Ghosts of Halloweens Past

Chapter 4

It was nearly midnight when they returned to the cemetery. Nick was carrying the construction light they managed to borrow from Jade's neighbor. Jade had all her herbs and spell books in her backpack and held the biggest flashlight she could find, which could double as a weapon if need be. Rose, this time, was just along for the ride.

They passed rows upon rows of headstones. Spirits watched them as they passed. Some followed, curious. It freaked Nick out to see what Rose could see. But she kept him calm. He followed Jade, trying not to look at them.

I still don't see Eddie. Rose thought. Where could he be? She prayed the darkness hadn't gotten to him.

They reached the edge of the dark zone. Nick's heart was already racing as the dark things roamed around the tomb. Jade couldn't see them but the look on her face told them she could sense their presence. Nick turned around towards the spirits that gathered. Rose spotted Margaret on the outskirts and waved. Margaret nodded.

"Has anyone seen Eddie?" Rose asked. "I'd like him to work the light." She motioned to the construction light by their feet. But everyone shook their heads.

Another spirit, Oscar, stepped forward. He had died from tuberculosis back in 1718 at the age of 35. He tipped his hat and said, "I'd be happy to be of service."

Rose curtsied and Jade felt the urge to laugh. "Shush," Nick said.

"Oscar will help with the light. Other than Eddie, he is the best with energy," Rose explained.

Jade copied Rose in a curtsy, though she wasn't facing the right direction. "Thank you, kind sir."

Oscar smiled, "I like her," He said and turned on the light.

Nick and Jade shielded their eyes at the drastic contrast as light shone around them. The dark things shrank back closer to the tomb. Rose wasn't sure if they had emotion, but if they did, they seemed scared now. Hopefully that meant they were on the right track.

Jade took out her herb mixture and spell book. She flipped through the pages and began to recite a spell as she lit the herbs. They smoked and smoldered in her clutch.

Nick's chest clenched from Rose's anxiety. She prayed this worked. It had to. It just had to. Please work. Please.

The trees swayed as the wind picked up. The dark things began vibrating, convulsing, and squealing as the spell went on. Jade tossed the burning herbs at the tomb. The dark things howled as the smoke billowing around them. They charged, throwing themselves at the edge of the dark zone. Nick and Jade flinched as they bounced off and pacing back and forth and the light flickered violently.

Jade chanted louder. They dodged leaves and fallen branches as the wind grew stronger. The dark things turned more violent, pounding at the invisible barrier keeping them at bay. Their shrieks grew deafening.

Then light went out, plunging them into darkness.

"Jade," Nick shouted as he shielded his face. He was about to say this was getting bad, that maybe it wasn't working and they should stop. But then, one by one, the dark things started bursting until none were left.

The wind died down and Jade collapsed to her knees, breathing heavy. The black shadows of the dark things, now gone, dissipated with the smoke from the herbs. And the cemetery went quiet.

Nick knelt beside Jade. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," she said, "It just took a lot out of me." She twisted her flashlight back on and swept it over the dark zone.

"Did it work?" Rose asked. "Are they gone for good?"

Before Jade could speak, two spirits faded into view. Emily and William, seven year old twins who had gotten too close to the dark zone while playing among the headstones skipped away from the tomb and rejoined their mother who was overjoyed at their return. Rose had watched the darkness consume their souls and here they were, back to their original forms. More spirits returned. All who had been corrupted by the darkness floated out and joined their family and friends again. Some were spirits Rose had never met, had been corrupted before her arrival to the cemetery.