Cemetery Tours

by Smith, Jacqueline

  “Your brain seems like a stressful place,” Michael remarked.

  “It can be.”

  Much sooner than Michael would have preferred, they pulled into the apartment complex. He parked the car in his driveway and together, they climbed up the stairs. Kate was still rambling.

  “So we’re going to have to figure out how to get Gavin out of the apartment, or at least out of earshot. Or maybe if we can’t get him out, we can ask Trevor to follow us back to your place and we can talk to him there. Or we might be able to - ”

  “Hey,” he stopped her and took her hand. She looked up at him with wide eyes. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.” She grinned wryly, but Michael could tell she was still nervous. He was, too.

  “Thanks,” she said. Then she took a deep breath and pulled her keys out of her purse. “Alright, let’s do this.”

  Four people were waiting for them in the living room. Gavin sat with an older couple, whom Michael assumed were his and Kate’s parents, on the couch, while Trevor paced angrily back and forth across the room, every so often running a hand over his short hair. All four of them looked up when Kate and Michael appeared.

  “Hey, what are you doing here?” Kate asked her parents.

  “Well, if you bothered to check your cell phone, you would have known that they called last night to tell us that they were stopping by for a visit this afternoon,” Gavin told her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this morning?”

  “I tried, but you were out the door before I could say anything.”

  “Oh.”

  “Kate?” their mother said. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Mom, Dad, this is my friend Michael. He lives across the hall. Michael, these are our parents, Terri and Rex.”

  “Hi,” Michael gave a nervous wave.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Mrs. Avery nodded.

  “You too.”

  “So what’s going on?” Kate asked.

  “Actually, we wanted to talk to you,” Rex replied.

  “Okay.”

  “Maybe we should talk in private,” Terri suggested, lightly implying that she would rather Michael not be there for what they needed to say.

  “Why? Is something wrong?” Kate asked.

  “No, of course not. We just want to talk to you.”

  “Then why would we need privacy?”

  “It’s alright. He can stay,” Rex said. “Why don’t you kids sit down?”

  Together, Kate and Michael retrieved a few chairs from the dining room table and dragged them into the living room so that they were facing the couch. They exchanged curious glances as they sat down.

  “Kate, your father and I have been talking,” Terri began. “And we think it would be best - ”

  “For everyone,” Rex interjected.

  “- if maybe you moved back in with us for a while.” Terri pursed her lips as she waited for her daughter’s reaction.

  “What?” Kate asked, looking as though she wasn’t sure she’d heard them correctly.

  “Back when you and Gavin decided to become roommates, we all agreed to give it a trial period, remember?”

  “So why are you saying this now? Why not back before I put my name on the lease for a new apartment?” Neither parent seemed to know how to answer.

  “We wanted to give you every opportunity to make things work on your own. But with Gavin still being sick, we just think it would be better for you to - ”

  “Wait a minute. If this is about Gavin being sick, then why don’t you make him move back in with you?” Kate demanded. Michael glanced over at Gavin, who was looking terribly pale and uncomfortable. His eyes were locked on a spot on the floor and he was clutching the arm rest on the sofa so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

  “He’s older. He’s lived on his own a lot longer than you have,” Terri tried to explain.

  “You mean he didn’t bust his head open in a car wreck,” Kate translated.

  “Kate, I know you think we’re being overprotective, but I still don’t think you understand just how critically injured you were.”

  “I was in a coma for three weeks. Trust me, I get it. What I don’t get is why you think I need this. Every single doctor I’ve seen has told me I couldn’t be healthier.”

  “Yes, but sometimes things happen,” Terri insisted.

  “What could possibly happen?”

  “We just don’t want you overexerting yourself,” Rex said. Kate narrowed her eyes.

  “What does that mean?”

  “You’ve just seemed so stressed since the break in - ” Terri began.

  “Oh, here we go,” Kate murmured.

  “- and the doctors said we needed to be vigilant of your mental recovery as much as your physical recovery.”

  “Mental recovery?” Michael asked before he could help himself.

  “Mom, please...” Kate begged.

  “Kate has retrograde amnesia. She lost two and a half years of memories after the crash and if she ever wants to get them back, the last thing she needs is to be stressed out over nothing,” Terri told him. Michael looked at Kate.

  “You didn’t tell me that,” he said.

  “I didn’t want you feeling sorry for me,” Kate explained. “Besides, they all filled me in on what I’m missing. They showed me a bunch of pictures and videos and Facebook posts, so I sort of remember everything.”

  “Pumpkin, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Rex told her.

  “I’m not ashamed of it! I don’t particularly enjoy talking about it...” She may not have been ashamed, but Michael could tell that thinking about all the time she’d lost upset her.

  “Then we won’t talk about it,” Terri said. “Kate, if you start packing now, we can have a few bags of your things back at the house tonight and-”

  “Mom, I am not moving back in with you. I’m happy here. Besides, Gavin needs someone here with him. As long as Trevor’s around -”

  “Kate, don’t you understand? There is no Trevor. That’s why we’re so worried about you. You’re getting yourself so worked up over something that isn’t there. Honey, that’s not healthy.” Michael would have given anything at that moment to drop to his knees and beg Mrs. Avery to take that back. On the far side of the room, Trevor had stopped his anxious pacing and had turned dark, furious eyes on the woman sitting across from Kate. Gavin, meanwhile, pressed a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes.

  Even from across the room, Michael could sense Trevor’s anger escalating. He wasn’t sure what he would do or what he was capable of, but he really didn’t want to find out.

  “Trevor is real,” Michael blurted. All four Averys looked at him, expecting him to elaborate. Trevor, on the other hand, looked stunned, then suspicious. Michael tried to ignore his dark stare as he cleared his throat and fibbed, “We uh... had a paranormal investigator come through a few years ago. This building is notorious for being haunted, and Trevor was one of the names that they caught during their uh...”

  “EVP session?” Kate supplied.

  “Yeah, that.”

  “Interesting,” Rex murmured, not sounding all that convinced.

  “Well regardless, I still think it would be in Kate’s best interest if she moved back home with us,” Terri announced.

  “Oh, so now we’re talking about me like I’m not here. Super,” Kate remarked, rising up off the chair and onto her feet.

  “Kate, we’re only trying to help.”

  “Well you know what, Mom? I don’t need your help. Come on, Michael, let’s go.” And with that, Kate stormed out of the apartment.

  “Um, it was nice meeting you,” Michael offered awkwardly before following her out the door. Kate was already halfway down the stairs. Michael sprinted after her. Kate whirled around and looked at him.

  “Let’s just get out of here.”

  “Okay,” Michael agreed. “Where do you want to go?”

  “Anywhere.”

&n
bsp; ~*~

  They ended up at the movie theater. After catching the latest superhero summer blockbuster, they went out for a light dinner. Then Kate announced that she knew a cool independent coffee house not too far from downtown. They decided to grab a quick cup of coffee and spend the rest of the evening at the neighboring White Rock Lake. Although he was more than happy to spend time with Kate, Michael was worried about her. She hadn’t said a word all afternoon about her parents, their request, or their concerns about her memory. He didn’t want to pester her by asking about it, but he wished he knew that she was alright.

  He didn’t have to wonder long. During their sunset walk around the lake, Kate’s cell phone buzzed, revealing a text message from Gavin.

  Hey are you okay?

  Kate stared at the phone, evidently trying to decide whether or not she wanted to ignore her brother, before punching in the message, Yeah, I’m fine, and pressing Send.

  “So have you ever seen the Lady of the Lake?” she asked Michael as she stuffed her cell phone back into her purse.

  “From the Arthurian legend?” Michael asked.

  “You’ve never heard of the Lady of the Lake?” She looked stunned. He simply shook his head. “She’s the ghost of a woman who’s said to haunt this area. According to the legend, she drowned in this lake sometime during the 1920’s. Some say it was a car accident, some say she killed herself. But over the years, several people driving around the lake late at night have reported seeing a young woman, dressed in a wet gown, stopping drivers and asking them for a ride home. Then, once she’s in the back of the car, she vanishes and leaves a puddle on the seat.”

  “That sounds annoying,” Michael quipped. “So is that why you suggested coffee out here? You wanted to find out if the lake is really haunted?”

  “No, I brought you out here because I like lakes. And because that coffee was delicious.”

  “It was pretty good,” Michael acknowledged. And though he still wasn’t as keen on lakes as Kate, he had to admit it was beautiful. The peaceful, mirrored surface of the water reflected the warm colors of the evening sky. Not to mention for an area supposedly so haunted, he had yet to see a single ghost. That was definitely a plus.

  “Listen, I’m sorry about the way I acted around my parents earlier. I should’ve handled it better.”

  “You don’t have to apologize to me.”

  “Still, I feel like I owe you some sort of explanation.”

  “You’ve told me before that you think your parents worry about you too much.”

  “That’s the understatement of the new millennium,” Kate remarked. “I should have told you about the memory thing, especially after you answered all zillion of my questions. It’s just that after everyone found out that I had amnesia, they began treating me different, like I was broken. They’d walk on eggshells around me, afraid they might say something that would upset me.

  “Then I had friends that I’d made in the past two years that I didn’t remember. One of them doesn’t talk to me anymore. It hurt her feelings that I couldn’t remember her, and even though we both knew that it wasn’t personal, it was just too hard for her.”

  “I’m sorry,” Michael muttered.

  “It’s not your fault. And you know, for the most part, everyone has been really supportive. Val, for instance. When I woke up, I had no idea who she was. But she was willing to take me back, in spite of everything. It still depresses me though, losing two and a half years of my life. I mean, I don’t remember the trip I took to Europe. I don’t remember my last year of college or my graduation. I don’t remember any of the Christmases or birthdays. All I have are pictures. And it’s so frustrating because I try so hard to remember...” Kate trailed off and wiped a few stray tears off her cheeks. Michael wasn’t sure what to say, so instead, he dug a tissue out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Thanks,” Kate took it and dried her eyes.

  By the time they finally walked back to the car, dusk had fallen and stars were beginning to appear in the sky. Soft mist danced across the glassy surface of the water, and perhaps his mind was still reeling from the legend Kate had told him earlier, but Michael could have sworn he saw a woman dressed in white climbing out of the water on the other side of the lake.

  Kate didn’t need to know that.

  Once they were inside the car, Michael began to fasten his seatbelt, but Kate reached over and pulled him into a kiss. “Thanks for this afternoon,” she whispered.

  “Any time.” Michael replied, leaning in to kiss her again, when suddenly, she pulled away. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I just... I don’t know,” Kate murmured as she glanced around. “Something feels... off...”

  Before Michael could ask Kate what she meant, he saw it; the figure standing about fifty feet away, illuminated by the glow of a neighboring streetlight. Michael couldn’t make out a face, but he knew that whoever he was, he’d seen them.

  “Kate, don’t move,” Michael whispered.

  “Why?”

  “There’s someone out there.” Kate drew in a shaky breath.

  “Is it an alive someone?” she asked.

  “No,” Michael muttered with certainty. From a distance, it might have been hard to tell, but Michael could see no shadow at the stranger’s feet, where, given his position under the streetlight, it should have been.

  “Do you recognize him?” Michael didn’t respond. The man was walking silently and steadily toward the car with obvious intent. Under normal circumstances, Michael wouldn’t have panicked. He would have simply ignored the man, who was now so close that Michael could see the whites of his eyes, and driven off, seemingly blissfully unaware. Even if the man decided to crawl into the backseat, as others had done in the past, Michael would have been able to handle it.

  But these were not normal circumstances. This wasn’t a ghost with whom Michael had accidentally made eye contact or whose unheard question he’d happened to answer. This guy had found him. Michael realized, as the man came to a stop just outside of Kate’s window, that he’d probably been following them. The man peered through the window directly at Michael, who stared (stupidly) back.

  “Michael, what’s happening?” Kate whispered.

  Michael didn’t know how to respond. The man didn’t look particularly threatening. He was of average height and build, with blue eyes and light brown hair. He was probably around his mid to late twenties and although his expression was somber, he didn’t look angry or out for revenge. Then again, the way he’d chosen to spy and sneak up on them didn’t exactly register as “not creepy.”

  The stranger raised a fist and knocked on the window. It wasn’t very loud, but it was just audible enough for Kate to gasp and whirl around so that she was staring out the window and, unknowingly, into the face of their ghostly visitor. Michael didn’t want to acknowledge him, but he also didn’t want him letting himself into the car, especially with Kate there. She already had her own ghost to deal with.

  “Kate, stay in the car,” Michael instructed.

  “What are you going to do?” she asked. In response, Michael opened his door, climbed out, and faced the ghost from across the top of the car.

  “Can I help you?” he asked. The guy smiled.

  “So it’s true,” he said as he strolled around the car to meet with Michael.

  “What is?” Michael asked.

  “You can see us.”

  “Who told you?” The man shrugged.

  “Word gets around,” he replied. “Can your girlfriend see us too?”

  “No, but she knows you’re here.”

  “She must be pretty understanding,” he remarked. Michael didn’t respond. “You know, I’ve heard about people like you. Mediums and such. Didn’t think you actually existed.”

  “Some people would say the same about you,” Michael retorted.

  “Yeah, I used to be one of them.”

  “So who are you?”

  “Gracie didn’t tell you?” he asked, his blue
eyes suddenly solemn.

  “Gracie?” Michael asked. “You mean Grace Bledsoe?”

  “She’s the one. Or she was,” he replied sadly.

  “Oh! Are you, um...” Michael was ashamed to admit that he couldn’t remember the guy’s name. The guy who had been in love with Grace even though she was engaged to his best friend.

  The guy who’d stabbed her to death just hours before her wedding.

  Crap.

  “Daniel Ford. And judging by the look on your face, you’ve heard all about me.”

  “A little...” Michael could feel the blood draining from his face. Why did he have to get out of the car? Why did he think this was anything other than a very dumb idea? Why did he never learn that talking to ghosts was basically asking for bad things to happen?

  “Well, whatever you heard, it wasn’t true. I don’t know who killed Gracie, or me for that matter, but whoever it was, I can guarantee you, is still out there.”

  Chapter 17

  Kate barely noticed the world passing by outside her window as she tried to sort through everything Michael had just told her.

  The ghost outside her window had been Daniel Ford, the man who was supposed to have murdered his best friend’s bride and then turned a gun on himself. Only as it turned out, he hadn’t killed anyone. At least, that’s what he claimed.

  He didn’t deny his feelings for Grace. He even admitted to engaging in a seven-month-long affair with her. That was why his fingerprints had been discovered at the scene. He had been there, but not with any intention of killing her.

  He also admitted to getting drunk after they’d said their last goodbyes, and he hadn’t even known that she’d been killed until after he’d opened his eyes and found himself staring down at his own body, blood flowing from a single bullet wound in his skull. A gun had been set near his right hand in an attempt to make it look like he had taken his own life.

  He’d been so stricken, seeing his body lying lifeless on the distant riverbank that he didn’t catch a glimpse of his murderer, who had darted back through the tall grass and into the forest. He’d wandered the area ever since, waiting for whatever it was that kept him there to finally relinquish its hold on him.