23. Jay

23

JAY

C ade slipped on his coat at the front door while I stood in silent solidarity. I didn't know what else I could do, and I hated that he would be leaving the confines of the witch cottage, because that would expose him to everything that was out in the big bad world. But then, he knew how to look after himself, and I needed to have faith in him, considering what we were planning on doing.

I didn't want to lose my psychic medium of a bear.

"You know, we need to have a talk with Sam," Cade said.

"Oh God, another one? We just had a deep, meaningful chat yesterday." I grimaced. Sam had, thankfully, entertained himself and kept relatively quiet the last day and a half. I didn't want to contemplate how much damage Olivia had done to his psyche. I kept asking him if he was okay, and he finally came back and said, "Enough, Dad, I'm fine."

Ten turning eleven, but he had sounded like an eighteen-year-old, tired of his parents calling and checking up on him at college.

"I can't imagine what the kid is going through," Cade tied his shoelaces, then leaned in for a kiss. "But he has to be present at the summoning this afternoon, and he's going to see some pretty damn weird shit go down."

"Ah, fuck. I hadn't considered that. Are you sure he has to be there?"

"Well, we'd have a greater chance of attracting a ghost, seeing as how…"

"Yeah, I get it." But I didn't like it.

"And if we actually manage to summon a reaper, Sam should be present. After all, he's the one they're going to tutor, right?"

"I don't know what to say to him."

"How about just being honest?"

"You should be a dad."

Cade shrugged as he chuckled, checked his pockets for keys, and then leaned in for one more kiss. "See you soon."

"Yup." I shooed him out the door, then watched him climb into his Jeep and drive away.

Cade was right though. I needed to have a conversation with Sam. I was hesitant to do so. Actually, I just didn't want to have to say the words I needed to say.

"Sam?" I yelled.

"What?" He responded in kind.

"Come see your dad." I walked over to the kitchen island and took a seat on one of the bar stools that lined the eat-up section.

Sam's socked feet padded down the hall. He stopped as soon as he saw where I was, crossed his arms over his chest and looked annoyed with me. "What?"

"My goodness. In a mood?" I tossed the flippant remark in his direction.

"I'm about to get to level forty-seven."

"It can wait. Come sit down." I patted the chair next to me.

Sam rolled his eyes but obeyed my demand. Hormones. Puberty was around the corner which meant I would have my hands full with a rangy teenager, full of angst and emotions. And now there existed a looming possibility that he would also be a reaper. This could get ugly.

"Sam, do you remember what Cade told you yesterday?"

"Yeah. He wants me to help Olivia."

"That's right. Do you know what that means?" I asked him. I didn't want to scare him, and I sure as hell didn't want to get esoteric with him. Better to quiz him first to see what he already knew and understood.

"Not really. I know you guys are planning something though. And you don't really want me included, but I have to be there," he said, kicking his dangling legs as he sat on the raised bar stool.

"Okay, here goes. You believe in ghosts, right?" I asked.

"They're everywhere. Hard not to," he said.

"Okay, fair. You know I can't see them, right?"

"Yeah, Mom said it's because you're dead inside." My mouth dropped open.

"She said what?" I had half a mind to call Sharon that very moment. "Since when do you guys talk about this stuff?"

"A while."

"Like last week? Yesterday?"

"I dunno, last year?" Sam dropped a little bombshell.

Sharon and I were going to have a very long talk once this was all over. She hadn't ever talked to me about what she was seeing, her apparent familial genetic witchy abilities, but obviously had talked to Sam about it all. I mean, some things are just between a boy and his mom, but really? I would have thought this information warranted a conversation.

"Okay. You know that makes you special, right? Like your friends at school?—"

"Dad, I get it. Not everyone can see ghosts. Cade can. I like him."

"I'm glad you like him. I do too."

"Is he gonna be your boyfriend?" Sam asked, staring at me with his big brown eyes.

"Well, we'll see. I hope so. I kind of like him too."

"Cool." Sam gave me a half grin. I needed to focus on the important part of this conversation.

"You know you're even more special than just being able to see ghosts though, right?" I asked, fishing to see if he knew or had overheard anything.

"Sort of. I know I felt a few of them go through me, and then I never saw them again. Not like what happened to you though." He pointed to my shock lock.

"I think I like it." I said, twining the hair around my finger. "But tell me, what do you mean the ghosts go through you?"

"Not sure. Some of the other friends I had, they said they wanted to go, and then they stepped into me and were gone." Sam shrugged.

"Okay, well, what if I told you that later today Cade, your mom, and I are going to try and find someone who might be able to help you understand all that?"

"Yeah, I heard."

"You're not supposed to eavesdrop. We've talked about that." I waved a finger at him.

He rolled his eyes again. Yup, the teen years were going to be painful. "Dad, I know when you're having adult conversations, but you often do it right in front of me. I can close my eyes and not see things. I can't turn off my hearing."

Smart kid. Too smart. He got that from his mother.

"Okay, smartass, tell me, what do you know? Save me the embarrassment."

"Cade needs to find Death. The ghosts around here are angry because Death went away."

"All right, pretty close. What else do you know?"

"There's something about me that's special. But—" Sam shrugged. "—that's all I know, really."

"Do you want to know what that is?"

"Sort of? Not really."

"I get that. Okay, here's the thing. Cade thinks he found out why the ghosts are so angry, and why they are looking for you." I stopped, staring at Sam to determine if any of this had gone too far. He was attentive, his face wasn't all screwed up, and he didn't seem uncomfortable. "Cade thinks that maybe you're a reaper. Someone who helps the spirits go on to the next level. I think that's how he put it. And if we manage to summon a reaper, they might be able to tell if you are one, and if you are, maybe they'll help you learn how to do it right."

"Cool!" Sam's eyes got wide with excitement.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Does that mean I can get one of those big, long knives and a black robe and go out on Halloween dressed up like Death?"

Shell-shocked didn't begin to describe the confused bundle of nervous energy I had swarming around in my gut. My kid thought being a reaper would be cool. I guess for a not-quite-eleven-year-old that would be kind of cool, but now I worried about a whole bunch of other things.

"You know this is serious, right? Like, we're not joking, and despite how weird and magicky it sounds, it's all real." I forced myself to say it, because there was a small part of me that still struggled to believe in all this myself.

Sam nodded. "I help out the ghosts, and they don't get so mad."

I guess brevity won the day. I nodded.

"Okay, one last thing…later today Cade's gonna try to find Death. But that means your mom is going to give him some drugs that will make his heart stop. Then she has more drugs that will start it all up again right away. So everything should be okay."

"Makes sense. How could you talk to a reaper if you weren't dead? I get it."

"Okay, but I'm talking to you right now. Aren't I?"

"Yeah, but Dad, I'm not a reaper. At least, not yet!"

My kid was the smartest and bravest child on the planet. I swear.

"Can I go back and finish my level? Sam asked.

"Are you sure you're okay with all of this? Be honest with me, please? I am worried." I put my hand on his shoulder. I wanted him to know I cared and that I was concerned.

"Dad, come on. It'll be fine. Cade will be there. He's awesome. I don't get all of it, but I'm sure I will. And I'll be helping people, right? Well, are they people?" He glanced toward the ceiling. "Maybe not. Doesn't matter. I'll be helping. I'll be doing something good."

"Yes, Sam. You will. Go on then. Go have fun. If you're hungry, I'll make you something to eat and bring it to you."

"Yes," He fist pumped the air. "Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, please!" He yelled over his shoulder as he ran back to his video games.

I got off my stool and started fishing out the items I'd need to make him his lunch. I still wasn't entirely convinced Sam understood the importance of what was going to happen tonight, but at least I could be assured he wasn't terrified.

I on the other hand, was completely scared stiff.

"Sam, are you sure you're okay with this?" Cade asked as he lay on the couch.

We were in my basement. Cade had gone to extensive lengths setting everything up. A space had been cleared in the middle of the floor. Piles of boxes and other items that had been relegated to my unfinished cellar had been pushed aside to make room.

In one corner, a sigil had been painted in white on my concrete floor, and then a ring of salt had been poured around the outer edge. A small section had been left open to allow the ghost to enter. Off to one side a small circle also ringed in salt sat an arm's length away from the witch mark that would trap the spirit. That tinier circle was where Sam would sit throughout the ceremony. Protected by the white crystals, while wearing Cade's Grandmother's charm.

Sam nodded as he stood beside Cade.

"It's okay if you're scared. I am." Cade tried to laugh it off, but it wasn't convincing.

Sam threw himself on top of Cade, giving him a monster bear hug. "Don't die for too long, okay? I want to play more video games with you."

Cade sat up, which annoyed Sharon, but he held onto Sam, squeezing him tight.

"I'll be okay buddy, I promise. Your mom will look after me. Promise me that you'll sit in your chair and no matter what you see, or hear, you'll stay within that circle, so you're protected. Okay?"

"Okay." Sam let go of Cade, then went over to his chair, being very careful not to disturb the salt crystals. He sat in his chair, pulled out his mobile game device, and started playing. He knew it would have to be turned off once we started, but until then, being distracted was probably best.

"Can you lie back down?" Sharon hissed. "And take off your shirt. I need to stick a needle in your arm and those AED pads need contact with your skin."

"Enough, woman. He's about to die."

"Not for any more than three minutes. You got that? Three minutes and not a single second longer. Anything more than that, and you could end up with brain damage. This is stupid. I can't believe I agreed to this."

"Because you know what's at stake." I glared at her. "I can't believe you didn't tell me more about your family when we were together."

"And what good would that have done?" Sharon snapped back.

"Well at least I would have known you're all witchy."

"I am not."

Cade and I stared at her as Cade took off his shirt and draped it over the edge of the couch.

"Fuck both of you." Sharon pushed on Cade's shoulder forcing him back.

"Alright, everyone knows what they need to do?" Cade went through the checklist.

We would turn the lights out and wait. Hopefully Olivia or another ghost would arrive soon enough, be attracted to Sam, and inadvertently step inside the trap. Then I was to go over and finish the salt line thus sealing the spirit within.

The dead man's heart was to be placed between Cade's knees according to the Book of Death, so that's where it currently resided.

It stunk.

As soon as the ghost was trapped, Sharon would administer a carefully controlled overdose of Fentanyl, which would set Cade off on his journey. Sharon would monitor Cade's vitals and the minute he was dead, the timer would start.

I was standing ready with the "at-home defibrillator" which Sharon "borrowed" from the hospital. They were available for sale at various places, mostly in the city. We didn't have the time to go buy one, so the stolen hospital equipment would do.

Cade then had three minutes to, hopefully, attract a reaper.

At the end of three minutes, Sharon would administer the Narcan, an opioid antagonist which would reverse the effects of the Fentanyl, then administer epinephrine to hopefully jumpstart the heart, and if that didn't work, I was to paddle my bear — not in that way. Although now that I thought about it, that might be fun to do later.

If there was a later.

I hated this.

Sweat pooled under my arms, making my shirt tacky and cold, and uncomfortable.

I inhaled a massive breath to try and quell my nerves, which didn't help.

I exhaled.

My breath fogged out in front of me.

"Oh shit," I whispered.

Cade and Sharon both saw it.

"Sam, turn the game off, and get ready."

He did as he was told and put the toy under his seat. We told him if anything got to be too much to close his eyes and cover his ears. We all knew that wasn't optimal, but short of blindfolding him and sticking ear plugs in his ears… And we needed him to be able to listen to commands.

Sure enough, Olivia flickered into existence.

My skin crawled at the sight of her. She looked worse. Sunken, hollow, and utterly terrifying.

She hovered around Sam, not able to get to him, which made her furious. But she stayed away from the ghost trap.

"Come on, you bitch." I mumbled, She turned to stare at me. Her lip peeled back, exposing rotting teeth and a black tongue. She hissed and started to float toward us.

"Olivia, come play with me." Sam said loudly.

Olivia stopped. Her head spun around as she acknowledged her past playmate.

"Come on, come over here. Play with me. I know you want to go. Play with me one last time." Sam waved the spirit over.

I was so proud of him, and yet, every sinew of my body was about to hurl myself in front of my boy to protect him.

"Get ready," Cade said.

Olivia floated over, getting closer to Sam and the trap. Ice crystals formed on the concrete as she made her way into the ghost trap.

"Let me in, Sam. I want to go." Her voice crackled as her image flickered.

The blue glow didn't cast any shadows although it illuminated Sam's face.

"Come closer. I can't hear you." Sam taunted her. Clever boy.

She drifted closer and closer until a single toe touched the snare.

And that's all it took. The trap sprang to life. Electric blue bolts arced across the basement, concentrating most around Olivia. The bolts of lightning wrapped around the child ghost and pulled her into the centre, ensnaring her.

"Okay, Jay, now!" Cade said.

That was my cue. I ran over to the corner with my box of salt and ensured the ring was completed locking Olivia in.

"Alright, Sharon. Do your thing."

"Are you ready?"

"Fuck, no." Cade said but lay back.

Sharon had her needle ready and as soon as Cade relaxed, she stuck the tip into his vein in the crook of his arm and depressed the plunger.

Olivia made sure we all knew how unhappy she was about her current predicament. Sam tried his best to distract her.

Glancing back and forth between my kid who I loved with all my heart and who was currently about to get Death as a tutor — we hoped — and Cade, my psychic bear-man who had just promised to be my boyfriend, or at the very least, date me to get to know me, I couldn't help but feel utterly helpless.

I had no way of protecting anybody from what was currently happening.

My stomach heaved at the notion that we could all die in this basement. Cade with drugs now coursing through his body, Sam within reach of a vicious ghost, and Sharon and I left unprotected from God only knew what entity we were attempting to summon, not to mention any other ghosts in the vicinity. For all I knew, we were about to end up like Pam and Billy Hycha.

Cade's eyes got glassy, but he turned to look at me. "I'll be back." He gave me a wink and a smile, then drifted off.

I held my breath.

The air in the basement was so cold it pricked at my skin. My fingers were numb. A chill ran down my spine. Olivia hissed in the corner.

Ice crystals glistened as they formed all around us.

Then Sharon said, "That's it. Start the timer. Cade's heart has stopped."

But then I heard something. A thumping. It was muffled, but noticeable.

"Do you hear that?" Sharon asked.

"Yes. What the hell is it?"

"It sounds like…no…" Sharon glanced between Cade's knees. "Holy fuck."

"What?" I said.

"Look!" She pointed at the dead man's heart.

It was beating.