Regina (21 page)

“Please tell me you left the gate open.” Mom
said.

“I left the gate open.”

“Oh thank god.” Mom let out a sigh of relief
but quickly gasped from fright when she saw the gate closed. “You
said it was open!”

“No, you said to
tell
you it was open. You didn’t ask if it was
open.”

“Oh really funny, Regina!” She exploded with
anger.

I threw the truck into park, shot out of the
front seat, and unwrapped the chain holding the gate closed. The
lock on the chain wasn’t locked so it only took a moment to get the
gate open. I hopped back into the truck and sped away onto the
highway, heading towards town.

“Where do I go?” I asked.

“Give me your phone. I’ll call dad. He’ll
know what to do. Start heading towards Catfish Pharmacy.”

“Okay. What the hell was that back
there?!”

We drove into town and met with dad and
Grandpa. Mom and I described what happened to us while they
listened intently. Before we met them, we agreed on the story and
they seemed to believe us.

“Well girls, I don’t know what to say. That’s
some story.” Dad said.

“It’s true, Jack. Someone in the house and it
wasn’t us. It wasn’t our imagination either.” Mom pleaded.

“Honey, I believe you. However, I don’t know
what you want me to do. Your dad and I can go back to the house and
check it out.”

“No! I don’t want you going back there! Let’s
get a hotel room outside of town and talk about it then.” Mom
said.

“A hotel room outside of town?” Dad scoffed
at her. That was strange. He hadn’t disagreed with her once since
we moved here. “Now listen, Lynda, I do believe you when you say
something happened, but I don’t think going to a motel is the
answer. I’m more than happy to check the house out to if it would
make you feel better, but I’m not going to a motel.”

“Oh yes you will, Jack Roth. You will take us
to a hotel, not a motel, and not say another word about it. Do you
understand?”

“What has gotten into you?” Dad asked with
amazement.

“Regina, would you please get me a coffee
from the store? I need to speak to your father.” Mom asked me.

“Sure. I’ll be back in a minute.”

I watched in silence as mom and dad talked
back and forth. Poor Grandpa stood beside them looking very
uncomfortable. I had no idea what they were saying. Sipping an
extra coffee helped put heat and calmness back into my body.
Personally, I didn’t care if we never stepped foot back inside that
house. Regardless of the fight we were having before it happened, I
was going to side with mom on this one. There was no way I was
going back.

Mom did make dad take us to a hotel. There
was a nice one thirty minutes outside of Lee. It had a pool and
soft beds. Grandpa and I shared a room, I didn’t mind though. We
stayed up watching television, as usual. Mom and dad bought dinner
at a fast food place and we ate burgers at our little table in our
hotel room. Kind of felt like old times, however it felt strange,
as if those good days were long gone and I was living in the
past.

Aunt Rachel’s house was an option but one
that mom didn’t want to follow thru with. Her home was tiny and
there would be no room for the four of us. Mom would flee there in
an emergency, but I don’t think this called for that much of a
sacrifice.

I was asleep when they started talking. My
eyes fluttered open at the sound of their voices. These days, I was
a light sleeper.

“I won’t go back there….” Mom was saying.

“Yes we will. You don’t know it was her.” Dad
said.

Grandpa was fast asleep in the bed beside
mine. My parents room adjoined ours, separated by a door. Though
they tried to keep their voices down, it was impossible due to the
topic. Their voices rang out just enough to hear at times. I didn’t
dare move for fear that Grandpa wasn’t really asleep. Last thing I
wanted was to be caught eavesdropping.

“…
.I saw it clear as crystal.” Mom
cried out. “It was her.”

Her who? I wondered.

“……
her mother? I don’t believe in
ghosts.” Dad responded.

“Well you should. If you go back you will see
it too. She will be sure of it.”

My father scoffed at her. I heard his feet
stomp to the bathroom and slam the door shut. Mom started to cry.
If she hadn’t become such a hard person, I would’ve gone to her.
Yet, I stayed where I was and just listened to her.

At some point, my father came out of the
bathroom and went to bed. They didn’t talk anymore. I began to feel
safe that I could get up without making it seem as if I had been
listening to them. My desperation to use the restroom was
undeniable at this point. Plus I felt so grimy; I almost felt the
need to take a shower.

As I washed my hands when I was done, the hot
water ran too hot and ended up burning me a little. It began to
create an unusual amount of steam on the mirror in front of me.
Quickly, I shut it off and dried my hands. The sound of a finger
rubbing itself on the mirror drew my attention to my right. In
front of my face, not less than two feet in front of me were the
words RUN! being spelled out in the steam on the mirror.

And she was there. Those grimy slashes on her
face and body, and that dress were just as filthy as before. Her
lips smiled at me that dimple on her cheek prominently
displayed.

Bubbles that were popping with fear started
at my head and rolled quickly down my entire body as I watched in
horror as the letters were written. At first, I didn’t know what to
do. I think I was too shocked to do anything. Then I remembered to
scream.

“Ahhhhhhhhh!”

“What tha hell!” Grandpa roared from his
bed.

Mom and dad busted thru the adjoining door. I
don’t know why they did that because the door was not locked.

“Mom! In here!” I shouted. “Hurry!”

Everyone poured into the little bathroom, and
I pointed to the mirror. Their abrupt entrance was beginning to
give enough air for the message to disappear. It didn’t matter
though, everyone saw it.

“Did you see it?” I shakily whispered.

At first, no one said anything. It seemed as
if they were still thinking about it in their heads first. A little
judge and jury panel was deliberating in their minds about whether
or not I was telling the truth. Dad’s jury was the first one who
came to a conclusion.

“Did you do that, Regina?” He boomed.

“No! Dad I swear! It just started writing
itself as I was washing my hands.”

Their eyes looked skeptical and somewhat
doubtful, except for mom. She nodded her head in understanding. At
this point, I was still very upset at the sight of her face on the
video so I couldn’t understand why she was agreeing with me now.
Why this sudden camaraderie?

“I told you so, Jack.” Mom interjected.

“You told me so? Told me what, Lynda? Your
daughter obviously loves her mother enough to create this scene
tonight in order further prove your statements.”

Well, at this point I really didn’t think I
did love my mother enough to do this for her in order to get his
attention, but I didn’t say it. Some things are best left
unsaid.

“That is enough, Jack! You can return to the
house if you want but I’m not!”

“What are you going to do, Lynda? Are you
going back to New York?” My father hissed at her. That seemed to be
enough to quiet her down. “Let’s just try to figure out what is
going on here.”

“Regina has asked to return to New York for a
week. I told her no before but now I think it’s a good idea. Let’s
get her out of here while we figure out what to do.” Mom said
calmly but dad wasn’t having any of it.

“No. We agreed that would be a bad idea.
Let’s return to the house tomorrow and decide then.”

“I’m not sure I can go back to that house
Jack! It was scary!” She cried.

“Then I don’t know what you want me to do,
Lynda!” My father shouted at her. Never before had I seen them
argue like this.

The two of them stood there, panting from the
fight and the harsh words. Grandpa and I just watched them as they
continued. Strangely enough, we never left the bathroom while mom
and dad argued about our next move.

Grandpa had had enough. “Excuse me huh. I’m
going back to bed, and then in a couple of hours I’m going back to
my home. Now I’ve indulged you for tonight, young lady, but I don’t
believe in ghosts and I will not leave my home. I ain’t never had
no problems in my home before you three showed up at my door.” He
snapped and made his way past my parents and back into his bed.
“And shut the damn lights off!”

Mom, dad and I went back into their room and
shut the door for Grandpa. We faced each other for a few silent
minutes until Dad spoke up first. I was surprised to hear his voice
much calmer than before.

“Alright, Lynda. You win. We will leave that
house.” Dad said softly and mom perked up with joy. “First, let’s
go home and get a schedule prepared. Do we stay in Lee or move back
to New York?”

“I don’t want to go back there!” Mom
exclaimed. Her eyes widened with genuine fear of returning to
Grandpa’s home. To be honest, I understood her fear.

“It will be two weeks tops before your
mother’s estate is finalized, and I won’t leave you alone in the
house.” He added to sweeten the deal.

I’m sure if he was given the choice, Dad
would’ve left me alone in the house in a heartbeat. I didn’t kid
myself anymore; I knew Dad’s view of me was forever changed the day
after we arrived in Lee. He caressed her face and kissed her
deeply. Great, not again, and in front of me!

“So, does this mean I can go home too?” I
interrupted. “Back to New York, I mean.”

Once again, my father thought to himself. His
mind seemed to churn with thoughts on the idea. By the nodding of
his head, I could see he was having an inner conflict with himself.
Either nodding in agreement or dislike, I couldn’t tell. His eyes
met my mother’s and they had another moment.

“Yes, you can.” He answered.

Chapter
Twenty-seven

“A full moon tonight on Friday the
13
^th
! YEAH!” Renee screamed
into the phone.

“I heard you!” I laughed back. “I think
everyone in the house heard you!”

“Oh well. I’m so excited to see you
next weekend! I know we won’t be together tonight on the
13
^th
, but we will tomorrow.
Jane said to send you her love and hugs! What time is your flight
arriving at Kennedy?” She asked.

“Eight. Still meeting me at out front?” I
asked her.

“Hells yeah we’ll be there. I made a sign!”
Renee laughed.

We talked for another thirty minutes about my
return to New York next Saturday. Excitement flooded our
conversation about my trip. I had my bags packed and ready for my
flight. Everything was sitting by my door, neatly stacked and
labeled. It wasn’t so difficult to get everything packed up. I was
afraid I wasn’t going to be able to fit my clothes. Since I had
given Katie most of last season’s garments, my suitcase was
surprisingly light. I did have some outfits that I bought from
local stores here, but there was no way I was taking anything back
from this place.

Speaking of Katie, she was taking my sudden
departure surprisingly well. We had grown pretty close over the
past four months and her determination that we would see each other
again was irritating. There was no way I would return to this place
unless Grandpa asked me to. Not even Aunt Rachel or my cousins
could bring me back here. At this point, I didn’t care anymore
about my dreams or this town. I just wanted to get the hell out of
here! I knew I was making a mistake by not confronting my parents
about the video, but I desperately wanted the family I had before
we came to Lee. I was willing to make that decision to forget about
it, for now. As far as the video and the other evidence I had, I
couldn’t bring myself to destroy it. I still had my mother’s
college report card and the wedding picture. My brain was screaming
at me to keep it to myself, showing Bill was enough.

After my parents told me we could leave, I
saw Bill one last time. I confessed the woman in the video was my
mother. Bill didn’t want me to go home, but I had to. Besides,
whatever it was that affected my mother that night hadn’t
returned.

“The only information I found regarding any
law was a science fiction book. It has nothing to do with you, I’m
sure of it. As far as the haunting, I researched the town’s history
back and forth and found nothing that could explain it. Ed Harlen,
my research guy, hasn’t heard of it either. We’ll keep looking
though.

“As far as witches, cults or other
supernatural worship, I can’t find any around here. The pig was a
definite sign of occult worship. It seems as if the ceremony your
parents were engaging in was an ancient one. So ancient, in fact,
that it surprises me they spoke English. A ceremony of this
magnitude requires the original language of when the spell was
created. If English is truly the language when the spell was
created, then who created it? Did you ever suspect your parents
were possibly occultists before?” Bill asked delicately.

“No! And I’m still not sure they are!”

“What?!” Bill gasped.

“I mean, what if they’re under some sort of
influence? What if they don’t know they’re doing this to me? What
sort of ceremony were they performing?” I asked in honesty. I never
knew my parents to be mixed up with this sort of stuff.

“An ancient binding ceremony. If they did it
properly, the spell would bind a soul to a person or place. Let me
show you some translations.” Bill wheeled himself to his computer
and started clicking away frantically.