Secrets And Tea

Chapter 22

Damien cursed as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Abigail's number.  He paced the back porch in agitation. What was going on? 

"Abby's Blabby, What's happening Bitch?" came Abigail's voice. 

"Abigail. I have an issue. Rhionna is locked inside my house and I am locked out. I can't get to her." Damien said, "The doors can't be opened. I don't know what is going on."

"Whoa, that's something I didn't think I'd hear. How the heck are you two to get together when you are apart?" Abigail asked.

Damien gave a frustrated groan, "Abigail. I'm serious here. Something is going on and I don't know what to do?"

"I'll be there in five minutes. Just don't do anything at the moment!" Abigail said, "What's been happening so far?"

Damien told her that they had returned to his house and Rhionna had gone inside the house before the men. The door had closed and they had tried to get inside for a bit.

"Did anything happen the night before?" inquired Abigail. 

Damien hesitated but then told her about the knocking he had heard the night before and how Mrs. Joplin, his ghostly room mate, had been agitated. 

He heard something in the background, like a jingle of a bell and he wondered what Abigail had been doing when he had called. The line went dead, and he tried the knob again to no avail. 

He walked around the front to see the guys he had asked for help with the furniture were lounging on the couch outside on the small walkway. 

"What's going on Damien?" asked one of them.

"I don't know, I can't get into the house and it seems Rhionna can't get out," Damien said, "Abby is on the way. I don't know if she can help or not."

The man looked at the house, "Well, it better happen soon. Rain is going to come." he said.

Damien frowned, the sun was shining with little to know clouds in the area. 

"Trust me, if Dale says its going to rain. Then it's going to rain," stated Stan, "He's a weather witch. He works as the weather man on the local radio station and he hasn't been wrong yet." 

"Great, just what we need. I had hoped that we could get the couch in the house," Damien mumbled. 

He turned and spotted Abigail running up the sidewalk, he waved. A blood curdling scream from inside the house had him spinning for the house. He rammed on the door. His shoulder hurting from the constant abuse he'd put it through already.

Abigail stepped up the door beside him. Her eyes looking vacant. Words that he didn't understand due to the quiet murmur she was using escaped her lips. 

Just as the first drop of rain plopped down on the roof, the door opened. Damien rushed inside to find Rhionna hunched on the floor covering her head in the kitchen. A can of coffee lay on the floor open and the grounds strewn all over the floor. 

"Are you okay?" Damien asked, as he bent to hold Rhionna, "What happened?"

"Whatever is in this house just threw that can of coffee at my head," Rhionna said. She was shaking from the experience, "I have never had something like this happen before." 

Damien pulled her up to her feet, and pulled her out of the kitchen to the living room. Sitting her down on his new love seat. 

"Stay, I'll go clean up the mess in the kitchen then make you some tea," he stated. Heading back for the kitchen after grabbing the broom. He cleaned up the mess on the floor, then grabbed a mug from the cupboard and pulled out some tea he had purchased from Rhionna a few days before. 

Boiling the water he set the loose leaves into the pot she had suggested he buy and then poured the hot water into it. Letting it steep a few minutes before he poured a cup and added some honey to it. 

He came back to the living room and saw Abigail standing in the living room with Rhionna. 

"Here, drink this. I am not a tea expert," he said, handing the steaming mug to Rhionna. 

"How long has the knocking been going on Damien?" Abigail asked.

"Two nights already. I figured it was some local kids pulling pranks," he responded, absently rubbing Rhionna's back. 

"Well, you have one pissed off spirit in the house," Abigail said, "He is very angry. I couldn't even have a decent conversation with him. He just ranted like an idiot." 

"Who is he?" asked Rhionna, "Why did he lock me in the house?" 

"I didn't get any information on him, other than that he has a connection to Damien somehow," Abigail answered, "It may take a few days before we can even get basic information from him." 

Damien wondered who the new ghostly room mate was. He didn't know anything about spirits or what they were capable of. 

"Is it even safe for Damien to stay here?" asked Rhionna, "I mean, the guy threw a full can of coffee at my head."

"It seems this new ghost is trapped in the house for now. Mrs. Joplin is staying in the attic. I put up warding for her so she can remain safe. I don't know what this spirit is capable of so I do suggest for the moment Damien stays elsewhere." Abigail responded, "I'll continue to come by and try to get him to talk."

"You can stay at my place Damien," Rhionna offered, "I have plenty of spare rooms. Mom and Dad won't be coming back for a few more months."

Damien agreed, but he was wondering who was the man haunting his house.

"Oh Thomas, good you are here," Abigail said brightly to one corner of the room, "Can you help me with this new gho- oh.... Really... Well that presents a problem."

Damien turned a confused look to Rhionna, wondering what Abigail was doing.

"Thomas? He's here?" Rhionna whispered, "Thomas. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

She broke down crying. Damien knelt to hold her. He murmured reassuring words to her.

"Rhi, don't be sad," Thomas's voice spoke, only it sounded odd because it flowed through Abigail.

'Thomas' knelt before Rhionna and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I am sorry Rhi, I had planned to come back. I didn't expect things to go so wrong. I know you are sorry about our fight, I am sorry too." The dual voice murmured, "Rhi, forgive yourself and forgive me. We can't turn back to clock. We can move forward, and I want you to move forward Rhi. You need to move forward."

Rhionna seemed to cry harder at those words. Shaking her head, whether from denial or refusal Damien couldn't tell.

Abigail seemed to slump forward a bit, "He is gone for awhile. He says the spirit is another from your troop. A Henry Foster?"

Damien jerked at the name Henry Foster. The same man who he had sent in with Thomas. Another soldier he had sent to their death because of faulty communication.

"I know him," replied Damien tightly, "I know the reason why he is pissed. Though I don't understand why he is here."

"Spirits have no concept of time or space, despite what many think. They can traverse wherever they please," Abigail said explained, "Them being trapped in of their own making. They trap themselves in places and with people."

Damien sighed, "Let's get you to safety Rhionna, then we'll talk about things at your place."

He helped Rhionna to her feet and walked to the truck. Helping her inside, Abigail climbed in next and he got in the drivers side.

The drive was quiet. Each in their own thoughts.