I looked out of the train window, my body tense as I glanced around. I checked my phone again reading the message to make sure I was going to the right place and double checking that this was real. 'Ms Odinaya, we will be available to see you this week Monday at 1PM,' the address was, I knew, somewhere in Wembley. This was it, it had been 2 weeks since I'd seen Trey and I was getting worried, as irrational as it was. I was pretty sure he was dead, what could be worse than death? The train ride took 15 minutes. As I stepped out of Wembley park station the rain began to pour down. I wrapped my coat tighter around myself as I began the trek towards the office blocks Google maps had promised me held my destination, held the people who would help Trey...who would help me. I turned through the little back streets, fighting back the sickness in my stomach that alerted me to feeling that maybe I was making a mistake, but as I reached the building I pushed the door open face blank and ready, I was tired of running.
It had been four days prior when I stumbled across the number for the Society for the research of Paranormal and Parapsychology. It was a small business or research centre...or something. I hadn't been sure but I had rang the number anyway, "You have reached the SRPP office how can I help?" the voice was so monotonous I had thought it was an answering machine and I had momentarily hesitated, "I..." I didn't know what to ask, how to ask? I'd spent so long pretending I couldn't see anything, I couldn't just couldn't say out loud that I could see..."Excuse me?" the voice sounded irritated, I took a deep breathe "I, he, came and disappeared," I stuttered stupidly, the sigh that followed annoyed me, like he had already given up, it lit a fire deep in the pits of my person. "I'm sorry," my voice sounded cold even to me "My name is Ayanna and I see ghosts," silence. The weight seemed to lift from my shoulders, was this how it felt to come out of the closet? Tears welling up in my eyes as I carried on determined to see this phone call through "He said his name was Trey," I retold the story and he let out another long sigh. I heard muttering. "Please leave your number, we'll get back to you," and the dial tone rang. We'll get back to you. I stared at the phone in disbelief, what part of I see ghosts did he not get? I didn't know why I was shaking and angry, but I slammed my laptop down and turned my phone off. I did what I usually did when angry and annoyed, shut everything down and sat. I stared straight at the wall willing everything to stop, and it was like the air froze, I stared as I watched the particles vibrate around me; fighting to move. I don't know how long I sat messing with the laws of quantum physics but when the door slammed I turned my phone back on and pulled out a book. It took around 3 minutes for my mum to come bursting in "Oh, the rooms a bit chilly," I turned to her and I shrugged, she walked in and went towards the window, it was closed but the frost on the window pain told something different. "Maybe the thermostat is broken, I'll get Denzel to take a look at it," her voice saturated with fake happiness, I nodded, letting her enjoy her bubble of normality, she wasn't to know I was about to go ahead and burst it.
There was a map of the building, I looked around for the SRPP office, top floor. I glanced at the elevator and stared at the shut for maintenance sign with disdain. It looked like it had been shut for maintenance for the last 3 years. I began my slow ascent of the stairs. I reached the top sweaty and irritated, I glanced around for an indication of what door I should be looking at, and saw there was only one, a brown door with a black blind that looked closed. It didn't seem like anyone was in, I could've turned back, but yet again my body was moving, I knocked before turning the door nob. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't this. There was a single desk with papers strewn haphazardly on the ancient oak, some spilled over the side onto stacks of newspapers and magazines. There was a leather sofa to my left and a coat hanger that had two of the heavy black wool coats all Russian business men seemed to have. There was a coffee machine and a fake plant that looked...dead. The man at the desk didn't even look up "Ms Odinaya," he muttered, I didn't know what his issue was, but I could tell he didn't really want me in the office. "Yes," I answered anyway, he gestured to the sofa. I took of my wet coat and hang it by the door, before settling into the leather seat. I glanced back up at the man, he was balding...and I thought it was probably punishment for his horrible attitude, his strong defined jaw clenched and relaxed constantly. He glanced up, and our eyes meet, they were a piercing blue, and seemed to shoot lasers through me. I looked back knowing my brown puppy dogs were doing nothing in terms of intimidation. "You may go in now," I stood slowly my legs felt like lead, and walked towards the brown door he was gesturing at. I could feel him watch me go, I knocked and opened the door.
The office was windowless and empty. It was like all the mess was pushed out into the reception area, there was a single heavy oak desk, a single metal bookshelf with books organized in a weird sort of order, they are all exactly the same height, same colour I was almost willing to bet my life on the fact it was the same book. There was one more chair that looks bolted to the floor a few feet away from the desk. "Sit," I found myself doing so. The voice was so icy I almost turned to run away, the nervousness was back; there was something so wrong with the situation and the creepy office. I looked for the owner of the voice that seemed to have taken control of my free will, I was surprised to find he didn't look that much older than me. Dark hair, dark eyes everything about him was balanced, the slope of his nose, the high perfect eyebrows and his lips perfectly in proportion. Even his jet black suit looked perfect, his immaculate white shirt crisp, pressed to death. I shifted uncomfortably under his emotionless stare. "Ms Odinaya, my name is Chen Lin," he began leaning a head to one side movements elegant and slow, like a snake "So, Jethro tells me you see ghosts," he made it sound so normal, he might as well have been talking about the weather. "Yes," I answered wringing my hands nervously. He rested an elbow on the arm of his chair and leaned his head on his laced fingers, a single eyebrow raised, "And he tells me a ghost spoke to you...then he disappeared," I nodded in response, "And how long have you been seeing this ghost?" I could now hear the condescending tone he was speaking in, "This one, once and he disappeared, that's why I'm here," I muttered, the corners of his lips twitched and I felt something in me snap "You know what?" I stood "I'll find him myself," what was I saying? How the hell..."Sit," and I did, "What if he doesn't want to be found?" The anger was almost making me see white, he was taking me for a fool, "He's 5 and is asking for his mother," thoughtfully he watched me breathe heavily . And seconds later the door opened and Jethro silently glided into the room. "You called..." he did? A piercing stare was directed at the older man "Sir," he sighed, "What is it?" Sir? he had to have at least 20 years on Chen, "We are taking this case?" The room seemed to get colder, and I shivered, Jethro let out an exasperated sigh, "Ms Odinaya I would appreciate it if you could tell us about these ghosts, and Jethro, please take note," I told them yet again what I seen, I didn't see Jethro write a single note. He just stared at Chen who was in turn watching me, "We shall begin investigations tomorrow, and Ms Odinaya I would appreciate it if you returned also," and he looked away from me and sensed I was dismissed. "6:30am," I nodded as I left the office. I could breathe again.
