Paranormal Agency BOOK 2 : THE FUNERAL HOME.

That Saturday afternoon, Alison went to visit her friend Marissa Jones at her aunt’s New Age store, Enlightenment Palace, on Belvoir Road. She went inside the small store, bells jingled as she opened the door. Marissa’s Aunt, Jennifer Blaire, was sitting behind the cash register, reading a magazine. There were two customers shopping for crystals piled in a bowl on a shelf against the wall.

Waving hello, she asked. “Marissa in?”

“Yeah, she’s in the back,” Jennifer replied. “How are you doing Alison?”

“Really good. Thanks.”

Alison walked past the two customers to a small, dimly lit room in the back. She pushed past the curtain of beads and went inside the room. Her friend Marissa was seated at a small round table, a deck of tarot cards and a deck of playing cards sitting in front of her, a cigarette in her mouth, and a book in her hands.

Marissa looked up at her. She was dressed in a brown ruffled shirt and was wearing a long flowing brown bohemian skirt. A white bandana was wrapped around her shoulder-length black hair. “Alison!” she exclaimed. “Awesome. What’re you doing here?”

“Thought I’d drop by and get a card reading from my favorite psychic,” Alison joked.

“No prob.” She gestured to the chair in front of. “Always glad to help. You want to use playing cards or tarot?”

“Tarot,” Alison replied. She usually chose playing cards. Might as well pick something different once in a while.

Marissa nodded, shuffling the tarot cards in her hands. “How’s work going?”

“Crappy. My job at the mortuary is a piece of shit. It’s been awful. I keep having to go back.”

“Aw, that sucks,” Marissa replied, still shuffling the cards in her hands. She took the cigarette from her mouth and stuffed it into the ashtray on the table.

“Josh called me too,” Alison blurted out. She had been meaning to tell Marissa about Josh and Alison felt like she really needed the shoulder to cry on to mend her broken heart.

Marissa raised a brow. “Really? What happened?” She plopped the pile of cards on the table, spreading them out. “Pick three,” she said.

Alison chose three cards at random before continuing. “Well, he invited me out for lunch. Which was great. At least I thought it was great at first. Until, I got there and it turned out Elizabeth was there too. He could’ve warned me, you know?” She handed Marissa the three cards she had picked.

“Are you serious?” Marissa asked. She set aside the cards Alison had not chosen and laid the three Alison had chosen across the table in front of them. “Not again. That’s like the second time he’s done to you.”

“Tell me about it.”

Marissa held up a finger. “Okay, hold on a sec. I’m getting something.” She stared down at the cards. The first one was of the five of wands. The second one was a eight of wands and the third one was a King of Swords. She frowned. “Okay. I’m going to be honest with you, babe. Not good. Okay? I hate when stuff like this comes up, but this is not looking good Alison.”

“Great,” Alison replied, throwing her hands up in the air. She should’ve known something like that would happen. With her luck, she could only ever seem to set herself up for disaster. “Go ahead. Give it to me. I can take it.”

“If you say so,” Marissa sighed. She leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table and leaning her forehead against her hand. “Hmmm. Looks like there’s something funny going on in your life. Which makes sense. You are an exorcist. I’m thinking something kind of spiritual. Something not normal, but normal for you. It’s getting big Alison. Really big. The cards are warning you that something serious is going on here. There’s danger in your future. Some kind of supernatural danger is looming over you. I don’t know when it’ll hit but it looks like it’s coming soon.”

“Perfect,” Alison said sarcastically. “Just perfect.”

“Sorry about that, babe.”

“I’m not worried about it.” Alison waved a hand at the pack of cigarettes sitting on the couch beside Marissa. “You gonna share one of those with me?”

“Happy to oblige,” Marissa replied. She pulled one out and handed it to Alison.

“Thanks,” Alison said, taking a lighter from her purse and lighting the cigarette in her mouth. “Went through my last one on the drive here. I gotta pick up more on my way home.” She put the lighter back into her purse, the plastic casing clashing loudly against the athame she had tucked away into the bag as well. She had been carrying it around religiously ever since the dream she had a couple nights before. “When are you getting off today?” she asked, turning her attention back to her friend.

“Five,” Marissa replied. “I’m tired. Been here all fucking morning. I had to open the place.”

“Fun.”

“You said it.”

Alison smoked her cigarette. “Too bad the cards didn’t say anything about my ever lacking love life,” she grumbled.

“Nope,” Marissa agreed. “It was obviously job related. Sorry.”

“Can I get a do over?”

“You could,” Marissa said. “But it wouldn’t do anything. The first reading of the day is always the most accurate one. After that, you’re just lying to yourself.”

Alison sighed loudly. “Well, I have a confession to make?”

“What’s that?”

“Josh talked me into dragging him along to the mortuary tomorrow. I’m terrified something bad is going to happen.” Alison took another puff from her cigarette. “Him and Elizabeth,” Alison corrected herself. Of course. Elizabeth. The two were joined at the hip after all. Where there was Josh, there was always Elizabeth too.

“Really? I didn’t know Josh was into that kind of thing,” Marissa commented, looking concerned. “Is that really a good idea? I mean, they’re not exactly trained for that kind of thing.”

“Yeah I know, but the guy practically begged me,” Alison groaned. “It was like, ‘please, please, please, Alison. I just want to take a picture. Just let me take one picture. Please. Please.’ This and that and this and that.” Alison made a face. “That guy could convince me to walk off a bridge if he asked nicely enough.”

“Alison, that’s terrible,” Marissa said, laughing out loud. “Who knew Emily’s brother could have that kind of affect on you.”

“Marissa, are you blind?” Alison asked. “The man is beautiful.”

“Um, a little too beautiful if you ask me,” Marissa replied. “Not my type. Not my type at all. He’s like a cousin to me. I think kissing him would be like kissing my pet dog. Just slobbery, you know?”

Alison smirked. “Not for me. If he kissed me, I think I’d have a heart attack. He actually said he might be single soon. That him and Elizabeth were having problems. I don’t know if that’s still true or not, but I was under the impression they were breaking up. At least, that’s what he told me the other day.” She sighed, puffing away at her cigarette. “No wonder I keep getting wrong idea.” Looking up at her friend, she asked. “Am I pathetic, Marissa?”

“When it comes to men, yes. You are,” Marissa answered instantly

“Gee. Thanks. You could’ve at least taken a second to think about it.”

“So you’re a little insecure when it comes to dating?” Marissa shrugged. “So what? It’s happened to the best of us. You just gotta get your self-esteem up. You need to think higher of yourself.”

Alison furrowed her brows. “Really? You think?”

“Yeah. Definitely. I mean, stop putting yourself down all the time.” Marissa moved her hands in front of her own chest, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. “Meditate a little. Connect with your spiritual side once in a while. It’d be good for you.” She stood up from the couch she was sitting on and grabbed Alison’s elbow, pulling Alison up to her feet. “Here. I’ll show you something.”

Nodding, Alison followed Marissa out of the tiny room and into the main shop. Marissa led Alison to a bookshelf against the wall and picked up a large hardcover book with a giant multi-colored silhouette of a woman on the cover. The title, “Bringing Out Your Inner-Self”, was printed in bold white letters over the top. “What’s this?” Alison asked.

“Your new best friend,” Marissa replied. “Just follow the steps in here and you’re guaranteed some inner peace, babe. Trust me. I read it myself and it worked magic on my self-esteem. I’ve never felt happier about myself.”

“Huh?” Alison said, taking the book from Marissa and flipping it over in her hands. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right. Seriously. You’ll love it. I’ll get it for you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Alison said. “I’ll pay for it. I’ve got plenty of money.”

“Aw, I can’t charge you. Just let me buy it for you.”

“Okay fine,” Alison agreed. “If you say so.”

“I do.” Marissa grabbed at a nearby giant white candle almost as big as Marissa’s arm. “And here. You’ll need this. Just to warn you ahead of time.”

“Thanks.” Alison stared down at the book and candle. Guess it was worth a shot. Why not, right? If Marissa thought it was a good idea, she might as well give it a try. “I’ll go through it when I get home.”

“You won’t be sorry,” Marissa grinned.