a chuckle.

“Yeah, unfortunately, we have to rule out sasquatch. This isn’t Montana. Well, I think it’s obvious that the perpetrator is extremely strong.”

“That’s obvious. Whatever kind of weapon he is using is beyond me. I almost want to say he is using hooks of some sort, but that doesn’t seem to describe the murder scene.”

“Perhaps you are onto something with thinking of hooks. There aren’t many other weapons that can simply tear someone apart.”

“Yeah, but there is consistency with claw marks from something that isn’t human.”

“So, you’re saying that whatever it is, it isn’t human?”

Jack had to pause. It did seem like that whatever was causing the attacks wasn’t human. However, an animal would leave tracks of some sort. “When I think of where the murders have occurred so far, they don’t seem to have a pattern. Have you heard if they discovered any DNA?”

“No!” Susan answered immediately. “But that is a good question. I think investigators keep that stuff hushed unless they find the culprit.”

“True, we are kind of stuck. We should probably look over the report and make it a good article for tomorrow’s newspaper.” Inside his head, Jack didn’t rule out the supernatural. It seemed that it could be possible.

 

 

Chapter 6

Jenna was wide awake now, and the man with the knife seemed just as startled as she was. Then he came at her, and she flew out of bed, so the bed was between them. That didn’t stop the man, who dove across the room and aimed the knife straight for Jenna’s chest. Jenna had no time to move and instantly put her arm up to block. The man and the knife went straight through her and disappeared. She felt a cold chill run up her back but was relieved that the man hadn’t been real.

Again, she heard a child’s cry and quickly ran to the kitchen. No more than eight years of age, a girl was sitting on the floor. She wore pink pajamas, and her head was in her legs. She sounded like she was weeping.

“Hey,” Jenna started, not sure what to say. “Are you okay?” The little girl continued to weep. Jenna bent down to touch the girl’s shoulder. As she did, the girl suddenly turned around.

Jenna jumped back at the sight of the girl’s face. Where one of her eyes used to be was a jagged hole, and blood covered her face. It was hard to tell that her hair was blonde with all the blood that soaked it. The child may have been a spirit, but it was enough to rile Jenna. She didn’t know what to do or what to say.

It was the girl who spoke. “I have been a bad girl. Daddy’s going to punish me.”

“What do you mean?” Jenna’s voice was trembling.

“I spilled my food while daddy was watching TV. He always hits me when I do that. I’m scared of him. You always ignore my cries. He always hurts me, and you don’t help,” the girl accused.

Jenna was lost for words. She didn’t know how to explain to the child that she only recently had been given the ability to speak with ghosts.

The girl didn’t stop. “You think I am ugly, don’t you? Look at me, always covered in blood!”

“No, no, that’s not it.” Jenna couldn’t control the shakiness in her voice. “Okay, I am sorry for not helping you, but I will from now on. I will do what I can to protect you.”

The child only seemed half satisfied with Jenna’s answer. “You will forget about me like my mommy did.”

Jenna felt sorrow for the little girl. She had no idea how she would protect her from her dad’s ghost.  She would only go right through him. “What’s your name?”

“Tabatha,” the girl responded.

“Hi Tabatha, I’m Jenna. I will do what I can to protect you.”

Tabatha gave her a faint smile. “Thank you, Jenna. I want to run away from daddy, but it’s so scary outside. I don’t know what happened. It used to be safe. Now I see ghosts and other creepy things out there.”

Jenna wondered if Tabatha even knew she was a ghost. Not wanting to seem disrespectful, she decided not to mention it. “Where is your mommy?”

“My mommy has gone away and left me alone with my dad. She doesn’t love me. She is always working and forgets about me.”

“That’s terrible,” Jenna replied. “When did you last see your mommy?”

“It’s been a long, long time since I have seen her. I can’t remember when. I only see daddy anymore. Will you be my mommy?”

That was a loaded question, and Jenna didn’t know how to respond. “I can’t be your mommy, but I promise to try to protect you from your daddy. I will do what I can.”

She looked at her microwave and saw it was four in the morning.

Jenna turned to go back to bed, but Tabatha said, “Please don’t go!  Daddy will return.”

Jenna felt responsible. She wanted some sleep, but she had promised the girl she would protect her. After a moment’s hesitation, Jenna decided to stay up. She wasn’t sure if she could get back to sleep after being jarred awake. The father never returned to harm the little girl, for which Jenna was relieved. The rest of the morning slowly passed. Jenna was too tired to read while waiting up with Tabatha. As morning came, the ghost of Tabatha disappeared.

It was Monday, and Jenna took a nap before arriving at work at 3 pm. It was a job she picked up just after she dropped out of college. She worked at a local hotel as a night house person doing odd jobs such as cleaning parts of the hotel, closing the pool, giving rides to hotel guests, and various other tasks. It wasn’t really what she wanted to be doing with her life, but it was the best she could find for the time being. She wasn’t into the nightlife so having her evenings taken up by work didn’t bother her.

She was glad to see that Georgina was working at the front desk. Georgina was a friendly and outgoing person who got along with everybody. Jenna often had personal conversations with her; however, she wasn’t going to mention that she had been talking to ghosts. She already wasn’t sure how comfortable she was with Shirley knowing, let alone letting her coworkers know.

The early part of work was uneventful, so Jenna did some basic cleaning, but a family checked out at eight, and to her dismay, Jenna was required to clean the room so it would be ready for the next guest. She grabbed what was necessary and went up to clean.

As she stood up from cleaning the bathroom floor, she looked in the mirror and saw the reflection of an older woman behind her. Jenna was startled but was able to calm down rather quickly.

The old lady was transparent but didn’t seem surprised that Jenna could see her. “So, you are a necroseer?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Jenna replied, as she had never heard the term.

“A necroseer can see the dead. Not many acquire the gift to do that. I was also a necroseer when I was alive.”

Jenna felt a strange sort of comfort around this elderly lady. She seemed like a grandmotherly soul. Jenna was immediately tempted to tell her everything but refrained because it didn’t seem like the wisest approach.

“Jenna, I presume?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jenna didn’t need to ask her how she knew her name.

“My name is Beverly. I know this is all new to you. I might be able to help you a little or at least teach you.”

“That would be nice,” Jenna replied. She would prefer another human to help her, but Beverly would be better than nothing. Jenna gave her the rundown on how she gained the ability to see ghosts.

“I have heard of this vortex before. One other necroseer entered it many years ago, and like you, she could see into the spiritual realm. It was years ago when she was a housekeeper here.  She never talked to me but seemed rather frightened when I tried to approach her; however, she was a little too open with the rest of the staff about her ability, and people thought she had gone crazy.”

“Where is she now?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Beverly sighed. “It was so long ago, and she left rather abruptly. I think she may have been fired, but I don’t know. Her name was Cassandra.”

Jenna looked at Beverly in surprise. She thought she knew who Beverly meant. “Crazy Cassandra,” or “Crazy Ghost Lady,” as everyone called her, hung out at the town square collecting cans with an old grocery cart. She was always fearfully looking over her shoulder and talking to herself.

Beverly saw that Jenna recognized the name and said, “You should talk to her. Maybe she could give you some pointers.”

“Sounds good. What can you tell me about ghosts?” Jenna asked out of curiosity.

“Ghosts are much like humans. Some lie, some are helpful, but mostly they are very human since they were once human. However, many become agoraphobic after they die.”

“What do you mean?”

“They usually stick to one place and are afraid to go outside of that place. They fear something will attack them in the spiritual realm. However, going outside the home is no more dangerous for a ghost than you going on a drive. There are risks, but nothing too bad.”

Perhaps that is why Isaiac had been so afraid to leave the house and why Tabatha thought things were scary outside, Jenna thought. “You’re saying that ghosts can go outside just like humans?”

“Yes. I mean, it’s rather weird out there for us, as we can see other spirits, and it can be terrifying if there is a demon lurking about, but that is rare.”

“Great, so there are demons out there? What are they like?”

“Some of them are downright nasty. From what I hear, most just ignore ghosts unless they want us for something. They are not pure evil like some people believe. Some of them tend to be helpful to humankind. I guess it pretty much depends on the demon.”

“Do you know why I can only see ghosts but not other spirits?”

“I often wondered that when I was alive about myself. Ghosts are the closest thing to humans in the spiritual realm; therefore, a necroseer can see ghosts when they gain that ability. However, the rest of the spiritual world is typically veiled from them.”

“Typically?”

“Once in a while, something can pass through the veil and enter the human realm. Usually, this will happen when magic is performed, but they can sometimes enter with no magic. If there is anything you learned today, remember that there is always an exception to every rule, especially in the spiritual realm. Ghosts are typically friendly, but some are bad. Things in the spiritual realm typically stay veiled to humans, but some pass over. To everything, there is an exception. Don’t forget that. You’re an exception. Most humans can’t see ghosts, but you can.”

Jenna got a room request and had to return to work. She wished she had more time to talk to Beverly but wanted to get out of work on time.

Just before midnight, Jenna arrived home and put on some tea with valerian root to help her relax. To her relief, the ghost of Tabatha and her father were nowhere in sight. Just as the teapot began to whistle, a sudden knock came at the door.

Wondering who would show up so late, she peered out the peephole and saw her friend Lance waiting. He almost fell inside when she opened the door. She could smell the liquor on his breath and felt immediately annoyed. Lance was one of the heaviest drinkers she knew, but she couldn’t get him to seek help no matter how hard she tried. She felt he was an intelligent guy who was wasting his life away.

“Why are you here?” She did nothing to hide her condescending tone. The last thing she wanted to deal with was a drunk Lance.

“Hey girl, I need a place to crash.”

“What about your place?”

“No!  My roommate is so pissed right now. He just flipped out over nothing.” Knowing Lance, he was probably twisting the truth. After a while, he tended to wear on people’s nerves when having too much alcohol in his system.

Jenna sighed, “I am sure John isn’t kicking you out, just go in the other room and don’t bother him.”

“Just give me the night. Just tonight, and I can go back tomorrow. You don’t understand; he wants half the rent.”

Maybe if you would be more responsible, Jenna thought silently. She didn’t want another guy sleeping at her apartment since Simon might get jealous. Even though Simon and Lance were friends, she was sure Simon would disapprove of Lance staying. Jenna also didn’t want to deal with his obnoxious drunken behavior. “Why don’t you go knock on Simon’s door?”

“I did; he didn’t answer.”

Jenna found this rather strange. Simon usually was home and up reading or playing video games this time of night. He always answered the door when he was home. Lance wouldn’t lie about this. She suppressed the nagging thought that he had gone to hang out with another girl. Why was she even thinking that? He was always faithful, and she trusted him completely, especially now that they were engaged. “Let me send him a text. Want a cup of tea?”

“Nah, mama, that’s okay. Lance sat down in her recliner as they talked and waited for Simon’s text. Jenna wished she could tell him about seeing the ghosts, but not while he was drunk. After thirty minutes, Jenna still had not heard from Simon. “Oh my God, is it really that important to you that I don’t stay?” Lance asked.

Jenna knew she was treading on thin water while Lance was drunk, but she didn’t want to be around him like this. She sometimes felt frustrated with herself for not always keeping her boundaries, but it was hard. Lance was always a good friend when he was sober, but he could also hold a grudge. At last, she said, “Let’s go over and check on him.”

Simon only lived a few blocks away, so they walked over and knocked on his door. After getting no answer, she looked in his windows. The apartment appeared empty. She tried calling and got no answer on his cell. Ever since the cave incident, Jenna felt worried about him. She didn’t think the thing in the cave would continue to hunt him down, but she couldn’t be sure.

As she could feel fear creep through her, she was kind of glad Lance was with her now. The drunk company was better than no company at all, she reasoned. She knew Sierra would be sleeping, so she didn’t want to bother her.

She returned to her apartment and noticed the door wasn’t latched. “Did you shut the door all the way?” She asked Lance.

Lance threw his arms up. “Swear to God. I made sure it was locked.”

Jenna thought, or at least hoped that he had forgotten. She told Lance to hang back just in case someone was inside. He waited outside as she quietly made her way down the hall.

Just before she entered the kitchen, she heard a pot crash. She thought it might be her cat, but she could see the silhouette of her pet in the window in the living room. She heard footsteps coming around the kitchen corner and quickly readied herself for a roundhouse kick and punch to the face.

She swung her leg just as the intruder rounded the corner and was able to slow her momentum when she realized that Simon was standing there.

“What the hell are you doing? I could have hurt you!” she yelled but felt relieved at the same time.

Simon stood still and smiled before replying, “Just wanted to see my beautiful girlfriend. Is there something wrong with that?”

“Yes, you could have at least sent a text letting me know.”

“But I wanted to surprise you. Plus, I left my cell phone at the apartment.” Simon’s voice seemed unnaturally flat. Upon hearing Simon’s voice, Lance entered.

A sudden scream from Tabatha jolted through the air. Jenna jumped, startled, while the other two men looked at her in surprise. She forgot she was the only one who could see or hear ghosts. She tried to act as normal as possible, but they knew her too well. Tabatha ran into the kitchen with her father on her heels. Jenna tried to think quickly, but nothing came to mind. Simon seemed to realize that Jenna had diverted her attention to something else and tried to look at whatever she saw. Tabatha’s father seemed to shrink back when Simon looked in his direction.

To Jenna’s relief, the male ghost disappeared just as he had when he went to strike Jenna.

Simon looked back at Jenna and asked, “What are you looking at?”

“You mean you didn’t see anything?”

“No, just a few cooking utensils hanging on the wall. Nothing to be afraid of.”

Jenna sighed while Lance looked at her and said, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Jenna looked down at the ground in silence, unsure what to say. She might have told Lance if it had been just the two of them, but she didn’t want to look foolish in front of Simon.

“What is it, Jenna?” Lance persisted, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she responded, unsure how she would get out of this one. “I’m just shaken from Simon sneaking into my house like that.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon replied. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but we’re engaged. We have to get used to showing up at each other’s place.”

“But not unexpectedly. When we live together, it will be different—but for now, let me know when you’re going to stop by in the middle of the night.”

Lance spoke up, “I agree with Jenna on this one. You scared the living tar out of me too.”

Fortunately, they dropped the subject, and Simon decided to let Lance go to his house to stay the night. It was four in the morning before Jenna got to bed. She fell asleep, wondering if Tabatha would scream again and wake her up.