Charlie Thorne has never had a Halloween like this one. On the run from the police after being wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, his only desire is to make it back to the arms of his partner, Ellis. He knows the risks. He knows the police will probably be waiting for him. But he can’t help himself. Weeks spent away from his lover mean Charlie is all the more desperate to see Ellis again, and to protest his innocence to the police. Little does he know how his decisions will impact both of them, changing their lives forever. Why can Ellis never seem to get warm? Why do large chunks of time seem to go missing? Will Charlie’s decision to escape impact their lives forever?

Why Ghosts Haunt

They kept moving. They were at the door. A shot rang out. Both men ducked, and the bullet probably meant for Charlie’s leg got him in the back, piercing a lung and breaking a rib. He heard Ellis scream, but before he could look up, the night crashed in on him.2


When Charlie opened his eyes, he found himself sitting on the couch in the lounge room. And standing like a vision by the fire was Ellis.


“It’s good to be home,” he said, his clothes dry and his body surprisingly free of aches and pains. “Have the police gone?”


Ellis looked at him blankly. “The police? What are you talking about?”


Charlie furrowed his brow. “The police. The police that were out front not five minutes ago. Or at least earlier tonight.”


Ellis turned his back to the fire, clasping his hands behind him. “You know, it doesn’t matter how close to the fire I get, I can’t seem to shake the chill from my bones.”


Chapter 4