Invoke

Chapter 7

The men finished at about four o'clock, and with it came the rain of silence. Scarlett shut the front door, and leaning on its large frame, her mind traveled to the commitment she agreed to today. Before leaving, Mr. Connor had reminded her about dinner, and she was now regretting the decision. Although the gesture was thoughtful, she simply wanted a little time to digest the activities in the house.

"Well, I'll just make it short and sweet," she said aloud.

Good ole' country people in this town, Scarlett thought. Her gran would have approved. Better yet, her gran would have done the same thing.

She pushed off from the door and made her way up the stairs. The banister was free from paint now, sanded down to a fine perfection. Her hand grazed it lightly, testing its smoothness. The boots that she wore struck the wood just as before, reminding her to invest in some flats with rubber soles. For a moment she almost wished that the men were back bustling throughout.

"Hmmm," she murmured to herself.

She reached the landing and stood looking about the hall. Her eyes were still for a moment taking in the emptiness. It was so bare, but decorating was last on her mind. Eventually, she would put some old barn wood frames up that had nice photos of family and friends. For now, the hall would have to be naked. She turned toward the south end of the hall, heading toward the spare suites. There were five rooms total, each massive in size.

There was much that needed to be done. It would feel liberating to get some of it checked off. First, removing the lead paint so she didn't end up with some type of ailment, was a top priority. Secondly, the crown molding needed some attention. She envisioned it preserved to its true architecture authenticity. Character was key.

The door to the room was ajar, so she walked in and took note of all that had been done. The floors were covered in cloth, and the ceilings and trim around the windows had been stripped. She was told that the lead paint was underneath all the other layers. A specialist was taking care of remediating that. She circled the room,visualizing its future. Starting today, she was one step closer to her goal.

Mr. Connor ran a tight ship, and it showed for certain with the progress that had been made today. She smiled, closing the door with a soft click behind her. Scarlett needed to get showered and ready for this evening. She planned on picking up a bottle of wine on the way. Mr. Connor had handed her the directions earlier so she could at least find the place. Lord knows she definitely could get lost getting lost, even with her phone.

Scarlett quickly showered. She was unsure of what to wear. She stood staring at her wardrobe for minutes before coming to a final decision. She selected a simple black dress that she purchased while shopping with Grace. Thank God for it too, as this was perfect for an evening, not too dressy, but just right. Grace would be so proud, she thought. After applying a bit of bronzer, lipgloss, some mascara, and a spirtz of perfume, she was set.

She peeked at the clock on the nightstand and it was near six thirty already. "Crap," she murmured.

She was without a doubt, the latest person in the universe. She put on her shoes, a small kitten heel, ones that Grace said reminded her of old woman shoes. Scarlett thought they were lovely, and she sure as hell wasn't going for the four inch back killers that Grace wanted her to buy. No thank you!

She went into the kitchen and turned on a light, that way she wouldn't fall on her face coming in the place tonight. She also checked the back door to make certain it was locked. Grabbing the keys off the hook, she left. The sound of her truck ricocheted off the trees as she drove down the long drive.

She smiled as she made her way, feeling happy that she had made a friend — something that she was grateful for. She turned on a station and sang along as she made her way .The lights from her truck slowly faded from the view of the house and the spirit that watched her from the window.

*

The curtain fell. The spirit's eyes narrowed in anger as the lights disappeared. Rage... Thick and pure, crawled through her. Her hands clenched at her sides. She wanted to tear at her. Take her light. Take everything she is and bury it like the dead. Vengeance would come so sweet this time. It would be hers, and nothing would stop it. A century she had waited, and wait no more shall she.

"You will not harm her," a voice said within the still of the room.

The spirit turned calmly, calculating... A groan left her mouth, and the evil that lurked within spewed forth. She walked with steps that were barren of sound and faced the other spirit that stood within the room.

That spirit was composed, without a single trace of fear. Her almond shaped eyes were gentle and kind, unlike the eyes that looked back at her. Hers were wicked; holding an evil that only the devil could love.

"I said you will bring no harm to Miss Scarlett," she nodded.

The evil spirit's eyes narrowed. Laughter, sick and twisted, broke out.

She began to circle the kinder spirit, then abruptly stopping behind her, inches away from the nape of her neck.

"Her name is Veronica, Louisa," she hissed. "Don't play me for a fool!"

She turned again, shifting her form around the ballroom. "Oh, indeed harm will come her way, and your charms will not thwart that. It is her, and her I shall have!"

Her anger had her spent. She needed new energy. She must rest for what was to come. She departed through the wall, leaving Louisa alone with her thoughts in the ballroom.

Louisa turned.... No, she wasn't alone. He was here.

He broke the silence then. "It is her," he said solemnly, no emotion attached.

He strolled over to the window and glanced at the lawn that was once his own. "Small differences, but the soul is the same."

Louisa joined him, drifting to his side. "We must protect her. She will not remember, even with the gift."

He turned. "In dreams, she will. This house has memories that will fill her mind."

He took her hand gently. "Come, let us rest. My Veronica will be home soon."

Authors Note:

Thank you so much for reading this chapter of Invoke. If you enjoyed it, it would be wonderful if you could vote. Feel free to leave comments as well. I answer every one. And last of all, if you follow me, you will find out right away when there are updates or new stories.

XOXO,

M