The Containment Spell

by Pablo Pati�o

About the Author: Pablo Patiño's work includes short stories in Talking River Review, Ink Stains Anthology and The Main Street Rag.

Excerpt

“This house belonged to him afore it belonged to ye.”

“I’m the one stuck with the mortgage payments. What’s he fussin’ about?”

“Would ye please take this seriously?”

I leaned back on the sofa and yelled towards the top of the stairs. “Honey, you best be going now! Get down here please!” I so wanted to add, And take your batshit crazy mother with you!

“Alberto,” Meg’s mother said sharply. “I’m not tryin’ to frighten ye. I have to be tellin’ ye what I saw.”

I turned to her. “Where did you see him?”

“In yer basement.”

“When was that?”

“That’d be last night.”

“You weren’t here last night.”

“I laid eyes upon him in a dream.”

I yelled back up towards the bedroom, a little louder this time. “Yo, babe! Will you come on already!”

“Alberto, I know it might sound a bit mad, but he’s dangerous, that one. His hatred gives him a strength ye wouldn’t believe.”

“We’ve been here two years. Now, all of a sudden, he acts up?”

“Ye want to know how to be rid of him?”

“No disrespect, Mrs. Duffy, but I don’t wanna hear it. If something messed-up happens, it won’t be ’cause of some wacked out ghost in my basement.”

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