Specter of Death- Part 7

All day, the feeling of dread gnawed at the pit of Kim’s stomach. She didn’t like the idea of messing around with dark forces but the others were resolved to make it happen. Only Angela had been on her side. At lunch they both tried to steer the investigation down a different path but their reluctance was met with disdain.

            “If you’re not into it, that’s totally fine but there’s no reason for you to try to talk us out of it,” said Marie. “We need answers. Besides, there’s nothing to be afraid of; this isn’t a horror movie.”

Those words echoed in both Angela and Kim’s minds the rest of the day. In a last ditch effort to stop what they were sure would end in disaster, Angela placed a call to Billy’s cell phone.

            “Maybe he can talk Gillian out of it,” Angela whispered as the phone rang.

            “Even better, maybe he’s got some information about those symbols. If there’s work to be done, Marie won’t have time to mess around with those damn Ouija Boards.” Kim replied.

The phone rang again, then a third time and a fourth. Angela was just about to hang up when Billy’s voice came through the receiver.

            “Angela? What’s wrong? Is everyone okay?”

            “Hey, Bill, I hope this isn’t a bad time. No, we’re okay. No one has been hurt … yet. We were hoping you could help us avoid that.” Angela answered.

            “What do mean yet?” Bill’s voice was thick with concern. “Where’s Kim and Gillian?”

            “Kim is right here with me and Gillian will be back in a few minutes. She ran over to the coffee shop for some lattes so we wanted to catch you before she got back.”

In one deep breath, Angela relayed the entire story and their concerns about what could happen if Gillian, Marie, and Kenj, used their Ouija Board in the morgue. For a second, there was silence at the other end of the receiver. She and Kim exchanged worried glances, waiting for a reply.

            “Seriously? I ducked out of my class for that? It’s a freaking kid’s toy! It says right on the box for ages eight and up. I can’t believe you called me for this. Tell Kim I’ll call her tonight after my classes to talk about the symbols. I gotta go.”

            “He hung up,” Angela gasped.

            “Well, at least we tried,” Kim said as she draped her arm across Angela’s shoulders. “Maybe, nothing will happen and we’re worrying for no reason.” 

***Again, I apologize for my absence. Hopefully, the plague has been vanquished but I see my doctor this afternoon to be sure. Don't tell him I was working! If all goes well, the next installment of Specter of Death shall be Tuesday, May 5th or Revenge of the Fifth for my fellow geeks. Until then, avoid the plague!!!***

Quarantine

My apologies. Due to an unforeseen plague that has fallen upon my house, Specter of Death has been put on a temporary hold. Once the quarantine has been lifted, your regularly scheduled program will continue. Thanks for your understanding!

P.S. The whole wart/herpes part is, of course, a joke. The ocelot was quite worried though...

Specter of Death-Part 6

Detective McDonald, Kim, and Kenj were in the middle of reviewing the security camera feed when Kim’s phone alerted her of a new text message.

            I found some info on those symbols. I’ll call you tonight with details, after my evening class. Hope you’re well. --- Billy

Kim’s lips pressed into a firm line and her eyebrows knitted together to complete the scowl. Oh, Billy, I’d sure be better if you told me what you’ve discovered, she thought, waiting until tonight will be torture. She typed in, ‘thank you’ and pressed send.

            “Something wrong?” Detective Marie McDonald asked.

            “No, it’s just a message from one of my friends. He found out something about those symbols but he can’t call me until tonight.” Kim sighed.

            “Tonight? Doesn’t he realize how urgent this is? Can’t you call him instead?”

            “No, he’s a professor at my old alma mater so he’s teaching. He has an evening class so he’ll call me tonight.”

Detective McDonald sighed, knowing she’d have to be patient but it wouldn’t be easy. Instead, she decided to focus on getting what little information was available on the body from the previous night.

            “Well, then, can you at least give me something on the body from last night? What about that symbol on him? Kenj, did you tell Kim about it? It’s similar but not exactly the same as the others.”

            “It did the same thing overnight though. It was all bloody when I closed up but today it looks like he was branded years ago.” Kenji said. “I spent half the night researching online but I’ve got zilch.”

            “Hopefully, Billy can—” Kim’s sentence was cut off by a buzz through the intercom system. “Oh, yeah. That’s fine. Send them back.”

Detective McDonald and Kenj wore matching expressions of puzzlement. Kim noticed their heads, cocked to the side, reminding her of a puppy she had when she was a child. Moments later, her friends Gillian and Angela poked their heads in the door.

            “Hey, how’s it going?” Angela asked. “We thought we would take you out to lunch.”

            “Yeah, it’s the least we can do since we kept you up all night … Oh, sorry, are we interrupting?” Gillian said, worried when she realized Kim wasn’t alone.

After introducing her friends to Kenj and Detective McDonald, the conversation steered back to the investigation.

            “I’ve never heard of anything quite like this,” Marie McDonald admitted. “I’ve talked to everyone on the force. Hell, I even called my mentor. He was a detective for over thirty years before he finally decided to retire. All those years and he was flat-out baffled. Right about now, I am open to anything that might give us some answers.”

            “Really?” Gillian asked. “Do you mean that? Because I have an idea but … Angela is flat-out opposed.”

            “Seriously? I can’t even believe you’re going to suggest this to a room full of professionals, Jilly. It’s not right,” Angela muttered.

Detective McDonald noticed Angela’s body tense as she crossed her arms over her chest. It piqued her curiosity. Gillian shook her head in dismay and rolled her eyes at her wary friend.

            “Okay, now I’ve got to know,” Marie insisted. “Gillian, what’s your idea?”

            “The best way to find out is to just ask Seth. We could use a Ouija Board and try to contact him. Worst case scenario, we can’t reach him and you’re no worse off than you are now. Best case … he tells us what happened and maybe you can stop it from happening to others.”

            “At this point, I’ll try anything!” The detective declared. “Since you knew him, we might have a better chance of contact. Obviously, Angela, if you’re not comfortable with it, you certainly don’t have to join us. Kenj? Kim? Where do you stand on it?”

            “Sure, I’ll join you,” said Kenj. “I tried it once as a kid but that was ages ago. Whaddya say, Kim? Are you in?”

            “No, sorry. I’m not into that stuff. I want to find out what happened just as much as anyone but … no, not like that.” Kim answered.

            “That’s okay,” Marie said; her tone was soothing and full of understanding. “It’ll just be me, Gillian and Kenj then.”

            “Hey, why don’t we do here?” Kenj offered. “Tonight, after Kim is done for the day. Afterwards, I’ll personally drive Gillian back to Kim’s, if you want.”

Gillian nodded in agreement and, for the first time, Detective Marie McDonald had something to look forward to in the case. She just had to remind herself that she’d have to wait for closing time to see if they could make anything happen. And if it doesn’t, maybe Kim’s friend Billy has some information we can use. 

***Be sure to return Tuesday, April 14th for the next installment of Specter of Death! Better yet, why not sing up for email alerts so you never miss a post?***

No Fools Today!

As the object of April's foolery, I am delayed in posting today but I assure you; this is not a hoax. Instead, what I am planning is something fun for all who want to take part. Whether you choose to be a spectator or you want to get in on the action, all are welcome. 

I came across an interesting collection of photos, all abandoned places that seemed ripe to inspire stories. After showing it to some of my friends, we have decided to embark on a multi-genre story sharing based on the pictures from this article:        http://www.earthporm.com/haunting-images-abandoned-places/

Here's where all of you come in ... I'd like you to join us! Use your blog site, Facebook, or whatever you'd like to post your story along with us on Wednesday, April 22nd. If you give me your links, I will attach them to my post on the 22nd. Let's have some fun!!

The first image selected was #8 

According to the article, photo credit belongs to: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lenzz/. Please don't forget to credit the collection from earthporn.com and also the individual photo. These are merely inspiration. We do not intend to tell the story of the actual place and, as always, any similarities to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Comment below or message me on Twitter or Facebook. Let's do this!

***And of course, Specter of Death will be back on Tuesday so don't miss out.***

Specter of Death- Part 5

Kim settled most of her friends either into her guest rooms or on the pull-out sofas, all except John. He’d made a reservation at the Holiday Inn and saw no reason to cram onto a sofa or chair when he had a perfectly comfortable king sized bed waiting for him. His vow to be a better friend was all but forgotten the moment he climbed into his cab.

     Bill had staggered to one of the bedrooms in the hopes of gaining a few hours of sleep before his trek home. Angela and Gillian were still trying to convince the other to take the second guest room when Kim shuffled off to bed. She set her alarm and hoped coffee would be enough to get her through the next few days.

     She closed her eyes and was whisked away to a day long-past and a time in her youth where the cares of her current life were unable to be imagined. Instead, her days were filled with classes and evenings spent with friends or at parties near campus.  In that omniscient way of dreams, she was both young but retained her memories of days gone by and found herself in a familiar setting. Kim’s memory screamed to wake, for fear of further pain, but her dream-self continued down the familiar street. Using every ounce of strength, she struggled to keep a younger Seth steady as they walked back to their apartment building. He and Billy shared a room two doors down from her, Gillian, and Angela. They’d all been to the bar, blowing off steam from exams when Seth’s behavior warranted ejection from the establishment— a surprising turn of events given the regular clientele was riotous on a good night. Rather than ruin the evening for everyone, Kim had volunteered to walk him home. Wake up screamed her inner voice but the dream girl continued on her way, drunken friend in tow. The memory jumped ahead to the part she wished to avoid.

            “I’m sorry I ruined your night,” Seth slurred. “I could’ve made it home alright but I was glad to have you for company. Look, I know you’re involved with … aw, hell.”

Before she realized it, Seth had pulled her close and his lips pressed against hers, gentle at first then more demanding. The kiss had stunned her in the dream just as it had in real life. The room spun and he pulled away just long enough to whisper in her ear.

            “I shall tuck away this moment in my heart to mend the break … as you will never be mine to have and hold.”

His gentle hand caressed her cheek as he stumbled into the apartment and immediately passed out on the sofa. When Kim awoke, a single tear cooled the cheek where, in the dream, his hand had been.

            “Damned writers! Even piss drunk they can manipulate words to haunt us in our dreams.” She sighed and wiped the moisture from her eyes.

Knowing she’d get no more sleep, Kim hauled her weary body from the comfort of her bed and decided to tiptoe to the kitchen for a cup of tea. She took great care in turning the door knob to not make any noise that might wake her guests. Her footfalls soft as a whisper, she crept to the kitchen only to find everyone else seated at the table with steaming mugs of coffee.

            “I see I’m not the only one who couldn’t sleep,” she yawned and smiled at her friends.

While it was no surprise that they’d all had a dream about their dear departed friend, the fact that their dreams were all from different times of that same exact day sent up waving red flags.

            “I think we’re reaching,” Bill muttered as he downed the last dregs of his coffee. “Just because we all had a dream from the same day over a decade ago doesn’t mean it’s a sign. It means that we each had a significant encounter with Seth on that day. For example, that was the day we went for our first tattoos.” He rolled up his sleeve to show off his ink. “See, no other-worldly symbols or messages from the grave. Just a normal tat. Seth’s didn’t look anything like mine either.”

            “But what if the significance is his tattoo?” Gillian interrupted.

            “It could be,” Angela agreed. “Kim, you can check tomorrow when you— wait, make that in a few hours when you go to work. Sorry, we’ve kept you up.”

            “Not at all, I wouldn’t have slept anyway. I have too much on my mind. In addition to Seth, I’ve got a slew of other deaths of mysterious means. Speaking of, I’d better get ready. I have a feeling it is going to be a long day.”

***

By 9:03AM, Kim was already wishing she’d called in sick. Kenj filled her in and none of it was good news. While she was gone, another body had been discovered. Initially, there were no markings on the body but just like Seth’s, it appeared later.

            “As for Candace Malone, her wound has sealed just like his too. None of this makes any sense,” said Kenji.

            “No, it sure as hell doesn’t.”

Startled, both Kim and Kenj turned toward the voice. Detective McDonald hovered in the doorway, shaking her head.

            “I’m sorry about your friend, Kim” Marie continued. “Please tell me you know what’s going on and what these damn symbols mean. He was your friend so I’m counting on you. We need answers.”

            “We’re working on that.”

            “We? Oh God, we who?”

            “There was a group of us, old college buddies. We’re trying to figure out what the symbols mean. Apparently, they were on the cover of his book … Specter of Death. As for more, we’re working on it.”            

             “Please, I’m begging you. Work faster!”

***Part 6 of Specter of Death will be available Tuesday, April 6th but be sure to pop in tomorrow for a special surprise. Yes, it is April Fool's Day but no, it is not a prank. I have a treat, rather than a trick, planned for you, my loyal readers. Until tomorrow ....

Specter of Death - Part 4

            “Well? Don’t leave me hanging. Where? What is it?” Kim demanded.

            “Believe it or not, I think I saw it in Seth’s last book,” Bill replied. “Hang on a sec and let me pull up the e-reader app on my phone. Okay, yeah … here it is. His most recent book, Specter of Death has it on the front cover.”

The entire group leaned in to look at the tiny screen and gasped. The mysterious symbol carved into Seth’s chest, right over his heart, looked almost identical to the images on the cover of his novel.

            “I feel like a jerk for admitting this but,” John paused and shifted in his seat before continuing his confession. “I’ve never read a single one of Seth’s books. I’m such a shitty friend. He would come to our gigs and post on all of his social media sites to promote my band and I never once reciprocated. I just, I wish I’d been a better friend to him … hell, to all of you.” Wringing his hands, John stood and looked each of his friends in the eye. “Starting right now, I am going to be a friend like Seth was. He was the guy who always had your back and who supported whatever you wanted to do because it was important to you. Seth, wherever you are, I just want you to know how much I miss you and how sorry I am that I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. I’ll never make that mistake again; I swear!”

     John wiped the tears from his eyes and accepted hugs all around as he struggled to regain his composure.

            “Look,” Angela chimed in. “You can’t beat yourself up, John. Sometimes life just gets in the way and we get busy. It doesn’t mean I don’t think about all of you and I am sure you do the same. If you really want to do right by Seth, let’s do what we can to help Kim figure out what happened to him.”

            “That’s good idea,” Gillian agreed. “Why don’t we all start with Seth’s book. If the symbol has anything to do with what happened then, maybe, there’s a hint in the book. I read it when it first came out but now that I know what happened to him maybe there’s something I missed, you know? I looked at it as my friend’s horror novel before but now, maybe, there's something that can help us puzzle out what happened to him." 

             “Good idea. I have to head back to the university tomorrow and teach but I’ll be back on Friday night. While I’m gone I’ll see what I can find out on campus. Between the library and students looking for extra credit, maybe I can unearth something that will help too. If any of you need anything or you find something useful, don’t hesitate to call me.” Billy added. “We should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for all of us.”
***Be sure to return Tuesday, March 31st for the next installment of Specter of Death! Better yet, why not sing up for email alerts so you never miss a post?***

Specter of Death- Part 3

     Sensing an icy chill from the table, Missy, the waitress backed away slowly with the promise that she’d come back a little later. Sadness permeated the room so thick that the entire tabled feared it would swallow them whole. The old friends looked at each other, hurts of their loss mirrored in the eyes of those at the table. Billy rose and excused himself though no one seemed to notice. They were each lost in the turmoil of emotions. Moments later, Billy returned with a pitcher and glasses for everyone.        

            “Let’s raise a glass to our friend, Seth. He left us too soon and with so much unsaid but we will never forget him. I’d like to think a small part of his unbridled and creative spirit resides in all of us. Most likely, if he was here right now he’d tell me to shut and drink already.”

            “Yeah, he would have, Billy,” Angela’s voice broke and she dabbed her eyes but a feeble laugh still bubbled through the hurt.  “Remember that time …”

Just one utterance of ‘Remember that time’ was enough to unleash the flood gates. Through tears, sniffles, and a great deal of happy memories, those who knew Seth best celebrated his life and his passion. Outrageous stories of college antics and fond memories tumbled out until it almost felt as if their friend was right there with them.

            “Not to bring everyone down but,” Gillian interrupted. “How did he die? Kim, how did you find out?”

            “He ended up on my table.” Kim replied. “We’ve had a rash of murders here lately but … I don’t know how Seth got involved in all of this but there is definitely something not right about what happened to him. Look, I can’t discuss a case out in public like this. After we eat, why don’t you all come back to my place but, for now … let’s talk about something else.”

            “You know, I never got a chance to congratulate you, Kim. You made it; you became an MDI. We’re so proud of you!” Angela chimed in, doing her best to change the subject in case someone was listening. “We all, sort of, lost track of each other a few years after graduation. What’s everyone been up to?”

Kim gave her old roommate a smile and nodded to show her gratitude. She was always able to jump in when I needed her help. I guess some things never change no matter how long it’s been. It was a relief to change the subject so fast especially since Kim knew they’d have plenty of time later to discuss the gruesome details of Seth’s death. 

     They were pleased to learn that most of the ambitions they'd had while in school had become reality. John, in addition to his thriving dental practice, still played gigs on the weekends with his band. Angela’s photographs graced the covers of magazines all over the world and celebrities begged for her to do their photo shoots. As if raising a family wasn’t enough, Gillian put her psychology degree to good use. She counseled at a woman’s shelter for victims of abuse. Even Seth had managed to live his dream as a published author, though it was short lived, but Billy was the one that got the biggest reaction from the table.

            “Wait a minute. Professor at our old Alma Matter? Get outta here!” John quipped. “You’re pulling my leg, right?”

            “No! Why does everyone always say that?” Billy sighed then pulled out his phone. “Look, here’s the website and here’s my department and … there I am! See? Why is that so hard to believe?”

            “Probably because of all the trouble you and Seth caused on campus,” Angela managed to say through her laughter. “Good thing Dean Newhouse retired. He never would have agreed to hire you.”

            “Perhaps we should clue your students in on what you did to poor Professor Chan,” Kim added. “And don’t even think about trying to blame it all on Seth. We know you were just as guilty.”

The laughter and teasing continued until the check arrived. Unlike the old days, there was no playful banter about who was going to pay. They were too anxious to get out of there and discuss what happened to their old friend.

     In the comfort of her own home, Kim was able to freely discuss the details she’d held back in the restaurant. She explained about the murders and the mutilations on the victim’s bodies.

            “I know this is going to sound crazy but I swear; I am telling you the truth. When I saw Seth’s body, there was some kind of symbol carved into his flesh on the left side, just over his heart. It was a fresh, very raw, and bloody wound. We got called out to another crime scene but hours later when we came back, not only was the wound closed, it looked like he had been branded … years ago. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

            “What did the symbol look like?” the others asked.

            “I saved before and after pictures on my phone,” she muttered as she scrolled through her album to show them. “Here’s the before and here it is a few hour hours later.”

They passed around her phone; each looked at the images with an uncomfortable fascination— wanting to look away but unable to do so

             “Oh my God! I think I’ve seen this somewhere before!”

---------------------

**Be sure to return Tuesday, March 24th for the next installment of Specter of Death! Better yet, why not sign up for email alerts so you never miss a post?**