Running Shoes (The Shades of Northwood)

by Wendy Maddocks

  And then there was nothing but two still bodies on a muddy patch of waste ground in the fading storm of their lives.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  “I think she just moved.”

  “A 24 hour sleep. Must be some kind of record.”

  “Shut it, Ad. You just wish you could get away with it.”

  “Well, I have been chained to a bed for a weekend before but I don’t think it counts.”

  “I don’t want to know this.”

  “Well, I do ‘cos it wasn’t with me!”

  “I don’t think there was a girl with him. He just likes his own company that much.”

  “Jaye! Come on, downstairs with me. It’s Marmite time.”

  “Fuck off. That’s, like, cruel and unusual punishment.”

  “It’s alright, sweetie. He’ll be cleaning up the puke.”

  Katie heard all of this conversation before daring to blink her eyes against the hard artificial light. She awoke with a smile at the corners of her mouth. “This isn’t my room.” The light bulb was bare, the walls were lemon yellow, there was a poster of some swimmer climbing out of a pool – there were letters by her head by his head but they could have been anything – staring at her, and the windows were intact.

  “I know. We put you in Jaye’s room and then took turns watching over you. Even Leo lasted a whole half hour.”

  “Never knew he cared.”

  “He thought I wouldn’t tear him a new one if he helped out.” Katie frowned her question and Adam continued. “He put a red shirt in with my whites.”

  “I already asked to see the damage. Pink boxers… very manly.” Lainy shot a lightning look at Jaye but there was only good humour in it, no malice. Good, there was enough evil in the world without these two starting a bitch fight. “Relax, I do the washing too.”

  “Sweetie, how are you feeling?” Lainy put a cool hand on Katie’s forehead. It didn’t feel quite right. Lainy. Elaine. Surname Pierce before taking Adam’s family name of Thomas a few years ago. Everything came flooding back. “Hey, don’t cry. What’s all this for?”

  “I remember everything. I know things I can’t know about. I’ve seen things.” She leant in to the woman’s hand, relishing the heatless, sweatless feel on her burning, clammy face. “Even you. I know about you too.”

  “What about me?”

  “I know you’re a ghost. You died in a car crash at age 24. There’s a memorial bench to you at the medical centre. Your dad was driving you, stopped at the pub for a drink. You would have stopped him only you were asleep. Never saw him veer over to the wrong side of the road, never had chance to scream before the C-Max smashed into you. I know you felt guilty for a long time that you got brought back and he didn’t. But it was his time, not yours.” Katie flopped back on the pillows, out of breath and tired once more.

  “Sweetie, I thing you have a fever. You’re talking rubbish. Jaye, get me water and paracetamol. Last night, you were all messed up and now…”

  “I’m fine now.”

  “Did a good job on yourself, kid.”

  She looked up at Adam through droopy eyes and thought she slurred out “I don’t do anything by halves.” She dragged her eyes open one last time, trying to coax her aching brain into forming coherent questions. It was hard going but there was so much she needed to find out before she could sleep again and start healing. “Why am I here?” Lainy and Adam looked at each other for a long time before they answered. It was too long for it to be anything good but she had to know. “Why am I at home?” Katie clarified, realising that they might have thought she was enquiring about the room again. Them thinking she had lost her memory was all she needed. Actually, a good dose of amnesia might be good about now.

  “Your parents called. They said they can’t wait to see you race tomorrow. You’re still going to run?”

  “Oh, crap. I forgot about that.”

  “Katie, we need to tell you-“

  “Jack!” she cried.

  “He’s fine. It’s-“ Lainy shifted a few inches to grab the box of painkillers.

  Adam caught her arm and led her out of the room. “I don’t think she needs them any more.” He passed Jack on the way out and low fived him. “She needs time and TLC. Give it to her, man.”

  Jack looked fine. Not a single scab or drop of dried blood. No scars that hadn’t been there before. He had changed from the black jeans and beige shirt Katie remembered him dying in and into a plain white t-shirt with blue jeans, work boots and a blue jean jacket. This outfit suited him better. “How? How can you be here?”

  “I was healing when you got to me. I was on the edge but then you started fighting and it was a shock to him. He never got chance to finish me off.” He noticed her furrowed brow. “Too crude?” After dying this death for so many lifetimes, the expression no longer had such a sharp edge.

  “I saw you die Jack. I watched you bleed away your last drop, scream away your last breath. I had to watch that and now you come here and tell me everything’s-“ OK.

  “That’s because it is okay.”

  “No. No. No, it’s not. Something happened to Dina. She’s dead, Jack.”

  “I went to the hospital earlier. The tests said no brain activity but she’s still on life support. Lainy said these tests, they ain’t idiot-proof.”

  “She’s gone. I saw Dina’s ghost walk into the shadows.”

  Straight away he began to fade, panic setting up camp on that beautiful face, sea-green eyes wild with worry. Something had spooked him but Katie couldn’t think fast enough to ask him what it was. She felt the brush of his lips on her cheek and turned her face into the kiss. But he was gone before their lips could meet. Katie allowed herself a moment of sadness and then fell back into sleep. This time she dreamed of candy floss trees and strawberry pyramids. Nothing sinister, just her body resting and fixing itself while her unconscious drifted to some far away happy place.

  “Give ’em hell, honey!”

  Katie waved to her father from the start line. The half of the town that wasn’t’ running in the race had turned out to watch and were chucking loose change into buckets on street corners for the parent and toddler group.

  “Such a healthy, trusting place,” Mom had cooed first thing that morning. “What a lovely town to live in.”

  “Yeah, it’s great.” Katie made herself smile way the tiredness inside. The week had been exhausting but a day of undisturbed sleep yesterday had cured most of her aches and pains; a six o’clock wake up at the weekend was just too much. Things would shake out once that old adrenaline started flowing. “My friends are all lovely and the academy – I haven’t been in yet, classes start Monday – but it looks so nice.”

  “I’m so glad you’re happy, Katie. You are happy, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, Mom. I’m happier than I’ve been in ages.” And, surprisingly, that wasn’t a lie. Even being so close to death all the time didn’t seem so bad. I think I needed the fresh start.”

  “You will come back home won’t you? Dan wanted to come but she has that sicky bug going round but she’d love to see you when she’s well.”

  “I’ll call her soon,” she said, dodging the first question. And tell her she can have my room. “Oh, there’s Marcie. We’re running together.”

  “But-“

  An official looking man blew a whistle and Katie lost herself in the ranks. Some-one shouted out, “I’ll see you at the finish line!”