The Presence

Chapter Ten: The Past and the Future

Mom's still staring at me...  "Is everyone all right?" I ask.  Hailey and Megan nod. 

"I was hoping this curse wouldn't happen to you," she shakes her head. "I guess that was just wishful thinking."

The girls walk over to us as Mom takes a deep breath, "Alright, we need to talk..."

We follow her into the living room. It appears by what she said she knows something. Hailey, Megan and I sit on the couch and Mom sits in the chair across from us. 

"Hailey, how much do you know?"

She looks pleadingly at me.  "She knows about what Megan and I can do and she knows about the twin spirits and John Blackwell." 

"Twin spirits?" She closes her eyes and shakes her head... After sitting still for a moment... she begins. "I found out about the Blackwell's history just before your Father died," she smiles. "You two were just babies back then."

"Your Father, Jacob sat my sister Sarah and I down one evening. He said that there was something we needed to know. He told us an unbelievable story.  He said that his Father and other members of his family could talk to spirits and could do things that we couldn't possibly believe.  At first we thought it was some kind of a joke and asked him to prove it. He acted reluctant and said that he hadn't practiced using his gifts in a while and it would be difficult.  At the time we kind of shrugged it off and didn't think anything else about it."

"A few days later my Sister and I were getting ready to go out and eat. We had our finest dresses on when your Father came home and started in again.  He was acting very nervous and said he wanted to show us something, something we needed to know and that it would prove everything he had told us.  We told him we already had plans but he said it had to be tonight. Sarah was more enthusiastic about going than I was. But after a few minutes of pleading, I relented. Jacob also insisted on leaving the two of you with a babysitter," she looks at the floor. "I thank God every day that we did..."

Mom takes a moment, then continues...

"It was late on a warm June night when your Father drove us to an old farm house in Kentucky," Megan and I exchange a glance. "As we pulled up it looked like no one had lived there in years.  He explained this was his family's property. I asked him why he had never told me about it. He said this was a part of his family's past he tried to forget, but know... "

"We got out, went inside and he immediately led us upstairs.  As we got to the top, we turned a corner and stopped.  We were looking down a long hallway and at first we couldn't see anything.  But as he took our hands, it all changed..."

"We saw a dark circular void at the end of the hall and it had a blue hue around the edge.  Jacob turned to us, "Now, let me show you."  I was hesitant but Sarah was very curious.  As they walked I was pulled along with them.  As we reached the edge of the void I was terrified. My sister was afraid, but still curious. Your Father asked us, "Are you ready to see the truth?"

Now Mom has tears streaming down her face. "I really don't remember what happened after that. I woke up lying on the hallway floor. Your Father was still standing where the void had been. I got up and walked over to him. He had tears streaming down his face and he was shaking. "Where is Sarah!' I shouted.

Mom wipes away more tears, "I haven't seen her since that night," she looks up at us. "I guess while I'm at it I might as well tell you the truth about your Father."