THE MISADVENTURES OF THE DEVERS BROTHERS

The Misadventures of the Devers Brothers is a series of seven short stories geared for juveniles between the ages of 10 - 16. Ghosts, ESP, & psychic abilities
are what fuels these seven stories

Two brothers, Frankie (14) and Johnny Devers (13) are two boys who love fishing.
Most of their (mis)adventures centers around fishing, but not all. The titles of the seven stories are:

The House On Cabot Road - (The ghost of Abbott Conway)
Simon - (The ghost of CAP - Captain Jack Desmond)
The SWING - (The ghost of Candace Mills) Entire story to follow
The Empty Wheelchair - (ESP) (Psychic Abilities)
The Wolf's Den - (ESP) (Psychic abilities
CHARLIE - (The ghost of Charlie Simms)
Message In a Bottle - (ESP) (Psychic abilities)

For your enjoyment, here's the entire story THE SWING

THE SWING


After their misadventure at Dawson Lake our fearless brothers finished their vacation and headed back home.
“It’s good to be home,” Mr. Devers commented as he backed the car and boat trailer into the driveway. “I want you boys to help your mother into the house with the things.”
Both Frank and Johnny assisted their mother in getting the things into the house. Once they were done, Frank asked, “Do you need us any more, Mom?”
“Are you two going fishing again?”
“Nah..! I think we both got fished out for a while. I think we’ll go to the park and see if the guys are playing ball.”
“When you two hear the church bells ring five times, I want you to head for home. Supper will be at five-thirty.”
The boys grabbed their baseball gloves and their bikes and then they headed to the park less than a mile from their home.
For a Sunday afternoon, both boys noticed that it was extremely quiet as they reached the park.
“What’s going on, Frank..?” Johnny asked as he set his bike on the ground outside the fenced in baseball field.
Frank did the same thing with his bike and looked all around. “Normally there’d be ten or twelve guys playing ball by now. Even Mike’s not here, and he lives across the street.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Want to go over to the swings and wait?”
“I guess.”
Johnny picked up his bike and walked it over to the swings, with Frank right behind him.
When they got there, Frank used his kickstand to keep the bike upright as he took a look at the row of four swings. All four were empty but the second swing from the far end was swinging as though someone was sitting in it.

Johnny could see that his brother was mesmerized with something and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Look at the swings, Johnny. There’s no one in them but the second one from the end is swinging,” Frank replied.
“Oh no, not again..! I’m going to stop going places with you. You draw ghosts like food draws flies.”
“I’m not sure it’s a ghost, but it sure seems odd that only one swing is swinging while the others don’t move at all.”
“What are ya gonna do?”
“I’m going to sit down on the swing beside it and see what happens.”
“Oh man, like you’re nuts. I’m staying right here,” Johnny insisted and leaned up against the monkey bars.
Frank went to the second swing nearest to him, grabbed it and sat down. Without swinging, he looked at the next swing and with some reluctance he said, “Hello!”
“How do you know I’m here?” A girl’s voice asked as the swing then came to an abrupt stop.
“Well, for one thing, swings don’t just up and swing by themselves when there’s no wind,” Frank replied and turned to face the idle swing. “I guess that means you’re a ghost. So what’s your name?”
“You mean you’re not afraid of me?” The ghost asked.
“Do you want me to be afraid of you?”
“No! You do seem to be nice.”
“Do you mind telling me your name?”
“Not at all..! It was Candace Mills.”
“Even though you are dead, Candace, that’s still you’re name. Why are you haunting this swing?”
“Who are you talking to, Frank?” Johnny asked as he neared the swing his brother was on.”
“Her name is Candace Mills. Please sit there and be quiet, will ya?” Frank turned back to the empty swing and asked, “Are you still there, Candace?”
The empty swing remained motionless as did the voice of the mystery girl.
“Where are you Candace?” Frank asked and stood up.
When Johnny joined them, Candace’s voice silenced.
“Now look at what you’ve done. I was talking to her until you came over. Thanks!”
Just then the church bells, two blocks west of the park, sounded and rang five times.
“We’ve got to get home for supper, Frank,” Johnny said and headed for his bike.
“Candace! If you can hear me, I’ll be back tomorrow. I want to help, if I can,” Frank said and turned to leave.
“I’ll be waiting,” Candace replied.
Frank abruptly turned towards the swing. “You didn’t leave, did you? He asked.
“Your brother upset me.”
“He’s okay! He’s seen a ghost, but he doesn’t understand them like I do. I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back to see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
The following morning both Frank and Johnny returned to the park and they both went straight to the swings.
As they got off their bikes, Frank said, “Unless she says something to you, Johnny, please just sit there and be quiet.”
“How old is she, or rather was she?” Johnny asked as they started towards the swings.
“I never got to find out. I don’t see the swing moving. I wonder if she’s here.” Frank sat down on the same swing that he was in the previous day. “Are you here, Candace?” He asked.
“Maybe I should leave and let you two be alone.”
“Are you afraid of me, Johnny?” Candace asked as she sat down on the swing in between the two brothers.
“I’m not afraid of you, Candace. I guess I just don’t understand ghosts the way my brother does,” Johnny replied.
“Then please stay.”
“How old were you when you died, Candace?” Frank asked.
“I was fifteen.”
“What happened that made you a ghost and why can’t I see you?”
“You can’t see me because I choose to be invisible. Do you want to see me?”
“Well it does make it easier to talk to someone, even a ghost, if they can be seen.”
“I was prettier when I was alive, but here is what I am now,” Candace replied and allowed her grayish form become visible to the two brothers.
“You are not from around here, are you?”
“We moved here right after school let out in June. Now to get your other question..! I was a teenager and, like most girls my age we don’t always agree with our moms. Well I had a disagreement with my mom and ran out of the house. To put it plainly, I was mad. I just wanted to go someplace and hide. I ran across the street and didn’t see a car coming. It hit me and I died before the ambulance got there.”
“The driver stopped?”
“Yes! He was the one who called the ambulance.”
“Then why are you a ghost? I thought ghosts had some unfinished business to take care of before their spirits could rest.”
“Not that I’m an expert in things like this, but you’re right as far as I’m concerned.”
“How’s that..?”
“I loved my mom, but before I ran out of that house I said some pretty mean things to her; things I wished I never said. I wish she knew just how much I really did love her. My spirit can’t rest until she does.”
“Can’t you just tell her, like you’re telling us right now?”
“You can both see and hear me because you believe in ghosts, Frank. My parents don’t, so they can’t hear me or see me.”
“Frank! Don’t tell me you’re going to do what I think you’re going to do,” Johnny said and scratched his head in disbelief.
“It’s not like we have a murder to solve, Johnny,” Frank admitted.
“What are you going to do?” Candace asked.
“I’d like to try and help your spirit rest in peace, Candace, but I can’t just go to your parent’s home and tell them.”
“Why not..?”
“Well, for one thing, they’d think I was crazy by telling them I’ve talked to the ghost of their daughter.”
“I see your point. Then what are you going to do?” She asked with a slight chuckle at his sense of humor.
“Right now I need to think. I need your help too. Think of something just you and your mom knows and nobody else.”
“Why do you need that?”
“If I’m going to somehow prove that I’ve talked to her daughter’s ghost, I need to be able to prove that I did. That information would help me prove what I say.”
“Seeing as I was an only child, she wouldn’t have anyone else to tell secrets to but me. Even though we fought a lot, we were still kinda close. Let’s see if I can think of something.”
“I don’t need that information right now, but the sooner I’m able to help you, the sooner your spirit can be put to rest.”
“You mean you’re trying to get rid of me?” She asked in a sweet voice.
Frank flushed in the face and laughed. “From what I can see, Candace, you were a very cute girl, but you’re a ghost now. I’m not trying to get rid of you, just trying to help your spirit rest.”
“I wished I’d have known you before I died.”
“Well that didn’t happen.”
“Wait a second. I know what you can say to her.”
“What?”
“Dad’s birthday is September 12th. That day the Yankees are in Boston to play the Red Sox. Mom bought him two tickets so they could go to the game together. I’m the only one she told about them.”
“That should be enough. I have a question for you.”
“So ask.”
Frank asked Candace the question, hoping to seal the story he would tell her mother.
“You’re pretty smart,” Candace said after she answered the question.
“Thanks! Now all I need is the address where you lived.”
“Seventeen Bainbridge Road.”
“Are you coming with me, Johnny?”
“You’re going there now?” Johnny asked.
“We should. It’s Monday and her dad should be at work. We’ll see you later, Candace.”
“Bye!” Candace exclaimed as her grayish form dissipated before them.
As Johnny and Frank reached their bikes, Johnny asked, “How are you going to work this?”
“I think it would be best if I talk to Mrs. Mills alone. You can stay by the bikes. If she believes me…..”
“She’ll want to come here to the park, right?” Johnny interrupted him.
Frank has already been through it before, with both a Sheriff and a Chief of Police, but this time it would be different. He would be dealing with a grieving mother.
As the two brothers reached seventeen Bainbridge Road, they could see Mrs’ Mills’ car in the driveway.
“Stay here! I’ll be right back,” Frank said and headed towards the front walk. His hands were sweaty as he reached for and rang the doorbell.
A moment later the door opened and a woman stood there in front of him and asked, “Can I help you?”
“Are you Mrs. Mills?” Frank asked nervously.
“I am and who are you?”
“My name is Frank Devers, ma’am. Can I talk to you for a minute, outside on the steps, ma’am?”
“What’s this all about, young man?” She asked and stepped onto the porch.
“I think you better sit down, ma’am,” Frank suggested.
“I’ll sit down but I still want to know what this is about.”
“Please hear me out before you judge me, okay?”
“I’ll try. Go ahead!”
Frank went into detail about his chance meeting with her daughter.
“I’m still grieving over the loss of my daughter Candace, and you come and tell me this,” she cried as tears could not be contained. “How do you know all this?”
“This will sound crazy, ma’am, but I can both see and hear ghosts. I asked Candace to tell me something that only you and she knew about and she did tell me one thing.
“If you’re right, young man, then I’ll have to believe you,” she said and wiped her face with her apron.
“Your husband’s birthday is September 12th and you bought him two tickets to go and see the Red Sox and the Yankees play at Fenway Park.”
Her right hand quickly rose to her open mouth, as she said, “Oh my God. She was the only one who knew that. Is there any way I can see my daughter, Frank?”
“We can go to the park and over to the swings. Where there’s no wind the swings will not be moving. She sits in only one swing. If it moves, then you’ll know she is there. I can’t say you’ll be able to see her, but she did say that she’d be there waiting.
“I want to go. Let me lock up the house,” she said and ran indoors. Moments later she returned with the keys in her hand.
“Follow us on our bikes, Mrs. Mills,” Frank said and went to where his brother waited. “Let’s go! She’s going to follow us.
Moments later the two brothers reached the park. Frank looked at the swings as he waited for Mrs. Mills.
“Where is she, Frank?” Mrs. Mills asked as she approached the two boys.
“See the row of swings?” Frank replied.
“Yes!”
“Go and sit down in the second swing from this end. She will be sitting in the swing to your right.”
“What do I say to her?”
“What would you say to her if you could see her?”
“Thanks…!”
Mrs. Mills went and sat down on the second swing, as instructed. The other three swings were not moving. “Candace? Can you hear me, honey?” She asked in a soft voice.
The third swing then suddenly started to swing back and forth.
“Oh my God…! I am so sorry, honey, for arguing with you that day.” Tears once again flowed from her eyes and her face was awash with tears. “I don’t know what else to say, except that I love you, sweetie.”
The third swing stopped.
“Oh Candace, please don’t go, honey,” she begged.
Candace’s spirit got off the swing and she wrote her mom a message in the hardened sand underneath it.
It said:
“I LOVE YOU MOM!”