Джерри Хилл - The Zeiko Place

“Sound?”

Ronnie switched monitors, then they all heard the children’s laughter.

“Should she really be in that room?” Andi asked nervously. “I mean, really, is it safe?”

“Look behind her,” Jamie said, pointing. “It looks like the mother.”

“She was just in the first floor den,” Beth said.

“I doubt they have to use the stairs to move around.”

“Get out!”

They all watched as Dr. Gilbreath turned, facing the ghostly aberration.

“Get out of my house!”

Andi stood, moving closer to Jamie, her eyes wide. If she wasn’t witnessing this herself, she never would have believed it.

It was Beth who ran for the door and down the hallway, screaming.

“Dr. Gilbreath! Dr. Gilbreath!”

The others turned back to the monitors, watching. Dr. Gilbreath seemed to be in a trance. Her eyes fluttered as she raised her face to the ceiling. Then Beth appeared in the frame. She grabbed Dr. Gilbreath, pulling her, but another force — an unseen force — pulled against her.

“What the hell?”

“What should we do?”

“Dr. Gilbreath! Come on!”

Andi gasped as she watched Beth slap Dr. Gilbreath hard across the face. The older woman shook her head, her eyes blinking several times.

“Come on!”

“Beth?”

“Come on!”

“She’s like, under a spell or something,” Ronnie said.

“No shit.”

Jamie went out into the hallway, waiting. Before long, Beth and a bewildered looking Dr. Gilbreath climbed the stairs.

“She okay?”

“I’m not sure.”

Jamie looked into the hallway, making sure they weren’t being followed by. . something, then closed the door. She found Dr. Gilbreath sitting on the edge of the bed, Beth fanning her with a magazine. For the first time since Jamie had been working with them, Dr. Gilbreath looked scared.

“What happened?”

Dr. Gilbreath shook her head. “I don’t know. I went out to the landing, I wanted to see first-hand what you and Andrea had called up. The next thing I know, Beth is pulling me from the den.”

“Play the video back, Ronnie,” Jamie said.

Dr. Gilbreath moved closer, her eyes widening as she saw herself being pulled by an unseen force.

“The energy in this house is very strong,” she said quietly.

Andi rolled her eyes to the ceiling. You think?

“I feel dirty and grimy and sweaty, and I’m scared to take a shower,” she said hours later as they made their way to their bedroom.

“It’ll be a long wait anyway. The other three already called dibs on it.” Jamie paused. “Of course, we could always use the second floor bathrooms.”

“Are you insane?”

“It’s morning.”

“So?”

“Daylight. Open the blinds. Lights on. What could happen?”

Andi stared at her. “Are you serious?”

Jamie shrugged. “I thought you wanted a shower.”

“Well, I do.” She hesitated. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

“We’ve been here three days. We haven’t seen anything except around midnight.”

Andi nodded. “Okay. You’re right.” She opened her bag and grabbed her overnight shirt and a pair of clean underwear, then snatched her travel bag from beside the bed, pausing long enough to toss her towel over her shoulder. “Where are the bathrooms?”

“There’s one off the hallway and one in the master bedroom.”

Andi’s eyes widened, remembering what had happened in the bedroom the night before. “I get the hallway.”

They walked down the stairs to the second floor, Andi immediately flipping on the lights in the hallway when they reached the landing.

“It’s kinda dark,” she murmured.

“Main blinds are closed,” Jamie said. She walked on, motioning for Andi to follow. At a closed door, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. It was a modern bathroom, complete with tub and shower, and Jamie walked in and pulled the blinds, letting in the morning sun. “See? It’ll be fine.”

Andi nodded. “Thanks.”

“I’ll just be in the next room. I’ll meet you out in the hallway.”

“Okay.”

Andi closed the door, then looked around, thankful there was not a closet or anything — where something could hide. She pulled back the shower curtain, finding the tub clean. . and empty.

“Were you expecting Mrs. Zeiko?” she murmured.

She stripped quickly, then turned on the faucets, waiting only a few minutes before hot water streamed out. She stepped into the spray, letting out a contented sigh as the water washed over her. But she reminded herself not to dawdle. So she ducked her head under the water, then quickly shampooed, forgoing the leisurely shower she normally enjoyed.

But with her eyes closed, head tilted back as the warm spray hit her, she swore she heard. . scratching on the window. Her eyes popped open, and she shook her hair, water spraying the sides of the shower. She cocked her head, listening. The room darkened, as if a cloud suddenly obscured the sun — a dark cloud.

Oh fuck.

She grabbed her chest, her breathing labored. Only the shower curtain separated her from — the unknown. The undead.

Again, the scraping noise on the window pane. I’m on the second floor, for God’s sake! With a trembling hand, she turned the water off. And on a silent count of three, she opened the shower curtain.

The bloodcurdling scream that left her mouth sounded almost foreign to her ears — almost. But the vision before her caused her to jump from the shower and bolt to the door, the high-pitched scream still spewing from her mouth. The woman. . the severed head of the woman. . opened her mouth and a deep guttural scream was heard, bouncing off the bathroom walls.

Andi jerked open the door, then screamed again as she was face to face with a very naked Jamie Tucker.

“What the hell?” Jamie demanded.

Andi pointed. “In. . in. . in there. . a. . a. . head. . a woman. .”

Jamie pushed open the bathroom door, the room empty.

“Andi?”

Andi walked behind her, her eyes wide. “She was. . she was right there.”

She no sooner got the words out before the bathroom door slammed shut. They both stared at the door, then at each other. It was only then that they realized they were both naked.

“Jesus, Andi,” Jamie murmured. She reached for the towel and tossed it at Andi. “Do you mind?”

Andi stared. “And you?”

Jamie reached for the doorknob, but the door would not budge. She wrapped both hands around the knob and pulled, straining against the door.

“What?”

“It won’t open.”

“What do you mean? It opens to the inside.”

Jamie flicked her a wry glance. “I know that. Why do you think I’m pulling on it?”

She finally got it to budge, only to be pulled closed again. She locked glances with Andi.

“Someone’s pulling on it from the outside.”

“Someone?”

“Or something,” Jamie hissed as she strained against the door.

Behind them, the bathroom window broke, glass spewing in onto the floor. Andi screamed again as they both pressed hard against the door.

“Get out! Get out of the house!”

“Oh my God,” Andi murmured, her eyes darting around the room, looking for the voice.

“Get out or you will die!”

“I hate this assignment,” Andi whispered.

“I’m not too crazy about it myself,” Jamie murmured.

Then, as if it had never happened, the sun reappeared, bright light shining into the bathroom. The door clicked behind them, swinging open gently, revealing the empty hallway outside.

Their eyes met again, Andi tightening her towel around her, trying desperately not to look at the naked woman standing next to her.

“Will you fast-forward past my naked ass running in the hallway?” Jamie asked as Ronnie’s eyes were glued to the monitor.