A Death Displaced

by Andrew Butcher

  Juliet looked about to respond, but Nick heard something approaching fast. The red car had started up and it roared towards them. He panicked at first, thinking it planned to smash straight into his car, but it drove firmly to the side.

  If someone’s following me then they can catch up and show themselves. He felt ridiculous; why would anyone tail him like this?

  The car slowed as it neared. Nick finally glimpsed the driver: it was Alan. In his passenger’s seat was the tall man who’d tried to punch Nick at Creaky Crystals, in the back was the greasy-haired thief-lady.

  Alan pulled his car in front of Nick’s to block his way. Nick heard him kill the engine. Then all three stepped out of Alan’s car.

  ‘Wha...what’s going on, Nicolas?’ Juliet’s voice quavered, she looked to Nick for reassurance.

  ‘Erm, don’t worry, it’s just a colleague who’s annoyed at me. I’ll talk to him and sort it out.’ he replied, but his hands shook and betrayed the confident statement.

  He shuffled out of his car and closed the door behind him.

  ‘Alan… what’s this all about?’ he asked, trying a reasonable, agreeable tone.

  ‘You know what it’s about.’ Alan growled back.

  A gentle thud came behind Nick, and he realised that Juliet had also stepped out of the car.

  The tall man still wore a black bomber jacket and the lady had greasy hair again. Alan, although rather chubby, charged for Nick. He took him by surprise and drove him to the ground.

  Grit pressed into Nick’s face. Before he could do anything, spit hocked out of his mouth. Sharp pains hit his back repeatedly, digging into him. He curled up and covered his head to protect it from the blows.

  He looked down at his stomach, and saw a foot kick into it. A puking sound broke out of him. He groaned in agony.

  ‘Stop!’ Juliet screamed.

  The kicking went on. Nick tried desperately to shield up and defend himself. Hard shoes connected with his shins, back and arms. He didn’t dare to look up; they would only kick his face if he did. But he knew that Alan and the man in the bomber jacket were the ones attacking him.

  He writhed on the bitter ground and closed his eyes, wishing for it to stop. He tried to shout, ‘Help!’ but it came out deflated.

  He heard the short lady talking to Juliet in a strong accent, ‘Stay near car, no move!’

  There was nothing he could do. If they continued, they would kill him, he could only wait and hope for the attack to stop. The frightening vision had come true, and he desperately wished that it would end well.

  Chapter 12

  ‘Stay near car, no move!’ the woman screamed at Juliet, her face furious but with a hint of vulnerability. Juliet stood much taller than the lady, but did as she was told. Reflections of the white sky glinted on the knife. The woman’s hand gripped it so tightly that her knuckles were chalky and pronounced.

  She pointed the blade at Juliet, fixing her in place.

  What have I got myself into? Fear tingled over her skin, taking her strength away. She leant against the side of Nick’s car and held her hands at her side.

  She looked at the woman’s pale and unclean skin. Then she stared at her mousey hair, oily and straggly across her forehead, and tussling her shoulders. There was desperation in her eyes, not malice. Juliet didn’t think the lady would shamelessly use the knife on someone, but even so, that didn’t reassure her.

  A desperate person could be an extremely dangerous person.

  Nick coughed violently. Juliet heard the thuds every time they kicked him. One of the men shouted, ‘You didn’t see anything. I need my job. Tell Mora about any of this and next time will be worse.’

  The other man, tall with dark shaved hair, laughed in a simulated manner, like the approval of the fatter man meant the world to him.

  Juliet wanted to scream for them to stop again, but it did no good the first time, so what was the point? The man shouting at Nick had said it would be worse next time. It was some reassurance at least that they didn’t intend to kill him. She just hoped they didn’t accidentally kill him and then have to silence her too.

  She beamed at the two attackers, with hatred, then noticed a small figure stood by one of them. A young boy.

  A shifting aura outlined the kid. He wore only white shorts but they were ruffled and stained. His bare skin was pallid and his feet were raw with dirt. She placed him at about eight years old when he must have died. The spirit looked saddened, staring at the chubby man who was booting Nick. Then the boy glided over to Juliet. He spoke to her.

  She listened attentively.

  When she’d grasped the spirit’s words, she yelled at the attackers, ‘Alan, that’s you isn’t it?’ she pointed at the rounder one. ‘Carl is upset. He doesn’t like seeing you this way.’

  Alan stopped kicking Nick. He motioned to cut short the other man’s swing of his leg. ‘How do you know about Carl?’

  ‘He’s ashamed of you and what you’re doing.’ she ignored Alan’s question.

  ‘Nick must have told you about Carl. You can’t guilt-trip me, woman!’ he spat back.

  ‘He’s here now, talking to me and he’s watching what you’re doing. He’s telling me things. When he was at school, he told on a group of kids for stealing marbles from his best friend, Mark, and then Miss Andrews made them give the marbles back.’ she spoke as fast and clearly as possible.

  Alan’s eyes steadily widened. The tall man beside him frowned confusedly, and the woman with the knife flicked her head back and forth between everyone.

  ‘Carl found you on his lunch break,’ she continued, ‘you were the year above him. He was frightened that the other kids were going to get him. That’s what he said to you: Alan, I’m scared, they’re going to get me after school!’ she rinsed out the eerie feeling of repeating the spirit word-for-word.

  ‘St…stop it. I don’t want to hear.’ Alan mumbled and sheepishly shook his head.

  ‘After school, the kids did come and they started to push Carl around. You scared them off and saved him from the bullies. But now Carl’s upset. You’re frightening him, just like those bullies did.’

  ‘Errm… eerrhh.’ Alan grumbled and twitched, ‘Let’s leave. Come on. Now.’ He gestured at the other assailant and the woman.

  Before scrambling off, the greasy-haired lady gave Juliet a sharp leer and hissed, ‘Witch.’

  The three of them shuffled into the red car. They were out of sight in no time. Juliet pivoted on the spot, searching for the spirit of Carl, but he was gone.

  Nick uncovered his head. He rolled over onto his back, moaning. Slowly, he tried to stand up. As he stumbled, Juliet came to support him.

  ‘I’m sorry about this, Juliet.’ he wheezed.

  ‘Okay. Let’s just get back to the car and we’ll talk about it.’

  She held onto him but he moved away proudly, ‘I’m okay. I can move about. It just hurts like hell. I’ll be bruised all over.’

  Juliet didn’t reply but walked around to the passenger’s side of the car. She sat down and noticed sharp twisting pains by her heart. It must have ached from how much it raced. Thinking about what just happened, she wasn’t sure if Nick was the type of person she wanted to be around. What sort of actions did he take to warrant being followed and attacked like that?

  Out in the middle of nowhere, it was silent now. No cars drove by, no houses were near, the road was bare, and the trees were statues. Nick sat with his hands covering his face.

  ‘You need to explain to me what that was all about.’ Juliet stated.

  She heard Nick sniffle like he was crying, but couldn’t tell if he was or not. All she hoped was that he had a good explanation for why she was held at knifepoint.

  Chapter 13

  Embarrassment jangled about him. He didn’t want to show his face to her. He wasn’t crying, but the way he was shoved onto the floor and beaten was humiliating. Juliet would see him as a weak man, unable to stick up for himself.

  Dropping his
hands to his lap, he went to answer her question. The movement flared pain up and down his body.

  ‘Alan’s a colleague at work. Items were being stolen…’ he laid out the story of Alan’s thievery. His voice may have seemed whiney and strained or even desperate; he wanted her to know that he did the right thing and that’s what caused the attack.

  Juliet appeared thoughtful. She didn’t speak at first, and while he waited for a response, he couldn’t help but think about Juliet’s ability. It had saved him from being further beaten. Having her tell him about it and actually seeing it in action were totally different. It reminded him of the sort of mediums on television, the ones who performed for live audiences and plucked out random ghost’s names and information.

  Only, Juliet was much more exact and fluent than anyone he’d seen on the small screen.

  Finally, she spoke, ‘It should have been your manager to deal with it.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You didn’t tell your manager about it. It’s her store and her items. She had a right to be told about it.’

  ‘Erm, Alan has worked with her for years. I couldn’t just tell her.’ his eyes shifted, ‘She’d have been devastated.’

  Juliet sighed, ‘You don’t have a right to coddle people like that. She can deal with her own problems like the rest of the world does.’

  ‘I was just…’

  ‘I know, I know.’ she interrupted and held up a flat hand. ‘I understand why you didn’t tell her. But as a manager myself, I would want my staff to tell me.’

  ‘Mmm, well, you’re not Mora.’

  ‘Look,’ she said sternly, ‘it’s better for someone to know the truth or else you’re depriving them of the chance to grow, and to learn in their own way. You think you’re protecting people, but it’s insulting to treat someone like a child when they’re not.’ Her voice had risen steadily, almost to a shout.

  Nick was hurt. As mortifying as it was to be easily beaten up, this was worse. He’d assumed she’d understand.

  For a long while it was silent until the tension noticeably lessened.

  ‘I’m sorry I got you involved in this.’ he said honestly.

  With a half-smile, Juliet replied, ‘Okay. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, like you’re a child yourself. I know you’re not. It was your decision to make. I’m probably just on edge from having a knife waved at me.’

  Nick chuckled but his bruises throbbed across his back and chest. Surprisingly, Juliet returned a gentle laugh. It reassured him.

  ‘Who was Carl?’ she asked in a relieved tone.

  ‘Carl was Alan’s brother. The whole time I’ve worked with Alan, he only mentioned him once. But Mora told me about what happened. It was summer, and Alan, Carl and their parents went to Eradon Lake. Alan and his brother went swimming in the lake. Alan was fine but Carl got his legs tangled in some weeds and drowned. I think he was only nine.’

  Juliet’s face fell, she shook her head weakly, ‘That’s awful.’

  ‘I know.’ he said, but his mind drifted and thought about Alan. He felt sorry for him. If Alan was in a bad place or struggling with money, he didn’t have to resort to stealing. He had friends; Mora would have helped him out if he’d come to her. That was the most regrettable part. Maybe there were signs that Alan was on hard times, and Nick had simply failed to see them?

  ‘I feel weird now, knowing that I saw the spirit of a boy who died in such a sad way.’ Juliet moved her shoulders about, ‘Actually, I don’t know how to feel lately.’

  ‘I think you did a good thing.’ Nick offered. ‘What you can do is amazing.’

  ‘It’s also frightening.’

  ‘Yeah, I suppose it would be.’ he imagined ghosts appearing to him, and wasn’t sure how he’d react. ‘We should get back on the road.’

  ‘I agree.’

  He began to drive again. His forearms ached where they’d taken the blows that were intended for his face.

  A sign that read ‘Private Road’ came into view, and Nick assumed that it led to the manor.

  He drove up the muddy path. It was a steep hill and he could see nothing from the bottom. His car embarrassingly churned and whined on their ascent.

  When they reached the top, the manor could be seen in the distance.

  ‘Wow.’ he said.

  ‘This is the first time I’ve seen Grendel Manor.’ Juliet stated.

  Grendel Manor was built in an Elizabethan style, although Nick knew that it was definitely less than a hundred years old. The manor was perfectly symmetrical, with enormous rectangular windows. There were four chimneys that protruded a grey slate roof. Ivy covered some of the golden walls, and there were surmounted rooms at the top, shaped by semicircles and spirals.

  The weather was cold and dry; the sun’s weak effort to warm anything was offset by the strong wind on the northwest of the island. But the sun at least achieved a sublime glow on the manor walls.

  As they drove down the private road, it meandered to the right and transformed into a gravel parking area. There were no other parked cars, but the gravel suggested that one had visited recently.

  Nick thought it was strange how the manor wasn’t secured off in any form. He was expecting to come across a giant iron gate and a wall surrounding the perimeter, but there was nothing. Though, the hill featuring the private road offered some seclusion to the manor.

  On the approach, he’d seen a mass of land behind the manor, a group of trees and beyond that, the cliff edge. It was like a private valley, with the hills surrounding and shielding the manor.

  He parked the car, then the two of them got out. His body protested, yearning to rest. He pressed his eyes shut, hard, and ignored the hurt.

  ‘I hope someone’s in.’ he said and looked over at Juliet.

  ‘Me too.’ The wind played with her hair, she nodded and smiled politely.

  Nick led the way; he passed through a foliage archway, and then found a chalky path with green grass either side in the front garden. Grendel Manor loomed taller with their approach.

  Juliet kept distance from Nick and walked confidently, but allowed him to stay in front.

  ‘Whoa.’ expressed Nick. ‘This place is so big.’

  Juliet gave a courteous glance towards the manor but didn’t say anything. Nick didn’t think she was impressed at all.

  After using the heavy door knock a few times, they waited. A moment later, Nick heard movement from inside and then the large door swung open. The man at the door eyed them suspiciously.

  ‘Can I help you?’ he asked.

  ‘Hi, yeah, we just wanted to ask some questions if that’s okay?’ Nick said as reasonably as possible.

  ‘Of course. Would you like to come in?’ the man looked Juliet up and down, and then smiled.

  Juliet gave Nick an uncertain look but he turned back to the man and answered, ‘Please. Thank you.’ He walked inside with Juliet following behind.

  The entry hall was enormous with a staircase leading to an indoor balcony. To the left was an open cabinet with various ornaments on it, including a statue head of Alexander the Great. Portraits and art covered the walls, pictures of winged devils, horned beasts and headless angels.

  The style indoors was Hellenistic, which Nick found odd after viewing the Elizabethan style from outside. He thought that maybe every room had a different theme; why not? The manor was certainly big enough.

  A large iron chandelier hung metres above them. Nick tilted his head to look up at the ceiling.

  ‘I think this room is larger than my entire house.’ he said and laughed. When he smiled, the man gave him a curious look.

  ‘Hmmm. I designed everything. My name is Aldrich Grendel.’ he said eminently.

  Nick noted how Aldrich’s name didn’t match his accent or his appearance. His English was good, but he had a muddled accent of some sort, possibly Egyptian Arabic mixed with other accents…? Nick really didn’t know and decided to quit guessing.

  Aldrich’s ski
n was a light tan leather colour. His hair was deep mahogany and curly with a heavy fringe that rested to one side. He had dark eyebrows and shadowy stubble that shaped his masculine face. His short frame was adorned with a tweed jacket and a burgundy jumper underneath, dark cord trousers and some tan brogues. He also sported a wooden cane with an oval brass head, although he didn’t seem to use it for support.

  He looked to be in his mid-thirties, but he gave off a cultivated air of someone who’d seen many years.

  ‘I’m Nick, and this is…’ he gestured towards Juliet, but she cut him off.

  ‘I’m Juliet Maystone; it’s nice to meet you.’ she shook Aldrich’s hand.

  ‘How long have you lived here?’ Nick asked out of curiosity, trying to ease into the bigger question on his mind.

  ‘Why?’ Aldrich replied brusquely.

  ‘Oh, never mind, just curious.’

  ‘It’s none of your business.’

  ‘Erm, sorry, please forget I asked, it’s not why we came here anyway.’

  ‘I don’t care why you came here.’ he said with contempt. He looked at Nick quizzically, as if trying to place him.

  ‘Erm… have I offended you somehow?’ Nick asked.

  Then Aldrich said, ‘I’m bored of this.’ he stared at Juliet, into her eyes and then did the same to Nick.

  The stare was piercing, intimidating. It seemed to have a strange effect on Juliet; her posture slumped and she stood zombie-like.

  ‘Give me whatever valuables you have on you. Leave here. Forget this place.’ Aldrich said. He shifted his gaze from Nick to Juliet and back.

  Nick’s heart quickened; he wasn’t sure if Aldrich was joking or not. He turned to see Juliet’s reaction. She reached into her pockets and brought out her mobile.

  Her movements weren’t natural, she moved methodically, like she was sleep walking. She held out the mobile and walked towards Aldrich, offering it to him.

  ‘What are you doing to her?’ Nick shouted.

  Aldrich jumped, and Juliet stopped her sleepwalk for a moment. She stood still. Aldrich looked at Nick fiercely, like he was studying his face. He even seemed a little frightened, maybe confused.