The Ghost of Sander Jones

Chapter 4: The Book

"Open it." Sander said crossing his arms, a dare in his voice. I rolled my eyes and turned the box around so that the latch was facing me. I eyed it carefully before lifting my finger to the latch. I pushed up from the loop that held the thin metal strip in place. I lifted the lid slowly and carefully as if at any second the whole thing would turn into dust in my hands. I pulled the lid back with the same amount carefulness and looked inside.

"What is this?" I asked him lifting a book from the box. This book was an old-fashioned hardcover that, just like the chest, was a discolored brass lock on the edge of the book. I blew the dust off from it hoping there was a title on the cover. It was blank. I turned the book over so that the back was facing me. It too was also blank. I looked up at Sander waiting for an answer. He was looking at me with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"The book?" Sander asked. He rubbed his chin. "Hum... the book is a spell book, hidden by the maze. The book of En-zar is what it's called." I frowned at him not sure if he as telling the truth or messing with me, or maybe I was still asleep and this was all a dream.

Not a dream... I'm afraid you are very much awake. He was in my head again.

Are you sure...? I asked him.

Quite sure...but for now, put it away and keep it hidden from sight. I put the book back into the chest carefully and replaced the lid on the top closing the latch. I got up from the bed and sped walked to the closet door. I put the box in my suitcase and closed it up and walked back over to the bed and then asked Sander, "Why?"

"Because you need to sleep now." Before I had time to respond he moved his hand close to my shoulder. The hair on the back of my neck stood up a chill running down my back. His translucent hand passed though my arm and I shivered...

# # #

I opened my eyes with a dim glow of light coming though the windows. I rolled over away from the light pulling the sheets on the bed over my arms. I snuggled into the warmth curling up with my knees barely touching my chest. I had a faint memory of something trying to claw its way back to the surface of my conscience. Then it hit me. How did I get in the bed? I sat up looking around. Did I dream up this memory or did it actually happen?

Images of Sander hung in my mind. Him walking though the maze, waking me up, telling about the book... the book! I got out of bed and hurried to the closet door to where my suitcase was at. I yanked on the zippers opening it to find a wooden box with a latch on it. I opened it up and found the book in it. The spell book, so I hadn't been dreaming this up after all. I put it back and walked out the closet with one vital question in my thoughts. Where was Sander? I looked around but he wasn't there. Sander? I called out in my thoughts. Not yet... He answered back. I jumped, the hair on my neck rising. I heard the doorknob rattling, and my head snapped up to the door just in time to see my mother stepping in.

"Good morning, honey." She said to me sitting on my bed. I took me a moment to remember my voice. "Hey mom." I managed to say. I trotted over to her side and sat too. "Did you sleep well?" I asked. "Sure did. Well I did after the stopped and the tree branch stopped tapping the window." I nodded. "What about you? Did you sleep well?" she asked me. It sounded like there was a faint trace of a double meaning. Did she know I was outside in the maze last night?

"I slept fine, peacefully." I said trying to be a little convincing. She nodded and stood up. "I just came to tell you that breakfast will be served in about an hour." I stood up too.

"Ok." I walked to the closet to pull out some clothes to wear today from my luggage. I choose my satin navy and light blue dress. It was long sleeved and had the satin part of the short sleeve stopping at the section that began my arm and the second part of it running down to my wrist. It was knee length. I slipped it on and tied the ribbon in the back. I went to the bag where I kept my shoes in and pulled out my favorite pair of boots, the kind that went up to you knees, and slipped them on too. I gave myself a quick onceover and turned to the bathroom to brush my teeth and fix my hair. I grabbed my brush and fixed my hair then brushed my teeth. When I was done I walked out the bathroom and stopped at the door jam.

"Hey," Sander said. He was stretched out on the bed hovering and inch above it with his hands behind his head. I walked over to the bed. "Hey," I said coolly. I sat down where his feet were. "Where'd you go last night?" I looked at him.

He pulled himself up and dropped his hands to his side. "What do you mean 'where were you last night?' I was with you the whole time. Remember?" I raised my eyebrow. "No you weren't. You put your hand though my shoulder and the next thing I knew I was waking up when my Mom was coming in the room talking to me."

He shook his head. "True I did do that, and you did wake up and talk to you mother, but I did stay in your room for a while after I put you to sleep." I frowned not believing him for once. "Right..." I stretched the word out the end making the T sound longer. "I'm telling the truth. I also went around looking through manor. I didn't finish my search though."

"Mm-huh, right."

"I'm serious."

"Ok."

I stood up and walked to the windows pulling the curtains back as I went by so that light shown though the room. I turned back to Sander. His glow was barely visible in the light. "Well I have to go downstairs now to eat breakfast, but I'll be back later, ok?" I said walking toward the door. "Ok... I'll be here."