Crowley's Window (Novella) Read Online Free Page A

of the people she encountered so no matter what she saw or heard Abby could see into their hearts to quickly decipher what was really going on. Tonight was no different. As soon as her mind’s eye swooped down out of the sky to land near the car park she immediately sensed the danger closing in on her long before she saw it.
    Oh my God! Abby thought, a chill not caused by the summer breeze enveloping her spirit body, as she looked back toward the carnival’s main entrance and prepared herself to witness whatever it was she’d been drawn here to see. Something was wrong though, something it took her only a moment to figure out. This carnival looked exactly like the one she worked in, no, make that was the one she worked in, but it had been altered here in the vision. That was unusual. Everything looked familiar, from the entrance to the ticket booth, to the enormous circus tent on the far side of the white picket fence. What had changed was that instead of the TOWNSEND sign that always hung prominently on display, Abby was looking at a banner strung above the entrance with the word CROWLEY’S printed in large block letters. Who the heck was Crowley? A man or perhaps a woman? Abby had no idea but just reading the mysterious name made her spirit tremble in fear and part of her was confused, thinking maybe she should recognize the name. For a moment she almost had it, almost grabbed a memory out of the dark night air, but as fast as it came it was gone again and Abby was left with nothing but the faint aroma of sickly sweet flowers in her ghostly nostrils.
    With no answers available to her, she tried to forget about it and pay attention to the people exiting the carnival but the growing terror within her couldn’t seem to find a home within any of the men and women of Westchester. There was a black cloud of fear descending around her, kicking in her body’s natural fight or flight response, rapidly elevating her heartbeat but still Abby couldn’t find the person that was so afraid, or who it was that was causing such dread.
    Then Abby saw the little girl.
    She was about six or seven years old and cute as a button with her long dark hair tied up in ribbons and wearing a pretty striped summer dress trimmed with lace. In her hand she carried a huge swirling lollipop, but not once did Abby see her bring it to her mouth to lick; holding it more like a shield than a sweet sugary treat. The child had a strange look on her face, half smiling, half frowning, still trying to keep her fear from showing but if you paid attention to the way she kept looking around hoping someone would come and help her, her true feeling started to surface. Inside Abby knew she was frightened, completely confused, and wondering where her parents were. Her name was…Trisha. Yes, that was it. The last she’d seen her mother and father they were all in line at the hotdog booth but there were so many people crowding around and walking by that Trisha got separated from them and ended up wandering around the midway for twenty minutes until this tall man had come over to see if she needed any help. His large hunting knife strapped to his belt had frightened her a little, but at the time she’d been far more afraid of being alone than she was of this stranger. Abby could still hear the man’s soothing words in Trisha’s mind, asking her if she’d like a jumbo lollipop and promising to help find her parents and make sure she was safe.
    Bastard! Abby thought. Filthy lying scumbag!
    For a while, Trisha had believed him, trusted that he’d lead her to her parents and everything would be fine, but instead of heading further into the carnival where her mom and dad surely were, the man had begun walking her toward the exit. By the time Abby noticed them, the man was literally dragging her along, picking up his pace and telling her lies about seeing her father in the parking lot.
    Anything to keep the girl quiet, right? Cry out, Trisha. Do something. Dig your