I forgave Ken for his insensitive remarks about my mental state. The way I felt was like I was losing my mind and it was real to me. I paused the search for the brunette woman. Funeral plans needed to be made. Rosie’s favorite minister was on hand, and he selected the verses he would ...

I fail to notice that I have fallen bottom first on a rock with my legs stretching out; the shock is immense. I sit in a daze while Jessica Galton and Fizz look at me. After a minute of silence, Jessica Galton smiles at me and says, “I’m sorry for the unexpected surprise; this is ...

“Apparitions don’t talk. They only give you hints and expect you to figure it out. My mother was famous for deciphering them, remember?” Ralph stated. “Do you have Aunt Rosie’s photo albums? I want to make a slideshow for the funeral service.” Maybe I could find her in one of these books? “She kept all ...

The house vibrates with laughter, rocking the walls. Mom looks like she is about to lose it, so I place my hand over hers to calm her. I’ve been researching on Google, trying to learn what we’re facing. The last thing we need is for her to add to its power again. What I gleaned ...

If my life was hectic before Aunt Rosie’s demise, the last couple of weeks of planning a large, dysfunctional family funeral tipped the scales. The word ‘fun’ in ‘funeral’ was anything but fun. Though Ralph and I had split up the duties of arrangements, I ended up doing everything. He claimed he was too distraught ...

The map’s directions point to the left side of the island, up a hill with a wooden walkway. Beside it stand rectangular rock pillars. My wristwatch says it’s 11:45, so I have over two and a half hours to spend here. With a deep breath, I clutch my tote bag and head toward the pathway. ...

Mr. Keith’s house is proving to be a surprise and not a pleasant one. I thought, relaxing against the back of the chair. I look at Mom and see she’s found new strength and is regaining her composure. Good! It doesn’t hurt to starve the monster and shut off its food supply for a change. ...

As I sat in dead Aunt Rosie’s parlor and waited for the coroner to show up, I glanced around the well-lived-in room. My eyes fell upon a sign I’d never seen. ‘In our family, we don’t hide crazy… we give it a cocktail and sit it on the porch.’ I chuckled despite the circumstances. This ...

The boat slows down as it nears a remote island. I look over to the right and see the sandy shore with a small dock. A large metal fence circles the area with notices that have the words ‘PRIVATE: NO TRESPASSING’ written on them. Miss Jessica has the right idea. Louis stops his boat by ...

Several minutes pass while I watch the shoreline and marina become smaller until they evaporate. The view becomes nothing but blue sea and sky, the shadows of seagulls flying toward the beaches. My hat flops around in the breeze, so I hold it down with one hand. Louis remains quiet for some time; the only ...