First Time for Everything
Nothing worse than having a free and clear weekend and not knowing what the hell to do with it. It was such a rare occurrence now, and I never really knew when I’d be free because emergencies were a thing. I was basically a first responder.
I could see why a lot of people looked at the demands of this career and came back with a “no thank you” and yeah, it wasn’t fun, but at the same time, I didn’t really mind?
I mean, I did, but I got to help people who seriously had no other place to turn to.
And I felt good about that. I’d been in that position, for years, no less.
Of not having anyone to turn to for help.
Of not even being able to help myself. So yeah, if I could be the person to help, you bet I would.
Still. That left me sitting in my room, on my bed, trying to figure out how I’m going to spend the my Saturday. I guess I could do, like, chores or something. Ugh, that didn’t appeal whatsoever.
My phone started ringing, Skylar’s picture on the screen, and I immediately perked up. Hell yeah, let’s go play with friends, that’d be so much better than sitting around the house today. I accepted the call immediately. “Hi, friend.”
“Hi! Listen, are you busy today?”
“I am so anti-busy it’s driving me insane, actually. You got something fun up your sleeve?”
“How about something cray cray? I’m calling for help.”
A little thread of worry started tickling the back of my head. “Are you in trouble?”
“Not that kind of insanity. Here’s the thing, Abby and I were doing a sleepover with a friend, and while we were here, I watched full on handprints appearing all over her windows.
Like, bam bam bam, like it’s a fucking copy-paste.
And Abby said she definitely saw a ghost presence, so I’m going on a limb here and thinking, hey, maybe the ghost is trying to get someone’s attention? ”
“Wow, yeah, that’s a pretty good indication alright. Did your friend have any recent deaths in the family?”
I heard Skylar repeat the question for her friend. “She said yeah, her grandfather died about six months ago, you think it’s him?”
“Odds are super good. Normally, if a ghost is trying that hard to get someone’s attention, then there’s something they need to tell the family. Something that wasn’t passed on. Tell you what, if you’ll come get me, I can talk to her grandfather and relay whatever he’s trying to say.”
“Bet. Be there in twenty.”
“Cool.”
I immediately got off my bed, hustling into clothes. I also hunted for Mack and Brandon. It was early enough in the morning, I had no idea what they’d be doing or if were even up. After some searching, I found Brandon in the laundry room starting a load. “Hey, Brandon?”
He paused and turned, head cocked. “What’s up?”
“So, Skye called. She’s got a friend who has a ghost putting handprints all over the windows; I’m thinking there’s a last message he’s trying to pass on. I’m going to pop over and help.”
“Oh, sure, that sounds like a good idea. Think the situation is dangerous?”
“No, no, I’m pretty sure it’s her grandfather. He passed about six months ago.”
“Ah, I bet you’re right.” He held up a cautionary finger. “If that assumption is wrong and it gets crazy, you are to call me.”
I gave him a salute, back mock-straight. “Yes, sir!”
“Good. Take your messenger bag.”
“Planning on it.”
I found shoes, bag, and was hanging out on the front porch when Skylar showed up.
She was in Abby’s Jeep Wrangler, actually, which didn’t surprise me.
Both of them drove that Wrangler about equally from what I’ve seen.
I found it cool they could so easily drive a stick shift. Kind of made me want one myself.
Hopping in, I buckled up as she put the Wrangler in reverse. “So your friend lives close?”
“Yeah, off South Rutherford. She used to go to school with me, but when she started high school, her family moved to Murfreesboro. We stayed friends ’cause she’s super chill.”
I knew Skylar had trouble with a lot of former friends because they hadn’t liked she was a lesbian or was very committed to Abby.
Which was a load of horseshit to me. I did not like bigots.
I was, pretty sure, straight as a fucking telephone pole and it didn’t matter to me who was in bed with who.
I didn’t see why anyone would care, really.
“Thanks for this, seriously. Harper’s coming unglued. She was super scared when the handprints started popping up, and she only started to calm down when I promised her I knew three different Mediums, all of who could exorcise, and that I would get someone in pronto.”
“Ouch, good to know. How’s the rest of her family taking it?”
“Also pretty damn nervous. They calmed a little when I said it’s likely their grandfather trying to get their attention. So I hope it actually is him.”
Me too.
Skylar looked like she’d been startled awake.
Her red hair was in a sort of free flowing tangle down her back, and I think she was in yesterday’s shirt.
Made me think she’d called me, thrown on clothes, and then raced over.
Poor Harper was that scared, eh? Props to Skylar, though, for just rolling with it to help her friend.
Truly, more I got to know her, the more envious I became of Abby. Like damn, I wanted a Skylar.
We turned into one of those cookie cutter subdivisions.
It was a nice cookie cutter, like an upper scale version with the clapboard siding and brick archways around the front door, but no real personality.
Skylar didn’t go far before she pulled into the driveway of one, and I took a better look as I got out.
Two story, postage sized yard, nothing about it suggested ghosts.
Except, you know, the dozens of ghost trials all around the yard.
“Uh. Skye?”
She paused in front of the Wrangler, eyes snapping to me. “What?”
“You got more than one ghost here.”
Dismayed, her shoulders slumped, mouth going O shaped. “No. How many?”
“At least a dozen. At least. All white, though, they’re all friendly.”
“Okay, but, the family was freaking out with one?”
“Yeah, I’m not saying shit about the others until I figure out what’s going on.”
“Please and thank you.”
Now I was really confused and thinking I needed to call Brandon. This didn’t look dangerous, though. Maybe I should get a better idea of what was going on before calling. Yeah.
I followed her in, and found the full family waiting in the living room. All sitting on couches, with Abby consoling a much younger boy. He looked about nine and was visibly upset, latching onto her arm like she was a life raft.
“Hi everyone, this is Gwyn. She’s an FBI proby and full blown Medium.”
All true, but I loved how Skylar was giving me clout I absolutely did not have. Still, I put a smile on my face. “Hi.”
Skylar made the introductions. “Gwyn, this is Isabella” —bleached hair up in a messy bun, dressed in sweats, strained smile—“Gary”—greying beard, also in sweats and looking nervous as hell—“Harper, and her little brother, Liam.”
Harper and Liam looked very much like siblings. Same ash brown hair, strong patrician noses, and they really resembled their mom. They were also, unfortunately, just as scared as their mom.
But I had a feeling they really shouldn’t be. Because Skylar hadn’t introduced the last man in the room. The ghost standing near the front window looked a lot like Gary, and if they weren’t related, I’d eat my phone. I went right to him and watched as his expression grew delighted.
“Yes, sir, I can see you.” I grinned at him as I knew he was a good ghost. He glowed crazy bright white, so it was easy to tell. “I’m Gwyn, who are you?”
“William,” he answered with a return smile. “I’m Gary’s father.”
“I figured, the resemblance is pretty strong.” To Gary, I relayed, “It’s your father, you can relax.”
All the pent up concern whooshed out of him and the tension keeping his shoulders near his ears abruptly dropped. “Oh thank god. Wait, Dad? Why are you still here?”
That was the question, wasn’t it?
William explained to me, “I was set to leave, but I wanted to make sure they got into the new house okay. That inheritance mess made me nervous.”
I turned my head to relay this. “He was making sure you got into this house okay because of the inheritance issues?”
Understanding swept over both parents’ faces. So that apparently did make sense.
But William wasn’t done. “But once we got here, I realized there’s a lot of orphaned kids in this area.
Turns out there was a fire back in the day, and they all died.
They can’t figure out how to move on. I can’t leave the kids behind.
I’d hoped I could alert my son that there’s an issue.
I didn’t mean to scare the willies out of them. ”
“Ohhh.” Now the ghost trails outside made sense. To his family, I explained, “There was a fire way back when, and it killed a lot of kids. They’re all stuck here, unable to pass on, and he just couldn’t leave them without trying to help.”
Gary gave a smile, shaking his head, not even surprised. “My father was a cop, and he loved kids, so this doesn’t surprise me at all. How many kids?”
William answered immediately, “Fourteen.”
Damn, those poor kids. “Fourteen, he said. Listen, William, I can pass all of you on.”
Really excited now, he pressed, “Can you? Can you do it today?”
“Sure, I just need to set up a light trail and get people moving.”
“Gwyn, there’s one thing.” William hesitated, his head turning to stare next door. “The final reason I stayed is there’s one ghost hassling the kids. From what they’ve told me, he was caught in the same fire, and he didn’t die easy. He’s gone steadily bad.”
I whimpered a little. So much for the easy in and out. “Like, how bad?”
“He’s more mean than anything, but he does try to trap the kids. Just for the sheer hell of it. I’ve had to break them out of places more than once, and I’ve had it out with him multiple times. It’s why I got desperate enough to try the handprints on the window. He’s escalating.”