by T. G. Ayer
Had one of them finally found him? Was he going to have to come to terms with the truth that his mom’s fantasy stories were in fact based in reality? Which, of course, would be the pinnacle of ridiculousness. It was 1969 for freak’s sake.
Eric and his thugs were still frozen in place, so Nik dropped his hands and turned to scan the area around him. Nothing moved, not even the leaves on the trees, and cold fingers of dread crept up his spine. Then the sound of movement drifted to his ears: fabric swishing against limbs, hinting that the disembodied speaker was drawing closer.
“Do not fear me, Nikhil. Do not deny that the universe is more than you can see. Do not deny that you are more than you know.” The voice echoed around Nik, both around him and within his head.
Maybe it was her words that released the paralysis of Nik’s limbs. Or maybe it was the shifting of color in the air beside him as the faded form of a woman began to take shape. Long black hair, yards of red fabric draped sensually around her generous curves, skin that would have been a dusky golden brown had it not possessed an inky blue tinge.
Or maybe it was the blue-skin.
Whatever got him moving, Nik couldn’t decide, but he didn’t care. He spun on his heel and ran for his life, as though the devil himself was giving chase.
You don’t believe in the devil remember.
Nik ignored the voice in his head, though he much preferred the sound of his own conscience to that of the ghost he’d just seen. Because, for freak’s sake, he’d just seen a ghost. A bhoot, a pisaca, or something on the list his mom had taught him ages ago.
He didn’t care to label it now. All he wanted was to get the hell away from her. He raced up the stairs and into the building’s foyer, paused a second as he got his bearings then hung a left, sprinting for the payphone while digging into his pocket for the spare change he kept there just in case.
The public phone on the wall near the restrooms came into view, and Nik skidded to a stop, grabbed the receiver and slammed the coins into the slot, whispering, “Please be home, please be home,” as he listened to the clicking on the other end of the line. Seconds later, he was listening again as the rotary dial took forever as he dialed in one number at a time, fingers shaking and almost slipping on each rotation.
The hall behind him remained empty though he didn’t allow himself to breathe yet. At last, the phone began to ring on the other end, and Gordie answered, “Green residence.”
“Gordie. I need your help. Meet me at the library. Now! My life depends on it.” Nik almost yelled the words down the phone.
“Nik? What’s going on?”
Nik rolled his eyes, looked over his shoulder, and could have sworn he saw the air shift to red for the briefest second. He’d have to get out of the building another way. “Shit, Gordie. Get the hell over here now. Meet me at the back entrance, or I’m dead. And keep the engine running!” Then he cut the call and hoped his friend would get his ass moving.
Nik knew Gordie would come through, that by now his nerdy best friend would be racing outta the house and throwing himself into his Firebird. It would take Gordie five minutes or so to get here, less if he put the pedal to the metal.
Nik’s mention of death may likely encourage a faster journey. Now he just had to figure out what to do in the meantime to hold the ghost off, and to avoid leading her directly to Gordie or he may end up endangering his buddy as well.
Nik hung up and began to back away, eyes on the hall, on the spot where he’d seen the smudge of red. The sound of anklet bells drifted to him, and he wanted to swear, fear clenching his chest like a fiery fist.
Shit, shit, shit. What am I supposed to do now?
He thought of calling his mom, asking her for one of her hokey spells that he always thought was a joke. But what good would that do for him right now? He had no way of getting his hands on frankincense or cloves or camphor, let alone the ability to whip up a nice little fire to throw the talisman into.
Suddenly the hallway smelled of frankincense and sandalwood, and Nik’s throat closed.
You have got to be kidding me.
Was he manifesting those scents, or was this ghost reading his mind? He didn’t have the courage to confront her. It. Whatever it was. So he turned and ran again, boots skidding on the lino as he reached the men’s room, decided against getting caught in a room with no way out, then raced past and straight on to the fire doors that would take him to the back parking lot.
So much for not leading her to the getaway car.
He still had time before Gordie arrived so he took a left and raced around the building, praying he’d lead her away long enough to be back around when Gordie arrived. Sneaking a glance over his shoulder, he almost let out a squeal of shock as the red smudge had darkened and the woman’s shape had solidified even more. He faced ahead and ran, the muscles in his thighs burning as he covered ground as fast as he could.
Around her waist, he’d seen a belt of what he thought were hands, but he had to have imagined it. Maybe his fear was making him see things. But then he glanced back at her again, and now a necklace of skulls swayed from her neck as she floated toward him.
A necklace of skulls? A belt made of hands? Blue skin? No way. No freaking way. It couldn’t be the goddess Kali. Was this ghost trying to make him see something she hoped would scare him?
That would have been a waste of time because his mom had educated him on the true meaning of the goddess, made him understand that the belief in the mother goddess Kali stemmed from the desire to eliminate the negative, the bad, the darkness in one’s life, all personified as demons, or labeled as obstacles. Kali was good.
And Kali was simply not chasing him and scaring the living crap out of him. Nik ran fast, praying ever harder that Gordie would get there by the time he circumnavigated the library building.
In the distance, Nik could hear the rumbling of the Firebird engine, and he would have sighed with relief. Instead, he let out a shriek as a hand tapped his shoulder. He skidded to a stop, almost stumbled and fell on his face.
Spinning around, he came face to face with the ghost, though she no longer wore her gory jewelry. “Why do you run from me, my child? You should not fear me. I could never harm you, that much you already know.” Her words were so gentle, so loving, her expression only echoing her assurance that she wouldn’t hurt him. But then she tilted her head and smiled, before saying, “You are far too valuable to the universe for any of us to endanger your life.”
Well then.
Nik shook his head and backpedaled. “Leave me alone!” he said, his plea somewhere between a whisper and a scream. Then he ran, pushing himself harder than he ever had before.
Taking the last corner, he raced at break-neck speed for Gordie’s car as it entered the lot and skidded around so the passenger door would be closer to Nik. Gordie’s eyes were wide, and he reached out and flung open the door just in time for Nik to throw himself in and yell, “Drive!”
Without a word, Gordie gunned the engine and sped out of the parking lot spraying gravel as he went. “What the hell is going on Nik?” Gordie asked, his voice taut. He was hunched over the steering wheel, fingers gripping tight as though channeling Nik’s desperation.
Nik took a breath. “You won’t believe me even if I told you,” he said, clearing his throat as he looked over his shoulder and out behind the car. The reddish blotch of color now hovered when Gordie’s car had stopped to pick Nik up. “Shit.”
Chapter 7
Gordie looked over at Nik, eyes wide now. “Shit? Whaddya mean ‘Shit’?” The guy gulped, his Adam’s apple pulsing as he swallowed. “Man, Nik. You look like you’ve just seen a ghost. Even with your complexion, I can tell.”
Nik snorted. “You don’t know how close you are. Just get us out of here fast.”
“I’m going as fast as I can. I don’t wanna get pulled over.” Gordie’s tone was reasonable, but Nik’s gut was churning. They couldn’t afford careful. But Gordie wasn’t the type to throw caution to
the wind.
Not a rule-breaker, our Gordie.
Clearing his throat again, Nik said, “You know how I told you all those horror stories back when we were kids?”
“Yeah, sure. Out in the backyard, shining torches under our chins.” Gordie nodded. “Some of that shit was scary. Gave me nightmares.”
“Yeah, well. Let’s just say it’s possible some of those stories were true,” Nik said, his voice breaking on a note a little too high for his liking.
Gordie looked over at Nik. “What?” his blue eyes were wide, blonde hair mussed.
His cardigan was on back to front and upside down, the tag sitting just below the collar of his shirt. Nik didn’t bring it to his attention for fear that Gordie would likely try to fix it while driving. The guy was far too anal for Nik’s liking.
When Nik didn’t reply, Gordie glared harder. “Nik? What the hell, man? What’s going on?” He yelled, eyes still on Nik.
Lights flared on the road in front of them, and a horn blared. “Gordie!” Nik screeched, just as Gordie wrenched the wheel to bring the car back into the correct lane. “Watch the freaking road, man. I like being alive.”
Gordie let out a growl. “Jeez, Nik. You’re freaking me out.” He was yelling now, so when he did fall silent, Nik felt the pressure to answer honestly weigh down on him.
“I want to tell you the truth, but I’m worried that if you know, it might put you in danger.””
“Nik,” Gordie said patiently. “Considering I’m your getaway driver I think I’m already involved. So cut the crap.”
Nik sighed and was about to describe what had just happened when a voice from the back of the car said, “Perhaps you are right to avoid involving your friend. I would hate for him to be collateral damage.”
Spinning around in his seat, Nik let out a screech a little unbecoming of a man as he stared at the ghostly woman who was sitting quite calmly in the back seat.
“Gordie. Get us to holy ground!”
Gordie yelled back, “Where exactly? Holy ground? The cemetery is closest.”
“Yeah. Get us there fast. Before we’re both dead,” Nik spoke, watching the spirit as she smiled serenely back at him.
Gordie changed gears, the engine of the Firebird screaming as they sped down the road. Thankfully, they’d reached the edge of town, away from the residential zones the cops were always watching for racers.
Nik checked the mirror, gut twisting to see the woman sitting there as she didn’t have a care in the world. They were heading to holy ground for freak’s sake. She should have skedaddled by now.
She met his eyes just then, tilting her head to one side. “You are wasting your time, Nikhil, son of Justice. You will listen to me in the end. All this running is just going to delay our discussion.”
Nik grunted and spun in his seat. “Justice? I don’t know anyone named Justice. Why don’t you just leave me alone?” he yelled, realizing too late he’d lost control.
Eyes still on the road, Gordie said, “Nik? Why are you talking to fresh air?”
Nik did a half-turn, but he didn’t move his eyes off the spirit. Something told him that would be a bad idea. “Sorry, Gord. Just get us there quick, okay?”
“We’re almost there. But really Nik, are you sure I shouldn’t be taking you to Belvedere House?”
“What the frack is Belvedere House?” Nik asked out of the corner of his mouth.
Gordie grunted now. “It’s the insane asylum, Nik. You know, the place up on the hill where Crazy Maisey was sent after she went cuckoo.”
To the sound of tinkling laughter courtesy of the ghostly woman in the back seat, Nik replied, “Very funny, Gordie. Now just—”
“Oh shut up, Nik. We’re here.” Gordie hung a sharp right and sped into the narrow gravel road that would take them to the town’s only cemetery. Gordie skidded to a stop at the gates which were locked, a thick chain and ancient padlock locking them out.
“Now what?” yelled Gordie as he braked, coming to a stop only a foot from the iron gates.
“Now we climb. We have to get inside.” Nik scrambled from the car and was almost at the gates when he hesitated. Turning on his heel, he said, “Maybe you can go, Gordie. There’s no need for you to stay and possibly get into more trouble.”
Nik watched as the spirit faded away from the back seat then materialized again in the middle of the road behind their car. She was keeping her distance, so perhaps there was still hope.
Gordie flung his door open and shut off the car. He grabbed the keys muttering to himself as he ran for the gates and began to scale the iron bars so numbly that for a second Nik was frozen in shock. The guy was moving faster than Nik had expected. Had Gordie been hiding his athletic skills behind his high IQ all along?
Gordie was almost over the gate when he yelled, “What the hell are you waiting for? Need me to come carry you over or something?” he shouted angrily.
Nik swallowed, then raced for the gates and followed his friend over. They both landed at the same time, Nik producing a speed he didn’t even know he possessed.
The power of fear really does put wings on your feet, huh?
Neither boy wasted time as they hit the ground. They spun and raced for the first line of headstones, a motley collection of cracked, broken marble and stone, peppered with gleaming new glossy grave-markers, and a handful of crying angels with pure white wings almost ready for flight.
The pair skidded to a stop then fell beside each other behind the first of the gravestones, Gordie’s face revealing his confused consternation. “Nik. You better tell me what the hell is going on, and you better do it soon, or I swear I’m going to take you to Belvedere myself,” he said in a low voice. The steel in his tone was enough to confirm how serious he was so Nik knew he could no longer keep his friend in the dark.
With a soft sigh, Nik said, “I think it’s a ghost. Only she looks familiar.”
There was a long silence. “And you figured bringing a ghost to holy ground would help in some way?”
Nik shrugged. “Isn’t evil supposed to stay off consecrated ground?”
Gordie groaned. “Not all ghosts are evil. And ghosts kind of like graveyards, yaknow?”
Nik shook his head. “I don’t think she’s a ghost.”
“Now she’s not a ghost?” Gordie’s eyes went wide. “Can you make up your mind?”
“I’m not sure what she is,” Nik muttered, keeping his voice low as he scanned the hillside and the lawn between him and the front gate. He couldn’t see where the ghost was, so he was hoping against hope that he’d lost her.
Gordie cleared his throat. “So, you wanna explain a little more of what happened? You have anything to do with Eric and his buddies draggin’ each other away from the library?”
Nik glanced over at his friend. “Sort of. They attacked me. I fought back. Just when I was about to pound the living shit outta Eric, everything froze.”
“Froze?” Gordie blinked. “Like winter froze? Or Simon Says froze?”
Rolling his eyes, Nik said, “Simon says. And that wasn’t the half of it. This voice asks if I’m ready to deal with the consequences of taking Eric’s life. And then she calls me the son of Justice.”
“Not your dad’s name, I take it?” Gordie asked grimly.
Nik grunted. “Not.”
“Then what?” Gordie asked.
“Then she showed herself, and I lost it. I ran. And she followed. Then I figured if I got a ride out of there, I’d be able to lose her.”
“Well, you thought wrong, didn’t you?” Gordie snorted, giving Nik a dirty look.
Nik scowled. “So you believe me?”
Gordie let out a soft laugh. “I don’t know what I believe. All I know is you look like you’re about to have a heart attack. Something’s up with you. I don’t know what, but I think I know you well enough by now to be sure you’re not just playing around. So for now, let’s just say I do believe you.” He took a breath and looked over at Nik. “So are we go
ing to hide here forever or what? Can we exorcize this ghost of yours somehow?”
Nik smiled sadly. “I don’t know. I’m beginning to think she’s more than a ghost.”
Gordie gulped. “Then what else could she be if she’s not a ghost, Nik?”
On a low whisper, Nik said, “I think she may be a goddess.”
“Nik, you gotta be shitting me.”
Nik turned to look at Gordie, frowning now.
Gordie raised his hands in apology. “Look, man, I don’t mean no offense by it. But like even if you told me Moses just visited you, I’d look at you funny. This stuff isn’t...normal.”
“Yeah. You’re right about that.” Nik wasn’t sure how to explain what he was thinking, so he fell silent.
“Er, Nik?” Gordie asked carefully.
“Yeah?” he replied, eyes scanning the lawn in front of them,
“So, you think she’s a goddess, right?”
“Yeah,” Nik said.
“So, if she’s a goddess, will consecrated ground actually make any difference?”
Crap.
Chapter 8
Nik swallowed hard. The question hit him hard in the gut as a few important facts came tumbling back into his memory.
Ancient myths told of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer, being paired with the dark-skinned goddess, both being charged with the killing of evil and darkness. And both were said to often walk the graveyards to bestow blessings upon the recently departed, to keep the souls safe until they passed over to Patala so that Yama, the Lord of the Underworld, Lord of Justice, would judge their souls and send them where they belong, to the heavenly realms or to the underworlds for further penance, or back to a mortal life to work again at gaining redemption.
Nik stiffened as his thoughts swirling into his head, as his mind focused on one word.
Justice.
“Oh crap,” Nik said softly as the air around him shifted, bringing the scent of sandalwood and frankincense to him.