I See You

Chapter Thirty-Six

        "Calm sweet girl," Marissa muttered, the words so very sweet, the voice demonic sounding. "He comes. Just being a little bit stubborn."

        She could only nod, looking around her home in confusion as to what was going on. After a moment when Emma believed he'd never show, he did. The black shadow appeared in the black salt circle. The shadow creature was exactly what Emma recalled from her few interactions with it. It seemed huge, seven feet tall, red eyes that glowed and spit sparks. The shadows writhed in fury, boiling thick void that filled the area and spreading outward as if to consume everything around it.

        "Welcome William," Marissa said, her arm lifting away from her side waving the white bundle in her hand. "Calm yourself and listen to me please."

        He roared loudly, the house seemed to shake on the very foundation. When Emma glanced at Grammy; she looked so very sad and disappointed. Emma's eyes welled with more tears at that lost look on her face. This wasn't right. She whimpered softly, covering the sound when Marissa squeezed her gently.

        "It's okay," Marissa reached out a hand to Grammy. "Calm Ms. Beth. This is good, give him a chance. He will once again be the man you love. Faith." Marissa glanced at her mother. "Mom. Your turn."

        Sophia's voice lifted, the foreign language growing louder as she approached the circle, walking around it clockwise, chanting now, tossing different smelling herbs into the pool of blood. Emma's heart seemed to lift when little by little, the shadow began to shift, clearing away and in a blink of an eye it and the pool of blood disappeared completely. Sophia stopped and nodded toward Marissa.

        Emma gasped and looked around, the dead silence making shivers break out all over her. She bit her lip and kept quiet, waiting and watching. Suddenly a bright light appeared in the second white circle. There within the light was her Gramps, the way he'd always looked in life. Strong, smiling and peaceful. He wore the same tan slacks and blue button up shirt he'd always said was his favorite, because they were comfortable. His eyes were crinkled at the corners from impressions of laughter throughout his life. His smile was the one that had always erased all the bad from life.

        "William, sir, so happy you could join us," Marissa said pleasantly as if conducting a high tea and not whatever this was.

        "Thank you lady. I don't know what's going on here. I feel like I'm waking up from a bad nightmare." He looked down at his hands in obvious disgust. "One I remember, and I'm not proud of what I know happened."

        "It's okay, all that is past now William. It is time to let it all go and move on." Marissa waved the white bundle again, her entire manner one of peace and contentment. "You can make your peace and find the light. Emma is here."

        William's eyes moved over to where Emma stood. His face looked sad. "Emma, I'm so ashamed of how I acted. Can you forgive me?"

        "Of course I can," Emma wiped at her cheeks, trying to steam the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "Gramps there is absolutely nothing to forgive. I love you, and I know you weren't well right then. So it's forgotten."

        He smiled proudly as a light began to shine from within him. "You always were the best part of our lives. I hope you know that. You were never a burden or a hardship."

        "I never felt like one." Emma smiled. "You made sure of that," she sniffled and hugged herself, wishing that it was Cody's arms and not her own. "You don't have to worry about me Gramps, I have Cody now," she glanced at him to find him looking at her, as usual.