by Ariana Kenny
***
We lay lazily in bed as the late afternoon light escaped. I must have dozed, laying curled up by his side, because suddenly I found he was shaking me awake. He looked worried, disturbed even.
“Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.” I propped myself up and faced Sam, the sheet catching around my breasts. “Don’t worry, I’m alright.” Sam relaxed a little, but gave me a look like he was peering through me, looking for something. “What is it? What did I say?”
“You were asking someone called Uther to stop what he was doing. To let you go. It didn’t sound…..pleasant.”
I drew my knees up to my chest. “Great, another mystery.” He leaned back against the headboard. I found a space under his arm and got comfortable beside him.
He absently looked down at me as I traced the veins in his closest hand.
“Rachael.” He sighed my name and ordinarily I would have welcomed it, but his voice sounded pained. “I have another mystery for you.”
“What? What is it?”
“They found a body in the desert, looked like it had been out for around a month. It was badly decomposed, but was found a few hundred metres from an unused mine entrance.” Involuntarily I sat upright and turned towards him. “It looks like the description you gave, and it was close to where they found you.” He looked me in the eye. “I expected Sabian told you that as well.”
“No he didn’t.”
“Hmm. The really weird thing is Klink told me the body…”
“Klink?” I asked.
“The Forensic Medical Examiner.” He answered me.
“Why Klink?” I asked further, getting off track.
“She has a glass eye, a German accent and is ex-military, plus her last name is Clinkerman.” I must have looked confused because he tried to explain further. “Colonel Klink from Hogan’s Heroes…” I shook my head oblivious. “Anyway,” He continued, “She was saying the body looks like it’s been out in the desert for about a month, but some of the bones had unusual readings. When they were tested they were old.”
“He was old.” I rebutted.
“No I mean old, old. A couple of hundred years.”
“How is that even possible?” I looked over and out of the window, and Sam pulled a few strands of hair away from my face. He paused before saying anything more.
“You have lots of bad dreams since…you came back?” I nodded and looked back at him.
“I might not mind so much if I remembered more details though.” I pulled away slightly and let the sheet fall from my body. “Just going to take a shower.”
Sam grabbed my arm to stop me leaving and gave me an intense look. “Rachael, you have to stop seeing Sabian.”
“Why?” I asked him.
“He isn’t well. Mentally. He takes something strange like this body and turns it into something nightmarish, something less than realistic. I don’t trust he’s in the right frame of mind.” He looked so intent, protective. I liked it, but Sabian had been my lifeline and knew about me in ways I couldn’t explain to Sam. Not now, maybe never.
“I can’t just ignore him Sam. He’s helped me, stood by me. He even organised for me to live here… I’m not turning my back on him. He’s helping me.”
“I’ll help you.” He offered me, looking plaintively into my eyes. I paused and knelt back on the bed.
I stroked his face and he kissed my palm. “Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.”
With that I smiled, and headed into the main bathroom. There was the necklace I had found the other day, still sitting where I dropped it. I picked it up and as I stood spied the mirror. I decided it was time to grab hold of my fears, and with a sense of purpose, I turned on the taps and climbed into the jet sprays, languishing. As I stood there letting the sprays pummel my neck and upper back I let the water rush over me as I thought things through. An hour or so more and I could see what this special guy Sabian had found could help me with. The day after tomorrow I had a meeting with a regression specialist referred to me by the Psych from the other day. Whatever it was that I had forgotten was right there, I could almost taste it.
I exited the shower stall and wiped the steam from the mirror. I left my hand on the mirror for a moment while I stared at myself intently. I almost expected to see the face of that thing re-emerge from the shadows. I kept staring defiantly ahead until I was satisfied there was nothing more to see then relaxed my arm and let my hand rest by my side. I saw the necklace I had dropped in my hurry to run away a few days ago. I knelt to pick it up, and hovered examining the necklace in my hand. The weight felt perfect. It felt like something I had known forever. As I stood I thought I saw something in my peripheral vision, but I must have been mistaken, because when I checked there was nothing there.
I fastened the necklace around my throat, and walked out in nothing but a towel, the jewellery and my pride.
“Nice necklace.” Sam said as I came out. He had gathered his clothes from the lounge and laid them on the bed.
“Found it a few days ago.” I failed to elaborate on the details for good reason. “Just going to get dressed, I have to go out for a while tonight, but I’ll be back if you want a late dinner.” I headed for the doorway, but he stepped in front of me.
“Sounds like a plan.” He said, kissing me again before letting me through. My heart started thumping again, but I wasn’t sure if it was from the kiss, or knowing Sabian was going to be here any minute, and I was worried about Sam’s reaction. I should be working on getting him out, but the truth was I liked him, trusted him and wanted him to stay.
Sabian’s timing was spot on. He rang the door bell, just as I was pulling up my jeans. I opened the door to him intending to explain that Sam was there before Sam managed to get out of the shower and dressed again but I didn’t quite make it. Curious, Sam had already stuck his head out of the door to see who it was and hadn’t yet managed to put his shirt on. The tension rose exponentially from him, but Sabian just seemed amused. That made it worse, almost.
“Imagine seeing you here.” Sabian said using a taunting tone in his voice.
“I was just about to say the same.” Sam replied, stretching his shirt over his head.
Sabian looked back to me. “Been keeping busy I see Rachael.” I tried not to blush, but probably failed. I made some kind of acknowledging sound before he let me off the hook. “Are you ready?” He asked, and if I thought Sam was tense before, I hadn’t seen anything yet.
“Ready for what?” Sam demanded.
I turned to him and put my hand out to his chest in an appeasing way. “Sabian knows someone who might be able to help me remember things.”
“I thought you had a set up with that specialist tomorrow.” He said seriousness casting shadows on his face.
“The last specialist didn’t exactly do anything. I need to find out what the hell is going on with me, and right now I can’t rule anything out.” My words seemed to calm the immediate tension, but he still looked angry and glared at Sabian intermittently. “I’ll be back soon and we can do dinner, talk about this then. Sam. It’s alright. I know what I’m doing.” Sam suddenly looked calm as if he had made a decision of his own.
“I guess it wouldn’t matter if I came along then.” He addressed Sabian.
“More the merrier.” Sabian replied and I baulked slightly as Sam took the lead out the door, and Sabian confidently held the door open for me to follow. I took a deep breath, picked up my bag from where I had dropped it by the couch and left the apartment.
The drive in Sabian’s car was awkward in it’s silence. I sat up front as Sam asked accusing questions about where we were going and Sabian dodged answering too many questions in detail.
When we arrived, I saw an old style sign hanging outside a curtained shop front. The Candle & Book, it read. As we entered, the sweet and sour smell of incense filled my nostrils and I inhaled deeply. There was a musky undertone that made me feel immediately at ease. I took a good look arou
nd when a male voice called out from the back, behind a beaded divider: “Be a few minutes.”
The place was full to the brim with gothic artwares, stonecrafts, metal works, crystals and herbs. Books lined every wall, leaving only enough space to display some goods, and dark lighting shone just enough to create an atmosphere perfect for mediation.
Sam stood a few feet away from me and pulled a book from the wall. The Solitary Witch it read. He purposefully kept it out and made a gwaffing sound to draw my attention. He raised an eyebrow. “Really.” He mocked. I shrugged. I wasn’t about to exclude any avenue at this stage.
Sabian calmly leant against the glass cabinet at the front, reading through some crystal meanings while we waited. When finally the owner came out, I liked him immediately. He wore a bizarre purple jacket that immediately got Sam’s eyes rolling, but his face radiated awareness, openness and trust. He came out, nodding in acknowledgement to Sabian, but headed straight for me.
“Forgive the lateness.” He started. “I was fixing a potion, and cannot leave such things mid-way.” He smiled a smile that made me want to return it, his white teeth showcased against his dark skin, and his accent hinting to Haitian or Carribian background. He took up my hand and kissed it as thought I were a lady and he a knight of honor. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but definitely was unexpected. “You must be the lady Rachael.” He enthused. “I am so glad you came to me. He took a step back and looked over me. Sam moved closer to me on instinct, and Sabian regarded the situation as though expecting every move. “You have a very interesting aura.” The man commented with a furrowed brow. “There is a lot happening for you, but today, we will start to uncover it. Leave it to Armada.”
“Wow. He must be psychic.” Sam said disrespectfully earning a distasteful glance from Armada.
“You have bad mojo man.” Armada said to Sam. “No need to be bringing it in here. I work hard enough to keep the darkness away.”
“So sorry” Sam replied, not in the least bit sounding like he meant it.
“Some people take more time to win over.” Sabian diffused taking a step towards a table where Armada was headed for.
“Hmm.” Came the acknowledging grunt from Armada. “You sit there….” He pointed to a seat several feet from the table he sat at. With an almost adolescent huff, Sam took the seat and Sabian couldn’t help himself, but chuckle. “Rachael my dear,” Armada then spoke to me, motioning to a chair in the corner at the same table. “I thought you might be more comfortable with your back to the wall.”
“You’re a Psychologist as well as a psychic.” Declared Sam. Armada ignored him, maintaining his attention to me.
I frowned, but he was right. As if answering the question written on my face, he further explained in a lower voice: “Most people who feel like they are being chased prefer their back to the wall. I nodded and took the seat gratefully. Sabian took one next to me, but remained a foot away, giving Armada and I a respectful distance.
“Why Armada?” Sabian asked, to which Armada shrugged off his coat and pulled up the sleeve of his jumper. There was a picture of a moth tattooed on his arm.
Armada is a moth of the Noctuidae family. He pleasantly gazed at me as I traced the outline.
“That wasn’t what you were named for though was it?” Sam added. “I can pick a tale.” He added, but instead of getting angry Armada simple smiled knowingly.
“You are a smart man Samuel. I was named after a floating city in the book The Scar. I prefer moths myself…..but you can’t pick your origins, just change the choices you make and the way you present yourself.”
“Who told you my name?” Sam asked puzzled. No one had called him by his name since we arrived, I thought back.
“Ahhh….” Replied Armada, getting comfortable in his seat. “Maybe Sabian just mentioned a stubborn, arrogant disbeliever was attached to this rose,” He took my hand and placed a clear crystal in my left palm, and clasped the other with his hand, “And my thoughts automatically fall to you.” He smiled in a way that told us that part wasn’t true, and it was enough to get Sam slightly on edge.
“You hold the crystal in your right hand, I hold your left.” I became slightly nervous. “All you have to do is relax, close your eyes and let my voice guide you.” I obeyed, and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath and he encouraged me to do the same again. Almost immediately, I felt my muscles relax, my arms and shoulders become supple as I listened to him. “Relax, imagine you are sitting on the edge of a quiet beach, watching the waves roll in. It is dawn, you are alone and perfectly safe. Perfectly calm.”
“I can’t” I felt myself become agitated and he heard it in my voice.
“No problem, relax again…..breathe gently. Let’s try something else instead. I want you to breathe deeply and clear your mind. Tell me where are you, is it a white room, a dark room, outdoors…”
“I am in blackness. There’s nothing here. I don’t even know if I am in a room.” I replied quickly.
“Can you visualise a light? A white or purple light coming from you?”
“I see a red light shining inside me.” I observed feeling my eyes rolling under my lids as I struggled to see about me.
“Stay calm. It’s good to sense the light. I want you to sit, in the place where you are, and concentrate on growing the light. Can you do that?” I felt myself nod. “When you are ready, I want you to imagine you are floating, lie down if it is easier, and let yourself float.”
I tried but couldn’t. Something else happened instead and I sharply gasped and twitched in my seat.
“Rachael. What is it? What is it that worries you?” I heard Armada’s voice, and behind him I heard Sabian ask if he was sure it was alright to continue, and Sam protest that he might cause more damage. Armada hushed them.
“Rachael?” Armada asked me again.
“When I try and imagine floating there is some kind of liquid that rises up. I’m laying down but it wants to rise over my face.” I felt the worry on my face because there was something else I didn’t want to mention. Not only was the black water rising to swallow me up, but I had felt hands grab at my legs arms and face. Not suddenly, not frightening, but reaching up to pull me down.
“Can you float on this water?” He asked.
“No….I sink into it.” I lied.
“Does it frighten you? If you let yourself sink, does it frighten you?”
I thought about it and let myself sink, let the hands, slick with the dark liquid pull me under for a moment. I didn’t fear it, was not scared at all. “No. It feels safe.” I answered.
“Then let yourself go.” He advised and I baulked for a moment at the thought. “It’s alright, let your feelings guide you. Let the water surround you, sink until you find perfect comfort.” I felt Armada let my left hand go and it rose as though floating above me. I felt the hands drag me deeper, the blackness take me and as I breathed it in I reached a sense of ultimate repose. Finally, as I sank, I found myself in another dark room, but it looked as though it was carved form the earth and there was a distant light external to myself. I wore a one armed red dress that blew in a light breeze that I could not feel. Curiously I looked about and saw a door.
“I see a door.” I heard myself say, genuinely surprised.
“What kind of door Rachael?” Armada asked, but before I could answer the place around me began to tremble and I heard a freaking scream. I covered my ears and dropped to my knees. There she was. The same face I had seen in the mirror. She stood next to the door, white with black eyes, thinning hair and horrifying. Without warning she flew at me and my eyes shot open. I gasped for air and saw Sabian shoot to his feet.
“It’s alright. It’s alright.” Comforted Armada. “You are back.” He reclined in his chair and Sabian sat back down.
“What did you see?” I heard Sam ask. I rested my head in my hands.
“I saw something…it looked like me, but it wasn’t. She was old, decayed looking. She shrieked and….
” I stopped talking wondering if I should tell them I saw the same thing in the mirror. I felt my hands shake as I raised my head back up and decided against it.
“A Wraith.” Armada said. I looked at him inquiringly. “Sabian said he thought people around you had been taken over. He saw them have fits, then try to attack you.”
“What is a Wraith?” I asked him.
“This is bull shit.” Sam said standing to his feet. “The two of you are teaming up for whatever reason. She could have said she saw a half pigeon, half cat and you would have come to the conclusion of a Wraith.”
“There are things that walk this world that we can only understand but a little.” Armada tried to explain. “Wraiths are one of those things. Sometimes they are called ghosts, demons, portends of a persons death, but in this case, I think we are looking at something that takes over a person temporarily when Rachael is close to recovering herself, or meeting her goals. There are arguments that they can be good or bad. The origin was similar to ‘guardian angel’. Anyway it doesn’t matter right not. I think you did well tonight girl. It isn’t easy, but I sense so much in you.” He patted my hands affectionately.
“Rachael. Come with me.” Sam pleaded. I automatically looked at Sabian, but stood to follow Sam nonetheless. I gave Sabian a beseeching look.
“Thank you Armada. Thanks Sabian.” I said as I followed Sam.
“See you soon.” Called Armada, who gave a nod in response to Sabian’s, and Sabian followed us out into the night.
“I’ll give you a lift back.” Sabian offered, but Sam shook his head.
“I think all your help has been disturbing enough. I’ll take her home.” Sam’s tone clearly irritated Sabian.
“You don’t get to tell her what to do.” Started Sabian in an aggressive tone I had never heard him use before. “We have tried to include you here Sam, help you understand this is more than a few scattered murders, and abducted child, but you are still denying that anything strange is happening. Do you think that is helping her?”
“Hey!” I cautioned stepping between. “I make my own choices, you’re right Sabian, and right now, I promised to get dinner with Sam. Maybe we can pick up tomorrow.” I faced Sabian. “Thank you so much. I know you’re helping me, but I am tired and just want to get something to eat and sleep. Can you be alright with that?” He looked back at me as though surprised I would even worry about him being alright with my decisions. I wondered suddenly how much more there was to his growing obsession with my case. He wasn’t interested in me physically, but he had such a passionate flare when it came to finding out about me. It was both inspiring and concerning at once.
“Of course, call me tomorrow if you want. I can organise another visit with Armada. I need to go meet Natasha for drinks anyway. Try and decide what we do next.”
“Is she open to you going home then?”
“I Hope so. She called me so I suppose that’s a good sign.” He tipped his head, took a last long look at Sam and headed back towards his car.
I took Sam’s hand and we walked in the opposite direction. A little later down the road, he hailed a taxi and we ended up having dinner at the diner across from the apartment. Reluctantly we parted ways outside with him promising to take me out the next day to a park he visited whenever he needed to think. I looked forward to it, but had I known what was going to happen there, I would have run for my life.