You're Not Alone

Chapter Eleven

  “Girl, you are nuts? No, you are certifiable crazy if you’re even considering this.”

  “I get it Chaz, but you don’t. You haven’t seen or heard anything I have. If you did you might think differently.”

  “I said okay to a séance because it’s you, but I can’t say yes to digging up Matthew’s grave. If we get caught…well let’s just say orange is not my color and stripes are not my style.”

  “Please. We have to get it dug up and covered before the morning, so we need your help. We won’t get caught. Chester is helping us.”

  “He’s helping you?”

  “Yeah, it seems he’s really into this afterlife stuff.”

  “Where are you now?”

  “I’m home. Andjela came with me and felt it was okay to leave me for a while. Mr. Princeton is in his apartment writing the spell.”

  “On parchment.”

  “On parchment, yes. I guess he has some from ancient Egypt stored away somewhere.”

  “Quinn, this is so surreal. Are you sure you want to get mixed up in this? I’m worried about you.”

  “I know you are, and I appreciate it. So, if you really are worried about me, then come tonight and keep an eye on me. If the police show up, you can whisk me away.”

  “Honey, if I go and the police show up I’m whisking myself away.”

  “Gee, thanks.” I realized the conversation was starting to go downhill, so I pleaded once more. “Chaz, please come. You’ve been with me through this from the get-go. I need you.”

  “Oh, you make me so mad. Sure, tug at the ’ole heart strings. Make me feel guilty. Fine, I’ll come, but I’m not getting in the hole. I’ll dig until I can’t reach any further.”

  “Deal. Thanks, Chaz.”

  “Girl, you thought you owed me before. Now I don’t think you’ll ever catch up with the payback.”

  “I know, Chaz. Just meet me here tonight at eight o’clock. Dark and grungy clothes.”

  “Honey, I never wear grungy. See you later.”

  I hung up the phone and looked at the end table. The locket wasn’t there. I hadn’t thought about it all week. I recalled it was still on the dining room table with no picture in it. At least it had been there, and there wasn’t a picture when Andjela had opened it.

  I walked into the dining room and looked at the table. The locket was still where Andjela left it. I walked by it and went into the kitchen. I looked in the refrigerator for something to eat. Nothing interested me. I went back into the living room, walking by the table. I sat on the couch. I went down and got my mail, but by the time I came back I couldn’t take it anymore. I walked right to the dining room table, picked up the locket, and opened it. There still was no picture in it.

  I put the locket back on the table. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. I dragged myself to the couch and lay down. Within moments, I was asleep.

  I woke to knocking. It took me a minute to realize where I was. I looked around the living room. The daylight had faded and the lamp on the end table was on. I knew it was after six o’clock since that was the time I set the timer to turn on the light. I glanced at the wall clock. It was seven forty-five. What I noticed was eerily quiet my apartment was.

  I got up and opened the door to find Andjela dressed in overalls and a dark green flannel shirt. The black bandanna wrapped around her head blended almost seamlessly with her hair. A pair of work boots finished off the outfit.

  “Hey there.”

  “Hi. Come on in.” I stepped aside to let her in. “That’s quite the outfit.”

  “Thank you. I wasn’t sure what to wear. I’ve never dug up a grave before.”

  I shut the door as a sick feeling rolled around in my stomach. “Neither have I. In fact, I haven’t even thought about what I’m going to wear. It’s not often you dress for digging up a grave.” I gave her a wry smile.

  “Well, I just came from Eddie’s place, and he’s almost done writing the spell. I told him I would come get you and we’d meet him down there. So I guess it’s time you start thinking about what you’re going to wear.” She smiled at me. “Do you need help deciding?”

  “Um, no.” I backed out of the living room. “Thanks...uh, I’ll be right back.” I quickly turned to hide my embarrassment. I wasn’t sure why I was embarrassed, but it felt like she just did some kind of flirting with me. Nah. That wasn’t her style, and it wasn’t mine either.

  Ten minutes later I went back to the living room wearing a pair of old jeans, a black sweatshirt, work boots, and a baseball cap to hide my red hair. Andjela was sitting at the dining room table holding the locket. She looked up at me, uneasiness exposed openly on her face.

  “There’s still no picture in it, and I don’t feel anything. That worries me.” The trepidation in

  her voice concerned me.

  “Maybe Matthew is staying away knowing the specters are here.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never known spirits to think, or plan or plot. They just do. The only thing left of them is their essence, and that is what drives them to contact the other side. It seems innate to their nature.”

  “Sometimes, Andjela, I don’t follow what you’re saying.”

  I could tell Andjela was thinking. After a few moments, she said, “The only thing Matthew’s spirit is capable of doing is contacting you with whatever information he left this earth with because he never got a chance to tell you before he died. There is no set plan; they don’t think, they just do.”

  “So do you think because you don’t feel him here, he’s already lost the battle with the specters?”

  “I hope not.” She put the locket down and got up quickly. “We should get going. The sooner we do this, the better chance we have to make it work.”

  I opened the door to leave and found Chaz standing there preparing to knock. We both broke out into laughter. He was dressed in black pressed pants, a black button-down shirt, and a black leather jacket. He sported a pair of black loafers, and except for the black baseball cap, he looked more like he was going out for a night on the town than to a graveyard to dig dirt.

  “What,” he whined. “I told you I don’t do grunge.”

  “I guess you don’t,” Andjela commented. “Must be some expensive dry cleaning bills.”

  She sidestepped past him and went down the stairs.

  “Don’t say it,” Chaz said as he watched her leave.

  I shut the door, locked it, and looked at Chaz. “Actually, I think you look smashing for a grave digger.”

  “Of course I do.”

  “You definitely won’t be seen,” I teased.

  He put his arm around me, and we walked together down to Mr. Princeton’s apartment. “Are you ready for this?”

  “Yeah, I just don’t know if it will be too late.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “My apartment has been void of spirits since yesterday, and there is no picture in the locket.”

  “Not sure what all that means, but maybe you can explain it to me someday.”

  “I will.” Just as I put my hand up to knock on Mr. Princeton’s door, it opened.

  Andjela smiled. “He’s almost ready. He was changing when I got here. Now he is carefully rolling the scroll and packaging it.”

  I took a deep breath. “What’s next?”

  “Well, it’s only eight o’clock, and we aren’t supposed to meet Chester until eleven. How about stopping for something to eat somewhere? We’re going to need our strength.”

  “You don’t think we aren’t going to look suspicious all dressed in dark clothes like this?” I asked.

  “Eddie knows of a diner where they don’t ask questions.” Andjela left the room.

  Chaz looked at me and whispered in astonishment. “Eddie?”

  I laughed. “Yup, she calls him Eddie, and I guess everyone else but you and I call her Andie.”

  “Really. Are you ever going to introduce me to Andie?” he smirked.

  “If she stops for a moment, yeah. A
nd it’s Andjela to you.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.” He smirked. I slapped his arm. We walked into the living room. “You know I find this place disturbing with all these old artifacts.”

  “Really? You didn’t seem that way the other night at dinner.”

  He shrugged. “I was getting a free meal. I had to show interest.” He looked around. “But it really just creeps me out.”

  “A few weeks ago, I would have agreed, but after what I’ve seen and heard…doesn’t faze me.”

  Mr. Princeton came bounding out of the dining room with Andjela on his heels. He was carrying a small package. “Hello. Is everyone ready?” Mr. Princeton looked comical in a pair of Carhartt overalls that were hemmed too short, displaying black ankle socks and a pair of sneakers. A red and green plaid flannel shirt reminded me of Christmas colors. He didn’t cover his gray hair and I hoped it wasn’t too light to be seen in the dark. I wasn’t used to seeing him like this. He always wore a button-down shirt with a bow tie. Sometimes a suit coat.

  I finally got a quick introduction in. Chaz’s large hand engulfed Andjela’s slim fingers as they gawked at one another for a few moments. Immediately after, they turned away, seemingly embarrassed, causing an awkwardness that left each one of us standing in Mr. Princeton’s living room speechless. I looked at the four of us dressed for illegal grave digging. This was quite a group of misfits if ever I saw one.

  In silence, we followed Mr. Princeton out and piled into his 1980 navy blue Dodge Mirada. He drove us to a diner on a deserted street in the city. Mr. Princeton was right. No one bothered us, asked questions, or even gave us a second glance. Why would they? Everyone else in the diner looked just as shady as we did. I continually marveled at the things I didn’t know about this man who rented an apartment from me. I wondered if Matthew had known any of this. It would have made for some really good conversations between us. That thought made me smile.

  After we finished dinner, we drove the half hour to St. Luke’s Cemetery. By the time we got there, it was a little after eleven. The gates usually closed at nine, but Chester said he would open them for us just before eleven o’clock and close them at ten after. He said if we didn’t arrive in that time, the job was off. Mr. Princeton made sure we got there within the designated time.

  Chester told us after we entered to drive to the back of the cemetery where the grounds building was situated and park behind it. After he closed the gates, he would meet us there. We did as he requested, and after Mr. Princeton parked the car, the four of us sat in silence waiting for Chester.

  Suddenly, there was a rap on my window and I jumped. I saw Chester standing nervously next to the car. He motioned to us to get out, then turned and went into the building. We followed quietly. I looked around half expecting a bevy of bright lights to pop on from police cars that were surrounding us, but none appeared.

  Inside, Chester was loading shovels, rakes, and pickaxes into a small trailer attached to the back of a Gator.

  We were really going to do this.

  I watched as Mr. Princeton greeted Chester. The two men conversed with the animation of young boys in anticipation of being able to finally play the latest video game.

  “Do you believe this?” Chaz asked, nodding to the two men.

  “Actually, I do.” I smiled.

  “They’re like two kids in a candy store,” Andjela chimed in. “Kind of cute.”

  We chuckled as Mr. Princeton displayed the package holding the parchment to Chester. “We only need to open the coffin about a half inch. I will unroll the parchment and slip it inside. Then we close and seal it.”

  “What happens after that?” Chester asked Mr. Princeton.

  “We wait a day and then Andjela holds the séance to see if it worked. If it did, Matthew should present himself to Andjela.”

  “You are going to include me in the séance, right?” Chester looked back and forth between Mr. Princeton and Andjela.

  “Of course,” she answered.

  Chaz rolled his eyes, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. Did the whole world have to know about this? But Chester was helping us do something illegal. I couldn’t very well say no to him.

  We piled into the Gator with the attached trailer. Mr. Princeton and Chaz squeezed into the front of the Gator with Chester driving. Andjela and I climbed into the ATV’s small bed and hoped the hitched trailer with the supplies would hold on despite five adults in the towing vehicle. He took off before we were totally seated, and we almost fell out the back. Andjela caught me and started laughing. I joined in out of pure nervousness.

  I knew the road Chester was taking. I travelled it often to Matthew’s grave to sit and talk to him. Sometimes I would turn around and go back home without getting out of the car because someone else was at his gravesite, but most often, there was no one.

  He turned down a narrow access road and stopped opposite Matthew’s grave. We all got out and grabbed a shovel, pickaxe, or rake.

  A nearly full moon and clear night sky cast enough light for us to see our way through the graves. As we neared Matthew’s headstone, my heart sank down to my stomach, causing my stomach to churn with the invasion of my emotions. I started to sweat. I didn’t know if I could do this. I slowed down preparing my body to turn and run. I didn’t want to do this. I felt a hand gently but firmly touch my arm.

  “It’ll be okay,” Andjela said soothingly. “With all this help, we’ll get it done quickly.” She searched my face. “You must know that you are helping Matthew’s soul. If you love him, you have to do this.”

  I swallowed and nodded my head. “Okay,” I breathed out agitated, “okay.”

  Chester commandeered our task. He spoke softly as he outlined where we needed to dig. The hole had to be three feet wide by eight feet in length to be able to open the coffin. He told us the original holes were dug five feet deep, but with the height of the coffin itself we only had to dig down a little over three feet. He brought a lantern with him but said he wouldn’t light it unless we absolutely needed it.

  He set up rotations with three groups of two people digging for a period of ten minutes. He said it would go faster since we would get a twenty-minute rest in between, keeping us fresh so we wouldn’t slow down the process. Chester said he would dig twice in the rotation, once with Andjela and the other with Mr. Princeton. How he knew it would be best to put Chaz with me, I’ll never know, but he did. While he explained all this he set a tarp down on either side of the grave so we didn’t leave evidence of fresh dirt on the grass.

  Chester and Andjela started first. It was the longest ten minutes I went through since the time I sat by Matthew’s bed in the hospital waiting for him to die. Now, here I was waiting for my turn to dig up the resting place of my dead love. I looked around the entire time still expecting to see those lights suddenly shine upon us.

  I listened to Chester explain to Andjela how to remove the grass and place it aside. She quickly got up to speed, and they were almost done clearing the sod when Chaz and I took over. We removed the rest of it and started to dig into the rich, brown dirt. Chester instructed us to throw the dirt back away from the hole and onto the tarps so we wouldn’t run out of room to put the dirt when we got deeper and too tired to throw it. We also had to give ourselves enough space to climb out.

  After our ten minutes was up, I was ready to take a break. Chester and Mr. Princeton took over, and after they finished, Mr. Princeton stepped out and Andjela went in. Chester kept digging. We were one foot down.

  I was amazed at the endurance of Chester. He dug for twenty minutes at a time with only a ten-minute break in between, and in those ten minutes, he supervised closely. He explained to us that real grave diggers had to dig the hole in four hours, but now, it was mostly done with backhoes. I was wishing on my second shift of digging he had pulled that out of the barn, even though I knew the sound of a backhoe would have most definitely brought those lights and sirens screaming down on us.

  “Since we have to fill th
e hole back in and make sure everything looks relatively undisturbed, I am thinking the total process should take us four hours as well,” Chester said evenly as he dug. No huffing or puffing.

  We were two feet down at the end of my second shift. It was daunting to think this was going to take more than two hours, but four? I climbed out, glad it was a cool night. Sweat was pouring down my back. I smelled like dirt, and that smell was beginning to repulse me. I forced myself to sit down on the ground, drink some water we brought with us, and slow my heart rate down. It wasn’t speeding up from the exertion of the digging. It was racing from the anticipation of seeing the coffin.

  After two hours of digging, Mr. Princeton’s shovel hit the coffin. Chester hushed everyone as he gingerly knelt down. He felt around to make sure it wasn’t a rock. Satisfied it was the coffin, the two men carefully removed the remaining dirt from the top of the coffin with their shovels. The rest of us peered over the edge of the grave, watching.

  Slowly, I saw the top of Matthew’s coffin appear. The polished cherry wood, the last thing I saw of him, was now discolored, dull, and scratched. I shuddered at the sight and turned away to catch my breath.

  Chester and Mr. Princeton handed their shovels up and used their gloved hands to clear away the rest of the soil from the top and around the edges of the coffin. Chester was speaking quietly to Mr. Princeton. I heard him say they didn’t want too much dirt to fall inside when they opened it.

  Chester put his hand up to stop Mr. Princeton and gave us a signal that he felt it was ready to open. He asked Andjela to get the crowbar out of the Gator. Chaz helped pull Mr. Princeton out of the hole who then followed Andjela to the Gator to get the package with the parchment in it.

  Chester slid back to the bottom half of the casket and waited for them to return. Andjela returned with the crowbar and passed it down to him. Mr. Princeton stood at the edge of the grave, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in anticipation.

  Chester stood up and leaned against one side of the hole. He reached his hand down the side of the top half of the coffin and disengaged a lock. He placed the crowbar in the seam and pushed down on it. There was a slight whoosh as the seal began to loosen. He expertly moved the crowbar along the seam, each time another soft whoosh sounded until he got to the far end. He had to stretch to reach it and almost fell on top of the coffin when the lid gave way. He dug his hand into the dirt and looked up at us grinning after he regained his balance on the lower half of the coffin. Then he focused on Mr. Princeton.

  “You’re on,” he said to him.

  Mr. Princeton handed the package to Andjela. Chaz helped him down into the hole on the lower half of the coffin.

  “I don’t think we should do this,” I said to Andjela, panic suddenly taking control of me in anticipation of opening Matthew’s coffin.

  “It’s okay. You won’t see anything. You don’t even have to stand here. Go over to the Gator and wait.”

  But I didn’t move. I watched Andjela hand the package back to Mr. Princeton, now in the hole. He untied the string around it and gingerly removed the wrapping from the aged, yellowed parchment. He carefully unrolled the fragile paper which was only the size of a normal sheet of paper that you would put in a copier. He slowly knelt down on the lower portion of the coffin. Chester stood on the other side of Mr. Princeton and took hold of the top lid. He lifted it so there was about an inch opening.

  Knowing that digging up a body was illegal was numbing, yet my body was shaking. I knew they were only going to open the coffin enough to slip the piece of parchment into it, but the thought of Matthew’s coffin being disturbed, that his body was inside, was totally unsettling. I turned away even though I knew I wouldn’t see him. I hugged myself to calm all the thoughts that were trying to surface. I wouldn’t let them. I couldn’t. Whether I believed or not I felt deep down to my very core that Matthew’s spirit in the afterlife did need our help. My help.

  I turned back to see Chester look at Mr. Princeton and nod, giving the go-ahead for Mr. Princeton to slip the parchment paper inside. Slowly and carefully, he guided the parchment until it was totally swallowed up by the coffin. Chester lowered the lid. Chaz helped Mr. Princeton out of the hole. Chester walked around the edge of the coffin. He quietly said, “My weight should make the lid reseal itself.”

  After a few minutes, Chester seemed satisfied that the coffin was resealed. He reached down along the side and re-engaged the lock. He climbed out of the hole with the agility of a circus performer that had me wondering if he had ever dug up any other graves before this one.

  “We’re running out of time,” he said, acting nervous for the first time since we started. “It took us a little longer to dig than I thought it would. We have about an hour and a half to fill it in, fix the sod, and return the tools and Gator. I believe the police drive by around four a.m.”

  Without a word, the rest of us picked up the rakes and shovels and began the laborious process of filling in the hole. Next was replacing the sod and as soon as we started, I realized how tedious a job this was going to be. Chester guided us to return the pieces in the exact spot we took them from. He worked with his hands to make sure they connected seamlessly. At three forty-five a.m., he was satisfied with the way Matthew’s grave looked. I had to admit, you couldn’t tell it was disturbed unless you were looking for it.

  Chester hurried us to the Gator and threw the tools and the tarps in the back. Andjela and I got into the uncomfortable positions once again amidst the tools that now reeked of the dewy earth. As Chester drove wildly back to the barn, Andjela reached over and took my hand.

  “It will be okay.”

  “How can you be sure? This is all…it’s so crazy. A piece of parchment with some mumbo jumbo written on it? Good ghosts? Bad ghosts? It’s playing out like a bad B movie.”

  “Maybe a sequel to the one you talked about at the bar?” She smiled. I knew she was trying for the sense of humor, but at this point, it wasn’t working. We had just defaced Matthew’s gravesite and opened his place of rest, his coffin. Could he ever forgive me? Could I ever forgive myself?

  Just then Chester took a wild left turn and almost dumped Andjela and me out of the back of the Gator. As I struggled to regain balance, I saw the garage door on the barn open. He gunned the small truck, drove inside, and braked hard to stop it before we went out the other wall. Andjela and I fell forward just as the garage door went down.

  “Quiet. Shh!” Chester said in a loud whisper. “Now!”

  I didn’t try to sit up. I lay quiet even though the end of a shovel was digging into my hip and my left leg was twisted in the handles of the tools. My back was resting on the top of the front seat. I lifted my head and could see a little off to my side where Andjela was lying in Mr. Princeton and Chaz’s laps.

  I knew I couldn’t stay in the position I was in for much longer, and just as I was about to scream out in pain, Chester came over and grabbed my arm and shoulder helping me to an upright position. He put his finger to his lips and whispered, “I saw the lights of a cop car. It turned around and was heading back to the cemetery. They have the codes for the gate. I don’t know if they saw or heard us, but we need to stay quiet.”

  I was grateful Chester helped me up. I sat on the edge of the Gator and rubbed my back and hip nodding a thank you to him. He walked over to the other end of the barn and looked out a small window. Suddenly, he pressed himself back against the wall. I saw lights a short distance away from the barn. As quietly as I could, I lowered myself into the back of the Gator. The car drew closer and slowed.

  I looked over at Andjela, thinking she had to be uncomfortable lying on the laps of two men, but she actually appeared relaxed. Chaz looked the most uncomfortable out of the three of them. I almost broke out into laughter but the severity of the situation stopped me.

  Chester rushed to the door. He fumbled for the handle. I watched him stop and take a deep breath before he took hold of the door-knob and turned it. He opened the door e
nough to slip out and closed it behind him. I heard the lock engage.

  Even though I couldn’t make out who he was talking to and what they were saying, fear rose in my throat as I realized he was speaking to the police. Chaz, Mr. Princeton, and Andjela must have had the same thought because they were still frozen in the exact position they ended up in the second Chester threw on the brakes of the Gator.

  I felt sweat dripping down my forehead. The police weren’t leaving. I strained hard to listen. I sensed nervousness coming from Chester (funny how adept I had gotten at distinguishing the emotions in people’s voices since all this started). I hoped we didn’t get caught for all sorts of reasons, but at that moment, the reason was mostly for Chester. He had a right to be nervous. Even though it was his cemetery, he still just committed a crime. I didn’t want anyone to get in trouble because of me.

  The conversation began to dwindle. Car doors opened and closed, followed by the sound of an engine starting. Through the small window I saw headlights pass, then fade.

  After a few minutes, I looked over at Andjela, Chaz, and Mr. Princeton. The men were quietly helping her off their laps to a standing position outside the Gator. It was the first time I ever saw her look…faltering, sweat on her brow giving away her nervousness. She smiled feebly as she rubbed her neck.

  We waited several minutes for Chester. I assumed he didn’t want to come right back in after the police left, but there was no sign of him. I was worried. Even though it was Chester’s cemetery and there was no reason for the police to suspect him of any wrongdoing, the fact he wasn’t unlocking the door to let us out scared me.

  I shifted my weight and looked at my three cohorts. “Where is Chester?” I whispered. All three of them shrugged their shoulders at the same time. I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing and then thrust my hand over my mouth. Soon, Chaz joined me but Mr. Princeton and Andjela remained quiet, looking hard at Chaz and forcing him to put a hand over his mouth to muffle his laugher. We both continued to giggle. Our laughing, I’m sure, was due to nerves.

  “He should be back by now,” Andjela said starting to pace back and forth.

  I walked over and turned the doorknob. As I suspected, Chester had locked us in. “Great.” I said.

  “What’s wrong?” Chaz asked, worry in his voice.

  I turned to face him. “We’re locked in.”

  “Oh, come on! James is going to be pissed off if I don’t get home before the sun comes up.”

  Mr. Princeton put a hand on Chaz’s shoulder. “Relax young man. He had to lock us in to keep the police out. I believe he told them he was taking care of some night work and that he just finished cleaning up and was leaving.”

  “What? Do we have two psychics now?” Chaz asked.

  Andjela’s head turned quickly to look at Chaz.

  “No,” Mr. Princeton answered in a stern voice. “Chester told me if we ran into the police he had his stories ready. That was one of them, but I would have expected him to be back by now.”

  “Unless he had to really leave because the police were watching him,” I added.

  “If he did, he will be back. He won’t leave us here and I know he won’t want to miss the séance.” Mr. Princeton smiled.

  Chaz relaxed. “So what do we do now?”

  “We wait.”