Haunted

by Tredick Foster

  He turned the volume up a little and chuckled. The woman had been singing about feeling like a woman over guitar riffs. I loved the guitar, but this sounded awful. I remember thinking “I’d rather take Barney than this.” Of course, all Mom did was smile while holding up her right hand, calling out “Yeehaw!” They bounced in their seats while I was left covering my ears.

  I’d packed a book bag of things I didn’t want to have packed up in boxes. Things that I’d want with me when we’d make the trip to Potton from Oldbridge. I had my Game Boy in there, which I was too depressed to play. I’d even had a notebook and some pencils stuffed in there, which I thought I’d write in as we made our way out. That didn’t happen either. However, I almost had forgotten the one thing that would be my saving grace at this moment.

  I’d remembered I’d packed my Walkman with me! I had that in there with a couple tapes, like the Darkbreakers II soundtrack! My backpack was down on the floorboard of the car, but it was in front of the big ass cooler beside me. I stripped off the blue, oversized flannel with rolled sleeves and leaned forward, my face pressed against the back of the front passenger seat.

  My left arm out, I reached for my book bag with desperation. My fingers flicked at the hook strap. The god awful country music echoing through my ears, mixed with the tone deaf singing of my parents. In a last ditch effort, I managed to squeeze one last centimeter from my arm and hook my middle finger around the hook strap, yanking it to me with pure desperation.

  I quickly unzipped it and pulled out my Walkman; the cheap, bass-less headphones wrapped around it. I gripped the wires and held up the tape player, only to let it fall into my lap. It spun in the air as the wires unwrapped from it. Like my life depended on it, I put the tiny muffs over my ears and practically punched the play button. I cranked the volume to max and put my hands over my ears, letting “Man in the Box” blast into my brain.

  The overdriven guitar was a godsend brought to me only by the saving grace of Evan Beck. Out of the entirety of my family, he’s gotta be the one person that gets me the most; both then and now. With my nerves quickly relaxing, I closed my eyes and leaned against the door again. The aluminum headband on the headphones made a small tink as my head rested against the window.

  I listened to the music given to me by my cousin; a brother I thought I’d never see again. The music in my ears had faded into “One Headlight” a much calmer song in comparison. I watched as the side of the highway offered me nothing but empty fields and lines of trees to entertain me as we rolled passed. I deeply missed the sights of sound dampening walls and lines of townhouses.

  We were traversing hundreds of miles of nothing to get to some place they’d been talking about like it was Mecca. I didn’t even know what Mecca was back then, I just knew people in movies used it in place of the word Paradise. I was still so mad and depressed that I was trying to sound more adult in my head to try and lend credence to the severity of it all.

  The further we went into this nothing, the more I felt...something. The dogs barking at the start of “Been Caught Stealing” tried to distract me from focusing on this feeling. It started in the pit of my stomach, this solid pressure. This dull ache slowly grew and gripped the center of my ribs the further we were from Oldbridge. I was confused about what it was at first, but I came to realize what it was soon enough.

  It was the reality that I’d never get to see my friends again; at least that was the reality at the time. Rod and Reggie; my next door neighbors who’d come over and play video games or practice self taught martial arts in the backyard. Quincey, Philip, Jeremy, Reid; my best friends for life from Kindergarten to fifth grade. There was no hope I’d be seeing anyone ever again, even if I’d been promised I’d visit.

  I didn’t even realize I’d started crying until there were tears rolling down my cheeks. I probably would’ve never realized had I not caught my reflection in the window. “Something’s Always Wrong” started to play and it only made it worse for me. Toad the Wet Sprocket always seemed to hit me pretty hard, anyways. Even today, that one song could probably define my whole life.

  I just leaned forward, covering my face with my hands while my head dug into the seat in front of me. Something really was wrong and it was just getting worse the further into this valley we went. It was this feeling of loneliness. The despair that everything I’d ever known was gone. That moment was the first time I’d ever felt depression.

  Chapter 12

  “Oh, stop being such a fucking pussy!” A woman suddenly barked. It wasn’t Lilith. She suddenly jumped in my lap from the sudden bark and tone of the other woman’s voice. I straightened my back, ready for some new threat. Our lines of sight went straight to the passenger side.

  There sat another woman; almost the antithesis of Lilith in every way. While Lilith had been kinda pale, this woman had a healthy tan. She was also just as slender as Lilith, while having a larger bust. The real difference between the two had been the fact that this new woman was dressed.

  The color of her messy black hair matching with the loose fitting black Pearl Jam t-shirt. Over that was an open green flannel shirt. Her ensemble was finally pulled together by her blue jeans, sporting alt-rock rock style tears in the knees along with black, beaten-looking Doc Martens. It’s her…

  “Jesus fucking Christ, it's you!” I exclaim. Lilith looks to me, then back to her. “Who the fuck are you?” Lilith barks, clearly angered. I divide my attention to the alt-rock girl and the road as she leans, looking Lilith square in the eye. “None of your business, succubus.” Lilith narrows her brow, clearly offended, “What?”

  The alt-rock girl looks to me, sitting back upright while ignoring Lilith completely. “Try slowing down.” She tells me. I look over at her, almost offended “You’re fucking insane if you think I’m not gonna do anything less than haul ass away from that!” I take my hand off the shifter and point my thumb towards the back. She doesn’t even bother looking back; instead slouching in the seat while propping her foot on the dashboard, snickering.

  “Besides, this one won’t let me!” I continue, referring to Lilith. I grab the shifter again, taking a turn pretty hard that throws everyone to the left. The alt-rock girl slides into Lilith and pushes her feet off her lap before sliding back over to the passenger side.

  “Be a lot safer in here if someone didn’t cut the seatbelts out.” The alt-rock girl grumbles. Lilith puts her feet back on the bench seat and holds her foot up, flicking her toes at her. “Go away, bitch. You’re not even supposed to be here.” Lilith sasses.

  I look to Lilith quizzically before the alt-rock girl interrupts my train of thought. “What are we hauling ass away from again?” I widen my eyes and look back over at her. She didn’t even look the first time I pointed it out and she’s not looking now. “Are you kidding me?” I call out.

  I wait until we have a long enough straight away before taking my hand off the shifter again and actually turn part way around to point towards the back window, my arm stretched into the back seat. I look straight out, arm extended the whole way before I yell at the top of my lungs. “WE’RE RUNNING FROM tha-...” I hesitate, looking to my hand as I turn back around.

  “I can move...” I mumble to myself. Alt-rock girl snickered as she leans her elbow on the door, just silently looking back at me. Lilith’s eyes widen, looking to my hand. “Makes you wonder what else is all in your head, huh?” The alt-rock girl adds to my revelation.

  Lilith shoots an angry look at her. “That’s not how this is supposed to go! You’re ruining everything!” She scolds. I’m not even paying attention to either of them at this point. My foot slips off the gas and the car starts to slow down; rolling just on pure momentum.

  I look in the rearview again and I can see the massive flood slow down as well. Just then, I look at my own eyes in the mirror and see they’re completely black. Why the hell are they like that? Is it Lilith? The two women in the car keep arguing, I’m still not sure about what. Honestly, I don’t care about wha
t it is.

  I think back to the rumors that went around about the Black Betty of Back Road. “He drives that car like a bat out of Hell. Some say he’s actually running from something.” Wyatt’s voice echoing in my head as I think back to it. Running away from something. What is it Lilith said earlier? I swear she said something about me running away…

  I stomp on the clutch, popping it back into first. I hit the gas, revving the engine with another loud roar as I cut the wheel to the right and stomp on the break. The ass end of the car swings around as the tires scream into the night before we stop in place, cold. Everyone in the car is thrown to the left again. I’m operating on my own knowledge of cars, so I no doubt just fucked up the engine.

  The alt-rock girl is clearly annoyed she’s anywhere near Lilith, but once she looks forward she cracks a smile. The mammoth mass of amorphous god-knows-what is towering over us probably a dozen or so yards away. It’s eyes are still forming, popping and reopening all over itself. This thing that’s haunted me for so long. This thing I haven’t seen or heard of since then.

  “Those eyes.” I growl, “It’s like they’re staring right fucking through me again.” I grip the steering wheel with my left hand again and the shifter with my right. “Lets see what happens this time when I stare back!”

  I quickly stomp the gas to the floor. The tires spin in place, smoking of a second before they catch traction and it suddenly guns forward. We hurtle towards the formless mass, much to Lilith’s horror. She’s gripping me, tight.

  “What the hell are you doing?” she screams, but all I do is smirk. I can tell she’s not used to feeling fear like this. Or is it anger? I wait for the sound of the engine before I hit the clutch and shift into second, then third. The mass isn’t moving an inch as we rocket closer and closer.

  In a hail-mary move, I quickly took my hand off the shifter and cut the lights on just inches from the mass. I snap my hand back to the shifter, going into fourth gear. The nose of the car runs easily into the mass as one of the eyes suddenly opens, looking straight into the car half a second before we run through it.

  On the other side, there’s nothing; only the world I once thought eviscerated by the black mass; albeit inside a seemingly harmless shade. I laugh hard as I keep laying on the gas pedal. The rest of the mass around us starts to swirl and pull behind us rather quickly. Once on the other side of the thing, the moonlight shines down on the car.

  The black paint job starts to bead and roll towards the back, as if it were made of water droplets. Underneath the inky, false paint job is a white shine, soon revealing a second tone of bright red; most likely making up the top half of the car. I look back and see the swirling blackness tornadoing into the back of the car. “Is that where the gas tank is?” I ask.

  I turn back around, looking out at the night covered landscape in front of me, smirking. This is when I realize Lilith isn’t on my lap anymore. I look around and see not only her, but the alt-rock girl is gone too. I sigh heavily and grumble, “Gone like a couple of farts in the wind.” I slow down, shifting into third with the decision to just cruise down the empty road ahead of me.

  My shoulders start to relax, I lean back in my seat and I prop my right arm on the back of it. I’ve got my license, but I’ve never really owned a car. Back in Oldbridge, I just used the Ryde app to get around. To be behind the wheel, making the decisions without a set destination. A smirk grows and I nod, “I could really get used to this.”

  My calm is interrupted by the vibration in my pocket. I lean to the side, taking my phone out and waking the screen. 12 missed calls, all from Wyatt and Kyle. “Shit.” I groan as I go to call him back. No doubt he’s probably hauling ass in his tow truck, trying to find me. Hell, Kyle probably left Fiona there in my bathtub, hauling ass out here too!

  Chapter 13

  The day had just started to set. The windows in the back office were wide open; a fan gently blowing air in from outside. I spent the whole morning just fucking around. Not much for a Darkbreaker - sorry, ex Darkbreaker to do during the day when everything happens at night.

  I sat at my desk, laptop open as I just stared at the desktop screen. I don’t have any internet here; not yet, at least. I’ve already watched what movies I care to play on it. Now I’m just sitting here, taking in the silence. I guess you can say it’s the first little bit of silence and alone time I’ve gotten since I’ve moved in.

  These bare white walls surrounding me. The door leading out to a darkened living room meant for social gatherings and relaxation. This bedroom I’m in meant for sleeping and recovery. Instead, I can’t help but feel what’s gone on inside these walls.

  Arguments with raised voices. Tears have been shed here, probably in this very spot. Love has been made here, as well as mistakes. I lean back in my desk chair as it squeaks loudly. I sigh, heavily while mumbling “That’s gonna get old real fucking quick.”

  I hear a feminine groan from the bathroom. I can’t help but think it has to do with this damn chair singing the song of its people. I get up, the chair squeaking again and head for the bathroom door, slightly cracked as I peer in.

  The nightlight does little to illuminate much inside, so I widen the crack, slightly. Fiona is laying in the tub, just where I left her. I can see her long black hair; ruffled and a mess on not only the pillow, but on her face as well. Her body is covered by a thin sheet while a few thick blankets pad the bare tub under her. I head into the bathroom, making sure to leave the door cracked a bit. “You awake now, Fi?” I ask, but I’m met with only groans.

  I close the toilet lid, sitting down on it. She sits up, the sheet falling off her and revealing her breasts. “Where am I?” She asks. “My office.” I simply state. She finally looked up at me, taking a second for her eyes to adjust before she asks, “Rick?” I nod with a smirk I hope she can see. “Yep,” I say.

  She reaches out, taking my hand that’s propped on my left knee and holding it. She gently pulls it towards her and rubs the back of my hand on her cheek. “I missed you.” I can’t help but smile. She must be pretty out of it, delirious. She seems like she’s still pretty out of it, even if she’s still just waking up.

  She sounds so innocent and pathetic. “How’d you find me?” She asks, I shake my head, “You seriously think I still can’t find you after twelve years?” She looks up, smiling at me “I’m not that easy to find.” I shake my head again, “Not to me, baby.”

  She tugs on my arm, leading me forward as I kneel on the linoleum floor. This helps her sit up. Her arms snaked around behind my neck, pulling me into her while mine wrap around her back. I think about how much I missed the feel of her smooth skin.

  “What happened?” She asked as we gently separate. I sat on the side of the tub, still holding her hand. “The house you were squatting in burned down. We found you there, half naked.” Her eyes widen as she weakly asks, “What? When? where are the others?”

  I lean in, gripping her hand supportively “Fi, those weren’t people you were with. You know that, right?” Her eyes start to well up with tears and she weakly pushes my hand away. She lays back down, her back to me. I sigh heavily and think how much of a chore this’ll be.

  I put my hand on her shoulder, but she brushes it off. She’s starting to cry a little. “They were my friends, Rick…” I put my hands on her shoulders, firmly gripping her and saying with authority “Fiona Hawkins, those things weren’t your friends and you know that.”

  She doesn’t respond, just lightly sobs into the pillow. I try not to show outward frustration. Fussing at her for being manipulated won't help at all. I care for her, I just wish she was more aware than she seems to be.

  I let her get it out for a while, letting her ride out the shock of the news. I brush her hair off her face and try to pull her back to reality. “Fi,” I ask, “I need you to tell me some things. Can you do that?” She doesn’t respond for a bit, but sighs. She turns her head just enough so I can hear her ask “What?” I ask her pretty bluntly, “Where do
they all go. When something’s wrong or whatever, do they meet somewhere?”

  She curls up again, muffled by the pillow, “You’re gonna go and kill them.” I take my hands off her, frustrated. “Fiona, if they cared about you so much, then why aren’t they here looking for you? If I can find you so easily, then how come they can’t?” She huffs, angrily in the pillow before turning over, “Don’t give me that, Rick Gibson!”

  She starts to stand up, spouting “After 15 years, you’re the only person who’s ever been able to find me no matter wh-” Fiona is caught off guard when the blanket under her slides against the bottom of the tub, causing her to slip. She lets out a small, but loud gasp as she goes airborne for a fraction of a second.

  I quickly reach out and grab her, kneeling one leg on the side of the tub. She clenches onto the back of my shirt, tight with fear. Her breasts pushing into my chest, heaving as she pants from fear. I can even feel her heart hammering against my chest. If she was any kind of out of it before, she’s clearly awake and lucid now.

  We lock eyes; seeing hers wide with fear slowly fall into complacency. I remind her “I’ve got you.” Her grip on my shirt loosens while she shifts her legs to kneel in the tub. “I know.” she whispers before moving closer to me.

  Our lips pressed tightly to one another. I loosen my grip on her body, enjoying her in my arms instead of clinging to her in protection. She wrestles with my shirt, pulling it up and off as she breaks our kiss. She moves to continue our kiss, but suddenly pauses. She’s looking at my right shoulder.