Audrey was under the awning, holding her notes down with rocks. Burt had fans circulating the air, trying to find some kind of comfort. If anyone started to suffer the heat, they would have to have a timeout in the command center with Ted.
Mike gave Cid a brief intro to explain today’s activities. “Mia and I are going upstairs to see if we can record the children playing jacks. The flooring is compromised, so we will all have to tread carefully.”
“And cut,” Burt said. “Good luck, and be careful.”
Mia led the way through the middle room and over to the stairwell. The steps groaned under her feet. “Heads up, gents, walk on the outside not the middle of the stair.” She made it up to the landing and was greeted with a cool breeze. “We have activity.”
Mike stood beside Mia as they waited for Cid. The two of them saw a single bedroom over the parlor, probably once the room of the parents, and then a series of rooms opening in on each other to the back of the house.
“Let’s follow that breeze,” Mike suggested. They headed to the back of the house. The first room would have been a small sitting room or, maybe, a playroom. “This looks like a good place for jacks. He pulled out a fistful of jacks from his pocket and a small red ball. He cautiously moved over to the center of the floor and sat down. Mia moved beside him, and they proceeded to play. Mike had got to threesies when a giggle echoed through the room. It was followed by running footsteps. Mia watched the two young brothers watching the investigator. One got on his stomach, and when Mike bounced the ball, the child swiped the jacks up. To the camera, they just disappeared.
“You’re on foursies,” Mia said. The jacks appeared again. This time Mike was able to grab the jacks, but when he opened his hand, they were knuckle bones.
“What the hell?”
“Shush, there are children around,” Mia said.
The boys whispered to each other. The elder brother pushed the little one, and the boy said, “Hell!” and ran off.
Mike dropped the knuckle bones. “Your turn,” he said to Mia.
Mia played with the knuckle bones. The children returned and sat beside her until she had cleared the floor. “I win,” she said.
“I win!” repeated the boys.
“Timmy and Jimmy, this is Mike, and I’m Mia.”
“Meee ah,” the small one repeated.
“Would you like to play with us?” she asked, goose pimples raising on her arms.
“Meee ah,” the small one said again. “Meee ah wins.”
“Yes. Who wins when you play?” she asked.
“Tim meee,” the older brother said, patting his chest.
“Jim meee,” the younger one argued. The boys began pushing at each other. Some of their strikes went through Mia’s body which was rather uncomfortable.
“Boys! Settle down,” she admonished.
“Meee ah, play with us,” they said in unison.
Mia spread out the knuckle bones and dropped the ball. Timmy swiped one of them. The next turn, Jimmy swiped two. This continued until all the bones had been cleared.
“Thank you,” Mia said. She got up, and a boy on each side took her hand. They led her to their room.
Mike followed with Cid fast on his heels. They entered the last room to see the skeletons of two small, metal, spring beds. Mia saw more. She saw the pink-cheeked boys lying dead in their beds.
She walked over and laid a hand on each of the apparitions and said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t here to save you.”
“Mee ah…” the boys said, their voices fading.
Mia stepped back so Cid could film the room. On the windowsill were the jacks that Mike had brought.
He put his ball next to them and took Mia’s hand and led her out of the room. He walked carefully, navigating over the weak boards until they were in front of the parents’ bedroom.
Cid positioned the camera on his shoulder so the lens would pick up the room the same moment that Mike and Mia entered it. They found the room empty of furniture, but there was a built-in cupboard. Mia walked over to it and opened it, displaying the contents to the camera.
“There seems to be a lot of shoes inside,” Mike said. “They appear to be a combination of styles from different eras.”
“Button tops and flip flops,” Mia said. “Oxfords and war-era pumps.”
“The house has had a few renters since the Waynes were killed,” Mike said. “It appears they left their shoes behind.”
“Mee ah…” the children sang out.
Mia turned around, and a black mass descended quickly from the ceiling. She pushed Mike out of the way, taking the full brunt of the fury of the mass. It manhandled her before it tossed Mia out of the room in frustration. It drew more power and advanced on her near the top of the stairs. She got to her feet and tossed a salt star into the middle of the mass. A screeching pierced the air. She opened the box of salt and whipped the contents at the roiling darkness. It dissipated, but she knew it was only temporary.
“Get down the stairs quick,” she ordered. “Something powerful enough to toss me around will recharge quickly.” She stood her ground until the men had gotten down the stairs. She took a look into the playroom and said, “Mind the salt. It burns.”
“Meee ah…”
Mia rubbed her arms and fled down the steps. She breezed by Mike and ran out the door, leaping
