Dead Spots

by Rhiannon Frater

  “Doors are shut,” Lucas said, stepping gingerly over some cactus. “Another dead end.”

  “It’s hard to think people in the real world even dare enter this place.”

  “Desperate people do desperate things. Drug addicts, runaway kids, and the homeless are the people we’re pinning our hopes on, you know.”

  “Not the most comforting thought.”

  Lucas patted her arm before leaning over the hood and spreading out his map. “This town has a few more places to check out.”

  Mackenzie thoughtfully studied the long swatch of highway cutting through the Texas town while Lucas updated his notes. The town had a strong Spanish architectural influence, but most of the red-tiled buildings were falling to ruin. Because of the cluster of dead spots in the town, there were plenty of wispy black forms lurking in the shadows of the buildings. The sight of them made Mackenzie uneasy though none had focused on them so far.

  “It’s almost a ghost town, isn’t it, Lucas?” The harsh grainy wind whipped her hair around her face and she started braiding it to keep it out of her face.

  “It gets worse every time I come through here,” Lucas agreed. “Small towns dry up when the primary job provider dies. Down south, the dead spots are disappearing though. New oil wells are providing jobs and drawing in other businesses.”

  “So we’re not going all the way down to the border?”

  “I think we’ll keep to the west side of King Ranch, then head toward El Paso.” Lucas tapped on the map where the biggest ranch in Texas sat, then drew his finger along a path dotted with dead spots.

  “What about the Hill Country?”

  “It has spots of massive activity that are incredibly treacherous. When I showed you the reality of this world, did you see what looked like big clouds of smoke on the horizon?”

  “Yeah, I did. They were kind of pretty.”

  “Those are the high-activity areas. They give off a lot of energy, which naturally pulls wraiths into the area.” Lucas pointed to several regions on his map.

  “So what causes it?”

  “I would say population, but San Antonio doesn’t burn quite as hot as parts of the Hill Country, so I’m not really sure. I do know that I avoid those areas. I don’t feel like dying.”

  “Have you died in here?” Mackenzie felt nervous asking the question. It felt like such a personal question. She glanced at him and saw her face reflected in his sunglasses. She was surprised to see how much more alive she looked, not like a shell-shocked war victim.

  “Nope. I haven’t. I feel a little guilty about that considering what you and Johnny have been through, but I’ve managed to avoid it.”

  “You’re lucky.” Mackenzie returned to scanning the long narrow strip of old buildings. She didn’t want to think about her death. The taste of the cold clammy mud and the terrible burning in her lungs were things she just didn’t want to dwell on.

  Johnny tapped on the window. “I need to potty.”

  With an amused smile, Lucas opened the door to let the little guy out. “I’ll take him over behind the bushes.”

  “I’ll be right here,” Mackenzie promised.

  “Keep an eye out. Things are calm right now, but—”

  “I know. You be careful, too.”

  She watched Lucas and Johnny trudge through the bushes to a discreet spot. A little white cowboy hat was perched on Johnny’s head by the time they rounded the corner. It was pretty clear that Lucas enjoyed indulging the kid’s every whim. Mackenzie found it endearing, but also it caused a tiny bit of pain when she wondered if Tanner would have behaved the same way with Joshua. It made her a little uncomfortable to play caretaker to Johnny in light of the fact she was never able to do so for her own son. Twinges of guilt struck when she was interacting with Johnny. Knowing that she could shape anything she wanted added another element of unease. The temptation to create Joshua and pretend he’d never died was dangerous.

  Movement caught her attention and she turned to see a woman dressed in a flowing white gown disappear behind the house across the street. Reaching into her purse, she drew out the firearm. Another woman flickered into view briefly in the window of a burned-out store, then vanished. Mackenzie felt her heart speed up. She had yet to mention the women to Lucas, but she realized how foolhardy that was. The first woman reappeared in broad sunlight, hovering across the road. Mackenzie gasped in recognition. It was the same apparition she had seen after Grant had spoken about his wife. The white gown billowed in the wind and her long blond hair rippled like golden waves. The hands pressed against her breast were covered in blood and she stared at Mackenzie with tender sadness.

  “Who are you?” Mackenzie took a step forward.

  The woman winked out of existence, leaving the spot where she had stood empty with no sign she had ever been there.

  “It’s just a ghost!” a voice called out.

  Startled, Mackenzie spun about to see an old man walking up the street toward her. The first dog she had seen since entering the dead spot walked at his side. It was a mutt with a silky black-and-white coat and a ruff of thick fur around its face. Its owner was a tall man with a receding hairline and a little bit of a belly. His old-fashioned attire reminded her of Grant: dark trousers and a white button-up shirt under a cardigan. Noticing the gun, he raised a hand and came to a standstill. The dog yawned and stared at her curiously.

  “I’m not a wraith, so if you put that down I would sincerely appreciate it.”

  “I have no idea who or what you are, so I’m not putting the gun down,” Mackenzie answered defensively.

  “That’s fair, I suppose.” He glanced at the car. “Where’s Lucas?”

  “You know Lucas?” Something that Lucas had told her stirred in her mind. “Are you Seth?”

  “Oh, he talked about me, I see,” Seth said with a grin. “Yes, I’m Seth. I live up the road with Rosita, my wife.”

  Lowering the gun, but not stashing it away, Mackenzie studied the man who had created his own dream palace complete with a replica of his wife. There was a pleasant aura about him that was surprising considering the world he inhabited.

  “I’m Mackenzie. Lucas is taking a bathroom break with Johnny.”

  “Johnny? Seems much has changed since I last saw Lucas.” Seth pulled a kerchief from his pocket and patted his sweating brow. “Sun is fierce even if the wind is chill.”

  “Hey, Seth!” Lucas walked into view with Johnny perched on his shoulders. “This is a surprise.”

  “I saw your car go by earlier from my upstairs window. When you didn’t come to the house I decided to take a walk with Betsey.” Seth extended his hand and the men shook hands and briefly embraced. Craning his head to look at Johnny, Seth said, “So this is the mysterious Johnny. A lawman, I see by the badge and the white hat.”

  “I’m the Lone Ranger,” Johnny informed him.

  “Does that make you Silver?” Mackenzie asked Lucas.

  Lucas playfully whinnied in response.

  “I see you picked up new friends on your travels. What happened to Martin?”

  “He decided to head back to Detroit and stake out his old house in hopes of someone eventually showing up.” Lucas swung Johnny off his shoulders and leaned over to pet the dog. “This is Mackenzie and Johnny, Seth. This is Seth, Mac. He’s a great friend and an all-around good guy. He’s also one of the most powerful shapers and seers in this world.”

  Recognizing that Lucas didn’t seem alarmed or worried, Mackenzie finally put the firearm away. The situation with Grant had her paranoid, but she trusted that Lucas could spot a wraith impersonator. She shook hands with Seth briefly, before taking a few steps back. It was difficult not to feel uneasy after all she had endured.

  “You’re a good dog, aren’t you, Betsey?” Lucas said, playing with the dog. She returned his affection by licking his face with great enthusiasm.

  “Is it real?” Mackenzie asked.

  “She came in with me,” Seth answered. “We were on a w
alk and we took a scenic route right into a dead spot. She’s been here with me since 1957.”

  Mackenzie widened her eyes slightly. “I didn’t think about animals stumbling into a dead spot.”

  “They do more often than we do. They are just much better at adapting and hiding. I once saw a pack of feral Chihuahuas chasing after a rabbit. That was a sight to see.” Seth tilted his head, studying Mackenzie, then Johnny. “You’re new here, Mackenzie.”

  “This is my fourth day inside.”

  “You’re doing okay so far except for that death and the mark.” Seth took a step toward her, scrutinizing the mark that Mackenzie was glad she couldn’t see. The memory of how it had appeared when Lucas had opened her eyes made her shiver.

  Johnny and Lucas continued to play with Betsey, Johnny giggling with delight over the dog’s antics. Mackenzie saw Lucas discreetly watching Seth.

  “Looks like a lover-boy mark,” Seth said finally, shaking his head.

  “Lover-boy?” Mackenzie arched her eyebrows.

  “What he calls an incubus wraith,” Lucas explained.

  “How did you manage to get away?” Seth regarded her with awe. “That’s no easy feat.”

  “I died. Then I found Johnny. Grant—the wraith—found us soon after. He tried to get rid of Johnny, but Lucas showed up in time. We escaped together.” Mackenzie didn’t want to go into any details. She was still struggling to come to terms with Grant’s true nature and intentions.

  “Remarkable,” Seth said, impressed. “So I take it you’re in town looking for a way out?”

  “Not stopping until I find one,” Lucas said. He stood and crossed his arms over his chest. Johnny continued to play with Betsey, the dog and boy obviously enamored with each other.

  “You’re a stubborn man.” Seth’s expression was a combination of amusement and annoyance.

  “You know I am.”

  “I suppose you can stay the night at my house. Rosita will enjoy the company. We haven’t had anyone over since her folks visited last month.”

  Mackenzie arched her eyebrows at the comment, but Lucas’s swift look in her direction silenced her.

  “Are you sure, Seth? We don’t want to impose.” Lucas shifted on his feet and gestured toward the thick shadows dwelling under a tree.

  “The mark is a concern, but one night should be fine. The same with the boy. But because of the mark I can’t let you stay longer than that.”

  “We don’t want to intrude,” Mackenzie said, not even sure if she wanted to stay in the dream palace of a man who lived with an apparition of his dead wife.

  “I can handle one night,” Seth assured her with a smile. “I’m old and powerful. But I don’t like taking risks with Rosita, so you’ll have to go tomorrow.”

  “That’s very generous of you.” Lucas stepped toward Mackenzie, appealing with his eyes for her to agree.

  Mackenzie flicked her gaze toward the slinking shadows in the doorway of a hardware store and sighed. “That would be great. Thank you.”

  “Johnny, how would you like to walk with me and Betsey back to my house?”

  “Can I hold the leash?” Johnny asked excitedly.

  Seth handed it over, smiling warmly. “Of course.”

  Lucas rested his hand on Mackenzie’s arm, preventing her from protesting. “Seth, that’s kind of you. He couldn’t be in better hands. Johnny, I’m going to drive Mac over to the house and meet you there, okay?”

  Completely enthralled by the dog, Johnny said, “Okay!” and promptly turned all his attention to Betsey.

  Seth gave the other two adults a knowing smile. “Kids and dogs. The attraction is instant.”

  Panic rose inside of Mackenzie as she watched the older man and the little boy walk up the sidewalk with the dog trotting along before them. She took a step to follow, but Lucas caught her arm.

  “You and I need to talk away from Johnny. This is our moment, okay?”

  “But—”

  “Johnny is safer with Seth than he is with us, Mac. I promise.”

  Relenting, she turned to face Lucas. “You better be right.”

  “I know I am. Trust me.” Lucas gave her arm a light squeeze, then opened the passenger door for her.

  “For some stupid reason, I do,” Mackenzie grumbled, sliding into the car.

  Once Lucas was inside the car he didn’t start the engine, but twisted in his seat to look at her. “I wasn’t planning for us to stay with Seth. In fact, I kind of thought he wouldn’t take us in at all because you and Johnny are with me. I’m really surprised by his generosity, but glad at the same time. You need the rest and so do I. But there are a few things I feel I need to talk to you about when it comes to Seth.”

  “Other than he lives with the apparition of his dead wife?”

  “See? That condescending tone is what I’m worried about. Seth is a great guy. He really is.”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little creepy?” Mackenzie lifted an eyebrow.

  Lucas rubbed his face with frustration. “Mac…”

  “What?”

  “Grant taught you to mistrust people by terrorizing you and pulling hell down on you to keep you under his control. But not everything in this world is bad. Seth has made his own version of heaven. He really loved his wife and when he realized he could have her again—”

  “That’s the thing, Lucas!” Mackenzie felt tears suddenly spark in her eyes. “Ever since I found out that I can make my own dream palace, don’t you think I’ve thought about making an apparition of my dead son? I never saw his eyes, Lucas. Never! I would love to hold him in my arms and see him breathing, smiling, and looking up at me! But every time my mind goes in that direction, I know insanity lies that way.” The words poured out of her mouth, giving voice to her darkest, most terrifying thoughts. “I could just lock myself away in a dream palace with Tanner and Joshua and make it all okay. Invest in the dream and live in my fucking insanity. I won’t do it. I won’t!”

  Lucas regarded her solemnly, and then gave her the briefest nod of his head. “You have a legitimate point. I even agree with you. But Seth is not you, or me. He found his happiness here.”

  A bitter laugh erupted from Mackenzie’s lips. “I just poured out my deepest, darkest, craziest thought, and you just shrugged it off.”

  “You’re afraid that you’re going to go crazy with grief, Mackenzie. That you’re going to do something insane. That’s fear talking. I’m not going to give power to it because the woman I see in front of me is far more than the sum total of her fears. Do you want my pity? Is that what you’re asking for?”

  Shocked by his words, Mackenzie lifted her face to stare at him. “No.”

  “Good. Because I will give you my sympathy and my friendship. I will watch your back because I know you’ll watch mine. I’ve watched you with Johnny, Mac. You have a tender, giving heart. I’ve also seen you fight against terrors that would reduce others to weeping heaps of crazy.” Lucas gave her a fierce look. “I won’t say I’m sorry for your son’s death because I didn’t cause it, but I can tell you that I feel great sorrow at the thought of you losing a child. I wish it hadn’t happened to you. I won’t chastise you for being depressed or angry that he died, but I’m also not going to invest any energy in letting you flog yourself with senseless fears and regrets.”

  Drawing in a deep breath, Mackenzie stared out the window at the long stretch of road and the silent town bordering it.

  “Do you want to escape this world?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Then we’ll keep going until we find a way out. But tonight we’re going to stay with a really nice guy who chose to stay here because this is the only way he can hold on to the only person he ever loved. I won’t judge him for that.” The keys jingled in his hand and he turned the car on. “I’m just asking you to do the same.”

  “You don’t pull punches, do you?” Mackenzie felt a little battered by his lecture, but also knew he was right. He had reached through most of the white
noise that always seemed to be buzzing in her head to make a very valid point.

  “No, not really. I just think Grant did a good job manipulating you into a state of constant fear and anxiety, and you need to shake it off.”

  Reflecting on all that had occurred since she had entered the dead spot, Mackenzie could now clearly see everything Grant had done to make her leery of everyone but him. It must have been a huge shock for him to find her with Johnny after he had carefully orchestrated her death to make her even more dependent on him.

  “What do incubus wraiths do? The full story. Seth seemed surprised I escaped Grant.” Mackenzie wiped away the last of her tears and tried to focus on gaining clarity on what had happened.

  Lucas shifted gears and the car rolled away from the curb. “Seth told me that the wraiths find someone to latch on to. They manipulate the person into falling in love with them and make their victim completely dependent on them. The wraith then has the person create a dream palace for just the two of them. Then the wraith basically keeps the person trapped by having constant attacks on the haven from the outside. They feast off their victim through fear and love. Eventually, their victim just … fades away.”

  “They become a wraith?”

  “Seth told me that they sometimes become wraiths, but other times they’re so consumed they become ghosts. Just memories of the people they once were.”

  “Oh, my God!” Mackenzie gasped.

  Lucas drove carefully through the town streets, slowly doubling back to Seth’s home. “What is it?”

  “I’ve been seeing ghostly women all day today. At first it was just quick glimpses, but one of them lingered much longer than the rest. I saw her before when Grant told me about his dead wife.”

  “Shit.” Lucas looked grim, but not afraid. “We’ll talk to Seth then. Find out what he knows. I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “Grant can find me because of the mark, can’t he?”