The Haunted Mine: A Lorimer Graveskeeper Choose Your Own Adventure Story

Chapter 10: The Desert Witch

The witch's house was not what Lorimer was expecting. Jim led him to the far end of town to a friendly looking cottage. They opened the door to a cheery, bright room filled with books and a fit woman in yoga pants stretching on a mat in the center. She had long, loose grey hair with streaks of white. Her eyes were a luminous pale blue, giving her a dreamy, relaxed look. 

"Namaste, Jim!" She kissed him on both cheeks. "And who is your handsome friend?"  

"Hey Agnes. This is Lorimer, he's new in town. Requires some of your services."

"I see! What interests you specifically? A palm reading? A crystal healing ceremony? Maybe a love potion?" She said, winking.

Lorimer was about to answer but then caught sight of a young kid outside Agnes' window. He was dressed in dirty overalls, his cheeks covered in coal. He was standing stock still and staring at Lorimer. Even from this distance Lorimer could see his chest rise and fall with his heavy, frantic breathing. His lips curled back into a snarl. 

"Are you alright? You look a little pale. " Agnes said, with sudden concern. "Should I get you a glass of water? The heat can be a little much for newcomers..." 

Lorimer ignored her. He couldn't look away from the boy, whose eyes suddenly began to glow red.

Agnes looked out the window, following Lorimer's gaze. 

"Jesus!" She threw the curtains closed.

"Jim! Who the hell have you brought into my house?"

Lorimer looked at her, astonished. "Did you see him?"

"Of course I saw him! I see him out there every day. That kid died of starvation in 1902. Do dead people usually react to you that way?"

"Not until recently. Can he get in here?"

"No. They can't come any nearer than he is right now, but he'll likely be out there patrolling the perimeter for a while." 

"Ok guys, what the hell are you talking about?" Jim asked. 

"We're talking about how you brought a marked man into my house."

"Agnes what are you doing?" Jim said. 

"Your friend has been marked by someone on the other side. By the looks of that kid out there he's been marked for slaughter. " Agnes said, looking at Lorimer.

He thought of the trouble in New York. Marked for slaughter, that would certainly explain his increasingly aggressive encounters with the dead in the last 6 months. The feeling that overwhelmed him, however, wasn't fear but relief. Finally, after all this time, someone who might know something about what has been happening to him.

Jim tapped his shoulder. "Listen, Lo. I think Cecile might have been right. Let's get out of here."

"No, no, Jim. I'm fine." 

"Suit yourself. There's a game on at 2 I want to catch and she's giving me the willies. I can meet you back at the bar."

"Sure, see you there," Lorimer said.

"Agnes, always a pleasure."

Agnes narrowed her gaze on Lorimer as Jim walked out of the door. 

"Tell me what happened to you."

Lorimer told his story for the second time in two days. Agnes listened carefully and asked no questions. When Lorimer was finally finished it had been nearly an hour, and Agnes went into the back of her bookstore and brought out two mugs of tea.

"Here, to calm your nerves."

"Do you know why this is happening to me? Why can we see them? Why are they after me?"

"Well, it sounds like that man thinks you murdered him. There are certain acts, certain powerful feelings that can tear down the wall between the living world and the world inhabited by spirits who haven't gone on. Your guilt made a crack in the wall and his anger blew open that crack until it became a door. He's laid a mark on you that only the dead can see. The mark might be especially troublesome in places like this, where the spirits are so angry and restless. It would be safer for you to get out of town."

"I've never seen them in broad daylight like that before. I've heard them whispering, and they've tried to talk to me before, but I've never seen one ready to spring at me like that. I've never felt like they could actually hurt me, until now."

"It's a sign that the last bit of the wall between you and them is crumbling. I would get out while you can." 

"But I can't live like this anymore, don't you understand? I lived alone in the woods for months. Even if I do find another city with fewer 'restless spirits' how can you say I'll be safe there?"

"I can't. All I know is you're definitely not safe here."

"A woman came to my apartment last night. She looks about 16 years old, looks like she was maybe strangled to death. Says she has answers for me. Says she can help me, even. Wants me to come to the Henderson house with her tonight. I came here today because I heard you know things about this town. I was hoping you knew her story, and whether she could be trusted."

"Ah, so you've met Rebecca."

"Who is Rebecca?"

"In life, she was Rebecca Henderson, married to the man who built this town. I've spoken to her many times in the last few years. She's never brought me any harm. She's told me that she came here when she was 14 years old and lived in that house with Henderson for two years. She said his cruelty to her was only surpassed by the cruelty he inflicted on the slaves who worked in his mines. He often made her an assistant to these cruelties. She was haunted too, by the ghost of a man who couldn't work after breaking his ankle. Henderson forced her on threat of death to drug him and burn him. It was a dark and meager life she lived, and grew increasingly darker every day she failed to produce a child for Henderson. One day, after another failure, he strangled her to death in their home and threw her body in the same furnace he used to burn the bodies of his workers. From what I've seen of her she is not an evil phantom, but one crawling around the earth seeking sympathy. She was so young when this happened to her. She was so greatly weakened by suffering. I think if you go with her she will not be a threat to you. Though I'm not sure how she would be able to help you. Sad, lonely spirits will often lure the living with false promises. I would be careful, even if she does not mean to harm you, just exposing you to the other ghosts in that house might cost you your life. The more terribly the ghosts were wronged in life, the more furiously they will hunt you in death. The wronged dead hate the living, and they will rain their hate down upon you."

"Do you know of any way to unmark me? Any spell, any prayer, anything?"

"Nothing. All I can tell you to do is run. Even if you survive this meeting with Rebecca, I can feel the danger around you blossoming, mutating. If you don't leave soon I'm afraid you never will."

"But if I don't take this chance, I could be on the run forever."

FLEE---> PROCEED TO CHAPTER 12

GO TO THE HOUSE, HEAR WHAT REBECCA HAS TO SAY ---> PROCEED TO CHAPTER 13