Chapter Three

Chapter One| Chapter Two

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Chapter Three

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William awoke to the smell of bacon and fresh coffee. He sat up slowly, grasping for some hint of what had happened the night before. Had he invited a woman to stay? Possible, but that wouldn’t explain why he was sleeping on the couch.

It came back to him in a heartbeat. The strange woman showing up in his room. And now she was in his kitchen, making breakfast. He stood, and made his way towards the other room, stopping just outside the door. Caught up in her preparations, she didn’t notice him watching. She was still in his shirt, he noted with a small measure of contentment. It clung to each and every curve, and hung down halfway to her knees. A pair of pajama bottoms covered her lower half, blue teddy bears dotting the pink fabric–the pants she had been wearing the night before. Will couldn’t help but think that the odd combination made her look touchingly vulnerable.

She turned to grab the salt, (third shelf up in the cupboard above the stove, where it had been throughout her stories) but paused when she noticed him. “Good morning,” she said, turning to face him. “I made breakfast. I hope that’s okay.”

He nodded, the movement bouncing his bed-mussed curls. “Sleep well?”

She shrugged, quickly turning back to the stove. Will took a seat at the table, watching her work. She seemed tense. The silence between them stretched out for several minutes, until it became almost painful to endure. She carried two plates to the table, and sat down across from him.

Suzy poised her fork over her food, paused, and then set the fork back down on the table. A shaky breath escaped her lips. Will watched her in silence.

“You can’t fall asleep in a dream,” she said finally. “This is really happening.”

“I know.”

It wasn’t the reassurance she had been hoping for. No problem, I’ll send you home after breakfast. That’s what she was hoping for. Or, rather, to be sent home after dinner. She wanted time to do some research before she went home. She did have to get home, though, and by that night, at the very latest. She called to check in with her mother every Sunday; if she missed the call, her mom would freak. She was already unhappy with her for living so far from where she had grown up.

“It’s time to get you home. You said Indiana, right? Is that one of the new Moira colonies?”

Suzy thought quickly. The Moira colonies were settlements on a strip of islands off the western shore of the country. How could she have forgotten? Her made-up characters existed in a made-up world. “No, it’s a part of the United States. This is a different world.”

William stilled. Exactly how far had the girl traveled? What had he done? “You’re from a different planet?”

“Uh, no. I don’t think so. It’s still Earth, just a different one than I live on.”

“A different one?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Given the scope of the story, it was just easier to invent my own world than it was to research all of the different real locations, and worry about getting it all right.”

“You need to get past the idea that you created this world, and me.”

“Then how have I been writing about you for the past five years?” She knew that she wasn’t dreaming, or crazy, or any other normally rational reason why she would find herself in this position. Accepting the fact that this was real, however, was proving to be a challenge.

“I don’t know. I suspect it might have something to do with-” he broke off with a pensive look.

“With your unique talents?” She finished for him. “I know about them, Will.” She understood his hesitancy. Not many people knew, and not all of the ones who did accepted it.

“How did you do it?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. “I don’t know that either. One minute I was sleeping, the next, there you were. I didn’t do anything.”

“You can send me home, though? Later this evening, I mean. I’d like to explore some first.”

William fell silent.

“Will? You can send me back, right?” Suzy asked, with some trepidation in her voice.

“Normally, I suspect that I could, yes.” Will replied slowly, avoiding eye contact.

“Normally?” This was not what she wanted to here. A day or two was one thing, but she had to get back. She had responsibilities, a life. Family that would worry, wondering where she was. Getting stranded here wasn’t an option.

“Something has been a little off lately. Something hasn’t been right, and my abilities have been a bit… disagreeable.”

“Disagreeable, how?”

“Things have been happening. I wake up with stuff floating around the bedroom, or I try to do one thing, and something totally different happens.” Like a few days ago, when his attempt to turn on a light resulted in the radio and television both turning on, moments before his circuit breaker blew. “I’ve never teleported anyone before, intentionally or otherwise. And I’m afraid something might go wrong if I try to send you back before finding out what’s wrong with me.”

Suzy took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She could feel panic curling its icy fingers around her insides. “I’m stuck here.”

“Temporarily. I’ll get you home as soon as I can. It just might take a while.”

“How long?” There was a positive side to this. There was. She could spend the time researching, getting to know William. She was long past due for a vacation, anyhow. And her family would forgive her for her unexplained absence eventually.

“I don’t know. Not long, I hope. Until then, I’ll help get you set up somewhere. We’ll find you a room to rent, and—”

Suzy’s head snapped up. Find her a room to rent? Maybe it had been foolish, but she had assumed, as she was stuck here anyhow, that she would be able to stay with him.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, noticing her abrupt movement.

Suzy shook her head. What could she say? It was his call. When she said nothing, he continued. “It might take a few days to find a place, but I’ll see that you have anything you need.”

If she was still disappointed, Suzy didn’t let it show. An hour later, he led her into a small boutique. They had walked there, giving her a chance to explore a bit. The sights and sounds of the world she had imagined were overwhelming. She had traveled these streets in her mind; actually being here was surreal.

The tiny store smelled like lavender, and was full of clothing she wouldn’t have been able to afford at home. She looked back to William, hesitation written plainly on her face.

“These are nice, but I don’t need anything this fancy.” It would take her forever to pay him back, assuming she could find a job for while she was here.

“You don’t see anything you like?”

“Oh, no. Everything here is lovely. I just don’t feel comfortable with you spending this amount of money on me.”

“I have to spend it on something. Please, all things considered, it really is the least I can do.”

Suzy nodded uneasily, determined to only get what she needed. She would get everything else herself, as soon as she could. William stood to the side as she gathered up the essentials, and then watched the saleswoman ring up the sale. She gathered up her bags, and headed back into the crowded streets, William close behind her.

“We have one more stop to make,” William said, guiding her around a corner with a gentle hand on her elbow. She was surprised at the touch, but didn’t show it. He directed her down the street and into a small market. On the way through the door, Suzy glanced down at a stack of newspapers and froze. Will stopped beside her and glanced down.

“I thought they left town,” she said softly.

William stared at the picture of Izzie and Jack, the perfect society couple, plastered along the front of that morning’s paper. Unwelcome memories flooded him, and he was lost for a moment in the familiar ache seeing her brought. It wasn’t until he felt a cool hand on his arm that he pulled out of it. Suzy stood at his side, looking up at him with concern in her eyes.

“Will?”

He shrugged, and stepped away. “They came back a few months ago, after his company bought a large corporation here.”

“But, he’s insane. He tried to kill you just to figure out what makes you different. How does no one else see that there’s something not right with him?”

“Because the city leaders don’t see that side. Jack shows them what they want to see,” he stated. If Suzy hadn’t known him, she would have missed the bitterness in his voice. “Shouldn’t you know all of this?”

“I only seem to know what you know, and only then if it becomes pertinent to the plotline. I haven’t gotten to that part of your story yet.”

He opened his mouth to say more, but was interrupted by a blast of music. Muttering an apology, he pulled a phone from his pocket.

“Martin.” He paused, listening. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He clicked the phone off, and turned back to Suzy. “That was Captain Raimes. There’s a… situation… downtown. I have to go. Can you find your way back to the house?”

“Yeah. Is everything okay?”

“I’ll have to see when I get there.” He handed her his keys and a couple bills. “There’s not much in the cupboards. Pick out something for lunch and dinner, if you’d like. I’ll catch a cab, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. You’ll be okay?”

“I’m sure I’ll be able to handle myself for a few hours.”

Will nodded, then headed out of the store at a run. She spent the next half hour browsing the store, picking up some meats and fresh produce. After paying for her selections, she wandered out of the store, around the corner, back to Will’s house. She put everything into the fridge, locked the front door behind her, and began exploring the town. Later that night, she would explain that she really had meant to go straight back to his home after a quick walk around the block. But the chance to explore was too tempting. There was time before Will came back. He did part-time work for the local police department, getting called in on the serious cases. Captain Thomas Raimes had convinced Will to put his talents to use on some of the more difficult crimes. It would be hours before he came home. She could go out exploring, and he wouldn’t know the difference.

“What can you tell me?” Thomas asked his old friend, after they had toured the crime scene.

Will looked over the mess left in the apartment. Blood was sprayed along the walls, the furniture was torn apart. The victim, a young woman about Suzy’s age, lay across what had once been a pale blue carpet. Her body had been badly mutilated. She was the third victim they had found like this in the past few months.

“It’s the same guy as the last two. Have you found any connections?”

Thomas rubbed along the stubble across his jaw. “Nothing. It’s like the perp is acting out randomly.”

“No, it’s definitely not random. He’s choosing these girls for a reason. He’s angry. This is personal.”

Will closed his eyes, and took a few steps towards the woman’s body. The flashbacks hit with alarming clarity, as he grasped onto the memories in the killer’s mind. The woman smiling as she let him in through the front door, felt the lust burning through him at her attention. The woman was laughing, responding to his charm. He felt relief, and disgust. This wasn’t going to be the challenge he had been hoping for. The killer could see the look in the woman’s eyes at moment she realized something wasn’t right. They widened, fear clearly visible. She told him to leave, threatened to call the cops. He knocked the phone from her hand. She pushed at him and fought back as he attacked. Finally, some fire from her. A feeling of power coursed through his veins. He would toy with her first. She would beg him for mercy; he would have none. It was all planned out perfectly. Finally, in the end, it took just one quick flick of his wrist to end the game. The last image was a large hand, and a dark green shirtsleeve, splattered with dark liquid as her final scream bubbled to an end.

Will shook himself free. That was the closest he had come to this monster. He stumbled to a chair, breathing deeply to regain control. “She knew him. Or at least, thought she could trust him. No sign of forced entry, right?” Thomas shook his head, and Will continued. “Things were a little clearer this time. He’s a bigger man, wearing what looked like a dark green work uniform.”

Will filled his friend in on what the visions revealed. Thomas wrote down the new information. The forensic experts were working the scene now, bagging up evidence and preparing to transport the body. He looked up from his pad of paper. Will was staring at the young woman on the floor with an apprehensive look.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

Will moved his gaze. The other two deaths had affected him, but not like this. Looking at the body, all he could see was Suzy. Suddenly, the thought of her living on her own while he straightened out his problems seemed less appealing. Especially with a killer on the loose.

“Yeah. I’m just going to step outside and make a quick phone call.” The sudden need to assure himself that she was alright was overwhelming. He walked around the evidence crew, and went out the open door. Three steps led from the porch down to a slightly overgrown lawn; he pulled his phone from his pocket and sat down on the bottom step. He pressed in the number to his home, and then waited while the phone connected. The phone rang six times before his answering machine picked up.

“Suzy, it’s William. Are you there? Pick up the phone.” He waited a long moment. Nothing. “Suzy?” Another few seconds passed. “I just wanted to let you know that I might be a few more hours.” He left his cell phone number, just in case, and then hung up. Surely she was just in the shower, or taking a nap. Just because she didn’t pick up didn’t mean that something was wrong. He stood up, stuck the phone back into his pocket, and returned to the apartment.

He walked through the scene again, trying to sense anything he missed the first time through. He was able to direct the investigators to a cigarette butt flung off the porch before the man knocked on the front door. Walking around the yard surrounding the apartment, he caught glimpses of the woman inside, washing dishes, eating, watching TV, and doing other daily tasks. The killer had been watching her, learning her routine and plotting her murder.

This was the dark side of his abilities. He could get into the minds of these monsters, seeing the world as they had seen it. It made him invaluable to the local law enforcement, and they paid well for his services. No one else could do what he did.

Will sat and watched as they continued processing the scene. After speaking with some of the investigators, Thomas joined him.

“We’re about done here. The pictures and file will be ready in the morning. I can drop them off before I start my rounds.”

Will nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”

On the way back out of the apartment, Will took out his cell phone and quickly thumbed in the home number. Come on, Suzy. Pick up, he thought as the phone continued to ring. It had been over two hours since his last call, and nearly five hours since he had left her at the store. Even if she had taken a nap, she should be up by now. He flagged down the first cab that passed by, and rattled off his address. He tried the number again. Six more rings, and then the answering machine again.

“Suzy? It’s William again. I’m on my way back. If you’re there, pick up.” No response.

There was a growing feeling of panic in the back of his mind. She should have been back hours ago. She should have picked up the phone.

Pain suddenly radiated through his body. Panic followed moments later, and then the sensations were gone, leaving him reeling. He reached out with his mind, but felt nothing.

“Can you drive a little faster?” He asked of the driver. “I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

The driver glanced at him through the rear view mirror. “Not in this traffic. The roads have been backed up for the past hour.”

For the first time, Will noticed the traffic jam they had driven into. He looked around; they were only a few blocks from his home. It was close enough. He thanked the driver, tipped him well, and then climbed out of the cab. He raced through the streets, panic growing with every step. The cab driver had been correct; even the sidewalks were nearly impossible to navigate. He darted in and out of the crowd, the whole time imagining Suzy lying in a pool of her own blood. Had he thought she would be okay living on her own?

Finally, the crowds parted enough for him to get the rest of the way back to his home. He opened the squeaky front gate, and jogged up the porch steps, taking them two at a time. The front door was unlocked. He rushed inside, stopping just inside the silent home. The only light was coming from the kitchen, but it was enough to see the bags of clothes Suzy had picked from the boutique strewn around the living room floor.  It looked like the bags had been dumped, then rummaged through.            Will walked towards the kitchen, dread a thick knot in his stomach. At first, he saw nothing. The room was empty. He was about to turn and search the rest of the house when he noticed a smudge of bright red along the top of the island. He moved closer. Images of the young victim from the crime scene flashed through his mind. A trail of blood led from behind the island and out towards the back of the house; he hadn’t noticed it before in the dark. He followed the trail around to the other side of the kitchen, where it ended in a bright red pool. The edge along one side was smeared, as if something had been dragged through it. More blood had dripped down from the countertop, where there was another small puddle.

His breath was knocked from his lungs, and every worst case scenario played itself out in his mind. She had been attacked, and was now lying helplessly somewhere. Or, worse, she was being tortured. Would she beg for death, as the other victim had?

He spun, and raced through the home, following the red line on the floor and calling her name.

“Suzy! Suzy!!”

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