Shadows in the Night

by J. J. Franck

  The bathroom door was slightly ajar. Kirt paced the hall outside the door and occasionally peeked in to make sure Avery was okay. Once the wound was cleaned up, Avery administered the antiseptic ointment and applied a large bandage to her knee. Kirt glanced in again.

  “Are you okay?” he finally asked, no longer being able to contain his concern.

  “I’m a little shook up,” Avery replied as she quickly wiped away her tears.

  “It was a set-up.”

  “You mean,” she started to say but stopped, not sure she should say the words out loud.

  Kirt suddenly appeared in the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the tub next to Avery. He would have liked to hold her hand but knew that was impossible. Kirt was unsure how he managed to shove Avery out of harms way earlier. So many things were troubling him about being dead, but then there was no manual telling him what to expect or how to react to situations. This was all new territory for him.

  “Yeah, it was Jake who tried to kill you,” Kirt choked on the words because it pained him to think where this was all going.

  It angered Avery how willing she let herself be duped into putting herself in harm's way.

  “But why?” Avery asked.

  “He must have figured out you know something.”

  It puzzled Avery as she tried to think back about every time she talked to Jake and what she said. There was no way he could have conceived that she knew anything that would implicate him in anything. Avery shook her head in disbelief.

  “I never said anything.”

  “He’s no dummy,” Kirt said turning his attention back to Avery. “Maybe, he just wanted to make sure there were no loose ends.”

  “I wonder if that was him who was following me today.”

  “You didn’t tell me you were being followed.”

  Avery got up and then hobbled out of the small room. She quickly walked over to the front window in the living room. Avery stood there for the longest time just looking down into the alley below where kids were playing soccer. She did not want to face Kirt or the barrage of questions he would have.

  Life was so much simpler before she knew him and now she wondered why he chose her to haunt, of all the people in this vast city. But then she figured a lot had to do with his last moments. She was the one who gave him comfort when he died. That must be what tied him to her or was it indeed the key he gave her. If it was the key, then why didn’t he pass through to the light when they found the locker? What was holding him back?

  Kirt paced the living room while digesting what Avery had just said. In recent years there were just too many unanswered questions about Jake. He no longer was the troubled kid of their growing up years, and Kirt was tired of making excuses for him. Jake in his never ending quest to take the easy road had finally crossed the line. Kirt didn’t know what it would take to stop him, but Kirt couldn’t let Jake get away with any of this. Jake would have to pay for his crimes, no matter how uncomfortable it would be for their parents in dealing with the shame. He crossed the line when it came to Avery.

  “I just thought I was overreacting,” Avery said finally hardly above a whisper as tears continued to stream down her cheek. “But then I was chased in the park.”

  “How did you get away?”

  “Nathaniel was there. He must have scared whoever it was away,” Avery said with a confused expression on her face. “He’s been talking about Gemini all day.”

  Avery turned and stared at Kirt for the longest time. It made her nervous watching him pace the floor. The pain in her knee throbbed as she hobbled over to the couch and plopped down. She put her foot on the coffee table hoping that that would help ease the pain.

  Kirt walked over and sat down next to her. He put his head in his hands and then turned to Avery with a puzzled look on his face. Even in death, he had the same frustrations he had in life.

  “Gemini?” Kirt asked.

  “It’s a zodiac sign, the twin.”

  “I know that but why Gemini?”

  “You are asking the wrong person,” Avery snapped. She stopped trying to make sense of anything Nathaniel said a long time ago.

  It was as if a light bulb went off as a cold sweat overcame Avery with the realization of what Nathaniel was trying to say. She feared to say the words, but then she didn’t have to.

  It was Kirt who finally spoke. It hadn’t even occurred to him what Nathaniel was saying. In his simple mind, Nathaniel was relaying something that should have been obvious to the both of them. Kirt turned to Avery and spoke the words that pained him more than anything else in the world.

  “My twin?” Kirt snapped, and then he continued. “My brother looks enough like me to be my twin.”

  “Oh my God!” Avery said with the realization of the implication of Nathaniel’s words. “I didn’t understand it at first. I just thought,” she started to say but then stopped for a moment. “Forget what I thought.”

  “We should have paid more attention to what he said,” quickly added.

  “You want to go for a ride on his gravitron machine?” Avery asked and then laughed while rolling her eyes.

  A lot of what Nathaniel had said in the past made no sense, and that was why when he talked about Gemini, she didn’t put much credence on it. Nathaniel’s behavior had regressed in recent years, and she feared his parents might have to institutionalize him for his safety.

  “I don’t think you’d convince me to take him that serious,” Kirt quipped, but there seemed to be some truths to what the young genius had been saying recently.

  “He was in the park when you were shot. Maybe he saw the whole thing.”

  “If he did, then his life may be in danger,” Kirt said as he turned to Avery with a look of concern.

  “He’s harmless. Your brother wouldn’t hurt him.”

  “He tried to kill you. He must be desperate by now” Kirt snapped before continuing. “Where does your gravitron boy live?”

  “He had an apartment near here, I think just off of the Village Square.”

  Avery got up quickly and then suddenly stopped. She sat back down and then bent her head forward to stop the dizzy spell. Avery reached for her purse, struggled to find the right bottle. Once she had a bottle in hand, it was hard for her to maneuver her fingers to open it. Finally, the lid turned, and Avery was able to pop the pill in her mouth.

  All the while she did that Kirt just stood there in silence and watched helplessly. The frustration clearly on his face because he was in no position to aid Avery in her time of need. All he could do was stand there and watch her until the pain subsided.

  “Are you up for this?” he asked.

  “It will pass. Just give me a moment,” Avery said waving him to back off and then winced in pain.

  Avery quickly bent over and practiced her deep breathing technique to overcome the queasiness that overcame her. After about five minutes Avery finally looked up. She took a deep breath and then glanced around to make sure the pain was gone. It was doing that or taking a pill, and she knew in time that the pill would be the only option, but for now, she had to try and work through the pain the best she knew how.

  “As good as new,” is all she could muster up to say.

  Avery got up slowly and walked over to the door while Kirt just watched her with a look of apprehension. All Avery could do was motioned for Kirt to follow her.

  “You coming?”

  Kirt sighed in disbelief. Kirt had never known anyone so determined as Avery was just then. He figured a lot had to do with her friendship with the space cadet during their college years and her feeling sorry for him now. In all actuality, Kirt felt some remorse about how he perceived Nathaniel when he first met him, not realizing the whole situation of why Nathaniel was like he was. Not that it made Nathaniel any easier to talk to. But he felt personally responsible for his safety now. The fact that Jake would go after him to silence him like he had done to Avery that night was unsettling.

  * * *

  It
didn’t take long as Avery hurried down the street followed by the specter of Kirt to the apartment building she knew Nathaniel lived in a few years back. She only hoped Nathaniel hadn’t moved to another apartment since then.

  All Avery could do once they got closer was look up at the second story window. When she saw the aluminum foil covering the window, she knew that Nathaniel was still living there and now hoped they weren’t too late. Avery had been inside Nathaniel’s apartment once before after one of Nathaniel’s episodes at the library. She had personally walked him home to make sure he got there safely. Avery was thankful now she had the fortitude to do that then, because she knew now where he lived.

  As Avery struggled up the two flights, Avery had a hard time focusing as she was beginning to feel lightheaded again. As much as she would have liked to take another pill, she didn’t dare because she was warned about relying on these pills too much. Her doctor had cautioned her that rest was the best thing Avery could do and not depend on the pills to make her feel better. She knew she had been under a lot of stress lately, but right now she had no other alternative than to keep going.

  Once they got to the second floor and walked down the short hallway, Avery could feel her nausea subside a little. Her heart stopped when she saw Nathaniel’s door slightly ajar. Slowly she walked up to the door with Kirt following close behind. She felt a cold twinge go through her as she pushed the door open the rest of the way and just stood there in horror. The room had a pungent coppery, metallic odor of burnt flesh. There was a massive telescope focused out the window with star charts plastered around the room covering every nook and cranny.

  Strapped to a chair in the center of the room was a shirtless Nathaniel. All he had on were his skivvies. His face was covered with blood, his chest speckled with cigarette burns. There was cast off blood from blows that Nathaniel took to his head. Avery rushed over to Nathaniel, when she touched his arm he suddenly twitched in pain. Avery was thankful Nathaniel was still breathing. She glanced around the room quickly but saw no phone, so she ran to the door and yelled.

  “Someone, anyone! Call for an ambulance, please. A man’s been hurt!”

  An elderly lady down the hall peeked out of her apartment. Fear encompassed her face, and Avery suspected she had heard what went on in the apartment, but like all good New Yorkers, no one wanted to get involved. Avery just stared at her with a pleading look on her face.

  “Call 911,” Avery commanded.

  The door quickly slammed shut and then all Avery could do was hope the person answered her plea for help. Avery quickly turned back to Nathaniel and walked over to where he sat not knowing if help would be on the way or not. She was afraid to touch Nathaniel fearing to hurt him further. Slowly she untied the rope that secured him to the chair. Nathaniel tried to talk, but Avery put her finger to his mouth wanting him to save his strength. Tears streamed down Avery’s cheek as she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

  In the dimly sit room, Avery struggled to untie the ropes securing Nathaniel’s legs to the chair. It was then she saw the cut on his calves and then she could control herself no longer. Avery doubled up in pain with dry heaves all the while fearful that the person who did this would come back before help could get there. Avery’s hand shook as she touched Nathaniel’s cheek to comfort him.

  “Help will be here soon,” she said trying to sound like she believed what she had just said.

  While she was tending to Nathaniel, Kirt walked over to the books on the shelf. He quickly read the various titles and then glanced over at Avery.

  “He’s into some heavy reading,” Kirt said turning back to the bookshelf.

  “Nathaniel is a thinker, that’s what caused him so much pain.”

  Avery brushed Nathaniel’s hair aside, and then she ran her hand along the side of his cheek again just to reassure him that she was still there. She didn’t know if that comforted him, but he seemed less fearful now that they were there.

  Kirt walked over to Nathaniel. When Nathaniel’s hand dropped down on his lap, Kirt could see the letter GEMI etched in the chair with a ring Nathaniel wore.

  Nathaniel slowly looked up at Kirt and stared at him for the longest time. It was as if he saw Kirt and then he whispered.

  “Gemini?”

  “You can see me?” Kirt asked with a puzzled look on his face.

  Avery quickly turned to Kirt and then looked back at Nathaniel to see his reaction.

  “I didn’t tell him your spirit is still here on this earth,” Nathaniel whispered almost inaudible. “He is not to be trusted,”

  “What’s he saying?” Avery asked.

  Kirt turned to Avery with wide eyes. “He sees me.”

  “But I thought,” Avery started to say.

  “Gemini will not rest until all is destroyed. He has to be stopped.” Nathaniel said and then his head slump over.

  Sirens could be heard in the distance. And as they got louder, Avery breathed a sigh of relief. It bothered her that Nathaniel’s breathing was became labored and she feared that possibly Nathaniel would die. Even though Nathaniel was unconscious, Avery knew she had to reassure him that all would be well. It had a lot to do with Kirt because she knew now that even if Nathaniel was out cold, there was a part of him that feasibly knew she was there and he wasn’t alone.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you,” Avery said as she brushed back his hair and then held onto his hand in the only way she could show him support.

  Kirt was busy walking around the room looking at the galaxies that were plastered over one wall. There was also a smart board that covered the expanse of the entire sidewall and had mathematical equations on it that only a physicist could understand. Kirt wondered what Nathaniel was working on and doubted anyone would know the mind of the troubled youth slumped in the chair in the middle of the room.

  * * *

  Avery paced the emergency waiting room, and by the looks of the floor, she wasn’t the only one who walked those worn tiles. It was her second visit in less than a week. It bothered her that someone could hurt Nathaniel as badly as they did. What possible reason could they have been looking for was all she could think about. Because Avery knew for a fact, that Nathaniel was innocent in all of this, so why involve him by torturing him for information.

  Avery walked over to the corner of the room and sat down quickly as suddenly the room took a quick spin. She had felt it coming and knew the sensation well. All she could do was take a few deep breaths in the hope of getting it under control rather than taking a pill before the pain consumed her.

  It was when she saw Captain Elliott walking into the room that Avery knew working through the pain without her medicine was useless. She quickly reached in her purse for one of her prescription bottles. Avery didn’t care that she was taking it too soon. All Avery needed right then, was to have her mind alert, because Avery was sure this night was not going to end well for her at this point.

  Captain Elliott slowly glanced around the room until he saw Avery off in the corner covering her eyes as if to shield herself from the ugly world around her. Kirt was sitting next to her, but his image was unseen by his ex-boss as the Captain maneuvered around others in the waiting room until he stood in front of Avery.

  “When your name came up as finding the victim I had to come and see for myself,” Captain Elliott said looking at Avery with the eyes of a seasoned interrogator.

  Avery slowly glanced up, the migraine that started at the base of the neck and then went up to both temples only seemed to get worse at that moment. She had a hard time focusing, but she didn’t need to see him to know who spoke those words. There was no amount of words to convince him that she wasn’t involved in all of this now.

  “What do you mean by that?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

  Kirt suddenly got up and stood behind the Captain and waved his arms to get Avery’s attention.

  “He’s only baiting you,” Kirt shouted.

  “Two crime sce
nes in,” Captain Elliott said and then paused as he turned and looked like he would walk away but then pointed an accusing finger at Avery as he continued, “in one week. It’s a little too coincidental even for me,” he snapped.

  “Are you implying I did this to Nathaniel?” Avery snapped with tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly tried to wipe them away but more just followed.

  Avery didn’t know what she could do to convince the Captain that she was an innocent participant in all that had gone on recently. As much as it bothered her what she believed Jake did that night, she had to give Kirt time to come to terms with it before she turned it over to the authorities.

  “No, but I wonder if you know more than you are letting on.”

  “I know nothing,” Avery snapped cutting him off.

  “Just settle down,” he said holding up his hands.

  “I had nothing to do with who ever did this to Nathaniel,” Avery pleaded.

  “Why were you going to this kids apartment anyway?”

  Avery rubbed her head as a sudden pain sent shock waves through her very core. It went unnoticed by the Captain, but not Kirt.

  “You okay?” Kirt asked walking through the Captain to be at Avery’s side.

  “I’ll be okay,” she finally said after a few moments.

  Captain Elliott looked puzzled and then the realization that there was something physically wrong with Avery became apparent. He couldn’t put his finger on it earlier in the week, but now it was evident. Captain Elliott at first thought Avery was one of those girls obsessed with their weight but now wasn’t so sure her weight was related to being egocentric with her looks.

  “What’s the problem?” Captain Elliott suddenly asked out of genuine concern.