Page 26 of Spirit Witch
‘Free?’ I suggested.
He nodded. ‘Sure. You are now free.’
Willie’s eyes went round. ‘Really? I can pass on? I don’t have to stay here? Thank you!’ He blew me a kiss. He leapt over to the barman and tried to hug him. It didn’t really work because the barman couldn’t see or feel him but the sentiment was nice.
Willie pulled back and looked around. ‘I’m ready to go now!’ he called out. ‘Where’s the light?’ He swung his head in every direction. ‘I don’t see it. Where am I supposed to go?’
‘What’s happening?’ Winter asked.
I considered the matter. ‘I think,’ I said, ‘that Willie has been telling a few porky pies.’
The ghost stared at me. ‘What? No, I’ve not! I’m not a liar!’
‘Then why are you still here?’
He appeared momentarily nonplussed. ‘I don’t know.’ Fear crossed his face but was quickly replaced by fury. He jabbed the barman, who was looking perplexed by my one-sided conversation, in the chest. ‘You didn’t mean what you said! You’re the reason I’m still here!’
‘You can shout at him until you’re blue in the face,’ I said calmly. ‘He can’t hear you. Why don’t you go back to the beginning and tell me why you were really cursed?’
‘I did tell you!’ Willie shrieked.
‘Are you absolutely sure?’
He glared at me. ‘Fine,’ he mumbled. ‘His great-grandfather,’ he said, without looking at the barman, ‘said that if I showed my … parts to anyone else, I’d be damned for all eternity. It’s the only other curse I can think of.’
‘And you ignored him and exposed yourself?’ I probed.
‘Only a few more times.’
I didn’t say anything.
Willie sighed. ‘Maybe it was a lot more times.’
I folded my arms. ‘I’m not sure you should be allowed to pass on. I imagine you caused considerable distress to those poor people who had to see…’ I gestured down at his crotch ‘…that.’
His head drooped. ‘I am very sorry.’
There wasn’t much else I could do. The offense was generations old and Willie had probably served his time. I shrugged at the barman. ‘He has reconsidered,’ I said. ‘He was actually cursed because he continued to flash himself.’
‘By flash, you mean…’
I nodded. ‘Yes.’
The barman swallowed. ‘Okay. So I forgive him for that and this is over? You crazy people will all leave me alone?’
‘After you let us see that room,’ I reminded him.
He grimaced. ‘Oh yeah.’ He sighed. ‘Fine. I forgive William Barcell, my ancestor, for exposing himself so he can now stop haunting me and move on to … heaven? Hell? I really don’t care.’
Willie’s mouth dropped open. ‘Hell? It’s not like I murdered anyone, you little shit. I…’
There was a sudden flash of light that was so bright I had to cover my eyes. Both Winter and the barman jumped. When I looked round, Willie had gone. ‘I think it worked,’ I said slowly, hoping I wasn’t tempting fate by speaking too soon.
‘I felt it,’ Winter breathed.
The barman nodded, his face white. ‘Like a shadow crossing.’ He raised his eyes to mine. ‘Wow. Just … wow.’
I smiled, as if helping cantankerous ghosts pass to the other side was something I did on a regular basis. ‘No problem. Now if I could get some more stew and the key to that room, in that order, it’d be very much appreciated.’
