~
Glenda knocked on the door before walking into the house. “Yoo hoo,” she called out. “I’m Glenda Dupree, and this is my son Michael and his friend Burt. We’re from Kansas originally. I hope it’s alright if we just drop in on you?”
Mike looked at the devices he was carrying. There was a lot of energy in this room. He nodded to his mother to continue.
“I couldn’t help but admire your mopboard,” she said, running her hand along the hardwood. “They don’t make places like this anymore. They put in cheap pine or that pressed wood. You can’t get this patina with pine.”
“Temperature is dropping,” Mike warned. “Be prepared for visitation.”
“Ooh ooh,” Brian said, pointing to the monitor.
“Be aware, ghosts forming in doorway in front of Glenda,” Ted said on mic. Off mic he said, “Great catch, Brian.”
Mia climbed into the trailer and took Brian from Ted so Ted could use both hands.
“Brian has already spotted a ghost,” he said proudly.
“Whoa, what a team member,” Mia said, hugging her son.
“Where have you been?” Ted asked.
“Checking out a possible hazard that Orion and Murphy found.”
“Anything we need to be worried about?” Ted asked.
“I’m not sure. Knowing it’s there may just be enough. Jake, can you enter the Dark Web and pull up a map of the demon ley lines? You’ll find it, possibly, on the Rabid Hole website. If not, they will have a link to it posted.”
“R A B B I T?” Jake questioned.
“R A B I D,” Mia corrected. “As in…”
The cartoon dog’s mouth started to foam.
Ted looked over at his wife open-mouthed. “How do you know about the Dark Web? You’re not even computer savvy.”
“Says who?” Mia asked. “Didn’t you ever wonder why I didn’t have a computer in my sanctuary?”
“We will talk on this further. I’m sensing you may have traveled paths best not spoken about in front of Brian.”
“You sense right.”
Jake brought up the map. Mia leaned in and traced the line until she came to the spur. “It’s not a spur at all,” she said aloud. “Excuse me, Brian,” she said, setting him in his playpen. “Private com please,” she said to Ted, hopping out of the trailer.
“Go ahead, Mia,” Ted said.
“It’s not a line at all, Ted. It’s a segment between here and Big Bear Lake.”
“You’re thinking…”
“Wyatt is an active demon or possessed by one.”
“He’s dead, according to Sam.”
“If you are possessed by a demon and you die, you become a positive elemental. You don’t cease to be.”
“Where are you going?”
“I need to make sure that we close that line before Wyatt senses that the William Waynes are entertaining.”
“I understand. How can I help?”
“Contact Orion, tell him I’m going to be airborne in five minutes.”
“Be safe, Mia.”
“I promise,” she said.
Mia walked over to where Mark and Audrey were examining the bundle.
“It’s a journal and some drawings,” Mark told Mia as she approached.
“Cool beans. Um, Mark, can I see you a moment in private?” Mia asked.
“Go ahead, Mark. I’m just going to take a few photos of these. I’ll wait before we start reading,” Audrey promised.
Mia walked quickly into the woods. She passed through the ley line and waited for Mark to catch up.
“Mia, what’s the hurry?”
“I wanted to explain something to you before you find out in any other way.”
Mark nodded, still puzzled by the secrecy.
Mia pulled off her overshirt. “You see, Mark, you have an incredible gift, but it does have its flaws. Watch,” Mia instructed and brought her wings forward. “I’m not an angel, Mark. I’m a woman with a husband and child. I was given these wings so I could help humanity through some rough patches.”
Mark was mesmerized.
“Come and touch them.”
“Wow.” He ran his hand along the wings. “I saw these. How did I see these?”
“You have the sight. You will be able to help the angels to find their kin when the time comes. They will depend on you to not only keep their secret, but to guide the lost to their brethren.”
“When?”
“I hope you don’t need to do anything until you’re grown. In the meantime, you need to prepare yourself by getting as much education as you can. Only a man with his eyes opened by knowledge can truly see the truth.”
“Why are you telling me all this now?”
“Noble character is best appreciated in those ages in which it can most readily develop.”
“Tacitus?”
Mia nodded. “I have to leave you now to stop a demon from coming to the house, if I can.”
“Good luck, Mia.”
Mia nodded and took flight. She circled until Orion joined her.
Mark watched the two disappear. He picked up Mia’s shirt and ran back to Audrey who was waiting patiently for them to continue their part of the investigation.
Marilee Wayne wiped her hands on the tea towel. She nodded to the older woman. “Welcome. I wish I could offer you a seat but…” she moved her hand outwards to show the barren room.
“That’s alright, I sit too much. It’s not good for my old bones,” Glenda said graciously.
“William!” Marilee called. “We have guests.”
Another entity moved out of the room that was once the family’s kitchen. It took some time, but William managed to manifest the upper part of his body.
“I can smell the pipe,” Burt whispered to Ted.
William looked at Glenda and the men and puffed on his pipe before nodding a welcome. “What can we do for you?” he asked.
“It’s we that would like to offer our services to help you,” Mike said.
“How?”
“Mark is worried about the state of your home.”
“Ah, it has sheltered us without complaint,” William said. “You don’t find homes like this anymore.”
“I was admiring the woodwork,” Glenda said.
“My father put a lot of sweat into it. I remember, even after a long day of plowing, he would return here and work on the finishing touches for my mother Mary. It was his way of