The Black Heart Crypt

Aunt Ginny had woken up before anybody else in the house.

She knew that the most evil Ickleby of them all was now controlling the body of Norman Ickes and that Barnabas would soon come gunning for Zachary.

So Virginia Jennings, who had battled foul spirits and bullying demons all her life, would be prepared.

She quickly lit the jack-o’-lanterns lined up on the front porch railings, and then, very calmly, sat down in a rocking chair with another glowing pumpkin on her lap.

Moments later, the villain showed himself.

His glimmering black stallion pawed its hooves in the front lawn and snorted loudly. But it wouldn’t move closer.

Not as long as the jack-o’-lanterns are lit. It can’t. The illuminated gourds protect the house from all evil spirits, human or equine.

“Good morning, you wretched old woman!” shouted the rider with the hideously grinning face cut into his mask. “Where is the boy? Where is Zachary Jennings?”

A shiny black raven sat perched on the dark rider’s shoulder like a villainous parrot.

“Why are you so interested in Zack, Norman?”

“Why do you call me that inglorious name when you now know who I truly am?”

“You mean Barnabas the leech?”

“Leech?”

“That’s right. You’re nothing but a freeloading, life-sucking parasite. A dybbuk clinging on to your distant relative’s body because you’re too chicken to move on to your eternal reward or, in your case, eternal punishment!”

“You dare call me a coward?”

“Yes, Norman. I just did.”

“You shall pay for your words, you horrid hag.”

“How?” Ginny held up the glowing pumpkin. “Are you and your horsey going to come up here and hurt me? Of course not. You’re afraid of pumpkins, too!”

Hannah and Sophie came out on the porch.

“Oh, my,” gasped Sophie. “Is that him?”

“Yes, dear,” said Ginny in a tense stage whisper. “Did you bring the exorcism powders?”

Hannah was carrying Ginny’s carpetbag. “It’s all in here. For heaven’s sake, sister, why do you taunt him?”

“It amuses me.”

“Does he have the black heart stone?” asked Sophie.

“Aunt Ginny?” It was Zack. He and Judy were at the front door.

“Stay inside, dear. You too, Judy. We’ll take care of this.”

“I’m going to call the police,” said Judy.

“No. Not yet. Soon that creature on the horse will be nothing more than a dazed and confused hardware-store clerk who will, hopefully, remember where they had him hide the black heart stone. Give us a minute.”

“One minute,” said Judy.

Ginny stood up from the rocking chair and turned her back to Jack the Lantern so she could consult with her two sisters.

“We shall initiate the exorcism.”

“How?” asked Hannah.

“We can startle him with his false reflection from up here. I’ll work the mirror. Hannah, you take the horn. Sophie, stand by with the powder. Once we have spiritual separation, we can sage Barnabas and begin the banishment incantation.”

“I’ll ask you one last time, ladies!” shouted Jack the Lantern. “Where is the boy? Where is young Zachary Jennings?”

Ginny twirled around.

“He’s busy!”

“Doing what?”

“Getting ready for school!” shouted Sophie. “The bus will be coming along shortly to pick him up.”

Jack tugged up on the reins. His black stallion pranced sideways. “Why, thank you, Sophia. How silly of me to forget. The big yellow carriage full of children that I have seen pass Haddam Hill so many times.”

“Oops,” peeped Sophie, putting her hand to her mouth. “I think I just made a boo-boo.”

Jack pulled a pistol out of his belt, aimed it at Ginny.

“And just who do you think you’re scaring with that, coward?” said Aunt Ginny defiantly.

“Your glowing gourds might stop me from coming up on that porch, sorceress, but they cannot stop my bullet!”

The raven perched on the masked man’s shoulder squawked and flapped its wings.

Ginny reached into her carpetbag. Whipped out the stainless steel signal mirror.

Before she could use it, she heard a gun explode.

The pistol ball smacked Ginny hard.

The silvery mirror fell from her hand with a clatter.

Ginny felt a searing pain in her chest as the world began to spin.

“Oh, my,” she squeaked.

And then she toppled to the floor.