Reunion (A Psychological Suspense with Murder, Mystery and the Paranormal) (19 page)

She removed her hands from her face. “Stop it, Nick! Just stop it!”

Bryan cautiously moved toward Nick.

“No! He was there! I swear to God! He was in the window!”

Nick continued pointing and shouting. None of the others seemed to see anything.

Julie hopped down from her chair and made her way toward Nick as he stumbled over the lighting gear and microphone-boom stand. “Sir! Would you please leave the premises?”

Nick ignored the reporter, focusing on Bryan and Tanner. Some of the news crew began to encircle him.

Kate covered her ears and shouted louder. “Shut up, Nick! Just shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You’re crazy! Get out of here, please!”

Nick lunged in Kate’s direction. Bryan intercepted his drunken attempt by tackling him to the ground. Naturally, Nick resisted. He kicked his feet and swung his fist at him. Although slightly inebriated, Nick managed to regain his balance and continued toward Kate. Tanner and the men on the camera crew moved in to assist.

Bryan grabbed Nick’s right arm, but Nick escaped his grasp and swung his fist directly at Bryan’s face. He hit him in the jaw. Bryan twisted and fell to the ground, feeling the heat from the blow and the taste of blood in his mouth.

Tanner and the others clasped Nick’s arms and legs and forced him, face down, onto the grass. Bryan jumped back into the mix. He grabbed Nick’s arm and twisted it around his lower back. He pulled hard until Nick shrieked in pain. Bryan grabbed his handcuffs from his utility belt, and locked one side around Nick’s wrist. The other men helped Bryan pull Nick’s other arm around, causing him a great deal of pain.

“What the hell are you doing, Bryan?” screamed Nick. “That hurts! I’m trying to help you!”

He continued shouting and grunting while Bryan cuffed the other hand and then glanced at Kate. She dropped her head into her hands and began to sob, with tears flowing and shoulders shaking.

After securing Nick, Bryan looked at the crowd as his knee pressed into Nick’s back. Maria rushed to comfort Kate and Lana came to her aid as well. Julie paced back and forth, then lost it, tossed her arms and notes into the air and walked away.

Nick screamed obscenities, twisting his neck to face his captors. “You sons of bitches! You know he’s there! Why don’t you tell them, Bryan? Kate, you have to believe me! I wouldn’t lie to you, baby!” Nick lay face down on the ground. Dirt and grass stains soiled his cheeks and clothes. He smelled of body odor and beer. Bryan called for backup on his handheld radio, knowing full well that Nick was telling the truth.

• • •

Kate couldn’t stand to hear Nick throwing another fit. She was weary of his ranting and drunken binges, after putting up with them for twenty years. She looked at him and thought, that’s it. I’m done. She watched Bryan haul Nick away. Another deputy arrived and assisted. She heard Bryan tell Nick that he was being arrested for assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and public intoxication. Kate had wanted to trust Nick. She had wanted to believe him. But mostly, she wanted a normal life. She wanted the craziness to end.

D
eputy Burns pressed Nick’s head down as they hustled him into the back of the sheriff’s vehicle. Julie’s crew stared in shock and grumbled amongst themselves as they picked up the mess. All their hard work had turned into a disaster.

Nick continued his protest out of the open door of the car.

“Why won’t any of you listen to me? I saw him myself! And you know about him too, don’t you, Bryan?”

“Shut up!” commanded Deputy Burns.

Nick kicked the seat in front of him. He stretched his neck toward the open door and shouted, “I know about the boy! I saw what happened to him!”

Bryan tucked in his shirt, regaining his composure. When he heard Nick, he turned toward Deputy Burns and said, “Would you shut him up, please?”

The deputy pushed Nick’s head back in again and slammed the door shut. Nick continued shouting and throwing a tantrum, but he could no longer be heard. Bryan watched him slam his head against the fencing that separated him from the front seat, screaming profanities.

• • •

Bryan headed back toward the old maple tree and joined the others as they brushed off grass and debris from their clothes. The cameramen worked on the damaged equipment. Julie returned, knelt down and picked up her notes. Tanner dusted himself off and approached Lana and the other women.

“What the hell was that all about?” he asked.

Kate felt indignant. “He’s crazy! He claims to have seen the ghost of David Ray here at the school. In fact, a few days ago he said David tried to communicate with him.”

Maria pulled back. “What? Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because—he’s—crazy! You just don’t know him like I do. He’s got it bad, Maria. If he’s not having a panic attack, he’s drowning himself in alcohol.”

“I bet!” said a member of the camera crew. “He was drunk as a skunk and smelled like a locker room!”

The other cameraman laughed.

Kate turned her eyes down and away. She hated to hear them talk about Nick that way, but she knew he was a mess—an absolute psychological train wreck.

Tanner interjected, “Let me get this straight, Kate. What you’re saying is…” He pointed at the school. His voice was tinged with disbelief. “…there’s a ghost in there?”

Kate lifted her head up and snapped at Tanner. “No! I’m
not
saying that! I’m saying, what you just witnessed with Nick, happens all the time. And it’s getting worse!” Lana gently rubbed Kate’s back.

Maria added, “Okay, everyone. Let’s just stop and think about this. Apparently, Nick seems to have an extreme case of PTSD, maybe even bordering on schizophrenia. And if that’s the case, I’m not surprised he’d have a panic attack like that here at the school. Sometimes, in extreme cases, one can experience hallucinations accompanied with reality-based sensations.”

Kate threw her hands in the air. “Yeah…no kidding!”

Lana asked, “Are you going to be okay, Kate?”

Kate nodded.

“Is there something you’re not telling us?” asked Lana.

“No…I’m just a little shaken up, that’s all.”

Kate wasn’t being altogether truthful. She sat there thinking about the words Nick had shouted during the scuffle.
You know he’s there. Why don’t you tell them?

“All right. Just as long as you know we’re here for you,” said Maria. She put her hand on Kate’s other shoulder and turned toward Julie. “Hey, Julie! In case you aren’t aware of it, you just experienced the dark side of post-traumatic stress disorder.”

“I see that!” agreed Julie as she turned to address Kate. “Was that your husband?”

Kate felt embarrassed, but answered, “Yes.” She noticed Tanner gazing at the school.

Tanner squinted. “I don’t see anything up there.”

Kate responded, “And don’t ever plan on seeing anything, Tanner!”

Julie held up her pile of notes and announced, “Well, I think we’ve done enough damage for one day! What do you say we try to put together a post-reunion interview, huh? Maybe between the pre—and post-reunion we can get enough material to put a program together.” The others were now fatigued and indifferent. They grumbled “Whatever” and “Yeah, sure.”

Julie walked away then turned back. “Oh, and by the way, Dr. Heinz said the school will be ready by Friday. You’ll have to let me know if you need anything, okay? I’ll still be glad to help you guys any way I can.” She rounded up the crew to head for their next assignment.

• • •

Maria lit up a cigarette and hurried toward Julie. “Julie, wait up.”

Julie turned around.

Maria pushed her dark hair behind her ears and said, “I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. You really did go above and beyond. We really do appreciate it.”

Julie smiled at Maria. “My pleasure.”

“I’ll let you know if we need anything for the celebration. Right now, I think everyone just needs to talk about things and help Kate get through this. I’m sure you understand.”

“Yes. I do. I guess the next time we’ll have to beef up security.”

“Yeah. Who would’ve thought?” Maria shrugged her shoulders and inhaled deeply on her cigarette.

The two women chuckled and went their separate ways. Maria walked back to her classmates.

Tanner, Bryan, Kate and Lana all watched her as she approached.

“What?” asked Maria, feeling uncomfortable.

Tanner said, “It’s up to you, Maria.”

“What do you mean, it’s up to me?”

Lana glanced at the others and said, “We took a vote to decide if we should still go through with this. It’s a tie, and you have the final say. So, it’s up to you.”

Maria nearly choked on her own breath. “Uh! That’s just great. Thanks for putting all the pressure on me.”

Kate calmly interrupted. “It’s all right, Maria. We’re okay with whatever you choose. Seriously! There’s no pressure. We all have our own opinions, but we’ll do whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Maria looked at the school and remembered the letter that Darrin wrote. She recalled his strong arms that kept her safe from the flying bullets. She remembered all her patients who depended on her experience to get them through their PTSD. She thought about the moment when she first realized that she needed to return to Crescent Falls. She knew her healing wouldn’t be complete until she came full circle.

She closed her eyes just before she made her final decision and took a slow, deep breath to calm her nerves. She opened her eyes and said, “I vote…yes. Nick’s got some issues to work out. But that shouldn’t stop us from using this opportunity to move forward.”

“I think you’re right,” said Tanner. “I didn’t come all this way just to get scared by some alcohol-induced phantom.” He looked at Kate. “No offense, Kate.”

Kate replied, “None taken.”

“It’s settled then!” said Lana.

Bryan looked away and said nothing.

Kate sniffled. “Now what do we do?”

“Now,” replied Maria. “We help get this place cleaned up. Dr. Heinz is supposed to have the maintenance team back out here and I think it would be a nice gesture if we helped.”

The others nodded in agreement, slowly left the empty parking lot, and headed back to their homes and hotels.

• • •

Bryan climbed into the patrol car and drove away with Deputy Burns. Nick twisted his head around and stared out the rear window, his hands in cuffs behind his back. He gazed at the school. His heart practically jumped out of his chest when he saw the shadow reappear in the window. He shouted out but was ignored by the two deputies.

• • •

Larry Richards placed Nick with the general prison population this time.

Nick waited until the other inmates fell asleep before he lay down. His dirty cot squeaked and smelled of urine. The sight of the other criminals and the smell of his bed brought him to an all-time low. He dropped his head in shame and began sobbing.

What’s my problem, he asked himself. What the hell am I doing here? I’m not crazy…am I?

His mind filled with self-doubt. He stared at the other prisoners and compared himself to them. Some were drug users. Some were lifelong criminals or petty thieves. He looked at their rotting teeth and needle marks. Pathetic, he thought. I’ve got skills. I’ve got a wife. I’ve got a job. He lifted his head and shouted, “I don’t belong in here! I’m telling the truth!” His voice echoed through the concrete structure.

In spite of his anger he felt tired from the booze and the trouble at the school. His eyes weakened, begging him to sleep. He laid his head down on the cot and stared into the darkness. In the distance, a steel door slammed as the night shift finished their rounds. The crash startled Nick just as he’d begun to fall asleep. Always on edge, he jerked awake again in fear. He rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath, his heart palpitating. He lay back down, exhausted from the emotional trauma of the day and fell asleep.

When his mind entered the REM state of sleep, neurons triggered electrically induced images and memories from the day. Thoughts of his truck coalesced with images of the ghost in the window. Seconds later, memories of intimate moments with Kate whisked through his brain. Her smile and a kiss washed out the previous image, replaced by another, and another.

His mind created a whimsical chase that caused his heart to beat wildly. He ran hard toward a light, but soon fell prey to darkness. His legs and arms pumped wildly, escaping a black form that jetted ever closer. His sleeping eyes, tucked away under their lids, began racing from side to side, searching for something, an escape, a light. He moaned and cried out in his sleep as his brain battled his inner fears.

Nick’s mind could not escape his troubles, not even when he rested. As he dreamed of love and falling, his thoughts were suddenly hijacked. He was suddenly overtaken by the thoughts of another soul. Somehow, David Ray transferred the images of his life into Nick’s mind.

Nick began to revisit the massacre, and the screams and cries for help from the victimized students. He saw their faces as if
he
was the murderer. He looked into their eyes, observing as they cowered in fear. He watched his own body reach for his bloodied twin as if he were floating above it all. His heart pounded viciously as he saw himself scramble to gather the splintered parts that flew from Randy’s head. He heard himself shriek in agony over the loss of his brother, crying and screaming for Randy to wake up. At the same time he could feel the anger that swirled inside David.

As he watched himself holding his twin brother, he felt as if he were actually living in that moment. Should he cover Kate or hold his brother? He looked at each one, growing more and more confused. Consequently, he clumsily and inadequately tried to do both.

He felt fear, love and hate all at once.

Moments later, Nick left the scene of the massacre as his body floated into the air. He traveled upward through the roof, past the mother and small boy who sped away in their car. He flew faster and faster, traveling back in time until he hovered over David Ray’s living room. Staring down from above he watched a puny, thirteen-year-old David receiving a beating from a
friend
of David’s mother. The man pushed him to the floor and kicked him in his side. He shouted profanities at David as he dealt a series of blows. A rib cracked. The boy curled in a fetal position, praying that someone would scoop him up and carry him to safety. But no one came. He cried for help. The man bent over to continue the abuse.