The Wave

By Gwendolyn Cahill

The Wave, a collection of short stories featuring horror, mystery, comedy, love, and fantasy begins with the search for a haunted house Victorian house in Richmond, Virginia, and a comical romp on Monument Avenue. The unified statues stage a valent protest march for their rights. The excitement surrounding the diamond in The Wave, an enchanted valley in Peru, and the haunting operatic sounds in the Bagel Hunters will capture your heart and leave you craving for more. You will fall in love with Detective Swoop, a smart and savvy investigator who always shows the criminals who the boss is. He will mesmerize and amaze you in Swoop Scoops the Land.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781678032692

Book preview

Dedication

Dedicated to my forefathers.

Acknowledgements

I thank God for the gift of storytelling, song, and art. Inspiration comes from many sources.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Ghostly Arising

We Bare No Arms

The Wave

Chapter 1: Boozer

Chapter 2: Patch Me

Chapter 3: The Diamond

Chapter 4: Rebels

Chapter 5: Emergency

Chapter 6: Black Cloud

Chapter 7: Sweet Risings

Chapter 8: War

Chapter 9: Growth

Chapter 10: Tribute

Chapter 11: Touch Down

Chapter 12: Lobby

Chapter 13: Whistles in the Night

Smoke Screens

The Bagel Hunters

Swoop Scoops the Land

The Game

About the Author

Ghostly Arising

After the ghost and goblins celebrate their haunting arisings, the first snow of winter will arrive. Perhaps we will soon know the names of the voices who scream loudly in the night, ‘She will rise in the west.’

Welcome to the house of horrors.

Maria laughs at the male announcer’s voiceover. I’m out of here. My husband and I are going to Richmond, Virginia. I am so glad the show is on a hiatus.

Maria runs out the film studio and escapes in her red Ferrari.

Her self-employed husband sits at a table in the kitchen crunching numbers when Maria enters their well-furnished two leave duplex three-bedroom condo, that’s located in a renovated apartment building on the New York side of the Hudson River.

Maria kicks off her shoes at the front door, and tip toes to her husband. The sudden kiss on his face startles him. Then he laughs, Ah it’s you my dear.

Maria quickly changes into a gym outfit and begins her nightly ritual of exercises. She was always a health frantic. Her five feet seven into height is thinly covered with skin. She’s a bit on the lanky side. Her well-manicured lengthy dred locks were featured in a hair care article that appeared in a well-known magazine.

Six months ago Maria’s husband quit his six-figure Fortune 500 job and opened a private accountant office in their apartment. His private business flourished. Dave’s smile lit up the room. His by beer gut did not dissuade the publicity agents for a major publication from contacting him about being the featured model on the front cover of their magazine. Maria and Dave were soulmates. Both were known for their exotic haircuts. Dave donned a funky curly do that contained an intricate design.

Dave massages her shoulders and gently kisses her neck. I see your bags are packed, Maria. I want to drive to Richmond, Virginia tonight. I am tired of looking at these four walls.

Maria smiles, I was given a task to complete by my employer, dear. We need to look at real estate in Virginia.

Dave replies, Real estate? We are not buying in Richmond.

Maria and Dave places their suitcases in the trunk and enter the car.

Maria said, I told you I need to find a haunted house for a television program. I am not kidding. I completed the research. Richmond has tons of Civil War style homes. Victorians flourish in Richmond, Virginia. I’m too tired to talk now. I’ll tell you the rest later.

Maria quickly falls asleep. The sound of the car horn suddenly jolts her from her sleep.

Maria’s googy voice blurted out, What was that?

It was a dog. I’m sorry I awaken you.

Maria spots a sign on the side of the highway that reads twenty miles to Richmond, VA.

Maria says, Seems like we have been travelling forever.

Dave cruises down the highway at seventy miles per hour.

There’s a fringe benefit attached to this assignment, replies Maria

I swear to god Dave, I received this offer because I told him I’m vacationing in Richmond, Virginia.

Tell me more Maria, replies Dave whose eyes are fixated on the road.

It’s hot in here, states Maria. She rolls the window down.

We can own the house and the furnishings when the filming is finished. They gave me a high line of credit for the furnishings and the company is willing to pay up to a million dollars for a haunted house or house that can be converted to a haunted house. The house must be spooky. We need to close the house before Halloween. They want us to move into the house two days before Halloween. I know it is a daunting task, but we can do it.

Dave suddenly honks the horn on his black 1931 Ford model A car, when a deer dashes out the woods. The wind blows Maria’s thin red scarf off her head. The exasperation in Maria’s voice cannot be contained, That was close. Maria watches her favorite scarf float down the highway.

Dave excitedly states, Are you kidding, it’s a no brainer. Let’s do it! I can easily move my business.

Maria replies, Who says we can’t keep our house in New York and travel to Richmond on weekends. I’m not leaving my job, Dave, I’m staying in Hollywood.

Dave said, I know our love can sustain a long distance relationship.

Dave sighed, I know there are tons of Victorian style homes in Richmond, Virginia is the Confederate capitol. They say the Confederate White House is there. It sounds like that crazy writer wants to include a haunted house in the storyline.

The writer gave me the number to a real estate agent who specializes in haunted houses, replies Maria.

Sounds like she might have lived in one, Dave chuckles.

Don’t laugh Dave, I lived in a haunted apartment. There was a clump of cat food in the closet and my African design coat was tossed on the floor, the hanger was swinging in the closet. I knew I had not done that. I sold an apartment on the same floor. A two-bedroom unit that needed a little work. After the contract was signed, she said there was ghost in her apartment. Every now and then she said she would smell pot roast cooking but known of the neighbors smelled it.

I thought she was crazy. They put me in the dark from that one deal Dave. Dave closed the deal, he decided to renovate the kitchen. Seems like he disturbed the ghost. All kinds of things occurred after he began the renovations.

Dave said, I hear you Maria. The flashing marque that reads Popeyes captures his attention.

Look there’s Popeyes, I’m hungry, let’s grab a bit to eat.

Dave drives into Popeyes. He orders a two piece with biscuit meal and Maria orders the salad at the drive-thru window.

The worker responds, We don’t have salad. The closest thing we have to salad is coleslaw.

Dave said, Why don’t you just be bad today. I saw you sneak a two-piece chicken meal from Popeyes into the apartment.

Maria laughs, ‘Okay, double the order. I want an order of coleslaw as my side order."

The clerk repeats the order. That will $9.45. That comes with a drink.

Dave replies, Two diet cokes.

Maria continues her story, That ghost became sexual in nature. Don’t you dare laugh at Bobby Brown, the singer. In his book he revealed that he experienced ghost sex, it’s true that can happen. They thought he was crazy, they laughed at him. Someone else told me they knew someone who had also experienced ghost sex.

Maria fumbles in here pocketbook. The producer gave me the business card of a man who specializes in the sale and purchase of haunted houses. His name is Mr. Smarty."

Maria quickly dials the number. She introduces herself to Mr. Smarty. We are looking for a haunted house, a Victorian. We want to film a movie in the house.

Smarty replies, You’re serious! He listens intently. Okay, I gotcha, I am on it, when will you arrive in Richmond? What’s your budget?

One million dollars. We’ll be there in an hour.

How about we meet at ten?

No, lets meet at noon. That will give us time to refresh and relax at the hotel.

Mr. Smarty replies, Sounds good to me.

Mr. Smarty’s excitement can be heard. I’ll call you. I have the perfect house for you. Smarty decides to do a cold call but the phone just rings. He arrived at the house and knocked on the door. A female could be heard yelling, I said, sit down, Humphrey. You killed my mother ten years ago; her ghost still haunts me. Because of you, Humphrey, nobody wants to buy this house. The knock on the door alarms the owner, who was standing over in kitchen with a knife in her hand.

Ms. Lawrence walks to the peephole in the solid wood door with the seven-inch butcher knife in her hand. Who is it?

Hello Mrs. Lawrence, I’m Phillip Edward Smarty, I am a real estate agent who specializes in selling haunted homes. Some people call me Edward. I noticed you have been trying to sell your home for nearly ten years. I cornered the market. Many of my clients are interested in purchasing haunted Victorians. Maria is a producer for a film company. Dave is an accountant. The best thing to do is to list the house today, I guarantee you my agents will work diligently to sell your house within 90 days. If we fail to fulfill that promise, we will reduce our commission to 1%.

Ms. Lawrence opens the door. She lifts her arm and points the knife at the agent. Mr. Smarty grasps at the site of the knife but he is determined to sell the house.

Mr. Smarty states, You look like you just crawled out a coffin. Let me see your business card.

After a few seconds, Ms. Lawrence introduces herself. I’m Ms. Heidi Lawrence, Mr. Smartly, few people make through the wrought iron gates and many flee when they see the butcher knife in my hand. I’m amazed that the howling wolf did not chase you away. He must like you.

In dry manner, he responds, My name is Smarty not Smartly.

Humphrey mumbles whatever underneath his breathe then walks into the parlor in his torn blue pajamas, suede blue slippers, and very matted upsweep hairdo and sits on the floral window seat that lies below the bay window. The smoke from the burning cauldron escapes into the entry foyer. Humphrey’s robust voice is heard from afar, The witches brew is ready.

Ms. Lawrence shouts from the hallway, Okay, Humphrey.

Mr. Smarty takes off his hat and enters the house. Within seconds the ghostly figure of an elderly women is seen.

The female voice of the ghost crackles, Ha-ha, welcome to our home. Mr. Smarty’s eyes widen, but he is not detoured.

Heidi Lawrence coyly bats her eyes and smiles, I love your grey pinpoint suit. Here’s a cup of witches brew.

The ghost flies up the stairs in her ethereal white bloodstained night gown. This is my death outfit, most visitors run from me. Hahaha! Her humming