Waiting Spirits Read Free Page B

Dr. Miles placed her hand on Lisa’s forearm. “Oh, come now. I know how you feel about all this, dear. And I’m terribly sorry. I was being selfish when I arranged it.”
    â€œNo, Gramma. I—”
    â€œHush, child. Learn to accept an apology when it’s offered.”
    â€œWell, it was fun, whatever it was,” said Carrie eagerly. “Can I try next?”
    â€œNo!”
    If Lisa had had any doubts that her grandmother was hiding something, they were dispelled by the tone in her voice when she answered Carrie.
    â€œWhy not?” asked Carrie.
    â€œBecause it was a bad idea in the first place,” replied Dr. Miles. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. I can remember seeing something like this once when I was a girl. I had forgotten about it until now. Some people are more sensitive to this kind of thing than others—the subconscious is closer to the surface in them, I guess.”
    â€œYou mean Lisa has a weak mind?” asked Carrie gleefully.
    â€œNo! Now listen. It’s possible to get swept up in this and think you’re actually receiving messages from somewhere else. You’re not. It’s just a display of the power of the subconscious mind.”
    Mrs. Burton had been glancing back and forth from her mother to her daughter, as if she were trying to figure out what was going on. At Dr. Miles’s last words she said firmly, “That makes sense. Let’s put these things away.”
    Lisa and Carrie exchanged a glance. They both knew there was more going on than the grown-ups were willing to talk about. Lisa’s subconscious might have provided that message, though she didn’t think it was likely. But unless she had more powers than she was willing to believe, it sure hadn’t made the table move!
    She couldn’t wait until she could get Carrie alone, so they could compare notes.
    Between the shopping trip and dinner, it was late that night before the two girls had a chance to talk.
    â€œTell me about what happened today,” whispered Carrie, when they had both climbed into the big old bed they had been forced to share.
    Lisa didn’t answer right away. The rain had stopped and their bedroom window was open. She lay on her side, watching a soft ocean breeze whisper over the sill making the white curtain flutter in a ghostly way. Finally she said, “It’s hard to say; it was as if I wasn’t there—like I had stepped into another room or something.”
    â€œDo you think the message came from a ghost trying to communicate with us?” asked Carrie eagerly.
    Lisa shivered. “I hope not. I like Gramma’s explanation better.”
    â€œYou know that wasn’t true!” said Cara fiercely. “ She sure didn’t believe it.”
    â€œI know,” said Lisa. “That’s what really scared me.”
    â€œMe, too! But not as much as when the table moved. You should have seen Mom’s face when that happened! That was when I knew something was weird. There was nothing to make the table move like that. Nothing at all.” Carrie paused, then whispered, “Want to try it again?”
    â€œAre you crazy? Carrie, for all we know this place really is haunted. I mean, it’s old enough. All kinds of things might have happened here. You want to stir things up any more than we already have?”
    â€œSure! It would give us something to tell the kids back home! Lisa, this place is so boring I could barf. At least a ghost would be interesting.”
    â€œYou say that now. I’d like to be there the first time you actually see one.”
    â€œI’ll just—just…“
    Carrie’s voice faltered and her eyes grew wide. Lisa turned in the direction her sister was staring and gave a tiny gasp of fear.
    A woman had just stepped through the door. Not through the doorway. Through the door! She came gliding through the solid wood as though it were mist.
    Both girls