A Haunted Twist of Fate by Stacey Coverstone

told him of her experience. “As
soon as I got home, I went straight into the bathroom. When I walked in here,
Callie was standing in front of the fireplace.”
    “Who’s Callie?”
    “The ghost. She told me her name tonight. Do you
recollect hearing the name before, in any of the stories you heard growing up?”
    “No. I guess she didn’t tell you her last name. Did
she?”
    “No, but her first name isn’t that common. Maybe
she’s listed in the census I found in one of the books at the historical
society.”
    “On the phone you said he tried to push you
out the window. Do you know who he is yet? Did the girl tell you his name, by
any chance?”
    “Yes.” Adrenaline rushed through Shay’s body causing
the words to shoot out of her mouth like bullets from a gun. “I heard his
footsteps pounding up the stairs and then he entered the room. That horrible
smell filled the room, and I knew it was Everett.”
    “Everett?”
    “He’s the one who strangled Callie.”
    “Wait a minute.”  Cole held his hands up as if he
was surrendering. “How do you know she was strangled? Did she tell you that,
too?”
    “No. But she kept touching her neck, and it has
black and blue marks on it. I’m guessing that’s how she died. I think she was
murdered.”
    “Where did you come up with the name of Everett?”
    “Callie spoke the name as he was entering the room. The
expression on her face was one of complete terror.”
    “Did this Everett guy show himself to you?”
    Shay shook her head. “No. He never manifested. But
he felt like the Hulk when he lifted me into the air over there.” She walked to
the window, and her legs began to shake at the recollection. “See this window? 
It was closed, but Everett opened it and then he pushed me. I held onto the
curtain as he was lifting me into the air.”
    Colt examined the curtain and saw where her
fingernails had ripped the fabric.
    “There wasn’t anything I could do,” she continued. “He
was going to throw me out the window, but Callie saved my life. She started a
fire in the fireplace, and he immediately let go and disappeared.”
    Colt strode to the fireplace and knelt. “There
aren’t any logs in this fireplace. No ash. No sign of a fire.”
    Shay moved to his side. “Callie made the fire start.
I swear.”
    “There hasn’t been a fire in this grate for years,”
Colt said. “Are you sure you weren’t asleep and this was all a bad dream?”
    She ground her teeth and realized he was questioning
her sanity again. “I saw it flaming. I heard it crackling. I felt its heat.” She
knew the octave of her voice was rising, but she hadn’t been hallucinating. She
didn’t want him to think she was a raving lunatic. “How do you explain the
tears in the curtains?” I’m telling you, something hoisted me into the air and
was about to throw me out the window. I didn’t dream that.”
    Colt stood up and put his arms around her again.
    Pushing away, Shay held in tears and eagerly
searched his face. “Do you believe me?”
    He sighed and plowed a hand through his hair. “I’ve
never held to the rumors about ghosts, but I want to believe you.”
    Her mouth stretched into a thin line. “Either you
believe me or you don’t, Colt. If you don’t, then please leave. I’ll deal with
this myself, like I’ve dealt with all the other problems and heartbreaks in my
life.”
    When his face softened and he reached out to gently
push a strand of hair behind her ear, she struggled to hold back the flow of tears
that threatened to wash down her face.
    “I’m sorry. I want to believe you.  None of this
makes sense, but I don’t know how to explain it logically. I’m thinking that dream
I had must have been about you or this girl.”
    “Callie.”
    “Callie.” Colt shook his head as if he was trying to
put all the pieces together. “The hands around my throat yesterday felt real. We
both saw the writing on the glass. You tell me you were almost tossed out the
window