The Straight Crimes

by Matt Juhl

  Before Harper had an opportunity to knock on the front door, it slowly cracked open on its own. She stiffened her back, and cautiously made her way inside.

  “Hello?” her drowned echo vanished into the drafty room.

  No one answered back.

  The house was as cold as death, worse than the damp chill outside. As she exhaled, she could see her breath in the air.

  In the front window was a grand piano with three tall candles atop it, lined with cob webs.

  A round table was positioned in the middle of the room with a heavy cloth draped to the floor. Harper cautiously stepped forward and ran her fingers along the black fabric. Its soft velvet smelled like a dingy attic.

  Over the fireplace, a sharp battle ax was valorously displayed as if to boast—or taunt. Whatever its purpose, she found it incredibly unsettling.

  “You finally came,” a hushed voice called from the darkness of the long, dreary hallway.

  Harper gasped. She turned and saw a black shadow slinking towards her. Along with it were the soft glow of candlelight and the click-clack of footsteps across the wooden floorboards.

  “Don’t be frightened. The power has been going on and off all morning.” The dark figure stopped at the foot of the grand staircase. She ran her hands through the long, brown curls, cascading down her side.

  The woman was exceptionally tall, wearing tight, black jeans and an oversized matching blouse that shrouded her frail waist. It wasn’t how Harper imagined she’d look.

  "Are you the psychic?”

  The woman offered her hand. “Yes, darling, I’m Brielle.”

  She extended her hand. “Harper—”

  “I know.”

  She reluctantly returned the gesture. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Charmed, I’m sure.”

  Brielle’s pure white skin let off a haunting glow that mesmerized Harper. She couldn’t take her eyes off the captivating stranger.

  "So, you knew I was comin’?"

  "I knew you'd come, eventually. Now please, have a seat."

  The rickety chair appeared to be pulled out for her from the table. However, Harper had seen it pushed in just moments earlier. A troubled feeling suddenly washed over her.

  Brielle sat directly across the table. Her discerning gaze burned as if she could see directly into Harper’s mind.

  The psychic slowly parted her lips, letting out a heavy breath. Then she revealed an oversized tarot deck and began shuffling the pile.

  Harper cleared her throat and nervously spun the ends of her side ponytail around her fingers. She was astounded by the woman’s precision as she handled the cards.

  Without making eye contact, Brielle whispered, "What a beautiful necklace."

  "Thank you." Harper smiled, running her fingers across the heart-shaped pendant.

  "It’s strangely familiar, as if I’ve seen it before.”

  “Oh, you’ve seen one like it?”

  “No, that very same one you’re wearing. It’s just a question of where. I’m having so many visions right now that I can’t place it in time or space.” Her ice blue eyes widened as she looked into Harper’s. “Wait a moment, I see it now, but someone else is wearing it, another woman. Had you lost it at some point?”

  “Never, and no one’s ever worn it besides me.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “I see.” Despite her absolute certainty over the charm, Brielle sensed Harper’s skepticism and digressed.

  She gently placed the tarot cards in front of her. "Cut the deck for me, love."

  Harper quickly obeyed.

  Brielle reached across the table and moved one pile away and positioned the other one directly between them. She slowly ran her fingers across the top card and parted her blood red lips to speak. However, before any words came out of her mouth, she stopped and stared at the empty space around them.

  Growing nervous, Harper peered over her shoulder.

  "Relax. You can’t see the things I do.”

  "What are you seein’?”

  “Mostly energies and spirits. They’re always around me. They come and go as they so choose, but this was their world first, so I let them be.”

  “Do they talk to you?”

  “Some will, yes. Others choose not to. There’s a small boy that sits on my window ledge every night who never says a single word.”

  “That’d scare the hell outta me.”

  “No, he’s a harmless spirit, so I don’t mind him lingering around. I figure one of these days he’ll tell me what he wants, most of them do.”

  “So how about right now? What do you see?”

  "Don’t be alarmed, but I see hands. Each pair is reaching for you."

  "Hands, whose are they?”

  "I don’t see any faces, only the hands, but some images don’t always make perfect sense."

  “It sounds like that should mean somethin’ pretty important though, right?”

  Feeling uncomfortable and afraid to startle Harper, Brielle avoided a further response. “I almost forgot, happy birthday. It’s tomorrow, correct?”

  Her eyes lit up. “Yes ma’am."

  "Eighteen."

  "That's right."

  “Eighteen is a magical age in a woman’s life. Everything begins to change, but of course you already know that.”

  “I guess.”

  “Your life’s already evolving, ever since summer drew its first breath…when you came back here after being gone all these years.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’ve had some trouble adapting to your surroundings.”

  “Yeah, a lil’.”

  “But for you, life seems better here than the South.”

  “Anywhere is better than Fire Brush. That place is a hellhole.”

  Brielle forced a smile. “You’re incredibly resilient, my love, and that’s a wonderful trait to have. Especially for you, it’ll come in handy.”

  “Why?”

  “Events have already been set in motion, and so much is yet to come in such little time. Everything you know as familiar and comfortable is going to change faster than you can comprehend. That’s why your resilience is so precious. You must stay strong to weather the storms brewing ahead.”

  “Storms, what are you sayin’?”

  “You won’t always understand why things happen, but rather than dwell on the challenges, you need to remember you’re strong and continue to fight. Do what brings you solace.”

  “What are you talkin’ about? You’re scarin’ me.”

  “No need to be frightened.”

  “That’s easy for you to say.”

  “You just need to be the strong, vivacious, young woman you were.”

  “I am strong.”

  “But not like you were.” Brielle quickly flipped over the first two cards. One was an illustration of a sparkling star, and the other a pair of two lovers, holding hands. "I sense a heaviness weighing you down, a fear eating you from within. You’re quite melancholy.”

  Harper wholeheartedly agreed. It was a tough truth to ignore.

  "You’re confused. Your mind’s overwrought with apprehension, conflicted about some choices you have to make, but you already have the answer. It's inside of you, burning within.”

  “It is?”

  “You need to learn how to trust your instincts, darling. The star is trying to show you the way, so you will see the light and follow your heart. However, until you accept who you are, you’ll always be trapped within yourself, never happy, never fulfilled…living a gray, empty life.”

  "What do I want?"

  "It’s not so much what you want, but rather, who. Your heart yearns for a male Libra.” Brielle stared Harper directly into her eyes. “I see the letter 'N’. It’s a hard ‘N’.”

  Harper whispered, "Nik."

  “Yes, that’s him. Tell me, does your boyfriend have an ill family member? I see a distant relative, perhaps an uncle, who’s in rath
er poor health.”

  “I don’t think so—wait, boyfriend? No he ain’t my boyfriend.”

  “Why not? He’s tall, dark, and very attractive. He drives you wild.”

  “Please, that’s ridiculous. I’m a woman, why would I want a man?”

  "I'm not here to judge, my love. I’m only telling you what you already know—and what I can see.”

  Harper frowned, wondering why she tried lying to a psychic. “But no one accepts us.”

  “That’s just your perception. Some people will surprise you.”

  “Oh yeah,” Harper huffed sarcastically. “You wouldn’t believe exactly how surprised we’ve been.”

  “Listen, I understand your cynicism. The truth of the matter is that you’ve created this fear in your mind, based on trivial words from small-minded people. You are afraid of the isolation you’ll face for loving a man, but you mustn’t let people’s ignorance halt your burning passions. You belong together, the compatibility is undeniable. You, my dear Leo, need to stop being so stubborn. Open your heart and your mind.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Your strong personality is sometimes overwhelming and can only truly be tamed by his calm temperance. It’s a perfect match. I see that you two really need each other.”

  Harper didn’t know if she should be insulted or relieved. "You think so?"

  "If you allow it, this love will never end. It knows no bounds. Its fruits are endless. It transcends beyond your final breaths and its energy will never die."

  "Yeah, but what about the assholes who’ve been tryin’ to keep us apart?”

  Brielle turned over the next card—a picture of a miserable man, bound by shackles and the word ‘Fool’ printed below him. "Indeed, there are several forces trying to come between you. People in life won’t always accept you for who you are, but you shouldn’t allow their blindness to dictate your existence.”

  Harper ignored her and pointed at the card. "The ‘Fool’, great, yeah, there's the big-ass force, Ricky, the one you say is tryin’ to come between us."

  "The Fool can represent many things, darling. It can, in fact, represent a strong personality, someone who listens only to themselves and doesn't care about others. However, it can also mean new beginnings.”

  Harper groaned. “You’re blabbin’ on about these forces and tellin’ me to keep bein’ myself, but you keep avoidin’ my real questions. Can’t you answer me straight just once?”

  Brielle took a lingering breath and chose her words carefully. “It’s not that easy. The energy around you is incredibly menacing, manifesting in many forms. Part of it’s here with us now.”

  “What do you mean?”

  "Ricky, he’s here, standing beside you."

  “No he ain’t.”

  "Yes, he is. Ricky’s dead.”

  The words sent chills through Harper’s body.

  “He’s pointing at his motorcycle. It’s hard to understand him, but he’s furious. His words are muffled and his face is dripping with blood from the cuts."

  "You’re wrong. He can’t be dead, we just saw him a few weeks ago. He was chasin’ us down on that stupid bike until the cops scared him off.”

  Brielle closed her eyes and flinched as the violent afternoon replayed in her mind. "Ricky avoided the police, but during his retreat, crashed into a tree. No one’s found him yet. He’s in the Dark Woods, just beyond the Old Winter Cemetery. I see a small fire pit. About fifteen steps away, his lifeless body is in a deep ravine.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  "You will. Someone will find him soon.”

  Skeptical, Harper continued with a question. "What’s he sayin’? Can you hear him yet?”

  “No, he’s just swinging his arms.”

  “And he still ain’t sayin’ anything?”

  “No, he appears to be lost.”

  “But somehow he was magically able to find his way to you?”

  “He’s tied to your energy. That’s how I’m able to see him. He followed you here.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Believe me—he’s here as much as we are. However, heed this warning: Ricky’s not the only entity who’ll try to keep you and Nik apart. You need to be very careful in your pursuit of love.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. Before, you told me to be strong, to stand up and not worry about what others think. Now you’re warnin’ me to look out ‘cause another ‘entity’ doesn’t want us together? You ain’t makin’ sense.”

  “There are several entities. You’re not listening.”

  "Yeah I am. Look, I really came here wantin’ to know if I should be with Nik or not. First you’re tellin’ me yes, and now you’re tellin’ me no ‘cause of all this foolishness. I asked you to be straight, but you can’t even do that. I feel like you’re just messin’ around with me to get my money.” Harper slammed the hundred dollar bill on the table. "Here you go. You got exactly what you wanted. Just give me the change so I can get the hell outta here.”

  Brielle pulled out the difference from her pocket. As she placed it in Harper's palm, she grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her in close. "On the contrary, my dear, I’m afraid you're gravely mistaken. I told you that if you want happiness, you’ll be with him, but the only way to do that is to ignore your fears of what others think. I never said it was going to be easy. In fact, I specifically said that you two need each other. Don't take that lightly, not for one moment. You need Nik more than you will ever know…mark my words."

  "Why?"

  "Just trust me, you will. Don't push him away. If you give me a little more time I can better explain—”

  "Damn it, don’t you see why this is so frustratin’? I’ve given you plenty of time and you keep runnin’ me in circles. I’m leavin’.”

  "Please, darling, listen—"

  "No, you’re a fraud.”

  “I assure you, I’m not. How else would I have known so much about you?”

  “Please, lady, you’ve lived in Silver Shores a lot longer than me. You probably know everyone here, including Ricky Wiley. Who knows, maybe you’ve seen him pickin’ on us or heard other people talkin’ about us ‘cause we’re straight, or maybe you’ve encountered that little bitch, Daisy Holloway. She probably told you how awful I am.”

  Brielle lifted her eyebrows in shock. “Wait, you know Daisy? She’s—”

  “It ain’t hard to do your homework in a small town. Nik was right, none of this is real. Excuse me.”

  “I’m as real as the day is new. I mean no ambiguity. This is all just so dark and complex. It takes time to properly explain everything I’m seeing. Please, I beg you. Just hear me out.”

  “You’ve wasted enough of my time. Thanks anyway.”

  Brielle’s icy glare followed Harper as she disappeared through the front door and out into the storm.

  She sat a moment longer, ominously tapping her fingertips against the table. She desperately tried to ignore the dark images lingering in her mind.

  Then she delicately turned over the next card in the pile. It rarely provided comfort, but was foretelling of something far more sinister. It revealed an image of a dark-robed man. Printed just below the illustration, in tiny bold script, was the word ‘Death.’

  Brielle whispered in a hushed, raspy voice, “You should have listened, my dear.”

  SEVEN

  The following evening felt incredibly somber, especially since Harper was celebrating her birthday alone. She wandered through downtown Silver Shores along the desolate streets while lightning and pummeling rain filled the dark sky.

  Half frozen, she sought refuge under the awning to the Blushing Beauty Salon. Harper pushed her soaked hair back and caught her breath.

  In the distance, the piercing cry of seagulls and the call of the lake’s thrashing waves brewed, intensifying with the storm. The familiar sounds of the beach always made her think of Nik.

  She began feeling remorseful again. No matter how hard she fought to suppress her thoughts, th
ey were plagued with guilt.

  “Sweetie, are you out of your damn mind?”

  Harper looked up and saw a full-chested blonde in the doorway, clicking her acrylic nails against the wood. The incredibly low neckline on her tight purple top made her proud cleavage appear as if it was trying to escape.

  “Sorry, I was just warmin’ up a minute. I’ll leave.”

  “You can stand there as long as you want. I just meant that you’re gonna freeze your ass off out here.”

  “Oh, I thought you were askin’ me to leave.”

  “Do I look that heartless?” She examined Harper’s troubled face and noticed her shivering body. “Your teeth are chattering. Why don’t you come in?”

  “Nah, I’m fine.”

  The stranger removed her black cardigan and draped it over Harper’s drenched crop top chiffon blouse.

  “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure, sweetie. By the way, I love that shade of green you’re wearing. It brings out your eyes.”

  “Oh, thanks.”

  “It’s not gonna let up for a bit, why don’t you come inside and take a look around? We have thirteen new shades of eye shadow.”

  "These ones here?”

  “Yes.”

  Harper’s eyes scanned the rainbow array of colors. “They’re real pretty.”

  “Wanna try some on?”

  “Maybe another time. I’ve got a lot of stuff on my mind.”

  “Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to clear your head than indulging in some retail therapy.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t need anything.”

  “If you don’t like any of these, I have more.”

  “It ain’t that. Everything’s sparkly and bright, but I don’t really wear makeup.”

  “Why not?”

  “The last time I tried wearin’ lipstick and blush, Mama told me I looked like a jezebel."

  The beautiful woman frowned sympathetically. "I suppose it could be a little tragic if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

  Harper forced a smile.

  “You do know how to apply makeup, don’t you?”

  "Not really, but I used to watch Mama put it on in her bedroom mirror while she got ready for dates.”

  "Well, how about I give you a free consultation?”