Into Danger

Nathan would be the first to follow. Nikki left the pay on the table, and Kaitlynn was the last out behind them, looking back to wave as Misha bid them farewell with an energetic wave of her own. Jon would not stop. He pushed as fast as his tired legs would allow. If not for Leslie and Nikki reaching out to grab his arms he would have run into the road. A bulldozer rumbled past with sandbags piled on its front load. A cascade of dirty water washed up from the streets and onto their shoes. Jon and Leslie were still pretty soaked so it had not bothered them, but the others jumped back as they looked down at their now drenched legs and shoes. Nathan tucked the music player into his pocket and stamped on the ground.

“What is up with you?” He demanded to know.

“Molly was -- I saw a ghost in the kitchen.” He gasped out, finding a few years have been shaved off his life after he saw what he did.

“Yeah,” Leslie looked around. “But what of it? I mean it's strange she’s not on school grounds, but she lives in this town too, no surprise she manifests in places she feels connected to.” She wasn’t sure what was in that lot before Mr. Crowley had died and the radio shop was shut down.

Much of the business had started to leak to the Music Shop which sold music players, the music in forms of cassettes, compact discs and vinyls, and merchandise that interested collectors and the idle hands of shoppers. Mr. Crowley had specialized in radios and electronics’ repair, something that could easily be found in the hardware store or cheaper at Nikki’s dad’s place. With a high price tag at Crowley’s there few were willing to justify, or able to afford his goods, in the name of a hobby. What concerned Leslie most was that Jon kept bumping into Molly. It wasn’t a usual circumstance. Seeing ghosts wasn't normal, but in a town this old there were sometimes strange occurrences that you simply accepted. It was puzzling, but as Jon fret he would turn the corner and head down the avenue. As he looked towards the alley belonging to Misha’s shop he remembered there had been a few fires in the town’s past that had burned down many of the homes and businesses in the central areas. Much of this part of town was new. When rebuilt the properties were spaced to prevent fires from jumping between buildings leaving these interconnected alleyways, but some shared a cellar system.

“Hey!” Jon called out to the others, only to jump when he turned and he would realize they had already crowded up behind him. “Listen I don’t want to suggest it, or even consider it -- but maybe we should check out the O’Brians place.”

“Weird suggestion coming from you.” Nathan jabbed. “I would have expected that from Nikki,”

“Heeey --” The young woman in question complained.

“--as she suggested it a moment ago, but you. You’ve seen these sorts of movies. The black guy always dies first.” He affirmed his reasonings for not wanting to go as he motioned to his own, tanned complexion. “I don’t know about you, but maybe you should let it go. We can go visit Pa-kun.” Nathan was adamant about not going there. He never liked that shop.

“Yes, but--” Jon felt he had a compelling argument in mind, considering that --

“You saw Molly,” Nathan spat out. “She showed you a hand and while I think you were just seeing things, do you want to risk it?”

The others turned their gazes to Nathan. Before he knew it they were at the back of the shop. The front was taped up by police, the building having already been canvassed by emergency responders and the like to clear out the bodies and collect the little Missus. Nathan threw his hands up in disbelief as Jon and Leslie worked to pull open the cellar doors.

“Kaitlynn, you are the sheriff’s daughter.” Nathan complained.

“Right, which is why I know there’s too much water to get any useful evidence so they aren’t going to bother.” She asserted before looking to the side.

There she would spot Bo from the corner of her eye. She reached out to touch Nikki on the shoulder, who looked up to her, then to the man. He seemed to be carrying one of the bags out to the dumpster. Nikki reached out to touch Nathan who looked up, reaching out to touch Leslie on her shoulder who, in turn, reached out to touch Jon. Jon was about to speak up, only for Leslie’s hand to clap over his mouth. She put her finger to her lip and motioned down the way. They had all become still. Bo seemed to be struggling to dump the bag, the seal tearing open as he did. Frustrated he would finally slam into the dump, it did so with a splattering sound as it hit the other, still wet, bags.A clap of thunder overhead called a sudden shower to start. Bo retreated back inside, leaving the dumpster open. The trickling rains rushed from the dark skies above as the sound of water rushing into nearby water grates filled the once, silent alleys.

The group moved out, one by one, towards the dumpster. Looking inside they would all see it. There was no imagining it. Jon walked away, staggering his way out of the alley back into the street, on the west avenue. He looked up towards Hollow Road. He could hear the sirens of the sheriff’s cruiser. Nikki gripped Kaitlynn’s arm as she shook her head. Nathan would turn to leave the alley after Jon, turning to kick the side of the brick wall, letting out his anger.

“What the hell Jon?!” Nathan fumed.

“I don’t know.” Jon muttered, rubbing at his arm as he felt the cold of the rain hit him down to the bones.

“What do you mean you don’t know!? It was carved up!” He raised his voice, but the booming thunder and loud drumming of heavy rain on the metal gutters diminished the intensity of his voice.

“I don’t know!” Jon replied again, but louder.