Chapter Three – The Psychic
Jim turned the corner and saw it right away. It was a quaint little green cottage on a tree-lined street in Lambert. He helped Suzy into the house. Inside it was a mess with boxes stacked everywhere.
Suzy explained, “Sorry about the mess, but I had to move out of grandpa’s house. I rented this place, and had everything moved here. I haven’t had time to even open a box. I put my clothes and bed in the bedroom. Other than that I haven’t done a thing. Every box has some kind of memory, and I just can’t face it right now.”
Jim whispered, “Sorry,” As he looked around the connected living-room and dining-room. One recliner chair and two end tables was the only furniture he saw. The rest was boxes stacked 5 or 6 feet high with a path down the middle. Suzy sat in the chair and let out a sigh of relief. Jim moved some boxes off one of the end tables and sat looking at Suzy.
Suzy spoke softly, “Through that gap over there is the bathroom, and the door at the end of the path is the kitchen. The bedroom is off the kitchen. I know it’s kind of weird, but I was just looking for a place to put the stuff and sleep. This works for that until I find a home.
Jim responded, “It’s way past noon and I’m kind of hungry. How about you? You want something?”
Suzy replied, “There’s a pizza joint just a few blocks away. That’s if pizza’s ok with you?”
“Sounds good,” Jim agreed.
Suzy got up from the chair as she announced, “Let’s do it Jim”
After eating Suzy confessed, “I feel a little queasy to my stomach. I think I should go home and laydown.”
Jim got a box for the leftover pizza, and took Suzy home. Then she took him to her bedroom and laid down in the middle of the bed. She patted her hand on the edge of the bed for Jim to sit. Now staring into her green eyes he was hepatized, as she began to speak. She told Jim all about her dream when she was knocked-out.
Jim snapped back to reality insisting, “I’ve never told anyone about that except Autum. How do you know that?
Suzy replied, “I don’t know, but I think Autum is trying to warn me of an impending or possible danger. Then again she could be trying to just tell me something. I don’t believe in Witches, magic powers, evil things and such. What I have learned is if you don’t know what you’re doing. Hire someone that dose. Like if you need electrical work done, and you don’t know how to do that. Hire an Electrician so you don’t burn your house down.”
Jim was confused and questioned, “Just what are you saying?”
Suzy replied, “I want to hire a psychic or spiritual medium to fix this.
Jim let out a sigh and whispered, “I’ve tried that. They all said the same thing only the Witch that cast the spell can remove it.”
Suzy insisted, “It came after me and I won’t let it happen again. I’m not giving up my dream! I already know you’re not a quitter, and you will do whatever it takes to make this dream come true. I can see us driving across the country in that truck. We both jumped on the train and were riding it to the end of the line. You got that?”
Suzy laid back and closed her eyes as Jim mumbled, “It takes money I don’t have.”
Suzy grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pulled him so his ear was next to her lips. Then she whispered, “I’m rich. I inherited millions. I’ll buy everything just tell me what we need and I’ll get it. Now wake me up in two hours.”
She let go of Jim as he whispered, “OK”
Jim was in shock. He didn’t know what to think. He wandered back out to the recliner chair and set the alarm on his phone then leaned back.
In the bedroom Suzy was having a dream about Autum. They were sitting at a table in a Saloon. That looked like something out of an old western movie. There was a man playing a piano and a Saloon gal hanging all over a cowboy. Autum told Suzy that’s Jim’s great great grandfather.
Suzy took a hard look at the cowboy. His face had about a weeks’ worth of growth on it, and his black hair hung to his shoulders. He was a big muscular man with a deep voice and a jolly laugh. Looking back at Autum Suzy could see two men playing cards at the table behind her. Past that was stairs going up to a balcony for the upstairs rooms.
Then Autum instructed, “Take it all in Suzy. You might need to remember this someday. Now listen as you look, Jim might need a little guidance. Don’t be afraid to push him a little. He’ll do whatever you need with a little push, but give him time. He’s not a jump all in kind of guy. He needs to test the waters first.”
“Beep, Beep,” The phone alarm was going off. Jim slowly opened his eyes. Pulled the phone from his pocket, and turned off the alarm. Setting up in the chair he rubbed his eyes and headed to Suzy’s room. Sitting on the edge of the bed he gave her a gentle shake, as he whispered, “Suzy.”
Slowly her eyes opened as she moaned, “It’s time?”
Jim whispered, “You need to sit up, so I can make sure you’re all here.”
Slowly Suzy sat up and insisted, “You’re the man of my dreams and my knight in shining armor. You’ve come to rescue me from the wicked witch.”
Jim insisted, “Get up and get dressed. I have to take you back to the hospital you’re not thinking right.”
Suzy laughed, “You just want to get rid of me so you can have the truck to yourself. Now let me get back to that good dream I was having. See you in about two hours, OK?”
Jim nodded and left, and went back to the chair. He set the alarm on his phone and leaned back. He did this all night. Then in the morning he awoke to the sound of running water. He walked over to the bathroom door and yelled, “You Ok in there?”
She yelled back, “Just give me a minute.”
Jim sat back in the chair as Suzy appeared wearing a big fluffy green robe and a towel wrapped around her head. She winked and said, “You can pee now. I left a towel and stuff in there. You can do what you want with it.”
Jim cleaned up the best he could, and put back on the same clothes. Coming back out of the bathroom he saw Suzy setting in the chair. She was dressed in a blue work shirt, blue jeans, and boots. Just like the first day he saw her at his house.
Suzy jumped up and said, “Put your boots on so we can get out of this place.”
Jim put on his boots and they went to a pancake house for breakfast. Sitting at a booth Suzy surfed the web then made a call, “Is this the psychic? Good I need you to check out a haunting. How much will that be? OK if I have a ticket waiting for you can you fly out tonight? Good I’ll have a rental car and room waiting for you.”
Suzy smiled as she exclaimed, “Just like that the ghost is gone.”
Jim took a sip of his coffee and mumbled, “It’s not a ghost.”
Suzy replied, “Ghost, Witch what’s the different their both spirits.”
Jim shoved a big bite of pancake in his mouth and smiled. He knew it was a curse, and there was nothing that could be done.
Suzy went on, “About the truck. I need you to make up a list of everything we need.”
Jim looked up taking a big gulp as he push down the pancake in his mouth. Then he informed, “I looked up the tires and rims. It will be about five grand on the cheap side. I think this is going to be more than I ever thought.”
Suzy smiled and replied, “Well don’t go cheap get the best, but it has to be right to the truck. This isn’t about money. Didn’t you hear me last night?”
Jim gulped, “I just thought it was the bump on the head. After all you thought I was a knight in shining armor.”
Suzy couldn’t hold it and sprayed coffee out of her mouth. Wiping her face she snickered, “I see why Autum loved you. You’re one of a kind Jim.”
Jim just smiled as Suzy continued, “We need to build a shop to put the truck together in. I was thinking something like a 30X40 steel building with a concrete floor. The dirt floor in the barn would never work. What do you think Jim?”
Jim questioned, “Where are you putting this shop?”
Suzy looked surprised as she responded, “Why the farm of course. I don’t have any land to put it on. Then we could take it apart in the barn, and take the parts over to the new shop. Does that sound good to you?”
Jim questioned, “Just what is this going to cost me?”
Suzy answered, “Friendship Jim just friendship. Isn’t it nice to have a rich friend? Don’t answer that. Let me tell you something that happened back when I was 17. It was almost 10 years ago I lost my best friend to suicide. I spent years wracking my brain trying to figure out what I could've done or said differently. It all just came out of the blue. Finally, I had to just settle my mind with the fact that it's not my place to decide how much is too much for another to cope with. My only recourse was to have done pretty much what I did with the knowledge I had. Which in my case is what I did, and that was nothing at all.
I know I’m pushing this fast and hard, but I need this right now, so if I’m going to fast let me know.”
Jim got a serious look on his face and responded, “Then you do what you do, and I’ll do what I know. I’ll take the truck apart, and make a list. You use your college degree to take care of the importin stuff. Then we can meet in the middle and have a truck.”
Suzy agreed, “Yes!”
Then that’s how it went. Jim started taking apart the truck, Suzy found a contractor to build the shop, and Steve plowed up the field.
The next day Jim tried to break the lug nuts lose, but not even one would budge. He screamed out, “You bastard! I’ll fix your ass.” He grabbed a can of penetrating oil and emptied the entire can on one wheel yelling, “Take that you rusty bastard!”
Then he emptied 3 more cans on the other wheels. Then Jim started to feel light headed. He thought wow this is bad I need to open the door, so he pushed the barn door open about 3 feet and passed out. Suzy drove up seeing Jim laying half in and half out of the barn. Throwing the car in park she ran to Jim’s side. She gave a sigh, “Oh good he’s breathing.”
Then the smell of the penetrating oil hit her, and she thought.
I got to get you away from this. Taking his arms she pulled with all of her might, and drugged him about five feet. Kneeling next to Jim she shook him vigorously yelling, “Jim, Jim! Don’t do this to me. She slapped his face as a tear came down her cheek. Then she whimpered, “Damn it Jim.”
His eyes slowly opened as Suzy cried out, “Thank God!”
Then she wiped the tears from her face and scolded, “Don’t you ever do something like that again. I can’t take losing another part of my life right now. You see how I live. I’m basically living in a storage unit with a bed and chair. I have no friends because I was the boss. I like to think I was nice, but you can’t be friends with your employees. All I have right now is you. That’s it no more working on the truck unless I’m here. You got that?”
Jim mumbled, “It’s going to take longer that way.”
Suzy snapped back, “So, if you keep doing this kind of stuff. It won’t get done at all. Without you I have nothing. Everything is in your name. Hell you don’t even have any heirs. The state will get everything.”
Suzy took a deep breath and apologized, “Sorry Jim. You just scared the hell out of me and I lost it.”
Jim took her hand and gave it a squeeze. With a smile he assured, “I’m going to be fine. I just went stupid for a moment.”
Suzy got up and pulled Jim up by his hand. They stared at each other for a moment. Then she let Jim’s hand slip away.
Just then a car pulled in the drive way. Suzy exclaimed, “It’s the psychic. She’s here.”
Jim saw her through the windshield. It was Malinda. Jim had had her try to help when Autum was still alive. Malinda stopped in front of the house, got out and leaned back against the car, and stared at the house. Then she turned her head and greeted, “Hi Jim. See you’re still alive. I heard about Autum. I’m sorry about that.”
Suzy questioned, “You know her Jim?”
Jim replied, “Yep, Autum and I had her out here when she was alive, but she couldn’t help us.”
Malinda questioned, “You must be Suzy?
Malinda looked at Jim as he spoke up, “It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”
Malinda continued, “Sorry Jim there won’t be a charge for this. I thought you passed or sold the place and Suzy was the new owner. So what can I do for you?”
Suzy demanded. “You can get that thing out of this place.”
Malinda dropped her head and mumbled, “I can’t. I can’t even go in the house the Witch won’t let me in. I’m so sorry”
Jim asked, “Do you see Autum?”
Malinda perked up and replied, “I sure do Jim. She’s standing next to Suzy. Her aura is surrounding Suzy now. Autum’s giving her a shield of protection.”
Suzy requested, “Isn’t there anything we can do”
Malinda hypothesized, “I don’t know this for sure, but there is a story about a man. He built a covered wagon, and took it back to the 1800’s. Ware he saved a boy that had fail through the ice in a pond. It’s said that he had to build the wagon all by himself. Then the spell had to be performed by someone on the other side.
The witnesses mostly children say Anthony walked out to check the ice and fell through. Then a wagon with a team of horses came out of no ware. A man jumped from the wagon as a woman tossed him a rope. He tossed the rope out to Anthony, and pulled him up on the bank. Then he jumped back on the wagon and road off fading away until the wagon disappeared.
There’s another one about a guy that built a helicopter, and went back to World War II. Then he flew a wind talker in to save a group of soldiers. There are others, but they might be stories too.”
Jim looked at Suzy as she said, “You would have to build the truck by yourself. All I could do is watch and get stuff.”
Jim looked at Malinda and questioned, “Do you think we can do this?”
Malinda replied, “Autum is telling me that if you build it. She’ll cast the spell.”
A big smile came to Suzy’s face, and she exclaimed, “Now we have a plan, and the train is picking up speed.”
Malinda insisted, “These are just stories no one knows if there true are not. It would take a lot of time and money to find out.”
Suzy smiled as she replied, “That we have. I just never dreamed it would turn out this way. This is going to be the best truck ever.”
Malinda yelled out, “Autum stop! I’m sorry, but Autum is telling me a lot of stuff. I just can’t keep track of this and her at the same time.”
Jim questioned, “What’s she saying?”
Malinda replied, “I got it Autum. Later Jim now I want you to understand this might not even be possible even with the spell. Autum’s not a Witch and spells are complicated, but things are different on the other side. Time is something that doesn’t exist over there. Don’t ask me how that works. I just know time is for the living.”
It was quiet for a little bit then Jim asked, “What is Autum telling you?”
Malinda dropped her head and mumbled, “Its private Jim. When we’re alone I’ll tell you.”
Suzy looked at Malinda and questioned, “It’s about me isn’t it.”
Malinda replied, “The ones on the other side know all about us.”
Suzy took a deep breath and urged, “Then let me tell him.”
Malinda nodded her head and affirmed, “Autum said go ahead.”
Suzy took Jim’s hands and stared straight into his eyes and confessed, “I’ve known about you for a long time. I drove by here a few times to see if I could catch a glimpse of you. My grandpa told me about you when your mom died, and told me all about the curse. You see my parents died in a bad car wreck when I was 7, so my dad’s parents raised me.”
Squeezing Jim’s hands Suzy disclosed, “Clara Hanson was my mother’s maiden name.”
Jim stepped back staring at Suzy as she continued, “I’ve seen you a few times over the years, but couldn’t bring myself to talk to you. Then when you showed up at the auction it was like a dream come true. I had to act fast and told the auctioneer to auction the truck last. That gave me time to put a lone agreement on the back of the check. You know the rest from there.”
Jim was dumb founded, and didn’t know what to say. He just stared at Suzy. Then he questioned, “You’re my cousin?
Suzy replied, “Well we both have the same grandmother and grandfather so I’d say so.”
Jim continued, “There is so much I want to tell you, but it’s not safe for you to be here.”
Suzy laughed, “Jim, I’m not a Hanson. I’m Suzy White and this curse can’t touch me.”
Malinda interjected, “You’re right the curse can’t, but the Witch can. She knows who you are, and that you’re here. That’s why Autum is protecting you now. The Witch sees you as a threat, and has power here because this is where the curse was cast.”
Jim started to look sad as he questioned, “The truck was just a way to get to me?”
Suzy sympathize, “Oh no Jim. The truck is my dream. I remember it just like it was yesterday. I was 9 sitting in the truck with my grandpa. That’s when he told me the truck would take me places I never dreamed. He told me this was the kind of truck he landed on the beach in Normandy with. I think that’s why I want this so much, because it’s a part of him.”
Jim’s eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, “I think I was there in a dream when he drove the truck on the beach.”
Jim put his hands on his head and walked around mumbling, “What the hell is going on. Damn, what the hell.”
Suzy walked over and put her arms around Jim, and squeezed him tight whispering, “Its ok Jim. We’re together now, and that’s all that matters. We got each other, and we have this.”