Chapter 12 Part 3

Skye couldn’t hide the look of shock from her face as Gertie stood on her doorstep with a look of certainty in her eyes.

“Ah…hi?” Skye began “Aren’t you the woman that sold me that statue a few days ago?”

Gertie cocked her head and looked deeply into Skye’s green eyes. “Yes,” she said with a low gravelly voice “May I come in?” Before waiting for Skye’s reply she pushed past her and into the house.

Another brief feeling of shock ran through Skye as she felt a twinge of fear and at the same time a sense of familiarity that she could only assume was because she had met this woman before. Never had her emotions been through the roller coaster ride so fierce as the one she had been on over the past few days. Even with Deacon’s death there was only sadness and grief that she had to contend with, now there were so many others that she almost felt distant from herself and still so here.

“By all means, of course.” She said sarcastically as she took stock of the old woman. Her head started to spin as pictures and words remembered swam through her head. Things were happening too fast and they needed to slow down so she could understand what was happening. Then her eyes fell on the semi covered cage and she wondered why the woman traveled with a bird while Gertie was looking the hallway up and down and she realized right then that the only reason she would be travelling with her pet was if she was going to be around for a while.

The thought stopped her cold and the next thing she did was take out her cell phone and sent a quick text to Dominic, letting him know that the woman she had gotten the statue from was in her house and that it didn’t look like she was leaving anytime soon. 

The response was immediate, he was on his way.

Skye tried to keep the tremble from her voice as she headed for the kitchen and her thoughts drifted towards thinking that if anything happened there were more things she could use as weapons. 

“Can I get you anything? A cup of tea perhaps some coffee or a glass of water?” As she waited for the answer she felt like she was going crazy. When did she ever have to think about which room had more weapons in it? Gertie continued to look this way and that ever turning in a slow circle as her gaze shifted suddenly up to the roof.

“Hrumph…” Gertie let out and followed Skye reluctantly down the hall. “Yes, tea would be nice, Miss.” In no way asking for her name just…Miss almost like how a servant would address someone above them. That wouldn’t be strange considering she calls a spirit housed in a statue her Mistress. Somehow that made Skye relax a bit and the reply from Dom that he was on his way had made her feel a whole lot better.

As Gertie stepped into the kitchen and looked around the room Skye asked quietly, “Why are you here and how did you find me?”

Gertie offered an awkward smile. “My Mistress is never far and I can find her if I need to.” 

OK she’s crazy Skye thought to herself. 

“Your Mistress?” She hedged, knowing the answer to her question as soon as it left her mouth but figured it would be safer to play dumb especially since she was having trouble believing this whole thing anyway but maybe the old woman could give her the answers she was beginning to have questions to. 

Gertie stepped forward and placed herself only a few feet away from Skye far enough out of reach but close enough that Skye could feel buzzing in her head like static. As she tried to mentally shake the noise Gertie's features were suddenly twisted into something ugly as she looked like she was trying to control some roiling anger within her, just under the surface.

“Yes…my mistress,” she paused “I put her in a box and gave her to you for only…one…dollar.” 

It was just the answer that Skye thought she was going to hear but before she could open her mouth to ask her what she knew about the Spirit Within the static stopped abruptly and Gertie’s head turned sharply to the ceiling, without a word she walked out of the kitchen so fast all the while watching above her and headed for the stairs. The whole action happened so quickly that Skye had to run to catch up with her in time to stop her from going up the stairs. The bird forgotten cawed frantically in it's covered cage.

Skye stuck out an arm and circled around in front her stopping her in her tracks. She stood on the steps and had moved her hands that her left was on the banister and the right on the wall to stop Gertie from going any farther

“Whoa! Where do you think you’re going?” Skye spat out at her as her blood started to boil and the static came roaring back to life in her ears.

Gertie's eyes left the ceiling only for a moment so she could step closer and look up at Skye. Her breathe was rancid like rotting flesh and her eyes on fire as she looked deep in Skye’s eyes and formed her words carefully and with impact.

“There, is a beast up there Miss…a beast and a shadow. If the 2 meet it will not be good for you, my Mistress or anyone else caught in the middle, so I implore you to get out of my way and let me pass."

    Skye blinked and tried not to throw up as she could feel the bile travelling up her throat. She was 
officially going to be locked up in the loonie bin and the static in her head kicked up another notch. When she put her hands over her ears Gertie took that moment to push her aside and make her way up the staircase only to be greeted and the top by Angel and Kona, teeth bared and low rumbling growls coming from their throats.