Page 37 of Sinistram
“That must have kept the locals entertained.” Travis chuckled. “If I read the account right, the railroad re-routed a section of the track to flatten out the hill and make the curve less sharp. They never admitted any fault for the wreck, but since they had to fix the track anyhow, I guess they decided it was a problem waiting to happen again the way it was.”
“About those commemorations,” Brent said. “From what I could find, the ghost sightings started after the ceremonies ended. Maybe the ghosts got angry that people stopped coming, but the story faded, and the survivors got old and died.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time ghosts didn’t want to be forgotten. I also wonder whether or not there were items left behind from the wreck that tether the ghosts to the area,” Travis mused.
“I can see things being overlooked in the original cleanup,” Brent replied, “but in all the years afterward, I’d think curiosity-seekers would have found anything of note.”
“We’ve seen it before, anchors don’t have to be large,” Travis said. “Bits of metal, something from the circus itself…ghosts are bound to the oddest things. And the accounts from the time say that the townsfolk who came out to see what happened walked away with souvenirs of the wreck, any of which could be a ‘ghost beacon.’”
“The sightings have become more frequent in the last few months…not surprising considering the anniversary of the wreck is coming up,” Brent pointed out. “No one’s gotten hurt yet, but the interactions are worrisome.
“At first, people who were walking the trails said they heard a train whistle, then a crash, and the sounds of frightened horses,” he continued. “Then a few months later, there were reports of glimpsing exotic animals in the woods, only there weren’t any tracks or evidence of living creatures.”
Travis nodded. “Then there were new reports of ghost horses running across nearby roads, and a woman in white wandering in the woods where the tracks used to be. And even though the railroad changed its route, the people I talked to said that there are crews that will do everything they can to avoid working that run, because they say it’s bad luck.”
“Even on the new route, there have been more accidents and fatalities than usual,” Brent said. “Railroaders are superstitious, and it’s already dangerous work. Once a route gets a reputation for being unlucky, the story sticks.”
“And if someone, orsomething, is souping up monsters to draw out hunters and attack them, it sounds like perfect bait,” Travis pointed out.
“That occurred to me.”
“I didn’t think we’d actually start hauling even more stuff to a ghost hunt, but here we are,” Brent said as he and Travis unpacked the trunk of the Crown Victoria.
“We haven’t usually needed to watch for human and ghostly dangers at the same time, or tigers,” Travis pointed out.
Travis powered on the MEL meter, an instrument that scanned for unusually cold spots, looking for where the circus haunts might be lurking.
“The ghosts of a couple of deer hunters and hikers are here,” Travis said. “I asked them to help us keep an eye out for intruders.”
“Getting anything from the circus ghosts?” Brent asked.
“I’m picking up energy, but not sentience.” Travis spoke slowly as if he needed to think through his response. “Not real close, but definitely along the old rail line. I don’t know whether they haven’t noticed us yet, don’t care, or just hope we’ll go away.”
“Or we haven’t crossed into their territory,” Brent said. Ghosts could be oddly particular about such things.
They heard a car approaching and shifted their stance to block the newcomer’s view of their trunk, then relaxed as they recognized the driver.
Helene pulled in and parked. “Good morning,” she greeted as she joined them. “Ready to meet some ghosts?” She carried a black crocheted bag and wore charms Travis recognized as powerful protection symbols.
They left the cars behind and hiked the rest of the way, with Brent watching for cold-spot signals while Travis and Helene kept an eye out for manifestations.
Travis glimpsed shadowy forms in the distance as the sensor pinged. The ghosts knew they were there and were waking up.
“They’re trying to figure out why we’ve come,” Helene said quietly. “The ghosts are in a lot of turmoil. That’s new. Something’s gotten them riled up.”
The closer they got to the site of the wreck, the stronger Travis felt the ghostly presence and the uncomfortable itch of dark power. “I agree. Could someone have planted a talisman or worked magic to make the ghosts angry?”
She closed her eyes to focus. Brent and Travis stayed close, protecting her and scanning the tree line for threats.
“Definitely dark magic,” she said a moment later as she opened her eyes and looked around them. “Powerful, but fairly new. Not the kind of spell a novice witch could work.”
Travis and Brent exchanged a glance.That means we’ve got a strong rogue mage, or the Sinistram is up to something.
“If you and Travis work together, can you break it?” Brent asked. “I’ll keep watch.”
Helene considered for a moment. “I think we stand a chance. Just remember, the ghosts never really left this place. They just went to sleep for a while. Whatever tethered them is still providing an anchor.”
Brent put his hands on his hips and turned in a circle, trying to see the land the way it had appeared in the old photographs of the train wreck.
