Family Reunion

(w/c: 1575)

Family Reunion

         “Hear ye! Hear ye! The Town Council of Blue Sea Breeze is now called to order!” Chairman Murray proclaims pounding the gavel. “Matters by the Public is now open. Councilman McLeod, what is on the list?”          
         “There is only one item - I have a complaint filed by the O’Shea family.  They state they had reservations at the Blue Sea Bed & Breakfast Inn for seven days. However, they left after day two because of baleful sounds coming from the bathroom shower.  Mr. O’Shea demands a partial refund of they paid in advance.” Councilman McLeod stated.          
         “Is the town engineer present in Chambers?” The Chairman asked.          
         “I'm here, sir,” replied Glen Eagle.          
         “Mr. Eagle, what can you tell me about the plumbing in the old Grady Mansion after it was transformed into the Blue Sea Bed & Breakfast Inn?”  Chairman Murray asked.          
         “It was abandoned by the heirs of the Grady family.  The town acquired the mansion through eminent domain in order to save the mansion which was built in the late 1800s and hoping to turn a profit by making it a tourist destination for the Town. The plumbing and electrical infrastructure throughout the mansion have been repaired and updated. New appliances installed. The O’Sheas are alleging the facility is “haunted” which caused the adults and children mental distress; particularly the youngest child claims to have seen a ghost hanging by the neck from the chandelier adjacent to the grand stairway,” Mr. Eagle finished his summary.          
         “I move the approval of the refund of $5,000 to the O’Shea family as requested with one condition, they sign a full release of liability against any medical costs they have incurred or seek to incur in the future concerning their stay at the Blue Sea Bed & Breakfast Inn.  I also make a motion that the Town hire a spirit extraction company to ascertain the mansion is clear of any earthbound spirits,” stated Councilman Murray.          
         “I second the motion on the refund and second the motion to hire a spirit extraction company,” stated Councilman McLeod.          
         The gavel hit the podium “the motions are approved by unanimous vote. Meeting is adjourned.”
~~~
         “That was quite a commission meeting we attended.  It is amazing how fast a government will move to protect a money making project.  Look at this beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean!” Annabel gazed at the azure water from the second story balcony of Blue Sea Bed & Breakfast.
         “Watching the bubbling waves, palm trees swaying in the breeze is relaxing, but I can’t wait until it gets dark to see what we can find on the ghost cams,” replied her companion.
         “This mansion was built prior to the stock market tumble in early 1900. It changed ownership several times until the last owner just walked away from it.”  Allen read aloud from his notebook on the mansion’s history.
         “The Town of Blue Sea Breeze took possession of the estate, updating the infrastructures, landscaping the grounds and opened it to the public as a bed & breakfast.” Allen continued reading from his notes.
         Annabelle and Allen, a pair of new ghost hunters, hoping to make a name for themselves, were hired by the town to discover if the mansion was disturbed by latent spirits and to encourage those spirits to leave.
         “We’re not the only guests here this weekend.  There is another family sharing the mansion with us,” advised Annabelle.
         “That shouldn’t be a problem.  We’re posing as a newlywed couple, so it won’t appear odd that we stay in our suite during our stay,” Allen commented pulling the receiving equipment out of the storage cases.
         “I learned from the housekeeper that the Martindale family is visiting from Oshkosh, Minnesota and they will probably be out of the house sightseeing most of the weekend. We can get snacks from the kitchen up until 9 p.m. The time now is 5 p.m., now let’s go down to the kitchen to see if we can nab a couple of sandwiches and fruit. We have a long night ahead of us watching the monitors I planted along the stairway, the back hallway leading to the Kitchen and out to the veranda,” Annabelle said as she picked up her large carryall back.
~~~
         “Ah, so nice to meet you Annabelle and Allen,” The cook greeted and shaking hands with each of them.
         “We were wondering if it is not an imposition, could we get a couple of sandwiches and apples?” Annabelle asked.
         The cook nodded and set about making them a tray of food.
         “Did you meet the other guests yet? I believe they are distant relatives of the original builder,” inquired the cook placing the sandwiches on the food tray along with apples, grapes and chocolate chip cookies.  “Would you like some tea or milk to go with the snacks?
         “Yes, just briefly as we passed on the stairway. Thank you. Bottled tea, that would be fine,” Allen answered picking up the tray.  “Honey, would you get the tea please?”
         Annabelle and Allen made their way back up the hallway turning left to the staircase.  Their suite of rooms faced east.  The Martindale family had the other suite of rooms at the opposite end of the hallway facing west.

~~~
         Just after sunset they heard the Martindale family come up the stairs and trudge the length of the hallway to their rooms.  The kids whined that they were tired and didn’t want to shower.  They just wanted to go to bed, but Mrs. Martindale insisted.
         “A warm shower will help you to sleep better.  Tomorrow we’ll get up early to see the sunrise, have a nice breakfast and walk on the beach.”
         Silence prevailed after the Martindales closed the door to their suite.
         Annabelle and Allen looked at each other and smiled hoping that they would not hear anymore ruckus from that end of the hallway.  They settled in to watch the various monitors display information from the cameras they planted around the house and grounds.
         Around 11:30 p.m.  Allen heard the sound of running water.  He checked the monitors.  The sprinklers for the lawn were off. The water fountain in front of the house had cycled off.  The housekeeper had already turned in and the Martindale family had all showered and tucked themselves into bed.  Who or what would be running water at this hour?
         Annabelle continued to watch the camera feeds. Allen took his flash light proceeding downstairs, the house was quiet for being such an old place. Checking the kitchen and the washroom room, both were empty and quiet.  Trying the door to the laundry room, Allen discovered it was stuck and striking the door with his shoulder the door swung open.
         Hearing water running, he felt for the light switch.  Finding it, he flipped the switch up and down – no lights.  He moved the beam of his flashlight slowly around the room. Discovering water flowing into a large metal washtub just beyond the commercial washer and dryer, he carefully walked over to the tub, reaching over he turned off the faucet.  Looking down into the tub he found a pale white face of a little girl looking up at him.  This startling discovery almost made him drop the flashlight into the tub.
         Backing away and trying not to trip over anything, he raced back to his room.  Annabelle turned with a jerk as he burst into their room.
         “There’s a b-b-body of a little girl in the wash tub in the l-l-laundry room!” he stammered.
         Annabelle looked at Allen closely.  It was apparent that something had upset him.  They couldn’t be that lucky to have seen a ghost on their first try.
         “Show me the laundry room,” Annabelle said as she slipped her sneakers back on.  They crept back to the stairway making sure the Martindales were not disturbed.  Allen led Annabelle to the back of the house where the laundry room was located.
         “The light switched doesn’t work,” he advised.  Annabelle flipped it anyway. The lights came on.  She walked over to the wash tub.  No body there, no water in the tub. 
         “Allen, this isn’t funny,”  frowning at him.
         “I swear, there was water flowing from the faucet into the tub. I heard it, that’s why I came down to look.  There was water flowing, I turned it off and looked into the tub. There was a body of a little girl which appeared to have been there for some time.”
         Annabelle felt the tub and the faucet, both were dry. No water had been through these pipes for a long time.
         “Do you have your portable EMF reader?” Allen asked.
         “Of course I do, and you should always carry yours,” passing the device to him.
         Allen slowly walked the parameter of the small laundry room watching for any movement of the needle in the device.  It didn’t move.  Turning toward Annabelle as she was backing up to the door way, the needle was now violently vacillating.  Allen looked up to see Annabelle’s hair spread out from her head.  Behind her he saw what appeared to be a ghostly apparition that looked very similar to Mr. Martindale.  Grabbing Annabelle pulling her behind him, he gaped as the rest of the Martindale ghostly clan pressed into the laundry room.
         The eerie refrain from “Hotel California”  ‘…You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave…’ came drifting in from unseen speakers.
THE END