Through the Shadows (6 page)

“Maybe we should get out of here before we’re thrown out. It’s about time for the movie, anyway.”

The three ladies walked out, drawing appreciative glances from the male patrons. Most of the women present began to prattle about proper conduct in public.

The movie, about a young warrior of the eighteenth century, was incredibly romantic. Tori was so enthralled, so intensely concentrated on the film, she scarcely breathed until the final credits rolled over the screen. She turned to Lydia and Sharon and was touched when she noticed they had been crying. Both women dabbed at their eyes, glancing at Tori as if daring her to comment on it. Few words were spoken as they each walked to their car. A warm glow of a shared experience enveloped them as they kissed each other good night.

Tori didn’t bother to turn on the car radio. She drove home wrapped in a filmy haze that only the romantic at heart could understand. The landscape passed without notice and Tori later didn’t remember the whole trip home.

The hush of the house welcomed Tori like an old friend. She closed the door behind her, dropped her purse and removed her jacket, all without conscious effort. There was a shiny patina over her face and an unfocused look in her eyes. It softened her mouth and gave the appearance of a woman whose long-suppressed desires were fighting to overcome her control.

Tori turned on the bath water, steam rising to blur her image in the wide expanse of mirror over the sink. She leaned against the doorframe, staring into the damp mist, and wearing a soft smile. In her mind, Tori was imagining Avery Norcross in the lead of the movie she had just seen. The proud horse he rode was Mankala, man and beast roaming the countryside. The leading lady in the film was her, a role she would have clasped to her heart.

She and Avery were lying beneath an outcropping of rock, which formed a cave for the lovers to meet in secret. He whispered words of love in her eager ear and held her in his lover’s embrace. Mankala stood watch over his master and his woman, raising his head occasionally to survey the land, just as his master did. Avery kissed her softly, tenderly removing the green velvet dress from her trembling body. Her back arched in acceptance and desire…

And water poured over the edge of the tub to soak the carpet.

“Oh man! Stand here daydreaming like a sex-starved fool and ruining the floor! I shouldn’t let my imagination take over unless I’m in the safety of the computer room. God, what a mess!”

It took every towel she owned to damp dry the mess. She threw all of them in the washer then went to take her bath. Annoyance evaporated as she worked shampoo through her long hair. Artificial light cast shimmering glints across the copper curls. Tori leaned back to allow the warm water to ease aching muscles and she fell into a deep sleep, almost immediately.

An arctic blast of air touched her body, causing the flesh to pucker in reaction to the drop in temperature. Tori jumped from the tub, pulling the plug as she stood on the damp carpet. Feeling as if someone were watching her, she spun around to grab her towel. But, of course, there was no one there.

Looking around the bathroom, and seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Tori, nevertheless, shut the door. She knew it was a silly thing to do, since there was no one in the house but herself. She just felt more secure with the black hallway being shielded from view.

Preparations for bed became more frenzied as Tori wanted to just get out of the bathroom to search the rest of the house. Rationally, she knew there was no one else there and nothing to harm her. Psychically, she was beginning to feel as if she wasn’t alone.

Pulling her bathrobe over her wet body, Tori opened the door cautiously. Droplets of water made a spattering noise on the varnished floor of the hall as she peered into the darkness. She heard a moan that rooted her to the floor, until she realized she was the one making the sound.

O God, why didn’t I leave the lights on?

Taking a deep breath, Tori raced to the end of the hall, slamming her hand against the light switch. Instantly, the hall and part of the living room were bathed in welcoming light. Feeling a little braver with illumination, Tori rushed through the house, turning on all the lights. Only then did she take time to search each room completely, with her largest butcher knife in her hand, held behind her back so she could use the element of surprise against an invader.

Deciding that, indeed, the house was empty, Tori dropped the knife back into the kitchen drawer. She leaned against the cool tile of the counter top and laughed at herself. One of those movies that had scared her so badly a few years before flashed through her mind. She recalled how a psychic had been called to rid a house, and its occupants, of a mean-spirited ghost. Smoothing her hair back in imitation of the small-statured woman from the movie, Tori made a declaration to herself.

“This house is clean.”

She forced herself to extinguish the light in the kitchen, but allowed herself the luxury of leaving every other light burning. She hurriedly dried her hair, just knowing that the blow dryer was covering up the sound of someone sneaking up on her. She brushed her teeth as she stared in the mirror for the shape of a man coming into the room. Her nerves were twitching and adrenaline pulsed through her veins, causing her heart to race.

I can’t go to sleep when I can feel the blood pounding in my ears.I wonder if I still have one of those sleeping pills Mom insisted the doctor give me after my divorce.

Opening the medicine cabinet, Tori found the bottle of prescription drugs next to the aspirin. Her hands were shaking as she struggled to open it. Dropping one into her hand, she got a drink of water; the glass chattering against her teeth as she swallowed. Setting the glass back down on the porcelain sink, gently, she felt as if she had escaped the bathroom, rather than simply just leaving it.

Tori sat in her chair, picked up the remote control and started flipping through the channels. One of the local stations was showing an all-night special on the artists of Motown. Tori pulled her throw blanket over her legs and sank into the cushions of the chair in contentment.

Within minutes she realized she wasn’t going to be able to stay awake, which was fine with her. She turned up the television volume and folded the blanket over the chair arm. Staggering, she eventually made it to her bedroom, where she collapsed on top of the cover.

When she was deeply asleep, the blanket was lifted to cover her shivering body. The right side of the bed showed no depression where Avery lay beside Tori. He was turned on his side so he could stare into her face.

He lovingly caressed her cheek, and in her sleep, Tori unknowingly smiled at the feather-light touch of her own creation.

Chapter Five

Tori was jolted awake by bitter cold hitting her face. Sunlight poured into the bedroom window but it did little to heat the room. She stood, pulling the blanket with her, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She shuffled into the hallway and peered at the thermostat with sleep-puffy eyes.

“Oh, now, that’s just marvelous! The stupid furnace isn’t working and it’s only fifty degrees in here. No wonder I’m shivering.”

Her feet became entangled in the blanket several times as she was trying to pry the door loose from the furnace. Once she had it free, she dropped the metal covering to the floor where it landed with a tinny clang. Her knee joints popped in the quiet house as Tori knelt to check the pilot light.

“Yeah, sure. I knew it, I just knew it! I hate it when this happens and I have to risk life and limb to relight it. I’m gonna blow myself up someday just trying to stay warm. Where the heck did I put those long kitchen matches?”

Stumbling through the house, the blanket was now more of a nuisance than a warm friend. Irritation followed the course of the comforter as Tori threw it across the room.

She looked in every logical place she could think of, and a few illogical ones, as well, but couldn’t find the matches. She was exasperated to the point of tears when she heard the familiar
whoosh!
of the furnace kicking in.

Ah, now, that’s impossible! The pilot light was off, I saw it myself; not working. A furnace does not relight itself. Or can it? Maybe I had better call a repairman. I don’t want the thing to explode while I’m asleep less than fifteen feet away! Man, oh man, this is just too weird!

Right on the heels of this came yet another irritating revelation.

God, I’ve got one hell of a headache! That sleeping pill was just a cheap excuse for a hangover. Whew! No more of those dastardly little devils. Now, where’s my aspirin? I think I need about twenty of them!

The ring of the telephone sliced through her head like a knife—a dull knife. The pain and annoyance was etched clearly on her puffy face.

“What is it with these people? Don’t they ever sleep? I have one agent, and one mother, and they both get up with the chickens!”

Snatching the phone and banging her forehead in the process did little to temper Tori’s foul mood.

“Yeah?”

Sharon’s usually sunny voice sounded confused, and unsure.

“Tori? Are you okay?”

“Yes, Mom. Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, it’s silly, I know, but I had a terrible nightmare about you last night. I’ve been up for hours, just waiting until I thought it was late enough to call you. I’m sorry, honey. I hope I didn’t wake you. I was just worried…”

Instantly sorry for her curt response to her mother’s concern, Tori quickly apologized.

“Oh, Mom, I’m sorry. No, you didn’t wake me. I took one of those sleeping pills the doctor gave me and woke up feeling wiped out. And when I got out of bed, I walked into a freezer. The pilot light was out on the furnace.”

“Tori, honey, come over here. We’ll call a repairman. While you’re waiting for him, I’ll fix you breakfast.”

“No, that’s sweet of you, Mom, but I’m fine. For some weird reason the heat came back on, all by itself.”

“Tori, that’s not possible, dear.”

“I know that, and you know that, but evidently the furnace doesn’t know that. Anywho, that’s what happened. The temperature’s already up to sixty-five, and climbing. I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll just hang out here today and get some writing done.”

“Alright, dear, if you’re sure. As long as I know you’re okay, I’ll stop worrying. I know you’re a grown woman, Tori, but to me, you’ll always be my little girl. I guess I get a little silly sometimes.”

Knowing her mother wanted to be reassured, Tori obliged her.

“No, you’re not silly, Mom. And I would be hurt if you ever quit worrying about me. I count on it. It means a lot to know that I’ll always have someone who loves me, no matter how grouchy, or crazy, I get. I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too, sweet Tori. Good bye, honey.”

“Good bye, Mom.”

Let me see, it’s only seven o’clock in the morning and I’ve already hurt the sweetest woman in the world! For an encore, maybe I can get in my car and run over a few innocent kids on their way to school! I’m really a piece of…

The thought was never completed. Behind her, Tori heard what sounded like a hand, a very heavy hand, being slammed down on the kitchen counter. It was an expression of anger.

Not bothering to dress, Tori grabbed her clothes, shoes, and purse, and ran to her car. Her hands were trembling so badly that she had difficulty putting the key in the ignition. Once she got the car started,
finally!, finally!, ohthankyouGod!
, she pulled away from the house, tires squealing. But she ran over no children on their way to school.

She pulled into her mother’s driveway, for once reaching the door before Sharon could get there. Her whole body was shaking and her mother made a worried exclamation when she saw her daughter’s face.

“Oh, honey, what’s wrong? Hurry up; get in the house. Do you want a cup of coffee? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

There was no humor in Tori’s dry laughter.

“Well, Mom, I didn’t actually
see
a ghost, but I’m pretty sure there’s one in my house!”

Sharon spun around in her small, but efficient, kitchen. Her expression was of complete, and utter, disbelief.

“Tori! You can’t possibly really mean that! Honey, you know there’s no such thing as ghosts. It’s just your wonderful, but all too vivid, imagination, darling.”

Staring into her mother’s eyes, Tori began to slowly shake her head.

“I don’t know anymore, Mom. There have been some… how should I say this? I’ve had a few strange things happen to me in that house. I may be a writer, and I’ll admit my imagination gets pretty wild, but not even I could imagine this!”

Sharon put the cup of steaming coffee on the bar in front of Tori. Her own hand was shaking. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew she was worried about her child.

“Tell me about it, Sweetheart. All of it, and hold nothing back.”

Tori put her hand over her mother’s, a gesture of reassurance.

“I’m really not crazy, you know.”

“No, of course not, honey.”

“Well, you’re wearing your ‘my daughter’s a raving lunatic’ face. If I tell you, it will only scare you more. Maybe this is something I have to work out for myself, Mom.”

A look of stern disapproval marred Sharon’s lovely face and Tori almost giggled at her mother’s intensity. If she hadn’t been so frightened, this whole thing might have been funny. But it wasn’t; it was scary.

Tori thought about just leaving, not bothering her mother with tales of ghosts and ghouls. But she was afraid that, despite her mother’s age, she would field-tackle Tori before she reached the door. Now, that was funny. The visual image of Sharon jumping her made Tori, in spite of what had happened, laugh out loud.

“What’s so funny, Tori? You are one strange kid. Practically hysterical one minute, and laughing the next. Hmmm, I wonder if you’re mentally sound.”

“Hey, hey, hey! I came here for emotional support and you’re making fun of me. What kind of mother are you, anyway?”

“Emotional support? I’d think you need emotional therapy! Aw, come on, Tori, lighten up, will ya? I’m only trying to cheer you up.”