Powdered Bones
By H. Jason Schulz
Copyright © 2013 H. Jason Schulz
My name is Harold Tenbrook and I own a new antique shop in the lower east side of the city. I just arrived here from the west coast to open this shop. One night I purchased a box of old objects and got a very unpleasant surprise.
On one particular Halloween, just before I closed for the night, an old woman came into the shop. She was wearing visibly warn but clean and neat clothes. She had with her a box of old junk as she entered the store. She looked around and spotted the counter at the back of the showroom and walked up to it. She placed the box onto the counter with a sigh and rang the bell. I pulled the curtains to the side and walked out of the back room and up to the counter. The old woman greeted me quickly and simply and then informed me that she had many wonderful antiques for sale. I smiled in return and looked into the box. There were many old items for sure, but none seemed to be of any value.
I introduced myself and asked for the old woman's name. She said that her name was Matilda but didn't offer a sir name. She then immediately began removing items from the box and explaining to me what she had.
Here in an “antique tea set, a mortar and pestle, silverware, a copper pan...” And so it went on. When she had finished removing the last item, she looked hopefully up at me.
I inspected the items slowly wondering how I was going to tell this woman that I had no use for her items. Finally, I asked how much she wanted for them. She replied that she was asking $20.00 for the lot.
I was surprised at the amount and asked if I heard her correctly. She asserted that $20.00 was all that she felt that the items were worth, and so that was all she was willing to take for them.
Even though I was struggling, I thought that for a mere $20.00 how could I not take these old items and send this Matilda on her way. Which is what I did. Once Matilda had the money, she turned on her heels and briskly left the store without a word but with many backward glances. I looked after her for a second wondering but then came to myself again and walked around the counter and over to the front door. I locked the bolt and switched off the open sign.
Just then I was startled by the sound of a yawn behind me! I spun around completely expecting to see someone there but the store appeared entirely empty. I called out “Hello!” No reply. I began to believe that I had imagined it. I slowly but deliberately began looking throughout the store.
I walked down the isles looking into all the possible hiding places – nothing. I moved into the back room again looking into every possible hiding place. Nothing there either. I double checked the rear door. It was locked. I sighed in relief and returned to the counter to retrieve the items that I had acquired from Matilda.
I began putting the items back into the box when I picked up a tin jar with a hinged lid and a clasp. It was a little heaver than I thought it should be and so I pulled opened the clasp and then lifted the lid. Inside I saw a gray powder...That's when I realized that the jar wasn't a jar at all, and that the powder inside at one time used to be a... a person! I stood looking at the urn for a moment and then I quickly replaced the lid and clasp. I almost dropped it though when I heard someone clear their throat right behind me!
I whirled around and came face to face with a ghost! I couldn't move! I stood there, frozen in place. So, while I remain immobile in terror, I'll describe to you what this ghost looked like. It was the ghost of a man about 5 feet tall. I found that I could see completely through him if I wanted to. He was considerably round as if he had enjoyed eating more than a little when he was alive. His clothing suggested that he had lived during the 1700s as his sleeves had large ruffles at the cuff and atop his head was a large powdered wig!
As I began to come to myself, the ghost began to speak. “This is an odd place.” He remarked looking around my shop. Then he turned to me and asked, “Where is Matilda?”
Matilda? I thought, Who's Matilda?
“Hello? Are you all right?” The ghost asked me looking concerned.
“I...I...” I stammered.
“Look here, I would like to talk with Matilda, If you would be so kind as to fetch her.” The ghost insisted. Then He looked around at the shop. “This is not Venezuela. Where has that woman taken us?”
“New York.” I managed to get out.
“New York you say.” The Ghost said as he surveyed the shop further. “Ah to be home.” He added. Then turning back to me he said. “Wait. If you can see me she must have sold you my urn! Glorious!” He exclaimed! “I have been so fatigued by her constant thievery. She was no honorable woman I can tell you.” He began strolling about the shop all the while talking to me or better yet toward me as he rarely paused for an answer. “Ha ha! But she was taken in when old Rolly placed a fake gold coin in my urn while she was watching and then his wife sold her my ashes! Ha! That was a good trick indeed. But then she stole all that poor man's money and dashed down to Venezuela – tusk, tusk. That was a droll country for me – I don't speak the language you see.” He said turning back to me. “But where are my manners? How do you do? I am John Mundy at your service.” John bowed gracefully.
“Hello.” I replied nervously.
“No need to be cautious my new friend.” John said cheerfully. “I will do you no harm. I simply wish to talk a bit. Is that agreeable to you?”
“Okay.” I agreed.
“Good. It's settled then.” John said with a smile that seemed more of a smirk.
“How...Why are you here?” I asked.
“Oh! That witch!” John exclaimed. “I'll say to you to never trust an actress!” He shook his head in disgust. “You see I had been keeping company with a certain Sandra, something or another, I can't recall her sir name. At any rate she had become convinced that we, that is to say her and I would become man and wife – If you could imagine that? Ha! I dare answer for you, nay! I man of my standing and a common actress... She was quite stunning though.” John paused for a moment in remembrance.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Oh. She had been in a troupe that played, among other places, New Orleans. She had gone there one winter and while she was away I had the opportunity to marry into the Von Kahl family one Katrina. Great land holdings in Massachusetts, you see. How could I pass that up? Well, when Sandra returned she found out the news and then owing to one Miss Marie Laveau, Whom I surmise that Sandra met in New Orleans,” John spread his arms in a gesture that invited me to inspect his condition and said, “here you see the result.”
“And you have been following that urn around ever since?” I asked.
“In so many words.” John said. “ First it was kept by Sandra until her death when it was willed to a nephew who sold it and other things to a metal dealer who then sold it to a shop near buffalo.” John sighed. “Then it went from hand to hand until here I am.”
“That's quite a tale.” I said.
“I have many tales...” John started talking and talking without cease! All the night long until the suns first rays shown through the window! Then he was suddenly gone! I had been at the shop all night and here it was morning and me without sleep! I looked at the urn and made sure the clasp was fastened tight. He won't be getting out tonight! I though as I went to the door and unlocked it.
I struggled to stay awake that day and finally closed the shop an hour early. I made my way home and without undressing flopped down onto the bed.
Suddenly I awoke to a loud call, “Halooooo!” I jumped up and looked at the clock. I had been asleep a mere two hours! I looked around and saw the urn on the nightstand and John standing beside my bed!
“Go away!” I snarled.
John paid my threat no mind but again began talking. Again he went on and on. I tried to sleep but
found that his voice seemed to grow to a yell as soon as my eyes drooped and this always woke me!
I kicked and struck at him to no avail. I opened the window and threw out the urn but in turning back to my be found it right where it had been before. All that night he talked until morning again chased him away.
With a giddy grin brought on by sleep deprivation I drew the shades and fell onto my bed. Suddenly John was there and continued the incessant talking! I leaped up and threw open the shades! He vanished. I slept as best I could in the sunlight but soon the night came again and John was back!
It has been six months and nothing save sunlight makes him leave! No one can see or hear him but me! I thought back to the night he appeared and that Matilda. She had sold him I recalled! I rushed down to my shop and gathered some things together and then placed them in a box. I visited another antiques dealer close to my shop.
“Hello. I have some items for sale.” I said to the shop owner who looked into the box.
“I'll take the lot, except for John.” He said with a smirk.
“You know about John?” I looked annoyed with him and scooped up the box with out another word. Shop after shop I tried and soon discovered that I seemed the only one not aware of this nuisance John!
In desperation I boarded a plane and flew back to California. I visited shop after shop and found that everyone knew of this urn and of John! That night I found an ad online for a new antique shop opening up in Phoenix. I spent the last of my money and bought a bus ticket to Arizona. When I arrived at the shop it was dusk. I looked as bad as I felt as I walked in.
I saw a middle-aged woman sitting at the counter and I quickly hurried over with my tattered box of antiques. She greeted me and set the box down.
“Hello.” I said anxiously. “I have some antiques to sell.”
The woman looked into the box and asked my price. I though back to Matilda and said, “Twenty.”
The woman was surprised at my asking price and said that some of the items were worth far more than twenty dollars.
“I don't care. If you don't want them I'll throw them in a dumpster, but twenty is my price.” I tried to stay calm.
“All right.” She said and then she took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to me.
I snatched the bill and as quickly as I could I walked out of the shop. I kept walking until sunset and then stopped short as the last of the light rays dropped behind the buildings. I closed my eyes and waited for the head-splitting sound of John...Nothing! Nothing! Ha! He was gone!
I laid down right there on the sidewalk and fell fast asleep.
Good night and Happy Halloween!