Hauntings by Lewis Stanek Read Free Book Online Page B

across the room. She pulled her gaze away from the planchette and looked to Ozzie as if she was just rudely awakened.
                  “Do what?” she asked.
                  “Do what she asks.” Ozzie stated with a shrug of his shoulders.
                  “There is plenty of time for that later my friends.” Heinrich said leading them out of the library back to the main staircase. “First, why don't we select our rooms for the night and make ourselves at home?” we followed Heinrich up the wide staircase to the second floor.
                  “To our right are the four rooms I had cleaned. I selected these four because they face each other two on a side of the corridor. This way we are provided with privacy, but in case of emergency help will be close at hand.” Randal would have preferred they all stayed in one room, each taking his turn standing guard allowing the others to get a little sleep, but what could possibly be hiding in this old house other than a horde of rats roaming in the walls. This is silly, I'm letting my nerves get to me. Randal thought as the others looked into the available rooms.
                  “I'll take this one”, Bridget exclaimed, “I've always wanted to sleep in a canopy bed. I'll feel like a princess tonight” Bridget disappeared behind a dark mahogany door elaborately carved with ornate designs and figures in suggestive poses into her dream room.
                  “It really doesn't matter to me, which room I get”, Randal lied, “I'll take whichever room is left.” He said forcing a bravado he didn't feel, wishing he could spend the night outside under the moon and stars free from the suffocating walls of Reuversweerd. Ozzie and the old man selected adjoining rooms opposite the hall from Bridget's leaving Randal standing alone in the shadows of the corridor.
                  “Well then, I guess this one is mine” He said to himself and walked into his room. He threw his duffel bag on the bed half expecting dust to fly up from the burgundy comforter, but not a speck lifted into the stale air. Randal ambled to the closest window drew back the drapes to let the days remaining light in to brighten the gloomy room. He gazed out across the grounds to the river, he could clearly see the old weeping willow where he rested and enjoyed his last bit of jerky. He had to admit to himself that at least this room provided a peaceful view. He opened the window and took a deep breath of fresh air.
                  Everything in the room, everything in Reuversweerd for that matter reeked of age and decay. Randal felt like a child lost in a museum. He opened a second window to allow a cross current of air to cleanse away the musty smell of the place. Aired out the rooms my hairy ass. Randal thought. A familiar sense of unease crept over him, the anxiousness, the excitement that always preceded a fire fight, but there is no possibility of a such a thing happening here in Reuversweerd. Randal tried to shake the feeling, but this demon wouldn't let him go that easily.
                  “Damn, damn, damn….” He muttered under his breath, low enough the other's wouldn't hear. He imagined he could feel the spirit of the place, the spirit of some ancient warfare, warfare far older than that of world war two, something primeval even after all these years vacant it filled the place, Reuversweerd pulsed with it, or did Randal bring it along in his own baggage? He wondered.             
                  “What arrangements did you make for meals Heinrich?” Ozzie's voice carried well in the high ceilinged corridors of Reuversweerd.
                  “Wait and see, my impatient friend wait and see.” Randal heard Heinrich's reply, but not as clearly as he heard Ozzy.  Randal had prepared as cheaply as he could with granola, a couple candy bars, and bag of