Shadows of the Past: A Supernatural Suspense Mystery (Shadow Slayers Stories Book 1)

by Nellie H. Steele

  The man walked from the restaurant. For the first time he sensed progress. She was beginning to remember; he could see it in her eyes. She knew there was something more and she would soon be ready to accept that along with his help. She now possessed the means to contact him. He hoped she would do so soon. If not, he’d have to push her a little further. Time was of the essence. But even if time wasn’t on their side, he couldn’t help but leave the restaurant with a smile. She would soon be his Celine again.

  Chapter 9

  Josie sat on the edge of her bed, turning the card over and over in her hands. Questions raced through her mind once again. Why had the man given the card to her? Why did he insist she was someone else? Why had she not said anything to her companions? She let the man who had been following her, who had grabbed her while raving like a madman, walk out of the restaurant without mentioning even a word to them. Josie’s own behavior was scaring her as much as the dreams and the recent visions she had been experiencing.

  She heard a noise at the door and shoved the card under her leg. Damien knocked on the door. “Ready for bed?” he asked.

  “Yep, I was just about to turn in.”

  “You sure you’re okay sleeping alone tonight?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure, thanks for checking though. I’m exhausted and I think getting out for that movie did me some good. I’m sure I’ll sleep fine.”

  “Are you going to play the music box to put you to sleep?”

  “No, don’t even think I need it,” she said, climbing under the covers, keeping the business card hidden.

  Damien smiled. “Okay, good night, Jos, sleep tight.”

  “Good night.” She smiled back. She closed her eyes, relaxing into her pillow. As soon as she heard the door click closed, she snapped her eyes open. She pulled the card from under the covers where she had hidden it. The same questions poured back into her mind. She was becoming concerned about her judgement yet she couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone about it. She hoped her therapy appointment next week would help. Five days until her next appointment seemed like an eternity. She considered calling the doctor, but even if she did, she would have to wait until Monday. This didn’t qualify as an emergency in her opinion; she would not disturb him over the weekend. She would have to do her best to remain calm before that appointment, as he had suggested.

  She cracked the music box open enough to slide the card into it. Closing her eyes, she tried to push everything from her mind and drift to sleep. She willed herself to be strong. She had never been a quitter; she came from stronger stock than that. She would be fine. She kept repeating that to herself until she dozed off.

  Despite her best efforts, Josie had a restless night, full of concern about the man following her and her lack of alarm over the situation and her refusal to tell anyone that he had approached her again. It seemed as though she was drawn to him. She had also found herself drawn to the music box again in the middle of the night. She opened it and left it play, finding it the only thing that helped her to get any sleep.

  She dragged herself out of bed for her morning jog, afterwards slogging into the kitchen on autopilot to make a cup of tea.

  “Bad night?” Michael asked, already up and heading to the gym.

  “Not terrible but yeah, the lack of sleep is starting to be an issue.”

  “Why don’t you try to go back to sleep now?” he suggested.

  “I’m afraid that’ll ruin any chance of sleeping tonight. I’ll be okay,” she said, yawning, “I just need some tea.”

  “Okay, if you say so. I’ll be back later.” Josie heard him leaving through the front door. She made it all the way to the porch with her tea before hearing Damien stirring in the house. He soon appeared with a cup of coffee in hand.

  “Did you sleep?” he asked.

  Josie knew everyone was concerned about her, but the constant conversation about her sleeping habits played on her last tired nerve. “Not really, no nightmares, but still couldn’t relax, I guess.”

  He approached the porch swing where Josie sat and joined her without saying a word. They swung together in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Josie appreciated having family like Damien, his presence alone comforted her, there was no need for words.

  She stared out at the brightly lit lawn. The sun was already heating the day; it was going to be another scorcher. Within an instant, Josie’s view changed. She no longer looked at her front lawn and driveway with her and Damien’s cars parked near the house. Instead, she saw a large home rising in front of her, white and stately looking with a long curving drive leading to it. Bright blue skies framed it across the top and a landscape of beautiful flowers on the bottom. The air smelled of the sea. The image lasted for a few seconds before it disappeared.

  Josie’s overtired mind tried to make sense of it. What were these things she was seeing? Her stomach became queasy and her head ached. Not wanting to panic Damien, she tried her best to recover in silence. A few minutes passed, and she hadn’t recovered. “Hey, I’m going to lay down for a little while, I don’t feel so good.”

  “You’re sick? Do you need anything?”

  “No, just my touchy stomach, probably my poor diet yesterday,” she gave a weak smile, heading inside and up to her room. She laid down on the bed, closing her eyes, hoping it would help dull the pain in her head. It did nothing to stop the pain. Her stomach still rolled as though she were on a roller coaster. She considered retrieving some medication from the bathroom but she was too sick to move. She laid still on her back, hoping the sensation would soon pass.

  Opening her eyes and turning her head she spotted the music box. Her hand reached over to caress the top of it. After a moment, she opened it. The small box’s music filled the air. She lay on her side, staring at it. Reaching over after a few moments, she removed the necklace from the box, clutching it to her chest. After about ten minutes, she began to recover. Her head still had a dull ache but the queasiness in her stomach had started to pass. Thank goodness, she thought.

  She closed her eyes again, her stomach and head beginning to ease. She began to relax, particularly now that the sensation that she may vomit at any moment had passed. She took a few deep breaths, relaxing as the cool air from the air conditioning unit blew on her as the unit kicked on. The tinkling music continued to fill her mind and lulled her off to sleep.

  Josie bolted upright; she’d had the dream again, and it had produced its usual side effects: labored breathing, soaking sweat, quickened pulse and a racing heart. She clenched her fists as she took long, deep breaths to calm her nerves. She looked at her palms, they were damp and sweaty. The dream had been different this time, she recalled, prompted by the clamminess on her palms. She remembered the usual: running through the cave, walls damp, being chased, but this time there was more. After hearing Celine’s name being called she had run toward a small ray of light. As she neared, she looked down at her hands. Blood covered them. She had awoken before she determined the source of the blood. She concluded that was a good thing.

  She wasn’t sure how much more she could take. The almost constant sleepless nights coupled with the terrible dreams and now the strange visions. She considered calling the therapist despite it being the weekend to request those sleeping pills. She was loath to do it; she solved nothing if she medicated her problems away. How long would she need to use pills before she was “cured?”

  She glanced over at the little music box, still playing cheerfully away. She remembered having removed the necklace from it before falling asleep. She found it lying under the covers, discarded during her sleep. She placed it back in the music box. She caught sight of the business card she had placed inside. Picking it up, she turned it over, reading the note again. Her eyes clouded with tears. She needed help, but she didn’t know where to get it. She didn’t want to tell her therapist she was having visions, fearing she’d end up in a straitjacket locked away in a psychiatric ward somewhere. The man who gave her this note seemed to u
nderstand. Or was he just as crazy as she was? Why did the prospect of confiding in him appeal to her so much more than getting professional help?

  She sniffled, letting a few tears fall to her cheeks. She heard a knock on the door. She wiped her face, sniffled again, and called out, “Yeah?”

  Damien poked his head in. “Didn’t wake you, did I?”

  “No,” she said, “I was getting up.” She discreetly put the business card back into the music box and closed it, standing up from her bed.

  “Did you get any sleep?” he asked, entering the room.

  “Yes, I did.”

  “That’s good! How about a quiet movie day on the couch? It’s going to be a real scorcher out there today and there’s some severe weather blowing in this afternoon. Sounds like a great day for watching a scary movie to me!”

  “Scary movie? I see enough of those when I sleep!”

  “Rom-com? Action? Anything, Jos, you can pick,” he said, trying to be supportive.

  “I’m kidding. Maybe if I’m scared out of my wits, my mind will snap back into place.”

  “Nothing is wrong with your mind, Josie, you’re just stressed out or whatever. I’m sure Dr. Reed can help you. In the meantime, maybe call him for a prescription or try an over-the-counter sleep aid.”

  “I’m fine, D. I’ll just wait for the appointment. What movie do you want to watch? And is it too early for popcorn?”

  “You can have whatever you want, Josie, no matter what time it is.” Damien grinned.

  Josie spent the rest of the day feigning relaxation on the couch when she was anything but relaxed. She felt guilty, both Damien and Michael were falling over themselves to make sure she was comfortable and stress-free, but she couldn’t shake the residual emotions from the latest version of the dream. The dreams seemed to be intensifying and coming more frequently. They were lasting longer and including more disturbing information.

  By the end of the afternoon, she found it difficult to keep her cool and jovial attitude. The movie marathon provided little distraction no matter what genre they tried.

  “What movie next, Jos?” Damien asked. “We have time for two more. It’s your pick.”

  “Ah, pass, someone else can pick.”

  “Come on, it’s your turn.”

  “Actually, I think I’ll get some fresh air.”

  “Fresh air?”

  “Yeah, I’d like to take a walk, clear my head.”

  “Yeah, stretch the legs, that sounds good, then we’ll do one last movie,” Michael said.

  “I didn’t mean all of us,” Josie retorted.

  “Well, too bad,” Michael responded, “You’re not supposed to be going out alone, remember?”

  “Oh, whatever, I’m too tired to argue, let’s just go. First, I have to change my shoes.”

  “Okay, we’ll meet down here in a few minutes,” Michael said.

  Annoyed, Josie trudged up the stairs. She just wanted five minutes alone. She knew everyone was concerned for her and doing their best to protect her from whatever was happening and she hated herself for reacting this way. But she was becoming overwhelmed with the entire situation and growing anxious about trying to sleep that night.

  As she retrieved her shoes, sitting on the edge of the bed to put them on, she opened the music box. Its sweet music filled the room. She took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes, letting the music soothe her frayed nerves. She put her shoes on, tying the laces slowly and methodically as she let the music wash over her. She spent another moment listening to the music before heading down to meet the guys for a walk. As she closed the music box, she saw the business card again. Her hand reached for it before she stopped herself. She would not dwell on it, instead, she forced herself to go for her walk.

  The walk did not clear her mind. She spent most of the time trying to keep up with the pleasantries designed to keep her mind off of her troubles. She forced herself to sit through one more movie before feigning tiredness and excusing herself to go to bed.

  Josie was not tired, but she needed to be alone. She opened the music box and curled up on her bed with a book. She wasn’t able to concentrate on it and after a few pages she gave up on it, tossing it aside and grabbing her laptop. She browsed social media sites, news articles, and email before playing a few games of solitaire. She tried anything and everything to distract herself but none of it worked.

  After running out of distractions, she tried to sleep. She was exhausted, but almost too terrified to close her eyes. She laid down and fought to stay awake but after a while her eyelids became heavy and she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep. The dream came to her not long after, ruining her sleep early on. She awoke in tears, not only from the terror of the dream but in frustration.

  The little music box continued playing its tune on and on, doing its best to soothe her tattered nerves. She reached for it, hugging it to her, wiping tears away. Her fingers ran over the necklace then the business card. She grasped it for the umpteenth time and studied it in the moonlight that streamed in through the window. How could he help her, she wondered? Then again, how could he hurt? She was a mess. Something seemed strangely familiar about the man, she thought, something that calmed her or drew her to him. In a moment of impulsivity, she grabbed her cell phone from the night table and texted the number: How do you think you can help me?

  She regretted it as soon as the message was sent. Josie threw her phone down among the covers. Why was she texting a stranger in the middle of the night? What did she expect him to answer? The man was unbalanced at best, yet Josie had texted him and asked for his help. What did that say about her?

  She tried to push everything from her mind and concentrate on the music. She closed her eyes, focusing on it until another sound intruded into the night. Opening her eyes, she picked up her cell phone. She had a text message waiting: Hello, Josie, or can I now call you Celine again?

  The prompt response surprised Josie. She waited a moment before responding, considering if she should answer and what she should say. Before she responded, a second message came through: I can help you, you’re not crazy.

  Uncontrollable tears streamed down her face. She didn’t know why, perhaps from relief that someone didn’t think she was crazy or perhaps she was just overtired. She let herself sob for a moment before grabbing her phone with a shaky hand to reply: I don’t see how you can help me.

  Within moments, the reply came: You must have thought I could, you texted me.

  Josie answered: Why are you following me?

  I need your help, but only after you remember who you are. I can help you remember.

  Josie was lost: I’m Josie Benson. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

  You’re having dreams, nightmares… about that night, the night you changed… the night that changed your life.

  The conversation unnerved Josie. She texted back: I made a mistake contacting you, please leave me alone.

  A response came almost immediately: Celine, please…

  Josie ignored it but within minutes another text came through: I can help you… stop the nightmares and help you remember

  Tears rolled from Josie’s eyes again as another message came through: Celine… just meet with me once… please

  Then another: I can help

  Josie was overwhelmed. She concluded that she had made a grave mistake in sending the initial message. What had she been thinking? As the messages continued to come through despite her lack of response, she became frustrated. She considered throwing her phone against the wall but she knew she would regret it and also wake up the entire household. She considered blocking the number, but she hesitated to do so. Besides, he had her number now, it would be as simple as getting a burner phone to contact her again so what was the use in blocking this number. Instead, she powered it down, preventing any further messages from reaching her tonight. She tossed it back onto her night table and curled in a ball under the covers. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks despite any attem
pt to stop them. After a while, sheer exhaustion overcame her, and she fell asleep, getting a few hours of sleep before the morning broke.

  He set down his phone. The last several messages had gone unanswered; she was ignoring him. It frustrated him, every step he took forward seemed to be followed by three steps back. He checked his phone again, no answer. He doubted he would get a response tonight. The last thing she had sent asked him to leave her alone. But he couldn’t do that. He would have to wait for her to respond or continue to send her messages until she did. He tried to focus on the good. She had texted him, she had reached out, she had opened the lines of communication. Not only did it mean that she was coming around but also that he could now get in touch with her without having to follow her every move and calculate when he could approach her. Things were moving in the positive direction, he had to believe that. Otherwise, he faced certain doom, they all did.

  Chapter 10

  Josie slept in the next morning, exhausted after another restless night. Before even considering breakfast, she lay with a cool, damp towel over her eyes, swollen from the crying overnight. She felt awful, exhausted both emotionally and physically, with a headache and a touchy stomach.

  After about an hour, she dragged herself from her bed and down for breakfast. She was the last one awake, which was unusual. “No jog today?” Michael asked as she plodded into the kitchen.

  Josie stifled a yawn. “No, took the morning off,” she said, making herself some oatmeal.

  “No jog? That’s not like you! You must be sick!” Damien joined the conversation.

  “I feel awful. I’m going to spend the day in bed.”

  Michael and Damien shared a glance, the news not sitting well with them. “Do you think you should call the therapist and see him earlier?” Michael asked.

  “Yeah, or maybe get a sedative?” Damien added.