The Haunted Island
By: Stephen
Adventure
June 11, 1996
"So what do you think of her." Matt said while patting the hull of the boat he had designed and built.
"It depends whether you get back from The Wanderlust's maiden voyage alive." John remarked. He had always hated water ever since the incident with him, a pool, not being able to swim, and almost drowning.
"Always the pessimist, eh John?" asked Julia. Her father worked with Matt's dad and she also helped Matt with the design of The Wanderlust.
The kids were going to take The Wanderlust on her maiden voyage the next day to Edinburgh from Maine, where they now were. It would be a five day trip. What they didn't know was that the trip they were going to embark on would end in surprise, astonishment and fear.
***
June 12, 1996
"Ready to go John?" Matt asked.
"I can't believe I'm going to do this." John muttered
The kids were beginning their voyage at dawn. They had brought along enough supplies to last the three of them a month, this was Matt's father's idea.
The next few days were uneventful except for the crystal clarity of the water and the suns soothing rays. It was the calm before a storm. A supernatural storm.
***
June 15, 1996
A heavy blanket of fog surrounded The Wanderlust and her crew.
"John, I thought you said it would be clear sailing for the trip!" Julie cried as the fog got so thick she couldn't see the hand in front of her face.
"It was supposed to be, but... Oh no!"
"What now? Julie asked.
"Tell Matt he's steering blind. We've lost all power except for the motor."
Julie ran as fast as she dared to tell Matt.
When Matt got the news he threw his hand up in the air and exclaimed, "What else could go wrong!"
With that the ship hit land and he went flying into the water.
"Maaatttt!" Julie screamed and dived in after him.
***
While all this was happening John looked out the side window and noticed they had crashed beside a cliff. A moment later he saw a woman scream and fall off the cliff into the water. Tying a rope to himself John jumped over the side of the boat to save the woman. As he ducked under the water he caught a glimpse of her then she disappeared.
When John got back onto The Wanderlust he was a wet pitiful mess and Julie and Matt were there screaming his name.
"John! John! Speak to me!" Matt was crying.
"I-I-I saw a woman jump off the cliff. When I went to save her she disappeared.," John said trembling because of the cold water which clung to his skin and because of fright, "How did you get out of the water?" inquired John.
"Well, Julie jumped in after me and saved my life, I guess." explained Matt who didn't appreciate being saved by a GIRL!
"It was nothing really." Julie said as her cheeks flushed a bright red.
"Nothing really!," laughed John, "You only saved Matt's life, although I am surprised he actually admitted that you saved him."
"We don't have time to sit here and talk, we need to see how much damage there is on the boat!" Matt said anxious to get off the subject of his life being saved.
The damage was minor, only the paint was scratched off on the hull. While they were examining the boat a man in his early thirties came to them.
"Are you all right?" the man asked
"Ahh!" shrieked Julie, "Who are you?"
"My name is Roger O'Shea." he said it just above a whisper.
"Mr. O'Shea we're fine you just scared us." Matt said, "But my friend saw a lady jump off the cliff."
"Did she have red hair and green eyes like your lovely friend?" asked O'Shea.
"Yes, I remember now she looked so much like Julie it was surreal." John spoke to O'Shea for the first time.
"That was my great great great great aunt Jesse O'Shea. She died 240 years ago. Her apparition has shown every June, 15, since her death where she threw herself from the widow's walk on my families mansion."
"Why'd she do that?" asked John."
Because her love, Jack Holmes, died at sea."
"How romantic" Julie said in a soft voice, "I wish someone would do that for me when I die."
"Would you like to stay at my home for the night, surely you can not navigate in this fog."
"Thank you that would be most welcome." replied John.
"But I must warn you there are more apparitions than just Jesse."
"Like what?" asked Matt finally interested in the conversation.
"Her cat occasionally appears and on more than a few occasions Jack can be seen weeping by the pond and ...other places."
"MEOWWW!!!" there was a sudden yowl from a cat that appeared on John's shoulder.
"Whoa!" Matt cried.
"Get it off me please," John spoke barely above a whisper,"Get it off me please!" John who usually loved cats didn't especially like the idea of having an over 100 year old DEAD cat on his shoulder.
"Su Sin off." Mr. O'Shea commanded.
"If you don't mind let's go!" John said anxious since the cat left him.
"Very Well."
The trip to the mansion took 15 minutes uphill. While they were half way up the trail it started to rain in huge drops.
"Ugh. I hate the rain. It's just so... so..." Julie said.
"Wet." offered John
"Yeah thanks."
"You guys complain about everything." Matt groaned.
"Welcome to my home." Mr. O'Shea said.
As they looked up the kids were struck speechless by the awesome sight in front of them. The mansion had three stories and a tower with the widow walk Jesse O'Shea had met her destiny at.
The mansion was painted gray with black roofing.
"Yeow!!" The cat had appeared on John's shoulder again startling the kids.
"Not again." moaned John.
"Su Sin! Off! shouted Mr. O'Shea.
"Thanks. I'm getting tired of that cat just appearing though."
"It was nothing, shall we go in."
"Why not?" Matt replied
As the kids walked in they were amazed to see how run down the place was. There were curtains made of velvet that had been ripped and torn, a chair that had once been a beautiful, hand carved chair, but was now a broken piece of junk.
"How do you like it?" asked Mr. O'Shea.
"It's...it's..." Julie was stuck
"It's run down." O'Shea finished Julie's sentence.
"I'm glad you think so too."
"Yes. It once used to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire United Kingdom."
"What happened to the mansion to make it look the way it does?" asked Matt.
"Please come upstairs and I'll show you some of my art work."
"I didn't know you were an artist." Julie said.
"Yes I draw portraits of people and the surrounding landscape."
" Do you have any portraits of Jesse?" asked John.
"Yes, I copied it from a portrait that was falling into disrepair."
"Could we see it."
"Of course."
***
"Well here it is." announced O'Shea with a hint of pride in his voice.
"It's beautiful." the three said in awe.
Before them was a painting of woman sitting in the beautiful hand carved chair that was now a run down piece of junk. She had red hair, olive green eyes, and skin that looked like cream. In the woman's lap was the Siamese cat that seemed intent on annoying John by appearing on his shoulder. There was a man behind the woman. He had dark hair and pale skin.
"My gosh." whispered Matt, "It looks exactly like John and Julie."
"Yes. It is very odd." remarked John.
Yawning Julie said, "Well that's all well and good, but I want to go to sleep."
"Yes I will show you to your rooms." O'Shea said.
***
Julie was poking around her room, which Roger (as she had come to think of him) had told her that used to be Jesse's, when she found a sliding piece of wood. when she slid it to the left it revealed letters from Jack to Jesse. So she began to read them.
March 5,1790
Dearest Jesse,
I'm sorry that I missed your birthday, but captain had us stay
a month later in case there were some whales that might have been left before they migrated. How I miss hearing your voice when I would play the piano and you would sing. If only I could get out of the contract captain had me sign I could be with you all the time. As a birthday present I have sent along a Siamese cat I bought in port one day. It will be arriving shortly and it's name is Su Sin. I'm sorry this letter is so short, but captain wants to leave port early tomorrow and I need some sleep.
Love,
Jack
Julie never got to finish the other letters because suddenly she felt a cool breeze when uncurling the other letter, it was as if there was another being in the room with her. Knowing that was ridiculous she put the letters in one of her coat pockets and decided to prove her instincts wrong.
***
Matt was just getting into bed when he heard Julie scream. Right when he opened the door to his room he saw Julie running in the direction of the tower and John tearing after her. Matt thinking Julie was going to get something from "The Wanderlust" and John was going with her decided to follow
"Stop boy!" commanded Mr. O'Shea,"Your friend Julie is possessed by the spirit of Jesse O'Shea. Only one who looks like someone the spirit knew can help her now."
"You mean how John looks like Jack."
"Precisely."
"Could we watch."
"Yes, but it may end in the death of one of your friends."
"WHAT!!"
"If John becomes possessed by Jack he has a chance.
"Well come on. We've got to hurry."
***
"Julie don't!" cried John as Julie perched herself on top of the railing on the "widow's walk".
"Jack?" Julie asked.
"Yes it's Jack come on down from there." John played along.
"Jack!!!" snarled Julie. With that she leapt upon John putting her hands around his throat and tried to strangle him, "Jack you killed me once and you won't do it again."
A green mist surrounded John as he ripped Julie's hands from around his throat and held them.
"Jesse I only killed you because you killed me for nothing and..." John had been possessed by Jack's spirit.
"You think I didn't find out about the other woman."
"You must believe me she didn't mean anything to me."
"How can I believe you! You weren't drunk. You knew full well what you did" She was verging on hysteria now.
"Because I love you. I have always loved you! Even after death I loved you!"
"If you loved me so much how come you pushed me over!"
Just then Matt and Roger arrived seeing Julie over John with him holding her wrists. Matt also noticed welts around John's neck.
Upon seeing Roger, John (Jack) dropped one of Julie's wrists and pointed at Roger.
"Him! Yes him! Don't look so surprised, just because I'm dead doesn't mean I didn't know about Roger Dearest." John (Jack) said with a sneer. With that he launched himself onto Roger and started to fight.
"STOP IT!!" screamed Julie (Jesse), "Jack and Roger if you both really love me do not fight the one I love."
"I-I-I don't understand. You love us both?" asked John (Jack).
"Of course she does. Haven't you looked into her eyes. I mean deep into her eyes. Can't you see I'll always be second in her heart. She killed you because she still loved you and thought you loved another woman. She couldn't take that rejection and wanted revenge. You thought she would understand if only you could explain your betrayal, but she did not give you enough time. You stayed on this plane of existence because you could not give up that love for her and when she married me you had to have revenge like she did for your broken heart."
"I'm-I'm so sorry Jesse. I never realized what a fool I had become." John (Jack) was sobbing now in grief and relief.
"It's all right dear." Julie (Jesse) replied.
John (Jack) walked over and put Julie (Jesse) on her feet and kissed her. Suddenly a bright light appeared from the center of the two's body and shot outward then into the sky. Roger too had a bright light appear in his center and go outward then up.
"Eh hem!" Matt cleared his throat.
Julie and John opened their eyes and realized what they were doing. There were cries of "What" "Huh" apologies and "I can explain" then "Matt".
The fog had lifted and Matt started toward "The Wanderlust".
"C'mon I'll tell you what happened in "The Wanderlust"." Matt said.
The End
Age: 12
City: Kennewick
State or Province: WA
Country: USA
Email: S t e v e L i n c @ a o l . c o m