Hazy View: Souls of the Vanished (15 page)

She was sitting in the kitchen and
sipped on coffee and snacked on a sandwich her mother had made. Her
mother always had the opinion that she wasn’t eating enough. She
hadn’t picked up much weight. She left home to work in Hazy View
more than six years ago. Maybe her work in the department store, as
Vanessa told her numerous times, had kept her slim and trim. It
looked like men had no interests in a girl who was too skinny.
Since she had left home she had not mentioned dating nor had she
spoken about any man. This worried her mother, what if she
preferred the same gender. Luckily she hadn’t mentioned that
either.

Her mother was sitting with her and
started with idol conversations, leading to the more pressing
matters. She would like to meet her grandchildren before she died.
It was always the reason to discuss men.

The kitchen had limited space but was
warm and cozy. It was the average city apartment kitchen. Wooden
cabinets all painted in a cream color with brass handles. A
four-plate gas stove, a few appliances, a fridge and simple tiled
countertops. The twin sink were different, other kitchens held just
one. One large window made the kitchen cozier in the winter and
cooler in the summer. The floor’s covered in cream colored stick on
tiles that had a few corners missing, showing the concrete beneath.
The short counter only allowed for three chairs. There was no doors
and conversations traveled through the apartment with ease. A short
florescent light was enough to give light to the kitchen on a dark
night.

“
Good heavens is that the
time. Sorry mom we’ll chat later. I’m supposed to meet my friend at
the mall ten minutes ago.” Vanessa started and swallowed the last
of her coffee.

“
Is it a boy?” Her mother
asked hopefully.

“
Mom…” She moaned and got
up and left the kitchen.

Vanessa headed for the door and
paused. She ran back to her mother and landed a warm kiss on her
forehead before darting for the door again, before her mother
started on the subject of men.

“
A mother can hope can’t
she?” She said and smiled innocently.

“
Later mom, don’t wait
up.”

Vanessa left the apartment hastily and
darted to the elevator.

On the pavement she didn’t even bother
to try to stop the taxies that rushed by. She walked briskly into
the parking lot of the mall only a few blocks away. She entered the
mall and skipped the steps up the escalator to the coffee shop on
the second floor. She glanced through the customers. She spotted
her friend and moved quickly platting through the tables and joined
her.

“
Sorry I’m late, but my
mother’s going off her rocker again. What am I, a baby making
machine?” She complained and sat down.

“
She’s not letting up?”
Her friend Debra asked finishing a strawberry milk
shake.

“
No. All she wants to do
is marry me off and sit back while I pop out babies just to make
her happy before she dies.”

“
What about that guy you
told me about?” Debra teased.

“
You must be joking.
Martin’s too old and bordering on crazy.”

“
I thought you said he’s
such a good guy.”

“
You sound like my mother.
By the way he was, now he’s insane. Thank God he left and went back
to his wife.” Vanessa shuffled around in her chair getting her
sitting when the waiter walked over.

“
Would you like to place
an order?”

“
No thanks we’ll be
leaving soon. You can bring me the bill.” Debra informed and turned
her attention back to Vanessa. “Wasn’t he the sheriff or
something?”

“
Yes but after his wife
left him he changed for the worse. It nearly broke him. He battled
to deal with it shame the poor man. It was so heartbreaking to see
him go through that alone. He almost drank himself to death, I mean
every waken moment he would suck on a bottle or glass until he
couldn’t stand anymore. He didn’t pay as much attention to his work
and he hardly slept. He only slept when he passes out from all the
alcohol, then he still had nightmares. I do believe that’s why he
didn’t want to sleep anymore. How he’s still alive I don’t know
it’s truly a miracle. Totally off his rocker, that’s why I am glad
he left. I don’t think I could deal with him anymore, he started to
drag me down the same road, and I can’t keep up with him anymore.”
Vanessa complained again.

“
I can’t believe it’s that
bad. Men, whose wife’s leaves them, get a girlfriend and moves on
very quickly.” Debra said she spoke out of experience.

“
Whatever his problem was
he needs serious help and fast. Thank God it’s not my problem
anymore.”

“
Maybe he did something
else that he doesn’t want anyone to know about. Now that he
couldn’t handle it anymore he ran away like a dog with his tail
between his legs. This world is full of crazy people, more than you
might think. If you look at them you’d never guess they can do
terrible things until one day they crack.” Debra snapped her
fingers.

The waiter brought the bill. Debra
paid it and got up. As they left the coffee shop they walked
towards the cinema.

“
That can’t be, nuts are
one thing but he wouldn’t break the law. It runs in him like blood.
Besides we’re here to have fun. I’m going back tomorrow, let’s not
talk about men, babies or anything depressing like that.” Vanessa
said and paid for the tickets at the kiosk before getting sweets,
drinks and popcorn.

“
Great I’m with you on
that.” Debra said walking into the cinema.

*~*~*

*III*

Mr. Craft still needed to check the
equipment. Finally he walked out of the house to meet Tom at the
coffee shop. He pulled the door closed. A light breeze played
through his hair, the sun’s brightness had faded, and rain
threatened. Not wanting to leave the equipment or become a victim
he drove away heavy hearted.

Janet appeared in the upstairs passage
moving toward the stairs. Christopher ran circles around her,
disappearing and reappearing. To him the ability was fun. He
couldn’t get enough of his new found speed, as long as he wasn’t in
the lake, its bitter cold and too dark, it scared him. It was a
small comfort to be home again, seeing his old room although it was
different. But its home, it had toys, bedding and a bed. He avoided
the bed. He stared at it briefly then ran around again, into the
passage and around his mother. In the house he could at least move,
he wasn’t cold as in the lake and he could see. He ran playfully
into his old bedroom and then into the bathroom. Laughter broke the
silence and fell silent before it would flair up again.

Sensors sounded as temperatures
plummeted.

The sound didn't faze Janet as she
wandered around echoing a soft mournful weep. She had reached the
stairs and descended slowly. Now and then she released an ear
deafening screech and fell silent for just a moment, then continued
with the mournful weep.

Christopher still padded through the
upstairs, water squeaking from under his feet as little wet
footprints remained. Cameras recorded their every move, sound and
temperature change.

Janet moved through the lounge and
dining room, turned and released a horrid rage filled scream. She
swept at a chair standing half out from under the table and flung
it across the room reducing it to firewood and
splinters.

A hoarse stalker kind of breath, a
more spooky taunting sound echoed through the house.

Another chair rattled as it vibrated,
tilting to its hind legs and spun around before sliding across the
tiled floor and stopped in the kitchen.

Silence fell hard for about a minute
as she expected some kind of response, nothing happened. Laughter
burst into the upstairs area and a loud thump and dragging of
something heavy echoed.

Down stairs kitchen cupboards rattled
and appliances switched on and off while vibrating. The kitchen
taps rattled, blowing out air and splashes of water. Walls creaked.
Windows cracked and shattered, the sound carried for some distance
although the glass remained undamaged. A mug vibrated and shot off
the dry rack and smashed into pieces against the far
wall.

A sudden uneasy unearthing silence
fell. The echoing moan stopped. All activities seized, temperature
returned to normal.

Cameras stopped sounding and returned
to a hibernated state. Janet and Christopher vanished echoing from
the far corner of the lawn, heading toward the rock
face.

*~*~*

*IV*

Martin was weary, unable to sleep. His
eyes were red and sagging, bags hung heavy under them. He stumbled
through the house, bumping into furniture and walls. His ears were
dull and the bumping sounds muffled. He reached out for the light
switch, clicked it on and waited for power to light his
way.

Nothing happened.

The house remained dark and it made
him nervous. The darkness had finally engulfed him. He stumbled to
the kitchen bumping into the center counter sending dishes and pots
to the floor as it fell with a loud clung and shatter of glass. He
aimed for the fridge, its soft hum now silenced by the lack of
power. He opened the door and fumbles inside for more
beer.

The fridge was empty.

He slammed the door.

A glass fell off the top and broke. He
stumbled out the kitchen into a short passage. He wondered through
the dark house upstairs and down, back and forth, looking for
light.

“
I need to find a light.
Something would find me, grab me and drag me to a pit.” Martin
mumbled frightened.

He opened the back door.

There too it was dark, the moon hid
behind a blanket of heavy dark clouds. The light had found him
unworthy. The wind was cold and wrapped around him, he gasped for
air. He was alone and his resources of alcohol had dried up. He had
nothing and now he must face the demon that had come to claim him
without a wall to protect him.

Martin was breathless.

“
What if she finds me? She
will take me. I didn’t get far enough. I had only given her time to
call out for help and draw attention. What if Andrew figured it
out? What if he knew what I’ve done?” Martin called out and paced
nervously.

Martin returned to the lounge and sunk
into the couch.

A giggle broke the silence, coming
down the stairs, bare feet tapped on the bare wood.

At the bottom it skipped across the
carpeted passage then stopped.

He focused on the sounds, searching
for an image, hoping to could see the boy alive and
well.

Martin pleaded hard, gasped and then
wept.

“
Please forgive me...
please take me now and stop the suffering. Release me, take me into
the light, reunite me with the ones I did wrong. It’s not my
fault.”

Martin sat on the carpeted floor,
kneeling and clutching his hands. The giggle surrounded him, above
him, filling his every being.

Martin felt relieved. At least the
suffering came to an end. Christopher came to take him into the
light. Where was he hiding? Why wasn’t he showing
himself?

The house fell silent. The giggle
vanished. The lights flashed and restored the house to sound and
lights.

*~*~*

*V*

Andrew awoke to the sight of city
lights in his eyes. “It looks like we’re getting close to
Ohio.”

He wiped the tiredness out of his eyes
and watch buildings as they rushed by. He shuffled in the passenger
seat. He opened the window slightly to let the early morning air
into the cab. Helen was still driving and making the most of the
soft music playing in the background. She was humming cheerfully
although she had been driving for more than six hours
straight.

“
There’s a rest stop up
ahead. I just need to get gas then we can hit the road again. I
hope we can make it there before noon.” She informed chewing on a
stick of dried meat.

She had felt the cool of the early
morning past and slipped into a light green sweater. She had kicked
off her slip on shoes and tied her hair into a rough ponytail. Her
make-up refreshed clearly she had stopped while Andrew was
sleeping.

Andrew said.
“Would you like me to take the last shift? I’m sure you’re tired by
now. We don’t have that far to go.” Andrew yawned and stretched the
tension out of his neck and body.

Sitting and sleeping wasn’t as
comfortable as he had hoped, but at least he’s not tired anymore.
Hopefully he would get to Martin without falling asleep
again.

“
When we stop you can take
over. I’m fine for now. I just had an energy drink for a boost. I
think you should try one of these. They are really tasty and
good.”

“
Thanks.”

“
Don’t mention
it.”

“
You’re still going to
tell me why you divorced your husband.”

“
I think I just had enough
of taking the blame for everything. He’s more of a control freak. I
married too young I think.”