“Well,no, but... I thought that...” Cass says in murmurs.
“It’sall right, dear, just trust the people you hired.”
“Idon’t trust them at all,” Terezia says.
Onelucid moment, one difficult visit.
Casstalks in that moment, sits closer, and says,
“Whydon’t you trust them, Gram? Tell me, what is it?”
“Youknow my necklace, the one with the symbol?
Bringit to me, and never let them take it.”
Cassthought to protest; the request was simple.
“I’llfind it and bring it next time I can make it.”
“Didyou bring my necklace?” Terezia frets.
“Shit!I knew I forgot... I was running so late.
Sorry,Gram. Next time, I promise, I won’t forget.”
“Ifthere is a next time...” Her gram turns away.
“Don’tbe so dramatic—” Cass starts to chastise.
“Don’tyou dare, Cassandra, I know what’s at stake.
Youdon’t believe now, but look into their eyes.
All ofthem. In this place. Do they look awake?”
“Gram,there’s no—” Cass started to speak.
“Thereis, and there are ghosts. Right now. Right here.
I seethem, I feel them. They prey on the weak.
I tellyou, these nurses, they know—and they fear.”
“You’respeaking in stories; you’re making no sense.”
Gramsaid, “I speak more sense then you’ll ever know.”
Isshe lucid? Is this some mental defense?
“Ifyou care, bring my necklace. Till then, just go.”
Outside,Cass paces. Twenty feet from the doors.
Wasshe hurting her Gram? Just making things worse?
Shepaces and puffs two cigarettes or more.
Iremember thinking ‘put necklace in purse.’
ButNicky woke late, and Dan went in early.
Jessienearly forgot her homework, at that.
Full-timejob, full-time wife... caretaker? Surely—
shecouldn’t do it all. Still, sobbing, she sat...
“Honey,don’t cry.” Nurse Emma comes to the curb.
“You’redoing your best, and don’t you forget it.
This...seeingour parents like this...it will hurt.
Butyou’ve made the best choice. Don’t you regret it.”
“Iwish I could do more. Be here, do something...”
“Sodoes everyone else in this situation.
Remember,you’re here now, not doing nothing.
Cherishnow. Time just worsens her condition.”
5.
Shewatches. She watches. She watches their eyes.
Shewatches. She watches. In silence, she lies.
Penancefor silence, see the ghosts in their eyes.
Tereziasees her, hiding the needle.
Twoorderlies come in; she fights and she fails.
Medicineinjected. Downstairs. On a table.
EyesDoctor Audaire, neither flinches nor pales.
Shecan’t move, hardly breathe, while they bind her tight.
Thetwo orderlies leave; that one nurse stays.
Atleast no one promises she’ll be all right.
Shedidn’t trust the doctor when they first met.
Heasked too many questions; his eyes were dead.
Hissoul reeked of poison—aura slimy, wet.
Whileghosts wandered all round, from him they fled.
Andthis room, this basement, void of spirits too.
Thoughher body is drugged, mind medically blurred—
Whyshe is here, why the ghosts—why this...she knew.
DoctorAudaire tells her without any words.
Thelightning is blinding, pain swirling black hole.
Drugsand fear gurgle gasping laughter in screams.
Thetearing of essence rips body and soul.
Butworse is the light being stolen in streams.
Thedoctor’s eyes glow, light from living ghost.
IntoTerezia bores dark empty chasms.
Herghost eyes see herself, Audaire’s captive host.
Whenthe doctor is done, she snaps back in spasms.
On thefloor, she’s returned, no longer intact.
Nowbound to oxygen, body and mind
stilldon’t work the same. A delay to react.
Eyesno longer can tell life from spirit kind.
Stillweak, Terezia is pushed out a crack
byanother who wears her body like a dress.
Shesees her own eyes, and a stranger looks back.
Whenthat spirit leaves, she returns feeling less.
“God,what happened to her?” cries Cass at first sight.
Ofcourse Dan and the kids had come this visit.
“Gram-gram,you okay?” Jessie snuggles beside.
Nickyshakes, looks away, quietly he sits.
“Staywith them,” Cass tells Dan, finds the first nurse.
“Whatthe hell happened? Why does she look like that?”
“Shelashed out. Paranoid. Was like she was cursed—”
“Bullshit,”says Cass. “Is there video of that?”
“There’sno video,” Nurse Emma says with care
as shearrives. “Last night’s storm took power out.
“Butyou can discuss it with Doctor Audaire.”
Casslooks at her family gathered about
theirgreat gram, her gram—her second mother.
Thoseyears Gram protected, and loved—she deserved
to becared for the same. Loved like no other.
“Yeah.Where’s his office?” Something prickles Cass’s nerves.
Terezia watches her fam’ly through mist.
Theirvoices, a moment, come after their words.
Cassasks a question; its meaning she misses.
Justkeeping together her own spirit hurts.
Werethey ghosts, still alive? Were her own eyes dead?
Whenshe opens her mouth, the wrong words escape.
“Gram-gram…wedon’t know what you’re asking,” Jess says.
“Spiritssee…come apart… necklace home… I break...”
Shesighs, closes her eyes, and tears start to fall.
“Gram-gramare there ghosts? Is that why you’re so scared?”
“Nicky,don’t ask that,” Dan says. His voice is appalled.
“Butif that’s what hurt her…” She feels unprepared.
Shegasps and tries to breathe; nothing has an effect.
Flails.What now? Dan switches her oxygen on.
Herbeloved family, she cannot protect.
Sohelpless, so useless, who has she become?
“Whathappened to my Gram?” Cass folds her arms.
“WhatNurse Emma told you,” says Doctor Audaire.
“Shehad an episode. We stopped further harm.”
“Andyou have proof you acted in her best care?”
“Youresearched our facility when you chose us.
Do youquestion your choice? What you chose for her?”
“ShouldI?” Cass asks. “Tell me about her bruises.”
“Sheattacked her nurse, crying ghostly horror.”
Cassleaves Doctor Audaire’s office feeling worse—
powerless,helpless—has she made a mistake?
Sheneeded a smoke so she reached in her purse.
No,you’re trying to quit.She tried not to shake.
Shereturned to her Gram, to her family,
butthey all looked worried; only Jessie spoke—
prattlinghopefully as Gram sat silently.
Buther eyes—Gram’s eyes looked like those of a ghost.
6.
Shewatches. She watches. She watches their eyes.
Shewatches. She watches. In silence, she sighs.
Penancefor silence, see the ghosts in their eyes.
Casschecks three extra times. She will not forget.
Gram’srequest, the necklace. She hopes it will help.
If itmakes Gram more calm, helps make her less stressed...
IfI visited more, that also would help...
Brushesher hand on the pendant, fingered its
surfaceand chain. Would it banish her guilt
as itbanished the ghosts? What else could it fix?
Casssits in the car, frozen by all she’s felt.
What’swrong? I love Gram. Ishould want to see her.
Deliberate,Cass breathes and turns off her car.
Stomachtwinges ill each step she takes nearer.
Itisn’t long to arrive; the trip isn’t far.
Gramsits in her room; eyes shine empty like glass.
Please,see me Gram. She says,“Hey, Gram. It’s me, Cass.”
“Iknow you.” Gram reaches a weak hand; Cass grasps.
“Ibrought this for you.” Cass attaches the necklace.
Ittakes some time—and even more patience.
Shehears Cass in the hall, admonishing her—
NurseEmma. “I promise, no one will touch that necklace.”
Notready to speak, she just thinks, Liar.
Hertrembling hand, now trembling less, tucks inside
herprize, her power, her secreted defense.
BeforeCass leaves, Terezia shows her pride.
“Iluh-love you, Cass.” She smiles; her words make sense.
“Ilove you, too, Gram.” Cass wipes new tears away.
Strengthgrows, and
