Cemetery Tours

by Smith, Jacqueline

  “I don’t know,” Michael answered, though he honestly didn’t believe he would. He’d said all that he needed to say. Gavin nodded, the look on his face one of great discomfort.

  “Gav, you need to take your medicine,” Kate told him. She tried to sound nonchalant, but Michael could hear the tremor in her voice. “Let me make you a sandwich so you can get something in your stomach.”

  “No Kate, you stay here. I’ll grab something out of the cupboard.”

  With Gavin gone, Kate turned hazel eyes on Michael.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” she replied. “Just a little overwhelmed. None of this seems real. It feels like something I saw in a movie, not something that really happened to me.” She paused. “That makes me sound like a terrible person, doesn’t it?”

  “No,” Michael assured her. “It’s going to take some getting used to.”

  “That’s for sure,” Kate agreed. “I just have so many questions. I don’t even know where to begin. I was engaged? How long did we date? What were our plans? And my parents... They were going to get divorced? And then they acted like I was going crazy when I told them Trevor’s name. They said they wanted my memories to return but what they really wanted was to get Trevor out of my mind so I wouldn’t remember him...”

  “They thought they were doing what was best for you.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “But now I can’t help but wonder what else they’ve been keeping from me. What else happened in the past two years do they think I’m too fragile to know about?”

  “I don’t know,” Michael admitted as Gavin reappeared with a box of Lucky Charms.

  “Are you sure that’s going to be enough?” Kate asked him. “You know painkillers can make you nauseous if you take them on an empty stomach.”

  “Well, at least she still sounds like her old self, huh Michael?” Gavin remarked, shoveling a handful of cereal into his mouth. Michael grinned wryly.

  “You know, it’s getting late. I should probably be going,” he announced.

  “I’ll walk you out,” Kate offered.

  Outside, the night air was still and humid. A thin layer of clouds obscured the waxing moon and the chirping of a dozen crickets filled the silence between Michael and Kate as they walked across the landing toward his apartment. When they reached his front door, they stopped and turned to face each other. Kate spoke first.

  “Thank you for everything, Michael,” she said. “Not just for helping me with Gavin, but for what you did this afternoon. For Trevor.”

  “You’re welcome,” Michael told her.

  “I guess things are going to be kind of different now,” Kate mused. “I mean, with Trevor gone, Gavin will get better. He’ll be able to go back to work. I’ll stop waking up in the middle of the night afraid that someone’s wandering around my apartment...”

  She tried to make it sound that having Trevor gone would be a good thing, but Michael knew that a part of her was mourning his loss. He also knew that she wouldn’t have been sad if Trevor had been some random person with a grudge against her brother.

  “Kate,” Michael stopped her. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying,” she murmured, wiping them away with the heel of her hand.

  “It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot,” he told her.

  “You know, I should feel so relieved that I don’t remember him, because I know it would hurt so much more if I did. But at least I would still have something to look back and smile on. And I’m so sorry to be going on about this to you. I’m just... I’m so confused.”

  “I know,” Michael said, trying his best to figure out how to comfort her. Gently, he pulled her into his arms and let her cry. He stroked her hair and whispered, “I wish I had answers for you.” Kate pulled away and looked up at him.

  “Michael, you’ve done more for me in one afternoon than I think I’ve done for anyone in my entire life. And I will never be able to thank you enough for that.”

  “You don‘t have to thank me. I think I owed it to you.” Kate smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Holding her in his arms, savoring the sweet floral scent of her hair, Michael hated himself for what he was about to say. “I also think you’re going to need some time to... to really get over him.”

  Kate stepped away and gazed up at him with curious eyes. Although neither of them said the words, she seemed to know what he was trying to say. She didn’t need to be in a new relationship. Not with the knowledge and loss of Trevor still fresh in her mind. And though she didn’t look like she wanted to agree, she nodded.

  “You’re such a good guy, Michael,” she told him. Then, with a swift kiss on the cheek, she turned and walked back to her apartment, leaving him alone on the landing. He knew he’d done the right thing. But why did the right thing have to leave him feeling so lousy? It was like throwing away the winning lottery ticket.

  He tried to remind himself that he wasn’t losing Kate. She was still his friend. And they did live just across the hall from each other. And maybe one day, when she was ready, they’d be able to pick up where they’d left off.

  Until that day came however, Michael was just going to have to get used to feeling like an idiot.

  Brink appeared almost immediately after the lock on Kate’s door clicked.

  “Dude, what the hell?” he asked. “Do you realize what you just did?”

  “I’m aware,” Michael replied wearily.

  “Well, then would you mind explaining it to me? Because last time I checked, that girl was the best thing that has ever happened to you and you’re just letting her walk away, right out of your life!”

  “She’s not out of my life. I’m just giving her some time.”

  “Time for what?”

  “You mean you weren’t listening?”

  “Well yeah, I was, but I don’t understand it.”

  “She was engaged, Brink! She was supposed to get married. She may have even been married by now if it weren’t for that accident!”

  “But she’s not married. She doesn’t even remember him,” Brink reminded him.

  “I know.”

  “Okay. So why are you so upset?”

  “Just forget it,” Michael muttered, digging around in his pocket for his key.

  “No, I’m not going to forget it. You’re my best friend and you’re hurting, so the last thing I’m going to do is forget it,” Brink insisted. “You love her, don’t you?”

  “Brink, can we please just drop it?”

  “Don’t you?” Brink repeated.

  “Yes, I love her! That’s why I have to give her time! Because I care about her and I want to do what’s best for her, even if it means letting her go.” Michael expected Brink to come up with some sort of witty response, but his friend’s eyes suddenly flickered to something over his shoulder. “What?”

  “Michael - ”

  But before Brink could say anything else, Michael felt a cold grip at the base of his skull.

  Pressure.

  Dizziness.

  Then everything went black.

  ~*~

  Inside their apartment, Gavin was finishing up his cereal, so Kate went to fetch his painkillers and a glass of water from the kitchen.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked him.

  “You know after a while, you really get tired of hearing that question,” Gavin remarked, swallowing the two pills that Kate handed him.

  “Tell me about it,” Kate muttered. Gavin observed her.

  “Do you want to talk?” he asked. “You know, about Trevor or... anything?”

  She did. She had a hundred questions she wanted to ask. But after such a stressful day, she didn’t know if she or her fragile mental state could handle any more emotional strain. That, and any conversation about Trevor was bound to go on for hours. Neither of them needed that now. Gavin needed to rest and recuperate. She needed a chance to clear her mind and let everything
sink in.

  “Later. You just take it easy.” Gavin nodded and shut his eyes. If he was anything like her, the painkillers would render him useless for the rest of the evening.

  Kate thought about helping him into his bed, but decided instead to run into his room to fetch him a pillow and blanket. Every time they were sick or injured as kids, they always camped out on the couch. That way, they were never too far from the important things like the kitchen or the TV.

  “Here, Gav.” She nudged him and handed him the pillow and blanket.

  “Thanks, Sis,” he murmured.

  “Do you need anything else?”

  “No.” She could tell he was already almost out. Regardless, she decided to refill his glass of water in case he woke up. She knew he probably wouldn’t drink it, but at least it would get her mind off of everything, even if only for a minute.

  In the kitchen, she stopped at the freezer, grabbed a handful of ice, and dropped it into the empty glass. She was almost at the sink when a loud THUD from the living room startled her so badly, she dropped the cup, sending ice chips sliding across the tiles on the kitchen floor.

  “Gavin?” she called and raced into the living room, expecting to find her brother sprawled out on the carpet.

  He still slept peacefully on the couch. Whatever had made that noise hadn’t disturbed him in the slightest.

  Kate felt her heart thudding as she waited for the sound to come again. When it did, she flinched. It was mostly out of surprise rather than fear, but there was a little of that too. The noise, which seemed deliberate, was louder this time and much closer. It sounded like someone pounding on the wall directly behind the couch. Kate stared at the spot where she thought the noise originated. It happened again. This time, two knocks instead of one.

  She couldn’t be certain it was a ghost. Buildings shifted, pipes rattled around, and neighbors did things that could all be misinterpreted as unexplained or supernatural noises. But considering her newfound connection with the paranormal, Kate couldn’t help but feel that someone was standing right in front of her. And whoever it was desperately wanted her attention.

  “Hello?” she called softly.

  One knock.

  Her first thought was that it was Trevor. Maybe he’d forgotten to tell her something. But if that were the case, why hadn’t he gone to Michael? Why come to her directly when he knew she wouldn’t be able to hear him?

  “Trevor?”

  Two knocks.

  Kate didn’t know why she’d asked. It wasn’t like a ghost could give her a yes or no answer.

  Unless...

  There was that thing they were always doing on television when there was a communication barrier, like on medical dramas when a person couldn’t move or talk. The doctors always told them blink once for “yes,” twice for “no.”

  Is that what this ghost was doing?

  “You’re not Trevor?” she asked.

  Two knocks again.

  “Does that mean ‘no?‘ Once for ‘yes,‘ twice for ‘no.’”

  One knock.

  So it wasn’t Trevor. Who else, then? She didn’t know anyone else who had died. At least, she hoped she didn’t. After today, she had no way of knowing for sure. But even if she did know someone else, why would they seek her out? Why not go across the landing to Michael?

  Wait a minute. She did know another ghost. Michael’s friend. The one who’d interrupted them earlier that morning.

  “Brink?” she asked.

  One knock.

  “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

  Two knocks.

  Kate felt the blood drain from her face as realization dawned on her. Brink had no reason to come to her. The only reason he would be there, trying to communicate with her, would be if the person he normally talked to wasn’t there.

  “Has something happened to Michael?” she asked, dreading his response.

  One knock.

  Without a second thought, Kate dashed out the front door and across the landing. She tried opening his door, but it was still locked. “Michael?” she called, pounding heavily on the door. “Michael, are you alright?”

  No answer.

  Willing herself not to panic, Kate pulled out her iPhone and dialed Michael’s number. She listened impatiently to the dial tone. “Come on, please answer,” she begged.

  Just then, a cell phone went off. Kate pulled her own phone away from her ear and listened carefully, trying to pinpoint the new phone’s location. It took a moment for her to realize that the sound was coming from somewhere below her.

  By that point, the call had gone to Michael’s voicemail. Kate hung up and dialed again. As she waited for the call to connect, she made her way down the stairs, listening intently for the other phone. When it began to ring a few seconds later, she followed the sound to the bed of grass next to Michael’s driveway, where his car sat untouched and the screen of his cell phone lit up with the glow of two missed calls.

  Chapter 25

  Pain. All sorts of pain. Body aches, nausea, scrapes, and a splitting headache all plagued Michael’s transition back into consciousness. He felt like he was waking up from a bad dose of anesthesia. Or from being run over by a truck. Or maybe both. And it was hazy. Everything was hazy. He was dizzy and lightheaded. He wasn’t sure if he was lying sideways or upside down. Sounds were far away and when he tried to open his eyes, everything was blurred.

  Then something changed. The world stopped.

  No. He stopped. Whatever he was lying on stopped.

  Then there were whispers. The indistinct voices echoed inside Michael’s mind, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying. If they were saying anything at all.

  He peered forward in the direction of the voices. Everything was still a blur, but he thought he could make out a red light in between two dark shadows.

  Then the light changed to green and the world started moving again. The sudden forward motion threw Michael back against a cool, cushioned wall and intensified the pounding inside his skull. He squeezed his eyes shut, held his breath, and waited for the pain to recede.

  I’m in a car. Why am I in a car?

  Meanwhile, the whispers in front of him were growing louder and becoming somewhat clearer, though Michael still couldn’t understand what they were saying. One voice, distinctly male and unfamiliar, muttered something under his breath. His companion didn’t respond. In spite of every rational voice in his mind screaming at him not to do so, Michael slowly opened his eyes.

  One of the dark, blurred figures seemed to be peering around at him from the front seat. It muttered something in an indistinguishable hush and reached forward. Michael watched in slow motion as a hand emerged from the shadows. Then, he felt the cool pressure at the base of his skull and the world once again descended into darkness.

  ~*~

  Kate tried not to panic as she paced back and forth from her kitchen to her living room where Gavin was still passed out to the front door then back to the kitchen. Luke was supposed to arrive any minute with his equipment. Hopefully, they could talk to Brink and figure out exactly what had happened to Michael. As much as she tried to convince herself that she was worrying over nothing, that Michael may have simply gone for a walk and accidentally dropped his cell phone, her gut instinct told her that something was very, very wrong.

  Making her way back to the front door, she stepped out onto the landing and stared down at the street, hoping, praying for a glimpse of headlights. She was about to head back inside when the sharp squeal of tires echoed through the night. Seconds later, Luke’s Ferrari came to a screeching halt in front of Building 17. Kate breathed a sigh of relief as Luke leapt out of the car and sprinted up the stairs.

  “What happened?” he asked, breathless. Quickly, trying not to sound too paranoid, Kate told him about the mysterious knocks and finding Michael’s abandoned cell phone lying in his driveway. “And you think it was his friend trying to tell you all this?”

  “Yes.”
<
br />   “What about Trevor?” At the sound of his name, Kate felt her heart sink, but she tried not to dwell on it.

  “It’s not Trevor. Did you bring the recorder?”

  “Yeah, but I thought the Spirit Box would be more helpful so I grabbed that too.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “Should we go inside?”

  Kate shook her head. “My brother’s asleep on the couch and he’s had a... really stressful day.” She didn’t feel like going into detail.

  “Okay, then let’s go down to the car. I don’t want to make a racket and disturb the neighbors.”

  “Okay. Brink, follow us to Luke’s car,” Kate announced, feeling sort of silly. She didn’t even know if Brink was around, though she was fairly certain that he hadn’t left her side all evening.

  Once they were inside the car, they shut the doors and turned on the Spirit Box. The roar of the static and sweeping radio stations seemed even louder inside the tightly enclosed space. Kate fought the desire to cover her ears as she asked, “Brink? Can you hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  “What happened?”

  “Michael... gone.” Kate felt the already cold knot in the pit of her stomach tighten as a a whole new wave of fear and concern washed over her.

  “Where did he go, Brink?”

  “Don’t know... taken.”

  “Taken?” Kate asked. She was suddenly so terrified that she barely noticed Luke furrow his brow. “Who would take him? Did you recognize him?”

  “No.”

  “I think I know,” Luke announced, switching off the SB7. “Buckle up.” In the blink of an eye, his keys were in the ignition and the Ferrari revved to life. Seconds later, they were tearing out of the parking lot and speeding toward the highway at almost ninety miles an hour. Kate stared at him, waiting for some sort of explanation. “After this morning, I did some research. Turns out our friend Pastor Cannon was supposed to be the officiant at Grace Bledsoe’s wedding which, as we all know, didn’t exactly go down the way it was supposed to - ”

  “Wait, I don’t understand. What does that have to do with Michael?”

  “I’m not done. Before he became the Pastor at Calvary Hill, Cannon was a Reverend at a little church in Oklahoma. During his five years there, two members of his congregation committed suicide and his son was killed in some sort of accident. Then he gets to Calvary Hill and the bride of a wedding he’s supposed to perform ends up murdered.”