Reunion (A Psychological Suspense with Murder, Mystery and the Paranormal)

by Jeff Bennington

  After the birds had disappeared, he continued.

  “These survivors represent the courage and strength that will help Crescent Falls go forward after today. And we are extremely grateful.” The mayor looked out at the crowd and said, “Let’s give them a great big Crescent Falls thank you, shall we?”

  The crowd cheered and clapped, and their smiles and tears reflected back at the honorees. The six classmates waved at the crowd and stepped off the stage. The party continued.

  • • •

  The survivors surrounded Noah and blasted him with questions about what he had been up to for the past twenty years. He told them that the school shooting had brought about a huge change in his life. He explained his sudden disappearance and over time, how the trauma he had suffered caused him to seek a better understanding of the nature of human beings. Lana was especially interested.

  “I went to Oxford to study psychology and theology. With everything that had happened, I needed to get a handle on what caused David to do what he did. But I wasn’t satisfied with what I learned in psychology. To me, David’s actions had to run deeper than neurons and electrical impulses triggering homicidal behaviors. Some of the theories made sense but they never seemed to get at the core of morality and eternity. I wanted to know more so I began to explore the spiritual realm, parapsychology, the paranormal, the whole shebang. Consequently, I ended up being a pastor, or as we say in England, a vicar, of a small church near Winchester. And that’s where I’ve been ever since.”

  “Are you telling me that our star-studded exchange student became a man of the cloth?” asked Bryan as he laughed out loud.

  Maria lit a cigarette and puffed the smoke out of the side of her mouth and asked, “You’re a preacher and a ghost chaser?”

  “Right.” Noah grinned at Maria and then looked at Bryan, studying his uniform. “What about you, Bryan? I thought you were going to medical school?”

  “Well, you know how things change…” Bryan straightened his freshly pressed shirt, decorated with patches and other official identification. He put his hands on his fully loaded gun belt, smiled proudly and said, “As it turns out.” He cleared his throat. “I discovered I’m hard-wired for law enforcement.”

  “But why are you in uniform, today of all days?” asked Noah. His eyes studied him with curiosity.

  “Larry, my boss, insisted. Thought I’d make the department proud—good PR or something like that.”

  Kate smiled and then turned the conversation back to Noah. “So, you see dead people? Real ghosts and all that kind of stuff?”

  “I have,” replied Noah.

  “What brought you back here?” Lana asked with enmity.

  All eyes turned to Noah.

  Noah looked directly at Lana and answered, “I came here, for…this, of course.”

  Lana looked away. She respected that he didn’t broadcast his true intentions.

  “When Maria contacted my mother,” continued Noah, “I was shocked that anyone remembered me! Although I knew it would be hard to return, I had to come back. It was a perfect opportunity to see all of you and—”

  His eyes turned toward Lana again.

  Bryan interrupted. “Paranormal phenomena, huh?”

  “Right,” answered Noah, turning back to the deputy. “I’m quite an anomaly among my peers. Most clergy in the Church of England shy away from the paranormal. Fear of the demonic, I suppose. But I’ve found that one’s search for truth in God can include a little ghost hunting now and again.” Noah chuckled.

  Lana joined in the laughter even though she found his statement a little unnerving, considering the strange events of the last few days.

  “So where is everyone else?” asked Noah.

  “This is it,” responded Maria. “We either couldn’t find them or they didn’t want to come back. In some ways, I don’t blame them.”

  Rick Heinz approached them. He stuck his head between Kate and Bryan and put his arms around them.

  “Hey folks, I’m getting ready to open the doors so you can go inside and enjoy some peace and quiet. We’ve got food and refreshments inside. Just help yourselves and have a good time!” He looked up at the sky. “Besides, looks like we might get some rain soon.” He smiled and walked back toward the podium and spoke to the crowd again. “Thank you all for coming. We’re going to open up the school now and let these folks enjoy their first class reunion in twenty years!” With a dramatic motion he took the key to the recently replaced front entry door and unlocked it.

  The group looked at each other with trepidation. Maria pressed her unfinished cigarette onto a tree trunk, and tossed the butt into a nearby trash can already filled with debris. Then she joined the group as they walked up the concrete steps and waved at the applauding crowd. The rumbling of thunder echoed in the distance.

  Lana limped up the steps. Noah offered her his hand. She hesitated, but then accepted. “Thank you,” she said smiling at him for the first time.

  “My pleasure.”

  The group moved forward, nervously, like a school of fish naturally mimicking each other’s movements. Lana looked at the happy crowd and thought, if they only knew what’s been going on. Her eyes and hesitant movements reflected her inner fears. Are the others as scared as I am, she wondered? Is Noah scared?

  As they entered the foyer, they walked over a tile mosaic of their school mascot, The Fighting Cougar. Lana looked at the floor and commented, “It looks just as beautiful as I remember. Its claws and fangs warning all who pass that the Crescent Falls Fighting Cougars are a force to be reckoned with.”

  “Yeah. We sure showed them, huh?” Maria added, with a hint of cynicism.

  “Streamers and balloons? Wow. Someone really went overboard here,” said Kate.

  Lana scanned the cafeteria as she continued walking. The decorations were coordinated with the school colors like the archway that had welcomed them. She looked in awe at the restored interior. The polished floors and bright lights contrasted with her last memory of the building.

  As Lana walked inside, the shadowy echoes of gunfire rang in her ears. Each step on the freshly waxed floor reminded her of the sound of running feet trying to escape David Ray’s fury. She suddenly realized that everyone was huddled together, navigating toward the table of refreshments in the center of the cafeteria. Lana walked with caution, on high alert, examining the walls and floors for clues to prove that what she remembered really happened. She watched as Maria winced from the painful reminders that must have been swirling about in her mind. The others seemed to be holding back their feelings in defiance of their memories. Lana thought that she and the others must look like D-Day veterans walking the beaches of Normandy, brave yet broken.

  “I wonder,” asked Tanner, “has there ever been a class reunion with so much tension?”

  “Not likely,” answered Kate as she studied her surroundings.

  Lana interjected, “The food smells great. I’m starving!” Hunger began to overpower her fears.

  “Still hypoglycemic, huh?” asked Noah.

  “Yes! I can’t believe you remembered. Gotta have fuel every four hours or down I go!” Lana arched her hand and zoomed it like a crashing airplane. They all laughed and the tension eased a little.

  • • •

  Noah grinned, but something was bothering him. He scanned the room and squared his jaw. Something wasn’t right, he thought. He felt a heaviness in the air; it was everywhere.

  Images and sounds of the shooting echoed in his mind. The anxiety and numbness that had haunted him for twenty years rushed through his veins, keeping him on edge as the group entered the dining hall. With short, careful steps and cautious eyes he arrived at the snack table. They all stopped and took deep, relieving breaths.

  Well, we made it, Noah thought, but something keeps gnawing at me. He searched his surroundings for the source of the evasive feeling. Nothing…yet.

  Tanner said, “If we can make it this far, I think we’ll be fine. Every step count
s, right?”

  Noah reluctantly nodded as memories of the shooting raced through his thoughts, reminding him of the evil that had swept through the place that day.

  • • •

  Kate watched as Bryan grabbed a plate and started filling it with barbeque sausage and then laughed sympathetically when he spilled some on his crisp uniform. He grabbed a napkin and wiped it off, looking agitated by his clumsiness. Lana loaded up on garlic bruschetta.

  Kate couldn’t let go of her belief that David Ray was in the building. She grabbed a handful of chips, while inspecting the boarded-up windows and her classmates. The others seemed to silently observe the open space. She wondered if they were thinking about David Ray as much as she was.

  Lana said, “Everything looks smaller,” just before she popped a crunchy morsel of bread into her mouth.

  “I agree,” said Tanner. “But it still has the bullet holes. Look!” He pointed to one of the pillars on the perimeter that was peppered with buckshot.

  Maria stood next to Kate and scooped up a slice of cherry pie and asked, “What do you think, Kate? So far so good, huh?”

  Kate’s eyes wrinkled. “I guess.” She looked around, waiting for something to appear. “It’s too quiet.”

  “Well, would you look at that!” Tanner plopped down into an oversized chair. “A different color for everyone! How cool is that?” He stroked the leather and observed its qualities. “Beautiful shade of red, cozy, soft leather, brown shag rug on center. Very chic!”

  Lana laughed. “This place looks like Starbucks.”

  “Glad we don’t have to sit in those plastic cafeteria chairs. That would freak me out,” added Maria. Kate studied the room and watched her friends, wishing that Nick was there with her, sober and tender like he used to be. I’m scared, she thought. And I feel so alone.

  • • •

  Noah stepped near Lana. “So you were married, huh?”

  Lana shrugged. “Yeah. He couldn’t take it any more after seven years. Guess I was too much for him!”

  Noah chuckled and handed her a drink. “Punch?”

  Lana gripped the cup. “Thank you.”

  “He must not have been the right one?”

  “I guess not.” She smiled and walked away from the others toward the perimeter of the room.

  Noah followed her. She stopped, turned around and slowly lifted her eyes.

  Noah came to an abrupt halt. “Lana, you know, I don’t expect you to drop everything and run back to me. That’s not why I’m here.”

  “Good. I don’t intend to.” She walked around him, limping as she encircled his still frame. His eyes followed her movements.

  “So…do you love him?”

  “Who, my ex?”

  “Right.”

  “I did.” She continued circling, drawing him away from the others.

  “Was he good to you?”

  “At first. It’s not like he was mean or anything. He just dropped out emotionally. Strike two for me, I guess.”

  Noah twisted his neck, following her circular motion. “So you’re afraid of strike three? Is that it?”

  Lana stopped moving when she came to a pillar, out of sight from the others. “Yeah, something like that.” He had hit a chord. Her chest felt heavy, and she was beginning to feel angry. His company felt good; it felt natural, but it hurt. She stepped close to him and stood still for a moment with her head down, unsure of how she might react. Then suddenly, she smacked him hard in the chest with the palm of her hand.

  “Why didn’t you call me, Noah?”

  She smacked again. “Why didn’t you write?”

  Noah froze in shock. “Wh…why didn’t you?” he sputtered.

  She smacked him a third time. “Because you were supposed to! You’re the man!”

  “What?” His eyes wrinkled. He lowered his voice but maintained his intensity. “I was a boy, Lana! Don’t you get that? I didn’t know what to do, and neither did you!”

  The truth of his words cut deep into her heart. She covered her face and cried. He put his arms around her and she wept unashamedly, resting in his embrace.

  • • •

  Maria sat next to Tanner. “So, Tanner, what’s your story?”

  Tanner chuckled. “My story? You mean, what happened…here? I think you know the answer to that.”

  “I do. But have you ever talked about it?” Maria pressed.

  Tanner shook his head. “You mean besides my shrink? No, not really.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn—”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  Tanner twisted his neck as if preparing for a boxing match. For him, going back to that day took mental and physical preparation. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked outward, but his mind went inward. His face became impassive, almost trance-like.

  “I remember lying under the table with Kenny. He was making a plan to jump David.” Tanner’s forehead wrinkled and his body stiffened, molding to the chair. “My eyes were closed tight, but I could hear everything, the sniffles from a girl nearby, and the cops’ bullhorn outside. I remember hearing David jump onto your table. Then Kenny whispered to me that David was probably going to kill Nick because he’d teased him a lot. Kenny said he would stop David before he killed anyone else. That’s when I opened my eyes and saw David jump down from the table and shoot Alexis and Sydney. Then he started yelling for Nick.” Tanner paused. “Hang on a second. I’m gonna need a drink.”

  He strode across the shag rug and drank a cup of punch, followed by a shot of vodka from a flask he took from the interior of his parka. He looked around before he poured.

  Maria raised her eyebrows when he returned.

  Tanner noticed her expression. “What? It’s for emergencies!”

  “Uh-huh. I see.”

  Tanner resumed his story.

  “Anyway, at that point, Kenny started inching toward David. I remember feeling so scared for him. I remember shaking my head and whispering ‘No. Don’t go. Don’t do it.’ But he didn’t listen to me. Then David cocked the shotgun and aimed it at Randy. That’s when Kenny looked at me and whispered, ‘Three, two, one.’ When he stood up, David pulled the trigger and killed Nick’s brother, then lifted his head and saw Kenny running toward him. Kenny didn’t know it but Mr. Gardner was doing the same thing.” Tanner’s voice trembled. “When I saw David point his gun at Kenny I got scared and shouted ‘Look out!’ I didn’t mean for Kenny to turn around and look at me.” Tanner held back his emotions. “I didn’t mean to—”

  “It’s okay, Tanner. You don’t have to continue.”

  He sat up, sniffled, and loosened his limbs. “Yes, I do! I need to do this.” He cleared the enormous lump from his throat and stared out into the cafeteria where Kenny was shot.

  “When Kenny turned around at the sound of my voice, David shot him in the side of his chest with the shotgun. I watched him fall to the ground. It seemed like it took forever before he hit the floor. Kenny’s eyes stared at me as if he was making sure I was okay. But I just sat there, frozen.” Tanner gritted his teeth and rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t do anything! I just sat there, while Mr. Gardner kept running, but David shot him too.” Tanner paused and stared at the ground.

  • • •

  Maria looked away. Tanner’s story conjured up her own memories. She closed her eyes and thought, I hate you David! She turned toward the area where she remembered her last minute with Darrin. Her thoughts went out to God. I would give anything to be with Darrin right now, but you took him away, didn’t you?

  A moment later she heard Tanner say, “After a year of trying to live with myself, I decided I’d never back down from anything again. And that’s why I’m here.”

  Maria turned her eyes back to Tanner and gave him a compassionate grin.

  • • •

  Kate sat down in the red chair with her feet tucked under her and fearfully looked around. One of the
ceiling lights flickered and she jumped.

  “Whoa! Did anyone see that?” she asked.

  “See what?” asked Bryan, who stood eating next to the food table.

  “The lights. One of them blinked!” Her hands gripped the leather armrest.

  “After twenty years, I’m surprised any of them work,” replied Bryan.

  Another light flickered.

  “See I told you!” said Kate.

  At that moment all the lights on the ceiling flickered on and off, creating a freakish light show. One by one, each light flashed and then blacked out. The cafeteria became dark in a matter of seconds. The boarded-up windows left the interior as dark as night, with the exception of a few faint rays filtering through the cracks around the plywood barriers. The women screamed in shock. Obscenities from the men echoed through the vacant room. Everyone was shouting but only for a split second. Then they were silent. Kate waited for someone to say something, to suggest something. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, a loud clicking sound reverberated from each exit. The sounds traveled around the exterior doors as the deadbolts locked in sequence, one after the other.

  Click! Click! Click! Click!

  She held her breath and outside a boom of thunder crashed. Kate’s heart pounded hard. This is it, she thought, we’re all going to die.

  21st

  Sheriff Richards did not have time to attend the reunion celebration. He had spent the past few hours wrestling with the evidence, or lack of evidence, regarding the mysterious ghost. He ran the facts through his mind over and over, but nothing made sense.

  He interrogated himself in the privacy of his office. “The impression on the door was clearly David’s face. Without evidence, I’ve got nothing—nothing but a paranormal, meaningless explanation. The face matched David’s picture in the police file. But if David Ray is still alive, murder cannot be ruled out, which is cause enough to continue the investigation.”

  Larry concluded that if the David Ray scenario didn’t make sense, it was because he didn’t have all the information. Nick seemed to be the only one talking. After speaking with Donald Stout, Nick’s account sounded less far-fetched. However, he needed to confirm Donald’s story. He figured he could kill two birds with one stone by taking a trip to the Mount Carmel State Institution and taking Nick with him. In doing so, he could confirm Donald’s narrative, thereby dismissing David as a suspect and get Nick off his case. With many questions remaining, Larry grabbed his keys and headed toward Nick’s cell.