Ghost Story

by J G Jerome

“Okay, I’ll see you shortly. I need to make a quick call, so maybe ten minutes,” I tell him.

  “Sure thing, Will. Bye,” he signs off.

  I call Susan Rey, my boss at work. She picks up on the third ring. “Hello, Susan. Will James here…” I listen a moment. “...Actually, that’s why I’m calling. I’m pretty freaked out. I had to run to Walgreens this afternoon. While I was there, a guy tried to stab me - he said he ‘wanted me to die.’ I fought for my life, and eventually I killed him. The police let me go as it’s an obvious case of self-defense, but emotionally I am a mess…” she offers her condolences. “Yeah, I thought I’d take the rest of today and tomorrow. I’ve got everything ready for Monday…” she assures me it’s okay to take the time off. “Thanks, Susan. I’ll talk to you Monday.”

  I disconnect, and then start loading my weapons back onto my person. I clip the knife back in my pocket, and I clip the holster back on my right hip. Then I slam down a glass of water before I go to the loo and rid myself of the last one,

  I remove my second apartment key from my keyring, put it on a spare keyfob, and test it on the door. It works, so I head back to the bedroom, meeting the ladies as they emerge. I hand the key to Marissa.

  “This is Rebecca’s key. Since she doesn’t have a purse or pockets, I’ll ask you to hold it for her. I need to run over to the construction site.”

  Rebecca does a quick spin to show me how nice she looks in my white dress shirt - she definitely does. Then Marissa and Rebecca each give me a kiss. Marissa says, “We’ll be gone before you get back. Be careful, Will.”

  I hug them both to me before I head out the door.

  I lock up and rapidly walk down to the corner and up Aubrey. When I get to the alley, I cross the street and onto my property. I see Zach talking to a couple guys who look like they could crush rocks in their hands.

  “Hey, Zach. You want to show me this mystery?” I ask.

  He grimaces. “Yeah. Why not.”

  I recognize one of the guys from the gym, but I don’t know his name. I wave before following Zach down the ladder into the cellar. All of the rock is gone, leaving only dirt walls with four huge grey vertical posts - two on each of the longer walls. I see a long chain disappearing into each of the pillars. Each chain is made from links that are an inch thick; they were definitely made for heavy duty use. Each chain loops through a metal ring in the center of the space with a four-inch long half-inch bolt through the links to keep them connected with a two-inch washer on either side to keep the bolt head and nut from slipping through the links of the chain. The ring in the middle is about eight inches in diameter and an inch thick.

  I look at Zach. “What have you tried?”

  He lists off what they’ve attempted. “We tried taking off the nuts first. Then we tried penetrating oil, a chisel, a hacksaw, and a torch. Everything just bounced off the surface. Then we tried the same on the links. Look at this.” He points at one of the chains at the point it disappears into the post. “See this shiny part, that is from the hacksaw. We burned through three blades.” He squats next to the other post on the same wall. “See this patch here? We hit it with a cutting torch. Sparks flew, and then there was a bright flash. When we checked afterwards, it was like it renewed the metal. What little rust it had was gone, and that was the only difference from when we arrived. We tried those all on the ring, too.” Zach stands up and shrugs with both hands facing up. “Will, I’ve never seen anything like it. I’d love to have tools made out of whatever those chains are made of. I don’t know what to do. I was hoping we could at least separate the chains from the ring on one side, then we could bury them in the foundations.”

  “How about digging the posts out? Just lift the whole thing out,” I offer.

  Zach points at another post. “We were working on that when I called you. We’ve got a hole four-and-a-half feet deep next to this one. We haven’t found the bottom yet.”

  I shrug. “That seems the most promising. Let’s concentrate on that.”

  He says, “Okay. We won’t get much farther today. I’ll bring in some heavier equipment early tomorrow morning.”

  “Okay,” I reply as I kneel next to the ring. Zach climbs the ladder to go release his guys. “What the hell are you?” I murmur. I get a sense that I should know the answer, but I don’t gain any clarity. I get up, and I get that ‘not alone’ sensation as I crawl up the ladder.

  I wave goodbye to the crew and walk slowly home. I think to myself, ‘What a weird fucking day!’ I enjoy the walk back to the apartment. Marissa’s car is gone, so I walk past the apartment and cross Carleton on my way to the Hotel Vendome. I stop in and get a coffee before backtracking to the apartment.

  16 - Angels and Demons

  I walk a few laps around the couch after I lock the door. ‘What the fuck is happening to me? What am I becoming?’ I sip my coffee as I obsess. Finally, I shrug. ‘Fuck it. I’m going to the gym.’

  I load a gym bag, fill a couple water bottles, and then I text Marissa. ‘Going to the gym to burn off some stress. I’ll meet you at the apartment @ 6:30pm?’

  I get a response of ‘Sure thing. Have fun. XOXO from us both!’ as I get in the car.

  I take a moment to call Prescott Station to make a reservation at 7:00 for the three of us.

  I get to the gym in about ten minutes, check in, and throw my bag into a locker. I warm up on the bike and an eighteen-minute HIIT routine. I do a heavy weight set after that. Then I loosen up with a couple of rounds on the heavy bag. Then I finish with sixteen sprints in the pool and a hot tub soak. The hot water is the coup de grâce in my battle to burn off the stress of the day. I am exhausted, and my body feels like butter. As I’m soaking I think, ‘Shit! I should have checked that chain with my new second sight. I’ll run over there tomorrow morning early.’

  I take a leisurely shower before I head back to the apartment feeling more relaxed. I am looking forward to dinner with Rebecca and Marissa. I manage to get a parking place in front of the apartment next to Marissa’s Audi Q5.

  I hurry inside the apartment. Marissa wraps me in a hug and gives me a warm kiss. She tells me, “Rebecca is dressing in one of her new dresses. We also got her some cross-training shoes, a couple of sport bras and leggings. That was pretty bold for her.”

  Rebecca emerges from the bedroom in a bright yellow, short-sleeved dress with a small white print and white piping. Her dress has a fairly snug bodice with ‘pleated box’ type of flounce that reaches to barely two inches above her knees. She has some woven flats. She is biting her lip as she steps into the living room. She raises her eyes to look at me and spins slowly to give me the three hundred sixty degree view.

  “Rebecca, that dress looks beautiful on you,” I tell her.

  She gives me a worried look as Marissa nods to her. Rebecca asks, “It’s not too immodest, is it?”

  I step behind Marissa and raise her skirt up until I can see a white panty, then I inch it back down about two inches. Marissa wraps her arms around my neck as I stand behind her. I look at Rebecca, whose eyes are saucer-sized. “Rebecca honey, anything up to this length is okay. Anything shorter requires inspection and my agreement. I don’t intend for you to flash your goodies to anyone.”

  She answers, “I thought I might be immodest because my knees are showing. You don’t think so?”

  I shake my head slowly. I kiss Marissa’s cheek as I release her skirt to drop back down to about four inches above her knees. “No, baby. You look beautiful.” I release Marissa and walk to Rebecca to wrap her in a hug. “Beautiful, baby.” I tilt her chin upward so that I can kiss her. I release her lips. “You hungry, baby? I have reservations for dinner at 7:00pm. The thought of walking into a restaurant with you two beautiful ladies on my arms...I would be proud if you and Marissa would join me for dinner.”

  Marissa slides in next to Rebecca and wraps her arm through hers. Marissa asks, “What do you think, baby? You. Me. Will. All out having a lovely meal. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?” />
  Rebecca smiles as she looks from Marissa to me. Looking back to Marissa, Rebecca answers, “It does. Then let’s come back here and play music. I haven’t heard Will play.”

  They both look at me. I shrug. “Sounds like a lovely evening. Shall we Lyft? I wouldn’t mind drinking a bottle of wine. Or we could walk? It’s about five blocks…”

  Marissa says, “I don’t want to walk up that hill in these heels. I’ll drive. One bottle is one and a half glasses each. I will be able to drive. If we have two bottles, we Lyft or Uber back.”

  We all agree. I go unpack my bag to hang my workout togs up to dry. I grab a light sports coat and return to the living room. We share a round of kisses before heading to the restaurant.

  * * *

  We arrived early, but we were seated immediately. Rebecca got carded for wine. I vouched for her, but funnily enough neither the server nor the manager took my word for it. It just emphasized that getting her an official ID needs to be a priority. The food was great as always. We all had a lovely dinner. Rebecca was overwhelmed by some of the chili flavors in the dishes, but she enjoyed the meal regardless. We ate, visited, and laughed. We ordered a second bottle of wine, and we did manage to sneak a little to Rebecca amid much giggling. After the meal, we ordered one of each of the bite-sized desserts and shared them amongst ourselves. Rebecca and Marissa both voted for the 24 Karat Cheesecake as the winner, but there were several strong candidates.

  We did eventually call a Lyft to pick us up around 9:30 pm. We got home, and I broke another bottle open. Marissa poured water and wine while I tuned my acoustic guitar. I sang a variety of songs that I played at the brew pub. Marissa sang along on a couple - even putting a couple of harmony parts together in her rich alto voice. Rebecca didn’t know any of the songs, but she liked a couple of them. She demonstrated a good ear by humming or singing wordlessly along in a clear soprano voice. I put the guitar away and turned on the piano, and played the Joe Cocker tune ‘Feeling Alright,’ Elton John’s ‘Blue Eyes,’ and finished with Scott Joplin’s ‘the Entertainer.’

  After that I turned to Rebecca. I stood and waved her to take a seat at the piano. She demurred based on not having played in over one hundred years. Marissa and I both bullied her into it, and eventually she relented. She adjusted the bench and ran her fingers over the keys. She pressed down on the middle-C, listened to the tone, and nodded her head. Finally, she placed both hands on the keyboard, grinned, and broke into a rousing rendition of Camptown Races - singing to her own accompaniment in a clear soprano. We all laughed, and Marissa and I joined in the ‘Doo-dahs.’

  * * *

  We all laugh at the end of Rebecca's song. Marissa and I simultaneously kiss Rebecca on the cheek as we squeeze her into a warm hug. She hangs her head and smiles.

  Marissa returns to the loveseat, and I resume my seat on my desk chair. Rebecca slowly places her hands on the keyboard as she bobs her head to music only she can hear. Then she starts playing a familiar classical number. As she continues to play, I finally recognize it as a Mozart sonata, but I can’t remember exactly which one. Marissa and I sit in awe as we come to the realization that Rebecca is a very accomplished pianist. She doesn’t just play notes. Her technique is smooth and she plays with great control of dynamics. Music just rolls off her.

  Marissa and I clap as she finishes the Mozart, and Rebecca rolls immediately into a piece from Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. After that she doesn’t stop for our applause. Rather she starts into Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Rebecca finishes the piece and stands to face us as Marissa and I stand and applaud. Rebecca curtsies with an embarrassed flush on her face. We slowly stalk forward to wrap her in hugs and shower her with kisses. Rebecca laughs joyously as tears run down her face.

  I cup her face and Marissa sneaks in to kiss her tears dry. Rebecca says, “I never thought I’d get to play again. My mother always said I had musician’s hands, so she started me on piano when I was five. My craft and the piano were my joys in life before I died. Now I have them both back, plus my two loves. I’m the luckiest girl that ever lived or died.” We hug her tightly. Marissa is nibbling on Rebecca’s neck and I am devouring her mouth. Caressing and groping ensue all around.

  Then we hear a roar in the neighborhood. Rebecca’s eyes saucer. She says, “That voice. That is the last thing I remember hearing from my past life!”

  It roars again. It almost sounds like it’s calling ‘Rebecca!’ The voice sounds rather like an animal roar but full of pain and sorrow.

  I put my holster back on my belt and don my sports coat again. Unlocking the door, I step out onto the sidewalk. The ladies follow me out of the apartment, and we all stand still and listen.

  “Rebecca!” the voice hollers into the night.

  I look at the ladies. “I think it’s coming from my house. Zach found something strange today. Chains running through the cellar that he can’t break or cut. I planned to check it out tomorrow. Let me get a flashlight, and I’ll run up there.”

  Marissa is all business. “I’m coming with you. I’ll change into my flats. Give me just a minute.”

  Rebecca says, “Me too. It’s calling for me.” She looks at me with a worried expression. “It’s in such pain!”

  I both open the tailgates of my SUVs, and Marissa runs inside. I pull out a long, heavy, ‘4D’ Maglite and test it in the cargo compartment of my SUV. It’s as much a weapon as it is a handheld torch.

  Marissa is doing the one-legged dance to swap out her shoes as she steps out the door. I lock the apartment. I lock my vehicle, and then all three of us walk to my construction site.

  We cross Aubrey at the alley, and the ladies follow. Rebecca whispers, “I was right. This was Ms. Leuvenfelds’ house.”

  There is no moon visible, so natural light is minimal. Some of the lights of the town cast enough ambient light to make it past my garage, but I turn the light on as we continue toward the pit that used to be a cellar. I shine my light into the pit, and my mind is immediately blown.

  In the old cellar stands an angel. Literally, an angel. It’s naked, and its physique is tall with strong muscles on display, large white wings, and flowing white hair. It is a creature of beauty and grace. The metal ring attached to the four chains encircles its neck. It turns its face toward us and then hides its eyes from the bright light. We walk around the perimeter to stand facing the creature.

  I squat on the ground and adjust the direction the light is shining to avoid blinding the angel. I take in more details. The angel has broad, sinewy shoulders, massive sinewy pecs muscles, flat chiseled abs, and strong legs. Its hands and feet end in clawed fingers and toes. Its sculptured face is beautiful in its proportions but it’s rather androgynous, highlighted by eyes with silvery irises. The androgyny impression is further emphasized by the presence of breasts bigger than Marissa’s, a male package larger than my own rather significant offering, and what looks like a vulva hiding beneath its full scrotum.

  The angel speaks in a contralto voice. “Rebecca? Is that you?

  My newest lady responds, “Yes.”

  It clarifies, “Rebecca Silberschmid, daughter of Yacob and Marta Silberschmid?”

  Rebecca confirms, “Yes. Who are you?”

  It says, “I was summoned by Shimon Leuvenfeld to be your guardian angel.”

  Rebecca sighs, “I heard you call my name right before I died.”

  I ask, “Do you have a name?”

  It looks at me with suspicion before looking back at Rebecca. “Call me Gwen. You died?”

  Rebecca answers, “Yes. Well over one hundred thirty years ago. I was haunting the apartment of my beloved William. He helped me build a body so I could live again.” She squats next to me. “Turn off the torch, and look at Gwen with your second sight, Will.” She kisses my cheek in a way that feels like she was laying claim to me, so the angel wouldn’t harm me. It still had its usual tenderness and affection to it, but it was like she was making a declaration.

  The angel grunts at
Rebecca’s display as I shut off my flashlight and focus on using my second sight. The angel’s aura glows like a searchlight! “Jeez!” I exclaim as I turn my eyes away. I squint and turn back to it. There is only an aura. I see no life or death energy at all! I also see that the angel is shackled in the center of a pair of concentric circles of purple light inscribed in glyphs of purple, blue, and black. I see blue, black, red, and purple glyphs on the bolts holding the chains around the ring.

  I exclaim, “How did they ever get that ring around your neck! It’s solid metal. That had to hurt.”

  It responds, “It did. They coerced me into welding it onto myself. Would you like me to show you?”

  I give it a ‘fuck off’ look. “Honestly, I’m trying to figure out how to set you free. Try not to be an asshole.”

  The angel actually laughs. “I apologize. I hate being on display like one of your zoo animals.”

  I hand the large flashlight to Rebecca. She gets up and cuddles up to Marissa. I notice she lays claim to Marissa too as I make my way to the ladder.

  I tell the captive angel, “I don’t know what I can do, but if you’re willing to let me experiment I might be able to help.”

  Gwen says, “I would appreciate it - you’re William?”

  “Yes. It’s my pleasure to meet you, Gwen. I am seeing glyphs in a variety of colors. I feel like I can effect the blue ones and black ones - those feel like life and death energy. I don’t know what I’ll be able to do about the others.”

  Gwen asks, “What was your teacher’s focus?”

  I stop in front of the angel and look it in the face. “I never had a teacher.” The angel’s eyes open wide in surprise. I explain, “I became aware of having power when Rebecca’s ghost came to me to feed her, and she slowly grew a body from my essence. I also managed to remove breast cancer tumors from Marissa. Rebecca explained that she thinks I am inadvertently doing magic.”

  I kneel by the pair of concentric circles of purple light inscribed in glyphs of purple, blue, and black. I drag my foot back-and-forth through the circles until there is a trench bisecting the lines of the two circles. The purple light extinguishes, as do the purple glyphs. I absorb the energy from the blue and black glyphs.