Mara Purnhagen - Beyond The Grave

“What can I do to help?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Just stay here with me for a little while.”

We listened to the birds and the distant traffic. I put my ear to his chest so I could hear his heart beating. I wondered if my heart was thumping in time to his. It felt like it.

“Any more panic attacks?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

“Not since the prison.” I sighed. “Pate was so rattled. He was sure I’d caused something to happen.”

Noah squeezed me. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“What if he was right? I’ve caused other things to happen.”

Noah turned toward me. “None of it was your fault. You didn’t choose it.”

That was true, but it didn’t mean much. I might not have chosen what had happened to my family, but it had still happened because of me. I could not escape that one terrible, simple truth. I didn’t contradict Noah, though. We’d had this discussion before, and I knew he worried about me. I didn’t want to add to that worry, so I stayed quiet and enjoyed our moment together.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said.

“Earlier?”

“The guy at school. I shouldn’t have let him get to me.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.”

There was no excuse for his sudden aggression. But this was Noah. He was allowed to make a mistake. I didn’t want to dwell on his odd outburst. He was sorry, and that’s what mattered most.

“We have to get back soon,” I murmured. “Everyone’s waiting for us.”

“Let them wait.” Noah kissed me softly. “There are more important things.”

THERE WERE MORE important things. And the most important one was to help my mom. That night, after Dad had retreated to his room, I reached under my bed and pulled out the box of paranormal supplies I kept there. I would not give up, I vowed. I could make something happen if I invested my energy and concentrated hard enough. As I retrieved the tools I wanted to use, my bracelet clinked against them. I carefully unclasped it and set it on my nightstand.

I was turning on the K2 EMF reader when my cell phone buzzed. It was Annalise.

“You’re up late,” I said, glancing at the bedside clock. It was past midnight.

“I figured you’d be up.” My sister yawned. “I wanted to hear all about your first day at college.”

I filled her in quickly, having regurgitated the boring details to Dad and Shane and Trisha over dinner earlier. Then I had endured endless wedding talk, a topic that I was beyond being sick of. I’d wondered how Trisha could even make all these plans and decisions when no date had been set. I couldn’t listen to one more conversation about the pros and cons of blowing bubbles instead of throwing confetti at the happy couple after they recited their vows.

While I talked to Annalise, I kept my eyes on the EMF reader. One green light showed that it was operational, and I was hoping at least one more would illuminate. I thought I saw a second light flicker.

“Sounds nice,” Annalise said. “So, have you been to see Mom yet?”

So that’s why she was really calling. I should have known it was a trap. “Not yet.”

“But you’ll go soon, right? You promised.”

“Yes, I’ll go soon.”

Annalise picked up on the irritation in my voice. “I’m not trying to nag,” she said. “But I think it would be good—for both of you.”

It would also be good for both of us if I could get back to work. True spiritual help might be waiting for the right time to intercede, and chatting about school with my sister was holding me back from finding a possible answer.

“I said I would and I meant it.” I was tired of the conversation.

“Okay. You promised, and that’s enough for me. I’ll let you go. Good night, Charlotte.”

“‘Night, Annalise.”

I returned to the EMF reader, convinced that I had seen a second light blink. I stared at the gray box, focused on seeing another bulb come to life.

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