Chapter Five.
Callie
Each team had completed three nights of investigation, and it was time to change over.
Callum and Hugo would remain at the cemetery, while Michelle would stay at the house.
I was struggling to understand how two demons were working in such a close area.
Jack and I had done our handovers, and they’d gone to Amityville while Sunny, Chey, Celt, Callum, Hugo, and I were at Sleepy Hollow.
Sunny was riding his Hog while the rest of us were in an SUV.
“Seriously, I can’t believe we’ll get to see the Headless Horseman,” Chey almost squealed. She was relieved to be free of the Amityville investigation.
“We’re heading to the Old Dutch Church Burial Grounds tonight. Nobody knows where the body of the Hessian was buried, but it’s thought to be behind the church in an unmarked grave. We’ll do an EVP session and also use the SLS cameras to scan for figures,” I said.
“There’s a difference between the two cemeteries?” Celt asked.
“Yes. The Old Dutch Church Burial Grounds belong to the church, and Sleepy Hollow is a separate cemetery. Jack, Connor, and Phil investigated the Sleepy Hollow graveyard, we’re heading to the original burial place,” I explained.
“And we’re looking for the Headless Horseman’s body?” Chey inquired.
“We can’t call him the Headless Horseman, as that might be factually wrong. What we do know is he was discovered after the Battle of White Plains,” I replied.
“Why was he headless?” Chey looked disturbed as she considered it.
“Some reckon a cannonball took his head off, but nobody knows. Nothing remains apart from the legend. The poor man was found and buried in the Old Dutch Church Burial Grounds. Again, there’s no record of it. But verbal tales handed down claim that happened,” I said.
“Are you tooled up?” Celt turned to Callum and Hugo.
“Overly so. We’re taking extra precautions tonight. The Lavender Lady doesn’t seem able to cross the cemetery boundary line, but if she does, we’re ready,” Callum responded calmly.
“Why are you chasing Lavender?” Celt demanded.
“Because we have to discover her power base. We need to investigate properly; one mistake and things could go terribly wrong,” Hugo interjected.
Celt frowned, but he got the point. “Will Michelle be okay in Amityville?”
“Celt, she’s got Jack, Connor, and Phil with her. She’ll be all right. Michelle’s a strong priest, and this won’t be her first or last exorcism. Jack and Connor have both assisted in exorcisms before, as has Phil. They’re going to be fine,” I assured him.
“How are you so calm?” Chey asked.
“Been doing this a while now, remember? Five and a half years. Plus, I was an avid watcher of certain shows. I learned how to do things and when not to. This isn’t my first rodeo with a demon, and sadly, it won’t be the last. Evil endures out there, and when we come across it during a haunting, we’re honour-bound to send it back to hell,” I explained.
“But demons, Callie?” Celt said.
“Demons exist. And there are many types. Imps, Incubi, Succubi, Archdemons, and the seven Princes of Hell. All of these want to cause pain, murder, corruption, and death,” Callum stated.
“That makes you a demon slayer?” Celt asked.
Amused, I choked on a laugh. “God no! I’m a paranormal investigator who, if she finds evil, sends it back to whence it came.
Celt, I’m no hunter. Honestly, I’m perfectly happy chasing ghosts around.
I can’t stress how unusual this situation is.
Two separate places close by with two demons is rare.
None of this is normal. But I won’t run from it; I’ll face it head-on,” I replied.
“That makes you braver than many,” Chey said.
“There’s nothing worse than a good person walking away from what they learn is wrong.
Lots of spirits desire peace but can’t find it.
Or they want an answer to something. If we can discover what they need and let them rest, don’t they deserve that?
And shouldn’t wickedness be fought no matter what?
The world will implode if we sit by and do nothing.
” I shook my head. “No, evil needs to be battled.”
“Can’t argue with that, Callie. I learned evil can come in many shapes and forms.” Celt swapped a look with Chey.
I knew their story and guessed what Celt was referring to. He’d had his mind fucked with by Zeus, and he’d harmed Chey. Celt had bent over backwards since then to make up for his wrongs. Now they were a couple deeply in love. They were made for each other.
“We’re here,” Hugo said as Sunny pulled into a parking space ahead of us. Sunny stood by my door before Celt shut off the engine.
I studied my husband. How I’d got so lucky, I didn’t know.
Sunny wasn’t exactly perfect to the outside world, but to me, he was.
He was kind, caring, strong, determined, loyal, respectful, and so much more.
Sunny was the guy every girl deserved, but sadly, only a few got his type.
My man may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but the way he treated me?
Many wished for someone like Sunny but failed to find him.
“Okay?” Sunny asked, frowning at me quizzically.
“Yes. Just thinking how much I love you,” I replied.
Sunny’s eyes softened, and his lips twitched into a smile. He hauled me close and gave me a toe-curling kiss. As usual, my body reacted, and I was a hot mess when he finished.
“Not as much as I love you,” Sunny murmured against my lips.
“Save it for private,” Chey quipped as she got out behind us.
Sunny chuckled as Celt snorted.
“You can talk, every time I turn around, Celt has his hands on you,” Sunny joked, and Chey grinned.
“Okay, brute, you’re showing that soft side,” Chey teased. Sunny mock scowled and lunged towards Chey, who shrieked and leapt into Celt’s embrace.
“Thanks, brother,” Celt said, his arms full of woman. Smugly, Celt winked and kissed Chey.
“Now who needs a private room?” I retorted as I walked to the back of the SUV to start unloading our equipment.
“Where first?” Sunny queried, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“Let’s head to the rear and see if we can record anything during an EVP session,” I said.
Everyone nodded, grabbed their gear, and we headed out.
◆◆◆
“Can you tell me your name?” I asked.
“Eliza,” the whisper floated back.
Chey beamed at me as Hugo aimed the SLS camera in the whisper’s direction.
“Got something,” he called.
“Hi, Eliza, I’m Callie. How are you today?”
“Free.”
“That’s a weird thing to say,” Sunny commented quietly.
“Free,” Eliza repeated, and a giggle followed.
“That could mean anything. Sickness, debt, a husband—” I was cut off mid-sentence.
“Husband.”
“A bad man?” Chey inquired.
“Indeed!”
“Eliza, do you know where the Hessian is buried? The one everyone claims was headless?” I asked.
“Resting.”
“He’s at peace? We don’t want to disturb him,” I replied.
“Go away.”
“That told us.” Callum chuckled.
For a while, I kept calling out, but Eliza had clearly got annoyed and refused to answer. We wandered around for a few hours, but other than picking up the odd random word, we didn’t get anything again.
“Wow, I’ve never known a cemetery or burial site so quiet,” I finally said.
“Do you think they’re hiding?” Callum asked. “I sense eyes on us, but they’re not malevolent.”
I considered his words. “Maybe they’re protecting the Hessian.”
“What do you mean?” Sunny inquired.
“Well, let’s put ourselves in their shoes.
Hundreds, if not thousands, tramp all over here daily.
Every single one looking for the Headless Horseman or the Hessians’ burial plot.
I bet not a lot of respect is shown either.
We all know how idiots mimic that fool Zak Toggins.
I reckon they’ve had heaps of abuse and provocation.
If someone asks about the Hessian, they go quiet to protect themselves and him,” I surmised.
“That would make sense,” Callum agreed.
“Eliza, if you can hear me, forgive my question. We didn’t consider how many times you must have heard that. No disrespect was meant,” I called out.
“Forgiven,” the whispered floated back.
“We’ll leave you in peace,” I replied.
“Goodbye!” Eliza replied cheerfully.
“Well, she didn’t want us sticking around,” Chey stated, amused.
We began walking back to the car for a break and to eat when I glanced left. “Sunny!” I hissed.
Quickly, he turned and lifted the camera. Marching in fours, ghosts marched around the corner of the church. None of them paid us any attention; their eyes focused on something we couldn’t see.
“They’re wearing old-fashioned uniforms,” Celt murmured.
“Yeah,” I said, watching as a mist rose and swallowed them.
“Did they notice us?” Chey asked.
“No, I got the feeling they were residual, not intelligent,” I replied.
“What does that mean?” Celt asked.
“The best explanation is history is stuck on repeat. They’re not aware of their surroundings; they’re just repeating what they did in the past—rather a snapshot of an event,” I said.
“Like a film replay?” Chey frowned.
“Yeah, exactly like that,” I agreed.
“Let’s get some food down to us and then finish up here, although I don’t think we’ll get much more,” Sunny interrupted.
I nodded and followed him back to the SUV.
Jack
The house had been quiet all night. Almost as if it were sulking.
It was unhappy with the change of teams, even though Michelle remained.
There’d been no reply to our call-outs or temperature readings, and everything stayed stable.
Considering how much activity Callie and the others had seen, this was vaguely disappointing and frustrating.
Four a.m. was creeping up when something finally happened. We’d been in the attic bedroom when we heard a noise. Shivers ran down my spine as I realised I was listening to heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. Connor and I swapped glances and moved in front of Michelle.
“Isn’t Merrick downstairs?” Connor whispered.