Spirit Eyes (13 page)

Quietly, they entered what just happened to be Pearl’s room.

“This room is very cold,” Al said.

“I know that means a ghost is present,” Ruth said. “I mean, at least that’s what I’ve seen on those shows.” She re-lit the candles.

“Yes, you’re right,” he said without hesitation.

“Look at this.” He showed Ruth his compass. “There’s activity in this room.”

Al spoke. “Hello, we’d like to communicate with you.”

Nothing. No noise except for the low growl of Puddles.

“Is there any way you can let us know you’re here?”

It was silent. Ruth could hear only the uneven breaths of herself and Al.

Al spoke. “You must understand what I’m saying to you. You have to leave this good family alone. They don’t want you here. They want you to leave. You have no right to take up residence in their home. You are making the mother ill. She can barely function anymore.”

One of the candles wavered, although there was no wind, and then went out.

“You are unwelcome,” he said. “We are here to make sure you leave. If you don’t like that, then I’m sorry.”

They waited for five minutes, Ruth seated on Pearl’s bed, staring at the one flame still lit. Nothing occurred, so they vacillated between staying in the room and leaving to slip back downstairs.

“It’s frustrating, isn’t it?” Ruth attempted to make conversation once they were out in the hallway again.

“That’s a very good word for it, yes,” Al answered.

Just as Ruth and Al moved to the staircase, they heard an exhale come from Pearl’s room.

Determinedly, Al zipped back and peered in. He put his arm out and stopped Ruth as she tried to enter.

“Perhaps it’s best if you stay here. They know I’m an investigator and don’t live here, they may not want to let you see their real selves.”

Dejected only momentarily, Ruth conceded to his demand and waited. After what felt like forever, he came out of the room with a piece of paper in his hand, shaking his head.

“I found this lying on the bed.”

“What do you mean?” Flabbergasted, she swallowed, hard, her throat raw.

“Let’s go down and read it in the family room. We’ll be more comfortable there, and I can explain what I think this means.”

After they sat, he read the letter.

Fritz Wagner

Allee mit 22 Mitten

Blume Österreich

My dearest Fritz,

I must let you to know, my sweet darling, that living in America is as a dream and much more exciting than I was to realize it would be. It was very easy for a Visa and I hope that you will soon come and join me. It will be good and not to be noticed that we are married since we changed our names. I think back to the war years and all that was lost. How horrible to think of our lives in Germany. Please come, Fritz. I know you wish to be with me. Consider what I say to you. It will to be all worked out. I have enjoyed English classes. It will be good to teach you. Bring everything over in something large. They will not to check anything if it is hidden well. All of my love,

Frieda

Ps.

Take note that I write in English. I am learning much. Are you proud of your little wife?

Ruth took the letter from him.

“So you think that Frieda might be the lady Pearl sees? The Radio Lady?”

“Yes, I believe it is. It seems these people did wrong in Germany and are trying to make a new life in America by using fake names. I’m a sensitive on top of everything else, and I think it’s going to be necessary to stay here until this all gets worked out. There is someone, or actually a few ghosts who want to destroy your daughter. I don’t know why. But it’s best to keep her away.”

“But how—how did that letter just show up?”

“Spirits are very good at manipulating the environment around them. It’s not unusual at all for them to move things around. They have been known to manifest materials out of thin air. This is an old home. There may even be letters here in this home she wants, or letters elsewhere. Or, she simply meant only for this to be found.”

“Al, I told you about the woman I saw. She told me to find documents. Should we search?” She had to admit she didn’t like the idea of going into every nook and cranny of her house, but dammit, she was desperate. “This woman was dressed as a Nazi.”

“We have to do whatever we must to get this taken care of,” Al said.

Ruth eventually fell asleep sitting up on the couch. Puddles curled next to her.

After staying up all night, Al decided to head home for the day and reconvene in the evening.

Paul had decided it would be all right for Pearl and Lotus to go home and gather a few things, as long as they were gone once Al got back.

“I don’t want to play that one,” Pearl, snapped. “It’s stupid.”

“Then you can play alone,” Lotus said. She put the controller down to their game unit and turned to leave.

“What are you two fighting about?” Ruth, also fed up and tired, was in no mood for their shenanigans. “I never should have said you could play a game.”

“She always wants to play all the really stupid ones. I don’t get it,” Pearl said.

“They’re not stupid, stupid,” Lotus retorted.

“Okay, enough.” Ruth headed into the living room with a basketful of laundry to fold. She set it down and breathed as if she’d just ran a marathon. “Come on, you two munchkins,” she said wheezing and coughing, “give me a hand.”

They gathered around their mother, reaching into the clothes.

“So, Mom,” Lotus said. “Did you find out anything yesterday?”

“Mmm, yeah, I guess you could say that.”

“What?” Pearl asked. Her eyes, as sweet as Hershey drops, looked to her mother for reinforcement.

“A letter.”

“A letter? Where did they find a letter?” Pearl asked.

“Actually, Al found it on your bed.”

“What did it say?”

“It was a letter that someone wrote when they moved to America. She was lonely and hoped to have someone come live here with her.”

“Did they?”

“I don’t know. That’s what we’re trying to find out.”

“But, Mom,” Lotus said again. “How did the letter end up on Pearl’s bed?”

“Good question, squirt. It seems that spirits, or at least the ones that Pearl can see, can move things. Al seems to think that there are more of these letters in this house and they want us to find them. He thinks once we do, the ghosts will leave Pearl alone.” She bent and kissed Pearl’s nose.

“I don’t get why the letters will stop the ghosts, if they’re just a bunch of letters.”

“I think I do,” Pearl said.

“Why?” Lotus folded a towel.

“‘Cuz the ghosts keep asking for them.”

Ruth’s eyes popped open wide at this new information. “They’ve asked you?”

“Yeah, but they told me not to tell you.”

“What have I told you about that,” Ruth said, exasperated.

“I won’t keep secrets anymore, I promise,” Pearl said.

“Did they tell you what the letters were for, or what they said?”

Pearl shook her head.

Bewildered by this new information, Ruth was now convinced they needed to find whatever was hidden in their home.

Changing the subject, Ruth brightened. “What do you guys say we go for a little drive? Let’s go to the Schuster’s farm. I’m in the mood for some fudge.” She also needed to question the Schusters if there was any relation between them and the family that had disappeared in 1951.

“Sorry, Mom,” Lotus said. “Goats Milk Fudge sounds disgusting. Besides, do you really think you’re in any condition to drive?”

“I drive just fine. My eyes are feeling a bit better today.”

“No offense, but I’ll stay here. Nothing scary happens to me here, and I want to catch up with my friends.”

“Fine. Pearl, you with me?”

“Sure, Mama. I want Goat Fudge.”

On the ride there, they discussed everything that was happening to their family.

“Mom, why do you think all of this stuff about Germany is happening to me? I’m not German, I’m Chinese.”

“I wish I knew, baby. I really do. This area we live in has a high population of Americans with German heritage. A lot of immigrants from Europe moved to this area after the war. Sometimes they like to stick together. You know, help each other out.”

“Is that why we have a place in the city that’s called Little Germany and a lot of bars called Beer Gardens. Daddy said Germans like their beer.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Too bad a bunch of Chinese people didn’t come here. We could be Little China.”

“I know, honey. We’ll take you to San Francisco someday. They have a place called Chinatown.”

The crunch of gravel under their tires as they pulled into the Schusters must have alerted them. They both came out, he wearing his brown old-man pants with suspenders and she with a loose dress and apron.

“I tell you, Pearl. Every time I pull into this driveway, I feel like I’m coming home. Those two treat people like everyone should.” Ruth turned the car off, and they got out.

“Hello,” the two elderly people called.

“We had a taste for some goat milk fudge.”

Mrs. Schuster grew silent and put her hand to her mouth. “I-I can’t believe how you look,” she said, tears forming in her eyes. “You are sick, so sick.”

“I’m run down, is all. I’ll feel better, soon. Don’t worry.”

Mrs. Schuster looked down “Is this your little one?” Her thick Polish accent was hard to understand.

“Yes, this is my Pearl.”

“She is gorgeous. Come…come, I have fresh crullers just fried up and sitting on the table. Hurry in before they get cold. We need to fatten you up.”

Mr. Schuster bent at the waist and stared at Pearl. “Would the little one like to see our goat? Her name is Mildred and she loves little girls. She thinks they taste good.” He let out a laugh.

“Can I, Mommy?”

“It will be okay,” he said. “You can look right out the kitchen window to the fenced in area where we keep her.”

“Yes, you can.”

“Come, little one.”

They walked off together, Pearl exhibiting a bit of a skip in her step, something that had been missing for so long.

“So, how are things going with our Pearl?” Mrs. Schuster asked.

“About the same. She’s been seeing the same people, but now more of them are popping up.” Ruth shook her head. “I don’t understand it. It’s as if there’s a war going on, some type of spiritual warfare and my baby is caught in the middle.”

“She will be fine. We are all put here on this earth to play a roll, to perform a duty. Hers, then, might be to keep our lines of communication open with the other side.”

Ruth smiled sadly and glanced out the window at Mr. Schuster and Pearl feeding the goat. “I know. I just wish it would end. She’s so young.”

“I worry more about you. The dark circles under your eyes and your sunken-in cheeks.” She shuddered. “You remind me much of someone that was to me very dear.”

“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t want to upset you in any way.”

“I know. Here.” Mrs. Schuster moved the plate of crullers toward Ruth. “Food helps.” She started to laugh heartily. “Food always helps. You eat more of these.”

Ruth smiled and reached for a cruller. “I had a strange dream,” she blurted out.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mrs. Schuster said.

“It was so bizarre. I think it might be from this entire thing happening to Pearl, but I had a nightmare that I was in line at a concentration camp. I was only about fifteen or so. A couple ahead of me was being horribly mistreated, and I watched the abuse, but couldn’t say anything. The thing is, when they wanted me to join them, to go to the left, I couldn’t. I felt so torn. Like I was betraying them, but a man told me that left meant death, so I screamed that I didn’t know them. I can still see the hurt in the woman’s eyes. Another girl, about twenty, went with them.” Ruth shook her head. “It’s all so terrifying.”

“It wasn’t your fault. Don’t beat yourself up for that.”

Her comment confused Ruth. “For what?”

“For not helping them. You, yourself, were only a frightened girl.”

With a sinking feeling, Ruth said, “It was only a dream.”

Mrs. Schuster smiled and patted her hand. “Yes, yes it was.” Something in her continence unsettled Ruth.

The older woman continued. “Life can be very terrifying, my dear. But it can also be very beautiful. Stay positive. Everything will work out for the best.”

“I wanted to ask you something,” Ruth said changing the subject. “Were you living in this area when a family disappeared? The family was named Schuster, too.”

“Yes, I do remember that. It was very sad.”

“Are you any relation?”

“Oh, no. Schuster is quite a common last name. Especially here, where there are a lot of people of German or Polish ancestry.”

Mr. Schuster and Pearl came in, both of them laughing.

“Mommy, that goat is so mean. She wanted to bite me.”

“No, little one. The goat wanted to eat you,” Mr. Schuster said. He got on his knees and gave Pearl a hug, while they all laughed. The old couple seemed to enjoy pampering Pearl—feeding her, giving her lemonade, little wooden carvings.

When it came time to leave, Mrs. Schuster wrapped her arms around Ruth. The embrace lasted a long time, but Ruth didn’t mind. Being in the rotund women’s hold grounded her. It brought her to a mellow state nothing else could touch.

Mrs. Schuster let her go and bent down and looked into Pearl’s face. “You are a brave little girl. If these things are happening to you, it is for a very important reason. Trust God, trust yourself and trust your inner spirit.”

After she hugged Pearl, she handed her a small gold key. It was tied to a ribbon.
Here, my darling, wear this. You will know when it is needed.

* * * *

As they drove away Pearl wasn’t sure if she should tell her mother that Mrs. Schuster didn’t use her mouth to tell her about the key. She used her mind.

* * * *

Ruth hadn’t heard one word from Paul, but that didn’t surprise her. He dropped the girls off and picked them up like they’d been a divorced couple for years, instead of just a married one having a disagreement. He waited in the car for them to come out, instead of coming in.