Page 49 of Ghostly

The feeling grew, bubbled throughout her being. Anger? She remembered anger from life, but this was nothing like it. In life, anger only made her stressed, and sometimes even worsened her condition. But now it was glorious, and more than anything else—more than clinging to her memories, more than maintaining the same routine day after day—it made herfeel alive.

“Where is that insolent girl?” Jacinda shook her head. “Marie!”

Rapids steps approached, and the maid appeared at the doorway, wringing her bony fingers. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Bring a poultice for Jamie. We’ve had an accident. And get started on a meal for him afterward. None of that apple mush, yes? He’s very sensitive.”

Jacinda’s shaky voice fed whatever dark, demanding hole anger opened within Ida. This was it.Revenge. Jacinda and Harry had brushed off her meager attempts so far—a swishing of curtains, a sudden frost on the windows, rattling in the night. She couldn’t get to their core, tackle that primal fear, feast on it until she was finally satisfied and she’d move on.

Perhaps the core of Jacinda’s fears lay in the very person who made the family forget all about Ida—Jamie. He was how she’d get to her sister-in-law.

On the way out, Jacinda passed through Ida again. Jacinda turned by the door, rubbing her arms as if cold, and as she examined the room, a flicker of worry passed through her eyes.

The deep, dark corner of Ida’s soul sang, and she smiled. She was on the right track.

1901

Pale moon shone through the half-closed curtains. Jamie twisted and tossed in bed, not entirely peaceful in his sleep—but not as disturbed as he could be. Ida concentrated, focusing her force toward the ground. The wooden floor creaked.

Jamie turned, but did not awaken.

She repeated the procedure, gliding forward this time. Planks beneath her creaked—first, second, third, coming closer and closer to Jamie’s bed.

She rattled the bedside lamp.

Jamie came awake with a sudden intake of breath, and sprang into a sitting position. He sat like this for a few seconds, then screamed, “Mommy! Mommy!”

It didn’t take long for Jacinda to come rushing in.

I’ve trained you well,Ida mused.Kept you on your toes.

And most of all, kept her afraid.

“Monsters,” Jamie whined as Jacinda hugged him. “The monsters are back.”

“Calm down, darling. There’s no such thing as monsters.”

Funny you’d deny the existence of your own kind, my dear sister-in-law.

After five guarantees all would be well, Jacinda left the room. Ida decided to give the boy a break—he’d done his job for the night—and phased through the wall into Harry and Jacinda’s bedroom.

“And it gets so cold in there.” Jacinda paced in front of the fireplace. “Not normal cold, Harry. There’s a spot in that room that feels like you’ve entered an icy cloud, but it moves.”

“It’s the draft from the turret.”

“It’s not the draft.”

Ida rattled the window. “I’d listen to your wife, Harry. She’s not right often, but this time, she is.”

Harry and Jacinda whipped their heads to the window.

“Like this!” Jacinda said. “Can’t you feel the cold? And all these noises…”

“It’s the wind. And no wonder you’re cold, going around in the middle of the night. Get back to bed and you’ll be just fine.”

Jacinda grumbled, but burrowed herself into a blanket, anyway. “Harry,” she said after a few moments of silence, “have you ever thought of moving away? This place—it’s not—”

“This is my family home,” Harry said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. “You convinced me to do a lot of things. But I will not leave my home.”