Chelby Rose, she prepped for bad weather. The thunderstorm brought large hail, torrents of rain, and wind howling like an animal caught in a trap. The lights inside the house blinked off and on before finally going completely dark.
“Great. Not only did you pick a leaky house, but you also picked one with electrical issues,” Tandie grumbled.
As the storm bellowed at full force outside, she gathered several purple, grape-scented candles, her hurricane lamp, and headed to the one area of the house where she spent most of her time, the living room that also served as her study. Chelby Rose’s dark rooms screamed with hidden energies of spirits from long past. That was one reason she chose an older home, to re-ignite the sight she’d lost.
Even though Tandie had been around a host of situations that could rival a Dean Koontz novel, she wasn’t prepared to hear Minerva’s disturbing news about Chelby Rose’s previous tenant, or Abby accusing her of being a witch. The world she left back in New York seemed to have been a dream as she sat on the couch in her office-living room and stared at the shadows moving along the walls.
After about a half hour, Tandie drifted off to sleep under the storm’s hypnotic rhythm of rain, thunder booms, and lightning. She dreamed of Breena wearing a white dress, running along an unfamiliar coastline. In the dream, she chased her daughter in a game of tag, her skin glistening with vivid life, as if she could reach out and caress the teardrop birthmark on her right cheek. The girl’s giggle echoed around the two playing on the beach.
But then, the sky darkened as Tandie chased her daughter further down the coastline. In the distance, a canon blared across the ocean, drumming into her eardrums. Tandie stopped running so she had a clear view of the water. Glancing back to check on her daughter, Tandie found nothing but an empty beach; even though Breena’s giggles still echoed around her, they soon began deepening into a knocking noise. Tandie’s mind was flooded with panic.
She bolted upright on the couch. The knocks were coming from her front door, and the lights were still out.
She checked her watch, wondering what strange person might be lurking outside her house in such a storm. Images of the shadow boy and man from the town store flashed through her mind. She picked up her lamp and inched toward the front door, her mouth dry. Moving to the window beside it, she slowly parted the curtains.
A hooded man stood outside the doorway. Tandie hesitated and thought about Frieda’s remark about what might happen if she disappeared. No one would know.
“What oddity is happening at Chelby Rose now?” Tandie asked herself. “Patience, Harrison. He’ll go away.”
But he didn’t. His knocks became more persistent just before he glanced toward the window where Tandie stood. She moved the curtain back right away.
“Okay, too slow. You know he saw that.” She moved to the door and said, “Who are you looking for?”
“Could I speak with you for a moment ma’am?” the stranger hollered over the rain. He didn’t sound psychotic anyway. Instead, his voice sounded familiar. But women made that mistake all the time, trusting someone based on their voice.
“State your business or leave,” Tandie said, her breath quickening.
“A large branch fell on your roof. I’m pretty sure there’s a hole in it by now.”
These people are unreal. “ Sir, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s storming right now.”
“I just wanted to warn you. That’s all. I hope you have a few buckets on hand,” he said.
“Thanks. Which spot did you say it was?” Tandie used to hear the officers say that letting a would-be assailant know that you’ve called his bluff sends a message that says: this is a smart victim, so leave them alone. She hoped Gomez and crew knew what they were talking about.
“Check the room closest to
“Great. Not only did you pick a leaky house, but you also picked one with electrical issues,” Tandie grumbled.
As the storm bellowed at full force outside, she gathered several purple, grape-scented candles, her hurricane lamp, and headed to the one area of the house where she spent most of her time, the living room that also served as her study. Chelby Rose’s dark rooms screamed with hidden energies of spirits from long past. That was one reason she chose an older home, to re-ignite the sight she’d lost.
Even though Tandie had been around a host of situations that could rival a Dean Koontz novel, she wasn’t prepared to hear Minerva’s disturbing news about Chelby Rose’s previous tenant, or Abby accusing her of being a witch. The world she left back in New York seemed to have been a dream as she sat on the couch in her office-living room and stared at the shadows moving along the walls.
After about a half hour, Tandie drifted off to sleep under the storm’s hypnotic rhythm of rain, thunder booms, and lightning. She dreamed of Breena wearing a white dress, running along an unfamiliar coastline. In the dream, she chased her daughter in a game of tag, her skin glistening with vivid life, as if she could reach out and caress the teardrop birthmark on her right cheek. The girl’s giggle echoed around the two playing on the beach.
But then, the sky darkened as Tandie chased her daughter further down the coastline. In the distance, a canon blared across the ocean, drumming into her eardrums. Tandie stopped running so she had a clear view of the water. Glancing back to check on her daughter, Tandie found nothing but an empty beach; even though Breena’s giggles still echoed around her, they soon began deepening into a knocking noise. Tandie’s mind was flooded with panic.
She bolted upright on the couch. The knocks were coming from her front door, and the lights were still out.
She checked her watch, wondering what strange person might be lurking outside her house in such a storm. Images of the shadow boy and man from the town store flashed through her mind. She picked up her lamp and inched toward the front door, her mouth dry. Moving to the window beside it, she slowly parted the curtains.
A hooded man stood outside the doorway. Tandie hesitated and thought about Frieda’s remark about what might happen if she disappeared. No one would know.
“What oddity is happening at Chelby Rose now?” Tandie asked herself. “Patience, Harrison. He’ll go away.”
But he didn’t. His knocks became more persistent just before he glanced toward the window where Tandie stood. She moved the curtain back right away.
“Okay, too slow. You know he saw that.” She moved to the door and said, “Who are you looking for?”
“Could I speak with you for a moment ma’am?” the stranger hollered over the rain. He didn’t sound psychotic anyway. Instead, his voice sounded familiar. But women made that mistake all the time, trusting someone based on their voice.
“State your business or leave,” Tandie said, her breath quickening.
“A large branch fell on your roof. I’m pretty sure there’s a hole in it by now.”
These people are unreal. “ Sir, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s storming right now.”
“I just wanted to warn you. That’s all. I hope you have a few buckets on hand,” he said.
“Thanks. Which spot did you say it was?” Tandie used to hear the officers say that letting a would-be assailant know that you’ve called his bluff sends a message that says: this is a smart victim, so leave them alone. She hoped Gomez and crew knew what they were talking about.
“Check the room closest to
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