The Presence

Chapter Six: Face to Face

Megan and I are standing on the front porch looking out across our yard.  There are spirits everywhere,  just staring at us.  They're semi transparent and can see them from the knees up.  Some are adults and some are children, both male and female.  They look to be from around the late eighteen hundreds to fairly recent times.  Glancing down I notice Anna and Joseph are standing at the bottom of the steps looking up at us.

Looking up I notice all of the spirits seem to be whispering at the same time, but there's so many voices.  I can't make out any of the words.  It sounds very eerie, like nothing I've ever heard.

Turning to Megan I see she's pale and trembling.  "Can you understand anything they're saying?"  She doesn't answer and continues to gaze across the crowd of spirits, staring at each one for only a few seconds.

"Anna, who are they?"  I ask.

"They... are many, the ones that were taken."

"I don't understand.  Where did they come from?"

"Follow the dark stream and you will know."

As she says this, a burst of wind hits us and I hear a long piercing shriek of a males voice. It's the same one from the barn and it says one word, "NO!" Each of the spirits in our yard cry out in agony as they fall backwards and vanish into the ground.

Megan's still frozen with fear and as I look down at Anna and Joseph they look terrified as well.

Anna cries out, "He's coming, he's coming!"  I look up and see a large dark shadow forming in our yard. It's the silhouette of a man wearing a large brimmed hat. I can't really see anything else except his face, and it looks so familiar.

The figure suddenly flies toward us, its hands reaching out.   In fear I raise my hands in an effort to block it and as this thing reaches us it stops like hitting a wall.  Somehow, it seems I've kept it at bay. 

It screams out in anger lashing out at the wall I've accidentally put up trying to get to Megan and I. My fear quickly turns to anger. I won't let it hurt my sister. With my thoughts I throw this thing back out into the yard.  It seems my anger has made me stronger.

This evil spirit stops about twenty feet away, it's eyes glowing red, just staring at me.  Slowly it lifts both arms toward the twin spirits and I see them start to turn and move toward it.

"Anna, Joseph, don't!" I shout, but they continue. Stopping on either side of this thing they turn to face me.  It puts one arm over each of their shoulders holding them, and smiles evilly.  As they slowly vanish Anna looks up at me and I see a tear fall down her face.

Turning back to Megan I see she's still terrified and hasn't moved.  "Sis please, snap out of it," I say shaking her.

"What's, going on?"

"Come on, let's go you back inside."  We stumble into the living room and sit down.  "Are you alright?"

"I'm not sure," she pauses a moment.  "I remember us following Anna and Joseph outside."  She closes her eyes and seems to be trying really hard to remember.  "Something, is fighting me."  She shakes her head. "Leave Me Alone!" She shouts as a burst of energy leaves her body making everything in the room shake.   After a moment she relaxes and opens her eyes.  "What ever it was, I've pushed it away and I can remember now."