Page 64 of Stronger Than Blood
Kalinda smiled but nodded.
“So be it, we renounce anger, but we stand together against that which wishes us harm.” She looked at me then and clarified, “That which intends Mick harm.”
A cold, angry breeze blew past us, and Kalinda’s eyes slitted. “Leave this realm, spirit. Move to the afterlife!”
The malice began to grow quickly. Kalinda shook her head, turned, and forcefully threw the mojo bag into the fire.
At first, it was as if the entity was shocked she’d followed through with it. A wind picked up, fanning the flames, which caused the mojo bag to burn faster. Then there were screams. I somehow knew we were hearing the voices of the victims of the ghost who haunted me.
I put my hands over my ears, but Kalinda quickly came over and gently tugged my hands off. “No, hear them, they are calling to you. Hear them,” she beseeched, and I could tell it was important that I did.
I dropped my hands and felt the hot, angry tears roll down my cheeks. “Fuck you, you asshole!” I said, and immediately, I felt the entity. I realized my anger was giving him strength, just like Granny’s had when she created the angry mojo bag.
So, I concentrated on the screams, imagining the spirits of those who were wailing. Immediately, my heart lost its anger,and I felt pity, empathy really, for those who had died at the hands of that nasty creature. I felt the words form in my mind before I began to chant them. “Peace be with you, who have suffered at his hands. Peace fill your souls and take you to a better place. Peace carry you home.”
I repeated that several times, my eyes clamped shut because I wanted… no,neededto be there for them, for his other victims. Slowly, the screaming stopped, and when the last of it had dissipated, I opened my eyes to see Granny, Kalinda, and Rory staring at me.
At some point, I must’ve stood up, and my hands were outstretched. What shocked me more than anything was that the fire, which had been blazing under the wind the entity had created, was completely out. Nothing remained in the fire pit. No coal, no wood, no mojo bag. Not even smoke rose from the ashes.
“W…what happened?” I asked.
“You released his victims,” Kalinda said.
“What’s up with the fire? We haven’t been here that long.”
She nodded. “It took a lot of energy to do what you did. I think your granny’s mojo bag helped with that. Destroying it was like a sacrifice that helped his victims cross over.”
“Him?” I asked, but Kalinda shook her head.
“No, I felt him return to the house. He’s licking his wounds, but he’s still here.”
“Shit,” I said and looked at Granny, whose eyes were huge. I immediately knelt next to her. “Granny, are you okay?” I asked.
Slowly, she began to grin. “Oh, that was so amazing. You’re amazing, Grandson. Your grandmother would’ve been so proud.”
“Oh, um, did she pass over?” I asked, hoping, but then a little sad that Granny wouldn’t have been able to spend time with her. She’d said that’s what she’d wanted.
“I believe all his victims crossed the veil tonight,” Kalinda said. “But that doesn’t mean they have to stay on that side. I suspect your grandmother, Ida’s daughter, will be back.”
Granny looked up at Kalinda, who knelt next to her. “Your loved ones are gathering, Ida. I’ve felt it since the moment I met you. I’ve even seen and had a few conversations with your brother, Eddie. I suspect your daughter has a role to play here too.” She looked at me, then back at Granny and continued, “I suspect Mick’s releasing her will be what she needs to fulfill her duties to you, but we’ll have to wait to see what happens.”
“W-will I know?” Granny asked.
“If she returns?” Kalinda asked, and Granny nodded.
Kalinda shrugged. “No, not necessarily, at least not until it’s time for you to see them. However, know that tonight, thanks to Mick, your daughter is free.”
Chapter forty-five
Rory
I’ve seen ghosts my entire life. Not consistently, and never on demand, but what I witnessed tonight was something I’d never imagined could happen. We all felt the malevolent force of the murderous entity—Preston Garrison—coming at us as Kalinda prepared to burn the mojo bag.
We’d anticipated that, but what none of us expected was the screaming that surrounded us the moment the entity caused the wind to pick up. It was piercing, and all of us, except Kalinda, covered our ears.
She immediately went to Mick, though, bringing his hands down, and he squeezed his eyes shut. I was about to go to him when he began to speak. I heard him over the screaming.
Then, like in some horror movie, the screaming spirits encircled him: pale white mists flowing around and around.
