Grave Danger Read online

  “Hey,” Eleanor shouted, picking the cornbread off her lap and throwing it on the table. “That was terrible. I have crumbs all over me now.” She swatted at her clothes, brushing imaginary crumbs off her blouse. She glared at Richard across the table. “You are so going to pay for that.”

  “I think that was rather tame on my part.” Richard snarled through light lips. “Questioning a man’s sexuality isn’t something to be taken lightly. As for retaliation, bring it on Southern Belle. It’s kind of fun to see you get your hoop skirts all in a bunch.”

  “You’re such a jerk.” Eleanor threw her napkin at him. He caught it in the air, wiping his mouth with a dramatic flourish.

  “Frankly my dear Eleanor, I don’t give a damn,” he said with a tilt of his head and a fairly good southern accent.

  “Tell me about this town hall meeting.” Clarissa interjected. Richard had informed them earlier when she and Eleanor had finished shopping and joined him on the street that the community had issued a town wide meeting tonight to discuss important issues. Richard hadn’t gone into detail about what these issues were. “What exactly is the reason everyone is getting together for?”

  “I just heard about it this morning.” Richard answered her. Putting the napkin down on the table, he brushed his fingers through his unruly hair. “It was a spur of the moment set up, but I imagine that everyone will be there. Usually town meetings are a big snooze fest and no one ever goes except for the few ghosts that apparently don’t have an afterlife. I personally have only been to a few and that only because someone said there was going to be food served afterwards.” He eyed Eleanor.

  “Oh, did I say there was going to be food?” She returned his look with an evil little smile. “I guess that was my mistake.”

  “Tonight will be different though.” He returned his attention to Clarissa. She was new to their city and as of yet hadn’t been partial to the recent events that had been plaguing their city. And things weren’t getting better, only worse. However, like all political issues, it had taken a catastrophe to make the big wigs wake up and actually try to do something about it.

  Unfortunately, it was too late now. The damage had been done and even if they could somehow resolve the problem it wouldn’t change the fact that these people had to die for anyone to even begin to start caring.

  “Why do you think that?” Clarissa wondered what a ghost town hall meeting would be like. She had been informed by Eleanor and Richard that the community was run by Diplomatic Authorities and they were not voted in, rather they happened to be some of the oldest and strongest of the Eidolon world.

  There were four of them, two women and two men, who orchestrated the running of the ghostly community. It was their job to ensure safety to their citizens and even the livings to some extent. They had been in charge since long before anyone could remember, having resided here in St. Augustine the longest out of anyone.

  Like a usual town meeting the four would preside over the gathering, bringing to the table the current issues that affected the dead community. And surprisingly there were a few. As the ghost owned or ran much of the businesses in the area they were affected by economic strife and issues that one might associate with the living. But much of the time, the issues were specifically ghost related. Tonight’s meeting would discuss an issue that affected them all; the living included.

  “I guess you already heard that we aren’t the only paranormal beings in this city.” When Clarissa nodded, he continued. “Well, this issue we think has to do with them. We’ve been dealing with the flesh-eaters for quite a few years now and so far our associations with them have been going relatively smoothly. Meaning it hasn’t gotten out of hand.”

  “If your idea of running smoothly means only a handful of livings have died because of these creatures, then yes. I’m sure it has.” Clarissa wondered bitterly what sort of numbers was acceptable to the Eidolon community before they believed things were getting out of hand. To them it seemed a few deaths here and there were nothing to them. But then when it was someone you knew about, cared about, who was served up as a flesh-eater entre then the issue became personal.

  So who had died and left these political authorities in charge? In this case, it was they who had died and voted themselves into office. In Clarissa’s opinion they were doing a terrible job and if it were possible she would like to see them all impeached from office.

  “So I can see where you stand on all of this.” Richard could tell from her tone of voice that Clarissa had no liking for the concept of allowing the flesh-eaters to reside in their city. It wasn’t something he cared for either. Richard had only moved here after his death and the clan of flesh-eaters had already moved themselves in across the river several years earlier. As far as he knew, there had never been another way of life without these other deads. He didn’t hold much sway over the community and like the rest of them, had to adhere to the authorities in these matters.

  “If you think I like having to watch my back all the time from these things, then you’re wrong. You’re not the only one in the city who hates having them among us.”

  Clarissa looked between her two companions. It was clear that neither of them were sympathetic towards the flesh-eaters. But even if they did reject having them in their city, they still did nothing to change it. For thirty-eight years these creatures were allowed to consume the innocent livings in order to continue their depraved un-dead lifestyle. That was thirty some odd years to long in her opinion. Something should have been done long before now. They should have known that one day they wouldn’t be able to keep the beasts at bay and in a single night these creatures could take out the entire city. If the Eidolon community had any sense at all they would find a way to exterminate all of these soulless beasts as soon as possible.

  “Then why do we let them roam in our city at all, Richard?” Clarissa stared hard at the male ghost in front of her, trying to see beyond his outer souls shell into the inner man beneath. She could see that he was a complicated soul, but then every ghost she had met was equally complicated in some way. They kept secrets from others and even from themselves. Richard in particular wouldn’t face what had been done to him during his living existence, simply keeping that psychological door closed and locked so he wouldn’t have to deal with the pain.

  “Stop trying to read me, Clarissa.” Richard barked, giving her inner soul a little push in warning. An arch of electrical current zapped him back causing him to fall through the bench he was sitting on and slide across the floor before he skidded to a sudden stop. His hair, always a mop, sticking in all directions was now even crazier looking, vibrating from the shock. His entire body was blinking, the currents over his skin waving like ripples on a pond.

  Richard’s eyes had gone wide for a few seconds, a measure of fear flashing in his green eyes. He had been knocked on his ass, literally, by a fresh formed ghost-girl. He bet his entire bank account that she probably had no idea she could even do that.

  “Oh my God, Richard,” Eleanor cried as she leaped over the table, running to his side as he lay prone on the dirty floor. “Are you alright? You’re fading in and out and I can’t get a clear look at you. Can you hear me?” She touched his forehead lightly with her fingers. And her fingers went through him. Hastily she drew back, afraid to touch him again. Eleanor couldn’t touch Richard, even as ghost. This was strange considering they were made of the same composition and she should have been able to feel him. “Richard,” she called to his still form. He wasn’t moving and he kept staring at Clarissa, not saying anything. It worried her. What had happened to him; was it something Clarissa had done?

  Richard’s soul began to settle down, his aura quieting over his form and he once more became tangible. It had been the most tripped out experience of his existence and he had no idea how she had accomplished it. He had thought to just give her a push as a warning to back off. Richard had no idea that Clarissa would react on some long forgotten instinct and fight back. Even now he could st
ill feel her touch on his soul; it was like the fingers of death had grabbed hold of him and this time it was going to finish him off.

  Richard blinked several times and realized that Eleanor was fussing over him like a mother, touching his forehead, his arm, turning his face this way and that to get a good look at him. Her face was strained with concern as she brushed his hair off his forehead now that she could touch him again. They had been friends for awhile now and sometimes he forgot that. He wasn’t used to having people care about him the way she did and inside where no one could see he loved Eleanor like the sister he wished he could have known in his living past. He might be a pain in the ass to her most of the time, but he would do anything to protect her and the people he considered family.

  Richard looked around the room. The other ghosts sitting in tables across from them stared down at him wondering what the hell had happened to him. His community wasn’t a violent bunch and they had probably never seen a ghost attach. Some might imagine that ghosts were delicate creatures, but even their kind had certain capabilities that could not only harm each other but the living as well.

  “Say something, you’re scaring me,” Eleanor pleaded. He had a faraway look in his eyes like he wasn’t quit with them in this world, like he was slipping into the next world. “Richard, what are you looking at?”

  He turned to her, taking her hand from his forehead and squeezing it. Breathing in deeply he blinked his eyes several times as if he was trying to stay focused on her and not be taken away by whatever force had knocked him down. Richard was tangible again, but he hadn’t moved an inch except to take her hand.

  His inner soul was quiet and still, his breathing deep but soft. Eleanor was afraid she was losing him. Whatever had happened had somehow damaged his soul and he was slipping away from her and she had no understanding of how to help him. Should she just let him go, move on to the next dimension or fight to keep him with her? It was selfish on her part, but she didn’t want to lose him, not even if it was best for Richard.

  Richard tried to speak, making several attempts at producing words, but nothing came out. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to tell Eleanor what had happened.

  “What is it?” Eleanor’s voice rose and she was on the verge of hysteria at the thought that this might be the last time she saw Richard in this existence. He was such a jerk most of the time, but he was like family to her.

  He had been so lonely and lost when he had first come to live with them in the community. She had known, even back then, that Richard’s living existence hadn’t been ideal by anyone’s standards and his death had been most horrific. He was gruff and moody to most people, but underneath all that she knew that he was a sweet boy who only needed someone to love and care for him. They may be dysfunctional at times, but they were family and she couldn’t imagine continuing this existence without him in it. Eleanor chocked back a sob. Whatever Clarissa had done had damaged Richard’s ability to keep his form intact and his soul must be falling apart. Maybe it had been an accident on Clarissa’s part, she didn’t know. All she knew was that Richard was leaving her.

  “Do you see a light, Richard?” Eleanor had heard that some people saw a glow or white light before they went forth into the next dimension. She didn’t believe such nonsense, but she wondered now if such a thing were possible. Eleanor had existed in her deathly state for more years than she cared to count and as time passed she became more jaded to the hopes of ever being complete, of finding her purpose in this existence. She didn’t even believe anymore that there was any hope for people like her.

  “I see,” Richard began, his voice wavering, barely above a whisper. He breathed deeply, a kind of hissing sound through his mouth.

  “Yes,” Eleanor encouraged. She wanted to know what he was seeing and she wanted to be there with him so he wasn’t afraid. “Is it the light you see? I know people are sometimes afraid to go near it, but you shouldn’t be afraid. I don’t want to lose you, but I think this might be the best for you. I know you’re unhappy here with us and I only want the best for you. Maybe you should let the light have you.” She squeezed his hand, bringing his fingers to her mouth, kissing them. “Go into the light, Richard.”

  Richard looked off into the atmosphere, his eyes glazed over like he was staring into a world beyond them. “I see,” he tried to speak again, his voice louder this time. Richard’s hand was clasped tightly around Eleanor’s. He took his hand away and reached out, pointing at each of the other patrons in the restaurant. Then he brought his hand back to Eleanor and smacked her backside, a light smack on her ass before he leaned up and kissed her on her cheek. “I see fucking dead people. What do you think I see?”

  Stunned was the first reaction Eleanor felt and then humiliation and finally rage. He had been acting the whole time. And the worst part was that he had been good. The punk had made her believe he was expiring for good and she had nearly cried all over him.

  Richard stood up, swaying a bit for a moment then holding out his arms for everyone in the restaurant to see. He bowed to his audience. Eleanor had flopped down on her butt, looking up at him as he made a great show of thanking his spectral spectators; several people actually clapped.

  “Thank you, everyone, but I couldn’t have done it without my leading costar.” Richard leaned down and pulled Eleanor up, putting his hands under her arm pits and hoisting her onto her feet. He steadied her. Then he took her hand, bowing again and bringing her into a bow with him. He stepped off to the side, letting Eleanor have her moment to receive congratulations. More people clapped and all she could manage was to blink her eyes several times.

  Richard brought Eleanor back to the table where he pushed her into the booth next to Clarissa. Clarissa had almost the same stunned expression on as Eleanor. Both women looked at each other, holding eye contact for several seconds. Clarissa nodded her head at the other woman as if she were responding to some inner conversation the two of them were having. Touching Eleanor’s hand, she leaned over and whispered in her ear.

  Richard took a sip of his soda, taking his seat across from the two women. He could see the fire burning behind Eleanor’s eyes and it was just a waiting game before she pulled herself together enough to lash out at him. Upon reflection, his little stunt might not have been as funny as he had planned. It was likely that this time he had gone too far and really hurt her.

  Eleanor took several breaths as Clarissa rubbed her arm in understanding. What Richard had done was beyond any little prank he had pulled before. Maybe she was getting too old for his antics, but she had really believed him this time. It had been cruel to force her to think that she was losing him only to have him smack her on the ass and find out he was just playing at crossing over. That was not just a slap on the ass, but a slap in the face. Her emotions were all over the place and she couldn’t think straight enough to even begin to form a coherent sentence. Eleanor wanted to strangle the kid, then hug him so tight and never let him go. And she was totally embarrassed that this had all played out in front of an audience.

  “Alright, I’m waiting,” Richard grumbled. “You want to knock me on my ass like Clarissa too?”

  “I want to strangle you then hang you upside down until all your ectoplasm runs into your head and your head bursts from the pressure. And that is just to start with.” Eleanor had found her voice and she was totally pissed. “I swear to God, if you ever do something like that again I will tie you to one of the trolleys and let it drag you down the street until your nothing but spectral goo.”

  “Ok, I’ll keep that in mind next time.” Richard drawled. He swiped his hands through his hair. It was something he did either when he was embarrassed or confused. Pretty much any time he was faced with a situation he couldn’t handle he messed with his hair. “You played a pretty believable ghost whisperer. That whole ‘go into the light’ and trying to comfort me; it was some really good stuff.”

  Eleanor lunged across the table and would have grabbed and strangled Richard if Cl
arissa hadn’t caught her in time and restrained her. Holding the older women by her arms, she pushed soothing thoughts into her mind, holding Eleanor’s soul as she tried to comfort the turmoil inside her form. She knew Eleanor didn’t really want to hurt Richard, she was simply angry. It had been a terrible experience for all of them. Clarissa had really thought she had damaged Richard. He had pushed at her soul and she had retaliated without realizing it. It had been a reflexive action and even though Richard seemed to have shaken it off she knew that she could have really injured him. In that moment Clarissa realized that there was something about her that was dangerous.

  “I’m sorry, Richard.” Clarissa said. “I didn’t mean to do that to you. You pushed me and I guess I reacted without thinking. I hope you are all right and that I didn’t injure you permanently.”

  Richard was staring across the table at Eleanor, her eyes focused intently on his face. What he saw in them shamed him. She cared about him, more than he even realized and it had taken a stupid goof to make him see that. When she thought he was passing into the next world she had cried over him, wanting him to stay with her, but knowing that if it was better to let him go then she wouldn’t stand in his way. That humbled him on so many levels.

  He touched his ears, wondering if they were growing into donkey ears because he certainly felt like a real ass right now. “I know you didn’t and no I’m not injured. It was just an overloud to my senses. You were just reacting to my push.”

  “Don’t bother checking for a tail. I’ll save you the trouble. You are such an ass.” Eleanor’s chest rose and fell as she tried to calm her emotions. Clarissa was helping, soothing her soul with words in her head and her touch. There was something extremely dangerous about Clarissa, but something exquisite and beautiful about her as well. She had almost harmed Richard, yet she was sure that she could heal a soul just as easily. Eleanor wasn’t certain whether she should be afraid of Clarissa or afraid for her.