Haunting

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

“That’s black magic shit.”

“How do you know?” Jordan asked curiously.

“When I found out I was part gypsy when I was nine I became obsessed with magic. I was devastated when I realised real Romani aren’t like the ones in Buffy, casting spells and stuff.” She explained.

“You’re a Gypsy?” Joanie asked her.

“Well, part,” Shannon said. “My grandmother was. When she was really young she lived in Croatia, travelling around and stuff. But when world war two happened, Jews weren’t the only ones persecuted. Most of the gypsy population in Western Europe was eradicated. My grandmother escaped here alone.”

“Whoa,” Flick whispered.

“So,” Ben said, changing the subject after a short pause. “Are we allowed to look in the secret room?”

“It’s your life,” Joanie said with a chuckle, knocking into his shoulder.

Ben was about to respond when Thaddeus called out from the house. “Shannon!” he called drawing their attention. “I found something else.”

“Another room?” Jordan said hopefully.

“Na,” he said, joining them on the lawn, “something much smaller. And creepier.” He tossed something to Shannon and she unconsciously caught it.

When she opened her fist to see what it was her eyes widened in shock.

Flick let out a small scream when peered over Shannon’s shoulder and she saw it. “What is it?” Flick asked cautiously, after getting over her brief shock.

“It’s a poppet… I think.” Shannon said, staring at the gruesome object sitting in her palm.

“What’s a poppet?” Flick asked Shannon, equally quiet, being the only other person who could actually see what it was.

Shannon blinked a few times before she was composed enough to answer. “It’s like a voo doo doll, kind of.” She answered, dazed. A million thoughts where running through her mind as she examined the talisman. The only ones she could comprehend were not good, not by a long shot.

The others watched as the two girls stared at the object, but none moved forward to look. The look on Shannon and Flick’s faces were enough to make them pause.

Finally Jordan got the courage to step forward, his curiosity overwhelming his fear. “Is that… a… b… bone?” he managed to stutter.

Ben and Joanie gasped.

“Yeah,” Flick confirmed in a whisper, while Shannon just nodded her head.

Jordan looked at the faces of his companions, not sure if he really wanted to voice his next question. He did anyway. “Human?”

This time it was Shannon who answered, Flick had no idea.

“Finger.” Shannon stated before dropping the crudely made poppet on the grass and rushing towards the chest.

She dropped to her knees and rummaged through the box, despite the lingering stench. She pulled out two leather bound books. She looked at the cover of the first one but tossed it aside. When she flipped over the second book she saw something that made her stop in her tracks. She rubbed her hand along the back of her neck before tracing the symbol etched onto the cover of the book.

It was her tattoo.

She flipped open the book and looked at the front page. The book was old, very, very old and Shannon could feel the power radiating off the pages.