A flash of light darted across the sky, followed by a loud boom. The thunderstorm was well underway in the darkness of night. The water came down in buckets, which caused the driver’s sight to be limited.

He glanced to the passenger side and saw Billy was looking over a map with a pen light. Billy didn’t seem to have any more information where they were than he did fifteen minutes ago. Sighing, Jericho put the heater up as high as it would go. He was starting to feel cold.

It was November, and winter was just around the corner. He hated winter. Good thing they were heading south.

Glancing in the back seat, Jericho smiled slightly to see two figures sleeping soundly. Dominic had his head against the window with his eyes tightly closed and his mouth wide open. Elijah was curled up next to Dominic with his head on his friend’s lap. They had fallen asleep nearly an hour ago. Even the loud sound of thunder and the patter of rain hitting the car did not seem to disturb them.

Looking back at the road, Jericho narrowed his eyes and put his high beams on. It didn’t help. He could barely see more than a few feet past the hood. This was not good. He knew the best thing he could do was pull over to the side and wait until the rainstorm ended, but after driving for more than twelve hours, Jericho wanted to find a hotel and sleep in a nice, comfortable bed.

Hearing a tapping sound on the dashboard, Jericho turned to see Billy signing to him with the pen light still on and in his left hand. “I think we are lost.”

“No shit, Sherlock. I figured that out about two hours ago.”

Jericho sighed and slowed his vehicle when he spotted a signpost just ahead at a four way intersection. Flashing the car lights onto the sign, Jericho read each name as it marked its position. Haven: (Left) 5 miles, Jamestown: (Right) 8 miles, Interstate Route 79: to New York 34 miles Straight.

Jericho tapped his fingers on the wheel and glanced at Billy. “Okay, we can do several things. We can either park on the side of the road and crash here for the rest of the night, or we can head to the interstate and continue to drive until morning.” Jericho stifled a yawn and continued. “Or we can head to a town and grab a hotel for the night. Haven would probably be the best place to go to since it’s only five miles away. What do you think?”

Billy shrugged and signed. “We have been in this car for over twenty-four hours. Please, let’s get a hotel.”

Jericho nodded. “Haven it is then.”

Putting on his directional, which seemed silly with no one around to see if he was following the rules of the road, Jericho turned the car to the left. Keeping the speed limit down to twenty miles an hour, Jericho headed for Haven Town.

The wind picked up once more, and the signpost creaked and was forced back to its original position. The sign now read, Haven Right and Jamestown left.

***

“We should have been there by now. I hit the mileage at the turn. We are now at the seven-mile mark. This can’t be right? Did I miss a turn?”

Billy didn’t answer and simply put the map away and tried to see through the rain. The darkness seemed to eat up everything. He couldn’t see a blasted thing. Continuing to drive, Jericho felt the car head into an upwards angle.

A hill? Reaching the top, Jericho stopped the car. Down below the hill he could barely see a small town through the downpour of rain. With the lights and the flash of light, Jericho could make out several buildings. Billy’s finger pointed to the side of the window and Jericho looked over to see another sign. It read Jamestown Population 100. Only the population was completely crossed out with a large zero through it.

“Looks like teenage kids playing pranks. Back at the forked road and here. Well, too late to turn back now.”

Jericho looked at the clock above the radio. It was 11:30 pm.

“Hmm,” Sudden movement from behind them caused Jericho to turn to see Elijah rubbing his eyes and looking up in a bewildered and sleepy expression. Jericho had to admit Elijah looked so endearingly young when he first woke up.

“Are we in New York yet?”

“Not exactly. Thanks to Billy, we are completely lost in Timbuktu.”

Billy scowled and signed back hotly. “I did not get us lost! You are the one who insisted on taking a short cut through Vermont.”

Jericho refused to argue the point. “At any rate, it’s late and the weather is making it difficult to see.” A flash of light came from the sky followed by a loud cracking sound. “We have just entered a town called Jamestown. We’ll get a hotel room and stay the night. Tomorrow we’ll head back and see if we can find the interstate.”

Putting the car in motion, Jericho headed down the road and into the waiting town.

“Jamestown?” Yawning, Dom opened his eyes and stretching a bit, he smiled at Elijah, already missing his warm wrap on his leg. “Wasn’t that town back in the 1600’s that the Pilgrims colonized and later they all died?”

Jericho glanced back at Dom with an expression that spoke volumes as if to say you’re an idiot and no one asked you to speak. “Jamestown is in Virginia not Vermont. It was the first permanent English settlement in America, and it was founded in May 14, 1607, by Captain Christopher Newport. Many of the settlers died from famine and disease in the winter of 1609-10. The survivors stayed awaiting an arrival of a shipment of new settlers and supplies. Sometime around 1699, the village was deserted. The villagers moved, not died. Get your history correct, you dip shit.”

Dom only shrugged unbothered by Jericho’s nasty retort. After all, he had what he wanted. Elijah. He stretched again, this time putting one of his arms around Elijah’s shoulders. “Whatever.”

“Anyway, Elijah there are many towns called Jamestown. It’s dark and late, and I can barely see in all this rain. We’ll find a hotel and turn in for the night.”

Elijah pushed Dom’s arm from around his neck and was just about to say something when he stopped and suddenly felt cold. Freezing cold. Putting his arms around himself, his face changed into fear as every hair on his body stood on end. Every sense was telling him that something was not quite right. That something was wrong.

“Jericho, I--I, can’t we just keep going. New York can’t be too far away. I‘ll drive if you want.”

Shaking his head, Jericho touched the brakes as the car reached the bottom of the hill. Finding the main road into the small town ahead, Jericho started the car forward.

Billy, looking outside the window, couldn’t help but make a comment with his hands. “Why are there no street lights? Or town houses with lights on? It looks dead.”

Jericho shrugged at Billy and glanced back at Elijah, who seemed to be looking all around the car. Dom was leaning his head back against his seat, with his eyes closed, trying to go back to sleep. “What’s the matter, Elijah?”

“I don’t know. I just got a funny feeling. Please, can you turn the car around? Can we leave?”

Just as Jericho was about to say something, Billy grabbed his shoulder and pointed in front of them. Jericho slowed down the car and saw a house up ahead. It had been dark before, but now every light in the house seemed to be on. As they got closer, Jericho spotted a sign hanging near the road saying.

“Garden Inn.” The sign also read: Vacancy. “Okay, this is it.”

Jericho headed up the small driveway and then parked off to the side of the driveway. Elijah saw another flash in the sky and looking out his window, to his horror he saw that there was a cemetery on the other side of the inn.

Swallowing, Elijah turned to Dom to see he had noticed too. Smiling, Dom couldn’t resist. “As long as they stay in their own beds tonight, I am more than happy to stay the night at this inn.”

Shutting off the engine, Jericho popped the trunk. Seeing he had no choice, Elijah followed Jericho and the others out of the car. They grabbed their duffle bags and hurriedly made for the house, trying to avoid drowning in the downpour of rain.

Following a small path, Elijah saw that the house looked rather uncared for and quite old. Vines dangled in disarray on the sides of the three-story house. Even the steps creaked loudly under their steps.

Elijah didn’t know why but he held back, hesitating and looking all around him. Noticing, Dom paused and looked back at Elijah‘s wide and fearful eyes.

“Lij, it’s cool. Relax.” He took Elijah’s hand to offer comfort, and Elijah this time took that hand and held on tightly.

Elijah wasn’t able to relax. His whole body seemed to be tensing up as if something might happen at any moment. Looking up at the top floor window, Elijah spotted a dark shadow peering down at them. A candle was burning dimly in the palm of their hand. He could not see any facial features just a dark, shadowed form.

Sighing, Elijah looked behind him and glanced at the cemetery as Jericho knocked at the front door and hit the door bell. A flash of light crossed the sky. Elijah was looking at the main gates to the cemetery and felt his heart freeze and his breath caught in his throat. A small figure in white stood at the gates. A little girl, perhaps seven or eight, having what looked like long, dark, curly hair.

Blinking, the light faded from the sky and when Elijah tugged at Dom’s sleeve to get his attention, the light in the sky flashed again and when Dom looked back to Elijah’s pointing finger the figure was gone.

“What?” Dom asked, as he adjusted his duffle bag, and looked behind his shoulder to see what Elijah was looking at. “Elijah, it’s just a cemetery. I was just kidding. Look, you don’t believe in the walking dead or anything do you?”

Elijah looked at Dom and then back at the gates. He didn’t reply.

“Hello! Anybody home!” Jericho cried out, after a few minutes. Still no answer.

“Somebody has to be awake. The lights are on,” signed Billy.

That was when they heard the sound of approaching feet and the door knob turned and opened. Jericho smiled to see an older woman, somewhere in her late fifties, holding a candle and staring at them in a gray robe that had to be quite old. Her hair was almost completely white, and her skin was wrinkled with age. Her eyes, though, were clear. Her demeanor seemed friendly, even kind. Still the woman seemed odd in some way, and Jericho couldn’t put his finger on what was it that made him feel just slightly taken back by her presence.

“Hi, we were just passing through when this storm hit. We were wondering if you would have two rooms with double beds available for four?”

The woman raised the candle and glanced at the four men at her doorstep and she smiled. “Oh, what handsome young men you all are. Of course, come on in. I haven’t had any visitors in a long time. A very long time. Come in, I am Mrs. Mable Garden.”

As they entered, the woman watched them pass. Elijah was the last to enter and when he did, he paused to look at the woman. Always taking care to respect his elders, he smiled kindly at her. “Ma’am.”

She smiled back, revealing a toothless smile, and for a moment Elijah thought he saw her blue eyes darken to almost black before resuming a natural state. He shivered slightly and he was sure it wasn’t because he was soaked through nor caused by the cold wind that blew in from outside. He shivered for an altogether different reason. Dropping his smile, Elijah grabbed Dom’s jacket and moved a little closer to him.

Dom took it all in stride, thinking Elijah might be in the mood tonight. Maybe tonight would be the night? Elijah said he just wanted to court for the moment, get to know each other again. Hey, maybe I might be able to persuade Elijah to do something more intimate-- like some heavy petting?

“The first two rooms on the right, upstairs. Two separate beds in each room. Ten dollars a night and I won’t take less. I expect to be paid now.”

Rather stunned at the price, Jericho’s mouth slightly opened, then nodded numbly as he took out his wallet. “We’ll just stay for the night.” He handed her a twenty. The woman put it in her pocket without looking at it. Billy looked at Jericho in confusion.

“I’m sure you boys must be rather hungry. Before you turn in, why don’t you go sit in the parlor, and I’ll bring you something to eat.”

At the last few words the woman had already disappeared into the darkness leaving them in the dimly lit hallway. Elijah noticed several things as he entered the house. One, the floors including the rugs were old and dusty. Even the walls were cracked with paint. The third thing he noticed was that the entire house was lighted not by electricity but with candles, positioned all around the house.

As Elijah turned back to Jericho, he saw Billy was signing to them. “We should give her more money.”

“Who are you kidding? This place is a dump,” hissed Dom. “No wonder she charges so little.”

Elijah at once hit Dom on the shoulder. “Don’t say that! It’s rude! She probably lives all alone and she’s old. She probably can’t keep up with the maintenance, and besides, she seems very kind.”

Dom only shrugged. “I’m sorry. Sorry this place is a dump.”

Ignoring Dom’s words, Jericho shrugged. “Don’t worry Elijah. In the morning, I’ll leave her a good tip. Poor lady, you’re probably right; she probably lives all alone here. Watch your mouth and be polite. Fletcher.”

Dom only crossed his arms and headed into what he figured was the parlor. As they followed Dom, they soon realized the parlor was no better than the rest of the house. It was rather roomy, but the rugs looked worn and dirty. A large, unknown stain was in the center of the room. To the left was a black piano with a candle on top of it. The keys were full of cobwebs. A fireplace was in the center of the room. and though it was roaring with flames, the room felt even chillier than the hallway. The walls were gray and cracked, and the paintings were so dusty you couldn’t even make out what was on the them. The chairs also looked pretty pathetic.

Dom was about to sit down when he saw a spider walk across the cushions. Sighing in annoyance, he remained standing.

Finding a chair by the fireplace, Elijah sat down and put his hands near the fire. His hands were slightly shaking and still as close as he was to the flames, he could feel the coldness go through him. It reminded him of a memory of something he had buried deep in his mind. Something that happened to him when he was only eight years old. Something he had hoped to forget.

He closed his eyes and tried to shut it out. When he reopened his eyes, he saw Jericho bending down and staring at him. “Elijah, are you okay, kiddo? You seem pretty jittery?”

“I can’t explain it. I know it’s stupid, Jericho. I don’t like it here. Please? Let’s just go?”

On cue, that was when the woman reappeared, carrying a tray. “Here you go boys. I managed to find something in the cupboard.” As she put down the tray on a nearby table, she smiled at the boys.

“Do you live here alone?” asked Jericho, he moved towards the tray and saw that indeed there were some small cakes and cookies. The old woman had also four empty glasses and a pitcher of what looked to be lemonade. As Jericho helped himself, Dom and Billy followed pursuit. Elijah watched them, but didn’t touch it. He only looked at the woman whose eyes never left his. Feeling uncomfortable, he looked at his hands.

“Yes, I have. For many years.”

“Oh, I’m being rude. My name is Jericho. This is Billy Adams, Dominic Fletcher, and my cousin Elijah.”

The woman did not look at the others; instead, she stared at Elijah and smiled. “You have the most beautiful eyes, little one. They remind me of my daughter.”

Jericho smiled and nodded. “I bet she checks in on you from time to time?”

The woman only looked sadly at the boys.

Munching on a cookie, Dom couldn’t resist replying. “By the way, what is with the candle light? Don’t believe in electricity? And I think you need to hire some cleaners. This place needs at least a once over--maybe twice.”

Jericho promptly hit him in the back of the head. Hard. Coughing and spitting up the cookie he had been eating, Dom looked back at Jericho with a confused expression, all the while holding his hand to the back of his head where Jericho hit him.

“Ow, that hurt!”

Jericho growled under his breath. “Do you have any manners at all! Shut your mouth or I’ll shut it for you.”

Dom at once looked to the old woman and sighed. “Sorry.”

The woman only smiled and then faced Elijah. “It is late. Come. I will show you to your rooms.” She made her way to the stairs almost floating as she walked up them. The boys followed her and watched as she came to the top of the stairs and pointed to two doors. “Good night, gentlemen. Sleep well.” She then returned to the stairs and walked down, leaving them alone in the dark hall.

Dom opened the first door and looked inside. The bedrooms looked better then the downstairs. At least it looked cleaner. The room already had candles lighting it, and it looked as if it had been swept and dusted recently. “Elijah and I will take this room.”

Jericho opened the other door and with one hand, grabbed Dom’s arm and shoved him into the other room, which was identical to the first room. “Elijah and I will room together, and you and Billy can room in here. See you in the morning.” And pulling Elijah into the room, Jericho closed the door behind him.

Billy smiled at seeing Dom’s frustrated expression and entering the room with Dom, Billy closed the door and took the first bed. Dom remained near the door for a few seconds, watching Billy prepare for bed. With an annoyed huff, he moved to the second bed and threw his duffle bag on it. A cloud of dust came up.

“Fucking figures,” said Dom.

***

Taking off his jacket and shirt, Jericho watched as Elijah sat at the edge of the second bed, still looking skittish, as if he expected a ghost or vampire to sweep into the room.

“Elijah? You want to tell me about it?”

Elijah swallowed and looked up at Jericho then stared back at the floor. “You’re going to laugh at me.”

“No, I’m not. Come on,” said Jericho, in a soft encouraging voice. Elijah sighed and finally gave in. He might as well get it over with.

“Ever since we came into this place I feel - I feel cold. Not from outside, from within. I only felt this way once before. A long time ago when I was about eight.”

Folding down the blankets and getting into bed, Jericho nodded and listened. Elijah took off his shoes and then stopped. Thinking better of it, he moved the pillows under his shoulders and lying down on the bed, he stared up at the ceiling. Elijah noted that the walls were chipped and cracked like the rest of the house. Closing his eyes, he allowed the memories to resurface. Unhappy, frightening images crossed his mind. He shivered as he felt as if someone had just walked over his grave.

“I made friends with a boy named Zeke in school. He was the new boy and a real punk, but he was nice to me. He’d come over to my house all the time and stay for hours. I never understood it, but it was like he never wanted to go home. Anyway, one Friday night, my mom had to take my grandpa to the hospital. For a week grandpa had the flu and his temperature had risen over 103. So, my mom asked Zeke’s parents, if I could stay over at their place. They agreed, so mom drove me over right away. They lived just down the street on the corner of Retro Avenue.”

Putting his hands behind his head, Jericho faced Elijah and envisioned the story as it unfolded in his mind.

“Zeke, you know, he was odd, different from the other boys. The kids used to make fun of him because he liked to draw, only his drawings were, well, strange. He was always drawing skulls and dead like faces on paper. Ghosts, and scary stuff. I never paid much heed to it because, as I said, he was always nice to me. Anyway, when I went to his house, from the moment I stepped inside, I felt cold. His parents were friendly and yet distant all at the same time. Almost not real? I can’t really explain it. I remember by passing that house many times when I went to school. Even then I had felt jittery around it. Like, I was being watched. Followed. It was eerie. Unexplainable. Indescribable. That house was evil. I could feel it. I knew it was. I don‘t know how I knew that, I just did.”

Elijah caught his breath and waited. Jericho nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Well, everything was fine at first. We played Atari until bedtime. When we went to bed, that was when Zeke started telling me a story - a story about that house. He wished his parents would leave that house. He said that he hated it and that he knew the house was haunted.” Elijah looked away and closed his eyes. “I laughed at him and I told him I didn’t believe in ghosts. That people when they died didn’t stay on earth, they either went to heaven or hell. Period. He only continued to tell me that a little boy, who lived in that house years ago, had been killed by his own mother. That the boy was our age when he died. He said that when people died of unnatural causes they didn’t go to heaven or hell, they were lost in a plane of limbo. Not even knowing that they were dead. Appearing on earth, but as a ghostly form.--

Zeke said that every night the boy who died would appear at the end of his bed and stare at him. Just stare at him. I told him to shut up, and I closed my eyes and rolled over, went to sleep.” Swallowing, Elijah took several breaths and then getting the courage, he continued.

“I remember waking up and feeling very cold. The room was freezing. I went to reach for a blanket and that was when I saw it.”

Jericho sat up and stared hard at Elijah. Elijah wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“It was a boy about eight or nine years old, and he was at the end of the bed. Staring at me with these dark eyes that didn’t see or have any ending. Staring and staring at me with hidden menace. I could feel his anger as if I were an intruder. I tried to scream. I could feel Zeke at my side, but no matter how hard I try to wake him, he just slept on. Then it started to move closer to me, and then,” he said, pausing. Elijah felt a hot tear fall down his cheek. He wiped it away and faced Jericho.

“I started screaming and screaming. Zeke woke and so did his parents, and I didn’t care how angry they were, I ran all the way home. In my bare feet, in the dark. I never told my mom about it and I didn‘t see Zeke again after that.”

“What happened?”

Elijah shrugged. “Two weeks later Zeke’s dad came home from work to find his wife had hung herself. Zeke was found in his bed. At least his body was. His head had been cut off and removed. They never found it.” Wiping away more tears, Elijah took a shuttering breath.

“There’s more?”

Elijah nodded. “After the funeral. I went back to the house. I had to. The door was open and I went inside. It was so cold, it felt like a freezer, like that same night I was there. I walked through the entire house, knowing where I needed to go. I went into Zeke’s bedroom. I stayed for a few moments and that was when I felt like I was being watched again. That was when I turned and I saw it - saw them.--

The boy I saw that night and beside him was Zeke. They stared at me. No facial expression, nothing. Dead, that was what it was, death staring at me in the face. Hating me. Yes, they had hatred for me. I could feel it. I tried to speak and I couldn’t. They were right in front of me as clearly as I see you, and then they were gone. I fled and this time I never went back. I heard later that another family moved in, but they stayed for about twelve days and then they too fled the house for some unknown reason. They never even came back to get their things. The house was eventually demolished and a new house was built. To this day no one has ever stayed living there for very long.”

Taking another breath, Elijah waited to hear Jericho laugh. He didn’t. Looking at Jericho, Elijah saw he was staring at him not with humor, but with pity. “I believe in ghosts, Jericho. I know they exist. I don’t know why or how, but this place, I can feel it. It’s haunted. I‘m scared.”

Jericho shook his head. “Elijah,” he began.

Turning away, Elijah closed his eyes. “Forget it. Just promise me in the morning will leave?”

Jericho nodded. “Promise. Try to get some sleep, kiddo.”

Elijah shook his head. He was almost one hundred percent sure he wouldn’t. A few minutes later, as Jericho was trying to resume a comfortable sleeping position, he heard a low snore coming from Elijah’s bed. Jericho smiled and closed his eyes. A moment later, he too fell into a deep sleep. The long day had finally caught up to them.

Outside, the rain continued to fall and the lightning flashed across the sky, followed swiftly by a loud booming noise followed.

***

The sound of thunder awoke him from his dark dreams. Shifting his movement, Elijah opened his eyes and quickly closed them again when he realized where he was. He tried to drift back into sleep and found he couldn’t. He felt weird again, as if something was staring at him. Taking a deep breath, Elijah tried to reason with himself.

It’s just nerves. That’s all. Just open your eyes and look and you will see.

Elijah took several deep breaths and opened his eyes. He could see that Jericho had left one candle burning. It was sitting on the night table in between the two beds. Elijah could see Jericho was sound asleep, snoring lightly in the other bed. All was well. Turning over to get into another position, Elijah spotted something out of the corner of his eye.

He froze in place.

A whimper came from his lips as he saw a small figure dressed all in white standing at the end of the bed. A figure of a girl, perhaps eight or nine years old, having dark curly hair. She was not smiling and her face was pale, so pale it was almost see through. Her eyes were blue, but they were lifeless. Even her form seemed translucent. He could almost see the door directly behind the girl.

He tried to speak, to call out to Jericho, to scream, but he couldn’t. He felt as if he had been caught by her icy death-like stare. Her facial expression was a mask. Then slowly, she turned and walked towards the door. She stopped and looked back as if waiting, expecting something.

Elijah didn’t move.

She came back towards him and again moved to the door. She paused and waited. When she looked back, with only the tilt of her head, she saw Elijah still had not moved. She moved back towards the bed, drawing closer to him. Closer, and closer. Elijah finally screamed!

“JERICHO!”

Bolting awake, Jericho heard Elijah’s cry and automatically, responded with his fist in the air, ready to fight. Glancing around the room and seeing no one. Jericho turned to the bed to see Elijah curled up against the headboard, staring at the doorway, whimpering in fear.

Jericho looked around again at the door but didn’t see anything. “Kid?”

A moment later the door banged open, and a worried looking Dom and still sleepy looking Billy stepped into the room.

“Hey, we heard screaming? Elijah, you okay?”

Seeing the terror on Elijah’s face, Dom at once moved to the bed as concern moved him to act. Seeing Dom, Elijah didn’t care how it looked and flew into Dom’s arms. Taken back slightly, Dom held him in return, glancing at Jericho in confusion.

Jericho looked back equally mystified.

Scratching his head, Billy signed to all of them. “What is going on?”

Elijah, feeling rather foolish now that everyone was staring at him, finally released Dom yet refused to move away from him. Swallowing, Elijah shook his head. “I--I guess I had a bad dream.”

“Some bad dream. Lij, you’re shaking!” replied Dom, with growing concern on his face.

Elijah only stared at the bed, his fingers lightly touching the comforter. It was old and worn and yet real in his hands. As real as that girl?

Lij, the new pet name Dom called him, usually melted him, but right now it did nothing for his state of mind.

“Elijah?” Jericho finally sat up and nodded. “Okay, maybe we should just stay together. Elijah can share my bed, and Dom and Billy, you can take Elijah’s.”

Elijah didn’t move, he only continued to cling to Dom. He would not let go, and Dom would not remove Elijah‘s arms from around his neck. Dom smiled, unable to help the wave of satisfaction that came over him. Well, what ever happened seemed to have worked in his favor, so Dom wasn’t about to complain.

Getting under the covers, Dom opened his arms in an invitation, and Elijah did not turn it down. Delving into Dom’s arms, Elijah got an even firmer hold.

Billy shook his head and got into Jericho’s bed and rolled over. He was back asleep before the count of five.

Jericho fell asleep a few minutes later. Dom followed after him, with a small triumphant smile on his lips. Elijah, however, never fell back to sleep. He stayed awake and held tightly onto Dom. His eyes every once and while turned to the door and stared at it.

Somewhere between night and dawn Elijah finally succumbed to exhaustion only to awaken an hour later.

The first thing Elijah noticed was that everyone was still asleep, and all was silent. Deathly silent. When Elijah looked to the door, Elijah felt the fear take hold. The candle that had been on the night table was now on the floor by the door. The flame was out, apparently recently, for a single strand of smoke drifted upwards and disappeared into the air.

***

Morning came to Jamestown although no sun rose in the sky. The storm clouds hung over head, and the air still held the smell of dew. A mist and fog seemed to sweep over the town, a mist that seemed to remain unmoving on the ground. Elijah looked out the window of his room to see the fog surrounding the town, even more thickly in the old cemetery across from the inn.

Jericho was packing when a loud cry filled the air. Turning to the bathroom, Elijah and Jericho watched as Dom came out of the room dripping wet and looking slightly blue.

“Damn it all! There is no hot water! What kind of hotel is this?”

Jericho did not hide his smile as he replied softly, “Bates Motel.”

Dom held the towel around his hips and huffed back at him angrily. “Fuck you!”

Then stalked over to his duffle back and grabbed his jeans and a long sleeved shirt and headed back into the bathroom.

After Dom came out, Elijah took his turn in the bathroom. He tried the shower checking to see if there indeed was no hot water. To his surprise, Elijah found that hot water started to flow. Smiling, Elijah stripped and intended to indulge in a short shower. Putting a towel on the nearby rack, Elijah stepped into the stall. Elijah figured either the furnace had finally kicked in, or Dom had used the faucet knobs wrong. A second later, Elijah was enjoying a hot, steamy shower.

It took him fifteen minutes to complete his shower and shutting the water off, Elijah reached for the towel he had brought in to the room only to find empty air. Elijah looked over the curtain and saw the towel he had placed on a nearby rack was now on the sink. A mirror was just above it and it was covered with steam. Reaching for the towel, Elijah dried himself off and reached for his jeans. As he zipped them up, he turned to the sink to brush his teeth when he stopped cold.

The mirror was still fogged up by the steam of the shower, but now it had a message written upon it. It read: Help me. I want my mommy.

And something was dripping from the mirror. Red droplets. Blood? Elijah fled the room.

Jericho was still packing when he saw Elijah coming into the room pointing into the bathroom. His face was ashen and pale, and Elijah was unable to say much of anything coherently other than “mirror and sink, blood!”

Puzzled, Jericho headed into the bathroom. It was empty, with nothing out of place. Jericho glanced at the sink and mirror. The mirror was clear and the sink was empty.

A head slowly peaked into the bathroom. Elijah glanced at the mirror and saw what Jericho saw. Blushing, Elijah completely stepped into the room and looked at Jericho apologetically. “I-I swear I saw words on the mirror. They said, ‘Help me.’ I swear it! I‘m not making it up.”

Jericho smiled at his cousin. “Look, I believe you. I know strange things happen in this world. Let’s just get out of here. Get packed and meet me downstairs. We’ll be out of here before you know it.”

Elijah watched Jericho leave the room, and Elijah followed pursuit.

***

Jericho left the room with his duffle bag and headed down the stairs. Alone in the room, Elijah hurriedly packed his belongings, and without even folding or closing the bag, Elijah hot tailed it out of the room and made for the staircase.

He hurried down each step, but he paused when a small painting caught his eye. The painting was old and full of cobwebs, and yet Elijah could see a figure of a young girl in it. Brushing away the cobwebs, Elijah saw the figure more clearly.

It was a little girl about eight or nine years old, wearing a white dress and having curly hair. It was the same girl he saw at the cemetery, the same girl he saw in his room last night.

“That’s my daughter, Penny.”

Elijah spun up and saw the old woman staring down at him from the stairs. Elijah dropped the duffle bag in his surprise, and it fell with several thumps until it hit the bottom of the stairs. Elijah swallowed and did not move as the elderly woman came slowly down the stairs, towards him.

“She died many years ago.”

“Is --is she buried in the cemetery?”

“No, they never found her body. They said at first that she ran away. But I know better. She was my baby and I know she would have come back to me, that she would never have run away. She liked to play in the fields just beyond the cemetery. She went out to play one warm and sunny day and never returned. We had suspects, of course. But no one was ever arrested. Sometimes, one must make justice into one‘s own hands.”

“I’m sorry.” It was all that Elijah could think to say.

The woman bypassed him on the stairs and reaching the bottom step, she picked up the fallen duffle bag and held it up to Elijah.

Elijah took it gingerly.

“So am I,” she replied, and then she turned and walked away.

***

Hearing a lot of swearing and cursing coming from outside, Elijah hurried out the door to see Jericho, Billy, and Dom staring at the car. Heading towards them, Elijah gasped to see that all four tires of the car had been slashed.

“Oh no!” Elijah replied and all three turned to him.

“Yeah, looks like some pranksters again. I have one spare tire, but it looks like we will need to get three more.” Jericho looked at Dom and nodded. “Why don’t you two go into town, find a gas station, and see if you can get replacements?”

Dom folded his arms around himself and shrugged. “Why me and Billy? Why not Elijah and me or you and Billy!”

Jericho made a fist. “Because I said so, that’s why.”

Dom turned to Elijah, and seeing the pale face staring back at them and the car, he stopped and shrugged. “Fine!” With Billy following, Dom gave Elijah an encouraging smile and gave him a small peck on the cheek. “I’ll be back, love.”

Elijah lightly waved to him ignoring Jericho‘s scowling face. Then after they were gone, Elijah faced Jericho. “Come with me. I have something to show you.”

***

Jericho stared at the painting and finally nodded. “So this is what you saw? Cute little girl.”

Elijah only sat down on the stairs and wrapped his arms tightly around himself. “It’s not cute when it’s in ghostly form.”

“Tell me again about her appearance?”

“I told you, she was standing at the end of the bed and then moved to the door, as if she was going to leave and then she came back. Then she left for the door and turned to me. Then…then she started to come closer to me as if she intended to-to-”

Elijah closed his eyes tightly and Jericho gently laid a hand on the younger boys shoulder.

“Maybe she was trying to tell you something? Often ghosts that remain earthbound are seeking some form of help or need to complete some kind of task before they can move on.”

Elijah looked back at Jericho in confusion.

“Ok, look. I am no ghost expert and if you tell anyone this, I swear I will give you a wedgy you won’t soon forget? Got me?”

Elijah nodded numbly.

“About a year ago, just before we met. I worked for this paranormal company. It was sort of an investigator group called the P.H. Paranormal Hunters. They often take calls from people who say their houses are haunted. I know, stupid, I thought so too, but they paid well so I stayed and worked for them. I would help them set up the equipment and cameras. Well, most of the time we didn’t get anything. It was pathetic really. Bunch of mumbo jumbo. Until we went to this one house. The moment I saw it, I had the creeps. It was spooky. The way it was made and how dark it looked. Everything about it was dark. The woman who lived in the house said that she would be awakened at night by these footsteps, and she was the only one living at the place. I guess one night she went to investigate, and when she went out into the hallway…that was when she saw this dark form, shadow form of a man just walking her hallway, back and forth. She screamed and just like that it was gone. So, she saw our ad in the paper, and we came.”

Elijah crossed his arms and waited for Jericho to continue the story.

“Nothing happened all day. The lady was pretty nice. She was a widow and had no kids. She could tell great stories though. That evening we set up the cameras in the hall and sent the lady to a nearby hotel to stay at. I remained upstairs in the woman’s bedroom while Dave and Alex stayed downstairs. It was the stroke of midnight when I heard footsteps coming from outside the bedroom. I tell you I freaked. I thought at first that it was Dave or Alex, but the footsteps sounded too heavy. Alex and Dave were very skinny and always had a light walk. When I went out to the door, I tried to open it, and that was when I felt a wave come over me like a cold wind going through my body. I asked it who was there. I waited but got no answer. Just those footsteps. So I opened the door, and he was standing right in front of me. Just this black silhouette looking at me. No form, no face, no hands, just a shadow. One other thing I noticed was the smell. It was like sulfur and this horrible stench. Like something rotting.”

Elijah drew back, paling slightly, gasping as he was pulled into the story.

“I then did the stupidest thing I could ever do. I spoke to it. I asked it who it was and what did it want.”

“What happened?”

“It just started to laugh, this horrible, gravel like laugh. Evil in every sense and form. I ran back into the room, closing the door and calling for Alex and Dave. By the time they got upstairs whatever it was, it was gone. I fled that house and never went back. I quit the agency that very day. But the funny thing was, days after, I still felt that presence. As if it was following me. So, I went to a nearby church and I asked to be blessed by a priest.”

“And?”

“And I never felt it again. It was gone. Wherever it went or whatever it was, I’ll never know. I do know that Dave and Alex still work as PH investigators and the old lady I guess moved out of that house. It was later demolished and a mall was put up. That ends the story.”

Elijah swallowed. “Scary. So, you do believe me?”

“Yes, I think you’re seeing something. I just don’t know why. I really honestly don’t think that little girl is evil or means harm to you. Do you think she does?”

Elijah thought it over and relived the memory of her. “No, but that doesn’t make it any less scary.”

Jericho nodded. “Look, I’m going to go talk to that lady, so why don’t you go outside and wait for Dom and Billy. I think you‘ll feel safer outside.”

Without another word, Elijah headed out.

Jericho started to look for the old woman, and he wanted very much to talk to her about her daughter Penny. The problem was that Jericho couldn’t find her. She wasn’t in the kitchen or in the parlor. So he went upstairs but found that too was empty. About to come down stairs, Jericho paused to notice for the first time a staircase at the end of the hall leading upwards. He called for the woman and hearing no answer, he made for this second set of stairs.

Slowly climbing up the steps he found an old wooden door locked from the outside. He opened the lock and then paused before he knocked, getting no answer.

A second later, however, Jericho heard the sound something heavy moving. Someone was inside. He turned the doorknob and opened the door. As Jericho did, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread come over him.

***

Dom called twice but got no response to his calls. Standing in the doorway of the garage, he saw Billy staring at a pile of tires next to the garage. This place was creepy. All the time that Billy and he had walked down the road and into this small town, Dom had felt really strange.

For one thing, there were no cars and no people to be found anywhere. The place looked like a ghost town. There was a library, townhouse, several stores, homes, and even a post office. But they all looked broken down and very empty.

It was as if no one had been here for some time. So, where was everybody? Something else that was spooky was that the fog that seemed to be surrounding the inn and cemetery was also around the town as well and it seemed to remain in place. It didn’t seem to drift upwards like normal fog. Spooky.

“I don’t think anybody is around. What should we do now, Billy?”

Billy looked up from where he was looking over a tire and put it down. He signed to Dom, “I found three that should fit the car. The sign says twenty dollars apiece. Leave the money on the counter just to be sure.”

Grumbling, Dom took out his wallet and headed into the garage only to come to a dead stop when a movement behind the counter caught his eye. “Why is it, I seem to be the one paying for---”

Standing behind the counter was a man about six feet, having black slick hair and matching eyes. He was dressed in a stained t-shirt and ripped, muddy looking jeans. His skin was pale, almost white.

“What can I do for you?” asked the man behind the counter.

Dom ignored the drawl the man had and pulled out three twenty dollar bills, moved slowly towards the counter.

“Hi. We need three tires since apparently someone shredded ours last night during the storm. We’re staying at the Garden Inn,” he said. “Ah, how did you get in here?” Dom looked around the room in confusion. There was only one door and he had been standing in it. The man at the counter only looked on at Dom with cold eyes.

“That will be sixty dollars,” he said flatly.

Dom didn’t argue and held out the money, but the man didn’t take it. Dom slowly put it on the counter and started to back away. For some reason, Dom felt as if his skin were crawling up his back. Something didn’t feel right. Something was really wrong.

Glancing at the man again, Dom stared at the stained t-shirt he wore. It was clearly red. When the man moved from behind the counter, Dom could see he was wearing boots that were caked with mud. “They’re in the front. Take what you want.”

Turning to look out the door, Dom saw Billy had already pulled out three tires and was waiting for his return.

When Dom turned to look back at the owner of the garage, Dom felt his hair stand on end because now the room was empty. Looking down at the floor, though, Dom could see mud tracks and several red drops following them.

About to head out the door, Dom paused when he saw several photographs on a bulletin board. They were all in black and white and looked to be from the fifties. The men in them were unknown except one. A man looking to be in his forties dressed in a white shirt and ripped jeans. Beside him was a little girl looking up at him with adoring eyes. He was looking back down at the girl with eyes that looked anything but adoring. They looked glazed and predator like. As if sizing her up to certain standards.

Dom felt more than spooked when he looked at the counter and saw his money was gone.

***

Sitting quietly on the steps, Elijah refused to look over at the cemetery and kept his eyes on the car. He tried not to think about this place or the memories of last night. He knew he should be feeling better now that it was morning, but with the gray clouds above and the fog that still seemed to be drifting in the area Elijah still felt jittery.

Trying to think of other things, Elijah at first didn’t hear the soft musical voice until he himself started to hum along.

What was it, oh yes, You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.

Looking up, Elijah dropped his smile when he spotted movement in front of him. He tried to move but found he couldn’t. There just a few feet in front of him was the little girl. She smiled back at him and then turning she started to skip and hop down to the road towards the cemetery, and as she did, she continued to sing her song.

Without understanding why, Elijah found himself standing up, and without looking back, he began to follow. She paused at the gates and glanced back. Seeing that Elijah was following she smiled again, and turning back to the cemetery, she walked through the gates and through the graveyard.

He stopped at the gates, and taking a deep breath, he continued to follow the girl through the graveyard and over a small hill past a weeping willow and down a dark dirt path. She was leading him somewhere. But where? As Elijah reached the top of the hill he saw below him move graves and beyond it was a large stoned structure. A tomb? The little girl was still singing and was waiting for him by the tomb doorway. Still smiling, she opened a door and entered the stone building, vanishing into the darkness. And still Elijah could hear her ghostly voice.

And then, it stopped. Reaching the stone building, Elijah paused for a long moment and entered the darkness.

***

Jericho stared at the room. No one was here. Did he just imagine the noise? He was in the attic. Had to be the attic. The room was dusty and filled with cobwebs. No windows. It should have been filled with old junk, but all that was in it was one large trunk.

Moving closer to it, Jericho saw that the trunk was padlocked, and it had thick ropes securing all four corners. What ever was inside was meant to stay inside. Curiosity getting the better of him, Jericho took out a small pocket knife and cut the ropes. Looking at the lock, Jericho found that it was pretty rusty from age. He looked around for something to break the lock and spotted a small pipe hanging by the corner of the room.

Jericho broke the lock with one swing. He opened the trunk and what he saw made him close it right back up.

Horrified, he got to his feet, covering his mouth with his hand. Taking several steps back to the door, Jericho looked back at the trunk. He knew from this day forward he would never forget the smell of death. Or forget seeing a dead body lying in a trunk.

It was the skeletal remains, of a man, dressed in what looked to be ripped jeans and a ragged t-shirt. Something grabbed him by the arm, and Jericho felt himself pulled from the room and down the stairs.

The door behind him slammed shut, the door locking back into place. As Jericho collected his thoughts, he saw the old woman looking up at him, her eyes wide and fearful. “You shouldn’t have gone up there.”

Jericho tried to speak, but the woman only brought him to the other staircase and continued to pull him along with her. “Some things are best left alone.”

“Mrs. Garden? What is going on?”

The woman only brought him to the door to the house and shook her head. “It does not concern you.” Even more confused, Jericho saw the woman open the door and point to outside. “You must leave. Find your friends and go.”

Practically shoved out the door. Jericho could only stare as the door to the inn was closed in his face.

“Hey, where’s Elijah?”

Jericho turned around to see Billy and Dom coming up the walkway with the three tires. Looking around, Jericho felt himself go cold as Elijah was indeed nowhere in sight.

***

It should have been dark. But Elijah could see light ahead of him. Leading him onwards. The tunnel was narrow and the entire room was cold. Freezing. It also had a musty dirt-like smell.

Elijah stopped in his tracks, his eyes suddenly clicking in as to where he was and where he was going. What the hell was he doing? About to turn around and head back, Elijah heard a bloodcurdling scream from down the tunnel. The screams continued. It was the little girl. It sounded as if she was being murdered.

Shaking off his fear, Elijah ran towards the screams and found the light growing brighter and brighter. As he reached the opening of the hallway, Elijah found himself in what appeared to be a catacombs of tombs. But in the center of the room was the little girl. Only she wasn’t alone.

It was like watching a movie being played out in front of him. A man in jeans and wearing a white t-shirt was strangling the little girl. The girl was screaming, choking, fighting to get free. Her hands clawed at the man’s chest and shoulders, but she was no match for the man. Elijah could only watch as the attacker pulled the girl onto the ground and seemed to be standing over her, doing something.

It took Elijah only a moment to realize what he was doing. Choking back the nausea, Elijah covered his mouth and felt like he was going to throw up. Then like that it was over. Over.

The man in the jeans let the body fall to the ground. Then brushing himself off and adjusting his jeans, the man turned and with unseeing eyes, he walked past Elijah and down through the tunnels. His form vanished in the dark.

Still frightened, Elijah looked back at the center of the ground and saw the little girl still lying where she had been left. Only now all that remained were bones and rags.

Allowing the tears to fall, Elijah froze when he felt a hand brush his arm. Fearfully, Elijah looked to his left and saw the little girl staring at him. Her eyes filled with sadness and pain.

“Help me. It’s so cold in here. So cold. I want my mommy. Take me home to her. Please?”

Elijah swallowed and just like that, the ghostly girl faded away. Looking back at the tombs, Elijah slowly took off his jacket.

***

“Elijah!” The cemetery was filled with voices shouting out Elijah’s name. “Where is he?” shouted Dom.

Fear was taking hold of him, and he looked back at Jericho in anger. “You should never have left him out of your sight! If anything‘s happened to Elijah--”

Before Dom could finish, another voice calling from the distance got their attention. Looking up a hill, they spotted Elijah slowly walking down towards them. In his hands was his jacket, and he looked to be carrying something.

“Elijah! What the…”

Jericho saw several bones sticking out from the jacket, including a skull.

***

Elijah laid the bones gently down on the ground and waited as Jericho knocked on the door of the inn. For a long time no one spoke. Dom stood off to the side, not understanding what was going on yet unwilling to interfere.

The door opened, and the old woman stood in front of them. She seemed to gaze at them, her eyes meeting Elijah’s a bit longer than the rest. Then her eyes fell to the jacket and on the bones. The woman’s eyes filled with tears up, and she held out her arms. She spoke only two words. “My baby!”

Looking back at the ground, each of the boys took several steps back when they saw the ghostly form of a little girl with Elijah’s jacket around her shoulders looking up at the porch. The old woman walked down the steps and swept the little girl into her arms.

Watching tearfully, Elijah saw her pick the ghostly girl up and swirl her around with what can only be expressed as unsurpassed joy. Slowly, the woman still carrying the child turned and started to walk, not towards the house, but towards the cemetery. The boys followed.

***

She led them through a small pathway, up the hill and towards a weeping willow tree. They watched as they seemed to go through the tree and vanish. Approaching the tree, Jericho and Elijah spotted the stone tablet first. It had names carved on it.

Mable May Garden 1922-1978

Penny Heidi Garden 1945-1954?

Lying on the grass by the tree was Elijah’s jacket.

***

Replacing the flat tires as quickly as they could with the new tires, Jericho had already started the engine when the last bolt was locked into place.

Elijah stared out the window as the town slowly drew out of sight. As fast as he dared, Jericho was speeding the car back up the main hill and back to the main road. Elijah could see that the clouds in the sky were clearing and that the fog that seemed to drift over the town was finally gone. The town still looked dead, and Elijah knew he would never know what happened to the rest of the citizens of that town or what happened to the man who murdered the little girl. But two restless spirits had finally found peace.

The little girl stood beside her mother, one hand holding her mother’s hand while with the other she waved goodbye. The two forms were happy and dressed in white shimmering cloth that seemed to shine almost as brightly as the sun itself. A third form of light stood just behind them, waiting to call them home.

THE END