Out Of The Dark

by Phaedra Weldon

  "But eternal life comes at a price--four souls. Each one taken simultaneously during the Fain-Dun ritual of the Seventh Black Seal."

  I glared at him. Did you make that up? 'Cause that totally sounds made up.

  "The Phantasm has a love of the theatrical. The ritual was created to transfer eternal life--and during it the four sacrifices are killed and the Phantasm increases his power by giving the fool an undead existence," he turned and looked at me. "Seven out of ten undead go insane after the first one hundred years. They never last for eternity. And the Symbionts return the souls to the Phantasm anyway."

  Four sacrifices. Four initiated idiots. I thought of Dags. Are these sacrifices marked?

  "Might be. I'm not the ritual expert." He turned completely from the moon and crossed his arms over his chest.

  What happened?

  TC nodded. "One of the sacrifices didn't work--like plugging in a bad Christmas bulb. Made everything else short circuit. In order to cover up the blunder the Betrayer used a forbidden spell to shove the physical bodies of the sacrifices into the Abysmal plane."

  Oh geez…the other guardians. Did he only put three in?

  "Thirteen."

  Thirteen? I thought there was only supposed to be four?

  "They were overcompensating for their blunder."

  Shit. Now I know for sure where all those people went.

  "Wraith--placing a physical body inside the Abysmal is like befouling the most holy of sacraments." He arched an eyebrow. "Imagine pouring menstrual blood in the vestal of the church."

  Oh god… the very thought turned my stomach.

  "Physical bodies in the Abysmal plane cannot survive--and so they dissolve. Painfully. And the remaining soul is tainted--neither living nor dead. Neither Abysmal or Ethereal. They're like gunk in the pipes. They're a cancer in a healthy heart."

  Like nuts in a brownie?

  And to my surprise he nodded. "Like this they are no use to the Phantasm. You call them Shadow Folk--Shadow People--we call them irritants. And they can only be destroyed by one means."

  And somehow I knew that was me. And this is where I come in. So the Phantasm told you to contact me to get rid of the Shadows?

  "I'm contacting you because we can help each other. We can destroy the Betrayer and I can retrieve the contracts."

  I thought of the contract in the house, the one the Shadow People had showed me.

  "They'll be drawn to you and your power--"

  Oh great.

  "--and then they can be destroyed by your hand. Once they're gone I can take my revenge--" he paused and smiled. "The Phantasm's due on the Betrayer."

  I wasn't all that happy about delivering up the soul of any human being to the Phantasm. But then--Bonville had done some pretty awful things to innocent human beings. I thought of Dags and wondered if those marks on his hands would ever go away--or could they be removed at all?

  It also scared me how close he'd been to falling bodily into the Abysmal plane.

  And I really didn't believe this ass-wipe.

  What's in it for you?

  He looked shocked.

  Oh get off it--you don't do anything unless you benefit from it.

  He held out his hands and bowed deep, actually bending on one knee. "Ah--I must once again marvel at your complexity."

  Ass-hat.

  "And your vocabulary. Yes--there is something I get out of it. But that something shall remain mine to keep if you want your dear cop protected."

  I actually didn't want this bastard anywhere near Daniel--my love was in this pickle because of the Archer. This creature was the cause of all the wacky-ness in my life since I first saw him murder William Tanaka.

  We have a maybe.

  TC bowed again.

  So when do we do this?

  "You'll know--on the appointed hour."

  Something banged like a door slamming. "Zoë!"

  I blinked. And TC was gone. The night sounds of nearby traffic on Euclid returned, as did the cold wind. I turned and looked to see Rhonda standing in the doorway looking at me.

  "What's up? Why did you come out here? And what the hell were you staring at?"

  It was obvious she hadn't seen TC, which I'm sure he arranged. Part of me wanted to tell her what'd just happened--but for some reason I just smiled and nodded before following her back inside the cozy shop.

  Everyone was still in place, though Tim was absent. Where had Steve gone?

  "Honey," Mom said before I sat down. "What were you doing out there?"

  I pointed to my head before I stripped off my coat.

  "You were thinking?"

  Geez mom…you didn't have to look so shocked.

  I found my board on the papasan where I'd left it and erased it as I sat down. After I was done scribbling I held up the board. CAN SYMBIONTS EAT SF?

  Everyone gave me a blank stare on that one. Mom's lips flattened. Uh oh. I got her thinking. That could be bad.

  "Zoë," Rhonda frowned at me. "Why do you want to know that?"

  I didn't want to tell them about TC just yet so I needed to make something up really quick. I erased and scribbled, trying to write smaller to fit more on the board. WHEN I SEE DUDE AT HOSP. I HAD FEEL OF SYMBIONT.

  Dags cocked his head sideways. "And?"

  "Wait, wait, wait," Rhonda nodded at me. "Zoë can sense Symbionts, right? Or you get that metallic thing you talked about before. But you did sense it with Bonville--and Maureen's journal said he got the Symbiont before he demanded more."

  I scribbled a bit more. BUT NOT THERE.

  Dags' eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "Maybe you sensed just like, the residual? So--where did the symbiont go if it's not inside of Bonville?"

  I held out my hands--that wasn't why I asked--but it sure as hell was a poignant question. And it threw everyone off the real reason why I asked. Uh…so it did.

  I re-scribbled on board and held it up. SO CAN SYMB EAT SF?

  Rhonda shrugged. So did Dags. Mom answered. "Symbionts consume the essence of the living. Some like the Archer consume it all at once, gaining a lot of strength--so much that he didn't need a body. But then Rollins' symbiont had fed off his soul for years improving his health. Which is the power that Hirokumi wanted."

  "So does a Shadow Folk have a soul?" Rhonda asked.

  "Well--I think the part that remains is--was--the soul once the body dissolves. Being trapped like that might just deform the soul, twisting it into something ugly."

  Gross.

  "Well, I say we call it a night," Nona said as she stood. The wicker chair created beneath her. "Tomorrow night's the full moon--and the store's gonna have a sale on white candles and Frankincense, so I need sleep." She pointed to Dags. "You need to sleep here. Rhonda, are you staying?"

  The look of dreamy in her eyes made me physically want to puke. But then, how often had she put up with that look on me when I thought about Daniel?

  Ah poop.

  She nodded. "I can make him a nice bed on the couch."

  I waved at them to get their attention even as I stood up. I made the motion of me getting in a car and going home. I pointed to mom and made the turn-the-key motion to say I needed to borrow her car.

  "You sure you wanna go home?"

  I nodded. My condo was warded, and I'd been missing from it for a while. I needed to get back there and do a little living in it. I also needed some space to think, and muse over what TC said as well as think of a way I could totally screw him up.

  But, Elizabeth the Volvo didn't go home--it drove to the hospital instead. Seeing as it was after one in the morning--the nurses no matter who they are--weren't going to let me in on the floor to see Daniel. So I found a great parking spot, let the seat back and slipped out of my body.

  As I walked/jogged the parking garage, the elevator, the walkway to the hospital, and then in the atrium where I'd seen Mr. Spooky, and then up to Daniel's room, I really wished Wraiths could teleport. That would save sooooo much time.

 
The hall was quiet, as most of the patients were safely drugged in their beds. I tip-toed past the nurse's station to Daniel's room and sieved through the door. Ew. Metal.

  Daniel was as peaceful as ever, though the room was bland. They wouldn't allow him any sort of flowers or decoration in CCU. But that was okay. I just loved seeing him.

  And then I heard a wretched noise.

  It was a snore.

  Captain Ken Cooper was sound asleep in the fold out seat, his shoes and clothes still on, his head thrown back and his trench coat over him like a blanket. His mouth was open and I was amazed at how much like a child he was.

  I was also touched that he was still here, in the room with Daniel. Awwww.

  I went to my baby, but not too close. I learned close proximity to a Wraith in a hospital room could be bad ju-ju. But I looked at the monitors that were starting to get a little snowy and tried to check his vitals.

  The door opened then and two nurses came in.

  "Wha--" Cooper said as he came awake. "Freeze…."

  It wasn't Miss Tiarra tonight, but an Indian woman with a very stern expression on. "You're not supposed to be here."

  Cooper wiped at his face and glared at her. "I'm a cop--so sue me." He stretched as the two women started working on the machines. One of them actually smacked the side of it. "What time is it? And what the hell are you two doing?"

  The larger woman shook her head. "It's way past visiting hours, detective. And this machine's acting crazy. Getting all fuzzy in here--and if you see it out there at the station, it's blank. Like this poor guy's gone all flat-line."

  I knew in an instant that was my fault. Spirits, ghosts, astral beings like my-self--they all cause issues with electronic gizmos. So my being here out of body was a bad idea. But I was glad I'd come--and seeing Cooper stay here way past his duty was a nice touch.

  "Really? You sure his bubble-headed girlfriend isn't around? She has a knack for screwing things up."

  Or maybe not.

  I shot him a bird and moved around him, not wanting any part of what he was thinking, which of course happens if I walk through someone.

  Once out in the hallway I saw him.

  Standing by the nurse's station--a metal clipboard in his hand.

  Bonville.

  *****

  CHAPTER TEN

  He hadn't seen me yet--and though I was Wraith I was certain he would see me unless I moved. But I was too curious as to whose chart he was looking at.

  The presence behind me was startling, but not unexpected. "It's your lover's chart--" TC said on the wind.

  Lover's. Hah. That term indicated there was sex involved between the two parties. I could only deduct that the Archer had no idea Daniel and I hadn't--

  "Oh?"

  Well shit.

  "Are your memories of our time together returning?"

  Shut. The hell. Up.

  Great. I could hear that fucker's laughter all over the hospital. I could also see my presence was garnering unwanted attention. Hospitals house--well--souls. Spirits. Ghosts. Those what don't realize they iz dead. And those souls were starting to peak out of all sorts of places. Some were in color, some in pastels, and lots were in black and white much like Maddox's son. There were always the whispy things I saw while Wraith--those pieces of Abysmal-Ethereal-Astral whatsis that looked like the black smoke after blowing out a candle. I had no idea what they were, but they were always around on the edges of things.

  Bonville looked up and narrowed his eyes in our direction. Can he see us?

  "No, but he knows something's here. And in a second he'll--"

  A cell phone rang. I recognized the theme as a well known tune by 3 Doors Down. Bonville reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled his phone out. I felt TC's hand on my shoulder and I batted it away. No touchy!

  "Yes--that's excellent news--no, I don't want a lot of them around. I don't trust them--especially since I can't tell them apart anymore. Cleanse the area and proceed. I want him brought directly into the chamber--no, I'm not crazy. I can use his power to destroy anything it sends after me. I'll be right there--just get him away from that witch!" There was actual spittle on his chin before he slammed the phone closed, turned and marched to the elevators.

  Witch? Was he talking about Dags away from mom? I mean, 'cause on occasion, I've called her a few choice names myself.

  "She's not the only one," the Archer said and he materialized to my right. He looked even more washed out in the bright fluorescent hospital light. Not so--scary.

  Should I follow him?

  "No," he turned to me. His ink-black shades were back on. "You won't be able to. You'll need to get to him another way."

  I burned past the Archer to the emergency exit and took the stairs as fast as I could. It was more time consuming than the elevator, but at least this way I was getting my astral workout. Once on the landing I went through the door (yow, metal!) and made my way back to the parking lot, avoiding any contact with any of the multitude of ghosts that crowded into my way.

  TC was at my car when I arrived. I stopped and frowned. How did he--

  "I don't have to run. Or take a bus, or a train, or a plane--"

  Bastard.

  I sieved into the car and easily back into my body. I righted the seat, putting me back in front of the steering wheel and would have given a full scream when I noticed TC in the passenger's seat beside me. Stop doing that!

  "Drive."

  Ass wipe.

  "Dumbass."

  Ah! Get out of my car!

  "You need me. Without me the Betrayer will succeed in--"

  Hey.

  He paused. "Yes?"

  Does the Betrayer have a Symbiont?

  The Archer abruptly vanished out of my car. Was it something I said? No matter--if I still had my voice I would be calling mom real fast in order to warn them that I thought Bonville's henchmen--be they physical peoples or Shadow Peoples--were on their way if not already there.

  I drove like a bat out of the oven getting back to mom's. All was dark from the outside--and it looked real quiet too. It was close to two-thirty spook time by Elizabeth's digital. I pulled up with the lights off and then cut the engine. I could either go in physical and of course, if I got jumped, there was no way for me to warn anybody verbally.

  Or go in Wraith where I seemed to have the advantage.

  Bing, bing, bing. Wraith!

  I leaned the chair back again and locked the doors before sieving out--I also checked my watch--or rather my wrist since I have no idea where my watch was. I could only guess I had about three and a half hours available to me. Give or take what I'd used in the hospital. I hadn't rested enough to completely restart the clock. What did worry me was the cold. It was already nearing thirty degrees, and I couldn't leave the heater running. Forget a blanket--there wasn't one in the car. All I had was my pea-coat.

  Nothing felt oogie as I moved up to the front porch. There were the usual creepies outside the house, little buggers mom's wards wouldn't let in--so I was certain the ward itself was still intact. I moved through the door (yay wood!) and sensed someone to my left through the beaded curtain. I moved through it and saw that someone was sound asleep on the couch. That had to be Dags. That was good.

  Two more checks upstairs showed that Mom and Rhonda were asleep too.

  So--what had Bonville been talking about?

  "Zoë?"

  Yikes! I jumped and spun, turning to see Steve standing in the kitchen. Oh god don't do that.

  "Why are you here--" he pointed to me. "Like that? Where is your body?"

  In the car. I told him the story as briefly as I could think it and he nodded.

  "There was a bit of a fracas earlier at the ward's edges--they held so I didn't wake Nona or Rhonda. You think Bonville will come here?"

  I shrugged and moved into the Botanica-- I wanted to find those journals and re-read a few parts. Because something wasn't gelling for me.

  As I passed the couch every door a
nd window in the house blew open. I crouched low as Steve yelled out. Dags sat up abruptly--his hands out, palms up--and the circles on his palms were lit up like fluorescent lamps in the dark.

  He started to fade as well, just at he had in the atrium.

  No fair! He was in the house!

  The sound of thunder echoed above me until I realized it was footsteps. Rhonda burst out of the kitchen area, a stick in her hands. Nona was right behind her.

  "What happened!" Rhonda screamed out. Wind like a nor'easter gale whipped everything in the house up in a frenzy. "What's going on?"

  "They broke through," screamed Nona. Her eyes found me and then they widened to the size of oranges. "Zoë, behind you!"

  But I already knew he was there. I knew he'd been waiting on this. I grabbed Dags' wrist as TC grabbed me and together all three of us vanished from the house on Euclid in Little Five Points.

  No one had to tell me we were in the Abysmal Plane. I could feel it all around me. And what frightened me more was that I--well--I enjoyed how it felt. Warm and peaceful, and I could feel strength flooding every fiber of my being.

  But was it only because I was Wraith?

  I heard Dags screaming beside me and I pulled him to me, becoming as solid as I could to protect him from whatever it was that destroyed physical bodies. If we didn't find a way out of here quick, Dags wouldn't survive, and I was terrified he too would become a Shadow.

  I opened my eyes to see a daisy-covered plain--hills and valleys out of a movie were sprawled on either side of me. I could see a small village to my left and another to my right. White smoke billowed from a chimney or two in both. Flowers sprouted up beside where I knelt with the writhing man in my arms.

  Mental Note: reread Big Book of Everything--notate description of Abysmal is WRONG!

  I looked down at him and he was looking up at me with pain-filled eyes.

  "Z-zoë?" he was shaking. It felt like the sort of shake I always got when I had a fever--the kind I couldn't stop, the kind that chattered my teeth. His dark eyes were turning white. Dead white. "You--you l-look different."

  "Just stay with me," I said.

  He smiled. "I--I heard you--you sp-spoke."