Beckoning Spirit (A Romantic Paranormal Short Story) by Stacey Coverstone

 
     
     
    Waking to a distant roll of thunder after a midday nap, Devin first thought she was on the island. Then consciousness stirred. Pale light seeped through the thin curtains. Through the open window she heard the sound of tourists on the street below. Although it was June, her duvet cover was tucked up under her chin. She shivered and lay there for a moment with the back of her clammy hand pressed to her damp forehead. She’d had another dream about the woman in white. Each time she experienced one of the dreams, she woke with a slight headache and her body covered in chill bumps.
    Her eyes remained closed. The dreams had been coming for several weeks now, in flashes and bits, like the pieces of a puzzle. The woman’s face was always shrouded in a gray mist, but Devin sensed familiarity—a kinship with her.
    The meaning of the dreams remained a mystery, but a strange feeling niggled beneath Devin’s skin. She believed the visions were leading up to some significant event—one in which she, her grandmother, and the island played major roles. The phantom in white called to her, tugging at her like a magnet to return to Monhegan.
    As her eyes opened, she splayed her fingers across her chest and felt her heart beat an agonizing staccato. A great sense of urgency washed over her. She sat up in bed and glanced at the calendar hanging above her desk. Today’s date was circled in red. It was the first anniversary of her grandmother’s passing.
    The dreams were more than mere coincidence. Devin was certain. She needed to go back to the island immediately. Not understanding the force that fueled the dreams, she only knew the woman in white beckoned to her, and she felt compelled to heed the call.
    The bedside clock glared two forty-five. “Shoot!” She leapt out of bed and slipped into her sandals as she ironed her top and shorts with her hands. The last ferry of the day would be leaving at three o’clock.
    I must go now .
    She rushed into the bathroom and tossed her hair into a ponytail and cleaned her teeth quickly. There was no need for extra clothes or an overnight bag. She wouldn’t be spending the night on the island. Grabbing her purse and keys, she locked the apartment door behind her and took the stairs two at a time.
    At the narrow street, she waited for a car to pass and then sprinted to the dock. Although she lived right across from the harbor, it had been a full year since she had ridden the ferry. The crisp tang of brine invaded her nose, and anticipation gripped her chest.
    Deep rumbles shuddered across the steel gray sky. She looked up. A scattering of dark, billowy clouds hovered ominously above. Light raindrops peppered her arms. At one end of the street, a group of tourists ducked into a gift shop. Closer by, another bunch entered the Ebb Tide, the greasy spoon where Devin waited tables as a way to supplement her income as a budding romance novelist.
    A brief summer shower never hurt anyone. Her sandals clicked on the plank boardwalk as she jogged to the ticket booth. The island ferry was still tied to the dock. “Good! I’m not too late,” she said aloud. “One ticket please.” She offered some cash to the man in the ticket booth and inhaled a deep breath of the fresh, rain-scented air.
    “Sorry, miss. The captain just cancelled the last run of the day.” He pointed a finger upward. “Storm’s comin’.”
    “What? You’ve got to be kidding. It’s just a few clouds and raindrops,” she moaned. “I’ve got to get to Monhegan today.”
    The man shrugged. “As I said, the ferry won’t be making any more runs today. Try back tomorrow when the sun’s shining again.”
    “I can’t wait until tomorrow. I have to go today. Right now.” An emotional charge surged through her body. “It’s an emergency. I have a sick relative who needs me,” she fibbed.
    “I have nothing to do with the decision, miss. The captain has the final word, and the last trip of the day is cancelled. I’m