Two Souls: Into the Fire # 215

warning … adult content

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As the next morning dawned, it promised to be an almost spring-like day, which sometimes happens in the south. Ghost and Steve cuddled under the blankets for awhile, slowly waking, and talking in soft voices. Terry, had gotten up earlier, to make the coffee. He was now trying to make breakfast for everyone.

He saw that the refrigerator was fully stocked, and so was the pantry and cabinets. He had all manner of things to choose from. He’d really never bothered to look for anything in their house, besides beer, so was finding it interesting to snoop the guys stash of food. “So,” he said, “Steve and Ghost are just like everyone else…only they have more food than I have at my house…”

The coffee aroma brought Ghost and Steve into the kitchen. “What’cha doing?” Ghost asked, as he poured himself and Steve a mug.

Terry smiled. “Good morning, y’all. I’m just fixin’ us all something to eat.”

“In here?” Ghost asked.

“Yeah, it’s ok, isn’t it?” Terry stopped what he was doing. “I mean, if I should leave your stuff alone, just tell me.”

“Go ahead, Terry,” Ghost said. “I just never seen you cook before. It’s funny to see you in here doing that.”

Shrugging, Terry laughed, and said, “I cook…at home I do. I’m amazed at all the stuff y’all have here. I don’t ever have much to work with.”

“We went to Raleigh not long ago…got stocked up,” Steve said.

“Yeah, sometimes we run out, and there’s nothing but old bread,” Ghost said.

“Well, today I’m cooking, so y’all go drink your coffee, and don’t worry about it.” Terry tried to shoo them out of the kitchen.

“So, you’re feeling better?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, I am…finally. How about y’all? Are we all gonna live, ya think?”

“Looks that way,” Steve laughed. “C’mon, Ghost…the man needs his space to create.”

The two of them went out front, and in a little while, Terry came out to let them know breakfast was ready. They filled their plates with the breakfast burritos, that Terry had put together.

“Well, guys, I’m feeling better, so I suppose I should go on back home today,” Terry said. “Can y’all make it ok without me, now?”

“Yeah, sure…we’re glad you stayed, and sorry you caught our crap, but yeah, we can survive now, I guess,” Steve said.

“I’m gonna miss your cooking,” Ghost said. “These are real good.”

“Thanks. Maybe I should have been a chef. I actually do like cooking, when I have interesting things to work with,” Terry said.

They finished eating, and took a second cup of coffee out to the front porch.

“It’s nice out here,” Terry said.

“Yeah, it’s nice until someone starts spying on ya,” Steve said. He explained all of what had been going on, to Terry…the hidden cameras, and Maxy, and Jimmy’s investigation. “We haven’t heard any more from him. Maybe I’ll give him a call later.”

~

Terry called Kinsey, to see how they were doing, and to let him know he was going back home.

“Well, Kinsey is still feeling bad,” Terry said. “Zach and Trevor are getting over it, though, and they’ll tend to Kinsey another day or so. I’m going to check on the club for him when I get back to town.”

Steve nodded. “Okay, give us a call when you can. I’m not doing anything but resting awhile longer.”

“Did we have anything planned for New Year’s” asked Ghost, “or did it already happen?”

“Nope, nothing was planned this year,” Steve said. “And, it’s not January yet.”

“Oh, okay…’cause I can’t remember so good yet, after being sick. I think I lost a bunch of days,” Ghost said. “And now the time is messed up again…it’s confusing me, and I was just starting to learn about those things.”

“Yeah, me too,” Steve agreed. “I think we need to just do nothing awhile longer.”

Terry nodded, saying he planned on doing the same, when he got home…nothing. He got up to put away his coffee cup, and gathered up his things to take home. “Ya want me to talk to Jimmy for ya?” he asked.

“You can if you want to, but I think he said he was gonna be out of town,” Steve said.

“Well, maybe later then. I’m outta here, guys. Y’all take care, and call me if you need to,” Terry said, as he went out to his car. He turned the radio on to an oldies station, turned up the volume, and drove off down the dirt road.

It was silent, then, out there on the old wooden porch. “I’m going back to bed,” Ghost said.

“Me too,” Steve said, as he followed him inside, and closed the door. Ghost picked up his journal and markers, and propped himself up in the bed to write awhile. Steve did the dishes, then joined Ghost in bed. He lay there, trying to quiet his mind of all the swirling thoughts…about the spy cameras, and putting Maxy in prison, and of the weirdness in the air. Then he wondered how it would be when his sister moved here to Missing Mile.

The soft scratching sound of Ghost writing, finally lulled him to sleep. Ghost kept writing whatever came to him. He wrote down what he’d heard of Steve’s thoughts, and what had been happening the past few days. Soon, his writing slowed, as his eyes kept closing for longer than a few seconds. His hand dropped the marker onto the sheet, and ink began soaking into the fabric, but Ghost didn’t notice.

~

Terry arrived home, and checked out his house and record shop. All seemed normal, except for a stale, unused odor. “Damn, I need to air this place out,” he said. He then walked down to the Yew. The front door was locked up tight. Around back, he unlocked the door. All was fine throughout the club. He went upstairs, to check out Kinsey’s apartment, but when he opened the door, he had a strange feeling. It was chilly in the place, and not as stale smelling.

He walked around, looking into each room. When he entered the bedroom, he saw that the window had been broken. Okay, that’s not right…Kinsey would never leave this broken window… Frowning, he saw a brick on the floor, with a paper rubber-banded onto it. Uh-oh, this is not good…

Before he touched it, he tried calling Jimmy, to report it. After several rings, Jimmy finally answered. “Hey, Terry, what’s up?” Terry explained the situation.

“Don’t pick it up,” Jimmy said. “I’m almost there, maybe ten minutes. I’ve been in Raleigh all day.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Terry said. He sat on the bed, and called Kinsey.

“Hey, man…I’m over at your place…the bedroom window got broke by a brick with a note on it. Jimmy is on his way. Just sit tight…I’ll let ya know what happens,” Terry said.

“Uh-uh, I’m coming. I’ll be there in a minute,” Kinsey said.

“You’re still sick…”

“I don’t care, I’m coming.” Kinsey hung up.

“Well, okay then…” Terry said to himself. He went downstairs, found a cold beer in the cooler, and waited to let Jimmy in the back door. He didn’t have to wait long. Just as Jimmy came in, Kinsey pulled up, too. They all went up to the bedroom. Jimmy put gloves on, before picking up the brick.

“Hey, Terry…take a picture of the scene of the crime with your phone, first,” he said. He then took the note off and read it out loud: ‘This is for you, Kinsey…for all the trouble you’ve caused me…for protecting Ghost…for helping Steve keep me away for so long. And to that cop who I’m sure is reading this…Fuck Off! Leave me alone. You stole my cameras, and confiscated my picture book. I’ll be long gone by now…you’ll never find me. I’ve said my piece, and Ghost has made it clear he wants nothing to do with me. And all I ever wanted was to love him. Well, it’s ruined now, because of all of you. So…sayonara Chumps…have a nice life…”

Jimmy stopped and looked at Kinsey. “What do you make of it?”

“Pretty cut and dried,” Kinsey said. “Sounds like he’s gone for good…I hope, but I’d still like for him to be caught and prosecuted.”

Jimmy nodded. “Yep, we won’t give up on finding him…you have my word on that. I’ll take this to be put into evidence. Go ahead and fix your window, Kinsey. And, Terry, I’ll need to download the phone pictures.”

“Sure thing, Jimmy…just catch the bastard,” Terry said.

“We will, eventually. We know where he lives, so we’ll start there,” Jimmy said, as he was leaving for the police station.  “You want to let Steve and Ghost know what went down, Terry…Kinsey? I can call them, if you’d rather.”

“I’ll call them after while, I guess,” Kinsey said.

“Yeah, I will too,” Terry said. “I think they were going back to bed, when I left. They’ve been sick, and I’m still feeling it. How are you doing, Kinsey?”

“I need more rest, too,” Kinsey said. “Trevor and Zach were doing a lot better, so I’m staying home now. I’ll call later today.”

“Y’all take it easy, and I’ll let you know what happens,” Jimmy said, as he left.

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Next part coming soon!

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Thanks for visiting! Peace ☮️

© 2019 BS

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This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.