SPIRIT OF CONSEQUENCE (A Spirit Walking Mystery Book 1) by Peggy Dulle
Authors: Peggy Dulle
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breath, settling my stomach. “It was early in the morning. The night before we’d had a huge dinner, just Uncle George, Jed, myself, and Sylvia, Uncle George’s girlfriend and our cook. After dinner we watched White Christmas . It’s my favorite Christmas movie. Then Jed and I got out chocolate chip cookies and milk and left them for Santa.”
The lines of his mouth shifted slightly. “I can just see you sneaking down early to catch Santa.”
I flashed him a smile, remembering all the times I’d gotten up early hoping to see Santa. “Yes, that’s exactly what I was doing. It had to be four in the morning. Everyone in the house was asleep. I crept down the stairs and over to the Christmas tree. The whole floor beneath the tree was covered in presents for Jed and me. Then I noticed that the milk and cookies were gone.”
“They were?”
“Yes, it was the tradition in our family that whoever found the plate and glass, got to open their gifts first. So I went looking.”
“Did you find them?”
I gulped down the bile that rose in my throat and nodded.
“And Uncle Ted?”
I closed my eyes and nodded, again, and continued, “The glass and plate were in my dad’s office, sitting on his desk. I wasn’t allowed in there but I was so excited, I ran over and grabbed them. When I turned to leave, I saw Uncle Ted lying on the couch. Why didn’t I just leave the room?”
“Because you were six and he was your uncle.”
“I guess. I went over and tapped him on the shoulder. I wanted to show him that I found the plate.”
“What did he do?”
“I must have scared him because he threw his fist at me.” I reached toward the side of my face, remembering the pain and shock I had felt that morning. “I went flying across the room.”
“He hit you?”
“I shouldn’t have tried to wake him up. I started crying and he came over to me. I thought he would apologize, but he didn’t. He grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth.”
“Trying to keep you quiet?”
“I’m sure that was it, but it scared the hell out of me. I struggled in his arms. The more I thrashed, the tighter he held me. Finally he threw me down on the couch and held my legs with his and had his hand over my mouth.” My body shook then and now. “That wasn’t the worst part. The look in his eyes scared me more than anything. They were so intense and he had this thin smile across his face.”
My heart pounded, just like it had that morning. I didn’t speak for a long time and Dodge didn’t ask me to.
A few minutes later, Dodge said, “Finish the story, Samantha.”
I kept my eyes closed and continued. “He slid his free hand under my pajamas. It was my new frilly pink nightgown. I’d just opened it the night before. We always got new pajamas to go to bed on Christmas Eve.” I shook my head and opened my eyes. “I’m rambling. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Well, he started touching me and then Jed came in. He’d come down, seen the tree, and gone looking for the glass and plate, too. When he saw Uncle Ted, he jumped on his back and started screaming. Uncle Ted let go of me and I started screaming too. Then Uncle George came in. He had one of his pipes hanging from his mouth. He hadn’t smoked for years, but still liked to chew on them. I was still lying on the couch with my nightgown up to my chest. He took one look at me and literally picked up Uncle Ted and carried him out of the room.” I could feel tears running down my cheeks for the first time since I’d died, but couldn’t even reach up to wipe them away.
“I’m sorry, Samantha.”
“It was so long ago, I don’t know why it still bothers me.” I shrugged.
“We never forget the times when we felt helpless or vulnerable. They stay with us and help mold us into the person we become.” His jaw tightened, but his voice was tender.
I had felt so weak and powerless that day that I made a pact with myself: I would never let anyone have power over me
The lines of his mouth shifted slightly. “I can just see you sneaking down early to catch Santa.”
I flashed him a smile, remembering all the times I’d gotten up early hoping to see Santa. “Yes, that’s exactly what I was doing. It had to be four in the morning. Everyone in the house was asleep. I crept down the stairs and over to the Christmas tree. The whole floor beneath the tree was covered in presents for Jed and me. Then I noticed that the milk and cookies were gone.”
“They were?”
“Yes, it was the tradition in our family that whoever found the plate and glass, got to open their gifts first. So I went looking.”
“Did you find them?”
I gulped down the bile that rose in my throat and nodded.
“And Uncle Ted?”
I closed my eyes and nodded, again, and continued, “The glass and plate were in my dad’s office, sitting on his desk. I wasn’t allowed in there but I was so excited, I ran over and grabbed them. When I turned to leave, I saw Uncle Ted lying on the couch. Why didn’t I just leave the room?”
“Because you were six and he was your uncle.”
“I guess. I went over and tapped him on the shoulder. I wanted to show him that I found the plate.”
“What did he do?”
“I must have scared him because he threw his fist at me.” I reached toward the side of my face, remembering the pain and shock I had felt that morning. “I went flying across the room.”
“He hit you?”
“I shouldn’t have tried to wake him up. I started crying and he came over to me. I thought he would apologize, but he didn’t. He grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth.”
“Trying to keep you quiet?”
“I’m sure that was it, but it scared the hell out of me. I struggled in his arms. The more I thrashed, the tighter he held me. Finally he threw me down on the couch and held my legs with his and had his hand over my mouth.” My body shook then and now. “That wasn’t the worst part. The look in his eyes scared me more than anything. They were so intense and he had this thin smile across his face.”
My heart pounded, just like it had that morning. I didn’t speak for a long time and Dodge didn’t ask me to.
A few minutes later, Dodge said, “Finish the story, Samantha.”
I kept my eyes closed and continued. “He slid his free hand under my pajamas. It was my new frilly pink nightgown. I’d just opened it the night before. We always got new pajamas to go to bed on Christmas Eve.” I shook my head and opened my eyes. “I’m rambling. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Well, he started touching me and then Jed came in. He’d come down, seen the tree, and gone looking for the glass and plate, too. When he saw Uncle Ted, he jumped on his back and started screaming. Uncle Ted let go of me and I started screaming too. Then Uncle George came in. He had one of his pipes hanging from his mouth. He hadn’t smoked for years, but still liked to chew on them. I was still lying on the couch with my nightgown up to my chest. He took one look at me and literally picked up Uncle Ted and carried him out of the room.” I could feel tears running down my cheeks for the first time since I’d died, but couldn’t even reach up to wipe them away.
“I’m sorry, Samantha.”
“It was so long ago, I don’t know why it still bothers me.” I shrugged.
“We never forget the times when we felt helpless or vulnerable. They stay with us and help mold us into the person we become.” His jaw tightened, but his voice was tender.
I had felt so weak and powerless that day that I made a pact with myself: I would never let anyone have power over me
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