A New Haunt for Mr. Bierce by Drew Bridges

Author:Drew Bridges
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BQB Publishing
Published: 2020-11-19T00:00:00+00:00

The party of four spirits returned to the Episcopal Church. On the way, Sid gave them a brief description of the woman who called herself Victoria Vandupont, her last name being one she chose for herself after entering her current world, but it was what she insisted everyone in the spirit world use to address her. The middle part of her mortal life had been spent with a wealthy husband, traveling the world in the company of captains of industry, politicians, and the occasional member of European royalty. Her husband died bankrupt and penniless, and she spent the last decade of her life reluctantly and bitterly accepting the hand of charity in a slow descent into social and personal isolation. Her own death in the land of the living passed with little attention from the larger world.

“Victoria is not a simple-minded woman,” Sid explained. “She is quite intelligent and resourceful, but she is not very insightful about her own circumstance and way of being in our world. She had some bad luck. Day to day she gets by. Yet she is stuck in the spirit world doing the same thing over and over again, and as far as I can tell, she has no wish to cross over or to change anything about her life … Or rather, her current circumstance.”

“What does she do?” Dave and Kiki asked simultaneously.

“We’ll show you.” They entered a small office room of the church, one with a sign on the door explaining the room was designed and maintained there for the use of the presiding bishop of the local diocese. Although small, the combination of office and living quarters held ornate furnishings including a rolltop desk and built-in bookshelves that overflowed with leather-bound works and stretched from floor to ceiling on two walls. A small single bed outfitted with simple, unadorned linens completed the furnishings.

In one corner of the room, in a large wing chair placed in front of a television, sat a woman spirit of mature but otherwise uncertain age. Her clothing clearly suggested wealth and modesty: long skirt and high collars. She faced away from her guests and did not acknowledge them until Ambrose addressed her.

“You are looking most lovely today, Victoria,” Ambrose announced.

Victoria rose from her chair and turned slowly, neither startled nor in lesser measure surprised, and held out her hand, palm down, as if expecting one of the guests to at least take it if not accept the opportunity to grace her hand with a polite kiss. Ambrose and Sid bowed together in what proved to be for Victoria an acceptable greeting.

“Your timing is impeccable,” Victoria continued. “You always said you would come here and watch one of my shows with me, and my favorite is just about to begin.” She motioned to the television with one hand and with the other gestured for them to join her. She acknowledged the presence of the two newcomers to her home, then put her hand to her ear and leaned in

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