Tag Archives: Christmas

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Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-IV

I tried the doors again; in case the handles had become frozen or something. But as soon as my hands touched them a voice behind me spoke.

“I’m afraid his lordship locked them, Miss. And he has the only keys.”

I’d love to say I wasn’t spooked and kept my cool, but… I jumped and whirled around, before catching myself. There before me was a man in his late 40’s I’d guess, and in keeping with the theme of evening, he was dressed in the livery of a 19th century servant. He had a kind face and a gentle, if somewhat sad smile.

“But don’t worry, I’m sure we can find another way out so you can join the others at the chapel,” he continued and pulled out an old pocket watch. “Although, I see we should be quick. You don’t want to be here… I mean missing mass. The chapel is always beautifully done up at this time of year.”

Me being me, I immediately caught that little hesitation and said innocently. “Is it? Well, that sounds wonderful. We can go together. I’m not sure I could find it in the dark by myself.”

“Oh, you’ll find it all right,” the man replied, but a little too quickly. “I have duties to perform before everyone returns.”

“I see,” I nodded and started to follow him through the foyer. “Will you be checking on the little boy upstairs?” I asked, remembering my little friend with the cold.

The man suddenly stopped. Then without turning to look at me he said, “Little boy? Upstairs?”

“Yes, I met him when I was looking for a place to hide while we played Sardines. His name is Reginald.”

This time the man’s shoulders slumped visibly as he bowed his head. “You were in the old playroom,” he murmured, “And he’s still there… I had so hoped…” His words trailed off, but I was certain I caught the words “poor boy.”

At the same time I felt a chill race down my spine. I know many people use that phrase to describe an uneasy feeling, but in my case it usually meant I was picking up on the fact that things were not what they seemed. I took a step closer to the man and asked very gently, “What’s wrong with him? He told me he had a cold, but there’s more to it. Isn’t there?”

The man nodded. “I’m afraid so. The poor child has had that cold a very long time.”

Nathan has told me more than once that he believes I have psychic powers and… maybe I do. I’m not sure. I personally believe that I’m just more sensitive to things that others miss. I admit, there was that one time in Germany where we’d come across the site of where a concentration camp had stood, although there was nothing to mark it had ever been there. And I do have dreams every so often, some of which come true or seem to act as a warning, but it’s not like I can control any of this. It just happens. But right now that chill down my spine was telling me that my ‘sensitivity’ was acting up again, and I wanted to know more. “He’s not alive, is he?” I whispered.

My guide nodded sadly. “It happened on Christmas Eve, many years ago. During the reign of Good Queen Victoria.”

“How sick was he?” I asked shaking my head. 

“Oh, that isn’t what killed him,” the man told me. “It was his sister. She killed him, in that very room.”

Reginald’s words, “She’s mad at me. Or at least, it seems like she’s always mad at me…” suddenly echoed inside my head. “Why?” I asked, “Did she hate him that much?”

“Oh, no,” my companion replied, shaking his head seriously. “No, they were quite devoted to each other. It was…” again he trailed off.

“Please, Mr….,” I paused and silently cursed myself for not having asked the man his name. This made twice I’d done that in one night. 

Luckily, he wasn’t bothered. Instead, he gave me a smile and said, “Billings, Miss. Arthur Billings. I’ve served both his lordship and his father before him.”

“A pleasure to meet you Mr. Billings,” I told him and meant it. He seemed so nice. “I’m Lisa, I’m here with my parents and Nathan Steward. Would you please tell me what happened?”

He seemed to think it over, saying, “You’re with Master Nathan? He’s come back, then?” Finally, he nodded. “Come let’s sit, and I’ll tell what I can.” With that he led me back to the Great Hall. 

As we walked, I kept thinking, ‘First Reginald, now Mr. Billings… Nathan must be trying to find a way to end the haunting. But why? And what happened with the sister and Nathan?’ I had so many questions. Luckily, I was about to get all the answers, or so I thought.

Mr. Billings guided me to my favorite chair near the great fireplace. After making sure I was comfortable, he moved closer to the fire and began his tale.

“It all started in the summer of the same year that the tragedy happened. Miss Madeleine had met and fallen for a young man she’d met in London. At first everything seemed innocent and proper enough, but then whispers about the young man reached his lordship’s ears. It seems just the year before the fellow had been engaged to another young woman, who shortly after their engagement took ill and passed away.” 

“How tragic,” I remarked, watching the storyteller closely. Although his countenance (I picked up this word recently from being here in England) was flat, I could also detect the slightest touch of bitterness in his tone. Clearly, there was more behind this part of the story, but I kept quiet as he continued.

“Indeed it was,” Billings nodded solemnly, “Anyway, his lordship began having second thoughts about the relationship which led to a number of disagreements with his daughter. The girl was eager to get engaged, but his lordship refused to supply a dowry until his worries were put to rest. Things continued this way throughout the summer and into the Autumn, when the lord and lady were both killed in a carriage accident. Apparently, the horses became spooked and bolted for reasons that remained a ‘mystery’.”

I felt my eyebrows shoot up at that. “What about the driver? What did he have to say about what happened?”

The narrator smiled. “You have a keen mind,” he told me, then continued. “Unfortunately, the driver was also killed in the crash. Being on the outside of the carriage he suffered many injuries, especially about the head. But there were a couple of things that bothered his lordship’s brother, Sir Peter, who was also a magistrate. Something about the injury did not fit with the rest of those the man had suffered.”

“What were they?” I asked leaning forward. 

“Well,” Mr. Billings began, “The man had been thrown from the coach, yet there were bloodstains on the driver’s seat…”

“Which meant he’d been injured before the carriage crashed,” I finished, as my brain went into overdrive. He had mentioned the horses had been spooked, so what could spook a horse? “Someone shot the driver, knowing the sound would spook the horses and there’d be no one to try and reign them in.”

Mr. Billings nodded, “Those were Sir Peter’s very thoughts. Unfortunately, with no witnesses, there was no way to prove what happened. The horses’ could’ve been spooked by wolves or some other predator, and the man could’ve hit his head against a low branch as he tried to regain control of the animals. In the end, the inquest concluded death by misadventure.”

I shook my head. “That’s ridiculous. Clearly, someone wanted the parents out of the way. All you have to do is follow the money and…” 

A horrid thought suddenly came to me, and it must have shown on my face for the storyteller added, “Mind you, Miss Madeleine and her brother were here at the manor when the incident occurred.  They were both quite devastated when their uncle told them what had happened. It was especially hard for the boy, since he was the male heir, the title of Lord, along with the manor and its lands came to him. However, due to his young age, their uncle took charge of overseeing things until the boy became of age. And before you ask, Sir Peter was quite a wealthy man with considerable holdings of his own, so he had no reason to want anything to happen to his brother and sister-in-law.”

Nodding I stared into the flames of the fireplace, as my mind began working through everything I’d just been told. From what I could see, the only other person who might wants the parents out of the way would be Madeleine’s suitor. But with the title and everything going to her brother, how could he gain from their deaths.  Suddenly my mind went back to Reginald telling me about his sister arguing with their uncle, and quickly put two and two together.  “Let me guess, Madeleine started appealing to her uncle to allow her to get engaged. Which would mean a dowry would have to be supplied for her.”

My host nodded.

Sighing I fell back into the wing-backed chair I was sitting on. “And of course, he refused because his brother had no doubt told him about the rumors involving her young man.”

“Actually, Sir Peter was one of the people who brought those reports it to his brother’s attention,” Billings corrected me.

I blew out a breath. “Wow! And when she found that out, she started appealing to her brother to talk to their uncle override him.”

“She did indeed,” Billings replied. “Unfortunately, with Reginald being so young, Sir Peter simply told the young lord his father had concerns about the match without going into details. And that was enough for the young lad and he did not press the issue further, thus making his sister even more angry with the boy.” Here the storyteller paused and stared into the fire. 

I didn’t say anything at first, because I was starting to compare my own situation to Madeleine’s. I had been in love with Nathan for years, but was always told I had to wait until I was older before he’d consider the idea. Well, I was 20 now, and still he was making me wait. But I was willing to, whereas Madeleine… what had her situation been?As if reading my thoughts, Billings spoke again. “Then as the Christmas season drew near, things came to a head. The suitor began pressing Madeleine to get whatever she could and join him.

Apparently, he had told her that he had debts that were coming due, and if he could not pay them, he might have to accept the advances of another woman with money who was eager to be his bride. Not that he loved the other woman, mind you. But, if his circumstances did not improve soon, he’d be ruined both financially and in the eyes of society. Not wanting such a fate to befall the man she loved, Madeleine decided to find a way to get her mother’s jewelry, which were worth quite a fortune themselves. But to do so, she needed to her brother to tell her what had become of them. You see, when the estate was being discussed after the will had been read, she had not been in the room. So only her uncle and brother might now what had become of them. And she wasn’t about to ask her uncle.”

“So that was why she had started acting nicer to her brother,” I murmured, “She was hoping to get Reginald to tell her where they were, then she and her betrothed would elope on Christmas Eve and begin a new life together.”

“Exactly,” nodded Mr. Billings and then looked over at the grandfather clock against the far wall, which read 9:10. “It’s getting close to time,” he said, changing the subject. “I really should be getting you on your way to the chapel. They’ll be worried about what’s become of you, Miss.”

Instead of getting up, I remained in my seat. Several things had been nagging at me since meeting my host. “Mr. Billings,” I began politely, “Why does his lordship hold mass in the chapel between nine and ten? I’ve heard of midnight mass, or even mass at eleven, but nine seems like a very odd time. And why does he not want anyone to remain in the manor, that he even orders the doors locked?”

The man bowed his head, pulled a chair up in front of me and sat down. “Because at 9:25, something terrible is going to happen. The same thing that has taken place within these walls ever since that terrible Christmas Eve.”

TO BE CONTINUED…

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Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-II

Nathan wasn’t kidding about this being an old-fashion Christmas. Green garland was hanging from the staircases, the walls, you name it. And the table in the dining room looked like a Hollywood set. There was plum pudding, oysters, pies, potatoes, fruits stacked up like pyramids, sweetbreads, the list goes on and on. We even had chestnuts roasting in the fireplace. 

It’s become one of my favorite places to sit near. It’s huge affair, with ornately decorated tiles in the firebox area, as well as a beautifully carved stone mantel with intricate pillars leading up to it. There are a couple of wingback chairs set in front of all this, and that’s where I could be found whenever I’d come in from outside. Sometimes Nathan sits with me, not that I’ve seen all that much of him since our arrival. He seems to come and go on ‘business’, supposedly it has to do with a book or two he’s researching, but I’ve seen him talking with his Lordship from the windows now and then. I don’t have the nerve to ask our host what they’re talking about, and I haven’t been able to get Nathan alone long enough to get the story out of him. 

Anyway, getting back to the holiday decorations, we finally come to the tree itself. It is huge, and because Nathan is around, the tree stands in a huge pot of soil. Like everything else in this great place, it too has decked out in classic Victorian style, with ribbons, flowers, small toys, sweets, fruits, crackers (Christmas ones, not the kind you eat), and ornaments made of paper and glass some of which are at least 100 years old.

Tonight, being Christmas Eve, the Lord and Lady of the manor hosted a huge gathering of family and a few friends (namely us). And in keeping with the old-fashion theme, everyone was dressed in clothing from the before 1900. Naturally, me being into Goth clothing, I should have fit in easily. But most of my outfits were too bright and modern. Luckily, her Ladyship led me to the uppermost level of the mansion where they had a host of outfits for me and my family. I settled on a green velvet with white trim and hints of deep red. My parents and our hosts were delighted at my choice and I couldn’t get over how well it fit me.

Mom and Dad looked smashing in Edwardian garb and my little brother Geoffrey looked adorable  in his “Little Lord Fauntleroy” outfit. Even if he didn’t think it was all that great. Of Nathan there was no sign, although he had promised to be around. I asked Dad what was going on and he assured me Nathan was on important business, but would definitely be showing up before the evening was out. Before I could ask him any more, he announced it was time for us all to join the festivities downstairs. 

Let me tell you, I had no idea what a crowd awaited us down there. His Lordship insisted he had only invited family, but he neglected to mention there would be several generations. His five siblings had brought their spouses and they in turn had brought their children (numbering anywhere from 4-6) per household. And their ages ranged from younger than Geoffrey to those my age and a little older. So I didn’t wind up being the oldest when it came to playing some games I’d never heard of before. Oh I was familiar with Charades, and Blind Man’s Buff (or Blind Man’s Bluff as it’s sometimes called). But there were more games I’d never heard of before that go all the way back to the 1800’s. Up Jenkins, Find the Thimble (for the younger ones), Snapdragon (which involves flaming brandy and raisins in a shallow bowl). 

Shadow Buff was completely new to me, but Isabella proved quite good at it and I soon caught on and found it to be quite a bit of fun However, when it came to playing “Sardines” that’s when the night took a spooky turn for me.

Now for those of you not familiar with Sardines, it’s like a reverse hide and seek game. Instead of everyone hiding while one person counts, only a single person goes into hiding and the rest of the people count. When they are done counting, they all spread out and try to find the person who hid. However, if they find that person, instead of calling out to everyone, the seeker joins the hidden person in their hiding spot. This continues until all the seekers have found the location and have the person who hid in that spot, until they’re all packed in like… you guessed it… sardines.

Being a newcomer to the festivities, I got to be the first person who had to hide. I was told I could go anywhere inside the mansion, which gave me a lot of possibilities. And me being me, I immediately gravitated upstairs to where I’d found my lovely dress for the evening. 

Soon I found myself on the top floor looking down a long corridor of doors. Most of these had been living quarters for servants, but according to our hosts no one had used them for years. Which was why several of them were now being used as storage space, including the room where I had found my dress. When I was in there earlier, I’d spotted a door peeking out from behind some tall boxes. No doubt it was a closet and would make for an excellent hiding spot. While allowing room for the others to join in when they found me, without making any of us feel too claustrophobic. Or so I hoped. 

So you can imagine my surprise at finding, not a closet, but a very large room with a roaring fire in a good-sized fireplace crackling away behind a screen. Glancing around the room I saw there were a couple of desks off in the corner, while the rest of the room had shelves for books and a number of children’s toys. Most of those seemed to be antiques, but in good condition overall. There was a rocking horse that had clearly seen a lot of use, but also a lot of love as well. I could easily picture a child hugging that wooden neck with the real horsehair mane. 

Then it hit me. Of course, a governess would have a room connected with one like this. No doubt the room I’d found my dress had been her bedroom, and this was the schoolroom where she would teach and play with the children in her care. But who was using it these days? And why was there a fire in the fireplace?

My curiosity was in overdrive at this point, so I began to explore every inch of my surroundings. There was an old sofa, whose back was facing me, near the fireplace. As I drew nearer, I heard a small cough coming from the other side of it. Immediately, my sisterly instincts kicked in and I went over to have a look. I found a small boy, curled up on the sofa with an old blanket covering most of him. Had I not spotted his eyes peeking out, I would’ve totally missed him. 

TO BE CONTINUED…

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Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-I

*Hello everyone. I just got back from New York where Helen and I helped my brothers clear out our mother’s apartment. For those who haven’t heard, my mom passed away recently, and it meant a lot to all of us to be together so we could help support each other. We also shared a lot of memories and laughs, along with more than a few tears with each other. It really helped all of us. Anyway, with all that going on I haven’t been able to be very productive on the writing front, so I’m resharing this Christmas tale. I hope to get back to writing again, come the beginning of the new year. Helen and I both hope you enjoy this ghostly tale starring Lisa.*

Christmas in England, how much cooler can you get than that? Answer… you find yourself in the middle of something that could’ve come straight out of a gothic novel. I swear, I’ll never be able to listen to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” the same way, after tonight. 

Here, let me explain…

It all started about a week ago, when Nathan told my parents that he had been invited to stay with some of his ‘Extended Family’ over in England and that a private jet had already been set up for when the time came to go. Naturally, I was pretty bummed out upon hearing this.

It was bad enough that my bestie Marisa was spending the holidays in New York City with her folks. They had family in the big city and was spending the holidays with them. In fact she’d been there since before Thanksgiving and had gotten to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in person from a balcony. She’d also gone to see the big tree in Rockefeller Center and had gone ice skating there too.

Still I couldn’t be mad at Nathan. We weren’t the only part of his “Extended” family, and there are others all over the country, and in other countries, who love him as much as we do. So it would only be natural for some of them to want him to come and spend the holidays with them once in a while. Plus, his sister Isabella was already in England awaiting her brother’s arrival.

I had just resigned myself to not seeing him on Christmas morning, when he dropped another bomb on us by saying, “Oh, did I mention all of you are invited to join me?” 

At first my parents were a little unsure, but when he told them the festivities would be taking place in an old manor house and that the hosts liked to have an old-fashioned Christmas, they were hooked.

As I quickly learned on our arrival, the manor is over 200 years old and has been owned by the family that whole time. Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, the current master of manor is a member of the House of Lords. So you can imagine how important keeping the manor as well as the old Christmas traditions alive, is very important. And I for one don’t blame them. This place is amazing. While it has all the modern conveniences, you still feel like you just stepped into a Jane Austen novel. Family portraits, a gallery, silk wallpaper, marble columns, grand staircase, a ballroom, a drawing room, the list goes on and on. I got lost at least twice in the first couple of days. So did my mother. We wound up bumping into each other and asking if each other knew the way out. LOL!

The grounds are immense as well. There’s a pond, rose garden, and even a small chapel used for weddings and other celebrations, including Christmas.

The main hall is huge, with tall windows going practically up to the ceiling (which is at least two to three stories tall). It also has the most impressive fireplace I’ve ever seen. It’s huge affair, with ornately decorated tiles in the firebox area, as well as a beautifully carved stone mantel with intricate pillars leading up to it. There are a couple of wingback chairs set in front of all this, and that’s where I could be found whenever I’d come in from outside. Sometimes Nathan sits with me, not that I’ve seen all that much of him since our arrival. He seems to come and go on ‘business’, supposedly it has to do with a book or two he’s researching, but I’ve seen him talking with his Lordship from the windows now and then. I don’t have the nerve to ask our host what they’re talking about, and I haven’t been able to get Nathan alone long enough to get the story out of him. But clearly, something is up… not that it was any of my business. That is, until tonight.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me get back to the decorations and preparations that led up to the event’s of tonight, Christmas Eve…

TO BE CONTINUED…

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Merry Christmas Eve…

It’s Christmas Eve, so we’re taking a quick break in our current story to bring you something different.

In the United Kingdom there is a tradition of telling a ghost or creepy story at this time of the year.

And since according to Ancestry.com based on my DNA sample, I am 49% Irish, plus another 22 % English, I feel it only right to continue this tradition.

So, we’re bringing you the audio version of “The Snowman”, complete with imagery, providing a picture book experience, much like I did last year with my unabridged presentation of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”.

As many of you will remember, “The Snowman” was written by my wife/co-author Helen for our “The Vampyre Blogs – One Day at a Time” anthology. It was inspired by hearing the song “Frosty the Snowman” one too many times, before deciding to put a bit of a strange unearthly (or Para-Earth-ly) twist on the story…

So without further ado, here is this year’s Christmas story offering…

No doubt, you might be wondering about the opening stating the presentation came from the Library of the Obscure. For those wondering about that, you’ll be seeing and learning more about the library starting next month, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, have a blessed and safe Christmas and hopefully a very wonderful New Year.

Love,

Allan and Helen

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Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 19th, 2012 – Christmas Tree Time

Tonight we got our Christmas tree.  Some of you may may think we’d left it a bit late, but since I’m a December baby, my parents got into the habit of waiting until after my birthday to put up any Christmas decorations.  One of my mother’s sisters was also a December baby who often complain about how her birthday got overshadowed by Christmas, so my parents go out of their way to make sure that did not happen with me.  Especially not this year when I turned sixteen.

But that had been over a week ago and I was more than ready for Christmas now.  In fact, I’m thinking of telling my parents next year that we should get our tree the day after Thanksgiving.  We could just decorate it for my birthday and then redo it again for Christmas.

You see I love the smell of pine trees and forests.  Especially in wintertime and at night.  Which is why going out to get our tree was so much fun this time.  As soon as dinner was over, Dad told us to get our coats and pile into the Suburban.  “It’s tree time!” he smiled.

“More like about time,” Mom muttered under her breath, while getting her coat on in record time.

Soon we were driving down a snowy lane with snow covered trees on either side of us.  There was no one else on the road, so it felt kind of spooky in some ways.  I swear, there’s nothing like being surrounded by huge trees at night to make you feel really small.  Yet it was beautiful at the same time.

After a while Mom said, “Where are going?  There aren’t any tree lots out this way.”

“We’re getting our tree the old fashion way, straight out of the best supplier known to man.  The forest itself,” Dad smiled.

“We’re going to chop one down?” I cried in dismay.

“No, Sweetie, we’re going to dig one up,” Dad corrected me.  “Remember, cut trees don’t last very long around Uncle Nate.”

Immediately, my mood skyrocketed even higher.  “He’s coming this year?”

“Dear, you weren’t supposed to say anything,” Mom scolded.

“She was going to find out anyway,” he told her,  “See, that’s him up ahead waiting for us.”

I practically climbed into the front seat with them to get a better look.  Sure enough, in a clearing up ahead stood Nathan wearing a an old fashion burgundy frock coat, with a black cape over it.  While on top of his blonde hear, he had a black beaver hat angled every so slightly to give him a dashing look.

By now my little brother Geoffrey, who had been sleeping the whole time woke up and started yelling, “Unca Nate… Unca Nate…” at the top of his little lungs.  If you haven’t guessed, he adores our godfather.

Luckily we were able to park quickly and got him out of the car.  Since I was right next to him, I ‘fun’ of getting him out of his car-seat.  Let me tell you, trying to deal with an overexcited two-year old who won’t stop squirming is an experience I won’t soon forget.  Nor will my stomach where he kept kicking me without realizing it, because he wanted to get to Nathan so badly.

Thank goodness Nathan saw my plight and took Geoffrey from me.  Immediately, my baby brother calmed down and started babbling at him in a mix of words and childish gibberish.  Mom and Dad looked on with amusement while Nathan hung on my brother’s every ‘word’ until he was finished.

“Well you certainly have had an interesting day,” Nathan told him, “I look forward to having more of these talks with you over the coming days.  But for now, we need to find a good tree and we have lots to choose from.”

Looking around I saw he was right.  We did have a lot of choices, but there was one slight problem.  “Kind of big aren’t they?” my Mom remarked, taking Geoffrey from him.

Nathan turned to my dad the two began muttering to one another.  I managed to catch a few snippets like: “I thought you said she’d be okay with punching a holes into the ceiling and possibly the roof…”  and  “….we’d have had to cut through some of the crossbeams and…”

I noticed Mom rolling her eyes several times before they finally finished.

Clapping his gloved hands Dad said, “Nathan says there’s some really nice trees over on the north slope just a few hundred yards from here. I just need to get the sled and pot out from the back of the car.”

“Did you remember the shovels?” Mom asked, and he froze.

Immediately my father froze and winced.  “Oops.”

“Dad!” I cried but Nathan intervened saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.  Just follow me.”  and with that he started heading off towards the north slope.

Naturally I raced to join him.  Soon the whole family was following close behind as we slowly made our way through the snowy woods.

At one point we spotted some deer nearby, who did not seem to mind our presence at all.  They stared at us for a while, until they were sure we didn’t have anything to offer them and then moved on.  Soon we emerged from the forest and into what was undoubtedly the north slope.

All around us stood pines ranging from four feet to heaven knows, all covered in snow.  It was a beautiful sight.  I almost felt guilty for our intruding on such a festive scene.  But, we were here on a mission and I knew weren’t going to leave until we located and secured our quarry.

After a few minutes, of knocking snow off a few of the six foot trees, my parents found one they liked.  I had to agree, that their choice was a good one.  It had a lovely shape and would fit nicely in the living room.  But first we had to get it out of the ground.

Turning to Nathan I said, “So how do you plan to get this puppy out of the ground without shovels?”

Smiling he said, “Funny you should mention the word ‘puppy’.”  With that he took a few steps away from me and knelt down in the snow, covering himself entirely with the black cloak.  For several seconds nothing happened.  Then there was movement under the ebony cloth and soon two large black dogs emerged from underneath the cape which fell to the ground and became flat.

“PUPPIES!” my little brother cried excitedly.  He loves dogs, but can’t play with them because he’s very allergic to their fur.  A part of me quickly surmised that this would not be a problem with these two beasts.  As if to prove my point, they went over to where my mother was holding Geoffrey, and allowed him to pet them.

Then the pair trotted over to where the tree we’d chosen stood and began digging in a circle.  Snow went flying in all directions, making the rest of us take a few steps back to keep out of range.  But soon, the dark soil began to replace the white stuff letting us know the real work had begun.  Out of curiosity I bent down and picked up a piece of the thrown soil and found it was still quite solid and frozen.

I shook my head in wonder and marveled at the power of my godfather once more.  I’ve long known of his shape-shifting talents, but sometimes forget just how much strength he is capable of demonstrating.

  

Within minutes the tree wobbles and tilts to one side, as the two dogs emerge from behind it and slip back under the black coat from which they’d emerged.  As my father brings the sled with the big pot on it near the tree, I watch the shapes moving beneath the cape and breathe a sigh of relief when I see hands appear and Nathan stands up.  As he readjusted his hat, I could see that there’s not a speck of anywhere on his hands or face.  He truly is a wonder to behold sometimes.

Anyway, he and Dad managed to lift the tree with its large ball of dirt and roots, into the big pot… or rather tub on the sleigh and quickly made sure it was a good fit.  Then we headed back to the cars and stood it upright in the back of the pickup, Nathan had brought.  In a few weeks, we’ll bring it back and replant it, just as Nathan has shown us so it can continue its life among its siblings.

Two hours later, we had the tree back at home and fully decorated.  Dad has just lit the log in the fireplace, while Nathan is resting on the sofa with a blanket over his legs.  Or rather where his legs would be.  On the floor nearby, Geoffrey is playing with a couple of smaller versions of the black dogs who dug our Christmas tree out of the ground.

Poor Nathan, he’s going to be legless for a good hour or more, meaning he’ll be stuck on the sofa.  I’m going to join him after I finish this post.  He’s going to be staying with us all throughout the holidays this year.  Normally he heads to Connecticut to visit another part of his ‘extended’ family to spend Christmas Eve, but they are celebrating elsewhere this year which means he’s all mine… or rather ours this time.

Glancing over at the archway that leads to the kitchen I can see my mom and dad enjoying a good long kiss under the mistletoe.   I love seeing them like that.  It really makes the season all the more right to me.

Love, family and friends, those are the greatest gifts to have at this time of year.  And I’m going to go get a little of the first, right now.  I’ve got a little bit of mistletoe of my own in my pocket and there’s a very inviting spot right next to Nathan on the sofa.

This is going to be very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year indeed….

****So ends this year’s holiday installment of The Vampyre Blogs – Private Edition.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.  May all your hopes and wishes come true during this festive season.  And may each and everyone one of you enjoy some of the magic of this season.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

by

Available NOW on Kindle!

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Just $3.99, or FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

26 Tales of Para-Earth Encounters
Spanning 150 years answering many questions about your favorite vampyre and his friends such as:

– How did a Nathan manage to continue to serve the Union Army in the Civil War after becoming a vampyre? 

-How did he and The Professor meet?

-Why did Lisa and Marisa drift apart?

-Has Nathan or his friends ever met any of the characters from “The Bridge” or “The Ship”?

-Who else has had a Para-Earth encounter?

Plus much more!

So go ahead grab your copy today!

*And remember the holidays area almost upon us and you can order Kindle books for family and friends, you can even have them delivered on a specific date such as Hanukkah, Christmas, and birthdays.

Just click below to start your shopping:

https://www.amazon.com/Vampyre-Blogs-Anthology-Para-Earths-Para-Earth-ebook/dp/B07KMN78B2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543590262&sr=8-1&keywords=the+vampyre+blogs

*And remember to check out the other books in our Paranormal/Sci-Fi series which have been compared to the Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, as well the works of Dean Koontz, HP Lovecraft, and other creators of surprise and suspense.

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Nathan Speaks: About the Authors, Christmas and the Future…

Merry Christmas Eve and a Happy Hannukah (which also begins tonight) to all our friends…  

For the past few months the entries here have been erratic and I want you all to know how sorry our authors (Allan and Helen) are for these issues.  However, life has gotten in the way in many forms during this time.  First, up until November, Allan was still taking full-time classes at CSU Monterey Bay and these were very demanding classes.  They ate up a lot of his time and his mental energies.  
 
Then in early November he received a job offer with the County of Santa Cruz in their Assessor’s office.  As you all can imagine getting settled into a new job and learning all the ropes is no easy task and very consuming of both time and energies (especially mental energies).  However, the biggest obstacle since he started work has been the fact that his commute takes anywhere from 1 – 1 1/2 hours one way, on any given day.  He rises at 5:30AM and does not get back until 6-6:30 PM, which leaves him little time to spend with Helen, who has been dealing with a major FLARE up of her Fibromyalgia.  Naturally, he has been trying to care for her as best he can when he’s available.  
 
However, these are not the only obstacles the two of them have had to deal with.  In addition to preparing for the holidays and guests, they have also been looking for a new place to live.  Until now, they have lived in subsidized housing at CSU Monterey Bay, but that is only available to students who are full-time!  Naturally, Allan can no longer be a full-time student while working full-time and caring for an unwell spouse.  So they are hunting for a new place they can afford during the holidays (not easy let me tell you).  But as they do so, they are aiming to cut down his commute considerably to give them more time together as well as time to write.
 
Naturally, this has left both of them with very little time to be creative.  Hence, the lack of updates or even a Christmas-themed tale.  Two stories were well under way, but are on the back-burner until a new place has been found for them to reside and then get moved and settled in.  So please bear with them as they try to get their lives back in order.
Finally, know that the stories and more novels about me, Lisa, Marisa, Otto and our other friends in the Para-Earth Book Series, are on the way.  The hopes are for two books to be released in 2017.  The first will be “The Door” which is a sequel to “The Bridge” and “The Ship”.  In December an anthology of some of the stories that have appeared on this blog over the last 2 years will be released.  The anthology will also include several brand new short stories that have never been seen before.
During 2017, work on the 2nd “Vampyre Blogs” novels will be fully under way as well, leading to an anticipated 2018 release around Thanksgiving/Christmas.  I know that’s a long way off, which is why more adventures will continue to appear on this blog, in addition to the anthology for next December.
I can also tell you cross-over stories involving myself, Lisa, Marisa, and Otto, as well as characters from the other 3 novels (“The Bridge”, “The Ship”, and “The Door”) are in the works as well.  One or two of those tales will appear in the anthology, as well as novellas, and full-length novels.  So please be patient and hang in there.  Allan and Helen are very eager to get back to their writing and bring you more adventures to tantalize and thrill you all.
In the meantime, we and they wish you all a wonderful holiday season and as a little bonus.  For those who had not realized, in addition to writing our stories, Allan is an accomplished artist and the artwork that graces each of the Para-Earth novels has been done by him.  So here I share some of his more holiday-based art.  We hope you enjoy these works and have a wonderful and magical holiday season:
First we have a European Father Christmas, he based on several different figurines of Santa Claus he found in antique shops:

Next we have a Robin on a Yule Log.  Robins are associated with Christmas quite heavily over in the United Kingdom, but for this piece. However, Allan chose an American style Robin (which is different from those in the England where his mother was born and raised), blending the tradition between the two countries.

And finally, we have this little piece which he titled “It Was Supposed To Be A Still Life”.  This is true because, he had planned on doing a pastel piece of the presents and village he and Helen had set up beneath their tree one year.  Of course, after getting things just right, he went to fetch his art pad and soft pastels and came back to a scene much like you see here.  However, rather than getting angry and trying to set things up again, he simply sat down and got to work on the piece saying, “Hey, it’s Christmas for kitties too…”

 *Note: the coloring of the cat is based on his late father’s cat Spikette, rather than his own feline mistress Avalon who was jet black and had been the one underneath the tree.  Originally he started out using Avalon’s ebony coat, only to find it was too distracting to the rest of the piece, so he kept her attitude and behavior while substituting Spikette’s colors for a more balanced piece.  He finds great comfort in having done this since both kitties are in Heaven now, although their spirits seem to occasionally visit and cause mischief around the house when one least expects it.

That’s all for now.  Enjoy the holidays and stay safe everyone.  If you must travel, may your journey be swift and fun, without worry or fear.  And we will see you all in the coming year.

Love,

Nathan, Lisa, Otto, Marisa, the rest of our extended family and of course our creators Allan and Helen Krummenacker

by

Nathan and Company Have Just Gotten Their First 5 STAR Review!

The reviews continue to come in for “The Vampyre Blogs – Coming Home” over on Amazon.  Here’s what the latest person had to say about our favorite paranormal/sci fi vampyre…

5.0 out of 5 starsDespite its unusual built a flowing and impressive book to read! Recommendable!

By C. C. McKenzie on November 6, 2016

Format: Paperback
I read the first two books in the para-earth series by Allan Krummenacker already. Nathan had made brief appearances there and I, as a reader, was enormously curious how he got there, how his life was and what a character he is.  The Vampyre Blogs: COMING HOME is about Nathan’s return…
I’m not going into details about Nathan’s life. It would be unfair to other readers.

But I’d like to mention something about the style of the book: Being a vivid reader I have of course read books with current diary entries, be it in “flashbacks” or “explanations of the story line. Usually, the diary entries helped to understand the story I read. This was the first time I read myself through a story built on blog (diary) entries, which I found oddly unusual at first, but then I realized it worked. It worked for the story, for the characters and it developed the entire storyline right before my eyes.

The ability to introduce entire characters to the reader this way – as well as build and develop the as well story as also connections only with blog entries, makes me just say one word: BRAVO! I didn’t miss a thing. The entries are fascinating and create an entirely impressive as also flowing book! I can’t wait to read more.

Want to read more?  Click on the link below to read more reviews.  And remember, the holiday season is approaching fast and you can pick up a copy for yourself or ‘gift’ one to a friend.  You can not only buy a copy on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble, for just $2.99, but you can also schedule it to arrive on Christmas day.  So take advantage and start your holiday shopping now!

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KINDLE USERS:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MDO8SLO/ref=series_dp_rw_ca_3

NOOK USERS: 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vampyre-blogs-allan-krummenacker/1124855249?ean=2940153799605

by

“Home For Christmas: A Para-Earth Holiday Tale” – Part Six

woods-at-night

CHRISTMAS REUNIONS

For several seconds no one moved.

Jason looked around.  He knew the opening had to be near here, but even he didn’t know its exact position.  And they didn’t have much time.  A part of him didn’t trust Sergeant Ross and her companions to not overreact if they saw the creature.  Besides, he felt they owed her for protecting Julie.

There had to be a way to find the portal.

Just then he noticed Otto cupping his hands to his mouth.  A second later, his friend let out an amazingly accurate imitation of the low bellow they had heard before.

Jason was impressed.  He himself could imitate a great number of animal calls, but only after he’d heard them a number of times and had practice long hours.  Otto, on the other hand, had done it perfectly after just hearing the call once.

In fact the call had been so accurate, even ‘Big Mama’, as Nathan referred to the animal, reacted.  Luckily, the young man was still with her and began stroking her large muzzle to calm her down, while saying, “Easy, false alarm.  We’re just trying to get our bearings.”

But just as the great beast settled down an answering cry, louder than the last one, came back.

Beaming Otto cried, “Got it!  This way my friends, Nathaniel, get her to follow.”

However, the young man did not respond.  Instead his eyes seemed fixed on the opening of the cave.

Jason followed his gaze and saw two figures watching them closely.  “Ah,” sighed and went over to Nathan.  “Come, we must get her home first.  They will wait until we return.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, they aren’t going anywhere.”

“Who isn’t going anywhere?” called Otto staring at them and then at the cave.  “I don’t see anyone.  Now come, we have to get her home before the opening closes.”

Nathan sighed and shook his head.  “Damn,” the young man murmured and turned away.

Quietly, Jason studied the boy and his dog then made a slight gesture in their direction.  The two seemed to understand and headed back in the cave, while he followed his ‘three’ friends further into the woods.

‘Big Mama’ seemed to sense what was coming.  She was becoming more and more excited as they moved forward, and it was getting a little harder for Nathan to control her.  But every so often a stream of green mist seemed to snake out from beneath his coat and she’d calm down again.

Moving past them, Jason caught up with Otto who was leading the way and asked, “How will we know we’ve found the opening?”

“If we’re at the correct angle, we will see it,” his friend assured him.  “Otherwise, we could literally walk right by it and just hear strange noises from among the trees.”

Hearing this, Jason peered deep into the forest ahead.  After several moments, he spotted something that definitely did not belong.  “There it is!” he whispered.

Otto looked at him, “You’ve spotted it already?  What does it look like?”

“Something wondrous,” was all he could say.

Nathan had overheard everything his two friends were saying and smiled.  He could now sense the opening himself, and so could his charge.  She was becoming very excited, sniffing the air eagerly.  Still he did not relinquish his control over her, for fear she might rush ahead and accidentally run his companions over.

But it was getting harder, so as one of her massive front paws came down in the snow, he scurried up her arm and onto her shoulders.  She did not seem to mind in the least.  Nor did she flinch when a couple of his fingers elongated into narrow sharp tips which slowly penetrated her thick skin.

However instead of drawing from her, he allowed a small amount of himself to pass into the creature.  It was just enough to establish a link between them.  Then he focused his eyes straight ahead.

The animal paused and shifted in wonder.  He knew she was now seeing through his eyes and was amazed at what lay before her.

The opening was clearly visible now.  It was like a scene from another time that had super-imposed itself over the dark forest landscape.  Ice and snow seemed to stretch for miles, while in the sky ever shifting colors, similar to the northern lights glowed and danced.  Amidst the white were moving shapes some of which resembled creatures who had walked the world he knew, while others were completely unknown.

But close to the opening were several beasts whose size and shape were very familiar to him.

Big Mama seemed to recognize them as she called out and they responded in kind.

Knowing the time had come he called out, “Uh guys… you might want to move to one side.”

Otto and Jason did as instructed, just as his mount lunged forward as quickly as her game leg would allow.

Within seconds Nathan found himself in that other version of Earth caught amidst a family reunion of sorts.  The other sloth-like beings crowded around Big Mama, sniffing and rubbing against her in a most welcoming manner.

It soon became clear he wasn’t going to be able to get down easily.  Not unless he wanted to be accidentally stepped on.  But then he heard chanting from behind and turned see Jason and Otto had followed them into this place.

The other creatures seemed intrigued by their presence and in particular the shaman’s song.  The moved away slightly, allowing Big Mama to lower herself into the snow.

Taking the hint, Nathan slid down and stroked her muzzle one last time.  “Merry Christmas,” he murmured to her and then headed over to where his friends waited.

As soon as he joined them, Jason brought his song to an end.

A moment later, the ‘reunion’ started up once more as their charge was herded gently away from the opening and up the nearest hill.  Towards the top she stopped and turned, sniffing the air once more and called back to them before heading off with her family.

woollymammoth5-1-jpg

For a moment the three men stood there staring at the wondrous sights around them.  But then Jason said, “Sergeant Ross will be looking for us, and she’ll have others with her.”

“True,” Otto sighed and led the other two back out the way they’d entered.

“How long will the opening last?” Jason asked once they were back in the forest>

“Another day, maybe two,” Otto replied.  “I’d like to come back here tomorrow and do a little exploring, if you don’t mind Nathan.”

“I can load up on the red stuff and join you,” his friend offered.

“We’ll see,” Otto told him, “We have no idea how much sun there might be, and remember it would reflect off all that snow and ice.  It might be too much for your system even if it was well fed.  Besides, the weather report for around here is more snow.  I’d rather you deal with any remaining questions Sergeant Ross may have.”

“Indeed,” Jason smiled, “I have a feeling she’ll want to ‘see’ him alone.”

Otto couldn’t resist nudging his young friend and saying, “You dog, you.”

Before Nathan could respond, they came to the clearing near the rocks just as Veronica and several officers, including one who appeared to be her boss.

“There you are,” she cried upon spotting them.  “Did the bear come back at all?”

Otto shook his head and turned to Jason who said, “No, she didn’t.  I think she knew her work was done and has gone home.  Black bears are rarely seen in these parts because they try to avoid humans, but a child in distress was enough for her to make an exception.”

“Huh?  I’ve heard of wild animals protecting or adopting children, but never thought I’d see the day it actually happen,” commented the gruff-looking officer.  Then the man looked at him and Nathaniel and said, “I’m Police Chief Roy Petersen, thanks for your help in finding the girl.  We appreciate it.”

“We were happy to help,” Otto replied and then noticed the fellow looking at him curiously.

“Have we met before?” the man asked, “I could swear you seem familiar, especially with that accent.”

“I doubt it, this is my first time here in Connecticut,” Otto shook his head. “I don’t come over to America very often.”

Just then Veronica frowned and said, “But Nathan said the two of you investigate reports of strange creatures, like Bigfoot and whatnot.”

‘From now on Nathan does not get to do the talking,’ thought Otto as he quickly came up with a reply. “This is true.  But we look into reports from various countries.  There are legends rumors of unknown animals all over the world.”

This seemed to satisfy her as she shot a glance at Nathan who smiled back.

Otto quietly resigned himself to the fact that they would probably be sticking around at least for a few more days.

“How is Julianna?” asked Jason, anxious to know how his niece was doing.  He would’ve dearly loved to have held and spoken to her for even just a few minutes, but circumstances being what they were had prevented it.

“She’s fine, in fact she’s doing really well,” Chief Petersen smiled.  “Dispatch got a call from your wife just as we were heading out.  Your brother and his family were found alive and well out at sea.  Their ship took a pounding during the storm which drove them way off course and knocked out their radio equipment.  But everyone’s fine and they’re being towed back to port even as we speak.  With a little luck, they’ll be joining you on Christmas day.  So it looks like our work is done here.”

“Indeed it does,” he smiled back and then noticed Nathan glancing back at the cave and thought, ‘Almost.’

Bonnechere_Winter04

As the clock struck midnight, Jason made his way through the snow once more.  Julianna was safe and resting comfortably.  He’d asked her many questions about her experience and her responses had both warmed his heart and troubled him slightly.  She remembered things exactly as Nathan had instructed, but she had asked questions about things like how large the ‘bear’ had been.  To her the animal that had protected her had seemed much larger than any black or even grizzly bear.  And there had been something odd about the beast’s claws…

He sighed inwardly.  She was going to follow the path, just as he and his brother had.  He had hoped it would be one of his own children, but they had not shown any sign of interest or talent for it.  In fact, they hardly showed any inclination to even really learn the stories or herbal remedies that had been passed down through the years.  Whereas his niece, she could never get enough.

It was something he’d have to discuss with his brother, but after the holidays.  There was no need to burden him with what may come to pass down the road.

Besides, there was another who needed his help right now.

He had just reached the area where the cliff face stood with its low narrow cave entrance.  His ears could detect voices coming from inside.  One of them he recognized and smiled.  Yes, he had not been mistaken in placing his trust in his new friends, particularly this one.

Closing his eyes, he listened carefully, filtering out the sounds of the wind and trees until he could hear ‘them’.

“So you’re parent’s car flipped over and you were thrown from the wreck?” Nathan was saying to the twelve-year old boy before him.  The lad was huddled up close to his dog.

He could clearly see the boy’s dog still seemed uncertain about what to make of him.  But there was little he could do about it.  Misting would not help in this particular case.

“That’s right,” Michael nodded.  “I tried to reach the car to get at my parents, but I could see from all the blood they were dead.  Then that big animal started roaring and stomping around and Riff and I took off running.”

“Looks like you hit your head pretty good,” Nathan remarked.  “That’s quite a bump you got there.”

“Yeah,” the boy nodded, touching his head.  “I must’ve hit the doorframe when I got thrown.  I remember feeling really dizzy as me and Riff headed into the woods.  He stayed with me the whole time, wouldn’t leave my side even once.”

“Then you found this cave and crawled inside, am I right?”

“We had to,” Michael told him.  “That thing was still out there and it seemed to be following us.  When Riff led me to the cave, I could see right away the thing wouldn’t be able to get inside, so I let him help me in and then we just curled up together and waited for the creature to go away.”

“Only it didn’t, it kept hanging around didn’t it?”

“Yeah,” the boy nodded and touched his head.  “Dunno how long we’ve been in here.  I kind of fell asleep and then I heard that girl crying and knew the creature would go after her so…”

“So you called out to her and tried to keep her safe?”

“Yeah, I didn’t want it to hurt her like it did my folks.”

Nathan frowned, “I thought you said the creature killed them.”

The boy hesitated, “I thought so too, but when I was asleep I dreamed I heard them calling to me.  And then today, when I was watching you and the others dealing with the thing, I heard them again.  Do you think they might be okay?”

Before he could answer, Nathan’s sharp ears detected chanting coming from outside the cave.  He recognized the voice immediately, but the song was different than the one he’d heard earlier.  Yet it filled him with a sense of longing.

Then he heard more voices calling as if from a distance, but getting nearer.

Both Michael and Riff heard them too and stood up.  “That sounds like Mom and Dad… can you hear them?  Or am I just dreaming again?”

“No,” Nathan assured him, “I hear them too.”

Michael started forward and then stopped, “What if the creature is still out there or comes back?”

“It won’t,” Nathan assured him.  “She’s gone home and now it’s your turn.”

The boy hugged his dog and murmured, “I’m afraid.”

“I’ll carry you, both of you,” Nathan offered and removed the dark heavy cloak he’d changed into before coming back here. After wrapping both Michael and Riff in it, he lifted them up and headed for the opening.

“I hope we’re not too heavy for you,” the boy whispered as they drew closer to the entryway.  “Riff’s pretty big.”

“You guys aren’t that heavy,” Nathan assured him and even felt a faint wagging of a tail as he stepped out into the clearing.

There off to his left he spotted Jason continuing his chant, while a man and a woman stood near the trees with their arms outstretched.  “Michael!” they cried in unison.

“Mom!  Dad!” the boy cried and rushed to meet them, with Riff following close behind.

Nathan stayed still, his arms still held out as the reunited family hugged and laughed, before slowly fading before his eyes.

Once they were gone, Jason finished his chant and approached him.  “Do not look sad my friend, they’ve been searching for him all this time. And now they have all moved on, just as you have.”

“Is it that obvious?” Nathan asked, shifting the bundle in his arms ever so gently.

“How long have yours been gone?”

“Over a hundred and thirty years,” Nathan told him.  “But I do have other family.  It’s an extended family which is composed of many homes and people who know what I am, and that I’ll always watch over them.”

“My people belonged to the Iroquois, and we used to live in longhouses that were comprised of many families who lived together,” Jason remarked.  “You’re extended family sounds much the same.  I would honored if you would count my family among them.”

Nathan thought about it for a moment and then said, “I’d like that too.  But, some of them are going to have to know the truth about me.  I don’t age like normal people.  If I keep coming back to visit, I’ll either have to wear make-up to look older or…”

“My wife and my eldest boys are fully aware of the other worlds,” Jason interrupted.  “Remember, I told you before about that which my ancestors imprisoned so long ago.  Well, that prison still exists and it is my job to keep watch over it and make sure the thing does not escape.  After I’m gone one of my children, or possibly one of my brother’s, will take over the job.”  Here the shaman paused and turned to him and said, “I would feel better knowing they had someone like you to help guard their back.”

Nathan smiled, touched by his friend’s words.  “Of course I will.”

“Good, it would be nice to add to my family at Christmas.  You and Otto will join us.”

Hearing the note of finality in his friend’s voice, Nathan nodded.  “Of course,”

As those two words left his lips the beam of a flashlight appeared among the trees.

A moment later, the familiar form of Chief Petersen, followed by one of his male officers appeared.  “Okay Jason, I’m back just like you asked.  What did you find…?  Oh no, please don’t tell me that’s Rachel?”

“No, it’s Michael Broughman,” the shaman replied.

“The boy who disappeared after his parent’s car crashed eight years ago?”

“I’m afraid so,” Nathan nodded.

“Where did you find him?”

“Inside the cave,” Jason answered.  “Julianna told me about a boy she’d seen in there who’d helped her.  We never saw anyone come out, so Nathan and I came back to see if he was still there.”

“And apparently he was,” Roy shook his head in disbelief.  “But she said he ‘helped’ her?  How?  Are you telling me she saw a ghost?”

“Perhaps,” Jason shrugged.

“Or maybe she simply saw the shadow of the remains and imagined he was real,” suggested Nathan.  “The mind can play tricks on people, especially when their stressed or upset.”

Chief Petersen took a closer look at the bundle and nodded.  “Looks like the boy took a nasty blow to the head in the crash, probably a concussion.  The dog knew he was hurt and wouldn’t leave him so it tried to keep him warm and they both froze to death,” he sighed.  “Well, at least now they can reunited with his folks and rest in peace together.”

“They already are I’m sure,” Nathan heard Jason reply as they both stared into the woods, which gleamed like a frozen cathedral in the night.

magical snowy night

THE END?  OR WOULD YOU LIKE AN EPILOGUE?  PLEASE LEAVE AN ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.  I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TO OFFER, BUT ONLY IF YOU ASK FOR IT MY FRIENDS…

by

“Home For Christmas: A Para-Earth Holiday Tale” – Part Two

icy barbed wire

FRIENDS AND STRANGERS

     “We have company,” Nathan heard his friend murmur, and simply nodded.

     He’d heard the approach of the car but hadn’t bothered to look up.  His mind was solely focused on the barbed wire stained with blood.

     More than one being had passed this way earlier, but the snow had already covered the tracks.  The blood appeared to be human, but he had been fooled before.  Touching a finger to the barb, he found the blood was still wet.  Without hesitation he tasted it…

     Veronica was keeping an eye on two men kneeling by the barbed wire fence across the road.  Her original intention had been to stop and ask if they’d seen a little girl, but now then she saw the one in the full length parka reaching out to the barbed wire.  He touched one of the points and then began sucking his finger.

     Normally this wouldn’t have seemed all that odd, but it was the way he’d done it.  He hadn’t pulled his finger back quickly or yelped, as if he’d hurt himself.  Instead he’d moved slowly and had the most intense look on his face.  It was that, which really caught her attention.

     She’d seen that kind of expression before on some of her fellow officers.  It was one that said a clue had been found.

     Studying them carefully she noted that neither man appeared to be armed, nor were they dressed for hunting wild game.  ‘So what were they doing around here?’ she began to wonder when a figure appeared beside her.

    “They seem to be searching for something, don’t they, Sergeant?” the newcomer observed, quietly.

     Turning she saw the familiar profile of Jason Cloudfoot, the missing girl’s uncle.  He didn’t even glance at her.  His focus was solely on the two strangers across the road.

    “Or someone,” she whispered back and stepped forward, while keeping one hand close to her gun.  “Excuse me? Have either of you gentleman seen a little girl, around nine years old, come by here?”

    The two men exchanged a look and then the younger one stood up.  “No, but someone’s come through here recently and pricked themselves on this barbed wire,” he told them.

     ‘Oh dear God let this be a lead,’ she thought and quickened her pace, totally oblivious to the fact that Jason had not followed her.

     As soon as she reached the pair, she bent down and saw that indeed someone had cut themselves on one of the points.  At a guess, she suspected it was just the right height for a nine year old girl to try and climb through.

     Unfortunately, the wind and falling snow had already erased any footprints.   “Damn, if only we knew whether it was really Julie’s blood and not some poacher who cut through here,” she muttered.

     “Is that the girl’s name?” asked the younger of the two men.

     Veronica nodded and looked at him.  From beneath the hood of his long parka, she could see he had blonde hair and a pair of eyebrows that seemed to give him a perpetual scowl.  But the warmth in his eyes hinted at a much kinder and caring nature, she hoped.

     “Yes, it is,” she told him and then asked, “How long have you two been in this area?”

Instead of answering, the young man turned to his friend who replied, “Hmm… I’d say about an hour so.”

     “I see,” she nodded and fixed her gaze at the one in the parka.  “Neither of you are from around here, may I ask your names?”

     This time the older man spoke up.  “Well, in spite all the snow that is making my beard turn white, I am not Santa Claus.  My name is Professor Otto Hofstadter, and this is my research assistant, Nathan Steward.”

     The young man smiled and gave a slight bow, which made her wonder.  For someone who had to be her age, his manners seemed a bit old-fashioned.

     She smiled politely, but silently raised her guard again.  Why had the one called Nathaniel had to check with his friend about how long they’d been here?  She’d seen similar behavior between suspects when they were being questioned when they were trying to keep their stories straight.

     Eyes narrowed she asked them, “And neither of you saw anyone else during that time?”

     The younger man shook his head. “I was inside the trailer until about five minutes ago.”

     “Doing what?” she asked curiously.

     But before either man could answer Jason joined their little group saying, “Resting, from the look of things, Sergeant.”

     “And how do you know that?” she demanded, shooting an annoyed look at him.

   “Because while you were over here asking questions, I went inside the trailer,” the tall Native American replied.  “It was wrong of me to do so I know, but as a police officer you have to follow certain rules.  Whereas I am simply a man looking for his niece, and I don’t have time to worry about social niceties.”

      She just stared at him for a moment and then shook her head.  A part of her couldn’t blame him.  Julie was his responsibility and he was obviously very afraid for her.

     Sighing she turned back to Nathaniel and his friend and briefly caught the two men exchanging strange looks, but then it was gone.  But she was sure something had just passed between them.

    But before she could form her next question the professor asked, “How long has the girl been missing?”

    “Since this morning,” Jason answered, “She developed Chicken Pox two weeks ago and had to stay with me and my family, while her parents and older brothers headed back to sea.”

     “They went on a cruise?” the one called Nathan frowned.

     “No,” Jason corrected him, “My brother and his wife are marine biologists.  Then this morning I got a call that my brother’s research vessel had been caught in a storm and all contact had been lost four days ago.  The searchers had found nothing and were now turning their efforts into a… recovery operation.”

     “And the poor girl she overheard everything and took off crying; am I right?” Professor Hofstadter asked.

    “I’m afraid so,” Jason nodded.  “Julianna has gotten into the habit of running off into the woods when she’s upset.  She says it helps her calm down and forget her troubles.”

    Veronica watched Nathan’s eyebrows furrow, giving him a more intense look than before as he asked, “What kind of troubles does she have?”

     It was a good question, she had to admit.  No one had bothered to tell her back at the station why Julie had run off.  Whoever this fellow was a part of her was starting to like him.

     “My niece is a bit overweight and has become more sensitive about it recently.  She’d been teased a lot back at school and even my own children started giving her a hard time about it until I made them stop.  They hadn’t meant any real harm since she was their cousin, but her feelings had been hurt so she was still feeling very emotional.  Then when the call came she overheard and took off before any of us realized what had happened,” Jason explained.

     “The poor thing,” Veronica sighed, feeling more determined than ever to find the girl.  “Assuming the blood on the barbed wire is Julie’s…”

     “It is,” she heard Nathan murmur almost inaudibly, and did a double-take.

      Staring at him she said quietly, “I though you said you hadn’t seen anyone come through here?”

“I didn’t,” he replied and looked her straight in the eye.  “But every fiber of my body is screaming that it was her.”  Then he turned and stared out into the field.  “There’s a little girl out there and she needs to be found NOW!  It’s going to be dark within the hour and the temperature is dropping fast.”

     Hearing the same thoughts she’d had back at the station, struck a tone within Veronica.  “I take it you both want to help?”

    “Absolutely,” Professor Hofstadter, “Now since we already suspect she came this way, I suggest the four of us start searching from here and stay in contact by radio.”

     Veronica looked at him, “Do you have any on you?”

    “Back in the trailer, come.  You can call in more help from your station while we’re at it,” the older man suggested as they headed back across the road, while Jason and Nathan remained at the fence.

 trailer

      Nathan stared out at the white expanse.  A part of him had hoped that the girl’s uncle would have gone with Otto and the policewoman, so he could send out a small search party of his own.  But the man had stayed behind and was watching him out of the corner of his eye.  The fellow obviously suspected something.  He’d admitted to going inside the trailer to search for the girl.  Had he found the refrigeration unit with the supply of blood bags?

      As if knowing his thoughts the tall man said quietly, “You have been places where no other man has set foot before, haven’t you?”

    Nathan caught the unspoken hint in those words.  The first time he’d met Otto back a similar conversation had sprouted up between them in a similar manner.  He studied the man for a moment and noted his skin tone and long black hair.  Surely he was of Native American descent.  He also held himself in a manner that more than hinted at authority.

     “Yes,” he said finally.  “Do any of the stories or legends of your tribe speak of strange places that few have ever suspected were real?”

    “They do,” his companion nodded, “In fact I know them all.  You see it is my responsibility to know all things pertaining to my people: our traditions, medicines, and folklore.”

     Upon hearing this Nathan turned to his companion and looked up at him in surprise.  “You’re a shaman?”

The man nodded.  “And I know many things, including that such places as you and I have been discussing do exist.  One of my people from long ago, before we called ourselves Seneca, entered one of those places.”

     “By accident?”

     “No, he went by choice to find a way to save our people from a being that did not belong in this world.”

     “And did he succeed?” Nathan asked quietly.

    “Indeed he did,” said his new acquaintance with pride, “There was no way to send the thing back, but he brought an object with him that allowed us to imprison the creature and keep it from harming others ever again.”

     Nathan smiled and nodded, but a part of him was troubled.  “Was he the same when he came back from that other place?”

     “Yes, but he was more wise than before.  He had seen and learned much during his period in that other reality that was so much like ours, yet so different,” here the man paused to at him and added solemnly, “You were not as fortunate.”

     “Depends on who you ask,” Nathan replied with a sigh.  “My life has been extended far beyond that of any man.  But my body’s requirements changed.”

    “Yes, I found that which you keep cold and hidden from sight,” the one called Jason nodded.  “Tell me, did you enter that other place by choice?”

     “No, it happened purely by chance,” Nathan told him.  “I was a soldier, fighting to protect others.”

     “Drafted?”

     “Volunteered.”

     “Then you had a good heart,” his companion nodded, staring out into the empty field.

     Behind them Nathan could hear Otto and the police sergeant starting to head back their way.  “Our friends are about to rejoin us,” he murmured just loud enough for the other man to hear.

     “I know,” Jason replied without looking at him.  “Can you tell me one thing?  Did you find that your heart had changed after you came back?”

     Without pause, Nathan shook his head.  “No, I’m still the same man I was before.”

     Jason studied the stranger carefully.  Deep down he sensed that the man before him, was indeed a good person.  But still he had to be sure.  “Then please show me,” he told the fellow.  “If you have any gifts that can help me find my niece, please use them and know that you’re secret will be safe.  It getting dark and the snow is getting worse.”

     For several seconds nothing happened.

    Then he noticed the young man’s brow furrow in concentration.  A moment later, the fellow’s right hand disappeared into the sleeve of his jacket. This was followed by the arm of the jacket slowly ‘deflating’ as if the arm that occupied it was shrinking or withering away.

   As Jason stared in wonder, his sharp eyes detected movement within the rest of the coat, as if dozens of tiny creatures were racing down towards the man’s feet.

Suddenly a flurry of mice, the color of blood, began emerging from beneath the edges of Nathan’s floor-length parka.  The creatures began racing across the open field began to slowly spread out in various directions.

    “If they find any trace of your niece, I’ll know,” he heard the young man whisper as the last of the mice emerged and joined their brethren across the snow.

   “Thank you, my friend,” Jason smiled placed a hand on his companion’s shoulder, knowing full well that there was no longer an arm attached.

snowfall at night

TO BE CONTINUED…