AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Julia smiled up at Noah, seeing the pride in his face. Mauricio turned to face Julia, grinning with a glow about him.
“You are something different. Beautiful, at peace, a calming spirit in a world that threatens to devour me. You are angelic.”
“My husband would disagree,” smiled Julia, “but thank you. Will you tell us how you came to be here?”
“I was born in southern Spain in 1822. It was Isabella II who sent me to the colonies to discover what riches they held, and to steal them. I fell in love. With the land, with the people, with the freedom. I chose to stay and not return to Spain. I had a friend write a letter to Isabella, telling the queen that I had died of an illness. I never suspected she would send others to find me.
“The woman who owned this house at the time was an elderly widow. She just wanted companionship, nothing more. I conducted business for her and ran the house. I was content. I was happy. Until they came late one night. The queen’s guards. She was not pleased that I had thought to leave her employ.
“Someone saw me on the streets. Someone who was on a Spanish ship. They thought to use my location and ruse, as a means to enrich themselves. With no law to support their claim on me, they chose to beat and butcher me here. One minute I was alive, the next in such agony that I prayed for death. I don’t know how long it was, but when I woke, I was in this house with a man and his wife and children.”
“Do you know what year it was?” asked Julia.
“I believe Benjamin Harrison was your president at the time.” Julia frowned, staring at the others.
“That would have been early 1890s. You lay asleep, dormant if you will, for many years.”
“Is that significant?” he asked.
“I do not think so,” said Noah. “It is just the first time we have heard of such a thing with a spirit. Perhaps your body needed to regain its human form in order to be seen. Were you here the morning the men came and set the fire?”
“Yes. I cannot leave this property. Now, I am relegated to this ruined home and lot with no shelter. Do I need shelter?” he asked Noah.
“Perhaps,” smiled Noah. “We will make sure you have shelter. What did the men look like?”
“There were two. I warned Clara that they were coming, but it was too late for her to run. She worried that if she did, they would wait for Miss Sage to return and harm her.” Sage shook her head, realizing that the old woman had saved her.
“Both men were stout. Not formed like any of you. You are big, strong, muscular men. They were rounder. One was perhaps forty or forty-five years of age. The other older, but not by much. They had killed before, and they enjoyed it very much.”
“They murdered others?” asked Sage.
“No. They killed in combat. Neither of the men were American. If my senses are correct, one was from Tunisia and the other from Algiers.”
“But both men were white,” said Sage. “I thought natives of those countries were dark-skinned.”
“Some are,” said Noah. “It is quite possible they were of European descent and settled there some time ago.”
“Can we do anything to help you move on?” asked Julia.
“I do not know,” he said, shaking his head. “I know not what keeps me here other than to protect this house, which is now gone. Clearly, that was not my purpose.” The sounds of children playing in the front yard next door made everyone turn their heads. Sage waved at the two women on the porch of the old mansion.
“It’s been converted into a school for blind children,” she said.
“Please excuse me,” said Mauricio. He raced to the gate, passing through, and gently guided two children away from the busy street. They laughed, thanking him by name. As he rejoined the group, they all smiled, shaking their heads at him.
“Mauricio, that is your purpose,” said Noah. “You are here to protect the blind children from coming to harm. Did that land once belong to this house?” He was deep in thought for a moment, then nodded with a grin.
“I had forgotten. Yes. That house and the one on the other side were not here when I was here. They came afterwards.”
“You are still protecting the house and its land. Only now, you are protecting those blind children as well. That is your purpose, Mauricio.”
“I knew you were special,” said Sage. “And I think I know what to do about the house. I’m going to have the land cleared and build a park and playground for the children. I’ll make sure that the gazebo stays and is covered for you. You’ll be protected for eternity.”
“I can think of no greater honor, Miss Sage. To be able to protect those children, to be able to play with them is my greatest joy. For some reason, although blind, they know I am there and know my name.”
“Can you tell us anything else about the men? Did they call one another by name?” asked Mike.
“Only one. Sharif.”
