The Haunting of Pitmon House (14 page)

“We’re approaching the landing,” Granger said. “You’d better
take what you made so we can get started.”

Rachel removed a flask Granger had loaned her and swallowed
its contents. Rather than stopping after a couple of gulps, she continued
drinking until she’d emptied the entire container.

“Here goes!” she said, opening the door to Reid’s room.

They trailed in behind her, shining their flashlights onto
the bed and into the corners. It was unchanged; Eliza didn’t expect it to be
different, but she felt compelled to check everything nonetheless. She really
wanted to shine her flashlight across the landing to the rise of the second
story stairs, but she resisted, not wanting to draw attention. It bothered her
that if something was coming down them, she’d never see it in the darkness.

Rachel called out to Reid. One by one they dropped into the
River. Eliza became concerned when she saw that Rachel looked exactly the same,
and was afraid that if Reid appeared and saw her unchanged, their plan would be
a failure.

However, when Reid sat up from the bed, just as he’d done
earlier in the day, he had a look of shock on his face.

Father!
he said, his eyes wide.
I’m sorry, I was napping. Have you been here
long?

Not long,
Rachel said. Again Eliza was concerned; it sounded like Rachel’s voice,
and it still looked exactly like her. It was working on Reid, however, and
Eliza realized that whatever image and voice Rachel was reflecting back to
Reid, it was succeeding.

What brings you here?
Reid asked, a tinge of fear in his voice.
I hope everything
is alright.

No, it’s not alright,
Rachel said.
You’ve been very disrespectful to your
guests. I thought I raised you better than that!

My guests?
Reid asked, turning to look at the others.
But they’re
outsiders, Father! You remember, you told me. They’re not part of the family!

They are not,
Rachel said.
But you should have answered their
questions. It was impolite to not tell them what they came here to know.

Good,
Eliza thought.
Play on his sense of impropriety.

Reid seemed confused.
You told me to never speak of the
family to outsiders,
he said.
Is this some kind of test? Are you trying
me, to see if I will obey you?

Our family’s secrets are important, son,
Rachel said.
Sometimes secrets
must be shared, and shared with the correct people.

No,
Reid said, shaking his head.
You told me to never speak of the family to
anyone. I remember. You said you’d rather have a dead son than an indiscreet
one, and that you’d see to it yourself if I ever embarrassed the family. Well,
I haven’t. People try to get me to tell them things all the time, but I’ve
never said a word, and I never will. You can test me all you want. I won’t let
you down.

Eliza could tell Rachel was going to have to try another
tactic.

Good,
she said.
That’s good, son. Nothing is more important than
discretion. We must do everything we can to keep the family’s business private.

I’m not the one you should worry about,
Reid said nervously.
If anything
ever gets out, it did not come from me.

Are there others I should worry about?
Rachel asked.
Tell me; I won’t blame
you.

I’ve never divulged anything about the family,
Reid said.
But someone needs to
do something about Agnes. She gossips and can’t keep her mouth shut. She runs
around here like a busybody. If the right person plied her with a cordial,
she’d spill everything. She’s who you should worry about, Father, not me. Not
your son. I’ve done as you asked. I always will!

That’s fine, you’ve done well,
Rachel said.
Now, which room is
Agnes in? Maybe I’ll have a word with her.

Upstairs, first door on the right,
Reid replied.
She needs the same
kind of talking-to that you gave me. She needs to understand how vulgar it is
to discuss family secrets with strangers. I fear if you do not shut her up,
she’ll ruin all of Uncle’s plans! I know if you talk to her, she’ll understand
and learn how to control her tongue. It worked with me.

Yes, it has,
Rachel said, backing away from Reid, moving toward the door.

Wait!
Reid said.
Where are you going?

To talk to Agnes, as you’ve suggested,
Rachel replied.
You stay here, in
your room. I’ll speak to her.

But I wanted to ask you about things,
Reid said.

What things?
Rachel asked.

Well, I was hoping you could maybe move me elsewhere,
Reid said, turning to walk around in
his room.
This place, it’s so depressing. No one here is interesting, not in
the least. I have no friends here, no one to talk to. None of the others here
are my intellectual equal. I feel isolated and cut off from the world. I was
hoping you could help me; that you could move me somewhere more interesting,
more alive with people who share my interests. I feel like I’m dying here, as
though if I continue in this place, I’ll slowly wither away into a shell.

We’ll discuss it after I speak with Agnes,
Rachel said, now close to the door.
Granger, Robert, and Eliza all slipped out as Rachel continued to back up. Once
Rachel had cleared it, Granger reached for the door, and closed it as Reid
continued a protestation. They dropped from the River.

“It worked!” Eliza said.

“Think he’ll come out?” Rachel asked, staring at the door.

“Do you mean from the room?” Robert said. “I doubt it. What Daddy
says, he does.”

“How are you feeling?” Granger asked Rachel. “Doing OK?”

“Yeah,” she replied, “but I’m not going upstairs to that
room. Not at least without a lot of protection in me, and I can’t drink any
with this stuff still in my system.”

Eliza turned to look across the dark landing. She couldn’t
make out where the steps began. She dropped back into the River, wondering if
that would make things lighter. It didn’t.

“How about we take you outside and let you rest,” Granger
proposed. “We’re all dosed up; the three of us can see about Agnes while you
wait.”

“If you’re sure,” Rachel replied. Eliza could tell she seemed
relieved at the idea.

They escorted Rachel downstairs and out the front door. The
lawn in front of the house offered plenty of places to relax, all hidden from
the street by virtue of the tall brick fence. They selected a spot and Rachel
dropped to the grass, resting her head.

“Oh, that feels good,” she said. “I’ll be fine here.”

“You’re sure?” Eliza asked.

“Yeah, there’s nothing to worry about out here,” Rachel
replied. “Go. I’ll be fine.”

They left Rachel, returning to the house through the front
door. Once they ascended the steps and found themselves on the landing, Eliza
began to worry. They passed by Reid’s door and continued on, the walkway
leading them around the landing and on to the second floor staircase.

“The pressure is a little less over here,” Robert said.

“Yeah, it’s stronger on the other side of the house,” Granger
replied.

“I still don’t feel it,” Eliza said.

“Not at all?” Robert asked.

“Nothing,” she replied.

Now at the base of the stairs, Eliza looked up. It didn’t
curve like the first one; it ran straight up, disappearing into darkness. She
strained her ears for any sound that might indicate someone or something was
just beyond her vision, but no sound came.

“Here,” Granger said, passing the flask around. “It won’t
hurt to dose up again. Who knows what we might run into. Be prepared to make
our way out in a hurry if something bad happens.”

“Are you sure you want to go up there?” Eliza asked Granger.
“With your leg? We know it’s attacked you already. Maybe you should wait for us
here.”

“No way!” Granger replied. “I want to meet this Agnes. You
might need my help!”

They turned and Eliza took a first tentative step, feeling
the sole of her shoes sink into the carpeting as she pushed herself up. They
took each stair slowly, their flashlights bouncing ahead, trying to penetrate
the darkness at the top. Hints of a hallway beyond appeared; artwork on walls,
side tables, more doors.

“Do you think Nick knew of Agnes?” Eliza whispered, feeling
the need to keep her voice down.

“He never mentioned her in the journal,” Granger replied. “I
got the feeling he never got information out of Reid, like we’ve just done.”

They stopped at the first door on the right. It had the same
inlaid patterns as Reid’s door. Robert reached out and opened it, pushing it
open. They stepped inside; Eliza quickly closed it behind them, not wanting
anything to walk by and observe them through the open door.

“This would be so much easier in the daytime,” Robert said.
“Look at those tall windows. They’d light up the place.”

Their flashlights danced over the room. Only a bed and
dresser remained; if it had once contained feminine touches, they’d long ago
been removed.

“Agnes!” Granger called. “Agnes! We want to talk to you. Show
yourself!”

They waited, but the room was silent. Eliza found the muffled
silence to be nerve-wracking, afraid that at some moment something might pop
out at them. She noticed Robert holding a hand to his ear, pressing on the side
of his head.
The pressure,
she thought.
It’s bothering him. I wonder
why I can’t feel it?

“Agnes!” Granger called again. “We know you’re here. We
talked to Reid. We want to talk to you, to get your side of the story.”

He paused again, and again no reply came.

“It was well known that the other ghosts in this house
weren’t communicative,” Granger said to the others. “It might be difficult to
rouse her, if she’s even rousable at all. I’m dropping in.” Eliza saw Robert
jumping into the River, so she followed him.

The room didn’t change. Granger called again, trying to
entice the ghost to manifest. Everything remained still and quiet.

Ah!
Robert said, taking a step back.
Ah, OK!

What?
Eliza asked. She saw Robert drop from the flow, so she slowly exited the
River, trying to avoid the pain in the back of her skull. She was almost
successful.

“She’s not coming out without some kind of protection,”
Robert said. “She’s afraid of being poisoned.”

“She talked to you?” Granger asked.

“Not just talked,” Robert said. “I could feel her hands all
over my body.”

“Ah,” Granger replied. “One of those.”

“Those?” Eliza asked.

“I’ve seen more than one female ghost — and a couple of male
ones, for that matter — develop a crush on my son,” Granger replied. “They
think he’s handsome and only talk to him.”

“She likes you?” Eliza asked Robert.

It was too dark to tell if Robert blushed, but he did seem a
little embarrassed by it. “Yeah,” he replied. “She was pretty handsy.”

“What kind of protection does she want?” Granger asked.

“I’ll tell you on the way down,” Robert said. “There’s no
point in staying. She’s adamant, and my head is starting to hurt.”

“Yes, alright then,” Granger said. “Let’s go.”

They turned to leave the room. As Eliza walked out of the
door, she looked to the right, trying to pierce the darkness of the hall that
continued on, into the area of the house Nick had said was the most dangerous.
She half expected to see the head she’d witnessed the day before, or the
creature she’d seen walking up the stairs. A quick turn of her flashlight down
the hallway revealed only more artwork, more doors, and more darkness where her
beam petered out.

They descended the stairs quickly, passed the landing, and
made their way down the final staircase. Once outside, Robert and Granger
seemed to be relieved at the drop in pressure. Eliza saw Rachel lying prone on
the grass, and she ran to her, afraid for a moment that she wasn’t breathing
and that leaving her had been a mistake.

Rachel opened her eyes and looked up at her. “How’d it go?”

Eliza let a sigh of relief escape her. “Robert made contact. Apparently
Agnes likes him.”

“Oh, really?” Rachel said, raising an arm to Robert as he
approached. He pulled her up. “She likes you?”

“She felt him up,” Eliza replied.

“Did she?” Rachel asked.

“Stop,” Robert replied. “Just stop.”