The In-Between and After: A Ghost's Story

The Surge

It was a few seconds before Bell came to, she was laying on her back on the ground underneath the bus. Her ears were ringing and she didn't know how she got there. One second she was hiding out on the bus and the next she was there on the ground, apparently phased through the floor. She slowly crawled out from under the bus as the ringing started to subside in her ears. She also felt the heat, it was unbearably hot. She tried to stand up but she was too weak; instead, she was just able to sit up next to the luggage that was set out for the departing riders. From her vantage point she could see that the station was chaotic; apparently, even the living people felt whatever had happened. The employees at the station were yelling trying to take control of the situation, but it seemed that all of the electricity had gone out and even the buses weren't starting. As a rather shrill woman yelled out instructions, an older man fainted causing another uproar. A crowd gathered around the man, a few people pushed their way through to get to the man. Bell could hear someone screaming to get call the cops.

Bigz sat up and staggered to his feet before falling over to his knees. He managed to pull himself up on the second try and steadied himself before lurching forward towards where Templeton had been. Though now it was only inhabited by the angel on the ground. The angel had what looked like blood, though it had a metallic sheen to it, coming from its eyes and mouth and was completely motionless. Templeton was not there, nor were the two ghosts who ran to help him when he shouted, all destroyed in the wake of the explosion. Bigz turned around to see his angel lying on the ground as well he staggered over, as he approached he could see that he was still breathing but it looked like he was knocked unconscious, most likely due to his weakened state before the blast.

Across town, the radio in the station wagon stopped playing, the country music went to static. Just before both Shelby and McGregor felt a strange sensation in the pit of their stomach. They both looked at each other.

"What was that?" McGregor asked as the country music resumed. Shelby paused before responding.

"I don't know, but I felt something like it when you interrupted Bigz' siphon," Shelby answered.

"But, what was that from?" McGregor wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but we need to get to the station as soon as possible; hopefully, these people get us somewhat close to downtown," Shelby concluded. The old man in the front seat reached over to the radio and turned the station dial but there was no difference between the different stations.

"Piece of s..." The old man mumbled to himself. The old woman didn't say a word but voiced her displeasure and possibly blame with a small head shake and pressed lips. The old man switched it off and sat back in the seat, visibly frustrated. The car puttered through the city, the morning traffic still light enough not to cause any frustration at the station wagon's slow speed. For the most part it looked like it was heading through town but eventually they signaled for a right turn. Shelby perked up when he heard the blinker and looked out the window.

"Well, that's it..." he adjusted himself on the seat. "And they were doing so good." Shelby looked out the front of the car. McGregor did as well. The car eventually stopped at a light allowing them to phase out of the car safely. Shelby immediately walked across the sidewalk and into a small alley between a couple of shops, McGregor followed closely behind. Shelby still had a slight hitch in his step. Once they were safely hidden in the alley, McGregor spoke up.

"How's the leg doing?" McGregor asked. Shelby stretched his leg out in front of him and put his weight on it, McGregor could see the tinge of pain on his face.

"Still sore... but a lot better, you?"

"Same..." McGregor responded, his shoulder and neck still a bit sore.

"Alright..." Shelby took a deep breath and walked past McGregor toward the street. The journey through the city was mostly uneventful, though a few times they had to stop and duck into an alleyway or hide behind a tree to avoid a ghost.

"Just keep walking, act like you belong here. Don't make eye contact with anyone, we can't trust anyone." Shelby reminded McGregor.

"It's not much farther."