WHERE GHOSTS GO WHEN THEY DIE
THE WIDOW
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Meredith lay on her side in her bed. She was exhausted but her large brown eyes were wide open as she stared into the empty darkness of her bedroom. That was when it came over her, yet again. She could feel it's abhorrent presence as it descended upon her enveloping her body, bringing with it a putrid stench of rot and decay.
It gripped the inside of her thigh causing Meredith to wince. She clutched her bed sheet tightly and drew her knees into her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears leaked through. It crept further up her thigh, invading her. Meredith screamed.
A grilled cheese sandwich adorned a pristine white plate, complemented by a crisp dill pickle spear. It's thick white bread was toasted to a golden perfection. A glob of sumptuous cheddar cheese oozed from between the slices. And yet it sat on the plate untouched.
Instead Meredith sat with her feet on the diner seat as she leaned against the wall. She gazed listlessly out the window. A gray hoodie pulled up over head. She had dark circles under eyes and her face was gaunt. Likely due to a lack of sleep and not eating.
Jacob who had endured another long drive, was in stark contrast to Meredith. He was having no trouble at all making short work of his Turkey club BLT supreme. Along with a mile high pile of fresh cut french fries topped with a copious amount of poutine. Which Jacob pointed out was very rare find in the states.
“So.” began Jacob as he continued to eat. “Tell me everything from the very beginning.” Meredith stirred uncomfortably in the booth. She bit her lip and swallowed hard before she started to speak. “It is OK Meredith, I am not here to judge. Said Jacob reassuringly. Meredith nodded her head.
“I lost my Sam just a few months ago. He was killed by a drunk driver. At first I was in complete and total shock. Then denial. I mean he was only 27.” “I am sorry.” Answered Jacob with empathy. “People told me to give it time, that I will get over it. But I have know him for over 10 years, we met in high school. I love him so much and I don't want to get over him.” Meredith shut her eyes and the tears flowed down her pale cheeks.
“Please go on.” Said Jacob with an encouraging inflection. “So I didn't know what to do. I talked to family, friends, and therapists. Then one of my friends recommended this psychic.” Jacob stopped eating in mid chew. A look of revulsion coming over his face. Meredith stopped speaking when she saw Jacob's foul expression. “It is Ok.” Jacob answered curtly. “Like I said I am not passing judgment, not on you anyway.”
“Ummm, Ok. So I met with Madam Hebert.” Jacob rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath as Meredith continued to speak. “I told her what had happened to Sam and she attempted to contact him through channeling.” Jacob bit his tongue so hard he was surprised he didn't bite it off. Meredith continued to speak.
“When that didn't seem to work she presented me with an ouija board. She said it has been in her family for generations.” “What did she have you do next?” Asked Jacob as he listened intently. “Well she told me to place my hands on it and ask Sam a question. And Jacob it really moved, it really did! But Jacob only shook his head vigorously. “Ideomotor effect.” Jacob answered flatly. “What is that?” Asked Meredith curiously. “It is simply a psychological phenomenon where you make motions unconsciously.” Answered Jacob. Meredith appeared flabbergasted.
“What happened next?” Asked Jacob. “Well she let me take the ouija board home. She gave me a list of incantations to chant as I used the ouija board. Said Meredith. “What incantations?” Jacob asked with concern. “Ummm, I really don't know what they mean they are in Latin.” Meredith took some papers out of her purse and handed them to Jacob. Meredith observed the look on Jacob's face as he read through the list of incantations. His expression ranged from disgust to look of deep distress. He then folded them up and placed them in jacket pocket.
“What?” Asked Meredith seeming alarmed. “What do they mean?” But Jacob didn't answer her questions. “Let me guess it was after you started reciting this that this whole thing started happening?” Jacob asked in a subtle tone. “Yes. That is when it started...coming after me. It wasn't violent at first but that changed quickly. And then it started to...” Jacob held up his hand. “You can stop there, I know what happens next.” Meredith fiddled with the drawstrings on her hoodie. She reminded Jacob of a child as she did this.
“I can tell you with the utmost certainty that this spirit is NOT Sam.” Said Jacob. Meredith breathed a sigh of relief. “However I need to pay our psychic pal, Madam Hebert a visit. I will stop by your place tonight. In the meantime you need to eat.” Jacob gently pushed the grilled cheese sandwich towards Meredith. Meredith sighed and picked up the sandwich. It made a satisfying crunch as she took a small bite. “It's good.” Said Meredith through a fragile smile. Jacob smiled back.
Jacob pulled up to Madam Hebert's storefront. He was meet by garish neon lights flashing on a large sign that hung over her door. Jacob could not believe how audaciously sleazy this woman must be. Jacob walked inside and was greeted by a young woman who was trying her best to look and sound the part of an European psychic. “Ah, how can I help you? Are you hear to...” But the young woman stopped speaking when Jacob brazenly walked past her and into the back room. “Sir!” Shouted the young woman. “You cannot go in...” But Jacob cut her off. “Sit your ass back down and shut up.” Answered Jacob sharply without even making eye contact with the young woman.
Jacob threw the door open to Madam Hebert's office. It was a cramped room filled with antiquated décor. Curious trinkets and interesting splendor crowded the shelves that wrapped around the musty confines of Madam Hebert's workspace. Macabre items such as sacrificial daggers, human skulls, and mysterious religious artifacts adorned every open space available. But Jacob seriously doubted that much, or any of these items held actual authenticity. In fact Jacob mused to himself that he had seen more convincing looking haunted house décor during Halloween.
Madam Hebert did not even look up when Jacob burst into the room. She was aware of his presence but she was concentrating on the tarot cards she had spread before her on her desk. “Ah!” She began. Her hand hovering over the cards. “I see you are a man who must attend to something most urgent.” Said Madam Hebert. “You bet your ass I do.” Answered Jacob. Madam Hebert extended a long bony finger over a tarot card. She tapped it with her thick yellow fingernail before turning it over revealing the moon card. “The moon!” Gasped Madam Hebert. “You are about to take on something powerful, something dangerous and supernatural!
For the first time Madam Hebert looked up at Jacob, but Jacob's face held an expression that belied what he was truly thinking. “Or.” Began Jacob. “Since the card is reversed from your prospective I am thinking most likely calumny.” Madam Hebert stared back at Jacob. Her expression morphing from a look of confusion to one of embarrassment. “How dare you insult me in my domain! Shouted Madam Hebert with anger in her voice. “Lady, I am just getting started. And you can knock off the phony accent. You sound like one someone from one of those low budget late night horror movies” Jacob answered in a condescending tone. Madam Hebert was beside herself with anger.
“Now, I am not here for me. I am here to help a young woman who came to see you. Meredith” Madam Hebert sat with her arms folded conveying a look of defiance. Jacob continued. “You were helping her, for a lack of a better word. To get in contact with her late husband. I need to know what is the source of those incantations you gave her to recite. Jacob turned his attention to Madam Hebert. But she only glared back at him giving him a dirty look. Jacob stood directly in front of her desk. He placed his hands on the desk and while leaning forward looked Madam Hebert directly in the eyes. “Look you are messing around with something you don't understand. I don't know how you got a hold of what you got a hold of. But because of you whether you meant to or not you have placed the life of a young woman in grave danger. Now where is the source of those incantations you gave her?”
Madam Hebert's expression softened. She sheepishly unfolded her arms and got up from her desk. Reaching into a closet Jacob hadn't noticed Madam Hebert produced a rather aged looking weighty tome that she struggled to hold. She dropped it down on her desk with a loud thud that kicked up dust. Jacob pulled up a chair and grabbed the incantations out of his jacket pocket. He opened the book, it smelled of age and mildew. As he spread his fingers over the yellowing pages he sighed. This might take a while he thought to himself.
Several hours later Jacob arrived at Meredith's home. Jacob explained to Meredith why he had been gone for so long. A look of concern came over Meredith's face. “Are you sure you can help?” She asked sounding worried. “Yes.” Answered Jacob assuredly. “I don't mean to alarm you, I only wanted to be better prepared. I wanted to know exactly what we are dealing with.” “I guess that makes sense.” Said Meredith sounding anxious.
A look of curiosity crossed Meredith's face as she spoke. “I was thinking of something.” “What is that?” Asked Jacob. “Doesn't your family miss you? I mean you said you are always on the road.” “Well.” Began Jacob. “You see I don't have a family, at least none that I know of. I grew up in an orphanage.” “Oh, I am sorry. That is so sad.” Said Meredith with empathy. “It's OK. It is kinda hard to miss something you never had.” Answered Jacob. This response did little to satisfy Meredith, as she looked saddened. “Anyway I am here to help you remember? Meredith only nodded. “OK then let's go over the plan again.”
The plan was simply for Meredith to go to sleep just like she normally would, with Jacob waiting outside in the next room. “I cannot stress enough that you must keep your eyes closed, no matter what happens or what you hear.” Said Jacob sternly. “But how will you know if he...it is here?” Asked Meredith. “I will be able to feel it's presence.” Answered Jacob. With that Meredith went to bed while Jacob stayed in the living room.
As Jacob waited on the couch as the night dragged on he couldn't help but be consumed with worry. This malevolent spirit was very old, perhaps ancient. And what was most troubling it was likely very powerful. It had been a while since he faced anything like this. As Jacob continued to ponder the might of his adversary, he felt it's presence...it was finally here.
Jacob entered Meredith's bedroom. Her back was to Jacob as she slept facing her bedroom window. She had the blinds open and her bedroom was illuminated by the pale moonlight. It was noticeably colder in her bedroom. A sense of dread crept over Jacob as he felt the strength that oozed from this apparition. He turned to confront it.
Jacob could only see random plumes of what looked like pockets of billowing black smoke approaching him. He could feel his heartbeat accelerate and his muscles tense up. Jacob called upon his power to pull the apparition fully into the living plane. This would expose it, making it vulnerable.
The apparition stopped moving as Jacob attacked. It began to come into view. As it's true form began to manifest it seemed to writhe in anger, it didn't want to be exposed. And when it finally became clear a horrid face of decay and ancient ruin, Jacob gripped it's soul. It tried to pull away, seemingly shocked by Jacob's power. But Jacob had it under his control though it was taking great strength and concentration to do so. And just as Jacob had this battle won. Meredith screamed.
With Jacob's concentration broken, the apparition wrested itself free from his grasp. Jacob turned around to face Meredith who was now sitting up in her bed. Her blankets pulled up around her body and a look of guilt on her face. “I told you to keep your eyes closed!” Shouted Jacob angrily.
The apparition had retreated, but it did not flee. It was still in the room. Jacob could feel the spirit circling him as if to taunt him before it struck. Jacob could not keep up with it and suddenly felt it's ice cold grip seize him. It threw Jacob against the wall and slammed him down on the floor. Meredith screamed.
Jacob was hurt, but he feigned the extent of it. This lured the apparition in as Jacob hoped it would. As the apparition closed in on Jacob he got up suddenly and grasped the apparition, surprising it. With a vigor fueled by anger Jacob used all this strength to banish the evil spirit. It released a bestial guttural groan as it vanished from existence. Jacob collapsed to the floor.
Jacob awoke late the next morning to the inviting aroma of a busy kitchen. Meredith had prepared a bountiful brunch for them to enjoy. She looked like a new woman, like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. As Jacob walked into the kitchen Meredith's eyes lit up and a beautiful spread across her face. She graciously invited Jacob to sit down.
After an hour or so of conversation and eating Jacob was met with the nagging feeling of needing to be on his way. He thanked Meredith for her hospitality. Before he left, he reminded her that the only way she was going to get over her late husband was through time. But that didn't mean she had to forget him. Meredith nodded her head understandingly. She gave Jacob a hug as her left her home.
Jacob entered his SUV and saw he had received more messages from a family up North. They were concerned that their young son might be talking to a ghost. Jacob had encountered scenarios like this with children before. More often than not it was due to the child's imagination. However every now and again it did involve actual ghosts. Though Jacob could never really be sure until he fully investigated such claims. But Jacob trusted this family as his gut told him that their concerns were legit. Jacob responded to the Kensington's letting them know he was on this way. After all Pennsylvania wasn't too long of a drive.
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