Outside, Elin had given up. She really thought she was onto something for a while. It was obvious the boy had seen her. Why had he been so afraid? Looking down at her appearance convinced her she looked like her normal self—apart from floating outside his window, of course. That must look scary.
But if he’d just look again, she’d make sure she smiled and looked her most appealing. She practiced fluttering her long lashes and smiling, showing her perfect teeth, hoping the anguish she felt didn’t make the whole performance appear grotesque.
Tapping the window again, attempting, if it was possible, for it to sound friendly. She waited expectantly but he didn’t come back. “Come on. Look out of the window again, please,” she begged.
Having tapped the glass a dozen times or more, the light of dawn finally forced her away from the house and nearer to the street lamp. Daylight would claim her soon—taking her to the oblivion she’d disappeared to when the sun peeped over the row of terraced houses. Tomorrow, she’d try again. Sooner or later he’d peer out and she’d charm him into helping her. They owed her that much for exiling her out here.
As the sun rose higher and brighter, reaching the familiar point of no return, paradoxically, it consigned Elin to darkness for another day.
Chapter Twenty-nine
“It’s the freakin’ weekend baby!” Aeron fist-pumped, placing a tray of drinks on the table for his housemates, minus one. As it was early, and he wasn’t needed behind the bar, he joined them, keen to discuss the gossip of Matthew’s departure.
“So, is he coming back?” he asked Josh, arguably the closest to the absentee. Josh shrugged.
“He wouldn’t say. But he didn’t go to lectures yesterday. He was getting stressed before Christmas. It just got too much for him, I guess.” The group nodded.
“What about you, Neil? Did he say anything to you?” Neil shook his head too. Memories of the ghostly mood he’d sensed returning to the house last night rattled in his mind.
“What is it?” Bronwyn asked, noticing his expression.
“Nothing…” Neil muttered.
“It’s obviously not nothing. Go on, Neil. Tell us.”
He paused, then decided feedback from the others might be reassuring.
“He went weird after the exorcism.” A simultaneous frown descended on the faces staring at him.
“He didn’t eat much when Neil’s dad bought us that Chinese,” Josh recalled to a gasp from everyone else.
“That is weird,” Bronwyn sneered.
“So, what do you think made him behave oddly then, Neil?” Aeron asked, impatient to find out before Jon summoned him back to the bar. Neil fidgeted with his beer mat and ran his fingers round the rim of his glass.
Without looking up, he said, “The ghost. Elin. I’m not sure she’s gone.”
Bronwyn groaned. Aeron shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Why?” he asked.
“Last night. When I came home from the pub, I felt strange. Just outside the house.”
“Outside? Well that’s not the same then is it? Were you drunk?” Aeron demanded.
“No! I wasn’t.”
“Oh, Neil. You felt strange? You are strange!” Bronwyn teased. “Listen. Father Jenkins said the ghost had gone, and I can tell you, I actually saw her leave.” Pausing, she took a deep breath and looked around the group for dramatic effect. “And we could all tell how different it was afterwards, couldn’t we?” Everyone nodded in unison.
“It was pretty late when you came back, Neil. You had a fleeting bout of nerves. Nothing real. As for Matthew. He was stressed before Christmas without the poltergeist to blame. He probably realised how much he was struggling with his course after spending time at home. Loads of people drop out. Let’s not make it something it’s not and start blaming ghosts again, yeah?”
Bronwyn’s scathing reproach left him regretting airing his concerns. But with arched eyebrows and pursed lips, he decided to take heart in the other’s vehement rebuff. Of course she’d gone. A priest, not to mention his psychic Auntie Sylvie, had confirmed it. Why was he so set on self-destructing just when he was doing so well? He didn’t know, but he wouldn’t let himself succumb to doubts.
Aeron re-joined his boss, who was surprisingly upbeat; noticeably different to his demeanour before Christmas.
“What was all that about?” Jon nosied.
“Nothing much. Matthew left today. Neil reckoned it might have been because we’ve got a ghost. We haven’t,” Aeron asserted in reply to Jon’s perplexed expression.
“How have things been here?” he inquired, not wanting to upset his boss with bad memories, but seeking reassurance things truly were back to normal.
“You mean the ghost we had?”
Aeron nodded.
“Never better, fingers crossed, touch wood,” he placed his hand flat on the bar. “It seems to have settled down. I was just under a lot of stress, I think. Had a couple of er… issues with the staff. “It must have affected me more than I was ready to admit. But everything’s A-Okay now.” Making the okay sign, circling his thumb and index finger, he turned toward a waiting customer. “What can I get you?” he beamed.
Aeron nodded, squinting at confirmed instincts. Just as he’d thought. Everything was back to normal, even here at the pub. Neil was just being a wimp as usual.
A lengthy night of serious relaxing in the form of indulgent inebriation followed. Jon kept the bar open for extra time and let them stay behind while Aeron cleared glasses and wiped tables. When the doors finally closed, they staggered home clinging to one another for mutual support. Aeron was the only one sober.
Elin saw them coming. She made her usual pleas for their help, but seeing the state of them, wasn’t surprised she couldn’t get their attention. Where was the other one, she wondered? The one who’d seen her last night?
She cursed herself when she realised he must have been in his room all along. How many hours had she squandered not tapping on the window? She wasted no more time and hurled herself backward and forward until she attained the necessary momentum to reach.
The room was in darkness. He must be asleep. Tapping as hard as she dare without breaking the glass, she muttered to herself. “He’ll soon be awake! I can’t spare any more time for him to have a rest!”
It was quickly apparent he wasn’t going to answer. Maybe he wasn’t there, she fumed. Gulping to the pit of her stomach, she was terrified she might have scared him away. What if he never returned?
Her plan to get help was going from bad to worse. A giant sob erupted from deep within as despair began its consumption of her every thought. Her resident optimism prepared to wave the white flag. The hopelessness of her situation was crushing. She didn’t want to give up. The consequences were unthinkable. But what else could she do?
The sensitive ones amongst the students residing at number twenty-four Rhondda Street would admit, if pushed, that it did feel spooky outside the house. It passed when they walked away or went inside. A conscious effort combined with natural distractions meant it was becoming easier to ignore.
Neil was too excited to notice anything peculiar today. He had a date for his driving test. In three weeks’ time, with the right preparation, he could be driving around freely. On top of that, he was due to hand in the assignments he’d been behind with today. Catching up and being back on track felt fantastic.
A horn made him jump as the ‘Learn 2 Drive’ car pulled up behind him. Sioned smiled approvingly at news he’d booked his test.
“You’re ready now, I think. We’ll polish the skills you have already, do a couple of mock tests, and you’ll breeze it.”
As Neil drove away, he couldn’t help grinning like a lunatic.
Chapter Thirty
“You must have some clue why my daughter is still in a coma,” demanded Emyr. “It’s been weeks now.”
The consultant looked at his shoes, embarrassed he had no answers. He knew it was unjustified. There were so many possible causes. “We can’t be c
ertain, Mr Treharne. I do understand your concerns.”
“Concerns! My daughter’s lying in a coma and no-one knows why, and you call it ‘concerns’?”
“We’re doing everything we can. As you’ve been advised, we suspect the fall combined with the glandular fever has caused the problem. There’s no sign of infection, and scans have revealed nothing. That should be viewed positively. It’s good news we’ve not found anything dire. But it’s just a waiting game at this stage.”
“And how long are we expected to wait?” Emyr wasn’t sure what he was even asking. He just wanted answers, and the man in front of him was where the buck stopped.
“That is something we can consider at another time. We haven’t yet given up hope that she will wake up. Try not to worry for now… I know that’s easier said than done.”
“Yes. Thank you, Doctor.” Emyr, puzzled but managed a smile as he walked away. As he reached the door, his true emotion crumpled his face. He sucked it back. He had to be strong for her mum and Alis… and for Elin too.
“Well. What did he say?” Glenda demanded, having sent her husband to find answers, she expected him to deliver. This was no good. There must be a test. There must be something they could do; that they should have done to find out what’s wrong with her daughter. She couldn’t just be left to not wake up. It was ridiculous.
“They still don’t know. But they haven’t given up hope. He said try not to worry.”
“Don’t worry?” she spat. “I’m so glad they haven’t given up hope,” she added caustically. “Did you tell him we’ll sue them for negligence if anything happens to my little girl? Did you tell them?” Clutching her daughter’s hand even tighter, she broke down into silent sobs.
Later on that day, Alis arrived at the hospital to relieve her from sitting with Elin. She’d willingly stay there all the time, but Alis and Emyr persuaded her that rest was crucial for her own health.
Alis brought some of Elin’s favourite music on her phone, and a little speaker to play it on. She’d read on the internet it sometimes helped.
“Oh, you are a good girl, Alis bach,” Glenda said, hobbling, exhausted from the room.
Shuffling down the long corridors of the hospital, one phrase played round and round her mind, chipping away at her with every pass: We haven’t given up hope. It was a phrase loaded with threat. It meant at some point in the indeterminate future, they would give up. And then what?
Chapter Thirty-one
Driving Test day had arrived and Neil couldn’t feel more ready. Sioned was due to collect him at eleven to take him to the test centre. A glance at his watch revealed it was only ten now. What could he do with himself in the meantime to stay calm? A cup of tea or coffee? What if that made him need a wee mid-test?
A knock at the door startled him from his dilemma. Sioned was early he thought, walking down the hallway. Some pre-test practice her likely plan. He opened his mouth to greet his instructor but was left gawping, surprised at who stood on the doorstep. A less familiar face smiled sheepishly up at him. It took a moment for Neil to recognise Matthew’s dad.
“I just wanted to get a few things from Matthew’s old room. Is that okay?” he asked.
“Sure,” Neil answered. “Old room? He’s not planning on coming back, then?”
“No.” He shook his head disparagingly. “The rent’s paid to the end of term, but basically, you guys might as well look for another housemate.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realise he was so stressed.”
“No. Neither did we. Christmas was great. But then, when he came back… I don’t know… It must have all got on top of him.”
Neil nodded slowly, trying not to think about Matthew leaving and what he’d worried about then. He went with Matthew’s dad upstairs to his room. Pushing open the door they were greeted by the putrid smell of old food wrappers and drinks cans giving a strangely unique rotting yet floral aroma.
“I’ve got my driving test in a little while. I’ll have to leave you with it, if that’s okay?” Neil was grateful for the excuse.
“Yeah. That’s fine,” said Matthew’s dad, pulling a roll of black bin bags from his back pocket. “I’ll lock the door when I leave,” he said. And as Neil turned to go, he added, “Good luck with your test,” giving a thumbs up which Neil returned.
Neil felt slightly guilty leaving the work to someone else, but it wasn’t his mess, and he did have to prepare for his test. He waited outside the house, a little way down the street so Matthew’s dad wouldn’t see him from the window and wonder if it wasn’t just an excuse.
Sioned turned up three quarters of an hour early with pre-test practice on her agenda, just as Neil had predicted. He smiled and took his place at the wheel.
“Let’s do this thing!” he said with a confidence he wasn’t even faking. “Bring it on.”
He walked, dour faced, into the snug at The Railway.
Already waiting at what was becoming their usual table, Bronwyn, Aeron and Josh sat expectantly.
Their eyebrows raised in response to his entrance. He looked miserable but with a tell-tale twinkle in his eyes. They went along with the façade, knowing it wouldn’t be for long and not wanting to spoil the moment.
“Aww. Never mind, bach,” Bronwyn colluded. Neil could contain himself no longer and burst into laughter. “Totally nailed it! First time!” he accepted his high-fives and deliberated what to drink.
“You mustn’t drink and drive. You don’t want to lose it on your first day,” Josh advised without looking up from his smart phone.
“I don’t want to lose it any day, obviously. But I haven’t got my car here yet. My dad’s gonna bring it down for me in a couple of days.”
“Why don’t you get the train? Get your car sooner, save your dad the journey. I’ll come with you if you like?”
Neil quickly worked out whether it would work with his lectures. And remembering one of his tutors was off sick and he had an extra day to himself, he agreed.
“I don’t need to be back ‘til after the weekend. We can make a trip of it. I can show you where I live. There’s actually a couple of pretty good clubs we can go to. You can be my wing-man,” Neil suggested, without the foggiest idea what that entailed.
“Cool,” agreed Josh, still engrossed in his phone.
They popped back to the house to grab a few things for the weekend and walked down to the Victorian grandeur of Swansea Central Railway Station. Waiting for the train, Neil made one-way conversation with his friend. Josh said ‘yeah’ and ‘mm hmm’ in the right places, but Neil knew he wasn’t listening.
Halfway through the journey, Neil decided to say.
“You’re great company, you are.”
“Yeah. Mm hmm,” Josh replied nodding, laughing inappropriately in response to his phone.
“What’s so funny?” Finally, Josh looked up and engaged with his friend. “Just some coding issues a friend from another uni is having trouble with.” He went on to explain, but despite them both being on the same software engineering course, it went completely over Neil’s head.
He panicked, wondering how Josh could be so much better at it. In lessons, he never spoke up. He wasn’t top of the class, but he sure knew his stuff. Neil took a deep breath. He was doing fine. His grades were fine, improving even. They were just different that was all.
He left Josh to his coding hilarity and fired up the kindle app on his phone. Scrolling down his library, he selected an intriguing romance novel he was halfway through. It was great no-one could tell what he was reading. He’d die of embarrassment if anyone could, but he was a true romantic at heart.
They arrived in Bishop’s Stortford at just after midnight. It took so much longer by train than Neil was used to that his surprise arrival had to be warned of half way through the journey. Collin and Carole were delighted and even offered to pick them up from the station.
Collin was waiting in the car for them when they walked out.
“Hello, Son. Hi Jos
h.” Josh looked up briefly to acknowledge Collin, trying not to be rude.
“What brings you home, then?” Collin asked.
“I’ve come to pick up my car,” Neil tried to sound nonchalant. It took longer than it might have done at a more reasonable hour for Collin to catch on.
“You’ve passed your test?” He hugged Neil and pumped his hand vigorously. “Congratulations. I didn’t even know you’d put in for it!”
Neil gave a coy shrug. “It’s no biggie.” Collin punched him jovially on the arm. “Really, well done, Son.”
They were still dissecting the finer points of Neil’s test when they pulled into the Hedges’ driveway.
“Quiet now boys. Your mum and sister are in bed.”
The next day, Neil took everybody for a ride in his car. They even ventured to Auntie Sylvie’s. Emma rabbited to her confined audience about how clever her brother was driving his own car, and how he would be able to take her places—like the zoo and Toy-R-Us.
When they arrived at Sylvie’s, Emma ran down the large, untidy garden where she was in the long process of constructing a den that she’d begun in the summer holidays.
When she was out of earshot, Sylvie inquired after the situation in Wales. “Tell me how it’s going in Swansea, then, Neil?”
“Good. It feels totally different. Everything stays where it’s supposed to.” He debated mentioning the creepy feeling he sometimes had outside, but he supposed he was being foolish so kept it to himself.
Neil loved being the ‘designated driver’ for a night out in town with Josh and a couple of his hometown friends. The thrill of driving was far more rewarding than a few beers. They offered lifts to some girls who declined. Which was fortunate, because there weren’t enough seats anyway, although Neil would happily have left the others to walk.
Blurred Lines: A box-set of reality bending supernatural fiction (Paranormal Tales from Wales Book 9) Page 51
