Iris, Goddess of Rainbows, Meets the West Wind By Diana McCollum

http://dianamccollum.weebly.com/

Copyright 1/30/2015

Iris plopped down on her white cloud bed only to find it lumpy and hard.  She stood up and waved the clouds aside to reveal her sisters the brats, uh, harpies, Aello, Celaeno, and Ocypete.  They tittered and laughed and flew up to the corner of the room out of her reach.

Iris unfolded her wings and waved them back and forth creating a breeze strong enough to blow the harpies out of her room.  Before Aello left the room she shouted over her shoulder, “Father wants to see you now, Iris.”

Summoned by her father, Thaumas, one of the sea gods, meant one of two things.  Either he had found her future husband or something was wrong in the mortal world.  It didn’t matter which it was she was screwed.  Her father and mother, Electra patron of Gilly pond in Ireland, insisted the time had come for Iris to marry.  Her mother wanted grandbabies and her father wanted her settled and living in her own household.  Father’s hands were full trying to rein in the hyper-active triplets. 

The mortal world should be in good stead.  Let’s see she had watered the appropriate clouds for rain, she had placed the proper number of rainbows, and had delivered all the messages left in her in box by the various gods.  This time she had remembered to change to mortal form when delivering the messages from the gods, so she was good there.  Nope, she couldn’t think of any reason for father to be upset with her.

The blue sea motif on the walls of the hall way and the cool tile on her bare feet sent a chill through her as she descended the length of the passage way.  One more level down and she would be at her father’s chambers.

***

“Cian Boyle is in charge of the leprechauns at Gilly pond, and the leprechauns are having problems with the fairies.  This is upsetting the balance of Harmony in the Fairland’s meadows and forests surrounding Gully pond.  Oceanic Electra, what are you going to do?”  Thaumas boomed, striking his staff on the floor for emphasis.

“I’m sending Iris with a message for dear Cian to come for an audience with us.”  She moved to his side and stroked his arm, hoping to quiet his ill temper.  “I think you and I can kill two birds with one leprechaun.”

“Speak plainly, wife.  I’ve no patience for riddles.”

“Cian needs our help.  And we need his.  He is a close friend with Zephyrus, god of the west wind.  You remember at the banquet last week, the young man who asked for our Iris’s hand in marriage?”

“The same young man that Iris said she would give her wings up rather than marry?”

“The very same one.” 

“Yes, yes, go on.”  Thaumas entwined his hand with Electra’s, pulling her closer; he kissed the back of her hand.  “Pray tell wife, what devious plan are you cooking up?”

***

Iris straightened her robes, tied the gold cord belt around her waist into a pretty bow, and knocked on her father’s door.

“Enter”, Thaumas bellowed.

“Good Eve, father.”  Iris curtsied, still perplexed as to why she was summoned.

“Iris we have an important errand for you.  We need to speak with Cian Boyle.  You must fetch him here.  The leprechauns and fairies are at odds and Fairland and, your mother’s Gilly Pond are in danger.  The balance is off and something must be done.”  His tone left no room for argument.

“Yes, father.  I’ll leave immediately”.  Iris would never disobey her father.  Even if all she wanted to do was take a nap on her cloud bed.  As she turned to leave her mother reached out and touched her sleeve.

“Leprechauns are tricksters.  Be careful dear, and bring only Cian, and bring him directly here.”  Electra smiled at her eldest daughter.

***

Iris led the short little man down the long hallway.

“I’m not liking being here.  The gods, egad, I cannot believe I’ve been summoned.  Tell me missy, where is the goddess Electra?  I know her, she is kind.  I’m not so sure about the rest of them egotistical gods and goddesses.  They might just put me on a platter, serve me up!”  Cian wrinkled his bulbous, red nose as much as was possible.  He stroked his gray beard, took his hat off and then put his hat back on.

“Really Cian!  No one is going truss you up and bake you.  Mother and father just want to talk with you.  They understand there are some problems in Fairland.”  Iris folded her wings in and patted the little man on the head.  “I promise, no harm will come to you.”

She knocked on Thaumas chamber door. 

“Enter.”

“Cian!  Dear friend!”  Electra took his small hand and led him over to Thaumas’s throne. 

“That is all daughter, we’ll see to Cian’s return to Fairland.”

Iris took her leave, closing the door behind her.

***

The next morning Iris was awaken by the harpies.  Aello tickled a feather across Iris’s nose causing her to sneeze which sent the small harpies scattering across the room.

Celaeno and Ocypete buzzed back over to where Iris lay and dove at her like oversized bees. 

“Get out!  Don’t you have some flowers to pollinate or something?”  Iris threw a pillow at Ocypete as she made a dive knocking the small robust harpie across the room.

The mad laughter of the harpies echoed down the hall as they made their escape.

Aello buzzed back, “Father wants to see you, right now Iris!”  She tittered.

What now?  Iris wondered.

“And so there you have it, daughter.  You must settle the feud between the fairies and the leprechauns, and while you are in mortal form.”  Thaumas stroked his long beard. 

Iris had never seen such a sparkle in her father’s eyes before.  Well, if it was that important to him she would do her best to solve the feud. 

Iris landed at the edge of Gilly Pond and placed her clothes and wings behind a bush.  In her mortal form she’d have no use for them.  She summoned her magic and covered herself with mortal clothes.

“Cian?”  She called. 

 “Cian?” Exasperation laced her voice.

“Ah-h, girly, I’m right here.”  Cian stepped from behind a fallen oak tree, leaves crunching under his black buckled boots.  “Do not be so loud least them treacherous fairies know ye are here.”

“So what’s the problem between the leprechauns and the fairies?”

“They are claiming we stole the gold from beneath the rainbow.”

“And did you, steal the gold?”  Iris knew how much leprechauns valued gold, and how they were known to steal or trick you out of your gold.

“It was given to us, by the head fairy himself.”  Cian brushed some dust from his coat sleeve, not making eye contact.

“Given willingly, or did you trick him?”

“I say he gave it eagerly, but if you asked him he might say he was tricked.”  He scraped his boot over the leaves.  “We leprechauns just want to be taken seriously.”

“Then you must stop tricking the fairies.  I want to give the leprechauns a very special job.  You can’t use trickery and you must guard it with your lives.  It is a very important job.  I’ve already talked with the fairies and they’ve agreed.”  She smiled at the nervous little man.

“Is it really important, will we garner some respect from it?”

“Yes.  Whenever I place a rainbow at Gilly pond, the fairies will place a pot of gold at the ends of the rainbow.” She poked him gently in the chest, “And you and your fellow leprechauns will be the security detail.  You will guard the pot of gold until the rightful owner follows the rainbow to the end and claims the pot of gold.  This is an important job that only a trusted leprechaun can do.  Are you all willing to accept this mission?”  She spoke louder so that the leprechauns hiding in the forest would hear her words.

A chorus of 'Yes!' rang from the forest.

“By Gilly, by golly I think you’ve solved our problem.”  He started to waddle towards the forest.  But stopped and turned, “Iris, I have a bit of magic me self.”  He waddled back and handed her a small round stone.  “The very next time you meet a west wind, you must place this stone on the ground before you and face the wind.  Repeat three times, ‘There is good fortune in the west wind, show me your true nature.’.  Then give this stone to the first person you encounter.  I promise you will not regret it.”

What an odd little man she thought, and slipped the stone into her pocket.  She picked her way through the meadow towards Gilly pond.  Rounding a huge boulder a gentle west wind caressed her face and gently lifted her hair.

She fingered the stone.  What the heck?  It was growing warm.  Pulling it out she lay it on the ground before her and repeated what the Leprechaun had said.

The wind picked up speed and twirled around forming a whirlwind.  The dust and leaves blew about and in the middle of the whirlwind appeared a form. 

Her heart beat faster and her throat tightened.  The figure emerged and held out his hand. 

Zephyrus!  Iris picked up the stone and when she placed it in his hand his fingers encircled her hand and the deal was sealed.

Iris belonged to the west wind, and Zephyrus belonged to her.

Once her clothes and wings were back on, she rose hand in hand with Zephyrus up to the heavens.  Iris looked back once waving her free hand and created a spectacular rainbow on Gilly pond.

(If you enjoyed my story please check out my website:       http://dianamccollum.weebly.com/

Iris, Goddess of Rainbows, Meets the West Wind

 by Diana McCollum

Iris plopped down on her white cloud bed only to find it lumpy and hard.  She stood up and waved the clouds aside to reveal her sisters the brats uh, harpies: Aello, Celaeno, and Ocypete.  They tittered, and flew up to the corner of the room, out of her reach.

Iris unfolded her wings and waved them back and forth, creating a breeze strong enough to blow the harpies out of her room.  Before Aello left the room she shouted over her shoulder, “Father wants to see you now, Iris.”

Summoned by her father, Thaumas, one of the sea gods, meant one of two things.  Either he had found her future husband or something was wrong in the mortal world.  Whichever it was, she was screwed.  Her father and mother, Electra, goddess and patron of Gilly Pond in Ireland, insisted the time had come for Iris to marry.  Her mother wanted grandbabies and her father wanted her settled and living in her own household.  Father’s hands were full trying to rein in the hyper-active triplets. 

Iris was content in her father’s residence.  To marry would mean leaving all she knew behind, and losing her independence, what little she had.  It wasn’t like she didn’t have suitors.  She had plenty.  In fact the handsome Zephyrus was interested in her, but she didn’t want to be a slave to any god.  They could be very egotistical, and demanding.

The mortal world should be in good stead.  Let’s see I watered the appropriate clouds for rain, I placed the proper number of rainbows, and I delivered all the messages left in my inbox by the various gods.  This time she had remembered to change to mortal form when delivering the messages from the gods, so she was good there.  Nope, she couldn’t think of any reason for father to be upset with her.

The blue sea motif on the walls of the hall way and the cool tile on her bare feet sent a chill through her as she descended the length of the passage way.  One more level down and she would be at her father’s chambers.

***

“Cian Boyle is in charge of the leprechauns at Gilly Pond, the leprechauns are having problems with the fairies.”  Thaumas boomed.  “This is upsetting the balance of Harmony in the Fairland’s meadows and forests surrounding Gilly Pond.  Oceanic Electra, what are you going to do?”   He struck his staff on the floor for emphasis.

“I’m sending Iris with a message for dear Cian to come for an audience with us.”  Electra moved to his side and stroked his arm, hoping to quiet his ill temper.  “I think you and I can kill two birds with one leprechaun.”

“Speak plainly, Wife.  I’ve no patience for riddles.”

“Cian needs our help.  And we need his.  He is a close friend with Zephyrus, God of the West Wind.  You remember at the banquet last week, the young man who asked for our Iris’s hand in marriage?”

“The same young man that Iris said she would give her wings up rather than marry?”

“The very same one.”  She sighed, “Iris has naught against Zephyrus, but wishes to keep her independence.  Iris claims marriage is not for her.”

“Yes, yes, go on.”  Thaumas entwined his fingers with Electra’s.  Pulling her closer; he kissed the back of her hand.  “Pray tell Wife, what devious plan are you cooking up?”

***

Iris straightened her robes, tied the gold cord belt around her waist into a pretty bow, and knocked on her father’s door.

“Enter,” Thaumas bellowed.

“Good Eve, Father.”  Iris curtsied, still perplexed as to why she was summoned.

“Iris, we have an important errand for you.  We need to speak with Cian Boyle.  You must fetch him here.  The leprechauns and fairies are at odds in Fairland and, your mother’s Gilly Pond is in danger.  The balance is off and something must be done.”  His tone left no room for argument.

“Yes, father.  I’ll leave immediately.”  Iris would never dare to disobey her father, even if all she wanted to do was take a nap on her cloud bed. 

As she turned to leave her mother reached out and touched her sleeve.

“Leprechauns are tricksters.  Be careful dear, and bring only Cian.  Bring him directly here.”  Mother smiled at her.

***

After fetching Cian, Iris led the short little man down the long hallway to meet her father.

“I’m not liking being here,” he said.  “The gods, egad, I cannot believe I’ve been summoned.  Tell me missy, where is the goddess Electra?  I know her.  She is kind.  I’m not so sure about the rest of them egotistical gods and goddesses.  They might just put me on a platter, serve me up!”  Cian wrinkled his bulbous, red nose as much as was possible.  He stroked his gray beard, took his hat off and then put his hat back on.

“Really Cian!  No one is going truss you up and bake you.  Mother and father just want to talk with you.  They understand there are some problems in Fairland.”  Iris folded her wings in and patted the little man on the head.  “I promise no harm will come to you.”

She knocked on Thaumas's chamber door. 

Electra opened the door.  “Please come in.”

“Cian!  Dear friend!”  Electra took his small hand and led him over to Thaumas’s throne. 

“That is all daughter, we’ll see to Cian’s return to Fairland.”  Thamus said.

Iris took her leave, feeling a bit left out.  Hadn’t she brought the reluctant leprechaun here, and for what?

***

The next morning Iris was awakened by the harpies.  Aello tickled a feather across Iris’s nose, causing her to sneeze, which sent the small harpies scattering across the room.

Celaeno and Ocypete buzzed back over to where Iris lay and dove at her like oversized bees. 

“Get out!  Don’t you have some flowers to pollinate or something?”  Iris threw a pillow at Ocypete as she made a dive knocking the small robust harpie across the room.

The mad laughter of the harpies echoed down the hall as they made their escape.

Aello buzzed back, “Father wants to see you, right now Iris!”  She tittered.

Iris rubbed her temple.  What now? 

“And so there you have it, Daughter.”  Thaumas stroked his long beard.  “You must settle the feud between the fairies and the leprechauns, and you must do this while you are in mortal form.”  

Iris had never seen such a sparkle in her father’s eyes before.  If it was that important to him, she would do her best to solve the feud. 

Shortly after leaving her father, Iris landed at the edge of Gilly Pond.  She placed her clothes and wings behind a bush.  In her mortal form she’d have no use for them.  She summoned her magic and covered herself with mortal clothes.

“Cian?”  She called.  “Cian?” Exasperation laced her voice. 

“Ah-h, girly, I’m right here.”  Cian stepped from behind a fallen oak tree, leaves crunching under his black buckled boots.  “Do not be so loud least them treacherous fairies know ye are here.”

“So what’s the problem between the leprechauns and the fairies?”

“They are claiming we stole the gold from beneath the rainbow.”

“And did you steal the gold?”  Iris knew how much leprechauns valued gold, and how they were known to steal or trick others out of their gold.

“It was given to us, by the head fairy himself.”  Cian brushed some dust from his coat sleeve, not making eye contact. 

“Given willingly, or did you trick him?”

“I say he gave the gold eagerly, but if you asked him he might say he was tricked.”  He nonchalantly scraped his boot over the leaves.  “We leprechauns want to be taken seriously.”

          “Then you must stop tricking the fairies.  I want to give the leprechauns a very special job.  You can’t use trickery and you must guard something precious with your lives.  It is a very important job.  I’ve already talked with the fairies and they’ve agreed.”  She smiled at the nervous little man.  “The harmony of Fairland depends on the fairies and leprechauns working together.”

Cian squinted up at her.  “Is it really important, will we garner some respect from doing the job well?”

“Yes.  Whenever I place a rainbow at Gilly Pond, the fairies will place pots of gold at the ends of the rainbow.” She poked him gently in the chest, “You and your fellow leprechauns will be the security detail.  You will guard the pots of gold until the rightful owners follow the rainbow to the ends and claim the pots of gold.  This is an important job that only trusted leprechauns can do.”

She spoke elevating her voice so that the leprechauns hiding in the forest would hear her words.  “Are you all willing to accept this mission?”

A chorus of 'Yes!' rang from the forest.

“By Gilly, by golly I think you’ve solved our problem.”  Cian started to waddle towards the forest.  But stopped and turned, “Iris, I have a bit of magic meself.”

He toddled back and handed her a small round stone.  “The very next time you meet a west wind; you must place this stone on the ground before you and face the wind.  Repeat three times, ‘There is good fortune in the west wind, show me your true nature.’  Then give this stone to the first person you encounter.  I promise you will not regret it.”

What an odd little man.  Iris slipped the stone into her pocket.  She picked her way through the meadow towards Gilly Pond.  Rounding a huge boulder a gentle west wind caressed her face and gently lifted her hair from her shoulders.  The wind swirled around her caressing her like a lover.

She fingered the stone.  What the heck?  The smooth stone was growing warm, and began to pulsate.  Pulling it out she lay it on the ground before her and repeated what the Leprechaun had said.  “There is good fortune in the west wind, show me your true nature.”  She repeated the magic charm three times.

The wind picked up speed, and twirled around forming a whirlwind in front of her.  Dust and leaves blew about and in the middle of the whirlwind a form took shape.

Her heart beat faster and her throat tightened.  The figure emerged and held out his hand. 

“Zephyrus!”  Iris picked up the stone and when she placed it in his hand his fingers encircled her hand.

“Iris,” his voice was hoarse with desire.  “I’ve longed for you to be my wife and partner.  Why is it you’ve given me no audience?”

“I’ve no desire to marry.”  She said.  “I come and go as I please except for when my father has an errand for me to do.  I’ve no wish to give up my freedom.”

“Ah-h, my beauteous, Iris, I wish for a partner in marriage, not a slave.”  He pulled her into his arms and brushed her lips with a kiss. 

Followed by a second deeper kiss that took her breath away and stirred feelings deep inside of her. 

Iris pulled back to stare into gentle gray eyes, set in a handsome face and knew in her heart that Zephyrus was meant for her.

The deal was sealed, and the stone in their hand grew cold.  Iris slipped it back into her pocket.

Iris belonged to the West Wind, and Zephyrus belonged to her.

Once her clothes and wings were back on, she rose hand in hand with Zephyrus up to the heavens.  Iris looked back once waving her free hand to create a spectacular rainbow on Gilly Pond.

          Thaumas held his wife’s hand, “You were right my love, Iris settled the dispute and all is well in Fairland.  Thanks to Cian, Iris is with Zephyrus.  The world is as it should be.” 

Saved by the Ring

By Diana McCollum

He had just been dumped. Dumped by Elizabeth Barrett Steller, his college sweetheart, and not for just any reason, but because he signed back on with the Army.

Ben stomped to the car, his anger making it hard to get the key in the lock of his old 1989 Chevy pickup.

Yanking the door open, he slid into the driver’s seat. Leaning his forehead against the steering wheel, he took deep breaths as he fought to control his emotions. At twenty-four he could damn well make his own decisions. The sweltering June sun only added to his temper.

God, he felt like his heart had been ripped out. He had re-upped for her, for a chance of a future together. He didn’t want to end up pumping gas like his brother or doing some other menial job. That was no way to support a wife and family. The Army would insure he could afford college, and get a degree in computer science. He’d be able to get a VA house loan someday and take care of his family. That didn’t matter to Lizzie, spoiled self-centered Lizzie.

“Ben, Ben…wait!” Lizzie ran towards the truck barefoot, her long brown hair flying behind her. He paused for a second as he glimpsed the college cheerleader he’d fallen in love with four years ago.

He turned the key and floored the gas. She’d had her say. His pride didn’t need any more abuse from her about how he should live his life. He fingered the ring box in his pocket, as he glanced in the rear view mirror. The road was empty. Good thing he’d had sense enough not to ask her today.

Her words burned in his memory.

“Ben, if you re-enlist there is no guarantee you won’t be sent to Iraq. I can’t go through it again, not knowing if you are safe or not.” Lizzie had turned on the tears, always a good move, only this time they didn’t work. “I want to be with you. Don’t I mean more to you than the Army?”

When he told her why he had re-enlisted, she took her final stand with her arms crossed, “I’m not waiting for you, Ben. You do what you have to do, but I’m not waiting. I’m not an Army wife and I don’t plan on ever being one. The stress was too much during your last deployment. When you went missing for four days…I couldn’t eat or sleep. I almost lost my job. I can’t do it again, I just can’t.”

She turned away from him and stared out the kitchen window. “Go. Just go.”

He turned to leave. His hand on the doorknob, he paused, waiting for her to tell him to stay, that they could work it out. She didn’t.

***

Six months later in the Iraq desert the Cougar Ben was riding in set off an IED. As Ben lay in the sand listening for the whirl of the Medevac copter to arrive, he thought of Lizzie. He had thought of her almost daily since the breakup. Once he got to the war zone, he’d tried to put her out of his mind. The sadness of losing Lizzie gripped him and a tear slid down his face.

The fire in his core engulfed him. He gasped. The sweat ran down his face, he wiped at it and came away with blood. Now with the potential of death, he prayed, a low whisper of a prayer, “Lord, let me see her one more time.”

Helicopter rotors kicked up a cloud of dust and in seconds a medic was by Ben’s side. His ears rang from the blast and that along with the noise from the copter made it impossible to hear what the medic was saying. The last thing he remembered was being strapped onto the litter and hoisted into the Blackhawk.

***

Wounded Warrior, that’s what the staff at Walter Reed Hospital called him. A respectable title for what he and many other wounded soldiers had been through. Ben worked hard at recovery. Physical therapy kicked his ass.

The doctor came in carrying a small book. “This is yours soldier. It just might have saved your life.” He handed the small Bible to Ben.

“What‘d you mean it saved my life?”

“Turn it over.”

Ben turned it over and saw the jagged hole in the cover.” His eyes misted over, his voice trembling with emotion he said, “Thanks Doc, thanks a lot.”

His mom called that night. Her recuperation from a mild stroke was as good as it was going to get. She had trouble with her speech but the doctor hoped it would clear up eventually.

They wanted him home, his family. When he could walk on his own, he’d be going --not before. His goal was to walk off the plane on his mom’s favorite holiday, Valentine’s Day.

***

On February fourteenth he headed home. He walked off the jet, picked up his luggage and hailed a taxi. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Mom’s face when he gave her the box of chocolates and told her he was taking her out to dinner. He chuckled remembering how much she loved Valentine’s Day. That was their special day, ever since he drew her a Valentine’s card in first grade.

When the cab turned down his mom’s street Ben let out a low whistle. “Looks like someone’s having a party.” Both sides of the street were filled with cars. A few he recognized. His brother’s and Aunt Tilly’s were parked in front of the house.

“You can just drop me here.” He handed the cabbie the fare, and got out. The heart shaped box of chocolates he’d bought for mom tucked under his arm. He turned towards the house and stopped, not able to pass the car that sat in the drive.

His eyes must be playing tricks on him. Nope, it was Lizzie’s unmistakable mini-Cooper in the driveway. What was she doing here?

Kiss of The Ghostbuster by Diana McCollum

     The damn ghost had kept Shelby wide-awake most of the night.  Its quiet litany of sing-song indistinguishable words, and the fleeting cold air that crept into her room had been tolerable, but two nights ago when vases and knickknacks started flying off the shelves, the spirit was more of a nuisance than she was willing to put up with.
     This ghost wasn’t like O’Henry, the jolly ghost that had co-habited with Aunt Maggie all those years ago.  Shelby and Cousin Anna used to set food out for him in hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive spirit.  They never saw O’Henry, just heard his footsteps.  Aunt Maggie had always reassured them that he was a friendly old sea captain and wouldn’t harm them.
     The uniqueness of having her own singing ghost had dissolved with the shattered pottery.  Today she was calling for help.
It’s not that she was scared of the entity, she wasn’t.  She’d lived with it since moving to Bend, OR, last month and purchasing the more than one-hundred and fifty year old house.  But enough was enough already.  She had a demanding job as a nurse in the ICU at the hospital.  She needed her rest.
“Okay Misty” Shelby said.  She’d given the ghost a pet name as it had only showed itself to her in the form of mist, “The time has come that you’ve over stayed your welcome.”
She put on her bathrobe and pounded down the stairs to the kitchen.  The smell of the freshly brewed pot of coffee met her as she rounded the kitchen counter.  Sliding a mug over to the automatic coffee pot, she poured the hot, black liquid into her cup.  After several swallows, she pulled the phone book over and thumbed through the pages.
So I wonder if there is a Ghost Buster in town.  What should I look under, exterminator, ghost buster…?  Well, well this looks promising: Huntley’s Spectral Mediator.
She dialed the number and waited, counting the rings.  Two, three, four and the answering machine picked up.
“You’ve reached the voice mail for “Huntley’s Spectral Mediator”, L.C. Huntley speaking.  If you have an unwanted entity or ghost you have dialed the correct number.  We work hard at customer satisfaction.  You and your ghost both deserve a satisfying resolution.  Remember, ghosts are people too.  Leave your name, number and a brief description of your unwanted guest.  We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”


The doorbell jarred Shelby awake.  She sat up on the couch and rubbed the kink in her neck.  She had only meant to close her eyes for a moment.  Peeking out the window, she saw a small, boxy, neon green car, a Honda Element to be exact.  The shrink-wrap advertisement on the side read Let us put your spirit to rest.
Hopefully this isn’t a quack.  She opened the door to reveal a man about thirtyish years old, with thick, dark-brown curly hair, wearing designer sunglasses and a black t-shirt emblazoned with the company slogan Ghosts are people too!
He looked up from his clipboard and did a double take.  Sliding his glasses down his nose apparently for a better look he said “Shelby?  Shelby Sawyer?”
She noted his blue-gray eyes and the quizzical look he gave her.  “Yes…no, I mean I was Shelby Sawyer, but one marriage and divorce later I’m Shelby Stein.  You don’t look familiar, do I know you?”
He chuckled, slipped his sunglasses off and stuck them in his shirt pocket.  “You don’t remember your senior ball at Rancho Vega High School?  I invited you and you kept me hanging till the last minute and then turned me down.”
“I don’t know any L.C. Huntley.  Wait,  L.C., are you Lester Huntley?”  Oh, God, this was awkward.
“That would be me in the flesh and blood.”  He had a cocky smile plastered on his face and he winked.
Her senior year her boyfriend of three years broke up with her right before the senior ball.  Lester, the class geek, had stepped up to the plate and asked her to be his date.  She put off answering him in the hopes Bill would come to his senses, which he eventually did.  At that time in her life the last person she wanted to be seen with was the class geek, with his thick glasses and unruly curly hair.  Back then, it was all about looks and cliques.  She hated her old self for being so shallow.
“Please come in.”  Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad hiring him, after all they were adults now.
As he walked through the open door, he grabbed a pen from the top of his clipboard and began writing.
“Tell me about the spirit haunting your house.  On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worse possible scenario, where does your ghost land?”
“Up until last night, I’d have said two.  Then the activity escalated to throwing vases.  I’d say eight now.”
Lester drew a graph on his paper.  “And where has it manifested itself?”
Shelby walked to the stairwell. “It’s a mist that glides down the stairs and in front of this bare wall in the hallway.  When it passes by me the temperature drops about twenty degrees.   I can’t really make out the words, but it’s singing.  I named it Misty, because it looks like mist.”
“Sounds like the ghost knows you can hear it.  Not everyone could.  That’s probably why the entity has started to escalate its behavior.  Its got unfinished business before it can rest in peace.”  His forehead puckered.  “I’ll need to set up my equipment during the time the entity is most active.  And that would be…?”  He glanced up.
“Between ten pm and two am and what kind of equipment are we talking about?”  She tilted her head to one side.  Lester had definitely changed from the shy geeky teenager she remembered.  He wasn’t handsome, but good looking in a rugged sort of way.  Same curly brown hair, growing past his ears, and his thick glasses were gone so he must have gotten contacts.
“Oh, the usual, tri-pod, lazer-grid machine, temp gauge, and an EMF and EM field output gauge and recorder.   We want to get a picture of your ghost and figure out who we’re dealing with.”  He looked directly at her with laughing eyes. “Are you available for the next few evenings?”
“Yes I am.  I just got off my shift.  I work four, ten hour days and then I’m off for three days.”  A shiver raced up her spine.  She wasn’t sure if she wanted to confront an angry ghost.  “So I’ll be your assistant?”
“More or less.  The ghost is attached to your house and therefore attached to you.  There have been cases where once attached, the spirit follows the host to another location.  The spirit knows and uses the energy from a person with mediumistic qualities.”  He tapped his pencil on the tablet.  “Most spirits have either experienced a violent death, or have unresolved issues here on earth.”
“What are you saying?  I have mediumistic qualities?”  She wasn’t even sure what that meant.
“Could be, considering the last owners never saw the ghost.”
“How do you know that?”
“I always do research before taking on a new client.”
“Then we have a deal?  You’ll get rid of the ghost?”  She couldn’t believe she was hiring Lester, the geek, the guy she stood up in high school.
“We’ll help the ghost move on.  You and me, teamwork.”  He stuck out his hand and they shook on it.


Two nights later Lester was feeling pretty good, ghost or no ghost.  Misty was a no-show, but that was fine by him.  He adjusted the tri-pod and red grid lines splayed across the wall.  When Shelbylious brought him a second cup of coffee, their hands brushed and attraction sizzled between them.  Maybe the universe was giving him a second chance with Shelby.
“Any significant other in your life right now?”  He asked.  He took a sip of coffee.
“No.  After the divorce last year I took a leave from the dating scene, not ready for that.”
      Shelby fingered a strand of hair that had escaped her pony tail.  She hadn’t changed much physically, but she wasn’t so egotistical and more down to earth.  He liked this new Shelby.  They had chatted and caught up over the last few nights.
She grabbed his arm. “Misty’s coming!”
An uncanny feeling came over him.  He set the mug down.  “Steady, be quiet.”  He aimed the EMF recorder towards the mist gliding down the stairs and sucked in his breath as it gathered at the bottom.  The sing-song voice started and the form drifted over in front of the wall.  The grid machine put the mist into a three-D image projected on the wall.
“The ghost’s a woman.”  Shelby whispered in his ear.
“This footage will be awesome!”  Lester whispered back.
The woman worked her hands in a rubbing motion, continuing in her sing-song voice, her attire was from the eighteen hundreds and her hair was pulled back in a severe bun.
The cold air engulfed them and he glanced at Shelby just in time to see her eyes roll back in her head.  He caught her before she hit the floor.
He tapped the button on the voice recorder and cradled Shelby up against him.
She started coming around and he lowered her to the wooden chair.  Another entity entered the grid lines, a man brandishing a club in a threatening manner. He whacked the woman on the head.  He yelled something at the crumpled form of the woman.  Before leaving the ghost knocked over a lamp.  With incredible speed the entity glided over to Lester and gave a soundless, open mouth scream right in Lester’s face.
Shelby jumped when the lamp hit the floor.  He reached down pulling her up gathering her into his embrace. She clutched hold of his shirt burying her face against his chest.  He breathed in the smell of her hair.  It was like a spring day, all warm and flowery. Surely she could hear the loud drumming in his heart.  His voice husky he said, “That was some show.”  Slowly he undid her hands and walked over to flip on the light switch.
“Misty died a violent death.”  He said.  “I’ll take the voice recorder back to my lab and see what she was singing.  That might give us an idea how to help her.”  He paused.  “The second entity, a poltergeist is the one with violent tendencies.”
“Two ghosts?”  Shelby’s voice went an octave higher.  “Can I go with you?  I don’t want to stay here.”  Her voice trembled.
“You can come, but I have an assignment for you.  In the morning I want you to go to the library and see what you can find out about the residents of this house in the eighteen hundreds.”


The next day Shelby waited anxiously for Lester to arrive.  She had really gotten to know Lester over the last few days, and she liked him a lot.  Last night at his lab he had reassured her that they would rid the house of the spirits, both of them.  And, gosh, he had kissed her and it felt so good.
She heard his car and ran to open the door.
He was already leaning on the door frame with a lopsided grin on his face.           “What did you find out?”
“I think the woman is Ella Frantz, a servant who after miscarrying her baby was accused of stealing, and killed.  The wife suspected the baby was her husbands and his name was…”
“Edward Coultan.”  He finished for her.
“How…”
“After you left I ran the tapes through a high density filter.  Ella was singing a song she made up.  I think by that point she was insane from heartbreak.  The song told of Edward forcing himself on her and kicking her in the stomach when she told him she was carrying his child.  When she lost the baby, Ella decided to tell Edward’s wife the truth. He murdered her.  She was buried in a prison graveyard.”
“So how do we make this right?”
“We find her grave and have it moved into the church graveyard with the respectable dead.”  He spoke as if this was an everyday occurrence.  “Edward will have no choice but to cross over to Hell without Ella here to relive the tragedy with him every night.”


Shelby felt so good.  Lester had rid the house of the ghosts!  Last night was the best sleep she had had in a couple of weeks.  He’d be here anytime for his check, payment for a job well done.  This afternoon she had baked a pan of brownies for him as a tip.  He had told her during one of their late night conversations, that brownies were his favorite dessert.
The doorbell rang and she pulled the door open. Lester stood there with a bunch of lilies tied with a purple ribbon in one arm, a bouquet of roses in the other, and a silly looking grin on his face.
“Two bouquets?”  She quizzed.
“I thought maybe you’d go with me to see Ella and put the lilies on her grave.”  He took a deep breath, and his forehead puckered.  “The roses are for you.  Will you have dinner with me?”
“Yes, but only if we can come back here for dessert.”  She accepted the roses.
“You bet!”  He pulled her close with his free arm and kissed her thoroughly.
      Shelby hoped dessert would be more than the pan of brownies sitting on the counter.


                                                       The End

© 2012 Diana McCollum

Saved By the Ring

By Diana McCollum

He had just been dumped. Dumped by Elizabeth Barrett Steller, his college sweetheart, and not for just any reason, but because he signed back on with the Army.

Ben stomped to the car, his anger making it hard to get the key in the lock of his old 1989 Chevy pickup.

Yanking the door open, he slid into the driver’s seat. Leaning his forehead against the steering wheel, he took deep breaths as he fought to control his emotions. At twenty-four he could damn well make his own decisions. The sweltering June sun only added to his temper.

God, he felt like his heart had been ripped out. He had re-upped for her, for a chance of a future together. He didn’t want to end up pumping gas like his brother or doing some other menial job. That was no way to support a wife and family. The Army would insure he could afford college, and get a degree in computer science. He’d be able to get a VA house loan someday and take care of his family. That didn’t matter to Lizzie, spoiled self-centered Lizzie.

“Ben, Ben…wait!” Lizzie ran towards the truck barefoot, her long brown hair flying behind her. He paused for a second as he glimpsed the college cheerleader he’d fallen in love with four years ago.

He turned the key and floored the gas. She’d had her say. His pride didn’t need any more abuse from her about how he should live his life. He fingered the ring box in his pocket, as he glanced in the rear view mirror. The road was empty. Good thing he’d had sense enough not to ask her today.

Her words burned in his memory.

“Ben, if you re-enlist there is no guarantee you won’t be sent to Iraq. I can’t go through it again, not knowing if you are safe or not.” Lizzie had turned on the tears, always a good move, only this time they didn’t work. “I want to be with you. Don’t I mean more to you than the Army?”

When he told her why he had re-enlisted, she took her final stand with her arms crossed, “I’m not waiting for you, Ben. You do what you have to do, but I’m not waiting. I’m not an Army wife and I don’t plan on ever being one. The stress was too much during your last deployment. When you went missing for four days…I couldn’t eat or sleep. I almost lost my job. I can’t do it again, I just can’t.”

She turned away from him and stared out the kitchen window. “Go. Just go.”

He turned to leave. His hand on the doorknob, he paused, waiting for her to tell him to stay, that they could work it out. She didn’t.

***

Six months later in the Iraq desert the Cougar Ben was riding in set off an IED. As Ben lay in the sand listening for the whirl of the Medevac copter to arrive, he thought of Lizzie. He had thought of her almost daily since the breakup. Once he got to the war zone, he’d tried to put her out of his mind. The sadness of losing Lizzie gripped him and a tear slid down his face.

The fire in his core engulfed him. He gasped. The sweat ran down his face, he wiped at it and came away with blood. Now with the potential of death, he prayed, a low whisper of a prayer, “Lord, let me see her one more time.”

Helicopter rotors kicked up a cloud of dust and in seconds a medic was by Ben’s side. His ears rang from the blast and that along with the noise from the copter made it impossible to hear what the medic was saying. The last thing he remembered was being strapped onto the litter and hoisted into the Blackhawk.

***

Wounded Warrior, that’s what the staff at Walter Reed Hospital called him. A respectable title for what he and many other wounded soldiers had been through. Ben worked hard at recovery. Physical therapy kicked his ass.

The doctor came in carrying a small book. “This is yours soldier. It just might have saved your life.” He handed the small Bible to Ben.

“What‘d you mean it saved my life?”

“Turn it over.”

Ben turned it over and saw the jagged hole in the cover.” His eyes misted over, his voice trembling with emotion he said, “Thanks Doc, thanks a lot.”

His mom called that night. Her recuperation from a mild stroke was as good as it was going to get. She had trouble with her speech but the doctor hoped it would clear up eventually.

They wanted him home, his family. When he could walk on his own, he’d be going --not before. His goal was to walk off the plane on his mom’s favorite holiday, Valentine’s Day.

***

On February fourteenth he headed home. He walked off the jet, picked up his luggage and hailed a taxi. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Mom’s face when he gave her the box of chocolates and told her he was taking her out to dinner. He chuckled remembering how much she loved Valentine’s Day. That was their special day, ever since he drew her a Valentine’s card in first grade.

When the cab turned down his mom’s street Ben let out a low whistle. “Looks like someone’s having a party.” Both sides of the street were filled with cars. A few he recognized. His brother’s and Aunt Tilly’s were parked in front of the house.

“You can just drop me here.” He handed the cabbie the fare, and got out. The heart shaped box of chocolates he’d bought for mom tucked under his arm. He turned towards the house and stopped, not able to pass the car that sat in the drive.

His eyes must be playing tricks on him. Nope, it was Lizzie’s unmistakable mini-Cooper in the driveway. What was she doing here? He wanted to see her, but not now, not here. His heart beat out a rat-a-tat-tat and his palms were suddenly sweaty. He glanced towards the end of the street but the cab was gone. No escape. Man up, Ben. He readjusted his luggage and marched up the steps. Before he could ring the doorbell, the door swung open.

“Ben!” Mom said.

“Ben’s here.” She shouted over her shoulder. His mom embraced him, tears of joy slid down her rosy cheeks. “Come in, come in.”

The entryway was filled with pink heart shaped balloons. A Valentine’s party? The living room was filled with all his aunts, cousins and friends. There was definitely a party going on.

“What…” Did he forget a birthday or something? “Here, mom.” He held out the heart shaped box of chocolates.

Everyone stared at him. His shirt collar seemed too tight, and he was beginning to sweat. He looked at his mom for an explanation.

“Ben, Ben dear boy,” She plopped down in an overstuffed chair and fanned her heated face with her hands. “Why don’t you put your bags down in the hall and get me a drink of water? I’m feeling a bit faint from all the excitement.”

She winked at Aunt Tilly. He tried to figure out why while he stashed the bags in the hallway, and rounded the corner to the kitchen.

“Hello, Ben.” Lizzie’s voice was tentative. She sat on a stool on the other side of the counter, filling little bags with candy and tying them with pretty pink ribbon.

“Lizzie…” He reached up and unbuttoned the top of his uniform shirt.

“I’m glad you made it home. I was so sorry to hear you were injured.” Her voice quivered as if she barely held back tears.

“What are you doing here?” She was so pretty. He couldn’t catch his breath. Well, he’d got his wish.

“I was invited.”

“Why?” He ran his fingers through his hair.

She stood up then and he could see she was expecting. His heart galloped in his chest.

“Your mom is giving us a baby shower. I’m pregnant with your daughter.” She ambled over, and placed his hand on her belly. “I found out the week after we broke up. I didn’t tell you because one, we broke up and two, I wanted you to focus on coming back alive.”

He felt a movement. His daughter! He removed the small bible from his pocket and held it out to her.

“Lizzie, will you marry me?”

A puzzled look crossed her face as she opened the Bible and stared at an engagement ring dented in half. “What…”

“I was going to ask you before I left for duty. Then we fought, I kept the ring in the pocket flap in the Bible. The Doc said it saved my life, you saved my life.”

“Yes, yes I’ll marry you.” Her eyes sparkled with tears of joy.

© Diana McCollum 2012 All rights reserved.

A special thank you to artist Nick Pino

http://nickpinohasablog.blogspot.com

© Nick Pino 2012 All rights reserved.