The Black Heart Crypt

“They’re not out there, George,” said Judy.

“You’re sure?”

Zack’s dad and stepmother were standing in the kitchen, looking out through the big bay window into the backyard.

“Come on,” said George. “Zack and Zip might be in trouble.”

“Or they might just be in the front yard,” said Judy.

“Halloween’s coming.”

“So?”

“The veil grows thin!”

Judy shook her head to clear out her ears. “What?”

“Halloween. The veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thinnest on October thirty-first!”

Oh, boy, thought Judy.

Ever since George had learned that Zack could see ghosts (the same way George had been able to when he was a boy), he had been spending a little too much time on his daily commute to and from New York City reading books about the spirit world.

George grabbed a flashlight. He and Judy hurried out the back door.

“What’s that?” George swung his beam across the yard, pausing at a half-buried lump in the grass. “It looks like a head. A shrunken head!”

“That’s Zipper’s ball,” Judy said calmly.

“Are you sure? Maybe a ghost shrunk Zack’s head.”

“That’s not Zack, sweetheart. His head isn’t yellow and squishy.”

George tilted up his flashlight and moved the beacon across a flurry of swaying branches.

“There’s a ghost up there, waving at us! See him?”

“That’s a tree, hon.”

“You sure?”

“Ghosts don’t have that many limbs. Or bird nests.”

“But trees can have ghosts hidden inside them. Zack told me about the tree that crashed into the backyard, how the ghost trapped inside broke free and went on an all-out evil spree.”

Judy took George’s arm and cuddled up against him. “That ghost is all gone.”

“I know. But maybe he’ll come back.”

“I don’t think he can.”

“On Halloween, anything is possible. They all get a hall pass on Halloween.”

Judy smiled.

George kept on going. “Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easiest near Halloween, the night when souls once again journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands, which is what ancient Druids called the afterlife.”

“George?”

“Yeah?”

“You ever think about going back to reading mysteries and military histories?”

“Why? Do you think I’m going overboard with this stuff?”

“Maybe. A little. Kind of.”

“I’m just trying to make sure Zack is safe. Halloween isn’t easy for a guy who sees ghosts, trust me.”

“Look, I’m sure if Zack sees anything paranormal, he’ll tell us.”

“I hope so. Maybe he should wear a disguise so the wandering spirits don’t wreak revenge on him.”

“Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know. They’re dead. They’re not thinking straight.”

Judy heard leaves crunching.

“What’s that?” George swung his flashlight toward the forest.

And practically blinded his son.

“Hey, Dad. Hey, Mom.” Zack had to shield his eyes with his forearm. Zipper stood at his side, merrily wagging his tail.

“Are you two okay?” his father asked.

“Yeah. Zipper went chasing after a devil dog.”

“A what?” said Judy.

“A big black dog with glowing red eyeballs. He chased it all the way up to the Haddam Hill Cemetery.”

“Ah,” said his father. “A Black Shuck! They guard graveyards. I read about those.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?” asked Judy.

“Yeah. The dog-beast vanished.”

His father nodded knowingly. “They’ll do that.”

“But,” said Zack, “we might want to keep an eye out for Henry H. Heckman.”

“The baker on Main Street?” said George, who had grown up in North Chester and knew everybody in town.

“Yeah. He just died. The gravedigger figures he’ll be up and walking around on Monday night, seeing how it’s Halloween and all.” Zack yawned. “I’m pooped. Think I’ll head up to bed.”

“You still want to go pumpkin picking tomorrow?” his father asked, his brow wrinkled with concern.

“Yeah. And Malik and Azalea are really looking forward to it, too.”

“Great,” said Judy, smiling warmly. “Good night, hon. Don’t forget to brush your teeth.”

“I won’t. Come on, Zip.”

The two of them headed into the house.

“Okay,” said George, “that does it. We’re going to need reinforcements. I’m texting Aunt Ginny.”

Judy, who had only married George five months earlier, was still a little foggy about his family. “Which one is she?”

“Virginia. The youngest of my father’s three sisters. She helped me when I was Zack’s age and could see ghosts.”

“Really? How?”

“She made them go away.”