TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE...#104

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
#104
warning...adult content 



~

Ghost woke first, mid-morning. The wind was howling outside. His blankets were nice and warm, from body heat, but the room was cold. He took a blanket, wrapped around his head and shoulders, and went to make coffee. Then, he went to wake Steve.

"Hey, move over," he said, as he got into Steve's bed.

"What's the matter?" Steve mumbled.

"It's snowing, and it's cold. I made coffee."

"It's snowing?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, go look outside," Ghost said, wrapping himself around Steve's warm body, shivering.

"Maybe in a minute, I can't move 'cause you're all over me," Steve said.

"That's 'cause I'm so cold."

They snuggled a few minutes, until the warm, rich, coffee smell brought them to the kitchen. After pouring each of them a mug, Steve looked out the window. "Yep, it's snowing...seems early though, it's not even Halloween, yet."

Ghost took his coffee out to the living-room, then opened the front door. A blast of cold wind and snow blew through the screen.

"Shut the door," Steve hollered.

"Ok, guess I can't go sit on the swing, then."

"Good observation, there, Ghost," Steve teased. "Guess I can't get into town either. I was supposed to go to work, again." Steve picked up his phone to call Terry. "Hey, Terry, we're snowed in out here," Steve said, when Terry answered. "I'm not gonna get over there today. What?" he listened. "Yeah, we'll be ok...call and let us know." He hung up. "Terry said don't come in 'cause the whole town is without power. He's not opening, anyway," he told Ghost.

"Do we have power?" Ghost asked.

Steve looked at him funny. "What do you think, Ghost? For real...do you think we have power, or not? Just...I don't know...look around...what do you think?"

Ghost looked around the room. "Hmm, guess we do, 'cause I made the coffee."

"No, guess again," Steve said.

"Well, the lights are working," Ghost said, as he flipped the switch.

"Yes, that's it. The lights are on...and anyway, the coffee pot isn't electric. It's made on the stove, and the stove runs on propane, way out here."

Ghost sneered, "I know that, that's not what I meant. I meant why do we have power, and they don't?"

"Oh," Steve said, thinking a minute. "That, I don't know. Just a fluke, I guess."

"Well, shouldn't we tell somebody?" asked Ghost.

"Tell them what...that...gee, we have power out here, maybe you should come turn it off, like everybody else?" Steve snorted.

"No, Steve...just ask why."

"You're killing me, Ghost, with all your whys, what ifs, and how comes. Just be happy we have it," Steve said, now tired of the conversation, already. He went to the kitchen to find something to eat. "Guess we'll just have to have cereal today, unless you plan on cooking?"

"Maybe later, Steve. I'll make potato soup."

"That sounds perfect, can't wait," Steve said.

They busied themselves for awhile, Ghost working on his pictures, and writing copy for the book. Steve played his guitar, and tried to make a plan for making a CD of their songs.

"What do you think we should use for the cover picture, Ghost?"

"Well, we could use one of these here pictures, I guess. They look pretty cool. Maybe this one?" Ghost handed one over to Steve.

"Yeah, both of us are in it, but so are these 'spirit' people," he said.

"I know, that's what's good about it. See, our name is 'Lost Souls?', so these spirits are some lost souls...get it?"

"Oh, yeah, now I get it. We look pretty good here, too."

"Ok, this is the one, but is it going to be in color, or should I just color them like last time? And, how many can we make?" Ghost asked.

"Well, we made a lot, last time...I think it was 100. So, maybe more than that. I need to talk to some people about all of this; people who do this kind of stuff, 'cause I don't really know. The tape we did by ourselves. This time it should be more professional," Steve said. "I liked the songs we picked. We need to record them in a studio...maybe Terry's, again?"

"Yeah, Steve, that was real fun, and we sounded good."

"Yeah, but we need to practice a lot more, first," Steve said. "How's the book layout coming along?"

"Good, and I'm still writing stuff. The pictures fit good, too. There's something I wanted to ask, though. I want it to be a book, but I want just my own writing on the pages...you know, not typed. Can they do that?"

"Well, I think so; we'll ask the printer, but if that's what you want, we'll do it somehow," Steve said.

They continued working awhile. Ghost decided to start cooking, and went into the kitchen. He got the potatoes boiling, and had just started back to the living-room, when the lights went out.

"Steeeve, the lights went out," he whined.

"Yeah, I can see they did, Ghost." He sat up from the couch, where he'd been stretched out.

It wasn't night yet, so they could still see, but it was darker because of the snowy, gray day.  "Better find some candles, and the flashlight," Steve said.

"Yeah, at least we have the stove and the heater," Ghost said.

"Your grandmother had the right idea. The heater runs on propane, too. At least we won't freeze."

"But, it's still cold in here," Ghost said.

"Well, get another blanket, then. We'll be fine."

Ghost went to find candles, and to check on his soup.

~
Kinsey wasn't having an easy time of it back at the Yew. The whole town was blacked out, and as evening came, his club and apartment above, grew cold without heat. And, he was losing money, because he couldn't open. Terry had made his way over earlier, to discuss the situation. 

"How long do you figure this'll last, Kinsey?" he asked.

"I don't know, but the last weather update was saying it was a freak blizzard, and might last all week. Even the electric company can't get out to repair the lines, yet. Guess we'll have to make the best of it," Kinsey said.

Yeah, look at it out there...probably three feet already, and still coming down," Terry said. He looked over at Kinsey. "What now?" he asked, seeing the worried look on Kinsey's face.

"It's Steve and Ghost. You know how it is, Terry...I always worry about them. They drive me crazy, but...you know."

"Yeah, I know. I did talk to Steve, earlier. He said they're fine, and not to worry. I'm sure they'll be ok. We've all been through snowstorms before, and besides, Miz Deliverances's old house was made for stuff like this. And, all that work we did on the house, back in the summer, remember, the new roof, and some insulation should help. Aren't they on propane out there, too?" Terry said.

"Oh, yeah, I think they are.  They're probably better off than we are, here in town. We have that little generator, but it may not last long. If it goes out, we have no other heat, and the pipes could freeze in here," Kinsey said. 

They kept looking out at the wind-driven snow, making drifts higher. 

"Do you think they have enough food?" Kinsey asked.

""That, I don't know, but for a day or two, yeah, they'll be fine," Terry said. "What about those other two, Zach and Trevor? Ya worried about them, too?" 

"Yeah," Kinsey said, "especially out there in that creepy house. I don't even know if they ever had any lights turned on, or water. Well, they're closer to town. Guess they could walk in, if they have to. I don't think their car could make it until the streets are plowed, though," Kinsey shrugged. "Well, if they do show up here, I'll let 'em in, but this isn't any better...it's cold in here, too. I'm going to find some candles...you can hang out here if you want to. Maybe we can get in a game of pool, before it gets too dark."

"Sure, I'll go rack them up," Terry said, happy to have something to do.

~
Zach and Trevor weren't worried at all. They were having fun. Zach had never seen this much snow before, being from Louisiana, so he was out in it, doing things he'd only heard about.

"Hey, Trev, look...I'm making a snow angel...hey, look, I'm making a snowman!" 

Trevor joined him for a while. "You never did any of this when you were a kid?

"No, never. New Orleans doesn't get snow, well...maybe a couple of flakes, every ten years or so. Hey let's have a snowball fight," Zach said, as he started balling up snow. 

After having fun, Trevor announced he was going in. "I'm freezing, Zach. You're gonna get frost bite. Let's go in."

"Yeah, ok, guess I'm not really dressed for this weather, anyway," Zach said. He'd never had a need for a coat, so he'd put on one of Trevor's.

"I'm making some cocoa, can you drink that?" Trevor asked.

"No, but go ahead, if you want some," Zach said. "Cocoa has caffeine in it too. Maybe I'll just have hot milk. I like it fine."

Trevor went into the kitchen to prepare the drinks. He still didn't know how or why they had running water and electricity. They'd never had them turned on. He didn't want to think on it too hard, though. The old house gave it to them, maybe it would take it away, if they questioned it.

~ 

Next part coming soon!




Peace, Love, & Writing