GHOST IN THE PICTURE

© by Jason Louis 2023.

From the private case files of Professor Edmund Dolby, Esq.
Location: Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
Date: 13th March 1885.


I can feel every single fibre of my being, has it been a minute, an hour, or even longer?
Why can’t I move?
Who are these people staring at me and why are they speaking an unknown language?
I cannot recall my name.
“This is titled ‘Ahmed the Boy Prince’.” The young woman in front of him, whispers to her strange, shrouded companion.
“Fascinating” replies the older gentleman, as he steps under the illumination of the mounted, flickering torch “and the readings are correct? We are observing ectoplasmic wavelengths from this object?”
“Yes, we are Professor, the painting is heavily active with polarity energy flows, we need to reverse them to find a way to communicate.” Her slight lisp only enhanced by her soft Irish accent, whenever she is nervous.
The young boy, slightly uncomfortable and frightened, wishes he could move but he vows to be brave, he always promised his mother that he will always be brave.
He stares at the young woman and the older man with facial hair, wondering why he still cannot move or even speak, has he even blinked yet? He does not remember.
The woman sits opposite him at the same head height, as if he were sitting on a chair himself. Reaching into a soft leather pouch, she pulls out her necklace of Osiris and placed it in the centre of the frame. Leaning back on the rickety chair, she adjusts the reflecting mirrors aiming the muted light at the painting.
“This should give me enough to work with, not the best psychic link but it will have to do.”

THAT VOICE IS INSIDE MY MIND! He tries to scream out loud, but no words come forth.

What kind of sorcery is this? Thinks the boy.
She smiled Maeve starts to consider on what to say next.

The young boy starts to smile inside, he still cannot physically move but in his head, he knows he is smiling as he recalls his name and his life before here, he remembers his parents and he then starts to feel sad.

At first it is hard for him to form the words in his mind, but he was surprised that he could understand this fair woman and that he could speak her language.
The older gentleman leans forward and whispers into Maeve’s ear.
Maeve then turns to the young boy and via the psychic connection they now share, she starts her questions.

Ahmed panics, is it true what she said? Am I dead? Is that why I have a strange taste on my lips?
Calm down, he steels himself, you are a Prince and the proud master of Tigris the Terror of Tunis, my pet and protector.
He tries not to stumble his thoughts again, Magic of the Gods it must be, he is sure.

He takes a second, and then continues.


This time, the Professor speaks.
“Maeve, tell the Prince where he is and what he is.”
“Are you sure, Sir?” she replies, her emotion revealing her concern for the boy.
The professor just nods his confirmation to her.

A small tear falls down Maeve’s face, as she continues to explain.


Ahmed thinks about what has just been told him and asks softly.

This time, the Professor speaks. He straightens his shirt and looks right at the painting.
“My name is Professor Edmund Dolby, an academic, a scholar, a wiseman of many cultures including your own. I have studied for years now, I know the right words, an incarnation, a spell if you will, that I can speak aloud and return you to your family.”
Ahmed could understand the older man from the connection he has with the young lady.

“Good, I shall start immediately as we need to hurry” Edmund tells him.
“Let us stick to the classics then”, Professor Dolby lights five candles and multicoloured incense sticks.
“By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, we shall have some Klaatu Barada Nikto."
A loud clap of thunder and lightning with blue smoke engulfs the room as the spell takes effect.
The image on the painting disappears as Edmund and Maeve witness the ghostly form of Lord Ahmed, The Boy Prince float up into and through crack in their reality, travelling to the afterlife to be reunited with his family.
Professor Dolby smiles as he lights up his smoking pipe and walks out of the room with Maeve’s arm linked inside of his.
“That is another job well done M’dear, now let’s hurry up out of here and catch that blasted train before our ship leaves the port, and head home to merry old England before the authorities find out what we’ve done here!”

The End. (For now!)

Coming Soon: Professor Dolby will return in Vampires of the Orient Express!