Chapter Eighteen
Daniel’s story continued.
It took me days, maybe weeks, to recover. Until I found where they hid my body, I had no energy with which to exist. Jon’s body was left to rot under the eaves. His bones are still there under the cedar boards. My bones, minus the meat which they stuffed into their unholy boxes, lie under the last step of the circular stairs. Jon’s heart is in the north box. My lungs are in the south box, and I can only assume that the missing acolytes’ organs, yet to be determined, are in the east and west boxes. We sit together and try to guess why they needed Jon’s heart and my lungs? Black magic is a terrible thing. It stopped the light from coming for us. We sinners never got a chance to repent.
The black as pitch ghost used to just feed on the souls of the Italian workers, but as time moved on, he started feeding on Jon and me. We make it hard on him. We hide and fight him. This drains his energy. We do it so he never becomes too powerful.
We have seen him leave, but he returns. The house holds his energy, and he cannot exist without it. A prison of his own making. He could have said no. But he chose to feed upon my soul. He could have done the right thing and gone to Hell, where he belongs.
I write this with the hope that you, the reader, will find a way to set Jon and I free and to warn you to stay out of the shadows lest the creature takes over you. One more thing. If you die inside this horrible house, you will stay here for an eternity. You will be fed on by the Atwater who was bested by his relative. The other Atwater rarely comes here anymore. When he does come, it’s to make sure his prisoner is suffering and the mansion is intact. I saw Miss Gee once from the window. I asked her, “Why have you done this to me?” She shook her head and said, “You’d have to understand what love is, and when you do, you’ll realize that you’d do anything for the one you love.”
Daniel Sullivan of County Kerry
Cid closed the book. He wanted to speak with Daniel but knew it was too dangerous until daylight. Instead, Cid wrote down his questions. He also penned a summary of the story he would later type into an email for Father Santos, Father Simon, Kiki, and Alan.
~
The aroma of freshly baked breads and deep-dish pizza enveloped Carl as he walked into the carriage house. He followed his nose into the kitchen to see Cid pull an entire pepperoni deep-dish pizza out of the oven.
“What spectacular timing!” Carl said.
“Sally gave me a heads-up to when you left,” Cid admitted.
“You didn’t need to stay up, but I’m glad you did,” Carl said, accepting the beer Cid handed him.
“How was the drive?”
“Quiet on the way up and quieter on the way back,” Carl said. “The girl’s got a lot on her mind. Thank you for getting her into this facility. Mrs. Leighton gave me a tour of the place. I feel confident Sally will be very comfortable and well looked after.”
“If it is alright, I’ll let Audrey know she’s there. Audrey lives a few mansions down from the facility.”
“I’m surprised that the rich allowed their summer playground to be rezoned for a rehab facility.”
“It’s a case of who you know. And at the time, we had a guy who could push anything through. It’s all about favors.”
“Then you owe Mrs. Leighton a favor.”
“Yes.”
“It should be my favor.”
“No. Sally is my friend. My favor.”
Carl looked at Cid. “You know we could go round and round for hours.”
“Yes, but I have the stamina of a bird flying south for the winter. I will wear you out.”
Carl laughed.
Cid caught Carl up on all he had missed.
“Have you finished Daniel Sullivan’s account?”
“I have.” Cid gave Carl a quick summary of Daniel’s memoir.
“We have to free Jon and Daniel,” Carl said.
“We’re not supposed to mess with the ghosts.”
“Not until we get paid. I’m game if you want to come back after,” Carl said.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
~
Faye moved quickly through the house switching off lights. She managed to avoid the crazy ghosts. They seemed to be content just to stand and look out the west windows at the town across the frozen lake. She found Jon and Daniel in the nursery. “Cid’s finished reading your book,” Faye told Daniel.
“I hope he found it beneficial,” Daniel said.
“He and Sally commented about what a fine writer you are,” Faye said. “He’s appalled by what happened to the two of you. He is furthering the information to a very smart priest. If a solution is to be found, this priest will find it.”
“Well, that’s something to look forward to,” Blue Daniel said. “I’m going to go and eavesdrop on the Italians.”
Jon smiled. “He’s giving us privacy.”
Faye blushed.
“If we were alive, I’d ask you to walk out with me, Faye.”
“And I would have been honored to do so.”
“All I can offer you is a story or two,” Jon said.
“You’re a very fine storyteller. I enjoy being here with you,” Faye said shyly.
It was Jon’s turn to blush.
“I enjoy hearing about your life in Ireland.”
“I enjoy hearing about your existence after
