Spirit Investigator (8)

Edited by: Kuro and Lille

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They weren't obstructed from going up the stairs, but the pressure was making it hard to move upwards. It was as though they were being dragged down by weights.

Grey didn't mind it but his body was much slower than Nora's as she was the athletic one. As for Emery, maybe it was because he was a spirit, but he didn't find it hard to move. He also did not want to go up alone, so he held on to Grey to carry him up the stairs.

Nora soon passed Grey while Grey had some extra weights on his back. He didn't mind it and continued to climb upwards.

It took a few seconds longer, but when they finally got to the top of the stairs, they saw "Mother" surrounded by most of the children. She was telling them a story and didn't acknowledge the people who had intruded on her storytime.

She was retelling a story of a fairytale book that was once stored in the closet. She was powerful enough to interact with her surroundings, so interacting with inanimate objects was not a problem for her.

"She was a princess hidden away from the world, locked up in a tower. There was no door, only a window at the top of the tower where the princess would lookout day and night. Her hair was long and golden, reaching toward the bottom of the tower to let her mother in. Her mother wanted what was best for her child. She did not want her little Princess to leave their home and see the horrors of the world around them."

It seemed she was talking about Rapunzel but had twisted the story. She wanted the kids to hear how good this "Mother" was. The kids did not know this, but Rapunzel's "Mother" was the witch who kidnapped the princess and hid her away. In some stories, Rapunzel was there to keep this "Mother" forever young and beautiful.

Clearly, "Mother" had ulterior motives for telling this story to the kids.

"Mother knows best," She used a line that was part of the book and movie. "She only wants what's best for her child."

"But you know that isn't best for the children," Nora couldn't help but speak up, "Stuck in this home, forever young, that isn't what's best for them and you know that."

Once in a while, a child would go into the light, making "Mother" more obsessed with killing a child from the families who came to live in this home. She wanted them all to stay with her forever so she used all sorts of means to get them to stay.

"Mother" stood up as the children who were sitting around her turned to stare at the "intruders" that came into their attic. Daisy Anderson looked just like the picture from when she first moved into the house. The only thing that resembled how she died was the mark around her neck.

Mother Daisy looked over at Nora, Grey, and Emery amused. It was like she was looking down on them. "What do you know about being a mother? Mothers always want what's best for their children."

"I know, that's why my mother killed herself and my father when I was younger. She left me all by myself and now I'm stuck fighting my battles without her." Nora felt bitter looking at this 'Mother.' She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but be frustrated at her own mother for leaving her behind with that father-turned-demon.

"Mothers are human too… They can't do everything and they can't guarantee that their children will have the best."

Daisy faltered hearing Nora's story but soon picked herself back up. "But I can, I have lived here for decades giving my children what I know is best." She looked hysterical that she was able to have all these children accompany her in this attic. Her eyes turned red as she walked over to Nora.

"I won't let you force us into that light. That light took my baby, took my baby, and left me behind!"

Mother Daisy's power began to swirl around the attic. Cloths that covered old furniture stored in the attic began to ruffle from the wind. The books on the shelves began to shake as some fell to the ground. Any loose item began to move with her power.

"They took my baby away from me, so I took their babies so that they would stay here with me! Being with Mother is best because Mother knows best. I want what's best for my children, how could you dare take them from me?!"

She went to grab Nora by the neck but Grey reacted quickly and used his arm to stop her. Her nails dug into his skin, blood gushed out of the puncture wounds, and slowly dropped to the ground. It was painful, but Grey didn't back down.

Grey used his other hand and put it up against Mother Daisy's cheek. "You must've felt so alone in this house. Your husband could not understand what you were going through and you had no help raising your baby."

"What do you know, what do you know?!" She gripped Grey's arm harder, wanting to break his arm like a twig. "He wouldn't stop crying. He just cried and cried no matter what I did. My husband was always at work and left me all alone with my baby that I didn't know how to take care of."

"I know, no one taught you how to take care of your baby."

"That's right, but now I know how to take care of my children. Can't you see all my lovely, obedient children?" She turned her head but the children flinched when they saw her tear-stained face and blood-red eyes.

"Why are you all afraid of Mother? Can't you see that I'm doing what is best for you?"

Nora, who was behind Grey, put her hand on Mother Daisy's right hand. She didn't put her spiritual energy into it, but a warmth seeped through Mother Daisy's hand. It was the first time she had felt warmth ever since she had died.

"Mother Daisy, we know you want what's best for your children, but you must understand that the light did not take your baby. Your baby is in that light, waiting for you. You may not believe me, but when children die first, they wait in the light for their parents or guardians that they love. He's waiting for you so that you can reincarnate with him."

She then looked at the children. "Your parents, all of your parents who have passed are also waiting in the light. As for the ones who have parents that are still alive, we can make it so that you can meet your parents and then wait for them to come into the light with you."

"You are a liar! A liar!" She wanted to let go of Grey's arm so that she could tear Nora apart, but Grey used his other hand to grab her left hand.

Emery also put his hand on top of the one Nora was holding. "We aren't lying. If you would just look into the light you will see him."

"Let me go, let me go!" She wailed and put as much pressure as she could into Grey's arm.

Even with the risk of his bone-breaking from the pressure, he still held on and sent warmth into her hand. "Mother Daisy, you must believe me, I have died once and I know what is in that light. Your baby is truly waiting for you."

She stopped her flailing, eyes still bloodshot read, but they looked confused. Her tears were stained black as they flowed down her face. "You… you have died, is that why that person's spirit looks like the body you are in?"

"That's right. I, too, saw a light when I died and I reincarnated many times over. People will see their ancestors and loved ones who had left early. Then, they will wait to reincarnate with their loved ones."

Mother Daisy finally calmed down. "You are not lying to me, right?"

"I am not lying to you. Haven't you tried to take a look into the light?"

"No, I have not."

Nora smiled at Mother Daisy. "Can you see the light? It's here, calling for you and all of the children here."

"That's right. Even I can see the light is calling for you." Emery said. He was a spirit, he could see the light to a certain degree for some reason.

"I haven't been able to see the light since I refused to go in… Will… will it take me back?"

Nora knew that Mother Daisy's defenses were crumbling, so she talked with a voice full of spiritual energy. "Of course it will, you just have to want to go into the light. It's always here, waiting for you to accept it."

A bright light came from behind Mother Daisy and some of the kids jumped in excitement.

"Look, I see Mama and Papa!" A little girl giggled happily and ran for the light.

"Wait, don't leave me!" Mother wanted to stop them from going but a lot of the kids continued to go inside the light as they called out for their parents and siblings.

The ones who had parents that were still alive, watched all the kids moving into the light with envy. They also wanted to be with their parents…

"Mother Daisy, don't reject the light, can't you see your son? He's there waiting for you…" Nora felt that Mother Daisy's grip loosened so she took both of her hands and walked her to the light. "Can't you see him?"

Mother Daisy was stunned as she saw a young boy who looked just like her son, but he was a bit older. He looked up at Mother Daisy and smiled. "Mom! I finally found you, I've been waiting for you." Mother Daisy was the only one who could hear him.

"Andy… My baby, oh my Andy, is that really you?"

It was the first time Nora, Grey, and Emery learned the name of her baby. It was not in the documents as it probably got lost with time.

"It's me, Mom! I've been waiting for a really long time. Why did you come find me so late?"

"Oh, Andy, Andy, my baby, I'm so sorry." Mother Daisy forgot about the other children as she ran for Andy. She brought him into a hug and sobbed. "Mother, ...Mother killed Andy, but I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me? Can you forgive Mom for hurting you?"

"I forgive you, Mom, I forgive you. That's why stay here with me… Don't leave me again. Papa is here too."

After that, Mother Daisy disappeared into the light. They could only imagine what Andy had said to get her to go into the light.

There were only three children left in the attic. They were a bit confused as to what they should do next. These children had died within the last 30 years so their parents were still alive.

"Two Misters that look alike, Miss, what do we do now?" A young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes asked. She looked to have died when she was 5 years old. She was wearing a pink nightgown and was holding a brown teddy bear. Her face was a little blue so they could guess she probably died of suffocation.

A young boy with black hair and brown eyes looked up at Nora with his big puppy dog eyes. "Do you know where my parents are?" He was wearing swimming shorts and a cheap white shirt, but his hair was wet and looked as though it was wet all the time. He seemed to have drowned in the pool in the backyard. It had been abandoned though so the water was greenish-brown with different kinds of water life in it.

The other girl didn't say anything as she was too shy. She hated talking to strangers so she hid behind the girl with the teddy bear.

"We know where your parents are. I don't know if we can get them to come here, but we will do our best." Nora said with a smile. She was good with children because she cared for them genuinely.

All the parents were still in the country, the teddy bear girl's parents were even in the neighboring city.

"Thank you, Misters and Miss!" After that, they ran out of the attic to who knows where.

Emery was about to follow after the kids, but he remembered Grey's situation. "Ah, wait, Grey, your arm!"

Grey totally forgot that his arm was bleeding and bruised. If Daisy held his arm any longer, it probably would have snapped in half.

Nora took off her bag and took out her first aid kit. She brought it just in case.

After patching up Grey, Emery said as he floated down the stairs first, "We should find Ronnie and Van to tell them about the situation too."

Nora and Grey followed after him and saw Ronnie and Van waiting for them down the hall.

"Mother is gone?" Ronnie questioned as he skipped over. He looked undisturbed, but he didn't seem happy about it either.

"That's right. She went into the light with her son." Nora said as she knelt in front of them so that she was at eye level with Ronnie and Van. "You too can go into the light if you see it."

Van was a little scared as she held on to Ronnie's hand. "What's in the light?"

"Your parents are waiting for you there, Van. The same for you Ronnie."

"I don't like my mom and dad," Ronnie said without hesitation. "They were mean to me… But Mother saved me from them when they killed me. If they are in the light, then I don't want to go."

Grey shook his head. "If they killed you, they are not in the light. They are being punished for what they did to you…" He patted Ronnie's hand to reassure him. "Trust me, bad guys like them won't be there and are somewhere else."

Van looked over at Ronnie and grabbed his other hand so that she was holding both of them. "Let's go in together. We are family. I won't leave you behind." Van didn't talk much nor was she as energetic as Ronnie, but she was protective of her friends and family. She was the type of person to not leave anyone behind even if it meant dying together. Well, she was dead now so the only thing she could do was go into the light with Ronnie.

"You want to go in with me? How about your mom and dad?"

"My mom and dad are your mom and dad from now on! They will love you, trust me." After that, she looked at Nora, Grey, and Emery and smiled. "Thank you."

Van pulled Ronnie forward, passed Nora, Grey, and Emery, and ran for the light.

Ronnie, who was running into the light with Van, didn't forget to turn around to say goodbye to Nora, Grey, and Emery. Their cheerful laughs and footsteps soon disappeared into the light…

******

It took a couple of weeks, but Nora, Emery, and Grey were able to get the parents of the last three children to come to the house once more to help their children go into the light.

With the success of their mission, the Alston family was able to move back into the house and could feel the change that their house had undergone. It no longer felt heavy nor did it feel cold and oppressing to be inside their house. It was too serene for them.

Jace, the young boy who was able to see spirits, didn't see any spirits lingering in the house and finally felt at peace. He still vowed that he would become a Spiritual Light Agent and hoped to one day work with Grey, Nora, and Emery.

Grey also visited Shamir every day even with his busy schedule. Shamir had actually remembered what had happened while he was in a coma, so he was happy to see that Grey kept his promise to see him every day. Grey stayed by Shamir's side while the man went through rehabilitation for as long as he could.

They were also given a couple of months off from the agency for solving a case that was deemed unsolvable. Nora and Grey were then considered the best team in their agency.

Using that free time, Grey finally had the chance to figure out how Emery came up with the sealing technique.