Chapter 6: Jane

As Katie walked in the door she saw Jane.  She just stood there looking at her.  She looked so sad and defeated.  Katie walked up to her, she wished that she could hug her, but she sat on the couch and asked Jane to join her.

"Jane I need you to tell me what's going on.  I don't understand why this man and the demon want you so badly.  Can you please speak and tell me?"

She just sat there.  Katie didn't know what else to do.  It didn't look as if Jane could talk.  She had to figure out a different way to communicate with her.  As Katie sat daydreaming her phone rang, it was her mother.

"Hey mom, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing, just hadn't heard from you in a few weeks so I thought that I would call, you know make sure you were still alive.  Not all of us know when our loved ones die or that they are ok."

God, her mom always made her feel like crap.  "Sorry mom, kinda busy looking for a job.  Time just got away from me.  How are you?  How's dad?  Is he still play in that silly band?"

"It's ok Katie, You don't have to act like you want to talk to me.  I get it.  We are great.  I was just checking on you.  Guess I will call again in a week.  Not like I can depend on you to check to make sure that we are still alive, you know with your busy life and all.  Love you Kate.  Bye"

"Mom, Wait!"  She had already hung up.  Ugh

Oh well she had other things to worry about right now.  Jane for one, why can't she talk and how do you communicate with someone that can't speak.

As she sat there trying to figure things out Jane got up and walked through the wall to her apartment.

Katie being curious went next door.  No surprise that the door was unlocked so that she could walk right in. 

Looking around it looked like any other old ladies apartment, flowers and doilies and crochet dolls everywhere.  Jane was standing in the middle of the room looking around at her possessions but still not saying a word. 

Chapter 5: Answers

As they walked into the shop all eyes went to Lucas.  Katie had to admit that he was something nice to look at, but he didn't act like he knew or cared.  They headed to the table in the corner of the shop next to the windows.

"So do you wanna tell me how you know about Jane?"

"Yes, but I need some more information because it seems like you are not wanting to give her to me."

"Seriously?!"  Katie was getting upset that he kept dodging her questions. "Okay, fine!  I am afraid for her.   You seem to know whatever that demon is or who it is and it seems to be after her too; and it's not like I know how to just hand over a spirit."

Lucas looked at her like she had lost her mind.  "What do you mean Katie?  All sensitives know that all you have to do is tell them that it is ok to come out and she will.  I can then take her and be on my way."

"Why though Lucas?  Why do you want Jane so bad?  I don't understand.  She was just a little old lady that didn't do anything wrong."

Lucas shook his head and laughed.  "She wasn't as sweet and innocent as you seem to think.  Think about it Katie, have you ever seen a demon before?  Have you ever seen one chase a spirit?  Why do you think a demon would be chasing a spirit if they were all great?"

They were interrupted by the waitress eyeing Lucas as she stood next to the table holding her pad.  "You guys ready to order or you need a few more minutes?"

"I don't believe..."

         "I'll just have a coffee, black."

She looked back at Lucas, "You?"

"Tea, I guess. Thanks"

As she left he looked back at Katie.  She just couldn't help it, there was something about him that she didn't want to get enough of.  He smiled at her and said, "Look Katie,  she wasn't all that perfect.  She had secrets that she didn't want anyone to know about.  Has she spoke to you?  No, huh?  There's a reason for that.  Talk to her a little more and I will be back in a week to see if you're ready."

Lucas stood up, walked to the waitress, paid and walked out.  As Katie sat there trying to figure out what just happened the waitress came over with her coffee and to let her know that he paid.  Katie just smiled.  She knew that she needed answers and soon...

(NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON)

Chapter 4: Unanswered...

“Jane! Where are you?” Nothing.  Well damn, where could she have gone? 

She pulled out her computer and typed in Jane’s name and address.  Nothing popped up.  Why does this “man” want Jane?  Well Katie didn’t really think of him as a man.  Obviously he was some type of spirit or had connections to the thing that was in her room the other night. 

She then typed in black mass  . 

 APPARITIONS: The supernatural appearance of a deceased person or animal. It is often too distant to be in the normal range of a persons view and is uncommon to see an appearance. A full bodied apparition shows the entire body of an animal or person. A partial bodied apparition are shown more often but only show part of a body such as; torso or arms. They often appear as white (or various shades of white/gray) or solid black. Usually apparitions can appear to hover in the air. It is rare that apparitions show their legs or feet.

Well she knew that already.  She had been dealing with the supernatural for a long time now, but why did it make her feel that way?  She needed answers and she needed them now. 

“Gram. Are you here?  I really need you.  Please!”

The room turned bright with white light and smelled of garden flowers in bloom.  Her Gram was near.  Katie looked around and found her standing in the kitchen looking at the sink.  “Child, why don’t you ever wash your dishes?”  Katie laughed, her Gram was always telling her how the dishes should always be done as soon as dinner was over.  Wash the dishes, dry them, put them up, empty the sink, and dry everything so you don’t get water bugs.  Gram was from the south and didn’t understand that they didn’t have certain types of bugs in the north. 

“Gram I need to ask you something.”

            “Does it have anything to do with the Demon that has been around here?”

“Gram that is what I was gong to ask, what that was.  Why is it here?’

            “Don’t know child but you better pay attention to what is around you.  It has been here
            lookin’ round all day now.  Call the church and have em’ come bless this place like I told ya
            to do a year ago.”

“Gram, he keeps asking for Jane.  Why?’

            “Girl you never know why those things do what they do.  Just give him what he wants so that
            he leaves you alone!” 

“Please, Gram, try to find out why he wants her.  Please.  If I need to get her than I will, but I would like to know first what is going on.  Please…”

Gram was gone.  Well I hope she heard me.  Then there was a knock at the door.
Katie peaked through the hole and saw that it was the same man from the shop.  No way was she going to let him in or even let him know …  “Katie, I know you are home. Please stop looking at me and trying to figure me out.  Just let me in.”

WHAT THE HELL!!!???  How does he know that she is there?  Nope doesn’t matter she still isn’t going to speak. 

“Katie, please let me in.  You are going to need me to figure all of this out.  I can help you.”

             “Who are you? What do you want?  How do I know that you aren’t the one that killed Jane?”

“If you let me in I can show you that you can trust me.”

             “PFFT! I don’t think so.  Leave me your name and number and I will call you and  we can
             meet up somewhere.” 

“Katie, I know where you live.  Don’t you think that I could just stand outside your building and wait for you to leave?”

Well damn, he did have a point.  How did he find her anyways?

“First, what is your name and how in the hell did you find me?”

             “Lucas, and I followed you in my car.”

“Okay, 'Lucas', how did you know what apartment?”

             “Look Katie, just let me in.  Your neighbors are looking out the doors at me.”

She thought about and since some people had seen him at her door, someone would be able to identify him if something happened.  As she opened the door and looked at him, he looked taller than she remembered.  Katie also realized that he has ice blue eyes to go with that blonde hair.  As she stepped back to let him in she could tell that he was the same man that saw her in the coffee shop.  He brought the same feeling to her as he past this time. 

Against better judgement, she closed the door and looked at him.  He just stood there looking around.  His gaze kept going back to the same spot that she had seen the apparition the first time. 

“Why do you keep looking at that corner Lucas?”

He turned to look at her then turned back to that spot. “Better yet, why don’t we go have a cup of coffee?”

(NEXT CHAPTER)

Chapter 3: Strangers

Early that morning, after everything had settled down and most of the police were gone Katie finally laid down and got a little sleep.  Wasn't long before the feeling of hate came back.  This time she was going to find out who or what it was.

As she sat up in bed and looked around she didn't see anything but she knew it was there.
      "Who or what are you? Why are you bothering me and why is Jane scared of you?"
          "That isn't something you want the answer to."
      "If I didn't want the answer I wouldn't have asked it."  Katie was getting really pissed off.  How dare this, whatever it was, tell her what she did or didn't want to know.
           "Trust me when I say that you will find out just not now.  Where is Jane?"
      "Pfft, as if I would tell you anything!  You need to leave, NOW!!"
Whatever it was, she could always tell when it was gone because she was a lot calmer.  Since she wasn't going back to bed she guessed that it was time to get the day started.

**

Katie wasn't sure how she arrives at the cafe everyday but here she is again.  Good thing they have the tea she likes.
 The spirits usually don't come here.  She isn't sure why but she has never has a visit here.  That, she thought, was something she needed to look into.

A few moments later a man walked in.  He was a nice looking man in maybe his 30's with blonde hair. There was something about him.  He seemed familiar, but she knows that she has never met him.  He was giving off a strange vibe though.  Almost like he knew what he was doing, like he was hiding something.

He glanced at her and she looked away quickly.  She could feel him still looking at her.  She could also feel the barista getting pissed because he was holding up her growing line.  Katie was so relieved when he finally ordered his coffee and left.  Katie decided that she has had enough for today and got up to leave, when the barista walked up to her and handed her a note.
      "The guy that was staring at you asked me to give this to you."
Wow, Katie thought, guess there is a first time for everything.

Katie walked outside and thought about opening the note then thought against it and went home.  As soon as she made it safely inside her house she reached for the note.

I told you that you didn't want to know.  Please just give me Jane.

What is going on?  Why does he want Jane?  Is that the shadow?  All questions that Katie needed answers for.

(Next Chapter)

Chapter 2: Shadows

Katie felt horrible for living next to this woman for a year now and never really introducing herself.  As she stood there, next to this woman, she realized that she hasn't seen the alive version of her neighbor for a little over two weeks.

          DAMN!

She really needed to start paying more attention to the living and less to the dead.  Crap, crap, crap!  OK, so to assess the situation.  She needed to go next door.   She needed to call the police.  She needed to do a lot of things but the hot, sweaty feeling is coming back again.

As Katie looked around she noticed that her neighbor lady was gone but the feeling of heat was still here.  What is that?  Why is she breaking out in a sweat?  "Who is here?"  Nothing.  "Hello?!"  again nothing.  What is going on?  Then she saw it, in the corner of the room, it was tall and dark.  She had never seen anything like it before.  If she didn't feel anything she would have never noticed it unless it was to move, but she could feel the hate coming from it.  Whatever it was, it wasn't good.  As soon as it figured out she knew it was there, just like that, it was gone.  Then the old lady was back, and hiding behind Katie, like she was afraid of the shadow thing.  Katie can't say that she blames the old lady.  She needed to figure out what that was, but first she needed someone to go next door.

**

As Katie and the old lady stood outside the door, she could smell that the lady had been dead a while.  They were waiting on the cops that Katie had called over 20 minutes ago.  "Where are they? Geez, I called forever ago!  Why are you still here?  I have discovered you, isn't that what you wanted?"  The woman just stood there and shook her head no.   Katie, not being able to stand it any longer, started pacing the floor until the first officer arrived.

What was she going to tell the police about finding the body.
 "So you smell something, huh?"
    "Yep, I am not sure what it is but I haven't seen the lady here in a while."
 "OK, well gotta go and see what happened.  Just, stay here, OK?!"

When he opened the door the smell was outrageous, she couldn't stand there any longer.  As she started to walk away the officer came back out to inform her that the detective was going to need to speak with her.  "Why?"
   "Well because it looks to me like this was a murder."
Katie than realized the reason why the little old lady was still there.

Later that day Katie learned the old lady's name was Jane Inglis, and she was a widow.  She has 3 kids, all in their 30's and 40's.  How sad that she had to lay there for days with no one checking on her.  She also learned that both of Jane's legs were broken, she had been stabbed, and laid there for a few days until she finally passed away.

Katie doesn't remember hearing anything, but the complex that she lives in has good insulation so that doesn't surprise anyone, except Katie.  She should have been able to feel something wrong.  Katie could feel that this wasn't any regular murder, this was different, very different.

(Next Chapter)

Chapter 1: Ghosts

She went home after sitting in the cafe all day looking through the paper for a job, but when she got home the only thing waiting for her was the same old lady that had been there all week.  She didn't say anything she just followed Katie around, pointing at the wall. 

"Who are you? Why won't you talk to me? Do I know you?"  She did look sadly familiar.  Maybe she goes to the cafe where Katie goes everyday.  The lady just kept pointing at the wall.  Exasperated, Katie threw her hands up and yelled "Just Leave!"  and the old lady faded away until she was gone.  Katie knew she would be back tomorrow and the day after that if she couldn't find what the woman wanted.

Katie was so drained that she knew a hot bath and some music would do the job and leave her feeling ready for bed, but as she went to walk into the bathroom she could feel that something wasn't right.  It felt, hot and made her skin burst out in an instant sweat.  Katie had never had this feeling before.  She once again yelled out "Go away, please just for tonight" but it didn't feel like the old lady anymore.  Then it was just gone.  POOF!  She felt like normal again, well her normal anyhow.

She ran her bath extra hot tonight and had her music extra loud tonight so she couldn't hear any beings, alive or passed, and if she did she wouldn't care.  She was just starting to enjoy her bath when the radio turned off.  At first she thought that maybe she had ran out of batteries, but then remembered that she had bought a new radio last week that plugged into the wall.

"What the hell?  Why can't I just take one bath alone?  Just one!" Sighing she said "OK, what do you need?  Hello, you turned off my radio for a reason, what is it?"  Nothing, and then the little old lady was back and pointing again.  "Really?! You can't let me finish my bath?"  The lady shook her head no.  Sighing, Katie got up out of the bath, wrapped her towel around herself and asked the woman for just a little privacy to get dressed.

**

As Katie walked out into the living room she saw the lady.  She was looking at the wall and her shoulders were heaving like she was sobbing yet Katie heard nothing.

Katie went around the couch and stood next to the woman that had been coming to her house for days and finally felt it.  She felt all the sorrow that the woman had been holding in, and why she was hanging around.  Just then Katie felt bad.  This woman standing in her living room was her neighbor.  The woman was standing here because she has had no visitors in weeks and no one knew she was even dead.  

(Next Chapter)

See-er

She enjoyed sitting in the cafe all by herself.  Watching the people and making up stories of where they're from and what they do.  She mostly likes to pick up the vibes that they send to her.

She can tell just by being in the same vicinity as them how many loved ones have passed on to the other side, see how they passed, and what the reaction of the living loved ones were.  Though she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to be called, she does know that there are times where she doesn't like this power, because she feels like she never belongs anywhere, except for alone, in her own space.

Katie was born 20 years ago to Agnes and Phillip Stone, in the dead of night, while the moon shone bright outside her mothers window.  Katie is an only child, and yes it was because her parents didn't want anymore.  She grew up in the country with the barn-cats and livestock as her friends.  She enjoyed that life, before all of this started, before she was able to "read" people, and spirits.

She knows exactly when it started, she woke up one day and could feel her mom and dad downstairs having breakfast, they felt happy! She could feel her grandma outside in the garden, and she felt alive even though she hadn't been in several years. It was weird and she could have swore that she was becoming sick, because normal people don't feel what others are feeling.  It wasn't that much longer until she finished high school and moved into an apartment alone.

She isn't quite sure, once again, how she made it to the cafe, but here she sat, alone, and feeling everything.

(NEXT CHAPTER)