Hi Dad, I'm home," hollers Toby, with a bright and breezy tone.
Casey stands by the fridge, frozen in what appears to be shock. I sit on a worktop, resigned to the inevitable – we've been well and truly rumbled.
A mans voice hits us, "Welcome home son. I'm just dealing with The Association, I'll be down real soon – there's coffee in the kitchen." Casey throws me an open mouthed, questioning glance. I remain silent – I have no answer.
Toby enters the kitchen with a wide knowing smile, "Hi guys," he picks up a cup, rinses it, walks towards the stove and pours some coffee. After a mouthful, Toby looks at us both and says, "That’s so good, Hospital coffee tastes assholeushious!" He takes another gulp, "You guys should've told us you were coming, we could have tidied the place up, it's like a pig-pen in here." Casey's face crumples with confusion.
……
A tall man enters the Kitchen, smart and smiley, he waves at me, "Hi Kirk." He turns to Casey and offers his hand, "Hello young lady, I'm Clark, Toby's Father, it's a pleasure to meet you."
I notice Casey's legs begin a slow wobble. I jump from the worktop and place a chair just in time for her booty to hit it. Toby looks concerned, "Are you OK Casey? You look like you've seen a ghost."
......
After a glug of coffee, Casey recovers enough to ask, "Who's the man who had a heart attack in the basement?" Toby looks aghast, "Mr Danver's had a Supersizer – that's too sad," he says, pulling back the shelving unit and disappearing behind them.
Clark takes a seat in front of Casey, "Mr Danver's a friend of ours, an old Associate. His heart was a ticking time bomb, I'm sorry you had to witness what you did, but he's at peace now, on the other side with his wife and family." He calls me over, "Come join us Kirk, you need to hear this as well."
......
"I'm a what?" asks Casey, pouring herself another coffee.
"You're a Category 6 Responsive. It's a Dimensional Scale, you're pretty high up. Put simply, it means you're more open to experience paranormal activity than a person who isn't on the scale. Your high ranking’s probably the main factor in your discovering Kirk's truth."
Casey lights up, "That explains so much, like why I have such vivid insights, and kinda know things...
...the shelving unit swings open and Toby interrupts, "Like how you knew Dale beat me with the Brass Knuckle."
"Exactly!" says Casey. Her tone turns towards anger, "But why didn't you tell the Police? Kirk and I were being blamed for that," she says.
"Because I didn't know at the time, you don't expect your cousin to floor you from behind. Dale's a dark soul, with dark forces on his side," says Toby. Clark turns to me, "If you're Dad hadn't found Jess, she would've died right where Dale left her." I lower my head in guilt – wish I hadn’t gagged and shackled Dad.
I note Casey's temper begin to flare, "Why didn't he bring her to Hospital? For freaks sake guys, Dale’s a psycho, you should’ve gone straight to the Police! Instead you bring Jess here and implicate us all in her abduction.” Casey shakes her head, “Look, I can't handle any more of this, I gotta do the right thing and inform the authorities." She storms towards the door with a determination I recognise and admire.
When the door slams shut, I feel a thud of emotion in the pit of my empty stomach - Casey didn't say goodbye to me.
......
Clark and Toby respectfully lay Mr Danver's body on the couch. The smell drives me insane with hunger. Toby notices my pre-feed twitches and leads me down to the basement, "Come on buddy, this could be your last supper."
