Haunted (open)

[Deagan (DELETED 7215)]

Deagan had truly begun to wonder if he was dreaming. The strange man who he had been following for no real reason other than a gut instinct that had told him he should, had turned to Deagan, addressed him by his full name, and handed him a card with a phone number.

Call me at that number when you can set up a meeting in a more private locale.

The man had also made a reference to Deagan's "fan club" that Deagan had not fully understood until he turned to see that both the young man and the young woman from the bookstore had followed him into the mall, looks of deep concern still creasing their features. "But who are-" he began as he turned back to the stranger with the ancient eyes, who somehow knew his name, but the strange man had slipped away, as if he too were a ghost. This is starting to get repetitive, Deagan thought morosely. At the same time he was bolstered by another thought. This card with a number on it could finally be the break that he was looking for. Everything that had happened since his arrived at McCallahan's seemed to be leading him back to his goal of finding his wife's killer. Perhaps his journey was almost at an end.

He had to protect this lead. He couldn't afford for anyone to interfere with this new found opportunity, no matter how well-meaning they might be. As instrumental versions of forgotten pop songs played over the mall speakers, Deagan turned to the two Samaritans who had now reached where he was standing. With palms open, he smiled kindly and spoke. "I'm so sorry to have caused you both concern. I'm fine, really. Just had a bit of an episode in there. I'm afraid I haven't been feeling well recently. Please don't trouble yourselves further. I just need to go home and get some rest."

The smile was sincere. He really did appreciate the thoughtfulness of the these bookstore patrons. But underneath the expression his eyes were frantic. He had a desperate urge to get away, to find a phone, to call this man and find out everything he would tell Deagan about..about what? About why Deagan's wife was now a ghost who haunted him? Deagan's smile began to slip, as memories of Emily's face came rushing back...

[Cathy Dawn]

Cathy stopped when the dark vampire which was what she figured the one man out to be told her that the Author of the book she had bought was pray. Oh no this man was not going to be pray to anyone. She was against feeding off humans and would not do so because it was not right. She had a fridge that was full of bottles of blood just like the guy on forever knight. She watched as the author turned and looked at her and then behind her so she took a glance over her shoulder and saw the other man from the store behind her. She looked back and the man that was dark was gone. Walking up to the older man she placed a hand on his arm.

"That one is dark and evil. Do not trust him please he may hurt you." Her eyes showed her concern before she spoke again in her soft voice. "You are haunted by someone. I know because you asked what killed them. I do not know who you are haunted by but my Nana always said that ghost where there to show us things that we would not see without them." Okay so this girl was out of place even if she was a young vampire she would not let anyone hurt this man he was someone she might be able to talk to about ghost and things of that nature. That and she might have insight for him. Turning to look at the other man she held up the bag that had the store logo on it so he could see she had paid for her books. Just incase he thought she had not.

[Rudy]

Rudy paused a second as the other vampires voice echoed in his head, something eerie about it like the being that had turned Rudy. Old seemed to ooze out of the other vampire like the stench that rolled off of a skunk it permeated his being. Rudy stared unceremoniously at him and raised his middle finger thinking " **** you ' just in case he was still wandering about in his mind.

Rudy noticed the receipt for the books hanging out of the girls bag as he approached , how he had missed her paying for the books he did not know, but having someone yelling " Who killed you ?" at the top of their lungs in the middle of a book store would surely distract someone. Rudy listened as the young woman called the other Vampire evil ... he must have spoken to her as well.... Yes, Yes she is a vampire Rudy thought to himself ... you could hardly tell it she was so new.

Rudy spoke up " Man I am glad you are all right but I would give going off with that dude a second thought ... Too many gangsters in this town they will lure you to a alleyway and cut your throat for your dough.
I really am glad you are ok I thought you were having a heart attack or had seen a ghost " He paused a moment then mumbled under his breath "Like there aren't plenty of those around here too ."

[Deagan (DELETED 7215)]

First the ghost of his dead wife. Then the mysterious stranger who knew his name. Now this odd young woman with an almost childlike demeanor. Telling him the stranger was evil. Telling him she knew he was haunted. It was as if the whole world had gone mad. But truly hadn't the world gone mad exactly one year ago, when Deagan discovered Emily's corpse, her throat slashed and all the blood drained from her body? (And yet not a single drop anywhere else in their home). The police had been vague and evasive at first; downright rude to him towards the end when they declared it a cold case, unsolvable.

Yes, the world was truly mad, and it appeared that Deagan was just now finally catching up with it. He was Alice down the rabbit hole. We're all mad here. But the young woman who had reached out and touched his arm, who in some ways herself resembled Tenniel's classic illustrations of Alice, appeared to be a kind soul, and truly concerned. The young man as well who had joined them. He continued his reassurances:

"I have no intention of following that man." And it was true. The stranger had disappeared into the crowd of the 8th Dimension mall. He couldn't follow him now if he wanted to. "The fact is I somehow got it into my head that he could help me with...what happened back there. But I am going to go home now and get some rest. It's good to see that in this day and age strangers can still take an interest in each other's troubles. I see you have my book," to the young woman. "Allow me to autograph it for you, as a gesture of appreciation."

He took the book gently from her and produced a pen from his coat pocket. Inside the front cover he wrote This is my phone number. Call me anytime you like if you are concerned. Beneath it he wrote to number to the landline in his home. It was a listed number. She could have just as easily looked it up in any public directory, knowing full-well his name from the dust jacket of the book on giant mythological birds. But he decided to facilitate things. Because he was going to want to speak to this young woman further, to find out why she said the things she did, and how she knew what she knew. She was now a piece of the puzzle.

He handed the book back to her and turned to the young man. "And I'm sorry I have nothing in particular I can give you, but would you be so kind as to let the owner of the bookstore know that I would be happy to sign copies of my books for them as well, to make up for my embarrassing disturbance today?" Deagan had gotten the impression from the somewhat proprietary way the young man had tried to handle him back in the store that, if he was not an employee himself, he must at least have some connection to the owner or owners.

With one more reassuring smile, Deagan turned to leave. He had noticed a mall security guard heading towards McCallahans out of the corner of his eye. He could not afford to be detained any longer. Deagan McNamara hurried towards his waiting car, disappearing into the shuffling crowd of the mall just as the stranger had minutes earlier.

[Cathy Dawn]

Cathy watched as Deagan signed her book and left his number on it as well. She took the book back and looked at him as she did a smile on her face for this was going to be one of the few books she had an authors signature on it. She did not know though what to think for the man had disappeared into the crowd before she could say anything to him. She hoped he would be okay and would call him when she felt he would be able to talk. In a crowded place like this she was starting to get her feeling of dread back and almost wanted to shrink into the ground. She was glad though her restaurant was not that far away and ran to it. She nodded to some of the customer in the place and smiled at them before heading to the back of the place to store the books in the office and get to cooking. People where probably hungry.