Falsmouth
By Dan Stein

          Felicia found Stacy’s room. “Oh dear Lord,” she said. It was the room she’d seen in her vision. The furniture was gone, most likely moved out after her murder, but some of the stuffed animals remained. She saw the window Cade had come in. It was shattered now, but she clearly remembered the shadowy form that had entered it in her dream. Felicia shivered involuntarily. Lord, give me strength, she prayed.

          There was a small chest with a note attached to it sitting in the middle of the floor. Felicia retrieved the note. It said:

          Dear Contestant:
          In this chest are the items you will need to attempt
          to contact the departed spirit of Stacy Wheeler.
          To successfully complete this challenge you will need
          to first, light the candle enclosed. Second, hold onto
          one of Stacy’s stuffed animals. And third, focus on
          the enclosed photo of Stacy. While focusing on the
          photo, you will call out to Stacy, inviting her to
          speak with you. You will be instructed when you
          may return to base.

          Alright, Felicia thought. That doesn’t sound too bad. She opened the chest and fished out the candle, matches and photo. She studied the photograph. Any doubt she had about her vision vanished. The little girl in the photograph was the same one she’d seen in the hotel room. “Stacy, you poor dear,” she whispered.

          Felicia picked up one of the stuffed animals, a gray rabbit and sat down on the floor. She lit the candle and picked up the photograph.

          Okay, she thought, trying to keep herself calm. She had seen weird things before, but never had she tried to incite a supernatural phenomenon. Are you sure you want to do this? she asked herself. I have to find out what’s going on here. I have to know why I saw what I saw. Then do it, her father said. And remember that God’ll be with you.

          Felicia focused her mind on the photo of Stacy. Nothing else matters, she recited in her head over and over. Nothing else matters. Her eyes fell closed. “Come to me, Stacy,” she muttered, almost unconsciously.

          When she opened her eyes the room was full of furniture again. What on Earth? she thought. She looked quickly around the room. The bed was here, the stuffed animal she’d been holding just moments before sat on the end of it. Looking at the bed she realized that there was a form lying beneath the covers. I’m having another vision, Felicia realized.

          The window opened and she could see the silhouette of a man outside on the awning. He crept silently into the room. The moon’s eerie light backlit him so that his face remained in shadow. It’s Cade, she thought. Cade’s here to kill her!

          “Oh no,” she whispered. I don’t want to see this!

          Cade walked to Stacy’s bed, paying no attention to Felicia’s words. They can’t tell I’m here, just like last time, she thought. Why would they? I’m not really here anyway. I’m just witnessing the past. But I already know what’s going to happen and there’s nothing I can do about it! Why am I seeing this?!

          Cade drew a makeshift knife from the back of his pants. He stalked over to Stacy’s bed, raised the knife…and hesitated.

          What is he doing? Felicia wondered in spite of herself.

          Cade whipped his head around to look at Felicia. Moonlight hit his features for the first time. His face was a mask of scars out of which eyes that screamed madness shone. He ran a hand through his buzzcut and smiled predatorily at Felicia. “So,” he said in a whisper, “you like to watch, eh?”

Want to read more? Buy the book here.