Dead and Confused
October 6
“May I have your attention, students?” Principal Stratton’s voice sounded slightly distorted over the intercom speaker. “Just a few announcements before we dismiss for the day.”
A student sitting somewhere behind her groaned, and Trixie could well understand the sentiment. She turned in her chair to grab her backpack and set about the task of packing up her things, glad there were only a few minutes left before the final bell.
“First, men’s soccer team. Due to the damage done to the field over the weekend, practice has been canceled for this afternoon. Animal control has been notified and they have assured us that the woodchuck will be caught humanely and released in a location where it is no longer a nuisance. Also, students, be sure to stop by the main office to purchase your tickets for the Homecoming dance on the 17th. Remember, there’s a five dollar-per-ticket discount if you buy your tickets early. Finally, while our staff and faculty here at Sleepyside High prides itself on encouraging the creative endeavors of our students, we have to ask that those who were responsible for the … er, sliming of the flag pole with… ectoplasm. Miss Reid, does this really say ‘ectoplasm’? Excuse me students.”
There was a pause as the system went silent. Laughter and cheers erupted in the room.
“I see dead people!” Randy Miller declared dramatically. “Oooooh… and they leave behind a trail of snot!”
“That’s enough, Randy,” Ms. Puchowski snapped. “And sit down.”
The intercom crackled. “Students,” Mr. Stratton continued, “as I was saying, while we appreciate the artistic creations of our highly talented student body, smearing green Jell-o on the flag pole is not a good way to express yourself. Please refrain from this sort of activity in the future. Thank you all and have a good afternoon.”
“Leave it to Mr. Stratton to deem an act of vandalism as an art project,” Hannah Lowery sniffed. “He wouldn’t know real art if he saw it. You know, Trixie, all this immature ghost stuff is your fault. Yours and the rest of your club.”
“You should probably watch what you say out loud, Hannah,” Trixie replied with a small, half-smile. “Ghosts can be pretty sensitive and they won’t like being called ‘immature.’”
“Oh, grow up!” The bell rang and Hannah stood, grabbing her book bag. “I can’t wait for this stupid month to be over!”
“You and me both,” Trixie mumbled as Hannah stormed off. “Not that I know for sure it’ll make my life all that much better.”
At least, though, the upcoming Halloween party would no longer dominate every conversation she had with her classmates.
She found Dan and Mart waiting for her at her locker. “Honey said she’d meet us at the van,” Dan told her as Trixie dialed the combination on her lock. “She wants to go with us to Lisgard House.”
Trixie winced. “Is that a good idea? I know she was really putting on a brave face last night, but she was totally creeped out. I mean genuinely scared.”
“Yeah. I know. She had me inspect her room and bathroom for any unwanted visitors.” Dan heaved a sigh and shrugged. “But she seems pretty determined to help and I don’t think we can or should tell her ‘no.’”
“All right,” Trixie reluctantly agreed. “But let’s at least suggest we take her car and your van. That way, if she wants to leave before we do, she can.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The drive out to the estate was a pleasant one. The fine weather still held and Honey rolled the windows down so the girls could enjoy the cool, clean air. She pulled in behind Dan’s van and parked, taking a moment to survey the area. “I know you’ve always been fascinated with this place and the whole Sarah Sligo story,” she said quietly, “but to tell the truth, I’d always hoped to never come out here.”
“It’s not too late to just go home, Honey. You don’t have to do this and you know none of us will think any less of you if you don’t.”
Honey offered her friend a watery smile. “Thanks. And I know. But I do want to help, any way I can. We’re partners, right?”
“Right,” Trixie agreed with a smile of her own. “So, let’s go, Partner.”
“Hello,” a voice said as soon as Trixie climbed from her seat. “Perhaps you could help me? I’m looking for the witch’s ghost.”
She turned to face the speaker as she slammed her door shut. “Sorry. Of all the spooks we’ve encountered so far? We haven’t seen old Sarah.” She stilled as she got a closer look at the young man. “Wait. You aren’t dead.”
“Ah, no,” he said with a bemused chuckle. “Still alive and breathing, I’m afraid.” He shifted a satchel from under one arm to the other, then held out his hand for a shake. “I’m David Lee. I’m a professor over at Haversham. I’m working on a paper on paranormal events. Specifically, I'm interested in ghost encounters.”
Trixie’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? You're a college professor who researches the paranormal? So maybe I really could major in ghostbusting? Whadd’ya know!”
The professor was cut off from a response as the boys joined them. “Who the hell are you?” Dan demanded belligerently as he stepped between the girls and the professor. “And what do you want? You’re trespassing on private property, just so you know. I should call the cops.”
“Please. Hear me out. I have a story you’ll probably find fantastic. Or then… in light of recent events, maybe you won’t?”
Dan folded his arms and regarded Professor Lee stonily. “You have two minutes.”
“Ah. Thanks. Uh… all right. My fascination with the spirit realm goes all the way back to my childhood. We lived in an old house in Sleepy Hollow and there were several ghosts haunting the place. I believe they were quite friendly, actually - “
“The clock is ticking, dude,” Dan broke in, “you might want to speed this up a bit.”
“Dan! Chill, huh?” Trixie shot him a questioning look. What is your problem, anyway?
“It’s my job to keep people out of here. Remember?”
“Please,” Professor Lee said again. “I’m not a threat to anyone. I’m just interested in my research.”
“Cut to the chase. Why are you here and why now?”
“Fair question. I was in Sleepyside last night, dining at Wimpy’s and I heard all the talk. Oh, I know it’s simply a game – a stunt – to most people, but then I heard something else as I was walking back to my car. There were four teens… you four, to be exact, and you were discussing ghosts in a way that I knew wasn’t a silly game. You can see them, can’t you. You weren’t merely playacting.”
“Not that I’m admitting to anything,” Mart replied, his voice almost as hard as Dan’s, “but how did you know to be here this afternoon? How did you know we’d be here?”
“Oh, I didn’t! This is simply happy coincidence. As soon as I saw you pull up, I recognized you. Granted, it was a bit dark last night, but uh…” he trailed off with a small gesture in Trixie’s direction. “Your curls. They… stand out. Very distinctive. I came out here today because Lisgard House is the most famous haunted house in the area. If you four are really seeing ghosts, I knew this could be a possible focal point. I was planning to scout the place out. See what I could discover.”
“But you can’t see them – the spirits – yourself?” Trixie asked, already sure she knew the answer.
Professor Lee’s eager expression faded. “No. Not for lack of effort on my part, though. I have to rely on finding evidence of their presence in more mundane ways. Moved objects, for instance.”
“I say we keep him. He’s cute!”
Trixie’s gaze tracked to the pre-teen girl standing behind the professor. “He’s not a puppy. We can’t just ‘keep’ him. What are you expecting to do? Put a leash and collar on him?”
Professor Lee whirled around. “Someone’s here? There’s a spirit here now?”
“Phooey!” the young girl exclaimed. “Why should it matter if he’s a man or a dog?”
“It probably matters a great deal to him,” Trixie replied dryly.
“Well, I don’t care! I like him. He has nice eyes.”
“Uh, huh. Look, he’s a little old for you, kid. Also? You’re dead.”
“You don’t have to be mean about it!”
“I’m not being mean. He can’t see you or talk to you. That’s not exactly conducive to a good relationship.”
“And, keep in mind,” Mart added helpfully, “he’s going to get older and older. You may like the way he looks now, but picture him at seventy.”
Trixie nodded and made a disgusted face. “Right? You won’t think he’s so adorable then. On the other hand, there are plenty more fish in the sea, or in this case, the afterlife. Why don’t you go looking for Prince Charming there?”
The girl hesitated, then slowly smiled, her entire face lighting up. “Yeah! Yeah.” She disappeared without another word.
“Did that work?” Honey asked after a slight pause. “Is she gone?”
“Yep. She’s gone,” Trixie confirmed.
David Lee peered at Trixie closely. “You… this is incredibly fascinating. Fascinating!” He turned to Honey. “You can’t see them?”
Honey shook her head. “No. I wasn’t there when-“
“We started seeing ghosts everywhere,” Trixie cut in quickly, sending Honey a warning glance. She was willing to give the man a chance to prove himself, but she wasn’t ready to trust him completely and divulge their story in full.
Mart apparently felt the same way. “No offense, bub, but the last time we got involved with a professor in the field? He turned out to be a crook.”
“I see.” Slowly, Professor Lee nodded. “And I understand.” It was obvious to the four friends that he was disappointed, though he seemed to be making an effort to mask it.
“What is it you really want from us, anyway?” Trixie asked. “I don’t want to be the subject of some research project and I’m pretty sure they feel the same.”
“Well, perhaps we could help each other?”
“How’s that?”
“I’ve got all the background,” Professor Lee explained. He patted the satchel under his arm. “I’ve been studying the paranormal my entire life. But unless I miss my guess, this is all brand new to you. I could be a resource… a guide, as it were, to help you, and you could help me by way of direct communication with the spirit realm.”
“Come on. Does Haversham really let you do this? Really?” Dan demanded skeptically. “I find it hard to believe they haven’t thrown you out as a crackpot.”
Professor Lee cleared his throat, the color rising in his cheeks. “Yes, well. Yes. I’m actually an associate professor of mathematics. My other research is done… independently, for publication in journals that are distributed in certain circles outside academia. I, uh, I use a pen name for that.”
It was that moment of total honestly that decided it for Trixie. “All right. I’m not promising anything, but… maybe we can help each other.” She looked to her friends, one brow raised, silently asking for their input.
There was a long moment as both Dan and Mart sized the man up, then finally, Dan nodded. “But we’re setting ground rules. As caretaker for this estate? You do not set foot on this property without my permission. Also? If I get so much as a hint that you’re up to something you haven’t told us about? That you’re lying or holding back anything at all? You’re gone like the Taylor Swift wannabe we just pushed on to… wherever they go when they leave here.”
As Professor Lee bobbed his head in agreement to Dan’s terms, Trixie turned to Honey with a quick grin. “How ‘bout that? Guess we’re keeping him after all.” She looked back over at the professor. “Come on, Giles, we’re heading inside.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Are we looking for something in particular?” the professor asked as he scanned the library, taking in the hundreds of dusty books and old furniture.
Mart hesitated before answering, but then decided there was little use in trying to hide their intentions. “We found an old journal that belonged to Sarah. At least, we believe it belonged to her. In it, she references a second spell book several times. A sort of… Book of the Dead or Book of Shadows. We’d like to see if we can find it, even though the chances might be slim.”
“So her grimoire, then?”
“Yes. Only it wasn’t originally hers, like the journal. It was something that was passed down to her.”
“The problem is,” Trixie said glumly, “if it’s even here? It could be anywhere.” She walked up to the closest shelf and ran one finger over the binding of a crumbling novel. “We don’t even know what it looks like,” she added as she pulled the book down.
“May I offer my assistance?”
“Vernon!” Trixie shrieked, stumbling backward. “Don’t do that! And where’s the rest of you? Please tell me your body isn’t flailing around in the hall again.”
Vernon stepped through the bookshelf, smiling broadly. “Don’t worry, m’dear. As you can see, I’m fully put together at the moment.”
“Well, gosh. Thank goodness for small mercies.” Trixie narrowed her eyes at the ghostly figure. “So Mart was right. You’re still hanging around. Why are you still hanging around?”
“Oh, you know how it is. Places to haunt. People to scare.” As her scowl grew more pronounced, he held up both hands. “I’m kidding you, of course. Only kidding.”
“So?”
His grin faltered and he glanced at the others in the room. “I tracked you down for a reason. I know I owe you, for the favor you did me, and I’m here to start paying off that debt.”
“Explain,” Dan said shortly, not entirely convinced of Vernon's honorable intentions.
“Word’s gone out, through certain channels, about you three. There’s gonna be a convergence.”
“Which means…?” Trixie prompted, aware that whatever Vernon was referring to, it probably wasn’t good.
“Spirits. Spooks. Ghosties. They’re coming here. From all over. Most of ‘em? They just want your help. You gotta understand. It can be a real shock to wake up dead. A lot of times, it comes as a complete surprise. Mostly, what you’re dealing with are spirits that’ve latched on to a single idea or need, because it’s the only way to deal with the confusion of it all. But then there are the others.”
Trixie drew in a deep breath, aware of a sharp pang of foreboding. “What others?” she asked reluctantly.
“The ones looking for trouble. They’re what folks often refer to as poltergeists.” Vernon’s expression was suddenly serious. “You kids do not want to go tangling with a poltergeist. You hear me? They’re dangerous and you aren’t prepared to face one.”
“And how precisely would we avoid it? I mean, if one came after us?”
“Run?” Vernon suggested with a shrug that came perilously close to dislodging his head again. He clasped it between his palms and adjusted it to a better position.
“Like we did with you?” Mart asked pointedly. “I seem to recall that accomplished nothing.”
“I don’t know what else to tell you. You might want to spend all your time going through Sarah’s spell book to find out how to make a ward or talisman, at the very least.”
Dan eyed the ghost dubiously. “And that will help?”
“Couldn’t hurt. Meanwhile, I’ll see what I can do. No one likes a poltergeist. Eh. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll stay away. I’ll do what I can to spread the rumor that you’re too powerful to take on, and anybody not interested in getting banished should steer clear.”
“Who’s gonna believe that?" Trixie demanded in exasperation. "I mean, it’s obvious we have no idea what we’re doing. We sure as heck don’t know how to banish an evil spirit.”
“Yeah. True. But you’re doing a pretty good job of things so far, anyway. And besides, two of you are Beldens.”
“Wait – what? So? What does that have to do with anything?”
It was too late. Vernon vanished before Trixie even finished speaking. She turned to Dan and Mart. “Okay. It’s official. Color me freaked.”
Dan ran a hand over his dark hair, and offered her a weak smile. “Yeah. Uh, I think I might at least know why he said that last bit. About you being Beldens.”
“Because…?”
“Freckles, I really was planning to talk to you about this later tonight, so don’t get mad that I didn’t already mention it, all right?”
“You know something you neglected to share, Danny Boy?” Trixie’s tone was low and noticeably cool.
Dan didn't respond immediately and his eyes tracked across the room. At that moment, Trixie realized he’d been holding back not to intentionally keep something from her or her brother, but for Honey’s sake. Apparently, the same thought occurred to her friend, as well. “Please, Dan,” Honey said quietly. “Whatever it is, just spit it out.”
“Right. Okay. So, yesterday, when I was at the historical society? I convinced Mr. Bates to let me look through some of the books they usually keep under lock and key. In one of them, I found an account of the night Sarah Sligo was killed. It was written by a local preacher. He talked a lot about Sarah being a witch and how she’d destroyed a bunch of farmers’ crops and poisoned a water well and that kind of stuff. A man named Thomas Downey organized the mob that came after her. According to the preacher, when they got here to her house, they were first confronted by her father. He was trying to protect her. There was a scuffle, and Downey killed him. That’s what set Sarah off. She cursed everyone present before fleeing to her workshop, so they trapped her inside and set the fire.”
“Yeah. That’s close to the way we’ve always heard the story, though not that part about her father.” Trixie looked at Dan expectantly. “What does any of this have to do with me and Mart?”
“Did you know Sarah Sligo was a widow?”
Trixie blinked. “No… is that important somehow?”
“Yeah, Freckles. I think it might be. Because Sligo was her married name. Her father was Joseph Isaiah Belden. By birth? She was Sarah Elizabeth Belden. And I’m willing to bet, if we trace your family tree back far enough, we’ll find out you guys and the witch are directly related.”
“May I have your attention, students?” Principal Stratton’s voice sounded slightly distorted over the intercom speaker. “Just a few announcements before we dismiss for the day.”
A student sitting somewhere behind her groaned, and Trixie could well understand the sentiment. She turned in her chair to grab her backpack and set about the task of packing up her things, glad there were only a few minutes left before the final bell.
“First, men’s soccer team. Due to the damage done to the field over the weekend, practice has been canceled for this afternoon. Animal control has been notified and they have assured us that the woodchuck will be caught humanely and released in a location where it is no longer a nuisance. Also, students, be sure to stop by the main office to purchase your tickets for the Homecoming dance on the 17th. Remember, there’s a five dollar-per-ticket discount if you buy your tickets early. Finally, while our staff and faculty here at Sleepyside High prides itself on encouraging the creative endeavors of our students, we have to ask that those who were responsible for the … er, sliming of the flag pole with… ectoplasm. Miss Reid, does this really say ‘ectoplasm’? Excuse me students.”
There was a pause as the system went silent. Laughter and cheers erupted in the room.
“I see dead people!” Randy Miller declared dramatically. “Oooooh… and they leave behind a trail of snot!”
“That’s enough, Randy,” Ms. Puchowski snapped. “And sit down.”
The intercom crackled. “Students,” Mr. Stratton continued, “as I was saying, while we appreciate the artistic creations of our highly talented student body, smearing green Jell-o on the flag pole is not a good way to express yourself. Please refrain from this sort of activity in the future. Thank you all and have a good afternoon.”
“Leave it to Mr. Stratton to deem an act of vandalism as an art project,” Hannah Lowery sniffed. “He wouldn’t know real art if he saw it. You know, Trixie, all this immature ghost stuff is your fault. Yours and the rest of your club.”
“You should probably watch what you say out loud, Hannah,” Trixie replied with a small, half-smile. “Ghosts can be pretty sensitive and they won’t like being called ‘immature.’”
“Oh, grow up!” The bell rang and Hannah stood, grabbing her book bag. “I can’t wait for this stupid month to be over!”
“You and me both,” Trixie mumbled as Hannah stormed off. “Not that I know for sure it’ll make my life all that much better.”
At least, though, the upcoming Halloween party would no longer dominate every conversation she had with her classmates.
She found Dan and Mart waiting for her at her locker. “Honey said she’d meet us at the van,” Dan told her as Trixie dialed the combination on her lock. “She wants to go with us to Lisgard House.”
Trixie winced. “Is that a good idea? I know she was really putting on a brave face last night, but she was totally creeped out. I mean genuinely scared.”
“Yeah. I know. She had me inspect her room and bathroom for any unwanted visitors.” Dan heaved a sigh and shrugged. “But she seems pretty determined to help and I don’t think we can or should tell her ‘no.’”
“All right,” Trixie reluctantly agreed. “But let’s at least suggest we take her car and your van. That way, if she wants to leave before we do, she can.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The drive out to the estate was a pleasant one. The fine weather still held and Honey rolled the windows down so the girls could enjoy the cool, clean air. She pulled in behind Dan’s van and parked, taking a moment to survey the area. “I know you’ve always been fascinated with this place and the whole Sarah Sligo story,” she said quietly, “but to tell the truth, I’d always hoped to never come out here.”
“It’s not too late to just go home, Honey. You don’t have to do this and you know none of us will think any less of you if you don’t.”
Honey offered her friend a watery smile. “Thanks. And I know. But I do want to help, any way I can. We’re partners, right?”
“Right,” Trixie agreed with a smile of her own. “So, let’s go, Partner.”
“Hello,” a voice said as soon as Trixie climbed from her seat. “Perhaps you could help me? I’m looking for the witch’s ghost.”
She turned to face the speaker as she slammed her door shut. “Sorry. Of all the spooks we’ve encountered so far? We haven’t seen old Sarah.” She stilled as she got a closer look at the young man. “Wait. You aren’t dead.”
“Ah, no,” he said with a bemused chuckle. “Still alive and breathing, I’m afraid.” He shifted a satchel from under one arm to the other, then held out his hand for a shake. “I’m David Lee. I’m a professor over at Haversham. I’m working on a paper on paranormal events. Specifically, I'm interested in ghost encounters.”
Trixie’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? You're a college professor who researches the paranormal? So maybe I really could major in ghostbusting? Whadd’ya know!”
The professor was cut off from a response as the boys joined them. “Who the hell are you?” Dan demanded belligerently as he stepped between the girls and the professor. “And what do you want? You’re trespassing on private property, just so you know. I should call the cops.”
“Please. Hear me out. I have a story you’ll probably find fantastic. Or then… in light of recent events, maybe you won’t?”
Dan folded his arms and regarded Professor Lee stonily. “You have two minutes.”
“Ah. Thanks. Uh… all right. My fascination with the spirit realm goes all the way back to my childhood. We lived in an old house in Sleepy Hollow and there were several ghosts haunting the place. I believe they were quite friendly, actually - “
“The clock is ticking, dude,” Dan broke in, “you might want to speed this up a bit.”
“Dan! Chill, huh?” Trixie shot him a questioning look. What is your problem, anyway?
“It’s my job to keep people out of here. Remember?”
“Please,” Professor Lee said again. “I’m not a threat to anyone. I’m just interested in my research.”
“Cut to the chase. Why are you here and why now?”
“Fair question. I was in Sleepyside last night, dining at Wimpy’s and I heard all the talk. Oh, I know it’s simply a game – a stunt – to most people, but then I heard something else as I was walking back to my car. There were four teens… you four, to be exact, and you were discussing ghosts in a way that I knew wasn’t a silly game. You can see them, can’t you. You weren’t merely playacting.”
“Not that I’m admitting to anything,” Mart replied, his voice almost as hard as Dan’s, “but how did you know to be here this afternoon? How did you know we’d be here?”
“Oh, I didn’t! This is simply happy coincidence. As soon as I saw you pull up, I recognized you. Granted, it was a bit dark last night, but uh…” he trailed off with a small gesture in Trixie’s direction. “Your curls. They… stand out. Very distinctive. I came out here today because Lisgard House is the most famous haunted house in the area. If you four are really seeing ghosts, I knew this could be a possible focal point. I was planning to scout the place out. See what I could discover.”
“But you can’t see them – the spirits – yourself?” Trixie asked, already sure she knew the answer.
Professor Lee’s eager expression faded. “No. Not for lack of effort on my part, though. I have to rely on finding evidence of their presence in more mundane ways. Moved objects, for instance.”
“I say we keep him. He’s cute!”
Trixie’s gaze tracked to the pre-teen girl standing behind the professor. “He’s not a puppy. We can’t just ‘keep’ him. What are you expecting to do? Put a leash and collar on him?”
Professor Lee whirled around. “Someone’s here? There’s a spirit here now?”
“Phooey!” the young girl exclaimed. “Why should it matter if he’s a man or a dog?”
“It probably matters a great deal to him,” Trixie replied dryly.
“Well, I don’t care! I like him. He has nice eyes.”
“Uh, huh. Look, he’s a little old for you, kid. Also? You’re dead.”
“You don’t have to be mean about it!”
“I’m not being mean. He can’t see you or talk to you. That’s not exactly conducive to a good relationship.”
“And, keep in mind,” Mart added helpfully, “he’s going to get older and older. You may like the way he looks now, but picture him at seventy.”
Trixie nodded and made a disgusted face. “Right? You won’t think he’s so adorable then. On the other hand, there are plenty more fish in the sea, or in this case, the afterlife. Why don’t you go looking for Prince Charming there?”
The girl hesitated, then slowly smiled, her entire face lighting up. “Yeah! Yeah.” She disappeared without another word.
“Did that work?” Honey asked after a slight pause. “Is she gone?”
“Yep. She’s gone,” Trixie confirmed.
David Lee peered at Trixie closely. “You… this is incredibly fascinating. Fascinating!” He turned to Honey. “You can’t see them?”
Honey shook her head. “No. I wasn’t there when-“
“We started seeing ghosts everywhere,” Trixie cut in quickly, sending Honey a warning glance. She was willing to give the man a chance to prove himself, but she wasn’t ready to trust him completely and divulge their story in full.
Mart apparently felt the same way. “No offense, bub, but the last time we got involved with a professor in the field? He turned out to be a crook.”
“I see.” Slowly, Professor Lee nodded. “And I understand.” It was obvious to the four friends that he was disappointed, though he seemed to be making an effort to mask it.
“What is it you really want from us, anyway?” Trixie asked. “I don’t want to be the subject of some research project and I’m pretty sure they feel the same.”
“Well, perhaps we could help each other?”
“How’s that?”
“I’ve got all the background,” Professor Lee explained. He patted the satchel under his arm. “I’ve been studying the paranormal my entire life. But unless I miss my guess, this is all brand new to you. I could be a resource… a guide, as it were, to help you, and you could help me by way of direct communication with the spirit realm.”
“Come on. Does Haversham really let you do this? Really?” Dan demanded skeptically. “I find it hard to believe they haven’t thrown you out as a crackpot.”
Professor Lee cleared his throat, the color rising in his cheeks. “Yes, well. Yes. I’m actually an associate professor of mathematics. My other research is done… independently, for publication in journals that are distributed in certain circles outside academia. I, uh, I use a pen name for that.”
It was that moment of total honestly that decided it for Trixie. “All right. I’m not promising anything, but… maybe we can help each other.” She looked to her friends, one brow raised, silently asking for their input.
There was a long moment as both Dan and Mart sized the man up, then finally, Dan nodded. “But we’re setting ground rules. As caretaker for this estate? You do not set foot on this property without my permission. Also? If I get so much as a hint that you’re up to something you haven’t told us about? That you’re lying or holding back anything at all? You’re gone like the Taylor Swift wannabe we just pushed on to… wherever they go when they leave here.”
As Professor Lee bobbed his head in agreement to Dan’s terms, Trixie turned to Honey with a quick grin. “How ‘bout that? Guess we’re keeping him after all.” She looked back over at the professor. “Come on, Giles, we’re heading inside.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Are we looking for something in particular?” the professor asked as he scanned the library, taking in the hundreds of dusty books and old furniture.
Mart hesitated before answering, but then decided there was little use in trying to hide their intentions. “We found an old journal that belonged to Sarah. At least, we believe it belonged to her. In it, she references a second spell book several times. A sort of… Book of the Dead or Book of Shadows. We’d like to see if we can find it, even though the chances might be slim.”
“So her grimoire, then?”
“Yes. Only it wasn’t originally hers, like the journal. It was something that was passed down to her.”
“The problem is,” Trixie said glumly, “if it’s even here? It could be anywhere.” She walked up to the closest shelf and ran one finger over the binding of a crumbling novel. “We don’t even know what it looks like,” she added as she pulled the book down.
“May I offer my assistance?”
“Vernon!” Trixie shrieked, stumbling backward. “Don’t do that! And where’s the rest of you? Please tell me your body isn’t flailing around in the hall again.”
Vernon stepped through the bookshelf, smiling broadly. “Don’t worry, m’dear. As you can see, I’m fully put together at the moment.”
“Well, gosh. Thank goodness for small mercies.” Trixie narrowed her eyes at the ghostly figure. “So Mart was right. You’re still hanging around. Why are you still hanging around?”
“Oh, you know how it is. Places to haunt. People to scare.” As her scowl grew more pronounced, he held up both hands. “I’m kidding you, of course. Only kidding.”
“So?”
His grin faltered and he glanced at the others in the room. “I tracked you down for a reason. I know I owe you, for the favor you did me, and I’m here to start paying off that debt.”
“Explain,” Dan said shortly, not entirely convinced of Vernon's honorable intentions.
“Word’s gone out, through certain channels, about you three. There’s gonna be a convergence.”
“Which means…?” Trixie prompted, aware that whatever Vernon was referring to, it probably wasn’t good.
“Spirits. Spooks. Ghosties. They’re coming here. From all over. Most of ‘em? They just want your help. You gotta understand. It can be a real shock to wake up dead. A lot of times, it comes as a complete surprise. Mostly, what you’re dealing with are spirits that’ve latched on to a single idea or need, because it’s the only way to deal with the confusion of it all. But then there are the others.”
Trixie drew in a deep breath, aware of a sharp pang of foreboding. “What others?” she asked reluctantly.
“The ones looking for trouble. They’re what folks often refer to as poltergeists.” Vernon’s expression was suddenly serious. “You kids do not want to go tangling with a poltergeist. You hear me? They’re dangerous and you aren’t prepared to face one.”
“And how precisely would we avoid it? I mean, if one came after us?”
“Run?” Vernon suggested with a shrug that came perilously close to dislodging his head again. He clasped it between his palms and adjusted it to a better position.
“Like we did with you?” Mart asked pointedly. “I seem to recall that accomplished nothing.”
“I don’t know what else to tell you. You might want to spend all your time going through Sarah’s spell book to find out how to make a ward or talisman, at the very least.”
Dan eyed the ghost dubiously. “And that will help?”
“Couldn’t hurt. Meanwhile, I’ll see what I can do. No one likes a poltergeist. Eh. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll stay away. I’ll do what I can to spread the rumor that you’re too powerful to take on, and anybody not interested in getting banished should steer clear.”
“Who’s gonna believe that?" Trixie demanded in exasperation. "I mean, it’s obvious we have no idea what we’re doing. We sure as heck don’t know how to banish an evil spirit.”
“Yeah. True. But you’re doing a pretty good job of things so far, anyway. And besides, two of you are Beldens.”
“Wait – what? So? What does that have to do with anything?”
It was too late. Vernon vanished before Trixie even finished speaking. She turned to Dan and Mart. “Okay. It’s official. Color me freaked.”
Dan ran a hand over his dark hair, and offered her a weak smile. “Yeah. Uh, I think I might at least know why he said that last bit. About you being Beldens.”
“Because…?”
“Freckles, I really was planning to talk to you about this later tonight, so don’t get mad that I didn’t already mention it, all right?”
“You know something you neglected to share, Danny Boy?” Trixie’s tone was low and noticeably cool.
Dan didn't respond immediately and his eyes tracked across the room. At that moment, Trixie realized he’d been holding back not to intentionally keep something from her or her brother, but for Honey’s sake. Apparently, the same thought occurred to her friend, as well. “Please, Dan,” Honey said quietly. “Whatever it is, just spit it out.”
“Right. Okay. So, yesterday, when I was at the historical society? I convinced Mr. Bates to let me look through some of the books they usually keep under lock and key. In one of them, I found an account of the night Sarah Sligo was killed. It was written by a local preacher. He talked a lot about Sarah being a witch and how she’d destroyed a bunch of farmers’ crops and poisoned a water well and that kind of stuff. A man named Thomas Downey organized the mob that came after her. According to the preacher, when they got here to her house, they were first confronted by her father. He was trying to protect her. There was a scuffle, and Downey killed him. That’s what set Sarah off. She cursed everyone present before fleeing to her workshop, so they trapped her inside and set the fire.”
“Yeah. That’s close to the way we’ve always heard the story, though not that part about her father.” Trixie looked at Dan expectantly. “What does any of this have to do with me and Mart?”
“Did you know Sarah Sligo was a widow?”
Trixie blinked. “No… is that important somehow?”
“Yeah, Freckles. I think it might be. Because Sligo was her married name. Her father was Joseph Isaiah Belden. By birth? She was Sarah Elizabeth Belden. And I’m willing to bet, if we trace your family tree back far enough, we’ll find out you guys and the witch are directly related.”