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“The bad one wanted to get Mommy again,” Auden cries out to him. “It was going to take her away from me. But the nice ghost saved you. She saved you, Mommy.”
I clutch at her tiny body, holding her closer to me as she cries harder.
Ian crosses the room quickly, kneeling in front of us. He places his hand gently on Auden’s back, rubbing soft circles like he’s always done for me. “Shh, I promise I won’t let anything happen to your mom, or you. You’re safe with us, Auden. You’re safe.”
Auden stops crying and looks up at me. Her hazel eyes shine with unshed tears while her lip trembles. “Can I sleep with you, Mama? I don’t want the bad one to get you.”
I bring my hand to her cheek, wiping her tears away. “Of course, baby. Of course.”
Ian holds his arms out for her. “Come on, little one. I’ll tuck you and your mom in.” She jumps into his arms with no hesitation, and my eyes follow them as they walk out of the room.
I walk over to the window and stare down at the lake, wrapping my arms tighter around me when I feel a phantom breeze stir by. The hairs on my neck stand up, and I feel a soft caress on my shoulder. Looking over, I see the same rotting hand that was on my daughter’s shoulder just minutes ago. My breath hitches in my throat, heart pounding harder than ever, as if it’s trying to burst right through my chest so it can hide from the ghost of my mother.
“Mom,” I whisper, refusing to turn and face the monster of my nightmares. “Please tell me what’s going on. Please.”
“Don’t trust . . . don’t trust . . . protect . . .”Her voice is a strangled whisper on the breeze.
“Protect who?”
I turn on my heel, slamming my hand to my heart as I turn and face Ian, who is standing behind me.
Not my mother.
“Did–did you hear that?” I gasp out. “Did you see her?”
His brows knit in confusion. “See who? I only heard you say something about ‘protect something,’ but I couldn’t make out what you were whispering.”
I put my hand on the shoulder where my mother’s hand was. I look around my childhood bedroom thoroughly while the hair on my neck is still standing, all before my eyes land back on Ian. His features are distorted from the lack of light, casting shadows over his face as he looks at me with nothing but concern in his eyes.
“You really didn’t see her?”
Ian looks around the room and shakes his head. “You’re the only one in here, Georgia.”
Fuck, maybe I am going crazy.
I look around my childhood bedroom one last time before following Ian across the hall, lost in thought.
What does my mother mean byprotect?
Who is she talking about?
Is any of this even real?
But that doesn’t explain Auden’s outbursts.
Something sinister is happening in this house, something that began a long time ago.
“Want me to keep watch, like old times? I’ll take the couch.” Ian interrupts my thoughts with a soft smile, his voice pulling me away from my unanswered questions.
I look at Auden, curled up and fast asleep on my side of the bed, almost as if nothing happened moments ago.
“No, I’ll take the middle. You can take the other side. The bed is big enough for all of us,” I say as I drag him toward the bed.
I pass out the moment my head hits the pillow.
Iwake to the sound of Auden screaming, my body jolting upright and crashing right into Ian’s bare chest as I search the bed with my hands, looking for my daughter in the heap of tangled sheets and blankets.
“Where is she?” I yell, my voice groggy with sleep while I throw the blankets off of myself in search of Auden. “Where is she?” I scream again as her wail of terror hits the empty room for the second time.
