by John Sharp
Chapter 9 – Shifters Inc.
“So, how are you going to help?” Sarah asks, closing her car door as I get in the passenger side with Whisper on my lap and my shadow lingering on the roof.
“We catch the bad guys,” Whisper says, and Sarah just gives him a look of incomprehension.
“First, we get some bargaining power from a hobby shop I know of, and then to the morgue to confirm what has been happening to the victims of vision,” I say.
Sarah gives me a doubtful look. “How does any of that help?”
“Tell you what. If, by the time we are done at the morgue I haven’t convinced you of my usefulness, I’ll tell you everything I can and never bother you again.”
“Fine,” Sarah says, peeling out of the parking lot. “But I’m getting coffee first. I think I’ll need it.”
Two hours later we stand outside of the morgue, Sarah with an extra-large coffee and me with two thick bags with some rather heavy merchandise inside. Sarah’s doubts about my usefulness and perhaps sanity rise a lot after we leave the store with my goods, though I’m sure she will understand soon, if Brick does his part.
The morgue is a cool white structure devoid of feelings, just like the dead inside. I almost wish it was black, with dark clouds hovering above it threatening rain but never pouring. That seems more appropriate for a place that houses the dead. Instead I am confronted with a clean white building with concrete steps leading up to a set of double doors that could have just as easily been the entrance to a library. Lifting my heavy bags I waddle slowly up the steps as Sarah quickly leaves me behind, sipping from her coffee. Opening the doors for me when I finally catch up, Sarah gives me a bemused look. Once inside I set the bags down gratefully, rubbing at my hands where the bag handles had left their mark in my flesh. Leaving me behind once more Sarah approaches the front desk, flashing a badge as she does so.
“Are we there yet?” Asks Whisper from my satchel.
“Not yet,” I say in a hushed voice. “Stay quiet and hidden for now.”
“A house for dead people, I feel like I’m at home,” my shadow says, getting excited.
“Behave yourself. We only have one chance at this.”
“Why should I?” My shadow demands.
I pause a second, thinking. “Don’t interfere with what I’m doing but there is still plenty of fun you can have. There bound to be some technician doing an autopsy go wiggle its body parts or something. That should freak them out.”
My shadow gives a booming laugh that echoes through the entire building at his pleasure in the idea. Even Sarah and the receptionist pause in their conversation, giving a shudder at the menace in the air even if they can’t hear it.
“Splendid idea! I shall leave you to your business and conduct my own.” He gives me what I can only describe as the most evil smile in the world before heading off in search of mayhem. Someone will have nightmares for weeks after this I’m sure.
Sarah returns a minute later, scowling. “Next time I’m trying to get you in somewhere don’t hold conversations with unseen individuals,” she says, handing me a visitor’s badge which I clip to front of my trench cloak.
“Sorry,” I say, blushing. “I was trying to get rid of my shadow for a while.”
She blanches at that, nodding in both approval and understanding. “If anyone asks, you’re a homicide witness and then refer all the questions to me.”
“Ok, let’s do it,” I say lifting up the large bags once more.
Frowning at me Sarah says, “You need to leave those here.”
“I can’t. I’ll need them.”
She just shrugs. I pause, thinking for a second and then smile at her. Focusing I shifted both bags just far enough from human reality to render them invisible to normal folk. Sarah’s eyes widen in surprise. She gives a nervous glance back at the man behind the counter who is occupied reading a magazine.
“What did you do?” She hisses at me.
“I shifted the bags. They are still in my hands but not in the human world. I can reach across planes.”
“That’s really weird,” Sarah says, passing her hand through the spot where the bags had been.
“Yup,” I say as I grit my teeth and head down the hall with Sarah. People we pass give me funny looks as I make my way with an awkward trot from my unseen burden. Several individuals take pity on me, pointing out the nearest restroom. Embarrassed, I thank them. No wonder everyone thinks I’m insane. Brick had better show up.
At the end of a long corridor we take an elevator down to the basement; to the cold storage and the dead resting within. Passing through a set of double doors we enter a medical lab Frankenstein would be proud of. Lined up three high on the far left wall are metal slabs for the dead kept in a giant refrigeration unit. Along the right walls are tools for cutting and dissecting the human body part by part with a single office at the end. A man is inside, clearly visible through the window. Multiple autopsy tables are lined up with medical instruments set in neat rows on metal trays. Suddenly two orderlies in white uniforms rush past us, pushing a metal table with a naked male cadaver on it in a partial state of dissection. Both men are deathly pale like they had seen a ghost, sweat soaking their clothes. A moment later the reason reveals itself as my shadow, hidden under the body he moves the corpse’s hand, giving them the finger. They burst through the doors quickly leaving us behind as they mutter a wide variety of curse words.
“He’s still alive, oh god, oh god, oh god,” one says. The other just sobs, sniveling something indistinct.
The man from the nearby office comes out in a rush, looking first to us then the backs of the men already moving down the hall. Sarah gives me a look and I just shrug.
“Can I help you?” He asks not looking at us, instead focusing on the figures moving farther away.
“I need to see the three newest vision deaths. I’ve got a valuable witness and I’ll need some privacy,” she says gesturing to me. “Give us ten minutes alone.”
“Sure,” the man says as both orderlies shriek. Through the windows set in the doors I see the corpse roll off the gurney. “Take twenty.” And he leaves through the doors, rushing to the men.
“What the hell are you doing?” He calls out to them. The double doors close slowly, giving me a clear view of the corpse and the men. “Get that body back in here.”
“He’s still alive,” one man says.
“Nonsense, most of the organs have already been removed. You’re seeing things. Now turn around and… oh shit!” The office man cries out as my shadow forces the corpse into a sitting position, spilling out intestines. The doors fully close, blocking my view and most of the sound.
Sarah gives me a questioning look. “I didn’t do it. I swear!” I think my amused grin doesn’t convince her.
“So, what now?” Sarah asks. “You want to see the bodies?”
“Yes. If you could open the drawers I’ll be right there.”
She gives me a look like I am mad and goes to comply, probably figuring it’s easier to humor me than demand explanations at every turn. I stride to the wall, setting down my heavy bags and laying my hand on the wall, sending a ripple outward across realities.
Trusting in Brick I move to join Sarah at the dead bodies as she pulls open the last drawer. It’s as I thought, these don’t look human anymore. Just like my mother they had changed into a grotesque imitation of a human being. Their eyes are huge and completely black like dark opals. Their noses have been reduced to a pair of small holes sticking out of their flesh like it had been brutally shoved into their faces leaving only the nostrils behind. Clammy skin that resembles gray clay covers their bodies and appears to be flaking in places. I’m not sure if it’s from the transformation or a natural process of decay. Like the ones I encountered their hands had melded and merged into a three fingered mess, ending in thick charcoal-colored talons. Looking at Sarah, I study her face, seeing
if she notices anything wrong. Nothing. She retains her professional calm and demeanor. To her these are just bodies.
“See anything wrong with them?” I ask.
“Other than the fact that they are dead? No. They are gaunt with deep rings under their eyes but that’s standard for an OD. The black veins in their eyes are signs of vision addiction.” “Not for long,” I say, laying my hand on her arm and shifting her. Sarah’s reaction is immediate. Her eyes grow large and she quickly backs away, bumping into a cart holding medical tools. A scalpel clatters to the floor, ringing loudly in the silence as Sarah stares transfixed at the bodies. After her initial surprise she tentatively takes a step forward, toward me and the corpse.
“What did you do?” She asks, her voice a rasp.
I shrug. “I shifted you to my level of reality. You are seeing what I am… for the most part.” Of course I can see much more and at different levels if I try.
“And me!” Whisper adds poking his head out of my satchel. Sarah visibly relaxes at Whisper’s voice, giving him a warm smile and became Officer Clifford once more. She returns her attention to the cadaver, putting on surgical gloves and examining every abnormality of the body from the overly large eyes to the three fingered claws.
“Amazing,” she says turning toward me. “Is this what they really are?”
Again I shrug. “They were human once, but after vision they became something more. They now exist farther from the human world than normal people do.” Sarah looks confused.
“I’ll try to explain,” I say, taking a deep breath and gathering my thoughts. “Remember how I said the human world is sitting on an ocean of realities with many layers beneath? Well, we are like living creatures in that ocean. Some are very big, stretching across many layers at the same time, while others are narrow, existing in their immediate level only. Humans are the narrowest creatures I know of, aware of their current environment and existing almost exclusively there. I know of a certain willow tree that exists here all the way down to Whisper’s world. It the biggest creature I know of but it’s still mostly a tree. These bodies…” I say, gesturing, “Now exist further across realities than before.”
“Why?” Sarah asks.
“I have no idea why anyone would do this. We will have to ask this Solarkar when we catch him.” I grin.
Sarah and I are joined by Brick a second later. “Hello, beautiful!” Brick declares, undoubtedly to Sarah.
“How many times have I told you not to call me that?” I ask Brick, perfectly aware that it was zero.
“Oh, witty today aren’t we?” He replies.
“Yeah, he was talking to me,” Whisper says, poking his head out of the satchel.
“Of course, my furry friend,” Brick replies.
“Everything all set?” I ask before we get too distracted.
“Yup. Just holding back for now to make sure the lovely lady doesn’t freak out and shoot the wall,” Brick says, focusing on Sarah. Indeed a valid concern, things will get strange in the next minute or two. Turning my attention to Sarah I see that she is composed enough, although maybe a bit rattled by Brick’s sudden appearance.
“You doing ok?” I ask her.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says, eyes never leaving Brick’s face. “You’re Brick, right?”
“Indeed I am, my fair lady,” Brick says, flashing those white teeth that put the wall to shame.
“Umm, ok,” Sarah says a bit uncertainly.
“Enough of the pleasantries,” I say. “Sarah, don’t panic. Things are about to get strange, even for me. Brick go get them.” Brick recedes into the wall and Sarah gives me a confused look when the answer becomes obvious.
Over a hundred faces jut out from the walls surrounding us, including the. They beam all around, excitedly chatting with each other like a gaggle of teenage girls.
I place my fingers in my mouth and blow loudly. A shrill whistle fills the air and the noise dies down. All the faces turn toward me, waiting. Even I find that a bit creepy.
“Hello gentle… faces,” I say lamely. “We need some assistance as I’m sure Brick mentioned to you.” Some mumbling at my words and Brick beams at me. “We have reason to believe that this Solarkar has a double agent in the police force. I want half of you to follow and track down this lead and the other half to visit every scum pit you know of to find and trace vision back to its source.”
“Why should we?” Asks a face from the sea of them on the wall. There’s a muttering of agreement on this. Walking to the bags I withdraw handfuls of stone, everything from quartz and mica to decorative granite cubes. All faces visibly brighten at the goods and I am glad they are stuck on the wall or they might be swarming me to get at the goodies.
“Everyone gets a handful now and another after. To the ones who bring me the information I’ll give an entire bag-full too,” I say and excited conversation erupts. Turning toward Sarah, I flash her a smile as she gawks in wide-eyed amazement. Not wanting to linger here too long in case my shadow grows bored of his mischief I begin handing out mouthfuls of the stones to each face. They push and shove each other, trying to be first and I shovel rocks into mouths as fast as I can. I cannot properly express the sound of a hundred faces chewing on hard stones. I can only imagine that a rock query might contain equivalent noise at full production. Once the commotion dies down I address the faces once more.
“Bring everything to Brick, he organizes it.” The faces all glow with purpose, having something to do other than their typical gossip. No doubt, like Brick, they’re all pretending to play detective. One by one they regress into the wall, its surface becoming flat once more.
I can almost see a chessboard in front of me with Solarkar on the opposite side, face hidden by black robes. Now that the pawns are out of the way I just made the first big move.
We exit the morgue and my shadow joins us as an ambulance pulls up, its lights flashing and sirens wailing.
“What fun!” He declares over the roar as he pooled near my feet, rippling like water in the wind. Sarah doesn’t notice his dark presence, having been returned to her world before we left the building “Well, at least that’s not my problem. Can’t you leave your… shadow behind next time?” She asks.
“No more than you can leave yours behind,” I reply.
She nods in weary acceptance. “How long do you think it will take to find something?”
“Not long, I think. The faces are everywhere and they do so love to gossip. I’ll call you when I find something.”
“Can I drive you home?” She asks.
“Ok, but tell no one where I am. If someone asks, tell them my old address and keep a careful eye on them.”
“That’s for the best,” she agrees.
