CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

 

Peyton opened her eyes to a torrential downpour. She had no idea how she'd gotten from her bed to outside behind the house. She looked up in the darkness and saw the faint light coming from her mother and stepfather's room.

What's going on? Why am I standing here in my nightgown getting soaked?

Just then Peyton heard a dog barking, giving her a start. Turning, she saw Hugh run up to her. Bryant was close behind. He had on his clothes, unlike her, and was also drenched.

"What are you doing out here in the rain?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, and turned the question on him. "I thought you and Luke were going camping?"

"Yeah, we were. But Mother Nature had another idea." He looked up at the sky before turning back to Peyton.

"What's happening?" She was totally confused. "Am I dreaming this?"

"Not unless we're both having the same dream," Bryant said, an edge to his voice. "My dad thought he heard a shot coming from your house. He went to check it out."

"A shot--as in gunshot...?"

"Yeah, maybe."

"Oh no..." Peyton felt lightheaded as dark thoughts surfaced.

"What?" Bryant appeared clueless.

"Don't you see...it's happening like in my dream," she sputtered. "Your father, my mother, and stepfather all together, at night, in the bedroom--"

Bryant peered at her. "What are you saying?"

"Vance is going to kill them...then us!" Peyton was convinced. "We have to stop him!"

Hugh barked as if in agreement.

"I'm not sure about that," Bryant muttered. "But we'd better check it out anyway."

He took Peyton's hand and headed to the house. Once they got closer, both noticed the opening to the secret passageway.

"Dad must have used it to save time," Bryant speculated. "We'll do the same thing. Come on, boy!"

Peyton could not believe what still seemed like another nightmare was very real this time.

She led them through the passageway till they reached the opening to the study behind the bookcase.

Please don't let us be too late.

They could hear voices shouting. Peyton and Bryant scaled the stairs, followed closely by Hugh. When they reached the second story, Peyton hesitated for an instant, terrified of seeing her dream replayed in vivid, deadly color. But any such fear was replaced by the desire to prevent a terrible tragedy, and knowing Bryant was at her side.

She burst through the door with Bryant and Hugh, immediately laying eyes on her stepfather at the foot of the bed. His dark eyes were slits, his mouth a tight line. The shotgun that was supposed to be a prop was in his hands.

Hugh growled, baring his teeth at Vance, who appeared unaffected.

Beyond him Peyton saw her mother on the bed, half covered by a blanket. Horror was written all over her face.

Luke was standing just off to the side of the bed, wet clothes sticking to him like they were part of his body.

"Get out of here--both of you!" he demanded.

"What was the shot all about?" Bryant gazed uneasily at his father, then Vance.

Luke frowned. "Never mind, son--just go! Take Peyton and Hugh with you."

"We're not leaving, Dad," Bryant said. "Not till we know what's going on here."

Vance jerked his head to look at Bryant and Hugh. For a moment his eyes seemed to have an eerie red glow to them as he bellowed, "You will get out--now!"

He lifted one of his hands in a sweeping motion. Bryant and Hugh were suddenly airborne and literally tossed out of the room. Then the door slammed shut. Peyton heard Bryant trying to open it, but it wouldn't budge as he called out in vain to her and his father.

Peyton realized now that everything was just like the last dream she'd had. Vance was going to kill them all, then himself. She was the only one who could stop him.

"Please, Vance," she begged, "you don't know what you're doing!"

"I know exactly what I'm doing," he snarled, giving her a wicked gaze. "Your mother is nothing more than a tramp. And the caretaker took full advantage of that. Now they both have to die!"

"No, they don't! You're making a mistake. Mom was not having an affair with Luke. You have to believe that!"

"That's what I've been trying to tell him," Luke said tensely. "I'm not involved with your wife, Vance."

"It's the truth," cried Melody.

"Enough of these lies!" roared Vance. "Think I'm such a fool not to know what's been going on behind my back?"

Peyton was desperate to do something. She had to get through to her stepfather somehow.

"Don't you see, this isn't you talking, Vance," she said, her voice quavering. "It's Byron St. Claire who once lived in this house. Fifty years ago today he murdered his wife, daughter, and the caretaker. Now he's trying to make you do the same thing. But you have to fight it, please. Otherwise you'll have innocent blood on your hands..."

For an instant this seemed to register with Vance, and Peyton clung to the hope that tragedy could be avoided. But just as quickly it became clear to her that he fully intended to carry out this misplaced act of vengeance.

"They're not innocent--they're guilty as sin," blared Vance. "Neither one is fit for living!"

He turned the shotgun at Luke, who lunged towards Vance in a gallant attempt to save himself and Melody. But the gun went off, exploding into Luke's chest. The impact lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall.

Peyton felt her knees grow weak as this horrifying scenario was being played out exactly like her dream. And, similarly, she seemed helpless to do anything about it. Yet she had to try.

She dove towards her stepfather as Vance aimed the shotgun at her mother.

Grabbing the barrel, Peyton screamed, "You can't kill her!"

"Let go of the gun, girl," Vance snapped. "This isn't your concern."

"It is my concern!" Peyton refused to back down. "If you want to kill her, you'll have to kill us both!"

"Do what he says, Peyton, and let go of the gun," her mother implored. "Please, you can't die--not like this..."

"Neither can you," she responded, trying to hold onto the barrel as Vance fought to gain control of the shotgun.

Peyton knew what was about to happen. She had seen it enough times in her dreams. He would shoot her; then kill her mother, before carrying Peyton out to the bay and drowning her along with himself. She was unable to do anything about it, other than pray and hope death was swift.

Peyton wondered if they would also become trapped inside this house for all of eternity, alongside the St. Claires and Trevor Newbury. If so, did that mean she might never see her father again, even in death?

A sudden gust of wind seemed to come from nowhere and Peyton found herself being pushed backwards by an invisible force, making her release the gun barrel. This was not part of the scenario Peyton had witnessed before, frightening her even more.

What was happening?

Even Vance looked confused for a moment, but recovered to aim the gun at Peyton's mother. Peyton tried to go to her defense, but was somehow prevented from doing so, as if being pinned down by powerful hands.

Then she did see something. Or someone.

Appearing between Vance and the bed was a sturdy male ghostly image. Peyton realized with astonishment that it was her father.

"Dad...?" She could barely believe her eyes.

He looked at her, but said nothing. Turning back to Vance, her father grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and the two men battled for possession of it.

Then Peyton watched with utter amazement as a ghostly Byron St. Claire pulled out of Vance's body, holding a transparent shotgun. He continued to fight with her father for control of the weapon.

Peyton held her breath, not certain of the outcome or even if this was really happening.

After several heart-pounding seconds, her father wrested the shotgun from Byron's grasp and tossed it aside. He glared at the man, daring him to try and get it back. Byron St. Claire suddenly looked like a defeated person, lowering his head.

Peyton looked with wide eyes as the ghost of Rebecca St. Claire sat upright from her mother's body and joined her husband, Byron. Then Trevor Newbury's spirit emerged from Luke's body and stood.

Lastly, Peyton watched in disbelief as Caitlyn seemed to emerge from her body. They looked at each other, but Peyton was at a loss for words.

Caitlyn was not. "Thank you for setting us free, Peyton," she said softly. "Somehow I knew you would. I'll never forget you--"

She drifted past Peyton's father and joined her parents. They, along with Trevor Newbury, vanished together.

Peyton was still speechless as her father moved toward her. "Dad, is it really you...?"

A smile lit his handsome face. "It's me, sweetheart."

Peyton put a hand to her mouth, the enormity of it all weighing on her. "You came back to save us?"

"No, Peyton, you saved everyone. I just fed off your energy and Caitlyn's and did my part to help out. I couldn't let anything happen to you or your mother before your time. I love you both too much for that."

"I love you, too." Peyton wept.

He tried to touch her face. Peyton couldn't feel it, but there was warmth on her cheek that she knew came from his spirit.

Her father moved toward the bed, where Melody was crying, seemingly in a state of shock.

"How is this possible?" she asked.

"I can't explain, other than to say that life and death are not always black and white," he told her. "This is that gray area where many things are possible if the need is strong enough."

"There's so much I never got to say--"

"I know and it's all right. I'll always love you, Mel. Don't be too hard on Vance. He's a good man, when he's not possessed by an evil spirit."

"Thank you, darling." Melody's voice cracked. "For everything."

He smiled. "Thank you for being the person you've always been to me and our daughter."

Peyton watched as her father eyed Vance, who appeared to have been transfixed, the shotgun on the floor beside him. The two men seemed to share an understanding and mutual respect before Vance rushed to her mother's side.

Peyton's father looked at her somberly. "I have to go now. Take good care of your mother when Vance isn't there."

"I will," Peyton said, sobbing. "I promise."

"That's my girl." He smiled. "I love you, Peyton."

"Love you, Dad," she reiterated. "Always will."

Peyton watched her father disappear, much like the St. Claires and Trevor Newbury had, as if never there.

Suddenly the door burst open and Bryant dashed in with Hugh. Both looked a bit shaken up, but otherwise unharmed.

"What happened?" Bryant asked, gazing wide-eyed at Peyton.

Before she could answer, they both heard a moan coming from Luke.

"Go check on him," Peyton said. "We can talk later."

As Bryant hurried to his father's aid, Peyton turned to her mother. Vance was comforting her as best he could and she responded in kind.

Hugh whimpered and Peyton patted his head reassuringly, knowing the dog had been just as affected by the strange turn of events as everyone else.

She was certain that, in spite of the ordeal they had been put through, it had somehow been necessary to rid the house of its ghosts and darkness. Again, she mentally thanked her father and Caitlyn for making it happen.

Peyton glanced at Luke. He was sitting up now and looked like he would weather the storm that hit him in the form of Byron St. Claire. She joined her mother and stepfather in a heartfelt embrace.