by L. J. Fox
She did not see Andy all morning or at lunchtime, but he was in her afternoon class. He was clearly still hurt as he glanced at her but didn’t speak or try to communicate in any way. Her grandfather always used the term ‘cracked the shits’ when her grandmother was angry with him for some minor offence. She thought of that now. Yes. Andy had cracked the shits.
As soon as class was over, he jumped up and left the room quickly. Layne got up and rushed after him, aware that Gregory was watching. She didn’t care. She caught up with him as he was heading down the steps and grabbed his arm.
“Andy! Wait!” she said.
He stopped and turned to face her, but she kept hold of his arm, turned him back around and dragged him along as she kept walking. He didn’t fight and walked along letting her lead the way. Sarcastically he commented, “Of course, we wouldn’t want Gregory to hear.”
She didn’t say a word until they had left the grounds and were heading down the paths towards his accommodation. He assumed she was leading him back to his room to have a private discussion that could not be overheard.
“Let’s go for a drive.” She suggested.
“Ok.“
He agreed and they headed to the car park where his small orange hatchback was parked. They had taken it out for a drive a few times over the past few months but most of the time it sat idle in wait. It was not the fanciest car in the car park, but it was a typical student type of car, and it served the purpose.
She climbed in the passenger seat and they drove off through town in silence, making their way to Albert Park Lake. The day was warm and clear, and ducks were swimming out on the lake. Finding a quiet lookout area, Andy parked the car so the bonnet of the car faced the lake. Then he turned off the engine and faced her. He waited for her to say something.
“Andy … I am sorry. I know I upset you last night. I want to explain.” She started, clasping his hands across the middle console.
“You don’t need to explain. You could have just told me you are not interested in me.” He said quietly, pain visible on his face.
She shook her head. “No. That is not true. Not at all.”
She looked toward the lake, trying to find a starting point.
“Ok. I am going to tell you a few things about me. Ok?” She looked back at him.
“Go for it.” He said trying to keep his face neutral. She could see his eyes were not looking at her but were looking ahead at the lake.
“Well … I have some … super strong senses. You know, like vision, hearing and smell. I was born like that.”
She looked at Andy’s face but could not read anything. He was still looking at the lake. She went on.
“My grandparents call them gifts, but sometimes they are not much of a gift.” She gave a little laugh.
“Can you imagine what it is like to continually smell stinky feet, bad breath, body odour, women having a period and people farting?”
She looked at him and could see a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. She could see his mind churning as he processed that information.
“People farting? You are kidding me, right?” He had glanced at her.
“No. I can hear it and smell it. So, I have these extra strong senses and I can hear things from a distance away”
“So … you are saying that was how you heard that man assaulting the girl last week?” he asked.
“Yes. I heard her scream and I heard various noises as I was running. That was how I knew where it was happening” she replied.
“So … you can hear Amity in her room and Gregory at the door? Is that what you are telling me?”
“Yes. I can hear people’s conversations even when they are two hundred metres away from me. It is hard to concentrate sometimes in class because I can hear what everyone is whispering.”
Andy nodded slowly, deep in thought. He had not been expecting this from her. He thought maybe she would give the typical lines of someone who is not really interested in pursuing a romantic relationship, such as ‘It is not you, it is me’ and ‘I am just not ready for a relationship’ or something similar. He had been bracing himself for one of these usual excuses, and what she was saying was quite incredible, and yet not totally impossible.
“I think Gregory has gifts too.”
She stated and waited for him to respond. Andy turned and stared at her frowning.
“Why do you say that?” he asked.
This was a hard one for her to answer.
“I just know. I sense it somehow. I think he recognises it in me, just as I recognise it in him. I think that is why he follows me and watches me.”
She shuddered and looked back toward the lake. Andy put his hand out and touched her arm.
“But this is … this is … I don’t know … a bit hard to comprehend.”
He finished shaking his head in bewilderment.
“I know. I know. That is why my grandparents never wanted anyone to know. No one would believe it. They would be really upset with me if they knew I had told you this.”
She turned to face him. “Let me prove it to you. I can tell you that you use Colgate Sensitive Whitening toothpaste, Rexona men’s sport deodorant, no aftershave today, Herbal Essence Shampoo and Conditioner.”
He paused and looked at her for a moment.
“Ah. But you have been in my bathroom.” He said in conclusion.
“Ok. I have never been with you when you do laundry. Right? You have washed your clothes in Earth laundry liquid, and they have been through the dryer. Your belt is not real leather, a type of vinyl that looks like leather. You nicked yourself shaving in the shower this morning though it is barely visible now. Should I keep going?” she asked.
He was staring at her with his mouth almost open in shock. He found it almost embarrassing that she could tell this much about him. He looked away to clarify his thoughts and to find a flaw in the reasoning. Perhaps it was a joke and she would own up to it once he was a believer.
“I still don’t understand the link with Gregory. It doesn’t make sense.”
“I know it doesn’t make sense. I have never come across anyone like me before. I am sure he has gifts too, but I don’t understand why, how or anything else. I don’t feel safe with him though. I don’t know why. I feel he is foe rather than friend. Weird eh?” She looked across at him.
He could hear the genuineness in what she was saying. As much as he didn’t want to believe this absurd explanation, he trusted Layne. He couldn’t believe she would blatantly lie to him. It had to be true.
“The dude certainly stares at you all the time. I have noticed it and so has Amity. He must have the hots for you big time.” Andy said.
“I am not sure about that. I do feel he is watching me and spying on me. I don’t want him to know what I am doing and that is why I stopped you last night. I am sorry Andy. He would have known about the kissing. If he and Amity were kissing, I would have known too.”
Andy reached out to pull her close to him. They touched foreheads together and held that position for a few minutes. Then he pulled her chin up and they kissed, a gently sweet kiss of understanding and of togetherness.
“Does he know now?” he asked.
She laughed and shook her head.
Suddenly, Andy pulled back and looked at her, a grin on his face.
“Hey … is my breath ok?”
Chapter 18
Layne woke the next morning feeling refreshed and with a ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling somewhere in the pit of her stomach. Her afternoon with Andy, the revelation to him left a lingering content feeling. She wasn’t alone anymore. She had someone to share her secret, even though it was only part of the secret. It felt such a relief to have told him and she didn’t regret it.
She thought about her plans for the day and tried to work out how she could see Andy. She knew she probably didn’t need an excuse, but it would feel awkward to turn up unannounced and with no excuse as to why she was there. She decided to go to the market in the town to
get a few bits and pieces then drop in on Andy in the afternoon.
She jumped out of bed and showered in her and Amity’s joint bathroom. There was no sound from Amity’s side of the door. Layne could not sense her presence. She had just finished dressing and dried her hair when there was a knock on the door. Opening it she was delighted to see Andy standing there. He had a serious look on his face. It gave her a fright.
“Always ask who it is. Don’t just answer the door” He scolded her.
“Sorry. You are right. I will do that in the future, even though I knew it was you. I could smell you.” She smiled at him.
He grinned realising that of course she would know it was him.
“You smelled me?” he asked. “Is that good or bad? Lucky I hadn’t farted, you would have locked the door.”
She laughed at his joking about her gift.
“I am off to the market. Want to come?” She asked him hopefully.
“Sure do. Let’s go.”
They wandered down towards town holding hands. This felt so natural and carefree. Layne couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She thought Andy looked pleased too. His hand felt so right warmly holding her hand. Had her parents done this?
She would have liked Amity to join them this morning, but she wasn’t sure where Amity was. Perhaps she had got up early for a gym session and Layne had slept through it.
“I thought I might have scared you off” She said casually as they walked.
“Not a chance.” He squeezed her hand. “I get it now.”
“We have talked too much about me. I want to know more about you. What are your parents like?” She asked him.
“They’re great. I’m really lucky to have such supportive and loving parents. I’m the youngest child so they had plenty of practice before I came along” His voice was full of emotion. “My dad didn’t have an education and feels that his life suffered because of it so he is determined that his kids will go to uni. He has worked hard for me to be here.”
She squeezed his hand. “Well, I am glad you are here.”
They walked on and after a few minutes, he realised she was quiet. He looked down at her and realised he had lost her. Her mind was elsewhere, and her eyes looked frozen, straight ahead. He had seen that look in the bar when Gregory had first appeared.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed.
She let go of his hand and bent down, pretending to pick something out of her sandal. She whispered.
“Black car following.”
He didn’t react and they kept walking. Neither spoke for a few minutes.
“Hang on. Got to tie my shoelace.”
He turned towards her, sideways to the road and knelt down, pretending to tie the laces in his sand shoes. Glancing discretely back the way they had come it was easy to spot the black car she referred to. It looked like a new model Mercedes Benz. It was hanging back, staying around two hundred metres back idling at the kerb.
Andy stood up, reached for her hand and they kept walking. He was deep in thought. Robot-like she started walking again. He looked at her and mouthed the words.
“Can they hear us?”
Layne shrugged. She didn’t know. They were in a car at least two hundred or so metres away. Maybe they were safe to talk.
“Gregory?” Andy whispered questioningly.
“Hmmm. Not sure.” She answered.
They reached the market and wandered around looking at all the stalls. She knew the guys in the car would not come into the market. In Katunga they had never got out of their car that she knew of. Always just following her and watching. They were safe and hidden in this hive of activity. She bought a few trinkets, soap, a bag and sunglasses. Andy bought a t-shirt with a Linkin Park image on the front. He then bought two lamb kebabs from one of the stalls. They sat under the shade of a big gum tree and ate the kebabs.
“So, you did not seem surprised about the Merc following. Why is that?” Andy asked, glancing at her as he bit into the kebab.
She paused for a minute, debating how much she should tell him.
“They have been following me for a while now, back home. This is the first time I have seen them here in Melbourne.”
His mouth fell open. “What? Who are they? Who is following you?” He grabbed her arm, deeply concerned at this revelation.
“I honestly do not know.” She answered quietly.
As they headed back to campus, Layne informed him that the car was at a safe distance behind. He didn’t need to look. He believed her. The car turned away as they walked on to campus. Perhaps they were passing the baton to the next runner.
“We can drop off this shirt to my room and then we will head to yours and work out what we are doing this afternoon” said Andy which seemed reasonable.
She followed him to his unit and as they walked in through his front door, she stopped in her tracks. Slowly she put her bags down on the floor. Noticing this, his expression changed.
“What ... ?”
She stopped him with a finger to her lips telling him to shush. He knew enough to trust what she was telling him. He waited to see what the problem was.
She listened and turned her head in a few directions concentrating. He could see a frown on her beautiful face. Decisively she moved across to a desk that held a framed photograph of his parents. Very gently she lifted the frame and removed the back. She turned around the hard board that held the photograph in position so he could see the small black electronic device stuck to the back. He stared at it trying to work out what on earth it was, then it dawned on him. He had seen enough spy movies. This was a listening bug.
Carefully she replaced the hard board back in the frame leaving the bug in place.
She pointed to his bed room, silently asking if he would allow her to go over there. He nodded. She was silently pleased to see a neatly made bed. She moved straight to the bedside table. Lifting the base of the lamp, she indicated another electronic device fastened to the bottom. He nodded. She gently placed the lamp back on the table.
“Shall we drop these off at my room?” she asked, knowing it would be picked up.
“Sounds like a good idea. Let’s go.” He equally responded.
They left the room and neither spoke a word until they were outside.
“Holy shit!” Andy exclaimed. “Bugging my room? Who is bugging my room? And … who the fuck is following you in a car? What is going on Layne?” His alarm was clear and palpable.
“I am sorry Andy. I have no idea what is going on. Believe me. I just know it’s about me. There has been a car following me for the past year or so. It seems to be different men in suits. They never get out of the car. I am really sorry Andy. I have dragged you into it.” She felt very emotional and incredibly guilty. She could feel her eyes becoming moist and she hoped she was not about to become emotional.
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She rested her cheek against his chest, hearing his accelerated heartbeat. She pulled back gently and looked up at him.
“Maybe we shouldn’t see each other anymore. Whatever it is, they are watching you too now. It is my fault.”
“No way. We are in this together now. Let’s go to your room and work it out.” He said firmly.
Her room had no bugs. It made them wonder why someone would bug Andy’s room and not hers. If this was related to her gifts, then they would know she could hear the tiny whine of bugs. They would also know that she was a regular visitor at Andy’s unit so would know about the bugs. This was a very arrogant message to the two of them. This message was a warning to Andy.
“Do you think this is related to Gregory?” Andy asked her.
“I really have no idea at all. I don’t believe that was him driving that black car today.”
Andy was deeply concerned to think that there was a number of people tracking Layne and for what?
“Tell me more about the car following you at Katunga.” Andy asked.
“Well … I noticed it around the tim
e I turned eighteen. I noticed a dark car following me into town. There were usually two guys in the car, both well-dressed. When I was at the farm, the car was always parked near the front gate.”
“What did they do?” he asked.
“Nothing. Just following me and watching me.”
“Do your grandparents know about the car following you in Katunga?”
“No. If I had told them, they would never have let me come to Melbourne and go to uni.”
“Layne. Tell me, what you think this is about?”
She thought for a minute. “I don’t really know. I wonder if it has something to do with my gifts. My grandparents were always so paranoid about me keeping it a secret and acting normal. It makes me think that they were worried about something. I always thought they were keeping secrets from me. Maybe the government knows about my gifts and want to kidnap me for research.”
She tried to make a joke of it. Andy had wondered the same thing. Maybe Layne had been part of a government experiment or something that gave her the gifts, and that the government were now watching her. He was sure he had once seen a movie about something similar. What is a Stephen King novel? Firestarter! That was it. The parents had been part of a government experiment that had resulted in extra sensory abilities and they had produced a child with an ability to light fires using her mind. What else could explain this situation?
“Can you light fires?” He asked trying to joke.
They talked it over and decided they would leave the bugs where they were and play the game. To remove them was to admit to the unseen enemy that they knew. They were not prepared for that yet. Better to feign ignorance and try to study the enemy. Play dumb. Funny but the two of them now saw Gregory and the men in the car as the enemy. Another thought was that they may not be aware of what Layne was capable of. They may assume she can’t hear the bugs. They hoped this was the case.
They also discussed the fact that the car had been following her for over one year, well before Gregory was on the scene. The car had started following her in Katunga. They knew where she lived, where her grandparents lived. There was, of course, a risk to her grandparents.