The Presence

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Doppelgänger, A Crystal, and More Trouble

The three of us stare at the table not believing what's just happened.  It appears "The Others" have made contact...

"Max!  Let me in!"  It's Hailey, and I hear her pounding on the front door.  With my thoughts I unlock, open it and Hailey and Rachel run inside to us.  They stop and look around the room at the damage that was done.

"What happened in here?" Rachel asks.

Turning to her I point at the table, "We've had visitors."  Both of them gasp as they read the words...

An hour later we have the room cleaned up from the broken glass and I notice the only pictures that fell were of us.  The old antique pictures we left up are strangely in place, untouched.

Sitting down between Hailey and Megan I turn to look at my Sister.  Megan's still a little shaken up over being thrown around by... something, but she's doing better. 

Rachel's in the floor on her knees with her eyes closed and her hands over the table. Hailey's watching her Mom intently.  Except for what happened at the barn, I guess this is the first time she's seen her trying to use her gifts. Squeezing her hand she glances at me, then turns back to watch.

"It's alright.  She's trying to help us."

"I know... It's just, I've never seen her do anything... This is a part of my Mother's life that I never knew existed."

Placing my arm around her she glances up at me...  The last couple of months has been so hard on her.  I know it has to be a relief to know that we were wrong about her Mom.  But at the same time, for better or worse, her life has been changed forever.

Rachel takes a deep breath, and slowly opens her eyes.  "I saw what happened to you.  But I can't narrow down who or what this was," she gets up and sits down across from us. "But I haven't given up.  I'll keep trying."

I nod, "Thanks Rachel.  I know you will."

Mom walks in with a tray of glasses and a bottle of wine.  She starts to set it down on the table, and hesitates.

"Go ahead.  Whatever it was is gone," Rachel says.  She sits it down and to my surprise pours us all a drink.

"I think we could all use something to calm our nerves," she looks at the three of us. "Just don't get used to it." 

John Blackwell's house...

John is sitting in the basement again, eyes closed.  He feels the air get cold, and looks around.  Candles flicker as a voice fills the room, "It is done..."  He feels the presence slowly fade away.  Taking a deep breath, he smiles to himself...

The basement door opens and Jessica, Aiden and Laura slowly make their way down the steps as John is standing up.  They look around and see all the candles. 

"Next time knock, if you don't mind."  They stop on the bottom three steps as he says this.  The girls and especially Aiden aren't ready for a repeat performance of what happened earlier...

"What are you doing?" Laura asks cautiously.

John smiles, "I've taken the first step."  All three look curiously at him. "I've sent them a message, to put them on edge."

Jessica takes one step further down, "And what was that?"

"That ' The Others,' have arrived..."