“Mm... that is a good idea. I think I will,” I said already making my way towards the bathroom.
I showered, reveling in the penetrating heat. I was trying to ignore the pounding in my head that felt like the beating of bongo drums in full force. I was relieved to finally be able to shave. When the water cooled to icy droplets, I reluctantly shut the shower off and patted dry with a soft towel.
I slid on a cream silk slip and headed out of the closet to find Tom. I didn’t get very far though and began to sway once more. I was still incredibly sluggish so I decided to just crawl into bed.
A few minutes later, Tom was by my side. “I thought you might want some aspirin and a glass of water.”
“Thanks. My head is still pounding,” I said as I swallowed the aspirin and chased it with the water.
“Could you do me a favor?” I asked. He looked so strong and I craved the feel of him. His kindness only made me love him more than I already did and I gave him a pleading smile.
“Anything for you, Cora, what is it?”
“Would you lay with me for a while? I don’t really want to be alone.”
“Of course,” he said. He undressed down to his plaid boxers and crawled into bed.
Then the warmth of his body spread throughout me. He held me close and I reveled in the feel of him wrapped around me. I was lucky to have Tom. That was the last thought I had before I fell asleep and my nightmares started.
Chapter 2:
“He’s not gone,” I whispered.
“He’s not gone,” I repeated despite the growing feeling of desperation.
There was blood everywhere, so much blood. The dark red splatters surrounded me. It stained my silky cream slip in a brush of crimson. The blood was caked around my fingernails as well as underneath them as I checked for his pulse. The blood surrounding me was dark and sticky, flaking away in flecks at the dried spots.
The gothic music that floated through the air was melancholy. A chill raced down my spine and I suppressed a shiver. I closed my eyes and will be haunted by the image I will never forget. His eyes were so empty and frozen in shock. Blood had swelled from the back of his head from a large gash. A nearby statue is covered in dark red blood, the source of the deathly blow.
I felt a hollow ache in my chest and tears formed in the corners of my pain stricken eyes. I grappled for my cell phone on the table and tried to get ahold of myself. Grasping the sticky cell phone, I punched in the emergency numbers.
I swallowed hard and said as calmly as possible, “there’s been a murder. I don’t know what happened. The address is 2203 Devonshire court.”
I hung up the phone with an audible click and dropped it with a clatter on the wood floor. The big storm may have passed but the real storm was just beginning to take hold. Sinking down to the cold stained floor, I sobbed until there were no more tears left. Soon, my clothes fluttered to the ground and I dissolved into thin air.
**
I bolted upright, eyes as wide as saucers and drenched in sweat. It was just a nightmare I told myself. That scenario was not even humanly possible. I took a sip of the water Tom left on my nightstand and tried to steady my breathing.
My phone rang and I read the caller ID. It was my mother. Great, I wasn’t in the mood to deal with her nagging. I especially wasn’t up to it after the terrible nightmare I just had. I silenced the ringing phone and looked around. Then I realized Tom wasn’t next to me and I panicked for a minute.
I tried to rationalize but it was fleeting. He was probably just in the living room watching the television while I slept. He was so thoughtful like that. Despite the logic, I couldn’t seem to bite back the rising panic.
I rushed into the front room only to find the nightmare playing out just like in my dream. Soon it was all a blur and I felt as if I was coming apart at the seams. I felt light, weightless. I saw myself mist into a million particles before I dissolved.
It felt like I was nowhere yet everywhere all at once. I was invisible and completely panicked. The millions of pieces I had dissolved into drifted on the breeze and away from my nightmares. It was kind of like floating weightless in a pool, perfectly relaxing. The warm breeze from the window embraced and soothed me. I let the air current carry me as far as it could through the summer city.
I just floated through the air as my frayed nerves softened and the edge of panic subsided. I felt so at peace and relaxed. I eventually made my way to Water Street and then I tried to force myself into Nessa’s building. My particles seeped at the seams of the door all around, splitting.
Once inside, the air died and my particles began to form again. In a matter of seconds, I swirled into my human form. Naked and freaked, I looked up to see Nessa witnessing the whole thing with her jaw dropped. The coffee mug she had been holding fell to the floor and shattered on the cherry wood. We stood like that for several seconds before I broke out of my own shock.
“I could really use some clothes, Nessa. This is kind of awkward,” I admitted, trying to shake her out of her shocked trance.
She snapped her jaw shut and left the room in silence. Just as quickly, she returned and tossed me a fluffy, white bath robe. The shock in her eyes had yet to dissipate and I wasn’t sure I could blame her. I was still in a state of shock myself. I wasted no time wrapping myself in the bath robe and having a seat on her brown leather couch.
Nessa stood there for several seconds before breaking out of it and joining me on the couch. I threw my arms around her and the tears began to flow without regard.
“Please tell me that was a figment of my imagination,” Nessa said.
“I wish I could. This day is getting more bizarre by the minute,” I replied.
I tried to stop the tears from flowing but once the faucet was on, the waterworks were in full force. I loved Tom so much. The ache in my heart, in my soul was irreversible. There would always be a hole where he belonged to me even if our time together was fleeting.
“Cora, are you alright? Please stop crying, I am here,” Nessa said as she wrapped herself around me in a gentle embrace.
“No, Nessa I am not,” I admitted. “Tom was murdered and then I freaking dissolved. Now here I am. I think I am in shock.”
“What? Tom is dead? What happened? How did this happen to you?” Nessa shot back, concern thick in her voice. I had her full and undivided attention now.
Wiping at the shimmering tears rolling down my cheeks, I looked down in shame. This looked bad, so bad.
“I don’t know what transpired. I don’t even know how this happened to me. It has never happened to me before. Oh God, Tom is gone,” I choked out.
“Okay, I am trying not to freak out here. This has never occurred until just now? You weren’t feeling so hot yesterday, maybe that had something to do with it.”
Nessa chewed on her bottom lip, biting back her own tears. Her eyes penetrated mine, searching. “Are you positive Tom is dead? Maybe you imagined it or maybe he is just injured.”
I shook my head in dismay. I knew this wasn’t the case. I just sensed it deep into my core. “No, I am positive. I called the police then this disappearing thing happened to me.”
“That means they will be calling me soon. Once they start looking for you, this will be one of the first places they will look. Look Cora, I have to ask. Did you kill Tom?”
“What? No, absolutely not. Well, I am pretty sure. I don’t really know what happened. Please help me. If they put me in jail, I could accidentally do this disappearing thing again and be in more trouble. Please Nessa, I am begging you.”
“I trust you, I just had to ask. Lucky for you, I don’t have much on the burner right now. Work has been slow and I am still minus a boyfriend. I say let’s get you in something more suitable and get out of here fast,” Nessa said already on her feet and heading to her room across the hall.
I followed into her room of posh black and whites, watching her tear through her chest of drawers for something suitable through my veil of tears. I coul
d tell she was nervous and I couldn’t blame her. I was just thankful that she was even going to trust me and help. If I couldn’t trust Nessa, then I couldn’t trust anyone at this point. The thought sent a shiver through my core and I returned my focus on Nessa.
“I can wear whatever Nessa. Just let me throw on something and let’s get out of here. We need to find out what is really going on and I need your help,” I begged with a quiver in my voice.
Finally, she tossed me a plain brown V-neck tee and some faded frayed jeans. Maybe I was too literal. Underwear and a bra, even shoes would be needed. “Umm, I probably need a bra and some underwear. I probably need some shoes too.”
“I hadn’t thought of that, sorry. This is all so much, I am a little frazzled,” she said handing me a set of matching cream undergarments and a pair of brown flats. I didn’t even care that she was standing there; I was ready to get the hell out of here. I tossed off the robe and wasted no time putting the clothes on. I was afraid of a repeat performance and running seemed like the only way to stay sane.
“Nessa, if it happens again, the disappearing I mean. Will you keep the clothes for me, I don’t want to end up in a tight spot,” I asked.
“Sure, let me just grab a bag. I will do one better and pack us both some extra clothes” she said as she popped into her closet.
“I guess I won’t need this bridesmaid dress now,” she added trying to lighten the mood.
It didn’t work. My tears just began to flow more freely and I sunk to the ground in broken sobs. My breath was catching in my chest and my blond hair was sticking on my face from all the tears.
She rushed out and knelt down next to me. “Oh Cora, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to be so insensitive. I love you, you know. Let me just finish packing the bag and we will be on our way.”
She was out faster than I expected and herded me towards the door. Nessa shut the front door with a snick of the lock and we stepped outside into the warm summer air. I was so on edge; I couldn’t even enjoy things like flowers blooming or the feel of basking in a sunny afternoon.
I grasped Nessa’s hands in mine and peered into her gentle and understanding eyes. “Thank you so much for your faith and trust in me. I am so lucky to have you,” I told her with true sincerity.
She just gave me a crooked smile and said “anything for you Cora,” before pulling me into a tight hug. I sighed in relief at the comforting gesture before pulling away reluctantly. My tears had dried up slightly and I wiped the remaining evidence away with my index fingers.
I looked to Nessa, wide eyed and hoping she had a plan. I couldn’t fathom a scenario like this and wasn’t thinking the straightest. She had to be the rock in this, I was too broken.
“What now? Where can we go?”
“Well, we can’t take my car because they can track it in no time. Let’s hail a cab and head for someplace busy that we can blend in until we have a solid plan. I would preferably choose somewhere a little further away,” Nessa replied.
“Oh and we need cash. There is an A.T.M. around the corner and we should pull out the maximum daily limit. We don’t know what will happen and we need untraceable money,” I added.
“That’s an excellent plan. I took my rainy day fund from the house as well as your emergency credit card in my closet, but the more we have the better off we are going to be,” Nessa said already heading around the corner to the A.T.M.
We took our turns each pulling out the cash and sliding them into our back pockets. I looked around nervously and hoped we could get away in time to avoid the police. I returned to our original conversation finally.
“Okay, we are looking for someplace busy and far enough from here. How about the Science Center? It is usually packed on a Sunday afternoon?” I asked as we hurried down the cobblestone sidewalk.
“Good idea. We need a good plan and I don’t think anyone would be looking for a murder suspect there.”
I winced at the words even knowing they are true. Murder suspect sounds so sinister. I shook it off though and followed Nessa down the street. She effortlessly hailed a cab and I slid in next to her on the warm leather seat.
“Kingshighway please, the Science Center,” Nessa told the cabbie.
He nodded in understanding and I nestled into Nessa as the tears started to roll again. She held me tightly and just let me cry. Several minutes later I managed to regain my composure and pulled away. I wiped at my tears and took a deep breath. My glassy blue eyes met Nessa’s brown ones and I could see the compassion in them.
“I love you Cora. Everything will be ok,” she told me.
“I love you too. I hope everything works out,” I said.
“It will, just wait and see.”
In no time we managed to make it to the Science Center and Nessa paid the cab fare. We slipped inside into the throng of people and I relaxed slightly. We managed to blend into the crowd easy enough. There were lots of families out on this particular Sunday afternoon for the new dinosaur exhibit. Signs for the exhibit were plastered all over and lots of kids were whooping and hollering.
Now we just had to find a place to talk. I was just about to suggest the café to Nessa when out of nowhere, someone pushed into her very hard. She nearly clattered to the floor in a heap.
I frowned and prepared to yell “Watch it,” but when I looked around; I saw no trace of anyone nearby. Confused, I leaned down to help Nessa up.
“Yuck! Floors are so gross!” Nessa exclaimed as she stood up and dusted off with a shiver.
“I looked, but I couldn’t see who knocked you over. Are you ok?”
“The jackass stabbed me in the arm with something. It burns something wicked,” she said pointing at a tiny needle mark on her right arm.
“Nessa, this is so not good. There is no telling what that could have been. Maybe we should take you to the hospital,” I offered.
“NO! I am going to help you. It is probably nothing serious. It is just weird.”
I spotted a bench nearby and steered Nessa to it, now anxious to get out of the sea of people. Her skin was growing pallid and moist. Whatever she was stuck with was no ordinary item, like she tried to rationalize. A cool chill raced down my spine and I tried not to show Nessa just how freaked out I was.
“How do you feel?” I asked in concern.
“Fuzzy. I just need a few moments and I will be fine,” Nessa insisted.
“At least let me take you into the bathroom and wash off the wound site,” I pleaded as a drop of blood welled up on her arm.
Reluctantly, she agreed and I put her arm around my shoulder. We murmured excuse me several times but made it to the bathroom without incident. I kicked the door open with my foot and ushered Nessa inside. She was looking paler and paler by the minute and I was starting to worry. First there was clearly an attack on me and now, there was clearly an attack on Nessa. This was not good, not good at all.
“Please Nessa we need to get you to the hospital. You don’t know what you were jabbed with and it could be awful. I will gladly turn myself in if it means saving you.”
“No, and that is final. We are in this together. Creepy as it sounds; it looked like that guy you were drinking with the other night. Sounds like a conspiracy to me and you know how I feel about them. If you take me to the hospital and it is something strange like you acquired, they will lock me up and throw away the key. We need a plan and soon.”
“Where can we go that they won’t be looking? This isn’t just a boyfriend or something. It is the freaking police. They have resources that exceed ours so we have to be smarter,” I said in a hushed tone.
Nessa’s pupils were starting to dilate and I watched her splash cold water on her ashen complexion.
“I agree. Something is definitely up and we are going to have to do this smartly. The police think you did this and I know you didn’t. That means the real person is still out there. We have to figure this out in order to clear your name.”
“Not here. This isn’t a coincidence eve
n if you think otherwise. We need to leave discretely” I whispered to Nessa.
“Agreed, but there is only one entrance and exit. How are we going to do this? We didn’t plan this out very well,” she responded.
“I say we buy a scarf and a hat at the gift shop and walk out the front door.”
“No, that is way too risky. I think I have a better idea,” Nessa said as she eyed an old lady washing her hands.
“Excuse me, mam. I was wondering if I could buy your scarf. It is so beautiful; I just have to have it, how much?” Nessa asked the woman sweetly.
A frown forms on the woman’s face and then fades to indifference. “Fifty bucks and I will consider it yours.”
“Oh thank you so much mam. Here is a fifty. I am going to try it on right now,” Nessa said as she pulled out a fifty and the woman traded the money for the scarf.
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