TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 264
warning...adult content
~
Ghost and Melody walked a few blocks down, then over to the next street. The sidewalk was shady, and they were in no hurry.
"I'm really excited," Melody said. "When I woke up this morning, I had no idea this would happen...did you?"
"Um...kinda. Well, not that I'd find a sister, but I knew I had to find something. I dreamed it. I told Steve we had to go to these two little towns. I mean, we had to. Something was guiding me here," Ghost said.
"And just like that, he agreed?"
"Yeah, when I see things, he knows to pay attention."
"That must be nice to have someone believe in you. I had a feeling you two were together, more than just friends." She looked over at Ghost, and smiled. "I can tell he loves you, Ghost," Melody said. "You're so lucky."
Ghost shrugged. "I guess you're right. Sometimes I don't think so, though. It's been so hard to get where we are. I'll tell you someday..."
Melody looked harder at Ghost, and could see the sadness just below the surface. "It's ok...when you're ready. I have things to say, too. I know how hard it is."
She stopped in front of a two story house. "Well, here we are at my place, but not for long. Come help me pack." She led the way to an upstairs apartment. It was very small, and sparsely furnished. "Just start grabbing everything, ok? Let's put it all on the bed. What do y'all have room for me to take?"
"We got lots of room. We have a U-Haul truck, so you can take it all." He looked around the room. "Is the furniture yours?" Ghost asked.
"No, it stays. Just get everything out of the closet and dresser. I'll do the kitchen," Melody said, then went to get started.
Ghost opened a dresser drawer. "This is weird, Melody, getting your stuff."
"No, it's fine, go on."
So, he did, putting clothes, shoes, papers, games, music, and videos all on the bed, and floor, until everything was cleaned out. She came in to the main room, carrying grocery bags, and a big box of items from the kitchen, adding them to the growing pile.
"Shit, I didn't know I had so much," she said. "Now, just my make-up and bathroom things, and that will be all."
"You got any more boxes?" Ghost asked.
Shaking her head, Melody said, "No, just use the big garbage bags. Stuff everything in. I can sort it later on."
They worked a few more minutes, then heard Steve knock on the door. Letting him in, Melody said, "This is it, Steve. If it's too much, I can get rid of some."
He looked over the mounds of garbage bags, and said, "No, we got room. We just need to haul it down to the U-Haul...hah...I made a rhyme," Steve said, laughing at his own joke.
They all took what they could, and started down the stairs, with the first loads. On the way down, Steve asked, "Is there anyone you should let know you're leaving?"
"Um...yeah, I should tell the landlord, and my boss. He can send me my last paycheck. Give me your address, Steve." she said.
He wrote the Burnt Church Road address on a scrap of paper for her. "Ok, good, now I can stop on the way out. The landlord just lives down below here. I'll be right back," Melody said.
Steve and Ghost continued out to the U-Haul with their bags, then went up for more. In the mostly empty apartment, now, Steve stopped. Looking at Ghost, he asked, "You ok with all this? I mean, it's so sudden."
Ghost nodded. "I know, but yeah, it's right. It was meant to happen, Steve, and I'm happy. It's a weird feeling to have found out I have a sister. I can't explain it." Steve could see in Ghost's eyes how completely right it was.
"Come here," he said, pulling Ghost close for a hug. "I love you, Ghost, and if you say it's right, then I believe you."
As they kissed, Melody came in, saw them, and caught her breath. She sighed...Someday I'll have a love like that...
Finishing their kiss, they turned toward her, and she could tell what had been on their mind. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt...um...if you want, I can come back later. You can be alone here for as long as you want," she said.
Ghost had his head resting on Steve's shoulder, his eyes closed. He knew it would be up to Steve if he wanted to get back on the road right now, so he waited.
Steve squeezed Ghost's hand. "Uh, yeah, could you? I mean, you can go see what Linda is doing down there in the van. Maybe she'd drive you over to the store, so you could tell your boss? And, we would...well, not be long, and...yeah..." Steve said, feeling a bit embarrassed to be announcing what he and Ghost were thinking.
"Sure, no problem. I'll do that," Melody said, backing toward the door. Come down and find us when you're ready, then." She closed the door behind her, as she left.
Steve stood there a minute, though. He didn't quite know why, figuring she wouldn't be back any time soon. Sighing, he said, "C'mon..." as he led Ghost over to the bed. It was now just a bare mattress.
For some reason, they both were feeling awkward, and shy. The window was open, and the curtains blew softly in the warm breeze. They could hear street noises, and an occasional word or two from people on the sidewalk.
"Ghost?" Steve started, then stopped, as he heard his voice echo through the stripped bare room. He wasn't even sure Ghost wanted to be with him right now. It was the weirdest feeling, he thought. He had been looking around the room, and out the window, trying to feel more normal. Then, when he looked at Ghost, all the doubt went away.
Ghost was sitting on the bed, just watching him intently. His eyes were dilated, and the blue in them was dark. Then, he licked his lips, and grinned that crooked grin.
Steve knew Ghost wanted it as much as he did, and joined him on the bed. Kissing Ghost had always made the ordinary world fall away. Running his hands over Ghost's body, and feeling him shiver in anticipation, was exquisite, and Ghost's warm hands on him, made him dizzy with desire. Afterwards, they lay in each other's arms, feeling the breeze swirl over them, cooling them.
"Mmm, that was nice," Steve murmured. His eyes felt heavy, and he wanted to sleep. He thought Ghost must have already fallen asleep. "Hey, we can't go to sleep," he said, nudging him. "We have to get going again."
"Uh-uh, let's just stay here forever," Ghost mumbled.
"Oh, I'd love to, but really, they're waiting for us down there," Steve said. "C'mon..." he sat up, and pulled Ghost up, too. Ghost's hair was a tangled mess, and he was flushed.
Steve smiled. "You're adorable, you know."
"I'm a mess," Ghost said.
"Yeah, that too." Steve laughed, and tossed Ghost's clothes to him, and they both got dressed.
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Sunday, January 3, 2016
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 263
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 263
warning...adult content
~
The girl they'd just met came over to their table and sat down with them. "Where do we start?" she asked.
Steve cleared his throat, and Linda felt she should get things going to put the girl at ease. "Hi, I'm glad you came to meet us. I guess we really haven't even introduced ourselves to you, yet. I'm Linda, and my brother, Steve. My kids, Stevie and Mandy, and of course you know Ghost."
"Hi, nice to meet y'all," the girl said. "I'm Melody."
"I hope you don't feel like we're ganging up on you," Linda said. "We are as shocked as you must be, and we're just trying to figure it out, too."
"Oh, me too," Melody said. "I never thought I had a twin, ever. No one said anything to me about it. I think it's really neat, though. Don't you, Ghost?" She looked at him.
"Nobody told me, either," Ghost said, after Steve kicked him under the table, to get him talking. For someone so into words, Steve was a bit worried that Ghost had hardly talked at all.
"Have you always lived around here?" Steve asked.
"Yes, in Ozark, mostly. Here's the thing, I was adopted when I was a baby. I only found out about it a couple of years ago. That's when I left home. I mean, to never mention it in all these years, well...we never got along very well, my parents and I, so I was on my own after that. I travelled a bit. That must have been when I saw your show. Then I came back here, and I heard that they'd moved away, or died, or who knows the real story...they were just gone. So, I kept going too," she stopped to laugh. "Hah, all the way over here to Forrest City. I heard the estate was being sold. Most of my things that I'd left, I imagine got sold too. I'd only ever been back to the house once. I'm glad y'all found my necklace, though," Melody said, and smiled. "Now, where did you grow up, Ghost?"
"Uh...Missing Mile, North Carolina," Ghost said, "but first in the mountains. My grandmother raised me."
Nodding, Melody said, "Did you every hear what happened to our parents? That is, if we really are twins. I mean, I never even knew I had real birth parents."
Ghost looked at Steve, "Steve, what happened?"
Steve rolled his eyes. "You know what your grandmother wrote in the journal. Just say it. You're doing fine."
"Ok," Ghost said, then took a deep breath to begin. Steve was right...now was the time to talk about things. He sat up straighter, and pushed his hair back. He could feel the words coming back. "My grandmother passed away a few years ago, but she left a journal, telling me things. One was that 'our'? parents, her daughter, was expecting, I guess us, and her boyfriend was our father. No one approved, and she...she didn't want a baby..." he stopped, for a second, closing his eyes. "She didn't want a baby, so she tried to kill us." Opening his eyes, he saw the look of horror on Melody's face, but continued telling the story.
"Then, she ran away with him, on his motorcycle, and they both were killed in a wreck. I was left behind, to die, in a barn. My grandmother found me. I guess somebody found you...I guess our mother took you with her, anyway..." he had to stop, realizing just how tragic it all had been. Knowing now, that he had never been wanted, never was the chosen one. Closing his eyes again, he wiped away the tears that began falling.
Steve put his arm around him, and Melody reached out and held his hands in hers. Her brother's hands. She cried too, for what had never been. Steve bowed his head, as unwanted thoughts came to him. How the abortion of Ghost and his sister had hurt and damaged Ghost more, so that he was left to just die, all alone in that barn. Even now, just seeing Melody and listening to her, made it obvious that Ghost had suffered, even before he met himself, and God forgive me, he thought, damaged him some more.
Steve suddenly banged his fist on the table. "It wasn't right," he shouted. "The whole thing was wrong from the start. I don't like to speak ill of the dead, but hell yeah, I'm gonna. If they hadn't have died in that wreck, I'd go kill them now, myself, for what they did." He glared at everyone at the table, he was so fired up.
"Steve, calm yourself," Linda said. "Getting worked up isn't helping the situation, and you're scaring the kids. I'm taking them over on the other side of the room, to get them a game to play, or something. But, I'll be back. No more outbursts, do you hear me, Steve?"
"Yeah, I hear ya, Sis. It just burns me up."
They were quiet for a few minutes, absorbing what revelations had been said.
"Ghost, I'm glad we found each other now," Melody said. "Are you?"
Nodding, Ghost said, "Yes, I know now you are my real sister, Melody. I can sense it." He grinned.
Melody did too. "Me, too. There's a strange connection other than what we've said. I can feel it, too."
"Are you..." Ghost started to say psychic, at the same time Melody said, "I know things."
They smiled, and they knew.
Steve shook his head...two of them, just alike...
Linda came back to the table. "So, what's next?"
Ghost and Melody both nodded their heads. "She's coming home with us," Ghost said.
Linda looked a bit surprised. "When was this decided?" She looked to Steve, to see his reaction.
He shrugged. "Just now, I guess...uh...they have a thing..." he said. "She's just like Ghost, they know things.
Linda smiled big. "Oh how cool. That's amazing, and for sure y'all are twins." She and Steve kept on staring at Melody and Ghost.
"We're not some freaks in a zoo or nothing," Ghost said. "Stop staring at us." Melody giggled at that, which got them all laughing.
"You're right," Linda said, after a minute. "Sorry. So, Melody, you want to come with us to Missing Mile?"
"Yes, I've found family, first time ever, and I'm not losing him," she said, squeezing Ghost's hand. "I have no ties to this place, so I have no problem leaving. That is, if y'all don't mind?"
"It's fine with us, Melody," Steve said. "The more the merrier, as they say. This road trip gets better all the time."
"Yay, all I need is to grab some things, then I'll be ready to roll. Ghost can tell me all about where we're going, on the way." She got up to leave.
"C'mon, Ghost...come help me pack," she said, pulling him up. She told Steve the address to her place. "It's not far, and me and Ghost are gonna walk on over there."
Ghost looked a bit awkward, and said, "I guess I'm going with her. Come pick us up, ok?"
"Sure, go on," Steve said. "We'll be around in a few minutes." He watched them leave out the door. Linda was watching Steve.
"What is it? You look like you lost your best friend, brother," she said, and laughed. "You didn't lose him, you gained a sister...me too. I think it's great."
"Uh-huh...I was just thinking, old Kinsey and everybody's gonna be surprised. I go to bring one sister home, and we wind up bringing home two. It's weird," Steve said.
Nodding, Linda said, "Yeah, it is. Weird and wonderful, and meant to be. Let's get one more coffee, then go find them, ok?"
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
# 263
warning...adult content
~
The girl they'd just met came over to their table and sat down with them. "Where do we start?" she asked.
Steve cleared his throat, and Linda felt she should get things going to put the girl at ease. "Hi, I'm glad you came to meet us. I guess we really haven't even introduced ourselves to you, yet. I'm Linda, and my brother, Steve. My kids, Stevie and Mandy, and of course you know Ghost."
"Hi, nice to meet y'all," the girl said. "I'm Melody."
"I hope you don't feel like we're ganging up on you," Linda said. "We are as shocked as you must be, and we're just trying to figure it out, too."
"Oh, me too," Melody said. "I never thought I had a twin, ever. No one said anything to me about it. I think it's really neat, though. Don't you, Ghost?" She looked at him.
"Nobody told me, either," Ghost said, after Steve kicked him under the table, to get him talking. For someone so into words, Steve was a bit worried that Ghost had hardly talked at all.
"Have you always lived around here?" Steve asked.
"Yes, in Ozark, mostly. Here's the thing, I was adopted when I was a baby. I only found out about it a couple of years ago. That's when I left home. I mean, to never mention it in all these years, well...we never got along very well, my parents and I, so I was on my own after that. I travelled a bit. That must have been when I saw your show. Then I came back here, and I heard that they'd moved away, or died, or who knows the real story...they were just gone. So, I kept going too," she stopped to laugh. "Hah, all the way over here to Forrest City. I heard the estate was being sold. Most of my things that I'd left, I imagine got sold too. I'd only ever been back to the house once. I'm glad y'all found my necklace, though," Melody said, and smiled. "Now, where did you grow up, Ghost?"
"Uh...Missing Mile, North Carolina," Ghost said, "but first in the mountains. My grandmother raised me."
Nodding, Melody said, "Did you every hear what happened to our parents? That is, if we really are twins. I mean, I never even knew I had real birth parents."
Ghost looked at Steve, "Steve, what happened?"
Steve rolled his eyes. "You know what your grandmother wrote in the journal. Just say it. You're doing fine."
"Ok," Ghost said, then took a deep breath to begin. Steve was right...now was the time to talk about things. He sat up straighter, and pushed his hair back. He could feel the words coming back. "My grandmother passed away a few years ago, but she left a journal, telling me things. One was that 'our'? parents, her daughter, was expecting, I guess us, and her boyfriend was our father. No one approved, and she...she didn't want a baby..." he stopped, for a second, closing his eyes. "She didn't want a baby, so she tried to kill us." Opening his eyes, he saw the look of horror on Melody's face, but continued telling the story.
"Then, she ran away with him, on his motorcycle, and they both were killed in a wreck. I was left behind, to die, in a barn. My grandmother found me. I guess somebody found you...I guess our mother took you with her, anyway..." he had to stop, realizing just how tragic it all had been. Knowing now, that he had never been wanted, never was the chosen one. Closing his eyes again, he wiped away the tears that began falling.
Steve put his arm around him, and Melody reached out and held his hands in hers. Her brother's hands. She cried too, for what had never been. Steve bowed his head, as unwanted thoughts came to him. How the abortion of Ghost and his sister had hurt and damaged Ghost more, so that he was left to just die, all alone in that barn. Even now, just seeing Melody and listening to her, made it obvious that Ghost had suffered, even before he met himself, and God forgive me, he thought, damaged him some more.
Steve suddenly banged his fist on the table. "It wasn't right," he shouted. "The whole thing was wrong from the start. I don't like to speak ill of the dead, but hell yeah, I'm gonna. If they hadn't have died in that wreck, I'd go kill them now, myself, for what they did." He glared at everyone at the table, he was so fired up.
"Steve, calm yourself," Linda said. "Getting worked up isn't helping the situation, and you're scaring the kids. I'm taking them over on the other side of the room, to get them a game to play, or something. But, I'll be back. No more outbursts, do you hear me, Steve?"
"Yeah, I hear ya, Sis. It just burns me up."
They were quiet for a few minutes, absorbing what revelations had been said.
"Ghost, I'm glad we found each other now," Melody said. "Are you?"
Nodding, Ghost said, "Yes, I know now you are my real sister, Melody. I can sense it." He grinned.
Melody did too. "Me, too. There's a strange connection other than what we've said. I can feel it, too."
"Are you..." Ghost started to say psychic, at the same time Melody said, "I know things."
They smiled, and they knew.
Steve shook his head...two of them, just alike...
Linda came back to the table. "So, what's next?"
Ghost and Melody both nodded their heads. "She's coming home with us," Ghost said.
Linda looked a bit surprised. "When was this decided?" She looked to Steve, to see his reaction.
He shrugged. "Just now, I guess...uh...they have a thing..." he said. "She's just like Ghost, they know things.
Linda smiled big. "Oh how cool. That's amazing, and for sure y'all are twins." She and Steve kept on staring at Melody and Ghost.
"We're not some freaks in a zoo or nothing," Ghost said. "Stop staring at us." Melody giggled at that, which got them all laughing.
"You're right," Linda said, after a minute. "Sorry. So, Melody, you want to come with us to Missing Mile?"
"Yes, I've found family, first time ever, and I'm not losing him," she said, squeezing Ghost's hand. "I have no ties to this place, so I have no problem leaving. That is, if y'all don't mind?"
"It's fine with us, Melody," Steve said. "The more the merrier, as they say. This road trip gets better all the time."
"Yay, all I need is to grab some things, then I'll be ready to roll. Ghost can tell me all about where we're going, on the way." She got up to leave.
"C'mon, Ghost...come help me pack," she said, pulling him up. She told Steve the address to her place. "It's not far, and me and Ghost are gonna walk on over there."
Ghost looked a bit awkward, and said, "I guess I'm going with her. Come pick us up, ok?"
"Sure, go on," Steve said. "We'll be around in a few minutes." He watched them leave out the door. Linda was watching Steve.
"What is it? You look like you lost your best friend, brother," she said, and laughed. "You didn't lose him, you gained a sister...me too. I think it's great."
"Uh-huh...I was just thinking, old Kinsey and everybody's gonna be surprised. I go to bring one sister home, and we wind up bringing home two. It's weird," Steve said.
Nodding, Linda said, "Yeah, it is. Weird and wonderful, and meant to be. Let's get one more coffee, then go find them, ok?"
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
Friday, January 1, 2016
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 262
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 262
warning...adult content
~
After driving about four hours straight, Steve saw the sign and turn-off for Forrest City, Arkansas. He thought the sign wasn't quite right, though. This was no city; Berg was what came to his mind, as he passed the city limit sign. He pulled into the first convenience store with a gas station that he found.
"I'm getting the gas," Steve said, when he got out of the U-Haul. "See if you get any more directions from you weird voice."
Ghost closed his eyes and concentrated, but didn't like what he was hearing in his head. The voice was just laughing.
"Where do I go? What do you want to show me?" Ghost kept asking. There was more laughing. Then he heard, "It's right in front of your face." Then there was no more, only silence.
Ghost startled, his eyes flying open. "Huh? That's it?" He took out the heart necklace, and rubbed the locket, hoping to get a vision...or something. He was concentrating so hard, he didn't hear Steve come back to the truck, until he'd knocked on the window. He jumped at the sudden noise, then saw the odd look on Steve's face. Something had happened, he could tell. Steve was white as a...well...ghost.
Rolling down the window, he heard Steve say, "Get out...now...I think I found it."
Feeling shaky, he opened the door, and climbed down from the truck. "What is it?" he asked, but Steve just motioned for him to follow him back into the store.
Just inside the store, Steve stopped. "Just look, Ghost...look at the clerk...when she turns around...just look."
After a few seconds, the girl turned around to face them, and she froze.
Ghost had Steve's arm in a vice grip, and was shaking so much it made Steve's teeth rattle. So many words in Ghost's head now...and none would come out of his mouth. He had no breath in him. It was like looking into a mirror. This girl was the exact image of Ghost. She was gripping the counter, looking like she might faint.
Steve managed to put one foot in front of the other, and move him and Ghost forward. He was afraid both Ghost and the girl were going to have a heart attack, right then and there, and he'd have to bring them both back to life. Then, they both spoke at the same time.
"Who are you?" Ghost asked, and the girl was saying, "It's you."
Steve was mesmerized. He kept looking back and forth, trying to see if his eyes were playing tricks, but no...they were the same, the only difference being their gender. The same build, the same long blond hair, the same sky blue eyes.
She noticed the necklace Ghost was still holding. "That's mine. Where did you find it?" she asked.
"Uh, I bought it. You can have it back," Ghost said, holding it out to her. She took it, then opened the locket, to look at the picture inside, and back to Ghost. She smiled...the same crooked grin, Steve noticed.
"This is you...Ghost," She said.
"Yeah, it's me, but how?"
"I seen you once," she said. "A long time ago. I took this picture."
"Wh...where...wh...when?" Ghost whispered, barely getting the words out.
"It was in a coffee shop, or bar, in...oh, I can't think right now...in Kentucky, or maybe Tennessee? You were singing. Later, I followed you to the parking lot, but I was scared to say anything," she said.
Ghost was trying to process all this, and Steve could tell he was about to lose it.
"Hey, are you from the mountain in North Carolina?" he asked. "There's some people there that look kinda like y'all."
"Huh?" the girl looked around, confused. "Mountains? I never been in the mountains. I did see some. That time I saw you and Ghost, I was running away...from home...here...well, over in Ozark," she said.
"That's where we bought the necklace," Steve said. "Right, Ghost?" he elbowed Ghost, to jog him back into the conversation.
Ghost nodded. "Um...it was guiding me to find it," he said. "Now, I know why. It was telling me to come find you"
"Who was?" she asked. "Someone was trying to find me...in Ozark? I haven't been back there. I figured I should just keep running. I left almost everything, like this necklace."
"Who are you?" Ghost asked, again.
Steve was wondering the same thing. It was all so confusing. In his head, he was thinking, 'get Ghost out of here, now' ... and then, 'we have to stay and find out more'. He shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. They both looked at him, with the same expression. This is too weird...I'm seeing double... Before he could stop himself, he began to laugh. I really am going crazy... "I'm sorry," he finally said, when he could control himself. "It's just so weird to see two of y'all." He nervously laughed again, but was able to stifle his laughter, when he saw that neither the girl or Ghost were laughing.
Just then, the door opened, and Linda and the kids came in. "What's taking y'all so long?" Linda asked. Then, she saw what was happening. "Oh my, God. You have a twin, Ghost?"
There was dead silence, as that word sunk in. "Uh, Linda," Steve said, "that's what it looks like...or what they look like."
"Wow, I think you're right, Steve." She came closer, looking from the clerk, to Ghost. "Did you know you were a twin?"
Ghost shook his head. "The voice made me come here, to find out."
"Hmm," she was thinking. She could tell Steve, Ghost, and the girl didn't know what to say or do now. Smiling, she said, "Ok, honey, we all need to sit down and talk. When do you get done at the store?"
"Any time now, as soon as my replacement gets here," the girl said.
"Ok, is there a coffee shop, or a diner, or somewhere we can all go, for a little while?"
"Yes, a coffee shop over in the next block. Should I meet you there, or you could just wait?"
"Why don't we go on over. You can join us when you're done here, ok?" Linda said.
"Ok, I'll come over there, soon as I'm through here," she said.
Stevie and Mandy came up to the counter, with candy and chips. "Can we get these, Mama?" Stevie asked.
"Ok, sure, I guess so. We're leaving, though. Here's some money...go pay for it," Linda said. He did, and she took the kids back to the van.
"Let's go, Ghost," Steve said. "We'll see you there," he said to the girl.
She nodded. "It won't be long."
Outside, heading for the U-Haul, Steve said, "That was the weirdest thing ever."
"Who is she?" Ghost asked, again, still a bit dazed.
"You already asked that, about a hundred times. We're fixin' to find out. Now get in." He opened the truck's door.
He and Linda drove around the block, and found parking in a small lot, behind the coffee shop. Inside was cool, and dim, and smelled wonderful, with the aroma of coffee beans. He ordered coffee for them all, and milk for the kids, hoping to counter-act all the junk food they'd been eating. They found a table in the back of the room where it was quieter.
Ghost put his face down to the cup, inhaling the steam.
"Ok, Ghost," Steve began, "when she gets here, you gotta start talking. Ask some questions, things like that, if you want to find out who she is. You gotta speak up. She seems nice. She isn't gonna bite, ya know. You're both surprised as hell at this, and she wants to know who you are, who we all are. Do you get what I'm saying?"
"Yes, but the words wouldn't come," Ghost said.
"Well, now that y'all have had a few minutes, I want to hear some talking. Like, what is gonna happen next. We're all in this now. We all want answers. Ok?"
"Umm-hmm," Ghost and Linda both said.
The door opened, and the girl walked in. She went to the counter to order herself a coffee, then gave them all a wave.
"Ok, here she comes," Steve said.
"This can't be real," Ghost was saying, softly. "This can't be real..."
Steve could feel him getting tensed up. "It'll be ok, Ghost. We're just gonna talk to her."
"But, why didn't I ever know, Steve? I never sensed anything like this," Ghost said.
Steve grabbed Ghost's hand, under the table, and squeezed. "Stop worrying."
~
Nest part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
# 262
warning...adult content
~
After driving about four hours straight, Steve saw the sign and turn-off for Forrest City, Arkansas. He thought the sign wasn't quite right, though. This was no city; Berg was what came to his mind, as he passed the city limit sign. He pulled into the first convenience store with a gas station that he found.
"I'm getting the gas," Steve said, when he got out of the U-Haul. "See if you get any more directions from you weird voice."
Ghost closed his eyes and concentrated, but didn't like what he was hearing in his head. The voice was just laughing.
"Where do I go? What do you want to show me?" Ghost kept asking. There was more laughing. Then he heard, "It's right in front of your face." Then there was no more, only silence.
Ghost startled, his eyes flying open. "Huh? That's it?" He took out the heart necklace, and rubbed the locket, hoping to get a vision...or something. He was concentrating so hard, he didn't hear Steve come back to the truck, until he'd knocked on the window. He jumped at the sudden noise, then saw the odd look on Steve's face. Something had happened, he could tell. Steve was white as a...well...ghost.
Rolling down the window, he heard Steve say, "Get out...now...I think I found it."
Feeling shaky, he opened the door, and climbed down from the truck. "What is it?" he asked, but Steve just motioned for him to follow him back into the store.
Just inside the store, Steve stopped. "Just look, Ghost...look at the clerk...when she turns around...just look."
After a few seconds, the girl turned around to face them, and she froze.
Ghost had Steve's arm in a vice grip, and was shaking so much it made Steve's teeth rattle. So many words in Ghost's head now...and none would come out of his mouth. He had no breath in him. It was like looking into a mirror. This girl was the exact image of Ghost. She was gripping the counter, looking like she might faint.
Steve managed to put one foot in front of the other, and move him and Ghost forward. He was afraid both Ghost and the girl were going to have a heart attack, right then and there, and he'd have to bring them both back to life. Then, they both spoke at the same time.
"Who are you?" Ghost asked, and the girl was saying, "It's you."
Steve was mesmerized. He kept looking back and forth, trying to see if his eyes were playing tricks, but no...they were the same, the only difference being their gender. The same build, the same long blond hair, the same sky blue eyes.
She noticed the necklace Ghost was still holding. "That's mine. Where did you find it?" she asked.
"Uh, I bought it. You can have it back," Ghost said, holding it out to her. She took it, then opened the locket, to look at the picture inside, and back to Ghost. She smiled...the same crooked grin, Steve noticed.
"This is you...Ghost," She said.
"Yeah, it's me, but how?"
"I seen you once," she said. "A long time ago. I took this picture."
"Wh...where...wh...when?" Ghost whispered, barely getting the words out.
"It was in a coffee shop, or bar, in...oh, I can't think right now...in Kentucky, or maybe Tennessee? You were singing. Later, I followed you to the parking lot, but I was scared to say anything," she said.
Ghost was trying to process all this, and Steve could tell he was about to lose it.
"Hey, are you from the mountain in North Carolina?" he asked. "There's some people there that look kinda like y'all."
"Huh?" the girl looked around, confused. "Mountains? I never been in the mountains. I did see some. That time I saw you and Ghost, I was running away...from home...here...well, over in Ozark," she said.
"That's where we bought the necklace," Steve said. "Right, Ghost?" he elbowed Ghost, to jog him back into the conversation.
Ghost nodded. "Um...it was guiding me to find it," he said. "Now, I know why. It was telling me to come find you"
"Who was?" she asked. "Someone was trying to find me...in Ozark? I haven't been back there. I figured I should just keep running. I left almost everything, like this necklace."
"Who are you?" Ghost asked, again.
Steve was wondering the same thing. It was all so confusing. In his head, he was thinking, 'get Ghost out of here, now' ... and then, 'we have to stay and find out more'. He shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. They both looked at him, with the same expression. This is too weird...I'm seeing double... Before he could stop himself, he began to laugh. I really am going crazy... "I'm sorry," he finally said, when he could control himself. "It's just so weird to see two of y'all." He nervously laughed again, but was able to stifle his laughter, when he saw that neither the girl or Ghost were laughing.
Just then, the door opened, and Linda and the kids came in. "What's taking y'all so long?" Linda asked. Then, she saw what was happening. "Oh my, God. You have a twin, Ghost?"
There was dead silence, as that word sunk in. "Uh, Linda," Steve said, "that's what it looks like...or what they look like."
"Wow, I think you're right, Steve." She came closer, looking from the clerk, to Ghost. "Did you know you were a twin?"
Ghost shook his head. "The voice made me come here, to find out."
"Hmm," she was thinking. She could tell Steve, Ghost, and the girl didn't know what to say or do now. Smiling, she said, "Ok, honey, we all need to sit down and talk. When do you get done at the store?"
"Any time now, as soon as my replacement gets here," the girl said.
"Ok, is there a coffee shop, or a diner, or somewhere we can all go, for a little while?"
"Yes, a coffee shop over in the next block. Should I meet you there, or you could just wait?"
"Why don't we go on over. You can join us when you're done here, ok?" Linda said.
"Ok, I'll come over there, soon as I'm through here," she said.
Stevie and Mandy came up to the counter, with candy and chips. "Can we get these, Mama?" Stevie asked.
"Ok, sure, I guess so. We're leaving, though. Here's some money...go pay for it," Linda said. He did, and she took the kids back to the van.
"Let's go, Ghost," Steve said. "We'll see you there," he said to the girl.
She nodded. "It won't be long."
Outside, heading for the U-Haul, Steve said, "That was the weirdest thing ever."
"Who is she?" Ghost asked, again, still a bit dazed.
"You already asked that, about a hundred times. We're fixin' to find out. Now get in." He opened the truck's door.
He and Linda drove around the block, and found parking in a small lot, behind the coffee shop. Inside was cool, and dim, and smelled wonderful, with the aroma of coffee beans. He ordered coffee for them all, and milk for the kids, hoping to counter-act all the junk food they'd been eating. They found a table in the back of the room where it was quieter.
Ghost put his face down to the cup, inhaling the steam.
"Ok, Ghost," Steve began, "when she gets here, you gotta start talking. Ask some questions, things like that, if you want to find out who she is. You gotta speak up. She seems nice. She isn't gonna bite, ya know. You're both surprised as hell at this, and she wants to know who you are, who we all are. Do you get what I'm saying?"
"Yes, but the words wouldn't come," Ghost said.
"Well, now that y'all have had a few minutes, I want to hear some talking. Like, what is gonna happen next. We're all in this now. We all want answers. Ok?"
"Umm-hmm," Ghost and Linda both said.
The door opened, and the girl walked in. She went to the counter to order herself a coffee, then gave them all a wave.
"Ok, here she comes," Steve said.
"This can't be real," Ghost was saying, softly. "This can't be real..."
Steve could feel him getting tensed up. "It'll be ok, Ghost. We're just gonna talk to her."
"But, why didn't I ever know, Steve? I never sensed anything like this," Ghost said.
Steve grabbed Ghost's hand, under the table, and squeezed. "Stop worrying."
~
Nest part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 261
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 261
warning...adult content
~
Linda and the kids were looking at a large display of toys for sale. Steve and Ghost made their way over to them.
"We're ready to go, Linda. Ghost found what he was looking for," Steve said.
Ghost held up the locket so Linda could see it. "This here is what was calling to me," he said.
She took a close look at it, and the picture of Ghost inside the heart. "I'm glad you found it, but it is so strange that you sensed it was here. What does it mean?"
Ghost shrugged. "I don't know yet. Steve says maybe the other town we're going to might have a clue."
Nodding, Linda agreed.
"Y'all ready to go?" Steve asked.
"Yes, I'll go pay for the toys Stevie and Mandy want to buy," Linda said.
Steve pulled out his wallet, handing Linda some money. "Go pay, and we'll keep an eye on the kids." She headed over to the table where the couple were sitting, by the porch.
"What'cha got there?" Ghost asked Stevie.
"Just a baseball and mitt. Mama's buying it for me."
"Cool," Ghost said, and grinned.
Mandy was tugging on Ghost's shirt. "Look what I got," she said, holding up a toy tea set.
"You gonna fix me some tea, later?" Ghost asked.
"Uh-huh, and cookies."
"Ok, I'll teach you how to read tea leaves, too. It's fun," Ghost said. They continued talking about tea, all the way back to the van. Steve and Linda were following behind, listening.
"Steve, I've said it before, that Ghost is really good with the kids. He knows how to talk to them, for real, not just telling them how to do things, but being their friend."
Steve laughed. "I know...and it's because he's half way still a kid, himself. Every day is a new exciting world for him."
"I've noticed that," Linda said.
Steve frowned, and slowed his paces. "I've had some serious bad thoughts, lately, Linda."
"What? What about?"
Steve didn't answer.
"About Ghost? About you and Ghost?" she asked. "What's bothering you?"
"I don't know...I'm still wondering if it's me that's holding him back. I don't like to even think it, but Ghost has so much to give, so much love and talent...and, here I am dragging him all over the country, giving him stress...too much, Linda...too much." Steve sighed, and rubbed his face, shaking his head to try and get the thoughts out of his mind.
"You've seen him...the seizures, the hospital, and how tired and thin he's gotten. It's not good. And, it's because of me...I know it, but I just can't...well...sometimes I think I have to, you know...so he'll be better, feel better. Shit, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore."
"Steve...don't..." Linda started saying.
"You know that thing they say? The one that goes if you love someone you have to let them go, and not hold them back, and they'll come back to you if it's meant to be? That one? That's how I think. I don't want to hold on to him so tight that he'll break, and I see him breaking already. Oh, Jesus...how can I do that? I can't let him go, and I can't keep him." He choked back a sob, before it became a moan.
"Steve, stop torturing yourself over this," Linda said. "Ghost is going to be fine. He has a mind, a free will...if he didn't want to stay, he'd have gone already. Oh, crap." She clapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry..." She realized what she'd said...Ghost had left before.
"I didn't mean to say or imply that, Steve. He came back of his own free will."
"I know, I know," Steve said.
"Now, you just shut up about it, Steve. You know he can read your thoughts. If he hears how you're thinking, well...I truly believe it would destroy him...for good...and you, too."
Steve sighed. "But, I don't want him to feel he's trapped, being with me. It's been just the two of us against it all. Yeah, we have a few friends, but is that all there is? Is this all we were meant to be, to do in life? Shit, Linda, I'm too old to be going on a self-discovery tangent. I should have it figured out by now."
Linda grabbed his hand. "Listen to me...nobody's got it figured out...nobody. The rich, the poor, the famous, the regular folks...everyone just does the best they can, and if you find happiness in your work, in your love, then you've got it all. As I see it, you and Ghost...that's what y'all have already. So, if I were you, I wouldn't go messing it up." She hugged him tight. "I love you, brother."
"I love you, too, Sis, and thanks for setting me straight."
They were at the van, now, and Ghost was buckling in the kids. He was teasing them about something, and they were laughing. Steve and Linda watched and smiled.
"See...everything...you two have it," Linda said.
Steve nodded, his eyes watching Ghost...wanting Ghost.
Then, Ghost turned toward them. His eyes found Steve's, and the look Steve saw in them, chilled him to the bone. He knew then, that Ghost had heard every word he and Linda had spoken. Steve started to say something, anything, to get the hurt look out of Ghost's eyes, but Ghost just shook his head, no, and turned away...walking away from them all. He didn't look back.
Linda was speechless, watching the drama play out, between her brother and Ghost, as Steve ran after him.
"Wait...Ghost...wait...damn it, stop." He reached out catching hold of Ghost's arm. Ghost jerked it away, but faced him.
"What? What'cha want me to say, huh? Yeah, I heard you back there. I get it. I understand what you were saying, and I'm not an idiot, Steve. And, I'm not your charity case. You don't have to feel trapped either. If you want out, fine, we agreed on that years ago. Just say it...it'll be over, but it will be you that has to do it." He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"I love you, Steve, and I would let you go if that's what you wanted. But, I'll never leave again, unless you tell me to. I'll get mad, I'll hurt, but I won't stop you from doing what you want. And, you aren't stopping me, either. If I want to do other things, I will. I don't feel trapped, Steve...I feel loved and wanted, like I never was before. You're not my caretaker, you're my friend, my lover...my life..." He began sobbing. He couldn't go on, and fell into Steve's arms.
Steve held him close. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Ghost. I just want you to be happy. I love you so much, I don't ever want to drag you down. You are amazing, and I'm the lucky one to have you. I don't ever want you to leave me, Ghost. Not ever."
After another minute or so, they walked hand in hand back to the van. Linda looked back and forth at their faces, waiting to hear that all was resolved.
"We're good," Steve said.
She hugged them both. "I'm so glad. I love you both so much."
"So, we ready to go?" Steve asked.
Linda nodded.
"Ok, then, we have to go find the other puzzle piece, right Ghost?"
"We don't have to. I have the necklace, now. I...well, I'm kinda scared to go find out more weird stuff. I got a weird feeling..."
Steve rolled his eyes. "Well, make up your mind. Is it still calling to you, or whatever it does?"
"Yeah, but in a creepy voice," Ghost said.
"A creepy voice? What does it say in your head, this creepy voice?"
Ghost looked at Steve, with frightened eyes. "It says to come and find it, like some kinda game it's playing. But instead of me finding it, it will find me." He saw the way Steve looked at him, though. "What?"
"Nothing...if you don't want to go, we won't," Steve said, as if this was final. He knew it wasn't, though. Sighing, he said, "Come on, let's go find it, then. Guess we're going to Forrest City, Linda. You ready?"
"Yes, let's do it," she said, and started the van. She followed behind, as Steve drove the U-Haul out to the highway.
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
# 261
warning...adult content
~
Linda and the kids were looking at a large display of toys for sale. Steve and Ghost made their way over to them.
"We're ready to go, Linda. Ghost found what he was looking for," Steve said.
Ghost held up the locket so Linda could see it. "This here is what was calling to me," he said.
She took a close look at it, and the picture of Ghost inside the heart. "I'm glad you found it, but it is so strange that you sensed it was here. What does it mean?"
Ghost shrugged. "I don't know yet. Steve says maybe the other town we're going to might have a clue."
Nodding, Linda agreed.
"Y'all ready to go?" Steve asked.
"Yes, I'll go pay for the toys Stevie and Mandy want to buy," Linda said.
Steve pulled out his wallet, handing Linda some money. "Go pay, and we'll keep an eye on the kids." She headed over to the table where the couple were sitting, by the porch.
"What'cha got there?" Ghost asked Stevie.
"Just a baseball and mitt. Mama's buying it for me."
"Cool," Ghost said, and grinned.
Mandy was tugging on Ghost's shirt. "Look what I got," she said, holding up a toy tea set.
"You gonna fix me some tea, later?" Ghost asked.
"Uh-huh, and cookies."
"Ok, I'll teach you how to read tea leaves, too. It's fun," Ghost said. They continued talking about tea, all the way back to the van. Steve and Linda were following behind, listening.
"Steve, I've said it before, that Ghost is really good with the kids. He knows how to talk to them, for real, not just telling them how to do things, but being their friend."
Steve laughed. "I know...and it's because he's half way still a kid, himself. Every day is a new exciting world for him."
"I've noticed that," Linda said.
Steve frowned, and slowed his paces. "I've had some serious bad thoughts, lately, Linda."
"What? What about?"
Steve didn't answer.
"About Ghost? About you and Ghost?" she asked. "What's bothering you?"
"I don't know...I'm still wondering if it's me that's holding him back. I don't like to even think it, but Ghost has so much to give, so much love and talent...and, here I am dragging him all over the country, giving him stress...too much, Linda...too much." Steve sighed, and rubbed his face, shaking his head to try and get the thoughts out of his mind.
"You've seen him...the seizures, the hospital, and how tired and thin he's gotten. It's not good. And, it's because of me...I know it, but I just can't...well...sometimes I think I have to, you know...so he'll be better, feel better. Shit, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore."
"Steve...don't..." Linda started saying.
"You know that thing they say? The one that goes if you love someone you have to let them go, and not hold them back, and they'll come back to you if it's meant to be? That one? That's how I think. I don't want to hold on to him so tight that he'll break, and I see him breaking already. Oh, Jesus...how can I do that? I can't let him go, and I can't keep him." He choked back a sob, before it became a moan.
"Steve, stop torturing yourself over this," Linda said. "Ghost is going to be fine. He has a mind, a free will...if he didn't want to stay, he'd have gone already. Oh, crap." She clapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry..." She realized what she'd said...Ghost had left before.
"I didn't mean to say or imply that, Steve. He came back of his own free will."
"I know, I know," Steve said.
"Now, you just shut up about it, Steve. You know he can read your thoughts. If he hears how you're thinking, well...I truly believe it would destroy him...for good...and you, too."
Steve sighed. "But, I don't want him to feel he's trapped, being with me. It's been just the two of us against it all. Yeah, we have a few friends, but is that all there is? Is this all we were meant to be, to do in life? Shit, Linda, I'm too old to be going on a self-discovery tangent. I should have it figured out by now."
Linda grabbed his hand. "Listen to me...nobody's got it figured out...nobody. The rich, the poor, the famous, the regular folks...everyone just does the best they can, and if you find happiness in your work, in your love, then you've got it all. As I see it, you and Ghost...that's what y'all have already. So, if I were you, I wouldn't go messing it up." She hugged him tight. "I love you, brother."
"I love you, too, Sis, and thanks for setting me straight."
They were at the van, now, and Ghost was buckling in the kids. He was teasing them about something, and they were laughing. Steve and Linda watched and smiled.
"See...everything...you two have it," Linda said.
Steve nodded, his eyes watching Ghost...wanting Ghost.
Then, Ghost turned toward them. His eyes found Steve's, and the look Steve saw in them, chilled him to the bone. He knew then, that Ghost had heard every word he and Linda had spoken. Steve started to say something, anything, to get the hurt look out of Ghost's eyes, but Ghost just shook his head, no, and turned away...walking away from them all. He didn't look back.
Linda was speechless, watching the drama play out, between her brother and Ghost, as Steve ran after him.
"Wait...Ghost...wait...damn it, stop." He reached out catching hold of Ghost's arm. Ghost jerked it away, but faced him.
"What? What'cha want me to say, huh? Yeah, I heard you back there. I get it. I understand what you were saying, and I'm not an idiot, Steve. And, I'm not your charity case. You don't have to feel trapped either. If you want out, fine, we agreed on that years ago. Just say it...it'll be over, but it will be you that has to do it." He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"I love you, Steve, and I would let you go if that's what you wanted. But, I'll never leave again, unless you tell me to. I'll get mad, I'll hurt, but I won't stop you from doing what you want. And, you aren't stopping me, either. If I want to do other things, I will. I don't feel trapped, Steve...I feel loved and wanted, like I never was before. You're not my caretaker, you're my friend, my lover...my life..." He began sobbing. He couldn't go on, and fell into Steve's arms.
Steve held him close. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Ghost. I just want you to be happy. I love you so much, I don't ever want to drag you down. You are amazing, and I'm the lucky one to have you. I don't ever want you to leave me, Ghost. Not ever."
After another minute or so, they walked hand in hand back to the van. Linda looked back and forth at their faces, waiting to hear that all was resolved.
"We're good," Steve said.
She hugged them both. "I'm so glad. I love you both so much."
"So, we ready to go?" Steve asked.
Linda nodded.
"Ok, then, we have to go find the other puzzle piece, right Ghost?"
"We don't have to. I have the necklace, now. I...well, I'm kinda scared to go find out more weird stuff. I got a weird feeling..."
Steve rolled his eyes. "Well, make up your mind. Is it still calling to you, or whatever it does?"
"Yeah, but in a creepy voice," Ghost said.
"A creepy voice? What does it say in your head, this creepy voice?"
Ghost looked at Steve, with frightened eyes. "It says to come and find it, like some kinda game it's playing. But instead of me finding it, it will find me." He saw the way Steve looked at him, though. "What?"
"Nothing...if you don't want to go, we won't," Steve said, as if this was final. He knew it wasn't, though. Sighing, he said, "Come on, let's go find it, then. Guess we're going to Forrest City, Linda. You ready?"
"Yes, let's do it," she said, and started the van. She followed behind, as Steve drove the U-Haul out to the highway.
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
Sunday, December 27, 2015
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 260
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 260
warning...adult content
~
The little town of Ozark was quaint. Large trees, expanses of green lawns, and two-story houses with screened front porches, lined the main street. Ahead, Steve and Ghost could see the small town square. There was a grocery store, a laundry, a diner, a five and dime, and right in the middle was a statue, which was possibly the founder of the town.
Steve drove slowly through, waiting for Ghost to give him directions. Ghost was staring out the window. "Keep going, it's past this part," he said. After a couple more blocks, he said, "Ok, turn right at the next corner." Then, as they turned, they could see a crowd of people on the front lawn of a large Victorian house. It was a yard sale.
Steve found a place to park on the side of the road, and they walked over to look around. Linda and the kids followed their lead. Stevie and Mandy headed for some toys they'd spied.
"Is this the right place?" Linda asked.
Nodding, Ghost said, "Yeah, it's here somewhere. I feel it."
"Ok, I'm going to look around, then," Linda said. She followed the kids.
"So, ok," Steve said. "Go find whatever it is, Ghost. Do your hocus-pocus, then let's go."
They walked over to a table full of items. Ghost ran his hands above the things there, not touching any. "Not on here," he said, and moved on over to the next table. Just as he got to it, he was shoved hard from behind, and almost fell down.
"Hey, stop pushing me, Steve," he said, looking back. Steve wasn't there; he'd gone over to look at some t-shirts hanging on a rack. Ghost frowned, and started his hand routine, again. He was pushed from the side, now, and he stumbled sideways, into a bearded man. "Sorry," he said to him.
"Watch where you're going," the man said.
Ghost was realizing that something didn't want him at this table. Standing there, he just looked at the items on the table, trying to get a sense of what was calling to him, and what was pushing him. Everything looked pretty ordinary. There was the usual yard sale jumble of things, in no kind of organization. The impression he got was that this was the selling off of a recently deceased family member's possessions. Maybe the family needed the money, and were selling the house, property, and contents, to break even on taxes owed, and funeral expenses, and were moving away.
Ghost felt sadness coming from the porch area. People were going in and out of the house, while the old screen door creaked open and shut. There was a middle aged man and woman sitting at a table near-by. He thought they must be the sellers. They didn't look in the least familiar to him, though. Why would something of his be here? And, what was it?
He tried again, to hover his hand above the items on this table, saying, "Not this...nothing...maybe this?...couldn't be that..." He didn't feel anything over the old purse, or the scarf and hat, or the display of ceramic knick-knacks. Neither did the lace handkerchiefs, nor the dresser set of mirror, brush, and comb give him a clue. It didn't make sense...and he'd not been pushed again.
As he moved down the side of the table, though, he began to feel hot. Prickles of sweat broke out on his scalp, and he could feel it start running down into his face and eyes, stinging a bit. He wiped it away, noticing no one else seemed to be bothered by the heat.
He moved back a little bit, the way he'd come from, and he felt shivery. One step forward, hot...one step back, cold. Ok, he thought, a game. The hot and cold game. You get close to the item, you get hot, then you get farther away from it, you get cold. So, he stood in the middle area, and was neither too hot, or too cold. On the table right in front of him, was a shoebox, containing quite a few pieces of costume jewelry.
He was going to paw through it, but as he touched the box, he felt a quick, tingly jolt in his hand, which made him jerk it back. A few other people felt around in the box, pulling out pieces to examine. They had no problem.
Ghost sighed, and prepared himself for a jolt, then plunged his hand into the box. He gritted his teeth at the sharp pain in his fingers, but didn't stop. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a necklace...a gold chain, with a heart-shaped locket on the end. There was a small price sticker on the back of the heart...$5.00 it said. His hand were shaking, as he opened the locket.
What he saw inside made his heart lurch, and he couldn't breathe for a second. It was a small picture of himself.
"Steve...Steve..." Ghost yelled. "I found it." He was holding the necklace up in the air...the heart swinging back and forth.
The other shoppers stopped to look, surprised at the outburst. Steve felt a weird panic rising up inside him, as he tried to run toward Ghost. Why, he had no idea, but the way Ghost had yelled, had sent goosebumps down his spine.
"What is it? Show me," he panted, as he reached Ghost.
"This, this is it, Steve, look." he handed the necklace to Steve. Taking it, Steve shuddered, as a quick chill ran up his arms. This was definitely a picture of Ghost.
"How...how is this possible?" Steve asked. He looked wildly around, looking for an answer from somewhere. "This is you. How did a picture of you get in here, in Arkansas? We've never been here, before."
"I don't know," Ghost said. "I just felt it calling to me."
"Have you ever seen it before, at home? Maybe it was your grandmother's?"
"I don't remember ever seeing it, and look, this picture isn't very long ago. It's kind of how I look now," Ghost said, as he looked closely at the small picture. "Did you take it? I didn't have a camera for very long."
Steve shook his head, thinking. "I think I get it now. Someone took a picture at one of our shows at the Yew...maybe one of the college kids, and they were from here."
"Oh, yeah. That's gotta be it, Steve," Ghost said, smiling. "I thought it was some weird happening," he said, trying to spook Steve.
"Don't," Steve yelped, as Ghost goosed him. "There's still the part where you heard it calling to you."
"Oh, yeah, that part. I wonder why...and there's still the other part, in the other town. It has something calling to me, too. And, why did it push me?"
By then, Linda had come to hear the last part of the conversation. "Well, why don't y'all just go ask the people?" she said. "They're right over there by the porch." They all looked over that way. "Well, go on..." she said, giving them both a push. She watched, as they slowly made their way over to the owners.
"Ya think? No, that's not right," Ghost said.
"What?"
"I'm just gonna buy it, ok? It's not really mine, yet. Ya got any money?" he asked Steve.
"Here," Steve said, handing Ghost the money to buy the necklace.
Ghost approached the man and woman, who were still sitting at the small table. "I want to buy this," he said, handing the money to them. The woman glanced up, and caught her breath.
"It's you...in the picture," she said.
"Uh, yeah, it's me here, and in this picture," Ghost started. Steve knew he'd better cut it short, or Ghost would go on and on about it.
"We just want to know how it got here," he said, hoping the next question wouldn't be how they knew to come here.
"Oh, it's the property owners. She said I could sell it, but I had no idea you'd be the one to come buy it. Such a strange co-incident," the woman said.
"Yes, it is," Steve said. "We think we figured out part of it," he explained. The woman agreed that that was probably what happened.
"But why, and how did you know to come all the way here?" she asked.
Ghost began telling her how, he knew to come here. "We were driving on the road, and I had a weird dream, that I had to come and find something here. And here we are." The woman was even more confused.
"We have to go now," Steve said, edging away, and pulling on Ghost's shirt. "Nice meeting you...nice yard sale...thanks."
"Thank you," the woman said.
Steve led Ghost over to a little less crowded area. "You don't have to go explaining how you know stuff, Ghost," he said.
"But, maybe if I tell her, she'd tell us stuff, too...like why it was pulling me here, then pushing me, and...wait...it wasn't pushing me away, it was pushing me to the right place," Ghost said. Then he frowned. "But, why? What's so special about this necklace?" He kept staring at it.
Steve shrugged, "I don't know, but you should quit worrying about it. Where's that next place? Maybe there's a piece of the puzzle over there." He looked around. "We need to go, and where's Linda?" Scanning across the crowd of people, he saw her. "There she is, let's go."
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
# 260
warning...adult content
~
The little town of Ozark was quaint. Large trees, expanses of green lawns, and two-story houses with screened front porches, lined the main street. Ahead, Steve and Ghost could see the small town square. There was a grocery store, a laundry, a diner, a five and dime, and right in the middle was a statue, which was possibly the founder of the town.
Steve drove slowly through, waiting for Ghost to give him directions. Ghost was staring out the window. "Keep going, it's past this part," he said. After a couple more blocks, he said, "Ok, turn right at the next corner." Then, as they turned, they could see a crowd of people on the front lawn of a large Victorian house. It was a yard sale.
Steve found a place to park on the side of the road, and they walked over to look around. Linda and the kids followed their lead. Stevie and Mandy headed for some toys they'd spied.
"Is this the right place?" Linda asked.
Nodding, Ghost said, "Yeah, it's here somewhere. I feel it."
"Ok, I'm going to look around, then," Linda said. She followed the kids.
"So, ok," Steve said. "Go find whatever it is, Ghost. Do your hocus-pocus, then let's go."
They walked over to a table full of items. Ghost ran his hands above the things there, not touching any. "Not on here," he said, and moved on over to the next table. Just as he got to it, he was shoved hard from behind, and almost fell down.
"Hey, stop pushing me, Steve," he said, looking back. Steve wasn't there; he'd gone over to look at some t-shirts hanging on a rack. Ghost frowned, and started his hand routine, again. He was pushed from the side, now, and he stumbled sideways, into a bearded man. "Sorry," he said to him.
"Watch where you're going," the man said.
Ghost was realizing that something didn't want him at this table. Standing there, he just looked at the items on the table, trying to get a sense of what was calling to him, and what was pushing him. Everything looked pretty ordinary. There was the usual yard sale jumble of things, in no kind of organization. The impression he got was that this was the selling off of a recently deceased family member's possessions. Maybe the family needed the money, and were selling the house, property, and contents, to break even on taxes owed, and funeral expenses, and were moving away.
Ghost felt sadness coming from the porch area. People were going in and out of the house, while the old screen door creaked open and shut. There was a middle aged man and woman sitting at a table near-by. He thought they must be the sellers. They didn't look in the least familiar to him, though. Why would something of his be here? And, what was it?
He tried again, to hover his hand above the items on this table, saying, "Not this...nothing...maybe this?...couldn't be that..." He didn't feel anything over the old purse, or the scarf and hat, or the display of ceramic knick-knacks. Neither did the lace handkerchiefs, nor the dresser set of mirror, brush, and comb give him a clue. It didn't make sense...and he'd not been pushed again.
As he moved down the side of the table, though, he began to feel hot. Prickles of sweat broke out on his scalp, and he could feel it start running down into his face and eyes, stinging a bit. He wiped it away, noticing no one else seemed to be bothered by the heat.
He moved back a little bit, the way he'd come from, and he felt shivery. One step forward, hot...one step back, cold. Ok, he thought, a game. The hot and cold game. You get close to the item, you get hot, then you get farther away from it, you get cold. So, he stood in the middle area, and was neither too hot, or too cold. On the table right in front of him, was a shoebox, containing quite a few pieces of costume jewelry.
He was going to paw through it, but as he touched the box, he felt a quick, tingly jolt in his hand, which made him jerk it back. A few other people felt around in the box, pulling out pieces to examine. They had no problem.
Ghost sighed, and prepared himself for a jolt, then plunged his hand into the box. He gritted his teeth at the sharp pain in his fingers, but didn't stop. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a necklace...a gold chain, with a heart-shaped locket on the end. There was a small price sticker on the back of the heart...$5.00 it said. His hand were shaking, as he opened the locket.
What he saw inside made his heart lurch, and he couldn't breathe for a second. It was a small picture of himself.
"Steve...Steve..." Ghost yelled. "I found it." He was holding the necklace up in the air...the heart swinging back and forth.
The other shoppers stopped to look, surprised at the outburst. Steve felt a weird panic rising up inside him, as he tried to run toward Ghost. Why, he had no idea, but the way Ghost had yelled, had sent goosebumps down his spine.
"What is it? Show me," he panted, as he reached Ghost.
"This, this is it, Steve, look." he handed the necklace to Steve. Taking it, Steve shuddered, as a quick chill ran up his arms. This was definitely a picture of Ghost.
"How...how is this possible?" Steve asked. He looked wildly around, looking for an answer from somewhere. "This is you. How did a picture of you get in here, in Arkansas? We've never been here, before."
"I don't know," Ghost said. "I just felt it calling to me."
"Have you ever seen it before, at home? Maybe it was your grandmother's?"
"I don't remember ever seeing it, and look, this picture isn't very long ago. It's kind of how I look now," Ghost said, as he looked closely at the small picture. "Did you take it? I didn't have a camera for very long."
Steve shook his head, thinking. "I think I get it now. Someone took a picture at one of our shows at the Yew...maybe one of the college kids, and they were from here."
"Oh, yeah. That's gotta be it, Steve," Ghost said, smiling. "I thought it was some weird happening," he said, trying to spook Steve.
"Don't," Steve yelped, as Ghost goosed him. "There's still the part where you heard it calling to you."
"Oh, yeah, that part. I wonder why...and there's still the other part, in the other town. It has something calling to me, too. And, why did it push me?"
By then, Linda had come to hear the last part of the conversation. "Well, why don't y'all just go ask the people?" she said. "They're right over there by the porch." They all looked over that way. "Well, go on..." she said, giving them both a push. She watched, as they slowly made their way over to the owners.
"Ya think? No, that's not right," Ghost said.
"What?"
"I'm just gonna buy it, ok? It's not really mine, yet. Ya got any money?" he asked Steve.
"Here," Steve said, handing Ghost the money to buy the necklace.
Ghost approached the man and woman, who were still sitting at the small table. "I want to buy this," he said, handing the money to them. The woman glanced up, and caught her breath.
"It's you...in the picture," she said.
"Uh, yeah, it's me here, and in this picture," Ghost started. Steve knew he'd better cut it short, or Ghost would go on and on about it.
"We just want to know how it got here," he said, hoping the next question wouldn't be how they knew to come here.
"Oh, it's the property owners. She said I could sell it, but I had no idea you'd be the one to come buy it. Such a strange co-incident," the woman said.
"Yes, it is," Steve said. "We think we figured out part of it," he explained. The woman agreed that that was probably what happened.
"But why, and how did you know to come all the way here?" she asked.
Ghost began telling her how, he knew to come here. "We were driving on the road, and I had a weird dream, that I had to come and find something here. And here we are." The woman was even more confused.
"We have to go now," Steve said, edging away, and pulling on Ghost's shirt. "Nice meeting you...nice yard sale...thanks."
"Thank you," the woman said.
Steve led Ghost over to a little less crowded area. "You don't have to go explaining how you know stuff, Ghost," he said.
"But, maybe if I tell her, she'd tell us stuff, too...like why it was pulling me here, then pushing me, and...wait...it wasn't pushing me away, it was pushing me to the right place," Ghost said. Then he frowned. "But, why? What's so special about this necklace?" He kept staring at it.
Steve shrugged, "I don't know, but you should quit worrying about it. Where's that next place? Maybe there's a piece of the puzzle over there." He looked around. "We need to go, and where's Linda?" Scanning across the crowd of people, he saw her. "There she is, let's go."
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 259
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 259
warning...adult content
~
Ghost tried to sit up, now, as the cool water had revived him from passing out.
"Take it slow dude," Steve said. He helped him sit up in the front seat of the U-Haul. "How ya feeling?" He did see that the redness was about gone from Ghost's cheeks.
"Ok, I think...what happened?" Ghost asked.
"Honey," Linda said, "you passed out, maybe from the heat. We put cool water on you, thinking you'd had a heat stroke or something."
"Yeah, scared the shit outta me," Steve said. "One minute you were sleeping, the next, you were burning up and choking." He felt Ghost's face. "Well, you're cool now."
"Why was it so hot in here, Steve?" asked Linda. "I mean, it's hot outside, but not...well, you were fine, and we were fine in the van. I didn't have the air-conditioner on, either."
Steve shrugged. "Beats me. I'd have noticed if it was too hot. I was just gonna turn it on though."
"It wasn't just the heat," Ghost said. "I was attacked."
"What?...Attacked?" Steve and Linda asked.
Ghost frowned, thinking. "When I was asleep, I saw something bad. It was dark and spinning all around me, and was sucking the breath out of me. Did you see it in here, Steve?"
"Hell, I didn't see anything, just the road and then you choking, and turning red. Then I pulled over, and you'd fainted," Steve said. "That's creepy, Ghost...some evil thing was in here with us?"
"Well, it was real to me, and it was trying to kill me. Maybe the dream me...not me in here, but then it was both of us. I'm confused still...what was it?" Ghost asked.
"You're the one that dreamed it up...you tell me," Steve said.
"I'm glad you're feeling better, Ghost," Linda said. "I have to get back to the van and the kids. I can't leave them alone over there for long. Let me know when you want to get going again."
"Why'd you say that...being attacked...by what?" Steve asked.
"By the dark tornado thing," Ghost said. "It said something, too. It sounded like 'what's yours is now mine. Leave it be." He shivered.
"Is it gone, now?"
"Yeah, for now, but it'll be back the closer we get. I think it don't want me to find it...the thing we're looking for."
"Then let's just forget it then, like it said...leave it be," Steve said.
"NO...I have to get it."
Steve sighed. "Ok, then, if you want to get attacked again, let's go find it." He signaled to Linda, and they got back on the highway, heading for the state line.
They rode in silence for a few miles, without the radio music, and neither of them spoke. Ghost had leaned back, closing his eyes. Steve could tell he was concentrating on something, because he kept mumbling words in a barely audible whisper.
"What are you doing, Ghost?" Steve finally asked.
"Mapping...or GPS-ing, or whatever you call it."
"Oh, like in your head?" Steve asked. "You have a GPS in your head?" He was trying hard not to laugh.
"No, not a real one, just...I'm looking ahead of us, so I can see where we need to go," Ghost said.
"Umm, you gonna tell me where to go?" Steve asked.
Ghost snickered.
"God...not like that...you know what I mean," Steve said, rolling his eyes.
"Ok, ok, yeah, I'll tell ya," Ghost said. "Ok, there's a road that goes to the town Ozark. Well, it's marked on the highway sign. Take it, then I'll say which way to go from there."
They soon came upon the first sign that mentioned Ozark. "There's a sign, and it says twenty miles. You got any clue of where, or what it is yet?"
"Maybe. I keep seeing an old house, Victorian with a big old porch, and a bunch of things in the yard, with people looking around."
"That sounds like a yard sale to me," Steve said. "Ya think so?"
"Hey, that's it. Oh, now I'm getting excited, Steve. I love yard sales."
"Good, because here's the turn off road," Steve said, as he took the side road off the highway. "Got your radar on?"
"Huh?"
"Your GPS thing in your head...which way do we go?" Steve asked, as he pulled up to a stop sign.
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
# 259
warning...adult content
~
Ghost tried to sit up, now, as the cool water had revived him from passing out.
"Take it slow dude," Steve said. He helped him sit up in the front seat of the U-Haul. "How ya feeling?" He did see that the redness was about gone from Ghost's cheeks.
"Ok, I think...what happened?" Ghost asked.
"Honey," Linda said, "you passed out, maybe from the heat. We put cool water on you, thinking you'd had a heat stroke or something."
"Yeah, scared the shit outta me," Steve said. "One minute you were sleeping, the next, you were burning up and choking." He felt Ghost's face. "Well, you're cool now."
"Why was it so hot in here, Steve?" asked Linda. "I mean, it's hot outside, but not...well, you were fine, and we were fine in the van. I didn't have the air-conditioner on, either."
Steve shrugged. "Beats me. I'd have noticed if it was too hot. I was just gonna turn it on though."
"It wasn't just the heat," Ghost said. "I was attacked."
"What?...Attacked?" Steve and Linda asked.
Ghost frowned, thinking. "When I was asleep, I saw something bad. It was dark and spinning all around me, and was sucking the breath out of me. Did you see it in here, Steve?"
"Hell, I didn't see anything, just the road and then you choking, and turning red. Then I pulled over, and you'd fainted," Steve said. "That's creepy, Ghost...some evil thing was in here with us?"
"Well, it was real to me, and it was trying to kill me. Maybe the dream me...not me in here, but then it was both of us. I'm confused still...what was it?" Ghost asked.
"You're the one that dreamed it up...you tell me," Steve said.
"I'm glad you're feeling better, Ghost," Linda said. "I have to get back to the van and the kids. I can't leave them alone over there for long. Let me know when you want to get going again."
"Why'd you say that...being attacked...by what?" Steve asked.
"By the dark tornado thing," Ghost said. "It said something, too. It sounded like 'what's yours is now mine. Leave it be." He shivered.
"Is it gone, now?"
"Yeah, for now, but it'll be back the closer we get. I think it don't want me to find it...the thing we're looking for."
"Then let's just forget it then, like it said...leave it be," Steve said.
"NO...I have to get it."
Steve sighed. "Ok, then, if you want to get attacked again, let's go find it." He signaled to Linda, and they got back on the highway, heading for the state line.
They rode in silence for a few miles, without the radio music, and neither of them spoke. Ghost had leaned back, closing his eyes. Steve could tell he was concentrating on something, because he kept mumbling words in a barely audible whisper.
"What are you doing, Ghost?" Steve finally asked.
"Mapping...or GPS-ing, or whatever you call it."
"Oh, like in your head?" Steve asked. "You have a GPS in your head?" He was trying hard not to laugh.
"No, not a real one, just...I'm looking ahead of us, so I can see where we need to go," Ghost said.
"Umm, you gonna tell me where to go?" Steve asked.
Ghost snickered.
"God...not like that...you know what I mean," Steve said, rolling his eyes.
"Ok, ok, yeah, I'll tell ya," Ghost said. "Ok, there's a road that goes to the town Ozark. Well, it's marked on the highway sign. Take it, then I'll say which way to go from there."
They soon came upon the first sign that mentioned Ozark. "There's a sign, and it says twenty miles. You got any clue of where, or what it is yet?"
"Maybe. I keep seeing an old house, Victorian with a big old porch, and a bunch of things in the yard, with people looking around."
"That sounds like a yard sale to me," Steve said. "Ya think so?"
"Hey, that's it. Oh, now I'm getting excited, Steve. I love yard sales."
"Good, because here's the turn off road," Steve said, as he took the side road off the highway. "Got your radar on?"
"Huh?"
"Your GPS thing in your head...which way do we go?" Steve asked, as he pulled up to a stop sign.
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
Sunday, December 20, 2015
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 258
TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 258
warning...adult content
~
Steve continued driving down I-40, heading for Oklahoma City. Ghost napped, and Linda was keeping up, following them. The first fast food place Steve saw, he pulled in. Linda and the kids pulled up beside him, in the parking lot of a McDonald's. Stevie and Mandy were excited that this one had a play yard, and as soon as they were allowed, they made a beeline for it. Pretty soon, Linda had to call them over to eat their breakfast.
As they sat there at the table, Steve laid out the next phase of the trip. "I want to avoid going down the middle of the city. This here road, or highway, or whatever it's called that we're on..."
"Interstate..." Ghost said, interrupting.
"Interstate, yeah...anyway," Steve said, "it goes around the city, mostly, and comes out this exit to keep going. That's what we'll do. He showed Linda on the map. "We may get separated a little, but just stay on 40 and you'll see me, after we get out in the open again. I'll pull over.
Linda nodded, "Yes, I think I've got it."
They finished eating, and Linda let the kids play for a few more minutes. As they watched, Steve said, "I figure we've got a few hundred miles in us today. It's still early, and I'm hoping to make it most of the way through Arkansas."
"With a couple of stops?" Linda asked.
"Yeah, and then we can stay the night in Little Rock." He showed her where that was, on the map.
Ghost leaned in to take a look, running his finger across the Interstate line Steve had highlighted. Then, he stopped, making a circle around a town called Ozark. It was not too far past the Oklahoma border. Then he followed the line farther past Little Rock, and stopped at another town, Forrest City. They both were just off the I-40 highway.
"What'cha looking for?" Steve asked.
Ghost didn't answer for a minute, just kept concentrating on those two towns. "We have to stop at these places, Steve."
"Huh...why? There's nothing there we need to stop for, and they're barely even big enough to be on the map," Steve said, shaking his head.
Ghost looked up. "I have to."
Steve could tell he was serious about it. "What is it, Ghost? Why these towns? I mean, we'll probably need gas and all anyway, but what's the deal with these?"
Shrugging, Ghost said, "I have to find something." He pointed, again, to the two towns. "It's there...and...there." They looked to be several hundred miles apart.
"Find what?" Linda asked. "Have you ever been to these places?"
"No, but there's something. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it drawing me to them. It's mine, and I have to get it. It's been waiting a long time," Ghost said. He was getting that far-away look in his eyes, that Steve knew so well. The look that he knew Ghost was seeing things...visions of something, something important, and he'd be telling some fantastic story any second now.
Normally, Steve loved hearing Ghost's stories, and loved that Ghost could do this, but not right now. They needed to get going, again. "Ok, so we stop at these towns. Then what?" Steve asked, trying to derail the story a bit.
"Hmm?"
"Listen, Ghost, we need to get back on the road. I don't know what it is you need to find, but we can make a quick stop, if you want to." He looked over at Linda. "Ok with you?"
"Uh, sure...I wouldn't mind. We could get out and stretch our legs, I guess," Linda said.
Sighing, Steve said, "Ok, we'll stop. For now, let's just get back on the road." He got up from the table, while Linda went to get the kids from the play yard.
"It is important, Steve."
"I know."
~
They were finally all back in the truck and van, and were heading east, again, to find something...something that was calling to Ghost. Steve kept trying to find a good radio station to listen to. Ghost was leaning his head back on the seat, but he wasn't asleep. He wasn't looking at the passing scenery, either. He was seeing something, though, Steve knew.
"You want to talk about it?" he asked.
"Hmm?" Ghost murmured.
"Talk - about - it? About what it is that you're supposed to find," Steve said.
"Oh, I don't know what it is," Ghost said.
Steve sighed. "This isn't some wild goose chase is it?" he said, instantly regretting saying that, figuring Ghost would start talking about chasing geese, now.
"No, I'm not gonna talk about geese, Steve. I know what you mean, but I can't explain it. I don't know what it is I'm supposed to find, but I'll know it's the right thing, when I see it." He thought for a minute. "It's for sale. I have to buy it back, because it used to be mine, or my grandmother's. It's telling me to come find it, and bring it back home." He rubbed his forehead. "It's making my head hurt."
"Well, don't think abut it, then," Steve said.
Ghost gave him a look. "Right, like I can stop it."
"Well, why don't you take a nap. It's still a long way off."
"Guess I'll try," Ghost said, and tried to get into a more comfortable position.
"Don't hang your head out the window like that," Steve said, as Ghost had done exactly that.
"Shh, I can't sleep with you talking and interrupting," Ghost said. He didn't change his position, though.
"Well, don't get all pissy about it," Steve said. Ghost didn't answer, and Steve figured he'd best leave it at that. He changed the radio channels some more, and kept on driving.
As the afternoon continued, the sun beat down on them ever hotter. Steve had gotten tired of listening to the radio; it was mostly advertisements, static, or songs he didn't like. Ghost was still asleep, slumped over in an awkward position. The window was still rolled down, letting in the hot air, and he saw that Ghost was getting a bit sunburned, now.
"Hey, Ghost, wake up." He reached over, shaking Ghost until he woke up. "You're getting all red. Sit up and roll up the window. I'm turning on the air-conditioner."
"Huh...what?" Ghost could barely say anything, his mouth was so dry. "Dry...need water," he managed to say, as he shoved himself into a more or less sitting position. He was squinching his eyes against the brightness of the day.
"Roll up the window." Steve flipped on the A/C which at first blasted hot air on them.
"Aagghh," Ghost panted, and tried to swallow.
Steve thought of how he'd love to pull over and moisten Ghost's mouth with his own. "No," he thought, "I can't think it right now." He looked over at Ghost again, relieved Ghost hadn't heard that thought.
Ghost was coughing and choking, now.
"Ghost, you gonna be ok?" Steve asked, alarmed now.
Ghost shook his head, and gasped. His cheeks were still red, but around his mouth was turning pale, tinged with blue.
"Oh God, hang on, I'm pulling over," Steve said, as he put on the brakes, grinding to a halt in the gravel on the side of the road. He needed to cool Ghost off quickly, but there wasn't any water in the U-Haul. Linda had all the drinks in the cooler, in in her van, and she was still about a mile behind them.
With some trouble, as Ghost had somehow slid sideways in the seat, Steve unfastened the seat belt. He aimed the air-conditioner vents toward Ghost's face. Then, he didn't know what else to do, until Linda caught up with them. He watched helplessly, as Ghost's eyes rolled back, and heard his jerky breathing.
"Hurry up, Linda," he begged.
When he saw her pull over behind the truck, he jumped out, running over and hollering, "Water...cold water...ice...anything...now..."
"What is it?" Linda asked, handing him the key to unlock the back of the van, where the cooler was.
He didn't answer, just grabbed a bottle of water, and some paper towels. She followed him, to see what was going on.
"Oh my God...he's had a heat stroke or something."
Steve wetted the paper towels, and bathed Ghost's head, face, arms, and chest with the cool water. He tried to get him to take a sip of water.
"Steve, he can't drink, he's passed out. Just keep cooling him," Linda said. She went to get more bottles of water, and to check on the kids.
"C'mon, Ghost, wake up," Steve kept saying, as he pushed Ghost's long hair off his forehead and neck, and kept blotting the paper towels on him.
Linda came back, handing Steve another bottle of water. "How is he?"
"Still out. What else can we do?"
"Try your phone. See if you can get a connection. I tried mine and it wasn't working," Linda said. "Here let me..." she took the water.
Steve found his phone and tried it. "Dammit, nothing," he said.
Ghost seemed to be coming around, now. "Ghost, come on, you're almost there," Steve said, hovering over Linda's shoulder.
"What...why...it's cold," Ghost said, pushing Linda's hand away. "Let me up."
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
# 258
warning...adult content
~
Steve continued driving down I-40, heading for Oklahoma City. Ghost napped, and Linda was keeping up, following them. The first fast food place Steve saw, he pulled in. Linda and the kids pulled up beside him, in the parking lot of a McDonald's. Stevie and Mandy were excited that this one had a play yard, and as soon as they were allowed, they made a beeline for it. Pretty soon, Linda had to call them over to eat their breakfast.
As they sat there at the table, Steve laid out the next phase of the trip. "I want to avoid going down the middle of the city. This here road, or highway, or whatever it's called that we're on..."
"Interstate..." Ghost said, interrupting.
"Interstate, yeah...anyway," Steve said, "it goes around the city, mostly, and comes out this exit to keep going. That's what we'll do. He showed Linda on the map. "We may get separated a little, but just stay on 40 and you'll see me, after we get out in the open again. I'll pull over.
Linda nodded, "Yes, I think I've got it."
They finished eating, and Linda let the kids play for a few more minutes. As they watched, Steve said, "I figure we've got a few hundred miles in us today. It's still early, and I'm hoping to make it most of the way through Arkansas."
"With a couple of stops?" Linda asked.
"Yeah, and then we can stay the night in Little Rock." He showed her where that was, on the map.
Ghost leaned in to take a look, running his finger across the Interstate line Steve had highlighted. Then, he stopped, making a circle around a town called Ozark. It was not too far past the Oklahoma border. Then he followed the line farther past Little Rock, and stopped at another town, Forrest City. They both were just off the I-40 highway.
"What'cha looking for?" Steve asked.
Ghost didn't answer for a minute, just kept concentrating on those two towns. "We have to stop at these places, Steve."
"Huh...why? There's nothing there we need to stop for, and they're barely even big enough to be on the map," Steve said, shaking his head.
Ghost looked up. "I have to."
Steve could tell he was serious about it. "What is it, Ghost? Why these towns? I mean, we'll probably need gas and all anyway, but what's the deal with these?"
Shrugging, Ghost said, "I have to find something." He pointed, again, to the two towns. "It's there...and...there." They looked to be several hundred miles apart.
"Find what?" Linda asked. "Have you ever been to these places?"
"No, but there's something. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it drawing me to them. It's mine, and I have to get it. It's been waiting a long time," Ghost said. He was getting that far-away look in his eyes, that Steve knew so well. The look that he knew Ghost was seeing things...visions of something, something important, and he'd be telling some fantastic story any second now.
Normally, Steve loved hearing Ghost's stories, and loved that Ghost could do this, but not right now. They needed to get going, again. "Ok, so we stop at these towns. Then what?" Steve asked, trying to derail the story a bit.
"Hmm?"
"Listen, Ghost, we need to get back on the road. I don't know what it is you need to find, but we can make a quick stop, if you want to." He looked over at Linda. "Ok with you?"
"Uh, sure...I wouldn't mind. We could get out and stretch our legs, I guess," Linda said.
Sighing, Steve said, "Ok, we'll stop. For now, let's just get back on the road." He got up from the table, while Linda went to get the kids from the play yard.
"It is important, Steve."
"I know."
~
They were finally all back in the truck and van, and were heading east, again, to find something...something that was calling to Ghost. Steve kept trying to find a good radio station to listen to. Ghost was leaning his head back on the seat, but he wasn't asleep. He wasn't looking at the passing scenery, either. He was seeing something, though, Steve knew.
"You want to talk about it?" he asked.
"Hmm?" Ghost murmured.
"Talk - about - it? About what it is that you're supposed to find," Steve said.
"Oh, I don't know what it is," Ghost said.
Steve sighed. "This isn't some wild goose chase is it?" he said, instantly regretting saying that, figuring Ghost would start talking about chasing geese, now.
"No, I'm not gonna talk about geese, Steve. I know what you mean, but I can't explain it. I don't know what it is I'm supposed to find, but I'll know it's the right thing, when I see it." He thought for a minute. "It's for sale. I have to buy it back, because it used to be mine, or my grandmother's. It's telling me to come find it, and bring it back home." He rubbed his forehead. "It's making my head hurt."
"Well, don't think abut it, then," Steve said.
Ghost gave him a look. "Right, like I can stop it."
"Well, why don't you take a nap. It's still a long way off."
"Guess I'll try," Ghost said, and tried to get into a more comfortable position.
"Don't hang your head out the window like that," Steve said, as Ghost had done exactly that.
"Shh, I can't sleep with you talking and interrupting," Ghost said. He didn't change his position, though.
"Well, don't get all pissy about it," Steve said. Ghost didn't answer, and Steve figured he'd best leave it at that. He changed the radio channels some more, and kept on driving.
As the afternoon continued, the sun beat down on them ever hotter. Steve had gotten tired of listening to the radio; it was mostly advertisements, static, or songs he didn't like. Ghost was still asleep, slumped over in an awkward position. The window was still rolled down, letting in the hot air, and he saw that Ghost was getting a bit sunburned, now.
"Hey, Ghost, wake up." He reached over, shaking Ghost until he woke up. "You're getting all red. Sit up and roll up the window. I'm turning on the air-conditioner."
"Huh...what?" Ghost could barely say anything, his mouth was so dry. "Dry...need water," he managed to say, as he shoved himself into a more or less sitting position. He was squinching his eyes against the brightness of the day.
"Roll up the window." Steve flipped on the A/C which at first blasted hot air on them.
"Aagghh," Ghost panted, and tried to swallow.
Steve thought of how he'd love to pull over and moisten Ghost's mouth with his own. "No," he thought, "I can't think it right now." He looked over at Ghost again, relieved Ghost hadn't heard that thought.
Ghost was coughing and choking, now.
"Ghost, you gonna be ok?" Steve asked, alarmed now.
Ghost shook his head, and gasped. His cheeks were still red, but around his mouth was turning pale, tinged with blue.
"Oh God, hang on, I'm pulling over," Steve said, as he put on the brakes, grinding to a halt in the gravel on the side of the road. He needed to cool Ghost off quickly, but there wasn't any water in the U-Haul. Linda had all the drinks in the cooler, in in her van, and she was still about a mile behind them.
With some trouble, as Ghost had somehow slid sideways in the seat, Steve unfastened the seat belt. He aimed the air-conditioner vents toward Ghost's face. Then, he didn't know what else to do, until Linda caught up with them. He watched helplessly, as Ghost's eyes rolled back, and heard his jerky breathing.
"Hurry up, Linda," he begged.
When he saw her pull over behind the truck, he jumped out, running over and hollering, "Water...cold water...ice...anything...now..."
"What is it?" Linda asked, handing him the key to unlock the back of the van, where the cooler was.
He didn't answer, just grabbed a bottle of water, and some paper towels. She followed him, to see what was going on.
"Oh my God...he's had a heat stroke or something."
Steve wetted the paper towels, and bathed Ghost's head, face, arms, and chest with the cool water. He tried to get him to take a sip of water.
"Steve, he can't drink, he's passed out. Just keep cooling him," Linda said. She went to get more bottles of water, and to check on the kids.
"C'mon, Ghost, wake up," Steve kept saying, as he pushed Ghost's long hair off his forehead and neck, and kept blotting the paper towels on him.
Linda came back, handing Steve another bottle of water. "How is he?"
"Still out. What else can we do?"
"Try your phone. See if you can get a connection. I tried mine and it wasn't working," Linda said. "Here let me..." she took the water.
Steve found his phone and tried it. "Dammit, nothing," he said.
Ghost seemed to be coming around, now. "Ghost, come on, you're almost there," Steve said, hovering over Linda's shoulder.
"What...why...it's cold," Ghost said, pushing Linda's hand away. "Let me up."
~
Next part coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
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