Suspending Reality (86 page)

Eric and Hunter followed right behind us.

The conversation went dead for a few seconds as Miss Duball handed us some worksheets and assignments, then instructed us as to what to do.

After she left our table to talk to the next group, I said the first thing that came to my mind. “I’m from New Orleans. Where are you two from?” I was dying to find out everything I could about him.

“Eric’s from California, and I’m from Miami,” Hunter said.

I nodded. “That explains the great tan.”

“Hunter,” said the teacher, “please come and choose a book for your group.”

He nodded and walked over to the shelves, even too tall for him to reach the top. He opted for a huge book with gold lettering, sitting at waist level. “This one looks like a winner.” He then returned to our table, opened the book, and flipped through a few pages.

“What do we have here?” I asked.

“
Tiker Castle
,” Hunter said, pointing at the gold title.

We wrote the name of the book down and started reading through the other forty questions we had to answer.

“Listen to this, guys…” Eric put the book on the table and read, “In 1296, King Edward I of England invaded Scotland, besieging Tiker Castle and its town walls. Edward and his army entered the town by surprise, then spent three days ruthlessly killing almost the entire civilian population, as well as the clergy who worked inside the castle.”

I shuddered. “That’s awful. Can you believe a real bloodbath happened here? Find something more positive about the place, or I’ll never be able to sleep tonight.”

Pam reached over and slid the book toward her, then flipped through the pages. Her eyes grew wide. “Whoa! It says here that some believe the souls of the murdered were trapped. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a cursed castle, ladies and gentlemen,” she said with a laugh, as if she believed none of the gibberish.

“You’re not helping,” I said, giggling uneasily.

Hunter ran a hand through his shaggy, dark hair before giving me an amused look. “Maybe their bodies are buried under the castle and they can’t leave.”

Pam kept flipping through the pages. “Look! There are pictures of some of the people who lived here. Just a bunch of average medieval Joes and Janes—the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick—”

“Wait a minute. Who’s that?” I interrupted with a gasp, pointing at a black and white, fuzzy image that sent a new pimpling of goosebumps up my arms.

She read the caption and announced, “Says here it’s the king’s son, William Bernard Montour. He has a sister named Isabella. Why?” She looked at me strangely. “Gosh, Zoey, you’re as white as a ghost! What’s going on, girl?”

I tried to keep my voice from wavering. “Pam, it’s him! The guy from the piano room! The one from my dream.”

She grinned and tucked a long strand of curly hair behind her ear. “Mr. Hottie Scotty?”

I elbowed her in the ribs, embarrassed, especially with Hunter sitting so close.

Her eyes lit up as she nudged me. “Well? Is that who you’re talking about or what?”

I gave her a small nod, insinuating she was on track.

Pam shook her head. “If that’s the case, the guy you saw has been dead for centuries.”

Hunter arched a brow. “Huh? You saw this dude in a dream or something?”

“Only one dream,” I said. Realizing there was no use hiding it, I went on to explain the entire story to Hunter and Eric. I braced myself for them to crack up in laughter, but neither of them did.

“That’s freaky. And you say you found your locket and some candle wax the next day?” Hunter asked.

“Yes.”

“Maybe the book is right about the restless spirits. Do you guys think this place could be…haunted?”

“I dunno,” I said, shrugging. “Is there anything in there about a woman named Victoria?”

Pam turned a few pages. “Here’s something about a Queen Victoria, the king’s second wife, but they had no children.” She held up the book. “There’s a picture of her.”

I stared at the woman in a Victorian gown, her hair pinned up in an elaborate bun and adorned with a huge diamond crown. I envied her mysterious beauty. She had huge, intimidating, dark eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips, and I was sure the men of her time worshipped her.

“Has Queen Victoria been raiding your dreams too?” Pam asked.

“No,” I said, “but the Scottish guy mentioned her name, as if he was talking to her, even though I didn’t see her. I thought he was talking to me at first, but then he called me by my real name. I’m not sure what it all means, if anything.”

“Meh, I think it just means jetlag and too little sleep,” Pam said, trying to dismiss it.

“Okay, students,” Miss Duvall said, “class is dismissed for today. I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”

Hunter flung his backpack over his shoulder. “Well, you ready?”

“Sure,” I said. “What can we do.”

“Let’s go explore the castle for clues.”

I smiled. “You’ve got yourself a date.”

“Wait, guys!” Pam whined. “I want in.”

Hunter smiled. “Maybe I can pencil you in tomorrow. Just give my secretary a call and—”

She slugged him. “Not with
you
, silly.”

“Uh…you mean me?” Eric asked, wearing a sheepish grin.

“Who else? Hunter’s taken, and Zoey’s…well, I’m not into girls,” she said with a smile.

Hunter laughed. “All right, guys. In that case, let’s all meet back in an hour.”

With one last glance back, Pam and I hurried up the stairs to our dorms to get changed.

* * *

We decided to explore the other side of the castle, but it wasn’t wired for electricity yet, so we sent Pam back to grab a few flashlights from the utility closet. I peered at the empty corridor, my hands clasped in my lap to keep them from shaking. Hunter’s gaze bore into my back, searing my skin, but I didn’t dare look; I feared I might forget to breathe or, worse, say something utterly stupid. Seconds ticked by and turned into an eternity while I mentally begged Pam to hurry; the silence was becoming unbearable. Eventually, her footsteps thudded on the naked stone stairs, and I breathed a sigh of relief when she popped her head around the corner.

“I snagged one for each of us,” Pam said, handing me and the guys a flashlight.

“Great,” I said.

We proceeded down a lonely, dark corridor, and my flashlight beam bounced off of the dusty armor hanging on the stone walls. After a few turns, we emerged in a giant, empty room with huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. Leather chairs were set up near the stone walls in neat rows.

As the beam of my flashlight swung around, I noticed an opening in the ceiling. It wasn’t big, maybe ten inches in diameter, and a perfect circle. I frowned and took a few steps forward, until I was standing right beneath it. I beamed my flashlight up at it to get the others’ attention. “Check this out. I wonder what it is.”

Hunter scooted a table and lined it up with what looked like a trapdoor. “Let’s check it out.” Without waiting for an answer or any advice from his loyal subjects, he climbed up and pulled down a ladder.

Cobwebs dangled from the ceiling, making me think twice about following him. Blinking, I covered my eyes as dust fell from the ceiling.

“I guess we’re going,” Pam said.

“What kind of adventure would this be if we don’t see what’s up there?” I reasoned. I put on a brave face and followed Hunter up the ladder, but it had nothing to do with me being brave and adventurous, which I most certainly wasn’t. Usually, I couldn’t get away from dark, ominous places fast enough, but I wasn’t about to let Hunter see me acting scared and helpless. So, in an effort to protect him, I pushed my chest out, lifted my chin a notch, and plastered the boldest smile I could muster on my face. I followed him up the ladder, my heart beating a million miles an hour.

The smell of dust was overwhelming. The walls slanted steeply upward into a narrow ceiling, and everything was covered with white linens. Curiosity overwhelmed me, and I sneaked a peek under one of the large lumps and caught a glimpse of an antique dresser. I ran my finger along a gothic-looking metal candelabra and cringed when I noticed it was draped with spider webs. “Um, guys…this is just some kind of storage room, like an attic or something” I said, wiping my hands on my jeans.

“We’re up here now,” Eric said. “Might as well take a look around.”

I peeked under a few sheets and saw more antique furniture. We snooped around for a few more minutes and found nothing of interest. I was anxious to leave the place, especially because it was getting late. I knew we’d definitely be missed and punished if we didn’t show up for dinner.  “Maybe we should go back down and—” I started to suggest.

“Guys, come here! I found an old chest,” Pam shouted. She slowly pried the lid open. “Check this out! It’s a bunch of silky, frilly, royal clothes! Talk about vintage!” She fumbled through it and gasped. “Whoa! There are jewels tucked underneath.”

“Jewels?” I asked.

“Yeah, like a crown or something. Why isn’t this stuff locked up in a safe or at a museum?”

“Simple,” Eric said. “It’s all fake.”

I smirked. He couldn’t know that for sure, and for all we knew, the diamond-encrusted crown might have been worth a fortune. I was no expert, but they sure looked real to me, and no one would go to so much trouble to hid cubic zirconia in a horrible old attic. I pulled out a two-tiered tiara, set with dazzling diamonds, and marveled at the way the stones sparkled and danced with brilliance in the light.
This tiny thing alone could buy out the whole shopping mall back home,
I thought.

“Put it on,” Pam coaxed, “just for fun.”

“No.” I shook my head slowly. “We shouldn’t be messing with this stuff.”

“It’s a waste of time anyway,” Eric said. “Playing dress-up with a bunch of costumes and fake crowns isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s keep looking.”

I regarded Pam. “Do
you
think this stuff is real?”

“They’ve gotta be fakes, Zoey, like Eric said. They wouldn’t be up here if they were worth anything.”

I knelt down and touched the satin dresses that were folded nicely and stacked inside a huge wooden crate. When I glanced up, Pam had disappeared. I spun around. “Guys?”

Nobody answered.

Frowning, I waved my flashlight around and saw my three companions staring at a painting on the other side of the wall.

“Zoey!” Hunter said. “C’mere! You’re not gonna believe this.”

I hurried over and glanced at the ancient painting. All four of our flashlight beams shined on it brightly, illuminating the swirling dust. When I saw what they were looking at, all I could do was gasp.

“Oh my gosh,” Pam whispered, touching my arm. “She freaking looks just like you!”

There was a life-sized portrait of a princess in a flowing V-neck gown and a diamond crown. Her long blonde hair hung in waves down to her small waist. I was shocked by her eyes, because they looked just like mine. Her royal look was accentuated with a crystal necklace exactly like the one I never took off, a family heirloom that had been in the Sanders family for generations. I was confused at the similarity, because I knew the painting had to be created decades ago.
How could a royal princess from hundreds of years ago look like me? And how can I possibly own her necklace?

Hunter looked at the painting, then focused on my crystal pendant necklace. “Seriously, if I didn’t know any better, I might believe you’re wearing the same jewelry. It’s identical.”

Eric stepped closer, his mouth gaping. “I can’t even tell them apart.”

“Who is she?” I asked, slipping my cell phone out of my pocket and snapping a pic. My cell phone had a horrible camera that took bad-quality photos, especially in the dark, but I had to try.

“The nameplate says she’s Princess Isabella Montour,” Pam said. “That’s William’s sister.”

“William?” Eric said.

“Yeah, the guy in the history book…the one in Zoey’s dream. Prince William Bernard Montour.”

I had never believed in doppelgangers, but the painting had piqued my interest, and there were so many odd things going on already that I was beginning to doubt everything I’d come to hold true. “Why does she look so much like me? It’s just…eerie.”

Hunter shook his head. “I have no idea.”

“Guys, check this out.” Pam rushed over, grabbed the crown, and placed it on my head. When I tried to take it off, she scolded, “C’mon, Zoey. Humor us for a minute.” She pulled out a brush from her purse and went about combing my hair, muttering under her breath, “I just need a minute to give you the same hairstyle.” Then she adjusted the crown and took a step back, regarding me with pride. “There. My gosh! It’s uncanny!”

All three of them were staring at me like I was some kind of circus freak.

Eric took a step back and shook his head. “I can understand somebody looking like this princess, but I don’t understand the necklace. How can Zoey be wearing this exact necklace? It has to be a replica.”

“Or a hoax,” Pam blurted out. “Maybe this is some joke they’re saving for later.”

“No,” I said. “It’s only a picture. Besides, they couldn’t be playing a prank on us. This picture’s been hidden in the attic, so no one was supposed to find it.”

“You could pass for this princess,” Hunter winked, “except you’re way cuter.”

I smiled, flattered and blushing. Suddenly, flashes of light caught my eye. “Did you see that?” I slowly spun around. Goosebumps rose up on my neck as I stared at tiny, glowing orbs zigzagging around us. The entire room was blinking with thee weird, glowing balls, and high-pitched frequencies whizzed all around me, like a thousand electronic fireflies. It was the weirdest thing I’d ever encountered.

Eric’s piercing voice cut through the air. “What the heck?”

“Wh-what’s going on?” I shouted.

Pam’s eyes widened as she glanced around. “This place is flipping haunted, that’s what!”

Hunter and I locked gazes. “I dunno, but let’s get outta here,” he said.

Eric tugged at the large gold latch in the floor. “It’s stuck!”

“Pull harder, man!” Hunter demanded.

Groaning, Eric gave it another tug, then anther, until his knuckles turned white. “Not working, dude.”

“Quit being such a wimp, Eric!” Hunter yelled in frustration.

“You think you’re some big jock or something, why don’t you give it a try?”

Hunter walk over and yanked on it, but that didn’t work either.

Suddenly, something dawned on me: I knew we’d left the trapdoor open, so someone else had to have shut and locked it. I had no idea what was going on or who was messing with it, but I didn’t like it one bit.

“Oh my gosh!” Pam squealed.

I rushed over and pulled with every ounce of strength I possessed, but the door wouldn’t budge. I let go so Hunter could give it another attempt, since he was so much stronger than any of us. While he was pulling, I scanned the attic space for another exit, but I saw none. “Maybe if all four of us try to kick it open.” I didn’t want to destroy property, but we were alone in a dusty, dark attic with weird little orbs frolicking around us, and we’d do anything to get out.

“On three!” Hunter said. “One…two…three!”

We all kicked the trapdoor, to no avail. At that point, I was sure we’d pissed off some supernatural force by trespassing in the attic, and we didn’t have the strength to fight it or to break its hold on the door.

“What did we do to trigger those orbs?” Pam asked in a panic.

“Trespassing!” Eric said, echoing my thoughts.

“My thoughts exactly, and we opened the chest too,” I added. “It didn’t start till I put the crown on though.”

“That’s gotta be it,” Pam said, covering her head as yellow balls of light darted in every direction. “Take the darn thing off, Zoey, before I come and yank it off your head!” Pam was terrified, but unlike the rest of us, she made no effort to hide it.

I had forgotten I was still wearing the crown, so I jerked it off my head and put it back in its rightful place, then slammed the chest lid shut. “There!” I screamed. “You happy now?” I truly hoped that would appease the spirits. I didn’t believe in the supernatural world, but everything that was going on around us was blowing my naïve mind right out of the water. I truly hoped we hadn’t unleashed some kind of big-time curse.

Gazing around, I noticed that the orbs had disappeared—every single one of them. I let out a sigh of relief and quickly covered up the portrait by throwing the big white sheet over it, hoping to remove any trace of our meddling.

“There!” Pam yelled, her eyes darting around as if she talked to some invisible entity. “We put everything back. We’re sorry! Excuse us for being curious!”

Eric motioned us forward, his voice wavering. “C’mon! The door’s open. Let’s get out of here before this thing decides it’s not done with us yet.”

Not one of us wasted a moment in rushing down the ladder, almost tripping over one another. A loud
bang
shook the walls, and the floor vibrated. My heart pounded, and I took a few deep breaths. Pam was screaming, and the thought occurred to me that in the movies, the screaming girl always gets slapped till she comes to her senses. It was tempting, but in the end, I decided against smacking my classmate and newfound friend. After all, one of us had to remain calm, and it was no time to lose my composure.

The glass chandelier swung back and forth menacingly, as if it might come crashing down on my head any second. My heart raced, and I didn’t stick around to see anymore. I ran through the corridor, cutting left, then right, until I found myself back in familiar territory.

In a desperate attempt to put distance between myself and the castle, I ran right out the doors, down the long path, and through the courtyard, with the others in tow. I just needed some fresh air and a minute to think. My heart was pounding so hard that I couldn’t focus. I wanted to comfort Pam, but my own hands were shaking as I tried to make sense of what just happened.

Pam clutched her heart, and Eric touched her back, as if to console her.

Everything we’d seen defied all rhyme and reason, and none of us could explain it away. That was what bothered me most of all—that there was no logical explanation.

I bent over to catch my breath, then looked up at Hunter. “Do you believe in ghosts?”

Hunter gazed into my eyes. “I didn’t…until now.”

End of Installment #1.