talien
Community Supporter
Black Guard: Part 1 – Going Gray
Ms. Gray’s home was in the west side of Rosetta on a cul-de-sac containing only five homes. A concrete sidewalk connected each home along the cul-de-sac.
The Gray home was a single story, red-bricked home with an attached garage. There was a large pecan tree in the front yard and several oak and pine trees shading the back yard. The backyard had a seven-foot wooden privacy fence. Although Ms. Gray had rose bushes and colorful annuals bordering her home, they were neglected and many had withered. Very little traffic occurred in the area. Lisa drove a new, white minivan, which she parked in the driveway.
Hammer pulled the SUV up. “Maybe we should stay in the car,” he said with a frown.
Archive blinked. “Why?”
“This isn’t our case. I don’t want to freak the poor woman out.”
“You?” asked Jim-Bean with a smirk. “Intimidating?” He switched to a Texas drawl. “Why I do declare I’ve never heard – I say I’ve never heard – of such a thing!”
“That sounds like Foghorn Leghorn,” said Hammer.
He got out of the car, if only to get away from Jim-Bean, and followed Archive to the front door.
The front door opened and a tall lady, wearing jeans, a pink blouse and tennis shoes, greeted them. She was an attractive blond with green eyes and appeared to be in her early thirties. At her thigh clung a sickly, young girl, probably seven or eight years old. The girl’s eyes were ringed with dark circles as if she had not slept well in a long while.
“Hi, I’m Lisa Gray,” said Lisa, shaking Archive’s hand.
“Joe Fontaine,” said Archive. “These are my associates, Jim and Kurt.”
“Thanks for coming. Please, come in.”
After offering tea and coffee in the kitchen, she led them back to the living room. Her daughter, Marissa, tiredly curled up against her mother. Her son, Matthew, was in the room but asked to be excused.
“Thank you so much,” began Lisa. “I’ve tried everyone and everything. It’s been two months, and no one has been able to help me, not even Magnus. Marissa woke me up early one morning, screaming that the men were here to take her…to kill her. She was very upset and it took me hours to calm her down. She missed school that day and I stayed home with her. At first I believed she had a nightmare, but it turned into our nightmare. She has awoken every night since, screaming. She describes horrible things. People skinned alive, purposely burned, and mounds of dead bodies. She refuses to sleep. She’s scared the dark man will take her.”
Lisa paused to sob, covering her face with a lace kerchief.
“Go on,” said Archive, encouraging her.
Lisa looked out the window and took a deep breath.
“The third night, I slept in her room with her. The hall clock had struck a quarter to midnight and I lay awake next to her. A few minutes passed and she started shaking in her sleep. I moved to calm her when I noticed a shadow. It stood taller than a man, maybe seven feet, and solid black. It passed the bed and moved toward the door. When I screamed, it disappeared. I’ve wondered how long it stood over me… It still does. From that night on, we’ve all felt a …presence…in this house. Then, things started moving— shoot, some things started flying! Dishes flew out of the cupboard and crashed onto the floor. Lights and electrical appliances come on and go off on their own. Banging noises, it’s too much!”
She hid her face behind the kerchief once more.
“Matthew hasn’t had the dreams, but he’s been talking. Talking to someone nobody else can see. He says her name is Amy, and that she’s scared. He also says that the dark man will hurt them. I don’t know who he means by “them,” but I’m praying it’s not us. I have taken the kids to a motel, but the ghost follows us. We can’t escape it! Please, help us. I’m so scared.”
“There, there ma’am,” said Jim-Bean, patting her hand.
Archive didn’t look at the others for permission. “We’ll stay overnight and get to the bottom of this.”
Lisa sniffed. “Thank you so much.” She put one hand on Archive’s. “Magnus said you were a good man.”
Archive gave her a weak smile. “Do you mind if we look around? That might help.”
“Of course, of course,” said Lisa, rising. “Please, help yourself to anything in the fridge. I’ll get the kids ready for bed.”
Jim-Bean smiled and nodded. He continued to speak in his Texan drawl. “If there’s a problem, I’m sure my colleagues and I will be able to get to the bottom of it.”
Lisa nodded and left the room with Marissa.
Hammer looked askance at Jim-Bean. “Are you going to talk like that all night? Because if you are, I can’t take you seriously.”
Ms. Gray’s home was in the west side of Rosetta on a cul-de-sac containing only five homes. A concrete sidewalk connected each home along the cul-de-sac.
The Gray home was a single story, red-bricked home with an attached garage. There was a large pecan tree in the front yard and several oak and pine trees shading the back yard. The backyard had a seven-foot wooden privacy fence. Although Ms. Gray had rose bushes and colorful annuals bordering her home, they were neglected and many had withered. Very little traffic occurred in the area. Lisa drove a new, white minivan, which she parked in the driveway.
Hammer pulled the SUV up. “Maybe we should stay in the car,” he said with a frown.
Archive blinked. “Why?”
“This isn’t our case. I don’t want to freak the poor woman out.”
“You?” asked Jim-Bean with a smirk. “Intimidating?” He switched to a Texas drawl. “Why I do declare I’ve never heard – I say I’ve never heard – of such a thing!”
“That sounds like Foghorn Leghorn,” said Hammer.
He got out of the car, if only to get away from Jim-Bean, and followed Archive to the front door.
The front door opened and a tall lady, wearing jeans, a pink blouse and tennis shoes, greeted them. She was an attractive blond with green eyes and appeared to be in her early thirties. At her thigh clung a sickly, young girl, probably seven or eight years old. The girl’s eyes were ringed with dark circles as if she had not slept well in a long while.
“Hi, I’m Lisa Gray,” said Lisa, shaking Archive’s hand.
“Joe Fontaine,” said Archive. “These are my associates, Jim and Kurt.”
“Thanks for coming. Please, come in.”
After offering tea and coffee in the kitchen, she led them back to the living room. Her daughter, Marissa, tiredly curled up against her mother. Her son, Matthew, was in the room but asked to be excused.
“Thank you so much,” began Lisa. “I’ve tried everyone and everything. It’s been two months, and no one has been able to help me, not even Magnus. Marissa woke me up early one morning, screaming that the men were here to take her…to kill her. She was very upset and it took me hours to calm her down. She missed school that day and I stayed home with her. At first I believed she had a nightmare, but it turned into our nightmare. She has awoken every night since, screaming. She describes horrible things. People skinned alive, purposely burned, and mounds of dead bodies. She refuses to sleep. She’s scared the dark man will take her.”
Lisa paused to sob, covering her face with a lace kerchief.
“Go on,” said Archive, encouraging her.
Lisa looked out the window and took a deep breath.
“The third night, I slept in her room with her. The hall clock had struck a quarter to midnight and I lay awake next to her. A few minutes passed and she started shaking in her sleep. I moved to calm her when I noticed a shadow. It stood taller than a man, maybe seven feet, and solid black. It passed the bed and moved toward the door. When I screamed, it disappeared. I’ve wondered how long it stood over me… It still does. From that night on, we’ve all felt a …presence…in this house. Then, things started moving— shoot, some things started flying! Dishes flew out of the cupboard and crashed onto the floor. Lights and electrical appliances come on and go off on their own. Banging noises, it’s too much!”
She hid her face behind the kerchief once more.
“Matthew hasn’t had the dreams, but he’s been talking. Talking to someone nobody else can see. He says her name is Amy, and that she’s scared. He also says that the dark man will hurt them. I don’t know who he means by “them,” but I’m praying it’s not us. I have taken the kids to a motel, but the ghost follows us. We can’t escape it! Please, help us. I’m so scared.”
“There, there ma’am,” said Jim-Bean, patting her hand.
Archive didn’t look at the others for permission. “We’ll stay overnight and get to the bottom of this.”
Lisa sniffed. “Thank you so much.” She put one hand on Archive’s. “Magnus said you were a good man.”
Archive gave her a weak smile. “Do you mind if we look around? That might help.”
“Of course, of course,” said Lisa, rising. “Please, help yourself to anything in the fridge. I’ll get the kids ready for bed.”
Jim-Bean smiled and nodded. He continued to speak in his Texan drawl. “If there’s a problem, I’m sure my colleagues and I will be able to get to the bottom of it.”
Lisa nodded and left the room with Marissa.
Hammer looked askance at Jim-Bean. “Are you going to talk like that all night? Because if you are, I can’t take you seriously.”
