Life After The Cemetery

By Sharon Elliott

Book Three in the Tymesup Trilogy.

Life After the Cemetery

It’s time for retirement!
After working and living at the Perilgate Cemetery, Shelley and Darryl decide it is time to retire from their jobs and move to suburbia. But will they enjoy a peaceful, uneventful retirement in their new home?
This delightful series has followed Shelley and her family and friends through life and its unexpected twists and turns, but Shelley’s life is far from slowing down, especially when their home reveals an unexpected presence.

Follow Shelley and Darryl as they deal with the annoying intrusion in their retirement lifestyle.

Ebook ISBN 978-0-6458617-3-0
Print ISBN 978-0-6458615-3-2

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sharon Elliott
• Release date: Jan 7, 2024
• ISBN: 9780645861730

Sharon Elliott

About Author After the death of two loved ones in 2017, I began my writing journey with my mother's story which I called Rose – The Last Straw under the pen name Jaime Wren and published through a hybrid publisher called Tellwell Publishing. Following a steep learning curve, I now have a collection of eBooks and print novels under my name: Sharon Elliott, which I have written, designed the covers for, and self-published. I grew up in Sydney, Australia and country NSW then worked in Sydney before moving to the Riverina, then Nambucca Heads on the mid north coast of NSW. I now live in sunny Queensland with my fur family and continue to write. You can follow me on my Facebook Page: Sharon Elliott Author, Instagram; Shazzell4, Pininterest:  Shazza's Books. my Payhip store: SHARONELLIOTTEBOOKSTORE Amazon.com.au Lulu.com bookstore, apple books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, scribd Draft2Digital: Smashwords, Vivlio, Tolino, Gardener, Everand, Borrowbox Australian National Library and State Libraries

Book preview

Prologue

I walked through a cobweb as I entered the attic space; its sticky strands clung to my face. I fleetingly wondered where the spider was. ERK! Must've missed that one when I was cleaning.

The sun was shining through the skylight as I glanced around the room. Someone had lined the room with its low ceiling, dark panels around the walls, and shelving. My focus retreated to a section of wall I skimmed over. When I looked closer, I saw what had caught my eye. The surface had an unevenness. I moved closer to investigate. The door I found was so well-camouflaged that I almost missed it. Kneeling down, not an easy feat these days, and prised my fingernails into the gap and opened the door. The air was musty and old, and I caused a flurry of dust motes that made me sneeze. I peered into the deep, dark depths, but needed a torch to see inside. ‘I'm too old for this.’ My muscles cried out and my joints complained as I began standing up from my kneeling position and walked hunched over to the door.

With the aid of a torch, I ventured back to explore the hidden cavity behind the small door.

I crouched down again and shone the torch inside the dark space. It landed on a box with layers of dust on top. Next to the box, there was a mysterious object hidden beneath a drape of material. I crawled in and removed the material. Underneath, I found a stunning antique mirror imbedded in a timber frame with a base that sits on a dresser. I needed better light to examine my find, so I crawled backward with the mirror in my hand. As I stood up, my joints creaked and groaned in protest. At the kitchen sink, with the sunlight streaming through the window, I wiped years of grime from the frame. As the coats of dust vanished, the rich, warm tones of mahogany timber caught my eye. I then cleaned the mirror itself, which was surprisingly free of corrosion.

A face appeared before me, but it wasn't my own. As I shrieked, the mirror slipped from my hands and clattered into the sink. What the heck was that? I took a tentative step back to the sink and peered in.

Crazy Charlie

Chapter 1

I was working at Perilgate Cemetery before we retired. It is a large cemetery with a crematorium in the city of Tymesup. I enjoyed my job at Perilgate. You would think it a depressing place to work, but the office was in a serene location, with trees, grass, and manicured gardens. I didn't think I could be in the cemetery after dark, but Hector, my boss, persuaded us to move into the beautifully renovated cottage. For some strange reason, Darryl, my husband, was keen. I must admit the cottage was gorgeous with its sandstone facade and modern interior, so we moved, and I kept my doubts to myself.

I didn't mind working in the cemetery during the day, but nights were a different kettle of fish. I had visions of the residents coming out after dark, getting up to mischief. Despite being in the cemetery, the interior of the cottage was warm and inviting.

We then started having ghostly visitors who needed help to move on. Fortunately, the ghosts who visited us in the caretaker's cottage were more like Casper and his friends, but my husband could not see them. He could only see objects moving around the house on their own and me doing strange things, which was not completely out of character. These same levitating objects were the reason my phone rang this day.

Early March, after our December retirement, my phone interrupted the Monday morning peace. I wasn't expecting a call. Eve's name popped up on the display, and memories flooded back. After my retirement, Eve assumed my position at work and residency in the caretaker’s cottage.

Eve and Larry, her husband, were in their early forties and into sport in their spare time. Hector enticed them to move into the caretaker's cottage, as he did us. The cottage was hard to resist with its architecturally modernised interior and sandstone exterior. Hector, her/our boss, was easy to get along with and Eve excelled at the job, so I was puzzled over her call.

It's Eve, from work. I said to Darryl before answering.

Hello, Eve. What can I do for you?

I have a strange question?

Okay.

Did you ever see objects levitating in the cottage? It is freaking us out.

Oh NO! It’s started again!

Don't worry about it, Eve. There is some sort of static electricity in the area. I lied.

How weird. Can you make it go away?

If you like, I can come over and settle it down. I will get the key from you while you are at work and go work my magic.

Does it happen often?

No, it is very rare. I hoped.

You might have to show me your trick.

If it happens again I will, but I don't think it will.

I drove to the cemetery and walked into the office. My ex-workmates greeted me as I walked through and tapped on Hector's door.

Hello Hector, how is life in the cemetery now that I have gone. A bit of a pun on words .. life in a cemetery.

Quieter, Shelley. He grinned.

No more murders, then?

None, thank goodness. What brings you here?

Just helping Eve with something.

Nice to see you again.

You too. How is Margaret?

Fighting fit now. Is Darryl enjoying retirement?

Yes, we both are. I continued on to see Eve and retrieved the key.

After some chit-chat, she handed me the key. I will bring it back soon.

When I arrived at the house, I opened the front door and walked through to the living area. This is where I saw the reason for the levitating objects.

Hello, who are you? I.confronted the visitor.

George. Can you see me?

Yes, I can.

Finally. The other two were just freaked out when I tried to show them that I was here.

Do you blame them? They can't see you.

Yeah, I s'pose so.

Okay George, you have to leave these people alone. Please pass the word around the cemetery's underground network that the new residents cannot help you to move on. Will you do that for me?

Only if you do something for me.

Here we go again. I thought I was past this when I retired and moved from the cottage! Let me guess. You can't move into the light until I rectify something.

How did you know?

Been there, done that! What is keeping you here, George?

It's me wife. She is buried in the wrong grave.

I took a seat opposite George. George, that is a tall order. We can't just go around digging up graves and moving bodies, there is a lot involved with an exhumation. It is not musical chairs, you know.

The icy wind whistles through me when I go across to visit her and the air chills my bones. It is not right that I have to travel to see her. It is not like we are dating teenagers rendezvousing for time together. She is my wife and belongs with me.

I understand George. Is there someone else in with you?

Yeah. It is some foreign woman. I can't understand a word she says. She is driving me nuts with all her chatter. My wife says she has the same problem. The man she was buried with doesn't speak English either.

I don't know if I can help you, George, but there does seem to be an error.

My wife told me that crazy Charlie at Omega Funerals swapped the two women into each other's coffins.

I shuddered. His story reminded me of when I used to walk in my lunch break and stumbled upon a string of dead bodies. One of these bodies was Michelle, the woman Charlie murdered.

At the mention of Charlie, my hackles rose and so did my goose bumps. He was the one who threw me into the cold storage at Omega Funerals, and, I wasn't alone. Thank goodness I had a dinner date that night with Darryl, otherwise I would have remained there all night with the other temporary residents.

I believe Charlie is capable of doing what you say, but we need proof before we can go about opening graves.

George tapped his bottom lip and his brows furrowed while he thought.

My wife, Beryl, she said there was a young bloke with Charlie who tried to tell Charlie what he was doing was wrong.

Okay, that helps. There is a witness. What is your last name, George?

Nyles.

Does your wife go by your name?

Of course, she does. George looked at me as though I asked a stupid question.

Where is your grave and where is your wife buried?

We are both in the lawn cemetery, number three. You will find my headstone easy enough, but my wife Beryl is buried at the headstone for Joseph and Maria Farrugia.

Okay George, I might be able to work with that information, but you need to stay away from this house and tell the others not to visit either. I will meet you at the fountain if I need to talk to you again.

Thank you for listening.

After George departed, I took a moment to savour the surroundings, and I was reminded of the reason we took up residence. The blend of old and new was in perfect harmony, shutting out the cemetery beyond its walls. Well, mostly. With a sigh, I turned and locked the front door before leaving.

I drove back to the cemetery office and gave Eve her keys back. All sorted, Eve. You shouldn't have the problem again.

Wonderful. Larry and I will both appreciate that. We are loving the home.

Yes, it is beautiful. As I walked out, my old workmates waved goodbye.

Since I was in the cemetery, I drove to the children's graves and spoke to Maddi in her resting place. I still had her colouring book and remembered fondly the hours she sat at the bench colouring while I cooked dinner.

I visited other children’s graves abandoned over time, then I stopped at the fountain and sat in the shade of a tree. It was such a peace place with birds chirping and the sound of the water trickling from the fountain into the pond below.

Chapter 2

Following my trip down memory lane, I made my way back home to the villa. Darryl was there working on a model plane. A new hobby he started in his retirement.

How was your trip out, Shel?

Good, thanks Darryl. I went to see Eve to help her with a problem in the cottage.

Was her problem in residence when you got there? Although Darryl could not see the ghostly visitors, he was well aware of them.

Yes, he was. I asked him to spread the word that the current occupants of the cottage cannot help the permanent residents of the cemetery with their problems.

Was he co-operative?

He had one condition.

Darryl put down the intricate model piece he was working on and gave me his full attention. Oh no. What might that be?

It is quite disturbing, actually. George mentioned Charlie at Omega Funerals, you remember him.

How could I forget crazy Charlie, the one who locked you in the funeral home freezer.

George said Charlie switched two bodies, putting George's wife into another lady's coffin and vice versa.

That is a serious claim. I don't doubt Charlie would do such a thing, but we need proof. My former investigator husband said.

He said his wife told him there was a young man with him at the time who tried to talk Charlie out of it.

Did he give you a name?

"No, he