Spirits (Spirits Series Book 1) (30 page)

“Why not?”

“Did you see anyone besides Molly down there?”

“And if I did?”

“Why all of the attitude suddenly? You were fine before… Rouge.” He clinches his jaw. “He sent you to the basement didn’t he?”

“Yeah, so what?”

“So now you two are friends?”

“And if we are would you have a problem with that?”

“No.” He says like he doesn’t care but I can tell it’s eating him up. “I simply do not understand how it went from you being terrified of him to you trusting and following his orders.”

“We have a common goal.” I shrug.

I can’t say with certainty but he looks to be on the verge of hysteria. ”What?”

“To save Kay.” I say like it’s the only explanation.
So it’s not the only goal we have in common but he doesn’t need to know that, especially since he now looks relieved.

“Okay and he believes you’ll find the solution in that old thing?”

“He didn’t exactly tell me what I was looking for but when I stumbled upon it I just felt like my search had ended. It seemed like it didn’t belong down there for some reason.”

“What if the books are not to help her?”

“I’ll never know if I don’t read them and at least give it a shot. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I’m sure you already have an i
dea.” He says unwilling to look at me.  He’s frustrated, I can feel it and even though I dislike his sense of discomfort I’m not giving up. I’m going to read every last page and decipher the symbols. I’ll save Kay and banish the evil from this place even if it means coming face to face with the demon that’s haunted me for years.

He turns to me, a mix of emotions seeping from him, “Be careful, I fear that you are unaware of what you are getting into.”

“Careful is my middle name.” I smirk.

“I thought it was clumsy,” he smiles, “but I like careful better.
” He gently rubs my arm, “I’ll be around.” With a sad smile he disappears.

     Sitting down in front of the antique trunk I take a brief moment to clear my head preparing for this undertaking. I have to be focused. The lid opens easily and in my minds eye there seems like there should be a blinding light expelling from it. I shake the image away and start pulling out books examining their spines. Each has it’s own Roman numeral but neither of them are book one.
I start digging through trying to find it; after all if they are numbered I’m sure they are supposed to be read in order. After finding book one and two I place the others back in numerical order. Yes I may just have a bit of OCD… anyway it doesn’t matter, this has been their safe haven in this haunted house for countless years and I’m not taking any chances of them being ‘misplaced’. There is a reason why spirits can’t get into the box and I’m certain it’s because they wouldn’t like what the books pertained to even though I’ve yet to read any.

    
Settling back on my bed I study the unique symbol embossed on the front cover before opening it to the first page. It’s hand written, not in the English language though. For a split second I begin to panic. How am I expected to read a language I’ve never seen before, I don’t understand?! I have to close my eyes to control the attack I feel brewing. The first line is engraved in my thoughts, I see it vividly even in the darkness, it begins to blaze and reconstruct its self as my mind attempts to decipher it.

   
 
So very few of us remain after their cleansing. My only hope is that with time we shall be as strong in number and mind as we once were. To whoever may be reading this know you are not the first of our kind and I pray that you are not the last and that you are not alone, child of light.

With trembling hands I reluctantly open my eyes and stare down at the page. It’s still scrawled across the page in it’s native language but it’s plain as English to me as I continue reading.

Some of our Keepers have forsaken us, given us over to our enemies for reasons I am unaware. Power perhaps. Whatever their cause it is unjust. Those of us that are not slaughtered are imprisoned and tortured for their purpose or pleasure. I beg of you, be careful whom you trust. I have been in hiding for so many years I’ve lost count. Constantly moving without looking back tends to make the years pass unnoticeably when all you can focus on is survival. It is my greatest hope that my words prepare and guide you for your future or better yet calling. This gift that you have been given; though at times it may seem like a curse, it comes with it’s own adversities and adversaries. Still it is a blessing, what and how you make use of it depends on you. Be warned it is not easily ignored and there are many that will attempt to lead you astray. Cling tightly to that sense of truth and justice with in you, for you shall be the one to answer for your actions.

   
 
I swear I nearly jump out of my skin as a hand covers the page I’m reading. I look up to see Rouge smiling at me mischievously. “Have you read anything good yet?”

“You scared the tar out of me.” I swat at him like a
nuisance.

“Well?” He asks sitting beside me.

“It’s interesting, have you read them?”

He grins broadly, “I have not but I don’t need to.”

“The markings are to ward off spirits, each has it’s own meaning.”

“I haven’t gotten that far yet, assuming it will be explained…”

“I feel certain that it will.” He says looking at me as though he wants to say more.

“Go ahead.” I nudge him.

“What?”

“You want to ask or tell me something, go on.”

“How does it feel?”

“Uh, what are you talking about?”

“Knowing that you are a part of something, a group and that you are not alone in this.”

“Honestly I’ve been so consumed with their words I haven’t given it a second thought.”

He nods slightly, “Understandable, it’s a lot to process.”

“They speak of
cleansing but it seems more like our opponents, with the help of our supposed brethren, more or less eradicated us. Right? Like the Nazi’s did to the Jews.”

“Yes, both were very tragic events.”

“So are you like me?”

“Not anymore.” He says.  Despite his efforts to conceal his sorrow I feel it seeping from him.

“But you are not a ghost.”

“Not in the sense you define them.” He says.

I can’t help but look at him puzzled. How many different definitions does it have?

He chuckles, “All in good time, I promise.”

“I think I know two others like me.”

“Drew?”

“Okay maybe three. Is he?”

“Why not see for yourself.”

“How?”

“Let him read, if he can.”

“Okay, I will. So why me, I mean was I born this way out of blood… or chosen? If it’s blood then Drew will be also but then that means one or both of my parents should be and I know they’re not unless they are trying to ignore it or have done it for so long they’ve shut that part of themselves off. However I don’t think that’s possible, I mean I can’t, then again,”

“Journey, calm down. We’re taking baby steps.” He pats my leg, “As I said, all in good time. You will find the truth.”

I sigh as I fight back a yawn.

“Tired?”

“Yes but I don’t want to stop reading and I think Noah might be upset with me.”

“So what if he is?”

“He won’t watch over me so that I can go to sleep.”

“Lucky for you I know how to ward off spirits.” He peaks his brow, “Are you ready for your first lesson?”

“Heck yeah!” I sit up quickly.

“We need paint, white preferably.”

I dig through my art supplies and produce a bottle of white paint. “Will this do?”

“Perfect.” He says squeezing it into his palm.

“Um, I have a palette.” I say as he dips his fingers into it. “Guess you don’t need a paint brush either.”

    
He is silent as he begins to spread the paint across my window. Mom is going to have a stroke! I watch carefully as the white lines turn into a Celtic like knot. It reminds me of a square made of sideways child like tulips connected by an x in its center with loops to make a sort of quarter circle… It looks easy enough. I decide to give it a try on the next window. As long as he doesn’t go for a wall I’m not stopping him.  “Very nice, you’re a natural.” He smiles as I step back to admire my work.

“Thanks.” I follow him towards the large double window on the front side of the house; he stops at the closet door, pushes it closed with his foot then dips his finger in the paint. “Whoa,” I grab his arm, “my mom will throw a fit.”

“Would you rather Deal with her or them?”

“Um, it’s a toss up, probably them.”

“Be serious.”

“Apparently you don’t know her like I do.” I chuckle and he shakes his head. My humor is so wasted on him. “Fine, but later I’m going to redo it so it looks like artwork.”

“That’s fine. The large window and your bedroom door need to be done.”

“Aren’t you forgetting about the bathroom door?”

“Oh yes, do it also but in the bathroom, both doors and the window in there as well.”

Joy, I’m not going to have to worry about the spirits attacking me because Mom is going to beat them to it!

C
HAPTER ELEVEN

Kadence

     I’ve been hiding, watching Drew and Rouge work past dark on the walkway. I want to ask what they are trying to protect against but I think I already know. I feel something coming. There’s a storm brewing within me, I feel restless, anxious and the anger I have towards
Daelynn is growing stronger. She came along and stole everything from me. My boyfriend and my bestie, the only two people that matter to me! Frustrated I wipe the tears from my cheeks heading in the opposite direction. The last thing I want is for Drew to see me crying over him and it would be way to easy for me to slip up and expose myself since I’m not focused because I’m an emotional wreck. Why can’t I just hate him? It would be so much easier! I need someone to occupy my mind. You’d think that would be simple enough considering there are a freak ton of spirits here but no I’m not a part of their stupid little group. I’m an outsider.  It’s just like effing school but for once I’m not the popular one. Now I know how Journey has felt all her life and it seriously sucks! Journey… I should go see her, talk to her. She almost always knows what to say to make me feel better.

“Fancy meeting you here.” Aiden says as I turn towards the house.

Has he been following me? “Hey.”

“What’s the matter?” He looks at me curiously.

I shake my head, “Nothing.” I lie looking away.

“You’ve been crying.” He cups my cheek stroking it with his thumb, “This face is much to beautiful to be stained by tears. You should never have to bear a moment of sorrow. Tell me, what has you distraught?”

“I’m alone now Aiden, I don’t want to be alone.”

“What about the living ones you came with?”

“They don’t seem to want me around much. They have new friends.”

“I’m sorry
Dear. We all go through these things, the living move on without us and so should we.”

“I have no one,” a sob catches in my throat, “to move on with. I can’t let go of the past if there is no future to look forward to.”

“Shh, please don’t cry. You have me.”

“Really? I thought you wouldn’t hangout unless I joined.”

“Perhaps I’m breaking that rule,” he smiles, “not that I really abide by them anyway.”

I could sense that. “So what were you doing out here?”

“Just looking for something to do,” his eyes waver from my face and sweep down my body, “or shall I say someone.”

“Someone in particular?”

“Yes.”

“Did you find them?”

“I’m looking at her.” His hand slips from my cheek, he skates his fingers down my neck, shoulder, arm to my hand. He holds it palm side up with his other hand and begins tracing a pattern on it. “Close your eyes, tell me what you see.”

“Nothing but darkness.”

He chuckles, “Focus, feel me.”

It’s still dark but I feel… warmth, comfort. Dull light breaks through slowly chasing away the darkness as an image comes into view.

     A pale red moon hangs in the sky but I can barely see it through the dense trees. Voices chant all around me accompanied by the beating of ceremonial drums, a fire burst to life in front of me. I can see them now, stepping out of the shadows and encircling me; Rose, Noah, the children and others I have yet to meet.”