Lady Justice and the Ghostly Treasure (9 page)

    “If you can’t hold that light steady,” Kevin said, irritably, “I’ll never get this thing open.”

    I took a deep breath and concentrated on my shaking hands.

    A moment later, the padlock popped open.

    The old door, obviously not recently opened, creaked on its rusty hinges. It reminded me of the radio program,
Inner Sanctum
, I listened to when I visited my grandma and grandpa in the early 50’s.

    Though the temperature outside was in the seventies, the moment we entered the hospital we felt a chill that raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

    The owner’s description of the place was not an exaggeration. The walls were crumbling and plaster hung from the ceiling. Debris was scattered across the floor.

    “Geeze,” Kevin muttered. “This is worse than I expected. I can’t help wondering why the owner hasn’t razed the place.”

    “From what I understand,” I replied, “there are two reasons. First, the place is full of asbestos. You can’t just tear it down. The EPA has very strict guidelines for asbestos removal and it’s not cheap. The second reason is a bit more exotic. It has to do with ghosts.”

    “Oh please. Enlighten me.”

    “People like Christopher Wheeler, the guy who communicated with Cyrus in the hotel, have determined that quite an assortment of spirits inhabit these old buildings. It seems that those who occupy the winery building are not malevolent in any way --- more like mischievous. The spirits in the other three buildings, not so much. Quite frankly, the owner of the property fears that if he tears down the dilapidated buildings, the more sinister spirits might take up residence in the winery.”

    “Swell! Asbestos and boogey men. Just what I wanted to hear.”

    “Well, you asked.”

    “Any idea where we should start looking?” Kevin asked.

    “I remember Momma worked mainly on the second floor,” Mary replied. “I’d start there.”

    As we headed to the stairway, there was a ‘crash’ that froze us in our tracks.

    “What the hell was that?” Kevin asked, his voice wavering a bit.

    None of us took another step or moved a muscle for what seemed like an eternity. I suddenly realized I’d been holding my breath.

    Hearing nothing more, I relaxed a bit. “Could have been anything. Maybe the wind or some furry creature. There’s bound to be mice, rats, or possibly a raccoon or possum living here. There’s certainly nothing to keep them out.”

    “Great,” Kevin replied. “Now in addition to the asbestos and the undead, we’re talking vermin --- with pointy teeth.”

    “From my experience, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them --- the furry things, that is. The supernatural things, I couldn’t say.”

    “You’re such a comfort.”

    We finally reached the stairway to the second floor. I could see why the
CREEPZ Ghost Commando
s never got past the entry hall.

   
A bannister from above had fallen, stair treads were rotted or missing, and the wall was covered with dark red splotches.
Surely not blood. Surely not blood
, I kept telling myself as I stepped gingerly on the first tread.

    Being the smallest and lightest, I went first, followed by Kevin. Mary brought up the rear. Ascending the stairs was like navigating a mine field. I tested each tread, not putting my full weight down until I was certain it would hold.

    Step by agonizing step, we advanced.

    There were only three more treads to go when I heard a ‘crash’ and a shriek from below.

    “Son-of-a-bitch!” Mary wailed. “Get me outta here!”

    I turned and my flashlight beam caught the top half of Mary protruding from the tread three steps below me.

    The tread had held my 150 pounds and Kevin’s 175, but was no match for Mary’s 200.”

    “Quiet!” Kevin ordered. “You’ll wake the dead. Hmmm, not a good choice of words. You’ll alert the guard.”

    “Then get me outta here,” she said again, squirming.

    I joined Kevin. “What do you think?”

    “Don’t know,” he replied. “I can take one arm and you can take the other, but when we pull, our combined weight will all be on one tread. I’m not sure it will hold. Any other ideas?”

    The thought that we leave her there briefly crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. The wailing that would ensue would certainly rile any spirits that might be lurking about.

    “Can’t think of any. Let’s give it a go.”

    I grabbed one arm, Kevin grabbed the other and we pulled --- and pulled --- and pulled. All the while, Mary was squirming, grunting, and cussing under her breath.

    When she finally popped loose, I let out a big sigh. The tread had held.

    Mary shined her light on her leg. “Well, damn!” she muttered, looking at the red strawberry on each knee.

    At these close quarters, I suddenly realized that Mary hadn’t gotten all the dog poop off of her shoe.

    “Better get moving,” I said, putting as much distance as possible between me and her offensive foot ware.

    When we were all on firmer footing, we shined our lights down the hall. The second floor was in even worse condition than the first.

    “Sheesh,” Kevin said. “There must be twenty or more rooms down this hall. Any suggestions?”

    “One by one, I suppose. Mary, anything click with you?”

    “No, it was so long ago --- and it looks so different.”

    Most of the rooms were empty, but a few still had pieces of rusty hospital equipment. When we entered one room, I felt Mary tense. She pointed to the gurney against the wall.

    “That’s just creepy. I can envision poor Mr. Sinclair strapped to a thing like that and doctors hammering sharp things into his brain.”

    I felt the temperature drop a few degrees, and I could swear I saw my breath. The sensation was fleeting, but very real.

    “Let’s move on,” I said, shoving Mary toward the door.

    Back in the hall, I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head, but the air was heavy and oppressive. I could tell my companions were experiencing the same thing.

    The next room was no better.

    The lone object was a child’s doll.

    It’s sad, sunken eyes stared at us through the dim light. The expression on its face spoke volumes, saying it had seen things no child should ever have to endure.

    “Must be the children’s ward,” Mary whispered. “I remember Momma comin’ home crying and hugging us, saying how thankful we should be that we weren’t sick. She was always so sad after working with the kids.”

    I thought I heard a mournful moan, but then it was gone. Must have been my imagination working overtime.

    “We’re getting nowhere fast,” Kevin grumbled. “That slip of paper could be anywhere --- or it could be gone. I’m beginning to think this is a wild goose chase.”

    “The hell it is!” Mary retorted, stomping out of the room. “Everything that has happened in the past week has led us right here. I ain’t giving up!”

    “What do you think?” Kevin asked after Mary’s stormy exit. “Are we wasting our time?”

    I was about to reply when Mary called from the hall. “Get out here! Quick!”

    We hurried to her side and found her pointing, her eyes wide.

    “Down there! Did you see it?”

    We both looked.

    “What? There’s nothing there.”

    “Maybe not now, but there was!” she insisted.

    “Exactly what did you think you saw?”

    “I didn’t
think
I saw it,” she retorted, indignantly. “I
did
see it. At first I thought it was just a shadow or something, then it got brighter. It looked like a man, but not really. It was just sort of hovering, then it went into that room.”

    “Which room?”

    “I’ll show you,” she replied, grabbing my arm.

    “This one,” she said, pausing outside of room #206. “It went in here.”

    I shined my light into the room. “Nothing here now.”

    “Oh yeah,” she said, pointing to the floor. “What about those?”