GHOST OF A STRANGER: ‘Meet you on the other side ...’ He could see her face as clear as day as he moved from his left side to his right pulling the duvet up over his shoulders as he turned. Her long blonde hair draped over each of her shoulders and that smell, her perfume, a scent he will never forget, a scent that almost took him back in time to that summer, a summer now more than half his life ago being one he spent in the company of Cecilia. ‘... I will be waiting.’ Colin opened his eyes and for a second or two he was sure that the smell of that perfume was coming from right on front of him though that could not be possible, could it? Though he would and never had forgotten Cecilia, Colin had no idea why all of a sudden he was dreaming of her. For a moment he assumed it had something to do with his gift however he soon dismissed that thought but not before pondering the words that she had spoken. Having embraced his ability Colin’s life had changed and changed a lot, in a good positive way too. He was making money from it even though he never asked for that or set any sort of price for having helped aid someone to connect with a loved one from beyond. Whenever what he received was in any way substantial Colin was always sure to leave an anonymous donation to some cause or other which would seriously benefit from it. With his gift being what it is Colin does not drive. Imagine what a ghostly distraction might cause in any automobile situation. Luck sides with Colin as with the many acquaintances he has usually does not leave him stuck for a lift when he needs to get from one place to another. There are those he has aided with contacting the other side who are also only too happy to lend a hand to Colin for when he may need such a hand. Sitting in the passenger seat of a jeep going not so quickly along a quiet motorway late on in the even Colin would become distracted by noise coming from behind. He couldn’t really see anything through the car mirrors so Colin turned to get a decent view of what was coming. Another vehicle was approaching at great speed with the horn blowing frantically as if its driver was intent on gaining the attention of what was ahead of it. ‘Is everything ok?’ asked Colin’s companion. ‘I don’t know’ was all that Colin could say in reply. The speeding vehicle soon overtook the jeep. It did not get too far ahead before its erratic movement caused it to catch itself and spin multiple times before coming to a halt upside down and off to the left side of the road. ‘Pull over’ spoke Colin loudly. ‘What?’ ‘Pull over, quick.’ By the time the jeep had stopped it had moved a couple hundred metres past where the other vehicle had finished up. Colin got out and began to make his way over to the crash. There was one person laying out on the road, a young lady, and there were two others still inside the overturned vehicle. Colin’s companion came out of the jeep and approached. ‘Everything ok Colin?’ ‘You don’t see any of this do you?’ ‘Any of what?’ Becoming increasingly confused Colin turned towards the young lady who was lying out on the road. She began to move slowly and soon made it to her feet. She looked hurt and there was a lot of blood on her person. She looked directly at Colin and reached out with her right arm. ‘Help me’ she spoke, ‘please come and help us.’ Another vehicle was approaching. Its lights shone bright. It was also heading directly straight for this young lady. ‘Watch,... watch it,... get out of the way’ spoke Colin, his voice started out quietly before finishing loudly though it didn’t matter. The oncoming vehicle didn’t just hit the lady; it passed right through her and when it had done so she was no longer there. The lady had vanished. So too did the overturned vehicle and its occupants. What exactly it was that Colin had just witnessed left him unsure. Was it an accident that had already happened? If so then why was it being shown to him? How could he possibly help the deceased if they just vanish without allowing him to do anything at all? Though all that Colin could do now was or is to go about his own business. When Colin next lay down to sleep it would not and did not take long for him to slip into a dream world. The dream would bring with it the memories of the time he spent with Cecilia. Once more the scent of her perfume also returned making the dream appear to be very real. The two sat on a blanket in the middle of a park on a bright and warm summer day. Colin could feel the heat in the sun upon his face and he could also feel a slight cool breeze and he watched Cecilia’s hair fall in front of her face. ‘I am looking forward to seeing you again soon. We have been waiting for you’ spoke Cecilia brushing her hair back with her right hand. ‘What is that? Sure we are here together right now. Is that not a good thing? And what do you mean by we?’ ‘You actually think we are in a park right now? Colin you are asleep and dreaming. This moment is not a real one. It is not even a memory.’ ‘What? ...’ Before Colin had a chance to think, he awoke and in that waking moment he heard Cecilia’s voice quietly echo ‘see you soon.’ ‘What the hell is going on?’ spoke Colin as he sat up and to one side of his bed, rubbing his face. Colin would make his way back to the town he grew up in. It was the move that his family had made that brought distance between himself and Cecilia all those years ago. What were the chances that Cecilia would still be living there? It may seem like a long shot but Colin felt that he had to at least try and find her. It had been a long time since he last walked up the garden path to the house where she had lived and there is where he found himself, in many ways a very different person than what he was the last time he was there. A lady with long dark curly hair answered the door. Colin recognized Cecilia’s sister Natalia so he thought he was off to a good start. ‘Hello Natalia. It is good to see you.’ Natalia stared at the man before her for a moment before speaking. ‘I am sorry. Can I help you?’ ‘Oh forgive me please. My name is Colin. I dated your sister one summer a long time ago.’ ‘OK. Can I help you or something?’ ‘I was wondering if Cecilia was around or if you can tell me of how I might be able to contact her.’ ‘You can’t, she is dead.’ ‘W-what? When?’ ‘Motor accident, two years ago. The car she had been in overturned and had thrown her from it. I was told that she would have died instantly.’ ‘That would explain a couple of things’ spoke Colin to himself as he turned away from Natalia. ‘What does that mean?’ ‘Oh nothing, sorry to have bothered you. Thank you for your time.’ Colin stood moving very little seemingly being lost within his own world. Natalia looked at him for a moment and closed the door slowly. The sound of the door closing brought him back to reality. So in one way or another Cecilia had visited him. Colin could only wonder as to why she did not make a more direct visit. It had been such a long time since Colin had last been back to the town he grew up in so he thought he would stay a while. He was in no rush to go anywhere anytime soon. The day was bright, the sun was out and it was quite warm with a slight cool breeze flowing against him so Colin took a leisurely stroll over towards the house he had grown up in before making his way down to the village. He was amazed to see the old candy store he used to love going to as a child still open and it looked just exactly as he remembered it. For a moment or two, standing outside this store took Colin back to when he was ten years old. Standing almost in the same exact position he is now, a ten year old Colin turns to an elderly lady standing to his right as she spoke to him. ‘Are you going inside young man?’ ‘I sure am. I am going to get myself some ice-cream.’ ‘Good for you. Could you kindly do me a favour?’ Little Colin nodded. Entering the store he quickly approached the counter. ‘Good afternoon mister Peters.’ ‘Good afternoon young man, how can I help you?’ ‘I would like a big ice-cream please.’ ‘Sure and how is it that a young man like yourself has come to know my name?’ ‘Your mom told me, and she told me to tell you that you should be wearing your glasses.’ ‘Oh she did, did she?’ ‘Yep and she told me that your first name is Patrick and that her first name is Elisabeth.’ Mister Peter’s handed over the ice-cream he had put together for the boy and Colin paid for it. ‘Thank you’ spoke Colin before beginning to make his way to the store exit, he turned waved and said ‘bye’. ‘Goodbye’ spoke mister Peters in amazement as he watched the boy leave, after which he went to get his glasses. From that point on Mister Peters was rarely without his glasses. Back to the present and away from reliving an old memory Colin entered the store and would be somewhat surprised to see a familiar face behind the counter. ‘Good afternoon Mister Peters, it is nice to see you again.’ Mister Peters had to think for a moment. He had aged well. Colin thought that the store owner must be in his seventies by now though to look at him you wouldn’t think it. ‘Colin? Good to see you again young man.’ ‘Good to see you too sir, and good to see you have your glasses on as well.’ ‘Can’t see a darn thing without them, you haven’t been talking to my mother again have you?’ ‘No, no. It has been quite some time since I last saw her outside the store.’ ‘What has you back in town?’ ‘Oh been looking for an old friend.’ ‘Your friend no longer here?’ ‘In more ways than one unfortunately.’ ‘Sorry to hear that, so is there anything I can help you with?’ ‘Actually I would love to get myself one of those big ice-creams I used to come in here for many moons ago.’ ‘Sure.’ Mister Peters attended to the ice-cream and soon handed it to Colin. ‘Not quite so big as I remember it’ spoke Colin with a smile. ‘Everything seems so much bigger to a child.’ Colin turned slightly and before he could continue to speak he would be met by the stock of a shot gun full on in the face. It not just knocked him down but it knocked him out too, for the store had come under siege. A lone gunman had come to rob the store of whatever he could get. The gunman was quick to aim the shotgun at mister Peters. ‘Careful old man or I will be forced to hurt you too. Slowly open and empty the register then place the money on the counter.’ Mister Peters did what he was asked and then stepped back. The assailant took the money and filled his pockets before he too took a step backwards. Lifting the gun and taking aim it looked like steeling money wasn’t enough to satisfy the gunman who had a balaclava on to hide his identity. Having come to, Colin intervened and tackled the much larger man. After a matter of only seconds the gun went off. A bright white light surrounded Colin almost blinding him. When it subsided Colin found himself standing on grass right in the centre of that park, where he remembered having been with Cecilia, and fairly soon a young lady with long blonde hair approached him. ‘Cecilia? What is happening? What is going on?’ ‘Hello Colin. Nice to have a more formal chat with you. Before you ask anything else, I should tell you that you are dead. Don’t be worried or frightened as it is not yet your time.’ Colin just looked confused as he listened to what Cecilia had to say. ‘You should know that there is a darkness, and it is coming for you. You have caught its attention. This is why I have been coming to you and to tell you I have loved you, always and forever.’ Eyes met and stared when Cecilia walked right up to Colin. She placed her lips on his, Colin was surprised not only by this but by also being able to feel it. Cecilia took a few steps backwards smiling all the while and then vanished. Colin’s surroundings quickly darkened. He could hear a marching crunch sound coming from distance and to his right side. This sound got louder and louder and Colin could see something large approach; just what it was or is that is approaching, Colin has no idea. A tugging sensation from behind would grow and prevent Colin finding out what it was that was coming his way. Awaking in a bed Colin would ask ‘Where am I?’ ‘Do not try to move Colin, you have been hurt’ spoke a friendly voice. The voice was Natalia’s. She had been at Colin’s bedside since she had heard about the attempted robbery. Two days had now passed. ‘You were shot, doctors say that you are and will be fine’ continued Natalia. ‘... and what about Mister Peters?’ ‘He is fine and completely unhurt, thankfully.’
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 02:54:16 +0000