A Haunted Marriage & The Cookie Baking Poltergeist

Chapter 18: A New Houseguest

    Julia rubbed her husband's right hand as it gripped the steering wheel. Michael flexed the fingers of his right hand to reveal red welts on each of the four knuckles of his hand. Michael grabbed the steering wheel once again for the final turn into his driveway. Julia pulled down the visor the shield her eyes from the afternoon sun. Jacob sat in the backseat with both of his hands resting on Julia and Michael's car seat.

    "No one has ever kicked someone's ass on my behalf Mr. Blake. Thank you."

    "Let's not talk about it. But I am thankful that the only car in our driveway now is Julia's and not a police car. You're gonna have to stay here so we can sort things out with Social Services to get you in a new foster home. We do have a comfortable couch, but we have a ghostly infestation problem that we discussed."

    "That's fine with me Mr. Blake. I can't wait for the opportunity to see a real live ghost."

    "Michael please. Your grandmother's presence if very real and sometimes very scary. Honey when we get inside I want you to ice your hand ok," Julia said.

    "Whatever you say nurse Julia."

    "Jacob we can run back and get some of your things tomorrow. You're nearly my height anyway and some of my clothes should fit you."

    "You will have the television all to yourself Jacob," Julia said.

    "You should have grabbed my Playstation four Mr. Blake, I mean Michael."

    "Sorry. It didn't cross my mind when your foster dad decided to punch my fist with his face."

    Julia laughed out loud before placing the visor back up in the passenger's seat.

    On their way home, Michael drove over the Stillwater Bridge, an entire bridge made from steel that spanned the Hudson River. The bridge did not contain blacktop, the roadway consisted of grooved metal. The Honda vibrated all the way while going over the bridge at thirty miles per hour.

    Jacob stared out the window to his left, noticing a small barge pass under the bridge at least one hundred feet below. "A few years ago someone jumped off this bridge, someone from my school. I don't know how but they actually lived."

    "We're almost to my house Jacob. It's not far now," Michael said. He stepped on the gas to accelerate his car up to forty miles per hour after going over the bridge. Mulberry Avenue wasn't far away now. The Honda descended a hillside and the Blake home could be seen at a distance of one mile away.

    The brakes of Michael's Honda squeaked to a halt when he stopped behind Julia's car in his driveway. Jacob jumped out of the car before Julia and Michael. He ran up the porch step of the Blake residence and stopped in front of the door. Michael wiggled his right hand as he stepped from the car. Julia ran around the car to closely follow Michael. Michael grabbed the banister with both hands on his walk up the porch steps. Michael had difficulty reaching into his jeans pocket for his house keys. Julia pulled her keys out of her purse and handed them to her husband. Michael jiggled the keys in the lock before hearing a familiar voice.

    "Is that who I think it is? Why don't you guys come on over to say hello to an old lady," Susan Idleman shouted while standing in her front doorway.

    "Ok neighbor. Just give us a minute," Julia yelled back.

    Michael leaned over and whispered in Jacob's ear, "This won't take long. Susan's a good lady. "

    "Ok. My social skills suck when I have to meet new people," Jacob said rubbing his left eye.

    "You did fine with me, but she's not new people. She probably remembers you when you were here from time to time as a kid."

    Julia reached back to take Michael hand, but he winced as her light grasp. Michael pulled his hand into his side before heading on over to their neighbor's house.

    Jacob pulled his hood over his head, hunching his head over, before following the Blakes to Susan Idleman's porch. Jacob lumbered on over to Susan's, far behind Michael and Julia.

    "How are you Julia? It's great to see you two have hopefully worked things out," Susan said.

    "No place like a haunted home I guess," Julia said with a laugh.

    Michael slowly tucked his right hand in his pocket. He gritted his teeth with the pain.

    Jacob stood on the grass in front of Susan's porch, with his head bent over and his hands tucked into his jeans pockets.

    Susan pointed down the steps in Jacob's direction. "You still look like that four year old boy who used to love his grandmother's cookies. I knew it was you Jacob right away. You probably don't remember me at all. I used to spend time over there with your grandmother, What happened to your eye?"

    Jacob looked up and nodded at Susan. "It's nothing to worry about. I remember a little Misses Idleman." Jacob tucked his head back into his chest before kicking a small pile of fallen leaves.

    "I think my new friend Jacob here wants to go in with us to get something to eat. He will be staying with us a little while till we call Social Services to have them find a new home for him," Michael said.

    Jacob began to pace when Michael mentioned him.

    "Ok. Just you guys stop by whenever you like, preferably before Jacob has to leave," Susan said.

    "Will do," Michael said before heading on over to his own house.

    Michael opened his front door and glanced over his shoulder. He noticed Julia and Jacob walking side by side up the porch steps. Julia whispered something into Jacob's ear and he laughed out loud. Julia's and Jacob's steps mirrored each other.

    Michael hung his coat up before Julia and Jacob entered the house. As soon as Jacob walked into the hallway, the baking smell filled the air instantaneously.

    "This is what it used to smell like whenever my grandmother used to bake those cookies. It feels like she's here right now," Jacob said.

    "She is here," Michael said. "Sometimes she will make herself more apparent than at other times."

    "A few weeks ago I felt like I was touched and our bed shook on its own," Julia said.

    "That sounds awesome. I want to see the ghost of my grandmother right now. The smell is coming from this way," Jacob said on his run into the kitchen.

    Bogey stood at attention in front of the basement door.

    "She used to do her baking in the basement. That's where your ghost is isn't it?" Jacob asked.

    "That is correct," Michael said, walking over to the freezer. He took a bag of frozen peas out with his left hand and placed the bag over his swollen right knuckles.

    "Can we go down there now? I really want to see my grandmother. I do miss those times I spent with her eating her cookies."

    "Jacob you might not like what you find down there. "

    "Screw that. I want to see a real live ghost before she's gone," Jacob said, grabbing the basement doorknob. Bogey darted into the living room when Jacob opened the basement door.

    The baked cookie smell mutated into a burning smell as soon as Jacob pulled the basement door entirely open. Julia grasped Michael's elbow and watched Jacob head down the stairs on his own.

    "What are you two waiting for? Afraid?" Jacob yelled.

    "YES," Julia and Michael yelled in unison.

    "It smells like there should be some cookies waiting down here for me like when I was four, but there's nothing."

    Jacob ran back up the stairs and slammed the basement door behind him.

    "That totally sucked. I thought I would see this poltergeist of my grandmother for real. All I saw were some shelves and boxes. You two aren't bullshitting me are you?"

    "No, no. Your grandmother's ghost comes out in her own good time. If you're here long enough you'll see. We will eventually need you to help us help her move on like I said," Michael said.

    "Jacob you must be hungry. I'll fix you something to eat, then I will fix the couch for you for the night."

"Sounds great, Misses, I mean Julia," Jacob said.

                                                                                    #

    Michael stretched his arms so they would reach out from his comforter. He turned to his side to reach over to Julia's side of the bed. Instead of the warm body of his sleeping wife, he felt a warm indentation in the mattress. Julia must have gotten up just a short while ago.

    Michael got out of bed and walked over to his bureau, the floor creaking with each step. After putting on his slippers, Michael opened his bedroom door. Another sweet smell again, but this time it's not the smell of our resident ghost baking, but of Julia's baking, most likely pancakes.

    Michael walked down the hall to observe Julia and Jacob seated side by side on the couch. On the television they were watching Casablanca. It was the final scene at the airport where Rick Blain sacrifices his relationship with old flame Ilsa for the good of the war effort and her husband Victor Lazlo. Michael walked behind the couch as Humphrey Bogart uttered the film's final line, "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

    Julia and Jacob clapped simultaneously at Casablanca's conclusion. Michael glanced over at the coffee table and noticed a stack of pancakes next to a bottle of syrup. Two empty plates stood next to the final three pancakes.

    "I hope you two saved enough for me?" Michael asked.

    "Of course honey," Julia said, jumping off the couch and tightening her bathrobe. She kissed her husband on the cheek. "This young man loves Casablanca. Evidence that there is hope for the future."

    "Thanks for watching it with me Julia," Jacob said as he scooped up the final forkful of syrup from his plate.

    "Jacob how did you sleep? Any stranger happenings?" Michael asked.

    "I slept ok, your couch is pretty comfy."

    "I will drive you into school today on my way into work. We'll stop by Phil's and pick up some of your things. I will also call that social worker today to see if she can come visit you."

    Jacob threw his fork onto his plate with a clink. "Do they have to come here? They are all government beauracrats who don't do s**t. If they ever bothered to do their jobs I wouldn't be moved from one shitty foster parent to another," he whined. Jacob placed his head in his hands.

    "Hopefully they will let you stay here a little longer," Julia said, sitting back down on the couch next to Jacob.

    Michael sat on the couch next to Jacob. He took one pancake and drowned it in syrup before taking a bite. After finishing his pancake, he put his arm around Jacob's shoulders and said, "Don't worry. I will go in Phil's with you. Get your Playstation, some clothes, and all those Batman comics."

    "Ok Mr.- I mean Michael."

    Michael turned Jacob's head towards his and said, "Your eye looks a little better even after one day."

                                                                                        #

    The next night, Jacob dosed off around ten pm on the Blake's couch. His Playstation 4 was now hooked up to their television. The Playstation remote control sat on the coffee table next to his cell phone. Jacob fell asleep with the remote control still in his hands. Jacob turned this side and rubbed his nose, a nose that now breathed in the aroma of freshly baked cookies.

    After sniffling, Jacob dropped the remote on the floor before sitting up on the couch. The smell this time is way way more intense than before. Jacob stretched his arms and stood up, glancing over his shoulder towards the kitchen. I swear that basement door was closed before. And what's with that orange light coming from the basement. Maybe I can get to see my grandmother's ghost right now.

    Jacob got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. Even without the kitchen light on, the orange light emanating from the basement illuminated the entire kitchen. The aroma of chocolate chip cookies also intensified with each one of Jacob's steps towards the basement. Bogey stood atop the basement steps with his back arched. Bogey hissed twice before Jacob reached the first basement step. Bogey ran into the living room as Jacob walked down the steps. He flipped the light switch but the basement's light bulb wasn't nearly enough to drown out the orange light. I feel like I am four years old again. I just want to go down there and taste my grandmother's hot cookies.

    When Jacob reached the bottom of the basement stairs he noticed the orange light emanating from a crack in the concrete wall nearest the sink. With each drip from the sink's faucet, Jacob's hunger grew stronger for some of his grandmother's cookies.

    "Grandma why don't you show yourself"

    Suddenly, a cardboard box slipped off one of the metal shelves, dumping a set of screwdrivers onto the floor.

    Jacob stared at the crack in the wall with the orange light, then noticed a gray orb, about the size of a basketball, come from that light and levitate in the middle of the basement. The orb soon stretched into an oval that mutated into the silhouette of a woman in her seventies, dressed in a blue dress with a white apron. This apparition had her hair in a bun and was holding a rolling pin in her right hand. Jacob could see the far wall right through his grandmother's ghostly spirit. Jacob placed his hand over his mouth and took a deep breath.

    "Grandma I am finally here. What do you want from me?"

    "What I always wanted sweetie. Just for you to love me and be with me forever," Frances said walking closer to her grandson.

    Jacob noticed as his grandmother neared him that the pupils in the center of her eyes were replaced by maggots. Frances opened her mouth and extended a tongue that appeared to Jacob to resemble the rotting corpse of a snake. The snake licked Frances's lips and drool dropped to the basement's floor.

    Jacob ran up the stairs and slammed the door behind him. He jogged over to the kitchen sink and vomited on a pile of dinner dishes. Jacob wiped his mouth off with a paper towel and went down the wall to the Blakes' bedroom door. They were still awake because a light could be seen underneath the door.

    I need to really wake them up right now. We have to get the hell out of here. That really wasn't my grandmother down there. It was some kind of monster. I should have never agreed to come here.

    Jacob walked up to the Blakes door and glanced over his shoulder. He held up his hand to knock on the door, but hesitated. He overheard the words of Michael telling Julia, "you know he can't stay here forever. He's a great kid but the social worker is coming to place him somewhere else in a few days." Julia's voice was the next that Jacob heard. "I know, I know." Julia sounded as if she was sobbing.

    No one ever seems to want me. I am sick of living like a f*****g gypsy. Only my dead grandmother knows what's good for me. She wanted me to join her. Maybe I should join her and my real parents. Nothing really matters to me anymore anyway. I would rather be dead.