The Shimmering Wraith (Lockwood and Co. Fanfic)

The Ghost- 2.

                For a few pattering heartbeats I couldn’t move. This was not out of fear; or at least, not entirely; but the coldness pressing down on my chest and the fog that was beginning to seep into my head told me it was ghost-lock, one of the vast array of phenomena a person might experience  when in the vicinity of a Visitor. Breaking free of the mind-numbing presence I turned slowly, reaching for my rapier as I did.

                Something had manifested in the middle of the room. My sight wasn’t adequate enough that I was able to see any details, but I could just make out a vague, human-like figure hovering an inch above the floor, radiating other-light.

                “Lockwood?” as soon as my voice penetrated the silence I became aware of a soft drip- drip- drip and then a faint murmuring. I strained to hear the words but they stayed just out of reach, the mutters reaching a weak crescendo before falling back down into oblivion.

                I drew my rapier. The ghost reacted to the iron, flickering out and then appearing further back towards the door. I risked looking away to cast my gaze around the room, but somehow I couldn’t see Lockwood or George. The Visitor was between me and the exit, though there was the half-opened hole at my back where George had discovered a hollow section. Lockwood had been working on it only moments ago, and now, somehow-

                Bang!

                It sounded like a shot and it rang in my ears, making the room seem to spin. I stumbled backwards, falling hard against the wall and then through it, tumbling past splintering wood and plaster. I landed heavily on something soft, and that was when I felt someone pushing me aside.

                “Anthony?”

                “Someone’s got their foot in my face.”

                “Sorry George.”

                “I think you just landed on me Luce.”

                “No, that must have been George,” I said, rolling onto a patch of something hard and spiky and definitely not human. It was pitch black in here, a sure sign the Visitor hadn’t followed us. “Where did you two go? I was calling you and-”

                “We were right beside you Luce,” Lockwood said. “You were looking right at me at one point but you didn’t seem to notice I was there.”

                “But you weren’t! I couldn’t see you at all, and you didn’t reply when I-”

                “I spoke to you several times Lucy,” George said. “And you didn’t say a word.”

                “That’s because I couldn’t hear you. I would swear you weren’t in that room.”

                “Are you absolutely sure Lucy?” Lockwood asked. His tone was grave and I dug my hands into the pockets of my jacket to keep warm.

                “Of course I’m sure,” I said. “Did you two see the apparition? I couldn’t make out much, but I heard noises, like a tap dripping and then a shot. There were also voices; evil, whispering things.” I shuddered.

                “The dripping would be the blood,” George said. “It was a type two, almost certainly a wraith. It appeared in the form of an animated corpse, and both hands had been cut off. Did you see those clothes Lockwood? I’m not sure the archives keep records from that long ago. I’ll have to do some more research.”

                “We’ll come back another night,” Lockwood said abruptly. I could hear him shuffling about and then a beam of light emanated from somewhere close by. I found myself blinking against the brightness of the torch before Lockwood took me by the arm and helped me to my feet. “George is right. We need more information. I don’t like what Lucy experienced, and I think all of this calls for an excursion to DEPRAC.”

                “DEPRAC? Why?” I asked as we hobbled out into the room. The wraith was gone and all supernatural traces had vanished.

                “They keep records on things like this; unusual psychic residue, effects different types of Visitors have on different talents, that sort of thing. I want to make sure we won’t be putting you in any danger Luce.”

                “Don’t start with that rubbish,” George scoffed. I scowled at him. “Really you’re just in it for the intrigue, aren’t you Lockwood?”

                “For once George, that isn’t the case. I expect to find you’ve left for the archives by the time I wake up tomorrow morning. Lucy and I will head off for DEPRAC just before nine and we’ll meet you for lunch outside that little place opposite the Fittes’ building. I want to have a look in their archives too. We know Lucy’s talent is very similar to Marissa Fittes’ and I would like to see whether she ever experienced anything similar to what Lucy did tonight. I don’t like it,” Lockwood said, his voice dropping to an undertone. “I don’t like it at all.”

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