Callie's Haunting

"Now what have we gotten ourselves into?" Lou asked as she held on to Kid for balance.

Jimmy looked around for Callie's soft glow. He found it in the corner of the room, her eyes were wide. Jimmy could tell she was frightened.

"Callie, what is it?" He asked.

"It's Joseph, he really doesn't want to be found." She said meekly. Callie then turned to the group, "I'm sorry I dragged you all into this. It was wrong of me, I think it was a mistake."

"Don't say that." Jimmy said. "We'll help you no matter what. Joseph has to understand that you will be together, but not here."

"Can you guarantee that Jimmy? Can you honestly tell me that Joseph and I will be together in heaven?" Callie's voice broke with emotion.

Hickok tore his gaze away from her, he knew he couldn't say what she wanted to hear. Callie saw the change in his posture. "No, I didn't think so. I'll do my best to find your horses, and when I do I think you should just go."

Callie disappeared and as soon as she did the house went still.

"Well, it's about time someone was thinking with a clear head." Cody stated. The three other riders just looked at him, "What? I'm just saying that she's finally come to her senses or whatever spirits have. We should never have been brought into this."

Jimmy sighed and turned to Kid and Lou, "Will you two be leavin' too?"

Kid glanced at Lou, "Yeah, Jimmy there's nothing we can do here. We've tried."

"You are coming too, aren't you Jimmy." Lou asked.

Hickok grabbed a lantern and turned to leave the room. "No, I made a promise." He said softly as he went through the doorway.

Lou looked at the two men still in the room with her, "We aren't going to leave him here alone are we?"

"Lou there's nothing we can do to stop him. It's not safe here, we should go home." Kid pleaded

"And Callie doesn't even want us here anymore." Cody added.

"But she needs our help." Lou said, "If it were us Kid, I'd want someone to bring us together again."

Kid opened his mouth to speak but the sound of hoof beats outside silenced anything he would have said. Jimmy came back into the room lantern in hand.

"We've got a couple of hours until daylight. Tell Teaspoon I'll be home as soon as I'm done here."

"We'll bring help." Kid said.

Jimmy nodded once and headed back out of the room, Lou followed him out into a small foyer beside the stairs, Kid and Cody went into the family room to pack the few belongings they had brought with them.

"Where are you going to check next?" She asked.

Jimmy nodded towards the stairs. "We haven't checked up there."

"But I thought we agreed there was no place up there to hide anything."

"We never really looked in any room but Callie's, there are still two rooms and at least as many closets."

Lou and Jimmy jumped at the voice, it was female but not Callie's.

"Who was that?" Lou asked.

"I don't know." Jimmy shrugged, then looked deeply into Lou's eyes. "Listen Lou, uh. . . if anything should happen to me. . . I just want you to know-"

"Lou! Are you ready?" Kid's voice broke into the small foyer.

Lou glanced back towards the family room, sighed and turned back to Jimmy, "What were you going to say?"

"Nothin', you better go." Jimmy nudged Lou in the direction of the front door. She turned and joined both Kid and Cody who were waiting, saddlebags in hand, for the female rider to show up.

Kid's eyebrows shot up when he saw Lou and Jimmy emerge from the darkness of the small foyer, "What were you two doing?" He asked.

Lou usually found his jealousy a little flattering, but it was more than unwelcome now. "Talkin' Kid, just talkin'." She turned back to Jimmy, and she felt as though she'd never see him again. She ran and threw her arms around him.

"Be careful." She whispered and softly kissed his cheek.

Jimmy squeezed the small woman tightly then pushed her away. "I will," he said, his voice rough. "Now git, all of you. I've got some bones to find."

Kid and Cody both held out their hands and Jimmy shook them each in turn.

"We will bring some help in the morning." Kid said.

"I know you will, but I think I've got all the help I need in the house right now." Jimmy said as he looked up the stairs.

Jimmy watched as his friends mounted their horses and galloped away, then closed the door and headed up the stairs. Luckily the group left the lanterns and Hickok had plenty of light to work with. Jimmy turned to Callie's room and entered it with the intention of searching her closet.

Jimmy stopped in his tracks and looked around, "Who are you?" he asked. It was the same voice that told him about the attic. There was no answer. Jimmy turned back to Callie's room. Once he was inside the door once again slammed shut behind him. Jimmy turned quickly, "Callie?"

"Who are you?" Jimmy was becoming impatient. Then the music box began to play. Jimmy turned slowly and as he faced the old vanity a woman slowly appeared caressing the small box.

"I gave her this on her tenth birthday, she loved it so much." The woman said. Her voice was soft and melodic, her accent much more pronounced than Callie's. "I'm only sorry I had to leave her with that man, I tried to watch over her. But when it came down to it I did nothing to help her." She looked up at Jimmy. "So now I'm going to help you."

Jimmy was taken aback at the woman's beauty. This was Callie only an older version of her. Jimmy tried to remember if Teaspoon had said anything of Callie's mother.

"I know what you're thinking. Yes, I am her mother. My name is Melissa Forrester, and you are Jimmy?"

"Yes ma'am. Have you been here all this time?" Jimmy asked.

"No, unlike Callie, Joseph, and Robert; I am not trapped here." She moved to stand before Hickok. "I came to help you. I came to reunite my daughter with the man who could have made her truly happy in life."

"Why now?"

"Because you can't do it alone. I thought you and you're friends would find him, but when your friends left I saw you would need help."

Jimmy was both furious and awed by her appearance. "Why didn't you get help in the last ten years?" He realized the absurdity of his question after he had asked it. "Forget I asked." He added quickly. Jimmy moved to Callie's bed and sat down. "I want to know."

"Want to know what?" Melissa asked.

"Your story. Why is it no one has mentioned you before?"

"Oh that," Melissa moved to the vanity and sat on the small bench. "Well I can only assume that the reason no one has mentioned me before is because I appeared to have died of natural causes." She began.

"But you didn't?"

"There was nothing natural about the way I died James. You could say I died of sorrow or a broken heart. I lived the life that Callie's father had chosen for her. I was promised to her father but I was in love with another man. I thought when Callie was born my heart would finally be whole. But no matter how I tried he never let me be happy, so after eleven years I finally just gave up. I never realized what I had left Callie to." Her words broke into sobs.

"I vowed after death, I would see her safely away from her father, but it wasn't meant to be, so I swore that I would reunite my daughter and the man she loved and help them on their way to paradise. I never thought I would meet resistance from Joseph as well, and now Callie seems to be giving up. Well I'll not have it." Melissa rose and seemed to glide to the door which opened as she approached. "Are you coming James?" She called as she left the room.

Jimmy inhaled deeply, then followed the apparition. As he walked out of Callie's room and down the hallway, he noticed the temperature dropped and Melissa was no where to be seen. Jimmy stood before the first of the other two bedroom doors. He turned the knob slowly and heard the click of the latch. Jimmy closed his eyes and said a quick prayer before entering the room.

This room too was a bedroom, although not in as good condition as Callie's. The smell of mildew and decay almost made Hickok retch.

Jimmy jumped at the sound of Melissa's voice. "Do you mind not sneaking up on me.

"Sorry." Melissa said as she materialized in front of him. "They don't come in here, never did in life. . . never do in death." She turned to look at the room. "He's not here you know. I told you where he is."

"The attic." Jimmy said.

"That's right."

"What do I do after I've found him." Jimmy asked.

Melissa rolled her eyes, "He needs a proper burial. Must I explain everything to you."

"Well I'm not what you call religious. So I don't know what I can do." Jimmy said.

"James, just bury him. Say a few kind words over his grave. Our maker will do the rest." Melissa said softly. "Now go up to the attic."

Jimmy turned to go out the door and realized he had no idea how to get to the attic. As he turned to ask Melissa, a loud thump sounded in the hallway.

"Thanks." He muttered.

Jimmy walked into the hallway and was met by the form of a young man blocking the small ladder leading to the attic.

"Joseph." Jimmy said in greeting. "I'm just trying to help."

"Get away from here, I don't want your help!" The hallway seemed to become colder.

Jimmy knew he needed more help, "Callie!" He called, "Please help me, I just want to help."

Suddenly the last bedroom door swung open and the smell of rotting flesh invaded Jimmy's nostrils.

The man stood silently in the bedroom doorway. All of a sudden he pushed out with his hand and Jimmy was thrown back against a wall and crumpled to the ground. Dazed, Hickok stared up in wonder as Callie appeared standing in front of him.

"Leave him alone." She demanded to both her father and her love. Callie then turned her attention to the man at her feet. "Are you okay?" She asked softly.

Jimmy shook his head as if to clear it and said yes, he then slowly got to his feet. "I just want to help." He began, "Help me Callie."

Callie looked from Jimmy to her father and back again. Jimmy knew he was going to lose her help. "I can't Jimmy, he's too strong." She said quietly.

Callie's eyes opened in wonder at the sound of her mother's voice, "Mama?" She gasped.

"I can't." Callie replied into the empty air.

At that point Robert made a sound that Hickok had never heard before. It was part growl; part roar. The temperature in the house dropped and the hallway took on a green glow. The house once again began to tremble, and because he couldn't stand upright, Jimmy once again found himself on the floor.

Robert began to stalk towards Hickok. Callie, seeing his intent ran towards him to try to stop him. With one look it seemed like Callie was flung to the side as if she were nothing but a fly. As she slid past Jimmy she vanished, and Joseph with her. Jimmy rose to meet the evil apparition. He was determined to fight, and if he was going to fail he vowed he would die standing. As Jimmy prepared himself to fight, Robert vanished.

Hickok looked around; muscles tensed. Although it seemed that Robert had given up, the hairs on Jimmy's neck were standing on end, and when that happened Jimmy knew trouble wasn't far behind. And even though only minutes had passed, Jimmy felt as if he had been standing there for hours. Exhaling sharply, Hickok finally relaxed and was suddenly knocked to the ground.

Jimmy looked around him to see where Robert had run to, but there was no one there. Suddenly Jimmy was jerked up by his shirt collar and thrown against the wall. As Hickok rubbed his now sore shoulder, he tried to think of how he could fight something he couldn't see.

"Show yourself!" Jimmy yelled, "Fight me like a man!"

Slowly Jimmy's attacker materialized by his bedroom door. Robert's face was twisted in a mask of rage. Jimmy stood up and faced him.

"You can't stop me, I will find Joseph's remains and free him."

Robert began walking towards Hickok slowly. Purely on instinct Jimmy reached for his colt. Robert saw this and let out a guttural laugh.

"You think you can solve all of your problems with a gun?" He began, "I'm proof you can't"

For every step Robert took towards him, Jimmy found himself taking one back, until he hit the staircase railing. Without warning Robert reached out and grabbed Hickok's neck; squeezing it. Jimmy made as if to punch and kick at the man, to make him loosen his grip, but both hands and feet went through the apparition. The more Jimmy struggled, the harder Robert laughed and the tighter he squeezed.

Gasping for air, Jimmy grabbed at the two hands at his throat. Hickok felt himself slipping and regretted the things he never got to say to those closest to him. Especially Lou.

"What made you think you could defeat me?" Robert said, "You lose boy."

Suddenly, as Jimmy felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. The hands at his neck pushed and Jimmy felt himself go over the railing. He tried to prepare himself for the pain of impact but it never came. Instead, Jimmy felt himself pushed back over the banister and laid gently on the floor. As Jimmy lay gasping he saw Melissa materialize in front of her husband. Hickok would have laughed at the comical expression of shock on Robert's face if he could have.

"He knows he can defeat you because he has me by his side." She said. "There is nothing you can do to me Robert, and as long as I am here there will be nothing you can do to James."

Jimmy stared up at her and wondered where she was while Robert was choking him, but kept the question to himself when he saw that Robert was truly afraid of her. Instead of answering her, Robert looked towards Jimmy, who was now standing upright.

Jimmy's eyes widened when Robert spoke his last words to him, and for years after the whole experience had ended Jimmy wondered about those words.

"You will die James Butler Hickok." Robert began, "It may not be tonight, but believe me when I say that you will not live to see old age. You will die a violent death, and the pistols at your side won't help you." With those prophetic words Robert vanished.

Jimmy wasn't sure how long he had stood there after Robert left. He only knew that Melissa was now standing beside him, and he suddenly felt calmer.

"Pay him no mind James." She said soothingly, "He was only trying to frighten you so that you wouldn't do what must be done."

Jimmy nodded numbly. "Well then let's get to it." He said in a voice that was surprisingly strong. Hickok turned to the ladder and found that it was once again blocked.

"Not again." He muttered as he looked to Melissa for help, but once again she was gone. "Well I guess I'm on my own again." He whispered to himself. He then turned back to Joseph. "Get out of the way."

"No, leave us. Please." Joseph pleaded.

"No way," Jimmy said as he approached the ladder. "I was almost choked to death and thrown off the banister, I'm going into that attic and I will find something to bury."

Just as Jimmy was going to go through Joseph, Callie's voice stopped him.

"Please Jimmy," She said softly, "I can't bear to be without him. Please, please understand."

Callie looked around frantically, "Mama?"

Melissa came out of the bedroom she had died in. "Yes sweeting, it's me."

Callie turned and fell into her mother's arms. "Oh mama. What are you doing here?"

"I've come to help James reunite the two of you in Paradise."

Callie shook her head quickly, "But Joseph, he killed father. It was murder."

Melissa took one of Callie's hands and led her to Joseph. She then took one of his hand and placed it in Callie's. With her hand over the two that were joined she said "It is not for us to judge ourselves, we leave that to the Divine. You two have paid dearly for past sins committed. I can assure you, you will be together in Paradise." She then glanced at Jimmy and added quickly, "That is if we ever let James into the attic."

Once inside the attic with Melissa by his side, Jimmy saw it was covered in layers of dust and cobwebs, more so than the rest of the house. It was then that he realized he had forgotten a lantern. When he turned to leave, Melissa stopped him. "You won't need it." She said, and when Jimmy looked around the attic again there was a soft glow emanating from some of the objects, the brightest from a trunk off to his right.

"There, that is where Joseph's remains lay." Melissa said as she pointed to the trunk.

Jimmy walked to the trunk and opened the lid, inside rolled in an old rug was Joseph. As he bent to pick the bundle up, Callie appeared in the attic.

"He's gone! Joseph is gone!" She cried.

Melissa put an arm around her daughter, "Trust me, he'll be back."

Jimmy brought the rug down, all the while expecting Robert to pop out of somewhere, yet Robert never came.

Jimmy, with Melissa and Callie by his side, buried Joseph's remains in the pre-dawn light under an apple tree not far from the house. He said a small prayer and asked that Joseph find some peace in the hereafter. When he looked up, only Melissa stood by the grave.

"They have found peace and are finally together." She said then vanished.

Not long after that Jimmy smelled smoke. The house is on fire! He thought. Jimmy ran back to the house only to find that it was being engulfed by flames. Jimmy stood back and watched it burn. Hours later when the house was nothing but a pile of smoldering wood, Teaspoon and the riders found him.

"What happened here?" Teaspoon asked.

Jimmy looked at the older man and shrugged, "I dropped my lantern, the whole thing just went up."

"Well what happened with the ghosts?" Cody asked.

Jimmy turned to Cody, "I told you there are no such things as ghosts."

"How do explain what happened to us in there?" Kid asked.

"Overactive imaginations." Jimmy said then walked towards what was once the house. Lou followed closely behind him.

"Are you trying to make us look crazy Jimmy?" She asked.

"Lou some things are just better left alone."

Lou pulled at his collar and saw the bruises she had only glimpsed while he was standing with Teaspoon, more clearly. "Like what happened to your neck?"

"Yep." He answered then walked back to his friends.

"Fine," she said, then the reflection of metal in the early morning sun caught her eye. She walked slowly into the debris of the house.

"Jimmy!"

Lou's call brought all of the men into the debris. She was pointing at a metal object, Jimmy bent to pick it up.

There in the debris, playing softly, was Callie's music box, and beside it a piece of the mirror from her vanity with three words written in the soot.

THANK YOU JIMMY