The Haunting Of Hastings House

Chapter 8

                                    
By: Brynn Morgan

Copyright © 2023 by – Brynn Morgan – All Rights Reserved.
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The deputy finally showed up around four o'clock that afternoon at the Griffin Farm to ask Emily some questions, but what could she tell him?

He strolled in, wearing sheriff's khaki pants and a dark green polo shirt that read Charleston County Sheriff's Department.

Lainie offered him a glass of sweet tea, and he sat down in the great room and asked Emily questions. He pulled out a notepad and pen and looked at her with piercing blue eyes.

"So, ma'am, can you tell me exactly what happened last night?" he questioned.

Emily had not seen anything she told him, just heard it. She told him that she had run to her room and locked herself in the bedroom and that someone had screamed and tried to knock on the door in a rage.

"Did they say anything at all?" he asked incredulously, in a thick southern drawl. He looked like Santa, and she imagined he was highly uncomfortable with his big beer belly and bushy white beard in the ungodly summer heat wave; he was in his sixties.
Emily nodded her head.

"No. I did not hear one word," Emily said softly.

Davis had been leaning against a lounge chair. He had a very protective presence toward her. She was glad that he was there.

"John, I hope y'all find whoever did it because that kitchen was destroyed," he said in a deep baritone voice. "I would not feel safe with her living there alone if whoever this is... is still on the loose."

The deputy told Davis and Emily that he had a few ideas of who it could be and would do a little investigation and update them.
They followed him to his patrol truck, and he turned and addressed Emily.

"Sorry that this happened, ma'am, but we will find them, and if you remember anything, anything at all.... call me and let me know."

He drove away fast down the dusty gravel road, leaving a cloud of dust. Davis looked at Emily and chuckled.

"Charleston County's finest right there." He said sarcastically

She smiled slightly.

Emily took in the surroundings. It was a beautiful farm with new white stables and red tin roofs that glinted under the sun. The majestic Arabian horses grazed lazily on bright green grass.

The gravel crunched under Emily's shoes as they walked up the sidewalk to the house. Lainie was waiting on the porch with the screen door open. They walked into the air-conditioned house and poured another glass of tea.

They sat down on the comfortable couch, and Bella came and sat down beside Emily and petted her little puppy that she was holding in her arms.

Emily smiled down at her and rubbed her hands over the softest red fur. Emily sensed that Bella wanted her approval, so she bent down and allowed the puppy to lick her on her nose and cheeks. The pup sneaked a quick lick on her lips, and she laughed.

"What type of breed is she?" Emily asked as it looked up at her with soft brown eyes.

Davis answered.

"She is an Irish Setter. She was a gift for Bella's eighth birthday."

Lainie smiled.

"She keeps me busy with all the mess she makes around here."

The afternoon passed quickly, and Emily enjoyed the downtime with her new friends.

That night, Emily was treated to steaks on the grill, fresh salad, and a piece of strawberry pie with coffee.
Bella went to bed at eight, and Davis retired to his office upstairs. It was just Lainie and Emily sitting in the cozy living room, with the lamps emitting a soft amber glow on the walls and light wood floors. It calmed Emily. She sat on the couch with her legs tucked under her, as did Lainie on the opposite couch, and they relaxed.

Lainie took a sip of coffee from her mug and leaned it slightly toward Emily.

They had both changed into lounge pants and t-shirts after a filling supper, and both had fuzzy, cozy socks on to keep their feet warm. Lanie told Emily that Davis usually cranked up the air and froze her to death. Emily's clothes were a little too big because Lainie was taller than her, but they were extremely comfortable.

"So, would you like to continue where you were this morning?" she asked softly.

Emily sighed and smoothed the quilt over her lap.

"I don't know how to explain it." She spoke. "You will think that I am crazy...hell. I feel crazy myself." she finished.

Lainie smiled assuredly, "Not at all, Emily. You are in a judgment-free zone."

Emily believed her, so she started telling her about the events from the night before.
Her voice was soft.

"The storm came through last night, and I was sitting on the bench in the garden. It started raining so I ran back to the house. I was doing my nightly shut of the doors and turning off the lights in the front of the house, and it got frigid." She spoke.

Lainie listened intently to Emily's every word.

"I turned, and it just felt weird .... but .... I could not explain the feeling in the room. It was so cold that I could blow frost out of my mouth." she said in a strained voice and paused.

Lainie waited anxiously. She nodded.

"I turned to the wall to turn off the chandelier and flipped the switch. The room was dark, except for a small lamp on the table by the front door, and then...." she stopped. She shivered from the memory.

Lainie leaned forward even more. Her eyes had widened, waiting.

"The chandelier came back on." She told her.

Lainie remained quiet and just listened.

"I looked up, and it started moving .... as if pushed by a powerful wind....and that is when I froze. I could not move at all. I felt paralyzed in that spot. I could not move. I felt something."

She bowed her head and then looked back up at Lainie.

"I don't believe in stuff like that, Lainie... I just don't but."

Lainie did not look at her like she was weird. She was just listening.

"What did you do?" she asked intently.

Emily shook her head.

"I heard this groaning sound in my ears and moaning inside my head. It became so loud that it was hurting my eardrums."

Emily stopped speaking and leaned close to Lainie.

"I said her name, Lainie." she breathed.

Lainie gasped.

"Who?" she asked.

Emily whispered.

"Tristan."

Lainie's mouth opened, and she calmly placed her coffee mug on the table.
Her hands were visibly trembling. She stood up and paced back and forth in front of the couch.
She turned quickly.

"What happened when you said her name? "She asked.

Emily sighed shakily.

"It stopped," she said.

It had stopped for a moment, Emily remembered, but then it moaned again, and she felt anger and hatred, and it wanted to hurt her. She thought that she was being chased.
Emily shared this with Lainie, and then she closed her eyes.
Lainie walked over and sat down beside Emily. She placed her hand on her shoulder.

"I believe you, Emily." she said with a haunted look in her warm brown eyes...." But I do not believe that it is Tristan."