at the sidewalk. She made several more attempts, but was frustrated each time. Silas could sort of “see” her as well. The easiest person to convince that you could see ghosts was someone else who saw them too.
“And it looks like you do believe enough.”
Making certain she was too far away to eavesdrop; I leaned in to Silas and whispered, “Well Elsbeth isn’t exactly much of a ghost, but she is the best I have available on short notice. So, it looks like it’ll keep out the lamb, but I wonder what’ll happen when a lion comes knocking?”
I wasn’t planning on reenacting Custer’s last stand if Colonel Strong Vincent brought the ghosts of Gettysburg down for a visit, but something always beat nothing, which was all I had before.
“I reckon you ought to keep that pig-sticker close to your bed if you’re worried ‘bout that, Mike.”
We’d discovered that Silas could see the ghostly sword that I took from Mr. Vincent. “So what exactly is Pastor Duncan saying to my mom?”
“Oh he’s just telling her about how I have plenty of experience counseling people with war injuries and how I’ll be working with you in the times to come, giving you spiritual guidance. The nice part is every bit of it’s true.”
“So, he’s not in there telling her that I really can see ghosts?”
“She’s your mother, Mike. If she’s going to believe anyone, it’ll be you and only when she’s ready to accept. It’s like the Gospel. You can sit in church and listen. You can read the words from the book, but it won’t truly mean something unless you’re willing to believe it and do something about it. Now you might want to do something about your ghost friend there. She’s looking a bit angry.”
I shrugged my shoulders and walked over to Elsbeth. I’d hoped the preachers were going to enlighten my mom, but instead it looked like that was my battle to fight. Reaching out, I touched Elsbeth.
“It’s about time you came over here! What if my grandmother needs something? How am I supposed to get through this?”
“Good question. I’m not really sure how it works. Maybe it’s like Vampires and I have to invite you in?”
She looked indignant . “That’s stupid. Vampires don’t exist!”
“I find that rather ironic coming from a ghost,” I said. At least there was some humor to be found in my life. “Let’s not be so close-minded, shall we? Elsbeth Melissa Snowden, I invite you onto the grounds.”
She tried the barrier and it didn’t work. I stepped back inside the barrier and tried it again – with the same result. Impulsively, I just reached out, grabbed her wrist and pulled her across. The contact was more painful than usual, but it worked.
“That hurt!” the dead woman cried out, “it was like being shocked.”
“Well that’s what I get to feel during all our conversations, so quit your complaining. See if you can walk out and walk back in.”
Though I let go of her hand, I could tell she was muttering some rather unladylike words as she crossed back and forth across the barrier. It was still painful to her and if it hadn’t been for the slight shimmer as she stepped onto the property, I would have been worried that we destroyed the barrier. I added that to my list of “things I now know about ghosts.” If you make protections, you have to escort any “Caspers” across the barrier. “Caspers?” you ask? Why, friendly ghosts, of course.
“Looks like we have ourselves a winner,” I declared. “Thanks for your help Elsbeth; I’ll be by to do your grandma’s grocery shopping tomorrow.”
The ghost nodded and faded away. She wasn’t anchored to her grave, but rather to her wedding band which was now hanging from a delicate chain around her grandmother’s neck. At least it made her return trip much quicker.
“Thank you for coming out Brother Silas.”
“Oh, don’t thank me yet, you see, Reggie and I have a favor to ask of you.”
As usual, alarm bells rang in my head.
“And it looks like you do believe enough.”
Making certain she was too far away to eavesdrop; I leaned in to Silas and whispered, “Well Elsbeth isn’t exactly much of a ghost, but she is the best I have available on short notice. So, it looks like it’ll keep out the lamb, but I wonder what’ll happen when a lion comes knocking?”
I wasn’t planning on reenacting Custer’s last stand if Colonel Strong Vincent brought the ghosts of Gettysburg down for a visit, but something always beat nothing, which was all I had before.
“I reckon you ought to keep that pig-sticker close to your bed if you’re worried ‘bout that, Mike.”
We’d discovered that Silas could see the ghostly sword that I took from Mr. Vincent. “So what exactly is Pastor Duncan saying to my mom?”
“Oh he’s just telling her about how I have plenty of experience counseling people with war injuries and how I’ll be working with you in the times to come, giving you spiritual guidance. The nice part is every bit of it’s true.”
“So, he’s not in there telling her that I really can see ghosts?”
“She’s your mother, Mike. If she’s going to believe anyone, it’ll be you and only when she’s ready to accept. It’s like the Gospel. You can sit in church and listen. You can read the words from the book, but it won’t truly mean something unless you’re willing to believe it and do something about it. Now you might want to do something about your ghost friend there. She’s looking a bit angry.”
I shrugged my shoulders and walked over to Elsbeth. I’d hoped the preachers were going to enlighten my mom, but instead it looked like that was my battle to fight. Reaching out, I touched Elsbeth.
“It’s about time you came over here! What if my grandmother needs something? How am I supposed to get through this?”
“Good question. I’m not really sure how it works. Maybe it’s like Vampires and I have to invite you in?”
She looked indignant . “That’s stupid. Vampires don’t exist!”
“I find that rather ironic coming from a ghost,” I said. At least there was some humor to be found in my life. “Let’s not be so close-minded, shall we? Elsbeth Melissa Snowden, I invite you onto the grounds.”
She tried the barrier and it didn’t work. I stepped back inside the barrier and tried it again – with the same result. Impulsively, I just reached out, grabbed her wrist and pulled her across. The contact was more painful than usual, but it worked.
“That hurt!” the dead woman cried out, “it was like being shocked.”
“Well that’s what I get to feel during all our conversations, so quit your complaining. See if you can walk out and walk back in.”
Though I let go of her hand, I could tell she was muttering some rather unladylike words as she crossed back and forth across the barrier. It was still painful to her and if it hadn’t been for the slight shimmer as she stepped onto the property, I would have been worried that we destroyed the barrier. I added that to my list of “things I now know about ghosts.” If you make protections, you have to escort any “Caspers” across the barrier. “Caspers?” you ask? Why, friendly ghosts, of course.
“Looks like we have ourselves a winner,” I declared. “Thanks for your help Elsbeth; I’ll be by to do your grandma’s grocery shopping tomorrow.”
The ghost nodded and faded away. She wasn’t anchored to her grave, but rather to her wedding band which was now hanging from a delicate chain around her grandmother’s neck. At least it made her return trip much quicker.
“Thank you for coming out Brother Silas.”
“Oh, don’t thank me yet, you see, Reggie and I have a favor to ask of you.”
As usual, alarm bells rang in my head.
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