Where Spirits Roam

Chapter Twenty-One Search Party

Sticking close together in their dwindling group of five the girls make their way down the steep concrete stairs. Each narrow step seems to grow steeper the further down they go. The concrete wall built into the side of the cliff's overhang is covered with green vines eager to wrap around their ankles and pull them into the darkness. The trees part at the end of the staircase their branches twisting together to create an arbor that leads into the forest.

Fauna’s fire ignites allowing enough light to see the path ahead. It must have rained because the ground down here without the light of the sun is still moist. Walking deeper Eviee slows to a stop.

“Guys, I think you should see this,” She whispers.

“Oh my god,” Fauna gasps.

Footprints are imprinted into the mud-caked ground.

“We have to follow them don't we?” Nadia asks picking at her nails.

“I think so,” Fauna replies.

“They're going the same way this feeling I have is directing me,” Eviee confirms.

Pointing her flame in the direction the footsteps lead, Fauna sticks close to Eviee lighting her way down the unknown path. They go another fifty or so steps deviating from the original path multiple times until they're deep in the woods.

The footsteps end in a walked over circle. A pile of freshly packed dirt is visible in the middle of the tracks.

“That's not a— is it?” Fauna asks too flustered by the sight to even form a complete sentence.

“Only one way to find out,” Eviee replies reaching down to dig her hand through the soil.

Eviee scoops frantically knocking handfuls of dirt out of the way. The wet ground is heavy but still easy to dig. Moisture soaks through her jeans where her knees sit digging into the soft ground and she ignores it focusing on the task at hand.

The others stand behind her waiting with rapt patience. They're afraid to know what lies beneath as they huddle in their group. Fauna’s flame burns bright lighting the space for Eviee.

Tossing another handful aside a spec of white comes into view. Close to uncovering the secret of the shallow gave Eviee picks up her pace unearthing the body-sized lump covered in the thin bed sheet.

“Is it Jamie?” Fauna cries.

Eviee pulls the sheet back revealing a head of blond hair.

“Yes,” Eviee answers swallowing the bile rising up her throat.

Sobs echo behind Eviee as she replaces the sheet and begins piling the dirt back on her friend. Silent tears fall from her eyes and splatter along the damp ground.

“Eviee,” a throaty voice calls sounding garbled and strained.

“Did one of you say something?” Eviee asks patting the dirt once more and rising to her feet.

Wet, muddy stains mar her knees and her hands are black from the dirt. Every fingernail has clumps of mud wedged beneath them.

“No,” Fauna replies with a shake of her head.

“Eviee,” the voice calls again.

Eviee spins around searching for where the strangled sound is coming from.

“Help me, Eviee,” the voice begs.

A hand closes around her wrist yanking her face to face with a ghostly version of Jamie.

“Oh my, Jamie,” Eviee gasps.

Blood covers the front of the pale blue shirt split down the middle and more purs from a deep laceration running ear to ear. The hand wrapped around Eviee’s wrist trembles and Eviee looks down noticing it's without its pinky finger.

“Help me,” Jamie struggles to say again.

“I'm so sorry, you didn't deserve this. I caused this. Jamie, he tortured you,” the stricken Eviee wails realizing from her own mistreatments the pain and horror Jamie must have endured.

“Is she here?” questions Fauna moving closer to Eviee and trying to find a trace of their lost friend.

“Yes, she wants help. Jamie, how can I help you?” Eviee wonders, meeting the dead girl’s glassy eyes.

“Don't leave me here,” Jamie answers.

“Jamie, I can't move you without Ellsworrb finding out. But, I promise one day I will give you the burial you deserve,” Eviee tells her another tear slipping down her cheek.

“I tried to resist Eviee, I really did,” Jamie says.

The words confuse Eviee and her brow creases as she tries to make out what Jamie is talking about.

“Tried to resist what Jamie?” Eviee asks.

“I tried to resist telling him but it was too much. The pain. The torture. My body ached so badly and my screams were drowned in his need for more,” Jamie continues.

“Jamie, I still don't understand,” Eviee tells her.

“What is she saying?” Fauna demands catching Eviee’s attention.

“She's saying, Ellsworth tortured her and that she couldn't resist telling him. I'm not sure what she told him,” Eviee explains.

“Jamie, what did you tell Ellsworth?” Fauna asks aloud her eyes staring right at Jamie although she can't see her.

“I told him it was your idea Eviee,” Jamie whispers reaching up to touch Eviee’s face.

“She told Ellsworth, it was me,” Eviee says taking a step back.

Fear courses through Eviee gripping her heart and causing her legs to shake. She tries to push the feeling away and she can't. It crawls over her skin seeping into her being. Every moment from now she is living on borrowed time.

“Eviee I'm sorry, he was going to kill me, and yet, I'm still dead,” Jamie sobs.

“It's o-o-kay,” Eviee stutters. “I wish I wouldn't have dragged any of you into this.”

“That enough,” Fauna growls. “All of us will get out of here and until then we stick together. Let's go.”

Fauna stomps away her puffy red eyes betraying her hardened demeanor. The self-proclaimed leader of the group marches them back through the underbrush of the forest and to the base of the steep concrete staircase.

“Please don't leave me,” Jamie begs Eviee.

“Never,” Eviee whispers.

They begin climbing the steps one by one and Fauna takes up the rear. She extinguishes her flame as the sun allows sufficient light to see. Reaching the bright green grass of the garden the girls crumple to the ground, piling together.

“I'm going to miss her,” Katie speaks up her voice hoarse.

“Me too,” Claire admits.

“I think we all will, but remember she is still with us,” Eviee tells them. She offers Jamie a small smile and the girl plops next to them on the ground her spirit finding comfort in the friendship.

“We should probably start heading back inside,” Fauna says standing.

The sun loses some of its shine the bright yellow turning a darker orange as it slowly glides to the west.

“And you Eviee need to wash your hands before someone sees all that dirt. Actually, probably shower,” Nadia scrunches her nose up and giggles.

“Haha,” Eviee retorts taking in her disheveled appearance.

She definitely looked worse for wear in the light.