"Charlene."
She heard her name come from the darkness.
She looked to her right and then to her left, searching for the person that called her name. She looked to the right again and felt the presence of someone out there.
"James!"
Charlene noticed that there was someone standing in the shadows.
"Charlene!" She heard the voice say again.
"James, Can you please help me out of here. I'm cold. I want to go home."
"You are home," said the voice.
Charlene kept staring at the dark figure, standing in the shadows.
"James what are you waiting for? Help me!"
Charlene stopped yelling for help and noticed a pair of dirty feet in a ray of moonlight. The rest of the dark figure was still in shadow. She noticed something strange, though. She realized that the pair of feet were woman's feet.
"James?" She hoped that she was wrong.
There was something strange about the pair of feet. They were supernatural and hovering a couple inches off the the ground. It wasn't James, out there. It was something else.
Charlene grew with fear. But, she had to escape. So she looked to the left for away out. She saw another pair of dirt covered feet hovering off the ground, blocking her way. There were two of them, now. She had to get out of the cemetery and there was only one way left.
She looked up ahead for a way out of the grave. At first, the path ahead looked clear. She had to make a run for it. She tried to climb out. But, it was too late. Another pair of feet appeared in front of her. Now, there were three of them. The three dark figures stared at her from a far, blocking her path out of the cemetery.
With the light of the moon, she saw the face of the dark figure in front of her. It was a gruesome sight. She shook her to the bone. The dark figure had large fangs protruding downward from it's mouth, as if it wanted to suck out the remaining light inside her. It hissed at her like a snake. Then, she heard the others, hissing in unison.
There were three of them and they surrounded her on all sides. The more she struggled, the closer they hovered toward her. They wanted to feed on her and there was no way out. There was only an eternal darkness waiting for her.
She looked again in front of her and she saw the face of a ghastly figure staring at her from a far. The dark figure had eyes that glowed with the moonlight. She frantically looked at all three of them. They boxed her in, like a trapped animal that was about to be attacked.
"James! Get me out of here. Please James!"
Charlene started to panic. She struggled to climb out of the grave. But she could not concentrate. Each time, she took her eyes off of one of the dark figures, the other ones came closer. Every time she tried to pull herself out, they all came closer, at the same time.
Charlene's heart felt heavy and dark, as of the light inside her grew dimmer. She lost her footing and fell back into the grave.
This time, the hole felt deeper than before and she could not reach the top edge of the hole. So she tried to hide in the corner of the grave, hoping that they would not come for her.
She thought that if she kept still, then they would stay away.
She sat as still a plastic doll with her knees pressed close to her chest. She kept staring up at the edge of the grave waiting for their gruesome faces to appear. Then, one of them popped into frame. The face was so hideous and horrifying that she turned away. Charlene started to scream uncontrollably for help. Then, the face disappeared.
Charlene clung to the dirt wall for dear life. A moment later, black soil fell on her hair and then over her face. She cried out for James, again.
Then, more dirt fell on her. This time it ended up in her mouth, muffling her screams. Quickly, the dirt started to pile up on all sides of her. She finally realized that she was being buried alive. The dirt kept falling and it was becoming harder and harder for her to breath. She felt like she was going to suffocate and die.
“Charlene!” James brought her out of her trance.
“James, I felt like I were really going to die.”
James hugged her. He knew that could not have a relationship. it wasn’t safe for her. he walked out that on her and didn’t look back. He though that he could make it work. But, things were too strange.
"James, wake up." Charlene pleaded. "Wake up, James. Please, baby. What's wrong?"
Then, James cried out. There was a fear growing with every breath that James took. After a while, he started to hyperventilate in his sleep. Charlene could no longer standby, not like she did the night before.
So, she tried to soothe him and care for him. She hoped that her warm touch would make him feel loved. In return, she thought that love would alleviate his fear. A part of her truly believed that she could bring him back from his nightmare in one piece.
"James, wake up. Everything is okay, baby. It's just a bad dream. Wake up, baby."
Charlene Harris was James's girlfriend. She had smooth carmel skin that he loved to caress. She had a button nose and a pair of dimpled cheeks as deep as canyons. She was a light-skinned black woman and he was white. But they loved each other, all the same.
James and Charlene worked at the police department for almost three years. They never really spoke to each other. Just recently, they had become more than friends. However, he had loved her, ever since they first met, a couple years ago. And for a long time, they played coy.
James cried out in his sleep again. This time it was louder, like a ghost, moaning in the night. Charlene sat up in bed and looked at James's face. But she did not look into his eyes, not at first. His jaw was open and an incoherent stream of words flew out of his mouth.
"They're coming for us! They're coming for all of us! You have to believe me. Run!"
"What are you trying to say, James? Wake up and tell me."
Last night, the same thing happened. But, it wasn't as bad. He didn't speak in his sleep. He just moaned. For some reason, his dreams have been getting worse. She felt horrible because she could do anything to help him.
James told her that his nightmares were like a stomach flu that had no remedy. Neither he or she could do anything about it. They could only let the nightmare run its course.
Charlene looked at James and saw fear in his face. He was terrified.
At first, she tried to look at his face and not his eyes. But, she couldn't keep away for long. Her eyes were drawn to his.
She saw that James eyes were wide open, as if he were awake. But, he wasn't. He was somewhere else and nowhere at the same time. Charlene was shocked by what James was becoming. This was not the same man that she had known. She knew about his eyes. But she just didn't want to believe that that sort of thing was real, not yet.
James was a different man now. There was no way of denying it. Ever since she found out about his eyes, she tried to be as understanding as she could. But no matter how many times she told him that nothing would change between them, she was still startled by how odd he looked.
Charlene wondered if she would ever get used to them. Without his contacts, his eyes looked different and completely white, like milk. They pulsed like a beating heart laying on a silver plate. They vibrated with life. Charlene was drawn and repulsed, at the same time.
She should have kept her promise and not looked into his eyes. But, it was too late. It was like looking into his diary without permission. And that was the one thing that James did not want her to do. His eyes were wide opened, as if he were caught in a nightmare.
Soon, Charlene would learn why James warned her. And she would regret her decision to not listen.
She stared into his eyes and they were as deep and restless, as a raging ocean inside a tiny well. Almost instantly, she felt that she was falling inside, falling into him. She noticed that her face was nearing his.
Suddenly, James reached for Charlene and grabbed her by the arm. He clenched it hard. He looked at her in the face as if he were awake. But, he wasn't there.
He scream
ed at her, "They're coming for all of us. Run!"
James held on to Charlene so tight that she lost all circulation in her arm. It started to tingle, like millions of ants crawling over her bicep and spreading over her entire body. Her arm felt as if it was about to fall away and die.
“Let go.” Said Charlene.
But there was only silence between them
“Let me go James,” she said again.
But, her lips did not move and no sound came out of her mouth. She felt paralyzed by fear.
“Please James. Let go,” he said again. But it was useless. There was only silence between them. James and Charlene sat in a dark room that seemed to be getting darker, as time passed.
Charlene looked away from James's face, but she could not stay away for long. Her head swung back toward James, like a magnet. No matter how much Charlene resisted, she was drawn to James eyes.
Once locked in front of him, her eyes were drawn to his like a mosquito to blue light. Slowly, she made her way to his eyes. She followed the angle of his jaw and the straight edge of his nose. She looked into his eyes and she froze in position, unable to turn away.
She saw a horrible fear buried deep inside him and she was scared she would fall in. She felt an tingling sensation flowing through her arm and spreading across her neck, chest and lower body. It was spreading fast.
It was fear and it was infectious.
The hair on her arms stood up.
Charlene wanted to get away from James. But, she couldn't lift her hands off his shoulder and he wouldn't let go of her arm. She tried to pull away. But, her hand felt heavy and dead, as if each finger weighed a ton. Then, she felt the fear moving closer to her heart and seeping into her mind. The fear grabbed onto her. The longer she looked at him, the more the fear jumped from him to her. The fear burrowed inside her.
Then, it happened. Something clicked at the base of her skull. And for a split second, she felt like her neck had been snapped in half.
Over and over she pleaded, without being able to make a sound. Let me go, James. Please let me go.
But, it was too late. His eyes had engulfed her, all of her.
Everything went dark and Charlene felt like she was no longer in bed with James. She was now somewhere else and nowhere at the same time.
James said no more and stayed quiet for a bit. He hated talking about his condition with Charlene. He wasn't used to it. He had kept this part of his life a secret a long time because he didn't want to feel like a freak. He wanted to spare her from the horrible things that he started to witness.
However, James couldn't stay quiet because he didn't want Charlene to leave him. He'd be lost without her. They had been friends for more than a year.
She wants to know more. That's all, he thought.
So, James searched for one more thing that could satisfy her, at least for now.
"Charlene, I don't know what else to tell you."
"It's okay James talk to me.”
"Sometimes I see things that other people can't."
"Yes. Talk to me, James. What is it that you see. Who is it that you see? What is haunting you, and therefore us? Don't you understand that? It's important that I know, so that we have a chance to make it through this."
"I do. But, stop pushing me. That's all I can say right now. I can't really talk about this stuff, not right now. Tomorrow."
"Please, James. Don't make me leave you. I swear to god that I will, if you don't get professional help."
James didn't want to say more. But, there was something that bothered him about the nightmare he just had. Something about it wasn't right. He felt an urge to talk it through with Charlene. So, he let his guard down a little and opened up to her. He kissed her forehead and told her.
"Ever since I could remember, I can see the spirit of people who have recently died. I don't know why. But, I just can."
"Like zombies."
James smiled. "No. Not like zombies. It's more like watching their spirit walk the earth for a little while and then they disappear. I don't know where they go when their gone. But when they leave, they leave through a passage of light or a dark.”
"So what do they look like?"
"Well. Not to long ago, they looked like they did when they were alive. Except there was this white glow that radiated from inside them. But, they don't look like that now."
"What do they look like now, then?"
"Now, their light is gone."
"What do you mean?"
"They look grotesque, like there is a darkness over taking them, as if something has suck the light out of them. I don't know what it is exactly. They just don't look right. Not like before."
James and Charlene stood in silence, as the street lights illuminated their face.
Charlene tried to believe every word that he spoke. But, it was difficult. She thought that the nature of his problem was psychological. It had to be. If it was, it could be cured. And his eyes could be treated medically with surgery.
"James you can make it through this," she told him.
Right now, Charlene was worried for his safety. She was scared that one of his hallucinations would drive him crazy and make him jump out a window, or something. She was his friend and had to keep him safe, even if it meant committing him to a psychiatric ward.
Another tear fell on her skin. She held his hands and spoke to him as tenderly as possible. She pleaded.
"I know that things are difficult for you James. But, I need you to pretend that you don't see those things, anymore."
"I wish I could. But, I can't."
"Why James?"
"There's something weird going on out there. Weren't you listening to me? It's like something is sucking the light of out the dead and keeping them from passing into the light."
Charlene stayed quiet. To be honest, she didn't really want hear about his delusions, anymore. It was all too strange for her. Besides, there was a limit to what she would put up with. She was more certain than ever that James needed psychiatric help. She could no longer reason with him, so she appealed to his heart.
"What about us James? You have to get help, if we're going to make it."
"I can handle it."
"That's what you say now."
"Please believe me. I can handle it."
"Look at your eyes for Christ sakes!"
"My eyes are fine. I see perfectly, as if they were normal."
"They're not, James."
"They just look different. That's all. I'm still the same person."
"Damn it James! Look at your eyes in the mirror and tell me that you are all right!"
"I'll be fine. I have contact lenses. I can look like everyone else, if I want."
All James wanted was for her to believe him. So, they could continue where they lefty off.
"James. You're seeing things that aren't even there. Things that aren't even real. Don't you care about how that effects us."
"I..."
James crumbled inside and felt disappointed in Charlene for doubting him. He even started to doubt himself.
But, he didn't want to lose her. It was true. He had hurt her in his sleep and he needed help. She was right. He had to start listening to her, if they were going to make it.
As he held her, he looked at himself in the full length mirror leaning on the wall. He thought about his eyes that were as white as milk. His eyes did look different, almost alien. James thought his contact lenses could hide his secret from everyone. He thought he could look normal and fit in and pretend he was still the same person. But, he wasn't.
"James. You have to get help."
James said nothing.
"You can't get better on your own."
"They'll send me to the crazy house for sure. They'll take me away. You know that. Is that what you want."
"No. I want you to get better. Either way, you have to be honest with yourself, James. Everyone loves to lie to themselves. That's easy. But you can't live like that forever. No one can liv
e with a lie like that for so long and not crack under the pressure."
"And who will believe my story?"
"I will, if you get help."
"That's what I'm scared of, Charlene. I'm scared that we will never be the same, after others know about me."
She refrained herself from saying that it was already too late.
"I don't think so James. We've been friends too long for things to change between us. We'll always be friends."
James remained quiet. The word - friend - echoed in his ear. He knew it was over, regardless what he choose to do.
"For now, just pretend that you don't see them. Can you do that, James? Can you do that for us?"
"I would love to. But, it's easier said than done. Believe me Charlene, I want us to have a normal life, together."
"And I do too. I want us to be together. But, We can't, right now."
"Why?"
"Because you won't get help."
"I know. But, I have to go out there. I have a job to do. I have a case to work on. It's one of the most important cases in my life."
"What case? Stop it James! Please stop it, for Christ's sakes!"
"Please Charlene. I thought I could talk to you?"
Charlene looked up at him and knew not what to say. James was going mad. She stayed quiet for a moment.
"What case, James? My father hasn't assigned a case to you and he never will."
"Why?"
"Because I told him about your condition."
“About my eyes?"
"Yes. Of course. He's my father. I spoke to him yesterday. I had to tell him about the stress you're under. And it is getting worse. You need a break, James. You need to find help."
James stayed quiet and looked at the moon. He no where else to go, but inside himself. The moon was bright and full.
He would do anything for Charlene. But, it wasn't easy. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't pretend that he was like everyone else.
"So, tell me, James. What is this grand case that my father has you working on?"
James turned his attention to the vodka bottle that spilled over his books. It was obvious that his life was a mess and that he needed help. All this time, James made his personal life second to the job. But, he always promised himself that he would change things around, soon. And soon became tomorrow and tomorrow always became later.
Never Wake the Dead Page 12