Nobody Can Say It's You

50

Beanie and Hadley set off for the far eastern corner of the cemetery. A lone white stone mausoleum stood with the name WARDLAW carved across the lintel of the doorway.

"That storm knocked a bunch of limbs off of that maple tree beside this grave house. I was clearing them out and I noticed this," Beanie said, pointing to the mausoleum door that stood slightly ajar.

"I think the WARDLAW ghosts escaped last night and forgot to shut the door behind them. They must have been in an awful hurry to leave that quick and forget to close the door. It happens to me sometimes when I sleep too late in the morning and I have to rush out to the door. My feet are moving so fast, my hands forget to shut it. 

I've found two squirrels, four chipmunks, and a green snake in my house when I got back home for supper. I'm just glad I've never found a bird in the house. You know what they say about that. It means somebody is gonna die."

"Well, Beanie, I don't know how a ghost would push open a door. Aren't they supposed to be able to just float through doors and walls?"

"I can't rightly say. I ain't never actually seen a ghost out here myself. You know how I never stay out and about after sundown, except for Button Dudley's burial. I only did that then because it was my job. I ain't ashamed to tell you, Hadley. I did it, but I didn't like it one bit."

"I know," Hadley said, remembering the uncomfortable look on Beanie's face as he shoveled in the dirt on top of the casket that night.

"Let's take a look and see what's going on, Bean. Maybe some kids have been out here messing around or something. Let's see if anything is damaged."

Reaching out to push the mausoleum door open, Hadley stopped and drew back her hand.

"Look, Bean! That is a star anise. It is used as a protective herb against demons. I found one on my jacket after Button Dudley ran into me at the Halloween festival."

Hadley took out her flip cell phone and snapped a picture of the herb resting near the door and of the slightly ajar door itself. "Wish I had my video camera, Bean. I may just have to start carrying it with me wherever I go."

She proceeded to push on the thick metal door. It groaned and creaked and remained shut tight.

"I don't think this door has been opened in a long time. Was it locked, Beanie?"

"I don't know. I never check the doors on these things. I just keep the outside clean, you know, if birds poop on it. I keep the ground around it mowed and clear of limbs and brush. I don't ever remember it being open though whenever I've been in this part of the cemetery."

High up on the hillside looking down at the two below stood a lone figure. It was Aurora Ralgnild. 

Hidden behind a large tree trunk, she watched Hadley and Beanie from the cover of the forest. She had known someone was coming, so she hastily retreated to the safety and concealment of the woods. She silently watched and waited to see what the two were up to.

Hadley looked around the cemetery. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. She didn't tell Beanie because she did not want to frighten him in the place he had to come to work every day, but she a feeling they were being watched.

It had been that same eerie feeling the night of Button's burial, but she put it off to being in a cemetery after dark. This was broad daylight and the feeling had come again. She did not see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. Just row after row of headstones and her car parked where she had left it near the work shed where Beanie kept his tools.

She gave a firm push on the door of the granite structure. 

It opened.