Death Theory

by John Mimms

  The old fellow had run away before the police arrived. After a search of the building and grounds, the police determined no one was there. This interruption delayed the end of the investigation until three o’clock in the morning.

  They loaded the equipment back into Dr. Staples’s van and started their weary drive home. Jeff managed to sneak a quick kiss from Debbie, and told her he would call her tomorrow. He glanced at his watch and saw it was a quarter after three in the morning, and then corrected himself.

  “I’ll call you later today,” he winked.

  As Jeff pulled out of the parking lot, his headlights fell upon an unusual sight. There was a line of bushy evergreen trees lining a chain link fence separating Pythian Castle from the neighboring military facility. Peeking out from beneath one of the trees, wrapped in an old blanket, was the homeless fellow.

  It wasn’t a terribly chilly night. The temperature was in the mid-forties, but it was still a little too cool to be sleeping outdoors. Jeff wasn’t sure if anyone else in the group had spotted the man since he was the last one to leave. He decided it was his responsibility to call the manager of Pythian Castle and let her know.

  Jeff called the number and got her voice mail; he left a message with the man’s location. He would have stopped and offered to take the man into town himself, but he believed it was a wise idea to let the police handle it. Jeff arrived home a short time later, his thoughts focused on Debbie. The little voice was gone for now. When he thought of her, he thought of nothing else.

  AS JEFF AND DEBBIE drove to Branson the next day, he made a decision. The nature of their trip made him think. He would spend a fun afternoon at the malls and outlet stores for an early round of Christmas shopping. He decided that SMS PAST would take a holiday break. It was a practical decision. The weather in southern Missouri from November to February is unpredictable at best. It could be sixty degrees one day and, the next day, two feet of snow on the ground.

  The thing is, the holidays are a busy time for most people, both for members of the group and potential clients. The winter months are a slow time for paranormal investigation. Unless Ebenezer Scrooge called, Jeff didn’t anticipate any requests until after Christmas.

  There may have been another reason for Jeff’s decision. It would allow him to spend more time with Debbie. He tried to be professional with his decisions, but he was also a man. A man who happened to be in love. Besides, Grammy Lee invited him for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She said it was a reward for Jeff painting her house, but Debbie knew better. Grammy Lee really liked him.

  Jeff had no parents, no grandparents, and no siblings...no family at all. Debbie only had Grammy Lee. They all looked forward to the holidays this year. It would be the first one since his parents died where Jeff celebrated somewhere else besides his sofa. His only holiday companions, as of late, were Sara Lee and Jimmy Dean.

  It was the first one in almost three years that Debbie and Grammy Lee spent with a guest. The last one happened to be Debbie’s most serious college boyfriend. She decided not to share this little detail with Jeff.

  Their Christmas shopping went well, despite the circumstances. Hordes of people flocked to the small Missouri town like a holy pilgrimage. Branson would remain infested by the crowds until at least New Year’s Day. The shows, decorations, restaurants, and shopping made Branson the average Joe six-pack’s Las Vegas. In the Ozarks at Christmas time, Branson was the happening place.

  Jeff and Debbie were both exhausted at the end of the day. They agreed to get carry out or drive-thru before going back to Debbie’s to watch a movie on Netflix.

  Jeff helped Debbie stash their Christmas loot in her utility closet. She retrieved two TV trays and set them up in front of the sofa in her den. They had placed their bag of sandwiches on the kitchen table before carrying in the presents. Lily sat upright on the floor beneath. Her nose twitched as she inhaled puffs of the delicious aroma.

  Once Lily was fed a scoop of Kibbles, Jeff and Debbie settled down on the sofa with their subs and sodas for a movie.

  Debbie perused the Netflix menu for a minute until she settled on one of her all-time favorite movies – Steel Magnolias. Jeff agreed, but he tried not to be too enthusiastic in his concession. He was a closet Magnolia fan, but wouldn’t admit it if his life depended on it. Steel Magnolias was a chick flick and no self-respecting man would ever admit his appreciation of a chick flick. However, women sometimes like the sensitive type. With this in mind, Jeff decided he should let Debbie know his appreciation of feminine cinema ... in a subtle and masculine way, of course. He picked up his plate, fixed a silly smile on his face, and then did his best Tom Skerrit impression.

  “Gee thanks Wheeza, ain’t nothing like a good piece of ass!”

  Debbie laughed so hard she fell off the sofa, almost kicking her tray over. When Jeff saw Debbie’s reaction, he fell into a giggling fit himself. They both laughed until they had a stitch in their side. It felt good to laugh after the week they had endured. Jeff hadn’t heard anything more from the police, which was both good and bad, depending on your perspective.

  Their laughter was cut short by the ringing of Jeff’s phone. At first, he thought he had butt dialed since it was in his back pocket. He chortled as if he didn’t have a care in the world. When he rolled over and retrieved it from his pocket, he recognized the incoming number as the manager of Pythian Castle.

  “Hello,” Jeff wheezed, still trying to catch his breath.

  “Jeff, I am so sorry I didn’t call you back last night. My battery died after I got your message ... then I was so busy this morning...it’s been crazy. I just now remembered you called last night.”

  “No problem,” Jeff said. “Did you get him taken care of okay?”

  “Well...that’s the weird thing. I got your message about thirty minutes after you called, so I immediately called the police. I met them by the fence. His blanket was still there, but the poor old fellow was nowhere to be found.”

  “Did he go off for food or something?”

  “I don’t think so, and if he did, why hasn’t he come back for his stuff? The blanket not only served as warmth, but he carried all his personal belongings in it. We found them all laid out under the tree as if he would be back any time.”

  “It’s been almost twenty-four hours now and he hasn’t come back?”

  “Nope, I went back over there and checked again before I called you. Nothing has been touched or moved. There is no sign of him.”

  Jeff frowned. “Well I appreciate you calling me back. Will you keep me posted?”

  “Sure thing. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.” She paused a moment and said, “I’m sure he found another blanket, or another place to sleep, I’m sure he’s okay.”

  Jeff wasn’t certain he bought into this assessment. He didn’t have any reason to think otherwise, however; the persistent little Gene Green voice in his head was calling again.

  ‘What if you got a demon, Jeff? I mean it could be true...you never know. Science doesn’t know everything does it, Jeff? Can you really say it isn’t?’

  Jeff did not hear the woman on the other end of the line as she bid him a good evening. He was too busy collaring the bothersome voice in his head. What a way to screw up a good mood. He wasn’t going to let it screw up his evening though. He stood up, smiled, and then shoved the phone back into his pocket.

  “What’s wrong?” Debbie asked.

  “Nothing. The homeless guy from Pythian Castle seems to have disappeared.”

  “Do they think he’s okay?”

  Jeff shrugged.

  “Dunno...can I tell you something that is bothering me?”

  “Of course,” Debbie said, picking up the remote and pausing the movie.

  Jeff took a deep breath and sat down on the sofa. He felt comfortable with Debbie, but he also found it difficult to look her in the eye. The conversation with Gene Green had both annoyed and frightened him. When he finished the tale, Debbie reached over and took his h
and in her own.

  “Do you believe him?” she asked.

  Jeff shrugged. It relieved him not to see skepticism and doubt. Instead, Debbie regarded him with the warm countenance of unconditional trust and understanding.

  “No, I don’t...both from a scientific and a practical perspective. There is no scientific evidence to support his claim.” Jeff frowned and ran his fingers through his hair. “Even if I believed it was a possibility, I have never heard of a demon making someone disappear from the face of the Earth. Possessions and all that other crap, sure. Besides, what would the purpose be?”

  Debbie did not answer. Instead, she pulled him close and kissed him on the forehead, then on the cheek, followed by a soft one on the tip of his nose. They stared into each other’s eyes for several moments. When Debbie spoke, it made all the negativity wash away like the quenching of a ravenous thirst.

  “Don’t worry about what everyone else says or thinks, just worry about this. I love you.”

  The pounding of Jeff’s heart drowned the little voice into submission. He couldn’t even remember what it had been saying as he and Debbie embraced in a deep and pleasurable kiss. It could have been minutes or hours when they finally pulled apart; neither of them knew or cared. Jeff stroked Debbie’s cheek and then the little dimple on her chin, as he gazed at her with watery eyes.

  “I love you too.”

  Chapter 29

  NEITHER OF THEM PAID much attention to the movie, not even the humorous Tom Skerritt scene. Their thoughts dwelled on the happiness they both felt and the magnitude of their words. It was impossible to focus on anything else.

  Debbie was a lot more tired than she admitted. Before the closing credits rolled, she burrowed her head into Jeff’s chest. Her breathing was slow, rhythmic, and soothing. He didn’t dare move to grab the remote for fear of waking her. Instead, he enjoyed the moment. The sweet citrus smell of her hair mingled with the scent of her perfume, producing an intoxicating aroma, which was uniquely Debbie. The warmth of her breath against his chest made goose flesh run up his arms and down his back.

  Any combination of these would have been enough to make any man wild with desire. Jeff was a man, and he was no exception to this rule. Every square inch of his body ached for her, but his heart took control.

  He did love her; in fact, he thought Debbie was the only person he had loved since losing his parents. His prior engagement did not register anymore in his thoughts. He never realized that until this moment.

  Jeff decided to take Debbie to bed, but not in the way some would think. He eased her head down on his arm so her torso lay across his lap. He slid his other arm under her knees, and turned her with great care until she lay cradled in his arms. He stood up, which was difficult with dead weight; even if she was only one hundred pounds, and then made his way to the bedroom. Jeff felt awkward at first, carrying a grown woman to bed, but Debbie was exhausted. She did not stir.

  Jeff was glad to find that Lily had already pulled the sheets back, making a nest for herself at the foot of the bed. He laid Debbie down with her head in the center of the pillow. As much as he wanted to, undressing her was too much of a temptation, and probably a violation of trust. Instead, he removed her tennis shoes and socks before placing them beside the bed. Jeff then covered her up to her chin with the sheet as Lily peered at him from her comforter fortress.

  Jeff did not want to go home. He wanted to stay with her for as long as he could. It was late and he did not relish the idea of driving home tired.

  Jeff removed his shoes and socks before lying on top of the covers. Debbie’s breathing was like a soothing lullaby to Jeff as he drifted off to sleep. It was a peaceful sleep, but the peace didn’t last long.

  At two o’clock in the morning, Jeff’s eyes flew open to the sound of horrifying screams. He shot up in bed with heart thundering and eyes fighting to focus. The first thing he saw was Lily’s terrified eyes peeking out from her comforter nest. His eyes next went to Debbie’s place on the bed. Jeff’s heart leapt into his throat when he saw, in the faint light of the clock radio; Debbie was gone. As panic erupted, Jeff struggled to find the lights. In his current state, he couldn’t help letting the little voice of Gene Green make a few choice comments. There was the scream again. His hair bristled.

  Jeff groped his way to the door, searching for the light switch. He felt he was getting close, when his shin struck something in the dark. He toppled headlong through dark space. Jeff didn’t even have time to cry out before his forearms and chin contacted the sheet rock wall. Luckily, as he slid down the wall, his right hand swept over the switch, casting the room into blinding brilliance. Jeff turned as he slid, managing to work his back to the wall before his butt touched down. When he saw what was beside the bed, Jeff let the little voice of Gene Green out and proclaim his demonic gospel to the rooftops.

  Debbie was still dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, just as he had put her in bed. She squatted on the floor a few feet away from him. He had tripped over one of her knees in the dark. She wore a distant expression, almost as if she slipped on a mask. She was unaware of him or the bright light from her ceiling fan. She was stroking the air a foot above the carpet, as if petting some invisible animal.

  Then a series of things happened, freezing Jeff with terror. Debbie’s face turned into a sad scowl, and her bottom lip puckered out as if it were about to slide off her face. She turned her eyes toward the ceiling, before letting out a shriek that almost made Jeff do what Debbie did next. She peed herself. Jeff watched in horror as a dark spot formed in the crotch of her jeans. It quickly saturated the carpet.

  Jeff was a reasonable and practical man, but this made reason take a vacation. He jumped to his feet and began to rummage through Debbie’s dresser. He engaged in a desperate search for a cross, a Bible, two Popsicle sticks and scotch tape... anything. At this moment, Debbie wakened and toppled backwards, disoriented. Jeff didn’t see this occur in his haste for religious icons. He jumped as if he grabbed a hot wire when Debbie spoke.

  “Jeff, what are you doin’?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

  Jeff spun around with a mixture of relief and fear. “Deb, is it you?”

  “Of course, it’s me,” she said as she sat up right in the middle of her own puddle. It suddenly became clear to her what happened. However, what wasn’t clear was why Jeff was exploring her dresser drawers.

  “Why are you goin’ through my dresser?”

  Jeff, not to deflect the inquiry, but out of legitimate concern, asked her a question.

  “Are you all right, Deb? I was so worried.”

  Her eyes fell on his right hand, which was hanging down at his side as he clutched the dresser with the left. It was trembling like Jell-O on a vibrating bed. He clutched a silver crucifix necklace between his thumb and forefinger. Grammy Lee had given it as a present for her sixteenth birthday. This puzzled her at first, but then she remembered the story Jeff told her about his phone call from the demon expert.

  “You thought I was possessed?” She asked, grasping a pillow from the bed and covering her lap.

  “Not exactly,” Jeff said, a little embarrassed. “But I wasn’t taking any chances.”

  He placed the necklace on top of the dresser and clasped his trembling hands together.

  “Can I help you up?” Jeff asked, but Debbie was already getting to her feet.

  “I have been havin’ bad nightmares,” she said, pushing the comforter over the puddle in the carpet. “I am gettin’ help with them, but as you can see, they haven’t found a cure yet. I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said. Tears began to streak down her face.

  Jeff took two steps towards her, but she held up her hand.

  “Please Jeff, wait on me in the den and I’ll explain it to you. Please give me time.”

  His heart melted for her. He was an idiot for going through her drawers. Jeff felt like crying himself.

  Jeff nodded and retreated to the den as Lily tagged along behind, hoping f
or a late-night snack. When the door closed and she heard the TV click on, Debbie buried her face in her pillow and began to sob.

  She took a longer shower than normal because she did not want to deal with reality, the reality where her boyfriend witnessed her piss her pants. She didn’t think she would be able to look him in the eye again.

  She entered the den wearing her robe and nightgown. She walked over to Jeff with her eyes fixed on the carpet. He got up and put his hand on her arm. With the other hand, he placed his index finger under her chin and softly nudged her face upwards. She wanted to cry when she gazed into those deep, loving eyes. Before she could start, Jeff brought his other hand up and caressed her cheek.

  “I love you, no matter what,” he said, hugging her tight.

  The tears still flowed, but instead of tears of humiliation, they were tears of relief.

  After several tender moments, they sat on the sofa with joined hands. Debbie explained the history of her dream. She also told him about Dr. Staples.

  “I see him every Saturday mornin’,” Debbie said. “We’ve made a few breakthroughs. At first, I couldn’t remember anythin’ about the dreams. I then remembered it was a little girl, and then I realized the little girl was me. I discovered that the little girl was squattin’ beside somethin’, and then I realized it was a person.”

  She paused and took a deep breath.

  “This last appointment...this past Saturday, I realized who the person was... it was my mother.”

  “Do you know why you would dream about your mother that way?” Jeff asked.

  Debbie shook her head. “No, but I think Grammy Lee does. She won’t talk about it, says it’s too upsettin’.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder. “I am here for you. I’ll do whatever I can to help you get through this.”