Beyond the Veil

Chapter 4

It’s been nearly fifty years since that day, and while the world around me continues to change and grow I remain the same. A young woman in her early twenties wearing a sensible blue blouse, skirt, and my house shoes, a style I have been loath to change. I enjoyed my timelessness, and beyond that everything eventually comes back in fashion.

But Since that day I have learned many things, among them that I can pass through the walls of my home, no longer shackled to the mortal plane I existed on a level that allowed me access to things that most people could not even begin to fathom.

I can look out my window and see the demons that mask their presence as human beings, stalking the humans that foolishly thought they were the only monsters that walked on two legs. I could switch on the TV when the couple that owned my home wasn’t on and watch the same exact thing, perhaps on a larger scale.

I preferred to not make my presence known to the humans that now inhabited my home; they were decent people with a child and another on the way. I did play with their little girl though. The poor thing got lonely being at home by herself so often that I would pick up one of her dolls and play with her. I had scared her the first time but by now whenever she was bored she would call out.

I didn’t mind at all, it’s not as though I had a purpose in life right now, something to do.

Today though the entire family was away, gone out to eat or something, so I was all alone. The silence in the house was deafening as I watched rain run down the window panes to settle in the lip of the window.

I toyed briefly with the idea of crossing over to visit my family. That was another thing I had discovered in the half-century since my death was that after I died I would go to a world where all my deceased friends and family continued to ‘live’ as though they were still alive.

Even he was there.

My lip curled at the thought of my husband, and decided against a visit. The last time I had been there Mother had tried to force me to get back with him, telling me ‘no decent woman lives on her own, it’s just unseemly.’

Trying to tell her the truth had done no good, she had told me to deal with it and be a woman, but I refused. What did she know? Papa never hit her.

Papa didn’t kill her…

There was a sharp pop as the light bulb in the lamp exploded.

I took a deep breath to steady myself, when I got upset it seemed as though the electrical appliances had a mind of their own.

Knock, Knock! Two short, repetitive knocks sounded on the door, drawing me out of my dark mood. I did enjoy scaring strangers, especially door to door salesman.

I drifted to the hall, and paused in front of the door to gather my energy. The familiar tingle of energy that signified a Manifestation was a welcome feeling.

Once my hands weren’t transparent I opened the door, to look into the face of a young man and woman. The woman was blatantly drunk with her arm draped over the shoulder of the man.

“Baby, I thought you said your Uncle wasn’t home.”

Her voice slurred she smiled up at him, “He’s not but it looks like they forgot to lock the door.”

“Looks like.” He smiled and pushed the door the rest of the way in. Baby, I now remembered her as the niece of one of the families, teetered unsteadily as the man left her for a moment to flick on the light, allowing me a clearer picture of him.

I may be able to see in the dark better than when I was alive but, I still wouldn’t wager my life on it.

The light bathed the room pearly yellow glow, throwing the darkness back behind the furniture,

Baby smiled, “I like my Aunt and Uncle’s place, and it’s so neat. Isn’t it Brent?”

Brent’s lips curled in distaste as he fingered one of the family photographs that lined the wall. It was a picture of the family at one of the local parks hugging each other and smiling. I watched with interest as his face fell as he hesitantly touched the picture.

“Yeah, it is.” His voice was soft, nearly inaudible, and then in a much louder voice asked, “Do they have any food in this place?”

Baby waved him towards the kitchen, not saying a word as she fell face down into the couch. Within minutes loud snores issued from the cushion.

Brent watched her sleep for a moment before heading towards the kitchen unaware that I was curiously following him.

Something about him was familiar, he had dark hair that curled just at the base of his neck, broad shoulders, and chiseled features set with emerald green eyes.

He opened the door to the fridge and rooted through it cursing quietly when whatever he searched for came up unfound, “You’d think they would have a least one eight-pack, but apparently not.” He peeked back in the living room to check on Baby, “Idiot.” He muttered under his breath as he surveyed the living room, his gaze lingering on anything of value.

He’s a thief. The thought had no sooner occurred to me when he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a length of rope and pillow sack. He carefully lifted Baby’s head so as to not wake her and slid the rope under her throat, “Sorry, Baby, but you’ve seen my face. Would have been better if that door had been locked.” He settled his knee in the middle of Baby’s back and the rope tightened around her neck.

Baby moaned but didn’t move as the rope made the skin around it turn white.

He’s killing her…What do I do?

An image of Reese with his hands about my throat flashed in my head, he was just like Reese, nice only until he did or didn’t get what he wanted.

Light bulbs began to burst as the rage that started to simmer exploded into a full out wildfire. Brent released Baby and backed away, his back to a wall.

I checked to make sure Baby was still unconscious before attempting to manifest, I wasn’t out to scare her. My fingertips tingled and my hair stood on end as I made my entire body appear.

Brent screamed and fell back against the wall his arms covering his, “Please don’t hurt me!” He rocked back and forth rapidly,” I don’t believe in ghosts. I don’t believe in ghosts.”

I floated over towards him, and knelt beside him, his breath a mist in my presence. “Don’t believe in ghosts, believe in the dead.” I breathed softly on his hair and ran a hand down his back, delighting in the way he screamed and tried to get away.

My delight faded as a flash of red and blue illuminated the dark room.

They would have to ruin my fun wouldn’t they? I sighed, and let myself fade back into transparency, I was being selfish, I couldn’t manifest forever and who says that once I was worn out he didn’t kill Baby? Better to be safe than sorry.

I cast one last look down on Brent as he sniveled and rocked back in forth, oblivious to the lights that cast his face into shadows.

“Brent Ryswick, we know you are in the house, come out with your hands above your head.”  A loud male voice projected itself through the walls of the home, reaching Brent in whatever world he was trying to retreat to.

I felt my own lip curl as he fairly flew out the door, screaming about demons and monsters. I was no demon; if I was he would most likely be in worse shape. As it was I had a nagging doubt a demon would have bothered with such pathetic prey.

Baby groaned drawing my attention back to her, the rope still was wound a bit tightly about her throat. I drifted over and manifested my hands, wincing as I did so. I hurt to manifest without electricity to back me up.

Regardless of my discomfort I undid the rope as carefully as I could, taking care not to further any of the welts I saw blossoming on her skin, and then sat down next to Baby to wait for the police to find her.

Hopefully they would find her sooner than they found me.