The Misunderstood

Haunted Past

Miranda's POV

The kitchen smelled so good. The cinnamon rolls were almost done and the coffee was waiting to be poured. Two cups and two saucers were sitting on the counter. Miranda was anxiously awaiting Angie's arrival. After going to bed so late the night before, Miranda was surprised that she felt so awake this morning. She needed to get things back under control. She felt hopeful and motivated. She trusted Angie and her problem solving abilities. She knew that if anyone could help her figure this out, her friend Angie could. Looking around she made sure she had completed her morning chores. She didn't want any distractions when Angie arrived.

It had been an uneventful morning. Miranda had woken up when her alarm went off. Made breakfast and packed the guys' lunches. Fed the dogs and even remembered to refill Sheldon's water and that sometime this coming week she would need to run Levi to the pet store to pick up a rat for him. Sheldon was Levi's pet rat snake. He had gotten it two years ago for his eleventh birthday. The snake had been a surprise gift from his Uncle Paul. Miranda wasn't too thrilled with the gift, which had made Uncle Paul and Carlton laugh. But Sheldon had grown on her. They had all had a good laugh when Levi told them that he was going to name it Sheldon, after the lead character on the Big Bang show. The memory had made Miranda smile that morning. She cringed when she remembered Levi stating recently that he thought he might like to get a tarantula next. She seriously hoped he'd change his mind. She absolutely hated spiders with a passion. She didn't see the need in any living creature having that many creepy legs!

Promptly at 7:45 am she had kissed and hugged her husband goodbye. Then hugged her son, told him she loved him and hoped he had a good day. Then sent them on their way. She stood at the door waiving goodbye as Levi walked to the bus stop and her husband hoped into the work truck. Only turning to go back inside the house once Carlton was out of site and Levi was safely on his bus, headed to school. It was a habit of hers for as long as she had been a wife and mother. She had said a quick prayer for protection over the guys as always, asking that they be watched over and safely come home to her that evening.

Levi's birthday was at the forefront of her thoughts as Miranda walked back into the house. This year, for his birthday, Levi had asked for a silver chain with a cross on it. She and Carlton had found the perfect one with a Celtic cross. The boy had said that as soon as he was old enough he wanted to get a Celtic cross tattooed on his back. Miranda had no idea where that desire had come from and chuckled at the thought. She was excited to give his necklace to him. Knowing he would absolutely love it. She couldn't believe that there was only two days left until his birthday.

As she walked through her house, tidying up as she went, her eyes fell upon the cat tree in the corner of the living room. She felt a little sad at the memory of Church, her cat. He was a Russian blue. They had had 10 good years with him. One day he suddenly took sick 5 months ago and died. She missed having a cat around. After all every woman needs a lap warmer. But she trusted that when the time was right the fates would send her a new familiar. Standing there reminiscing, Miranda was deep in thought when Angie knocked quickly and opened the door.

The women greeted each other with a hug and then walked together into the kitchen. Angie, always the observant one, asked,"Missing Church this morning?" Miranda smiled and looked back at the direction of the living room, nodding her head in response. Exhaling loudly she shook her head and pulled the cinnamon rolls out of the oven before replying. "Yes, I was just thinking about him. He was such a good cat. He read me so well. Always knew when I needed him most." She laughed to herself when she remembered him bringing Carlton lizards and dead mice. At first Carlton thought it was simply because Church liked him. But then Levi told them that he had read online that cats bring food to the members of their families that they don't think can take care of themselves. She and Levi had had a good laugh at the cat thinking Carlton was incompetent. "Every woman needs a good cat. Have you thought about getting another one?", Angie inquired. "I'd like to have another cat." Miranda replied. "A familiar appears when the time is right. Let's pour our coffee and get a roll before they get cold.", she said, changing the subject and putting the icing on the cinnamon rolls.

They settled in the living room on the couch with their treats and Angie broke the silence first. "Ok, before we begin I need to tell you about last night and this morning." She proceeded to tell Miranda about her vision the night before. All though it was only a memory she felt it was important and somehow connected to what was going on now. As she told Miranda about the knock on her door she thanked her for long ago warning her of the dangers of simply hollering out an invitation to enter. And then told her about the scratches on the house. Of how she hated to lie to Gary, but it was the only thing she could do. As he wouldn't have believed her anyway and she was sure she had avoided quarreling with him over the matter. Miranda listened intently to her friend and nodded her head in agreement.

After Angie had finished Miranda took a sip of her coffee, pondering over where to begin. She decided to simply begin at the beginning. She related to Angie how she had noticed things belonging to her son appearing in the strangest places. Like his football in the guest room. Which was strange because Levi always acted a little apprehensive about approaching that room. He had always seemed to avoid it. She admitted that she had seen Sam,the ghost of the previous owner of the house and property, following her son. Never menacing, it seemed as though he simply had suddenly taken an interest in the boy. But because Levi never mentioned being aware of him or threatened by him, she had pretended to ignore it. She had seen orbs coming and going from Levi's room. Miranda recounted how lately Levi seemed very distant. Choosing to be alone in his room more. She paused to take a bite of her cinnamon roll before continuing on. Angie waited in silence, a look of concern on her face.

When Miranda was ready she continued. She told Angie that sometimes she would get a strong feeling of dread. At those times she would go check on Levi. She told her friend that those times were usually during the witching hour. She stated that there had been numerous times that the hallway would be so impossibly dark, despite the lamp in the living room being on. And that it would be so cold she could see her breath. That every time she approached the hall the darkness and cold would disappear. Like someone simply lift a dark veil.

Angie listened as her friend continued on, "And then there's yesterday. ", Miranda said and paused, sipping her coffee, before continuing. She told Angie about the deer and the shadow person she had seen. Her friend looked her in the eyes, fear emanating from her. Then she told Angie about Sam coming to her in the laundry room and his concern over Levi's wellbeing. Of how initially she had tried to ignore him as usual. In her experience, that was always the best thing to do. But that Sam had said he feared Levi was in danger. And loving her son as she did, already feeling concerned for him, she had had to engage the spirit in conversation. Miranda told of how Sam had witnessed a lot of the things she had also seen. But that when it was dark and cold he wasn't able to access Levi or his room and how that information scared her. She paused before dropping the bomb on her friend and took a deep breath before continuing. "The old man told me that he had encouraged my son to talk to me about this matter and that Levi refused. Because he believes I won't understand." Here she paused and watched her friends face as the realization hit her. "OH MY GOD!! MIRANDA!! LEVI SEES TOO!!" Angie screamed out, jumping to her feet nearly over turning the coffee table as she did so. Miranda sipped her coffee and sat the cup down on the coffee table before turning back to her friend and responding. "Apparently so. I don't know how I've missed it. I can't really recall him acting differently or seeing anything that would suggest his abilities. I've always watched him like a hawk. I've feared this and wanted to be proactive with him. Be there if he needed me. I'm just dumbfounded. How do I approach Levi with this. I mean, I was completely blindsided by this. I'm his mother, I should have known. But honestly, except for when he was two and a half and again when he was eight, there has been nothing to say that those weren't isolated events. Absolutely nothing! My poor kid, I never wanted him inheriting my gifts. But if he did I never wanted him going through this alone."

Angie nodded her head knowingly. She new exactly what Miranda was referring to by mentioning Levi's ages. They sat there in silence contemplating this new information. Miranda broke the silence first. "Then later on last night I had the guy down the hall way decide to show out." Angie sat, finishing her roll and coffee as Miranda told her what had happened in the guest bedroom. Miranda shuddered as she described what she had seen outside the window. As she came to the end of it all the phone rang.