The Clearwater Chronicles (Book 1): Shadows in the Light

by David Barton

  We climbed into her small car and exited the underground car park and out onto the street. The journey was spent mostly talking about the weather and the city. Nothing important just opinions. Places that have the best food and the best places to go out drinking.

  This conversation did tell me a lot about her. Only the fact that she loved Chinese food but hated anything too spicy. She also loved to go out and party with her friends. She seemed to know all the cool places to go for a drink.

  We pulled up outside the hospital and found a space relatively close to the front doors. We climbed out and I met her around the back of the car. Here, she changed jackets from a smart one you would see on a teacher to a short leather jacket. She saw me watching and pulled a cute smile. “What?”

  “Nothing.” I eyed the jacket up again. “You just look completely different.”

  “Well, I prefer to look professional at work. This happens to be my favourite jacket. Brought for me by an ex.”

  “It’s nice.”

  “Thanks. Come on.” She shut the boot and locked the car. We walked through the main entrance to the hospital. A reception desk sat on the right opposite a waiting area. We ignored the sick people and the woman behind the desk tapping on her keyboard.

  We followed the light blue signs that hung from the ceiling, going down some stairs. We past many storage rooms full of old medical equipment. Then we came to two large swinging doors. A big sign saying morgue sat above it, written in dark letters. It gave the whole entrance a feel like you’re moving into death’s personal theme park of the dead.

  Felicity pushed open the door and we walked into a little room, dominated by a desk. There was no one behind it, just a simple book sitting on the keyboard. Soft voices came from behind another set of double doors. I lifted my hand up and punched the door with my fist a couple of times. The sound echoed around the small room, followed by the clicking of shoes.

  The right door was pushed ajar a little and an old man poked his head through. His bald head was a big contrast to the bushy beard he wore. Glasses perched on a pudgy nose, a pair of dark green eyes sat behind the lens’ peering at us. “Can I help you?”

  Felicity cleared her throat before speaking, “Hi, we’re from the department of health. I was wondering if my partner could take a few photos of the body and I could interview a miss…” She paused for effect, looking down at a blank notepad she had in her hand. “Elizabeth Burke.”

  The old man’s face screwed up with joy. “I knew she did something wrong. Faked the results or something did she?”

  “I’m sorry, I’m not at liberty to say.”

  “I’ll happily go get her for you.”

  “Thank you.” Then he disappeared behind the double doors, his shoes clicking on the concrete floor, a little faster this time. My partner looked at me with a smirk on her face. “Is it me or did he seem happy that she might be in trouble.”

  “Yeah, maybe he was the one who she proved wrong. That would piss anyone off.”

  “Possibly. I’ll try and find that out when I talk to her. Try not to look suspicious when taking photos of the body.”

  “I won’t. This isn’t my first assignment. It is however the first time I’ve had to lie to get into somewhere.”

  “It’s a reporter trick. No one likes talking to us. People love posing for photos but not divulging information.”

  “Sounds harsh.”

  “You get used to it. You will have to if you want Harvey to take you serious as a reporter.”

  That was the perfect time to bring up the fact I had lost my job. Just as the words were about to come out of my mouth the old man decided to come back through the doors. He came all the way through followed by a woman who wore a tag saying Miss Burke. He had clearly told her what he thought was going on because she didn’t look happy.

  She spoke in a soft voice, “What is this all about? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “We just want to have a chat about what happened. Could we take a walk outside whilst my partner takes some photos.” Her last question was directed at both Elizabeth and the elder gentleman.

  They both nodded. Felicity left the morgue with Miss Burke. The old man turned to me. “So what kind of photos will you be taking?”

  The next second I thought quicker than I had ever done before. “Really I just need a few of the body and maybe some of the morgue itself. Give our readers a feel of what it’s like down here.” I quickly pulled out my camera and took a photo of the old man which startled him. “And one of the workers of course.”

  “Oh right. Well, I’ll just leave you to it then.” His face suddenly became very serious. “Just don’t touch anything.”

  “Sure thing.” I watched the man leave the little room. He seemed both startled and happy about getting his photo taken. Maybe he was hoping to get his name in the paper. Much like his co-worker. A little jealousy I thought.

  I pushed through the big double doors and into the cold room. The walls were lined with metal. The floor was cold concrete. So cold I could swear I felt it through the soles of my trainers.

  I paused in the middle of the room. Looking around at all the tables. Some were empty, others were covered in sheets that hid bodies. I didn’t want to look under any of them but I didn’t know where the body with the mysterious death was.

  I moved around, staring at the lumps of sheets. Not daring a peek under. Finally, I came across some paper work. On top, attached to a clipboard, was the autopsy from the mysterious death. I flicked through the pages and managed to find the location. Locker number five.

  I found the right door and pulled it open. A puff of cool air came floating out. I grabbed the drawer and yanked the body out. My first sight of the body took my breath away. He wasn’t that old or unhealthy looking. He shouldn’t have really died of suffocation.

  The short read of the autopsy showed that there was no water in his lungs and there didn’t seem to be any visible bruising around his neck. I worked for a newspaper after all, I had done some research with forensic shows to know what to look for.

  I pulled my camera up and took a few shots of the body, using different angles. Through the lens the body seemed to look darker. The effect of my camera should be the opposite. Lowering the camera I looked at the body. Staring, the look of it becoming dimmer. The body seemed to have some kind of darkness over it.

  I waved my hand over the body, trying to feel the shadowy veil. But there was no resistance. No feeling to it. It was strange. It was like there was nothing there but I could see it. I took a few more photos before the door to the room swung open. A sharp voice filled the room. “Hey!”

  I spun around. It was the morgue worker who had corrected the autopsy. “Yes?”

  “Who said you could take photos of my body?” She walked across the room in a hurry, pushing the drawer back in and shutting the door. “This is my body, I did not give you permission.”

  “The old guy said I could take the photos.”

  “Why do you need photos of the body? The autopsy is done and finished. It was suffocation.”

  Why was she being so dramatic about a few photos? Her stare seemed to burn into my soul and twist it into an uncomfortable position. “Okay. It’s just a few photos for the paper work.”

  “I’m going to tell you the same thing I told your little friend. This investigation of yours is over. It’s none of your business. Now get out!” Not only was her voice full of anger but I could see it in her eyes. She was truly angry with our presence here. I just didn’t know why. “Get out!” She screamed again.

  I flinched at her second command. Walking off towards the door. I pushed it ajar, pausing in the gap. Turning around I lifted my camera up and snapped a photo of her. Maybe there was something she wasn’t telling us. A photo would be good to have for later.

  “Hey!” I watched her through the lens as I took another snap. She picked something up and flung it my way. The camera dropped out of my hands when the object flew past my e
ar. I looked at the door. Sticking out of it was a scalpel. Wobbling from the force it was thrown.

  “How did you do that?”

  I looked back at her, spotting the second piece of sharp equipment in her hand. “Get out.” I didn’t stick around for the second throw. I bolted, almost hitting the old man half-way down the hallway. I slowed down my pace as I came to the more crowded parts of the hospital.

  I found Felicity outside tapping her pen against her notepad continuously, staring off into the distance. She turned as I walked out trying to catch my breath. “Hey, how did it go with the photos?” Her tone told me that she had got the same angry reaction from the woman.

  “I got a scalpel thrown at me.”

  “What?” She quickly jumped off the bench she was perched on, knocking her notepad to the floor. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah I’m fine. It missed my head.”

  Her hand came up to my cheek, softly stroking. Then our eyes met. There was something there that I couldn’t explain. “You’re okay then?” She dropped her hand back to her side, taking a step back from me.

  “I’m fine.” She turned around and picked her pad off the floor.

  “Felicity.” I started building up the courage to ask her out on a date. Something, anything. A dinner or a movie. My mouth opened to speak.

  That’s when her phone’s ringtone came from her pocket. “Just a second.” She looked at the number on the screen. “I should take this.”

  “Okay.”

  She held the phone up to her ear. “Hey, what have you got?”

  I listened, this side of the conversation made up of confirmations and noises. Nothing that would tell me what was going on.

  She finally put the phone back in her pocket. “I have to go.”

  “Something important?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What is it?”

  “It was a source on an article I’ve been working on out of hours.”

  “Out of hours?”

  “Yeah, I don’t want to bring Harvey in on it yet. Not until I have some good evidence.”

  “How about bringing a photographer on board?” I smiled, thinking it was a good idea. Just so I could spend more time for with her.

  “I’ll keep you informed if I need a hand.”

  “You better.” She gave me a big smile before walking off towards the car park. “I guess I’ll get the bus back to the paper then.”

  She cursed quietly. “If you wouldn’t mind.” She blew me a kiss before disappearing down the steps to the car park. I walked off in the other direction, heading to the bus shelter that sits at the end of the hospital.

  I only had to wait a few minutes before one came along and took me back to the middle part of the city. By the time I got back to the office most of the people were gone. The only ones left I had never spoke to. They always seemed too interested in their work.

  I grabbed an empty box that was sitting on the floor and started packing up my desk. There was no point in putting it off. The people left in here wouldn’t even notice if I jumped up onto a desk and started stripping. I was almost done when I heard some voices getting louder. Suddenly there was a cheesy grin peering over my cubicle wall.

  It was one of the guys Timmy had warned me about. “What do we have here? You haven’t been fired for spouting your superhero theories have you?” Him and his friend were laughing like it had been a cracking joke.

  “Hi, Kevin. Still working on your boring articles that haven’t hit the first twenty pages of the newspaper in years?”

  Their laughter was cut off. “Look, I’m still here. You’re the one packing up all your crap.”

  “Ever thought I got a new job and I quit.”

  “Yeah right. Why would you voluntarily leave a job where you have a crush on the office babe.”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” I put my head down, carrying on with packing my box.

  “Oh come on. Everyone in the office knows how you feel about her. Many of us have a good laugh at your expense about it.”

  With his words I felt a boil of anger rise from my stomach, pushing me to my feet. I lashed out. My fist connecting with Kevin’s jaw. The pain flaring through my hand made it seem like I had hit him with some force. However, Kevin was still standing and he was still smiling. Clearly I wasn’t as strong as I had hoped.

  Kevin quickly moved around to my cubicle. I backed away from him, giving me some space to throw another punch. My fist was balled and flying through the air but Kevin dropped. My punch missing him completely as his shoulder hit me hard. I was pushed back until my back smashed into the window.

  I heard a small crack and my heart jumped up into my throat, the worry of being tossed down to the city below and splatting on the pavement. I didn’t see much movement, just felt the punches hitting my rib cage.

  The third dropped me to my knees. It felt like there was a knife slicing through my rib cage. Out the corner of my eye I saw Kevin’s foot sliding back. I braced myself against the inevitable kick he was going for.

  I flinched, not from the force of someone’s shoe but from Harvey’s voice. “Stop!” It boomed around the office like he was yelling down a microphone. I felt the carpet beneath me vibrate as Harvey came closer.

  I managed to lift my head up as Kevin was pushed back by Harvey. That’s when I noticed Kevin’s friend being held back by mine. “What the hell is going on here?”

  “He started it.”

  “I don’t care who started what. You know better than to retaliate. Especially to this extent.”

  I climbed to my feet, holding onto the wall to steady myself. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t work here anymore.”

  “It does matter because Kevin doesn’t work here either.”

  “What!?” The look of disbelief on his face was golden. His eyes darted to me as I smiled. That’s when he went to attack. The only thing stopping him was Harvey’s hand suddenly wrapped around his throat. Kevin dropped to his knees gasping for hair.

  Harvey looked at everyone crowding around the scene. “I want this to be a lesson to all of you. I do not tolerate this kind of childish behaviour.”

  The whole office was quiet. Harvey let his eagle grip loosen. Slowly moving away from Kevin. Kevin gasped for air before uttering, “This is wrong.”

  “This is the way it is. Pack up your shit and get out of my office.” Harvey looked down at me then to my friend. “Take him to my office and get him cleaned up. There’s a first aid kit in my desk drawer.”

  “Sure.” Then I felt an arm around me, supporting me as I hobbled into Harvey’s office. He plonked me down into the black leather chair and dived into the drawer that ran along the whole desk. Not only did I see the red ox with the white cross, I also spotted a bottle of whiskey. Two types of healing. “You need to learn how to fight.”

  “I didn’t think I did too bad.”

  “Right.” I winced as I felt something cold pressed against my ribs. I hadn’t even felt my t-shirt being pulled up. “That’s going to take the swelling down but I reckon you’ll need to go to the hospital. Make sure they’re aren’t fractured or broken.”

  “They feel fine.” His face twisted with a look of disbelief. Then I felt his finger jam into my side making me cry out in pain.

  “Liar.”

  “Arsehole.”

  He just smiled at my comment. “I’ll take you there.”

  “Just drop me off, I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “If you think that’s best but I’ll pack up the rest of your stuff and take the box to your place.”

  “Thanks.” I closed my eyes as pain shot through my side.

  The door to the office swung open with force. “What the hell was that all about?”

  I pushed myself up from the chair. “It was nothing.”

  “It didn’t look like nothing and the state of you and my window agrees with me.”

  “He just got carried away.”

  “Who threw the first punch?�
��

  “Harvey, there’s no need to take this any further.”

  He just looked at me, “Who?”

  I swallowed hoping it would help my dry throat. Then I regrettably said, “Me.”

  “Good.”

  My jaw dropped. “What?”

  “At least you’re starting to stand up for yourself. The man who came into my office so long ago would have never done that. Shows you’re finally becoming a man.”

  Timmy looked up at Harvey. “There are a few guys I don’t like, can I start throwing punches?”

  “Take him to the hospital and keep your fists to yourself. God knows where they’ve been.”

  All three of us laughed, mine cutting short thanks to my pain. That was Harvey’s gift. Being able to make people laugh even in bad situations. It’s why I had liked him from the start.

  I remembered being helped through the office, eyes on me. The injured one from a fight where I threw the first punch. Describing it as humiliating would have been an understatement. The slight joy I felt was thanks to Kevin losing his job. At least that was something to smile about.

  My friend helped me into his car, then I must have passed out. The next time my eyes open I’m being wheeled through the hospital by a large coloured man. I peered up over my shoulder at him. “Where is the guy that helped me in?”

  “He said you didn’t want him to stay. Said he had to be somewhere.”

  I looked back in front as we passed through some automatic doors. I was a little sad about my friend not staying. I remember telling him to just drop me off so I had no idea what I was feeling.

  I shook the feeling as he parked me next to an empty bed. I had already gotten out of the chair and into the bed before the man had a chance to help. He just gave me a big smile and shook my hand, “My name is Andre if you need anything.”

  “Thanks for the ride.” He smiled again as he walked off, pushing an empty wheelchair. I leaned back in the bed that was strangely comfortable. Maybe it was how exhausted I suddenly felt. My eyes dropped like they were being pulled down by weights.