Haunted Antiques: A Haunted Estate Part 2: The Magic Box: Haunted Antiques: A Haunted Estate, #2

By Michelle Reid

A Fall & Halloween must read with Witches, Genies & Portals.

A haunted house with ghosts, demons, the supernatural and paranormal occurring, and now, she befriends a coven of witches and has a genie for a boyfriend.

Come join Margaret as she opens the 'Magic Box' and a whole new world of adventure awaits her.

This novel picks up from the end of part 1 when Margaret's boyfriend, Clarke, is hurt in a horrific accident caused by her haunted house.

But things take an unexpected turn when she interacts with the 'Magic Box,' found in the attic, makes a wish, and it is granted.

Now her new prince charming is a Genie who grants her every desire regardless of the consequences.

And to add to the mounting chaos and tragedy unfolding in her life, her psychic introduces her to a coven of witches, and she finds herself amidst new problems and horrors.

A Genie, human, love story for the ages.

Would you want a Magic Box?

Read Margaret's adventure to see.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Reid
• Release date: Oct 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201970611

Book preview

BY: MICHELLE REID

NBW

Copyright ©August 9, 2021

Michelle Reid, NBW

All rights reserved

United States of America

CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1 The Old Brass Lantern

Chapter 2 The Magic Box

Chapter 3 The Perfect Guy?

Chapter 4 A Friend, Family, Foe?

Chapter 5 Watch What You Wish For

Chapter 6 The Coven

Chapter 7 The Move: Three’s a Crowd

Chapter 8 Halloween: The Masquerade Party

Chapter 9 Somewhere Within

Definitions, Terms, and Meanings Used in This Novel

A Note from the Author

PREFACE

Haunted Antiques: A Haunted Estate Part 2: ‘The Magic Box’ (HAHE part 2), takes us back into the world of psychics, ghosts, demons, the paranormal and supernatural but now introduces us to the world of Genies, Witches, and Warlocks.

This adult mystical, fantasy, occult, thriller novel takes us on a journey into the good and bad parts of magic, the supernatural, and human nature in general. Fantasy and escapism mixed with the perfect amount of supernatural realism.

In HAHE part 2, Margaret finds herself not only surrounded by psychics, mediums, ghosts, and demons but now genies and witches too. As she delves deeper into these worlds good things occur, but many bad things occur also. She finds herself in a world of powerful Magicians she knows nothing about, and needing the protection of her Genie to keep her out of harm’s way.

Come join Margaret as she opens the ‘Magic Box’ and a whole new world of adventure awaits her.

CHAPTER 1

The Old Brass Lantern

A foggy spring night in May and Margaret was having trouble sleeping. She awoke at two forty-five in the morning from a light sleep again, but this night was different, she was feeling a presence in her room, like she was being watched. Margaret laid still for a while looking out the window at the dark sky and ominous looming thick fog which intrigued her darker side. She was not scared living alone in this big old Victorian house, just her and her two cats Lucky and Salem, who survived the ordeal of the demon attack a few months earlier. As she lay there thinking, her mind went to her sort of boyfriend slash handyman, Clarke, who still remained in the hospital from what happened to him in her house and was now receiving rehabilitation to fully recover from his tragic accident in the house. Even though he did not blame her, and neither did his family, Margaret felt terrible about what occurred to Clarke and knew she needed to do everything possible to make it up to him; she felt obligated to be his girlfriend now even if she was not officially before.

As she continued to maul over events in her mind, she started to feel again like someone was watching her in the room. No sooner did she have this thought, she started to feel a weird tingling, a movement, starting at her ankles and slowly travelling upwards like someone or something was moving their hands up her legs in a seductive way. Margaret laid very still wondering what was happening, she was alone except for the recently placed old brass genie lamp she positioned beside her bed that night, that she took from her attic earlier that evening. She knew she had previously contacted something, possibly a Djinn or Genie according to her psychic friend Anna in one of the other old brass lamps from the attic but not this one. She felt like having this old lantern at her bedside this night for comfort as her experiences with many of the left behind antiques have been mostly pleasant and warm, nothing like this. Could it be a genie entity from this lamp that she feels watching her and now touching her? She deducted. With a bit of fear and panic coming over her she thought of those movies she had seen showing demon possession, was she living her own odd alternate reality with a genie in a lantern overtaking her? She wondered. Margaret laid as still as possible trying to figure out what was happening and partly hoping it would just stop, just go away. But it did not, in fact it got more intense, the feeling of hands moving up her leg and between her thighs continued until she could not bear to think what would happen next so she found herself frantically jumping out of her bed and running into the bathroom to compose herself and to get away from whatever was in her bedroom.

Margaret emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, it was now almost four o’clock and she still did not feel tired enough to fall asleep but knew she would not be able to settle back to sleep tonight with the lantern at her bedside so she moved it to her bedroom closet for the remainder of the night. Eventually Margaret fell back to sleep, waking Saturday morning at just after nine and ready to spend the day at the hospital visiting Clarke and helping him with his physical rehabilitation as she had planned. Margaret headed downstairs where her cats greeted her awaiting being fed and then she made herself some much-needed coffee. She drank her coffee outside on this bright, slightly brisk, spring morning admiring her blooming flowers, garden, and contemplating taking a jacuzzi tub soak outside before readying for her day at the hospital. As she sat thinking about how much she loved living in California, how much she loved her old Victorian house despite the bizarre, unsettling happenings and definite paranormal activity, her mind could not get rid of the puzzling events of the night. Was something really touching her in the night or was this a figment of her imagination, she puzzled. Margaret was not sure if she liked it or not but what she did know was that it had a very unusual vibe, yet he felt familiar to her, like she knew him. Margaret could see a vision in her mind of an incredibly attractive, dark haired male figure during the touching episode or was this again a figment of her imagination? she was not sure. Then her thoughts went to Clarke and her feelings for him and though they had not consummated their relationship, as yet, she felt almost as strongly for him as she did for the boyfriend-fiancée she had back in New Orleans. She dated her ex-fiancée, David, for four years and they mutually called off the wedding and officially broke-up approximately one year before her aunt’s death and her subsequent move to California. So, Margaret knew she could love, did love before, and knew what an overtly sexual touch felt like; she was not a wallflower with a vivid imagination. Therefore, the question was, who was it? Or what was it? In the room with her last night. Even though many of the items found in this house, left behind by the first owner had lots of energy and activity surrounding it, this was a different lantern from the one they made contact with the Djinn King attached and that they spoke with in the flame months earlier. Was this another genie lamp she had come across? Margaret was not sure. But something kind of intriguing and kind of creepy at the same time happened to her last night and she knew her natural brave curiosity would not let her run from it, she needed to know what touched her last night.

Margaret arrived at the hospital, the rehabilitation unit, around two in the afternoon, perfect timing as Clarke was starting another session of his therapy. When Clarke saw Margaret, a huge smile overcame his face, he was always very happy to see her. Hi Margaret, he greeted her while waving his hand at her, and while Margaret went running over to him, embracing him, and planting a long lingering kiss on his lips, Hi Babe, she lovingly responded. Seeing Margaret always added that much needed motivation to Clarke’s therapy sessions which was obvious to the nurses and the therapists working with him. Clarke’s injuries to his arm, pelvis and leg had healed well but he was now receiving around the clock physiotherapy to regain strength in his limbs and to help him in using his injured arm and leg again including learning how to walk without the aid of crutches or a cane. Clarke’s initial injuries were extensive seeing he fell more than thirty feet onto a cement and wood floor. He fell through the house flooring starting from the top of her three-story old Victorian house but thankfully he survived and according to the doctor would eventually make a full recovery with the help of the extensive inpatient physiotherapy he was receiving. Clarke had been in the hospital for several months now and was scheduled to be discharged from there in a few weeks, and continue to receive outpatient therapy, so they were all extremely happy with his progress. Margaret spent five hours at the hospital with Clarke, an hour watching and assisting in his therapy session and then the remainder of the time with him one on one. They were getting to know each other better and discussing their relationship and future; they were both happy and felt in love. The tragic events of the house that landed Clarke in the hospital was rarely spoken about nor the continued paranormal activity within the house, it was all too traumatic for Clarke to deal with while trying to recover physically.

Margaret left the hospital by seven in the evening because Anna, her psychic medium and now friend was coming over to spend Saturday night with her, to discuss the house, its activity, and general girl chit chat; Margaret was excited. Anna arrived at eight-thirty and Margaret was ready for their evening that featured hors d’oeuvres and other snacks including alcohol. The women greeted each other exuberantly at the door then Margret welcomed Anna into her home. It had been twelve weeks since Anna last came to the house, she was busy with other cases and Margaret was busy rebuilding the damaged parts of the house and spending as much time as possible with Clarke at the hospital. Margaret laid all the food and drinks out on a large table in the dining room so she and her guest could freely serve themselves buffet style. It did not take long before Anna was starting to feel the building energy within the house and many presence with them that were not of the physical world. Margaret could tell that despite all the alcoholic beverages Anna was consuming that made her generally relaxed, she was becoming progressively tense from the house, what is the matter Anna? Margaret decided to inquire. Anna glanced at the rooms immediately around her then at Margaret and said, this house and its energy has not lessened at all. How has the activity been in the house? Having a lot of occurrences still? She pressed. Margaret was so used to daily unusual occurrences like items mysteriously moving from one place to the next or being knocked over or unhinged, without reason, that it had become normal for her and did not warrant an explanation in her mind any longer. She did know that the unexplained, semi-sexual touching from the night before was new and was something she should tell Anna about but for some reason she could not. What was keeping her from mentioning this activity to Anna, the psychic-medium, who could investigate it and possibly stop it was unknown to Margaret, but she said nothing. No, things have been fairly calm here, routine really, so I have no complaints, she said with a slight strain in her voice. Anna then looked over at the Sacred Heart Religious Icons painting that was strategically hung above the fireplace mantle to protect the home. Do you think it would be okay if I send the painting back to Summer for additional sigil and icons to be added on it? Summer asked about it and the activity in the home and because of what happened to your boyfriend, still with the protection painting in the home, she wants to supercharge it for you, add some more protection icons and symbols and then send it back to you, all at her expense because she feels terrible about what happened to Clarke and your cat, Anna explained. Margaret had no objection to this, so the women took the painting down from over the mantle and carefully wrapped it, readying it for its long journey back to Summer’s cottage house in the United Kingdom. You should have it back in four or five weeks, and in the meanwhile, I will leave you with enough sage and other clearing tools to keep the building energies in this house at bay, Anna promised. Margaret was not worried and trusted everything Anna and Summer recommended for her so she easily agreed and was ready for her and Anna to enjoy a lighter conversation so she quickly changed the subject to her work, her writing for the local newspaper, and other hobbies she enjoyed like her ongoing love of antique hunting and going to estate sales. The women laughed and discussed a wide variety of topics, but Anna could not seem to let go of the uneasy feelings she was having from being in the house, something was making her uncomfortable. She could feel the intense energy building and releasing, ebbing, and flowing, and it was unsettling to her when it was at its heightened state because it felt dark and ominous. The part Anna could not figure out was that she had done extensive paranormal investigating and mediumship contact with the various presence Margaret had lurking within the home, yet this one felt different, like a new presence and Anna could not understand why. Did you say you brought home new antiques Margaret while checking out the estate sales because I feel a new presence in your home? She candidly asked. Margaret had to think for a moment over the last several weeks since Anna had been there last if she had brought any new-old items into the home and the answer was, no. But Margaret failed to mention the newly found stash of antiques and oddities she unearthed in the attic’s hidden compartments, left from the previous owner and that brass lantern from this stash that she brought to her bedside with the suspected activity. Margaret again looked at Anna who was now studying Margaret’s body language and general demeanor, and said emphatically, no, nothing, nothing I could think of. Margaret’s short and sweet, curt responses surprised not only Anna but herself, she wondered to herself, what was wrong with me? What has gotten over me, I am acting so strange and suspicious?

Anna changed the subject asking about Clarke, his progress, and when he was to be released from the hospital before the women ended the night which was just after midnight now. Anna warmly bid Margaret goodbye and the women promised to connect again in two or three weeks regardless how busy they were, and that Anna will have the painting back to her as quickly as possible, hopefully in less than six weeks. Margaret cleaned up the dining room and kitchen immediately after Anna left and fed the cats who had now re-emerged after the guest had left.

Margaret could not help but think of her conversations with Anna that night and the many denials she gave, why would she not bring herself to tell Anna what happened the