Beneath the Elder Tree (13 page)

   ‘Not all the shepherds of the world could prevent my return.’

    There was one last kiss before he left the building. I turned and headed up the stairwell towards Laura’s apartment. Then, as I reached the second floor, I glanced out the small window to take another look at Tim as he made his way to the city. I was startled to see he was not walking away from the apartment block. Tim was already quite a distance away and was flying…

   ‘That’s quite a handy trick,’ I breathed. ‘No secrets indeed.’

- CHAPTER FOURTEEN -

Full of Surprises

Not even the monotonous gloom of the mirror world could spoil my mood that morning. I was enchanted as I waited for Laura to wake. The hybrid energy I had created with Tim still clung to my soul and I basked in the warmth it filled me with. I couldn’t wait to see him again. To hold and kiss him once more. I was adrift in a wonderful dream as the early hours rolled on.

   Laura’s alarm snatched me from my thoughts. Annoyingly, it took her over an hour to leave the bed. She kept hitting the snooze button and drifting back to the soft hug of sleep. It was almost midday when she finally climbed off the bed and got dressed. Grace was still sleeping in her room, the drapes pulled, the essence of stale cigarettes and alcohol in the air around her.

   My chosen had a shower before making a cup of coffee that she brought to the couch. She sipped from the mug, that looked oversized in her childlike hands, and watched TV. I lingered near her, sometimes regarding her, sometimes floating about the room and contemplating the lust of the previous night. Eventually I found myself perched like a stone gargoyle on the arm of the chair, gazing at the TV screen. I was truly a spirit now - I was starting to sit the way Emily did.

   The shows she watched had little meaning to me. They were like graffiti in a foreign language - interesting to look at for a few seconds, nothing more.

   My attention was snared when she flicked through the channels and landed on a news report. It declared there had been another murder. I hurried to the screen and moved my face close to the flickering images. As a spirit I found it difficult to focus too long on TV - the artificial stream of lifelike footage didn’t translate properly into mirror world. The picture was indistinct and the sound was distorted with echoes. I concentrated as hard as I could and gradually there was some clarity before my eyes. I saw a reporter standing near a railway line, microphone in hand, with a densely forested area spanning the background.

   ‘We believe the bodies are somewhere in the trees behind me,’ she said, answering an earlier question from the anchorman. ‘The authorities remain cautious in connecting this to all the deaths that we discussed earlier. They simply don’t have enough evidence to make a concrete connection between each of them. This could always be the work of copycats. However, according to my sources within the police department, there is a growing belief that all the murders are the work of one very disturbed individual - the man known as The Rosehill Ripper. This is fast becoming one of the worst series of crimes in living memory. My count is twenty three deaths in a little over six months. It’s hard to know where this is going to stop.’

   ‘It really is appalling, Jenny,’ the anchorman said, his tone flavoured with disingenuous concern. ‘Can you go into any detail in relation to these most recent crimes?’

   ‘Not much. As you can see behind me, the entire area is cordoned off. What I do know is that two bodies were found here three hours ago. The couple have been identified by the police, but not yet named publicly. I’ve been told that they lived in the suburbs, and commuted to the city each day. They never made it home yesterday evening.’

   I looked over my shoulder and focused on Laura. She was only half watching the bulletin. The joy I’d felt that morning had abandoned me. A foreboding had taken its place. Why did I feel that Laura was in danger? In nagged me incessantly. It made little sense, as Tim had said the night before. There were millions of people living in the city and the suburbs that stretched out from it like spatters of blood. The odds of Laura ever crossing the ripper’s path were very slim indeed.

   The reporter ended her account before the camera snapped to a studio showing two newsreaders and a guest psychologist who was about to attempt to make sense of the killer’s motivations. I didn’t want to hear it. In fact, I didn’t want this horror invading my heart and ruining what had been the best day I had spent in mirror world. There had been too much darkness and depression and I wanted to be free of it.

   ‘Come on, you,’ I said to my chosen as she drained her mug. ‘Let’s get out of this place before Grace wakes up.’

   My words were transformed into thoughts in Laura’s mind. She was heading down the concrete steps to the open air within five minutes. I followed her from a distance, not wanting to influence her course. She had surprised me days before, when she had visited the city, perhaps she would surprise me again.

   It was dreary in Millbrook, as it always was. Laura didn’t belong in such a place. But no one really deserves to endure poverty. Everyone is too good for it. It made me sad that society had broken down. Mankind had fractured into nations, religions and classes. A person’s life depended on where they were born and who their parents are. It dictates everything that follows. The course of life is decided on little more than the flip of a coin…

   I was getting depressed, much like Emily used to be when she was around the mortals for any length of time. I was hating my fate again. My thoughts wandered ahead to the coming of night world and Tim’s return. I was neglecting Laura again - that was until she did something that tore me from my grim meditations.

   She crossed the little field in the centre of the estate and walked towards the grocery store. Along the way she would have to pass someone who was loitering by the street corner, sucking almost frantically on a cigarette. I recognised him as Mouse, the youngest member of Josh’s gang of drug dealers. He looked rather timid compared to the last time I’d seen him. Looks can be deceiving though - this young man was part of a group of violent drug dealers who weren’t very fond of Laura.

   My chosen would have to walk right past him to reach the store, and my anxiety levels were rising. The last thing I needed was her getting involved in another altercation with the wolves of Millbrook.

   Mouse hardly noticed her approach, and I thought that this would pass off without a single word. He did his best to ignore her as she stepped onto the pavement and came towards him. Laura didn’t ignore him. No, she walked straight up to him. He stared at her as she drew close. He was completely taken aback, which is probably why he didn’t tell her to piss off before she spoke to him.

   I was glad he didn’t.

   ‘My name is Laura. I live just over there.’ She pointed over her shoulder at the dilapidated block with her thumb. ‘You know me, right?’

   ‘Yeah, I know you. You cost me a night in a jail cell a couple of weeks ago when you ratted us out to the police. You’re a pest.’

   ‘One action doesn’t define a person.’

   ‘What?’ Mouse frowned. Nobody in his circle of friends spoke as Laura did. ‘What do you want?’

   ‘I just wanted to say that I was sorry to hear about your friend Josh. He wasn’t very nice to me - nobody is - but I don’t believe anyone deserves to die like that.’

   ‘Uh…’ Mouse was stunned. He struggled to speak. The people he associated with never displayed sympathy like this. ‘Thanks…’

   ‘I hope you feel better soon.’ And with that she gave him one of her precious little smiles and started to walk away.

   ‘Hey, Laura,’ Mouse called after her. ‘I’m sorry.’

   ‘For what?’ she asked, tilting her head slightly.

   ‘For standing by when he hurt you. I’m not like that…’Mouse obviously felt awkward when he tried to articulate his true feelings and thoughts. He couldn’t even bring himself to look her in the eye. ‘I’m not into hurting people. I just hang out with them so I won’t be hurt. People used to pick on me when I was a kid. They don’t pick on me anymore because I’m in the gang, you know.’

   ‘That makes sense.’

   ‘Doesn’t make it right.’

   ‘The first step is to know what’s right and what’s wrong. Now all you have to do is start living the right way.’

   ‘Yeah,’ he turned his face from her and sucked hard on the cigarette. ‘Maybe now is the time to change. Now that Josh is gone.’

   ‘Maybe.’

   Laura smiled at him then made her way to the store. She didn’t have much money, just a collection of coins that threatened to pull down her jeans. She had just about enough to buy two loaves of bread and two cartons of milk. She shared her smile once more, this time with the store owner as she lifted her purchases from the counter. She struggled to carry the groceries and within twenty yards one of the loaves of bread had slipped from her grasp and slapped the pavement.

  ‘Let me help you.’

   She turned to see Mouse crossing the street. He looked around, not wanting to be spotted helping someone out, and when he was sure the coast was clear he picked up the bread and offered to carry one of the cartons of milk.

   ‘Thanks… er… Mouse, isn’t it?’

   ‘My real name’s Shane. People call me Mouse because I’m small. I prefer Shane. You can call me that if you like.’

   ‘Shane is a nice name. Anyway, you’re slightly taller than me so I wouldn’t feel right calling you Mouse.’

   ‘You want me to carry this to the apartment block for you?’

   ‘I’m not taking it to the block.’

   ‘You’re not?’

   ‘Nope. I’m taking these to the other side of the estate. It isn’t far, if you have a few minutes to spare.’

   ‘Sure.’

   They didn’t say much as they traversed the winding roads of Millbrook. I could sense they were both feeling rather proud of themselves - thrilled even that they had made a connection and stopped antagonising one another. It made me happy to look at them. I also felt a little sad that two youngsters could feel a thrill by simply being pleasant and helpful to one another. It should have been commonplace, not a rarity.

   Laura led Mouse around a series of corners to a row of maisonettes. This was the poorest section of Millbrook, and was situated right on the outskirts of the suburb with a view of the freeway that led to the city. Mouse couldn’t figure out what Laura was up to. Neither could I. Her purpose only became clear when she knocked on the front door of the most decrepit of abodes. A young mother, with two toddlers clinging to her knees, answered the door and looked out gingerly. She nearly died when she saw Mouse loitering at the end of her garden. Laura calmed her down and told her he was a friend and not to be feared. My chosen spoke to her for a few moments, asking her how she was and if her youngest child had gotten over his most recent bout of illness. Then Laura handed over one carton of milk and a loaf of bread. The young woman told her she would someday repay all the kind deeds that Laura had done for her.

   Mouse looked at her like she had three heads as she walked back to the pavement. It’s likely he never witnessed a random act of kindness in his entire life. In fact, as I focused on him, I knew he had never seen someone doing something as charitable as this.

   Laura brought the rest of the groceries to the last maisonette on the row. An elderly man who could no longer look after himself properly came to the door and gave her a hug. It was obvious Laura had been doing this for quite some time, which explained why she never gave Grace her change when she bought her cigarettes. Laura actually endured arguments with her mother so she could help these unfortunates. She truly was worthy of a guide. Did I deserve her? I had done nothing but wrong since I had entered the mirror world. Sooner or later I would have to choose between Laura or Tim. I was not looking forward to making that decision.

   ‘That’s rare, you know,’ Mouse said, looking out at the busy freeway. ‘Being nice to folks like that. I doubt anyone else around here would do it.’

   ‘That’s why I do it.’ Laura came to his side and looked at the cars droning by. ‘It doesn’t take a lot of effort to help people.’

   ‘I like the way you think. You’re real clever. Real kind. It makes me feel even worse that I didn’t help you out when Josh was threatening you.’

   Now I could see that mortals still had the ability to surprise me - in good ways. They had both been born into a harsh environment. They had taken completely different ways during their short lives. They were natural enemies. Now, through the tragedy and horror of Josh’s murder, came understanding and respect. I knew nothing of the world. I was as lost as everyone else and had little sense of what was around the next corner. Tim was right; there was no way to predict the future. Everything was random. My fears about the ripper were unfounded. The dread I had been feeling was nonsensical paranoia that didn’t belong in the spirit worlds.

   Mouse lit another cigarette as he sat on the crest of the hill overlooking the eight lanes of traffic. Laura sat upwind of him.

   ‘I’m sorry we gave you a hard time,’ he said without looking at her. ‘It wasn’t right.’

   ‘You’ve already apologised.’

   ‘Shouldn’t have jeered you about your mother being a drinker.’ He took a heavy pull on the cigarette and flicked it down the hillside. ‘Truth be told, all of my friends have been in the same boat as you. You know, most of our folks are either drinkers or junkies. My mother drinks all the time.’

   ‘You never jeered me about my mother. It was always Josh.’

   ‘I know. He was a right bastard sometimes.’

   ‘He was. Let’s not speak ill of the dead, though. I don’t want to be haunted.’

   ‘This will be the last place Josh haunts if he is a ghost. Deep down he hated this place. That’s why he was always looking for money. He wanted out of Millbrook as bad as we all do.’

   ‘He went about his escape in the wrong way.’

   ‘I can see that now.’

   There was a long moment of silence between them before Laura asked how Mouse dealt with his mother’s alcoholism. He was a little taken aback by the question, but opened up to her as he nervously lit yet another cigarette.

   ‘I can remember when I was a kid - when my dad was around. Life was actually good for a while. Millbrook was a lot cleaner back then and there weren’t as many gangs and junkies. Mum used to look after me. She used to take me places. I cared a lot about her back then. It changed when my dad died… he killed himself…’