Excerpt:
Shane saw a strange creature come out of the ocean. The creature was holding a birdcage. Somehow Stewart also saw the creature and the birdcage. And suddenly he could see Shane. Stewart wasn’t sure where the thought or the realization came from but he knew he had to warn Shane.
Stewart screamed, “Run Shane. Do not let the creature catch you. Run. Run now. The creature is going to try to catch and cage you. Run. God damn it. Run.”
Shane ran and took flight though he had no idea how he was flying. For now, Shane made his escape and the creature began walking back toward and into the ocean.
Stewart’s focus turned from the creature as it vanished into the ocean. And then he saw everyone was looking at him.
Sheriff Connie McIron stared at Stewart. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Reminder: All the characters with any level of sexual heat are over the age of 18.
Notes:
An alter is a distinct soul and personality that shares a body with someone. In this case Victor’s alter George is in control of the body while Victor’s soul has been caged in the Outlands, a metaphysical place/world. Caelous who also shared the body has also been caged in the Outlands.
A figment is a body that has no soul but is operated from computer code created by previous souls that have been in the body at some point or another during moments when the computer code was created. In the case of Jossette, something was done to Jossette’s soul when Nette took control of the body. Nette was in control of the body until Victor’s father Elliot caged Nette’s soul. With both Jossette’s soul and Nette’s soul gone from the body, the body operates as AI / Computer Code.
A type of time is computer code. It allows a person to live the same life or some version of it more than once. It allows a person to be born in the past, be born in the future, or repeat the same life. When no soul has been reborn to a body, that body is a figment that operates mostly from previous computer code that souls have created when the body had a soul or operates from new computer code created by the interaction of other people with the figment. Figments may behave oddly and not always make sense if other souls are changing the computer code to a greater degree than the figment/AI can calculate a proper response based on the predictive nature of past souls in the body.
Hearthville Serial: Book 8 Chapter 6
Any Truth, Proper Grammar, or Correct Spelling is totally coincidental if not accidental. All characters are fiction. This story is fiction. This story makes no claims about any real person.
By Charles Peters Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved
Chapter / Episode List of the Heathville Serial
Victor and Jossette stood there together as Jossette’s brother, Roger went up the stairs to pack for his trip to Hotville. Of course Victor was not really Victor but was his alter George and Jossette was not really Jossette but was a figment. Nette who had been pretending to be Jossette had been caged by Elliot, Victor’s father. And the soul of Jossette was missing, presumed by Elliot and maybe others to have been caged by Nette or her husband Artorious.
This moment between George and Jossette was not some fulfillment of that great love for Jossette that impassioned Victor with great imagination. But George and the figment of Jossette were both horny and there was sexual desire, sexual tension, taunting the two of them. George thought he did not want to go too far with Jossette, even her figment, for that would feel like a betrayal of Victor. George guessed that Jossette didn’t know that she was a figment without a soul. She certainly did not know that he was an alter of Victor. To pursue sex with her would be wrong and George knew that such a sexual entanglement had once gotten the real Victor killed. But of course that was a conspiracy against Victor and Jossette by Nette and Artorious. Nette was caged and Artorious was, well, George wasn’t sure but he guessed that Artorious was also caged in the Outlands.
George and Jossette looked into one another’s eyes. He wanted to kiss her. She wanted to kiss him. Their lips quivered with thoughts of doing something about the heat that was rising between the two. But instead of moving closing together, they stepped farther apart, backing away from one another.
George said, “I guess I should be going.”
“My Aunt Rachel and that awful Rita did such an awful thing to you. I don’t blame you for wanting to go. To leave. I can’t believe we were ever friends with Rita.”
“They were both under supernatural influences.”
“You can’t believe that.”
“Your Aunt Rachel loves you very much.”
“You can’t defend her. She and Rita almost killed you. You were beaten and locked in the boot of the car, left to die. You should hate her and Rita.”
“I don’t want to hate anyone. I just want to feel whole again.”
“What does that mean?”
George knew he shouldn’t try to explain, but still he had words and they were spoken. “Don’t you ever feel like there is a part of you missing. Like you’ve lost something. Maybe something spiritual.”
“No. But I do feel guilt about what happened to you.”
“Do you? Do you really? Why should you? You did nothing but want to love me.”
“I still want to love you. And more. I am feeling so naughty right now. I would like for the two of us to go up to my bedroom, get naked. I want to see that big cock of yours.”
“Jossette.” George sounded almost bashful. But he felt something different. “Where is your mom?”
“She is visiting Aunt Rachel in the mental institution. I keep telling mom that Aunt Rachel is faking it. I know she is faking it.”
“There are supernatural things happening. This world is not what you think. You must not hate your aunt. You should love her. You should have went with your mom to visit her.”
“Aunt Rachel still thinks you were trying to seduce both her son Mark and me. She thinks you are predator. She wanted you dead.”
“Maybe I should go visit her.”
“Are you insane?”
“Maybe. Maybe we are all insane living in an insane world.”
“I want to have mad, insane, sex with you. I don’t want to be a virgin any more.”
“Do you really love me or do you just want to use me?”
Jossette turned to look away. She turned her back to George, Victor’s alter. “Use you? For sex? I think rather that should be a woman’s accusation though it is not one that I will make”
“I helped to make you and your mother very wealthy.”
“What? Next, you are going to accuse me of plotting with Aunt Rachel to kill you so that mom and I would have all the wealth from our inventions.”
“No. I don’t even know what I am saying.” But now George wondered. Jossette was a figment. How much was she programmed by the real Jossette and how much was she programmed by Nette. George wondered. How much did she know about what the real Jossette had planned or what the real Nette had planned. Victor had loved Jossette in more than one life. And theirs had been a great passion. For that passion Victor would always look beyond the faults of Jossette. He would never allow himself to hear or think she had done wrong. He was blind to her ways. George wondered if Jossette’s figment was accidentally revealing something.
Jossette said, “I think you should go. I don’t want to ever see you again. I want your business relationship with mom ended.”
Before the inventions, Jossette, Roger, and their parents had lived poor. They had not been rich like Arthur and Rachel Ramsey. Jossette had never made a secret that she wanted to live like a rich person. On the other hand, even though Victor had bought Hazel Manor, he was perfectly happy living modestly in a middle class home with his parents. He had mostly bought Hazel Manor with Jossette in mind. He fancied it would be a surprise gift to her after they got married.
George said, “If you try to end the business relationship I will not leave you with anything. I will get everything. Understand. You will be poor again.”
Roger walked in on them just when Jossette said, “By God I will never be poor again. I hate you. I’ve always hated you. I wish Rita and Aunt Rachel had killed you. And if the only way I can end the business relationship is to kill you, I will do it.”
Roger screamed, “I don’t know who the hell you are but you are not Jossette. Jossette loves Victor. She has always loved Victor.”
Jossette laughed. “Yeah, I am going to kick you out of the business also. The last thing I need is a freeloading, queer, brother influencing mother and cramping my style.”
George scratched his head. Was the figment saying the words of the real Jossette or the thoughts of Nette? Jossette had not been the perfect woman in Victor’s past lives Victor had imagined, but George realized Roger might be right. This figment was not taking on the personality of the real Jossette. It was taking on the personality of Nette. And George considered that if he fucked this figment it wouldn’t be like a real betrayal of Victor. Victor did not love Nette. George didn’t mind that this woman, this figment, was a hateful bitch. He wanted to stick his dick in her and have the roughest sex he might imagine.
George said, “Nette, you are over playing your hand.”
Roger asked, “What did you call her? Nette?”
Jossette said, “What? You misunderstood. Didn’t he Victor?”
“Jossette. As long as you don’t understand what I said, we love each other. Right? And you love your brother Roger. Right?”
“Of course I do. Roger, I am so sorry.”
Roger stared at Victor. Then he stared at Jossette. “Sure. But look sis. Don’t let our new wealth turn you into a monster. And sure as hell, don’t forget that without Victor we would still be poor. Don’t ever think about betraying him, even when you are fighting. Dont!”
“I won’t forget that we owe everything to Victor. How can I forget? And Victor, you know I will always love you. You do know that, don’t you?”
“Sure. I told you that there is supernatural stuff happening.”
“You think something supernatural came over me?”
George thought to himself, “Yeah, figment Nette, you and I are going to fuck so hard that you will never forget that you have been fucked.” Then George said, “That is the only explanation. There is a ghost, Nette, trying to take control of you.” Of course George knew that his father Elliot had caged Nette.
“Nette. Wasn’t that the name of Uncle Arthur’s grandmother who helped raise him?” Roger asked.
Jossette said, “Yes. But to think a ghost is trying to take possession of me. That is crazy talk.”
Roger said, “Sis, you haven’t been being yourself. Maybe it is not crazy talk.”
“I don’t believe in ghost. I believe that when we die, that is it. We are gone. I don’t believe we have a soul.”
George considered that with Jossette caged and Nette caged, all that was left of the Jossette he was looking at was the figment. At this moment, she didn’t have a soul but she did have Jossette’s computer code and Nette’s computer code and that code was as eternal as the soul itself. And perhaps his pursuit of this figment was as dangerous as if he were trying to seduce Nette, herself.
George thought, “I am about to play a very nasty, perilous game. It will be fun.”
Roger said, “Should I call off my trip to Hotville? Should I stay here.”
Jossette laughed. “What? To protect me from some imaginary ghost. No. You go on to Hotville and try to seduce Stewart.”
“That is not why I am going to Hotville.”
George said, “Well. You go on and have fun. Hey, you might be surprised. My brother might try to seduce you.”
Roger smiled as he considered what “Victor” had said. Then Roger laughed. “No. Just friends.”
***
There was that dreaded knock on the door. Claud Felter and Sarah Felter jumped with fear when they heard the banging. Claud looked through the peep hole in the door to see Sheriff Connie McIron standing at the door. He didn’t know her but he could see her uniform and her badge. He opened the door.
“Officer. Sheriff.”
“This is the most awful part of my job.”
“My wife left our son playing poker at the Favors Poker Room. She was losing and he was winning. When we woke this morning, he wasn’t in his bed.”
Sarah Felter said, “Please tell me that our son, Shane, is okay.”
Sheriff Connie stares at Sarah. “We are not sure if the person in question is your son or not.”
Claud shakes his head. “Person in question? What does that mean. Has he been arrested?”
“A young woman by the name of Mary Dugan found a body of a young man on the beach. He had been shot five times. We need you to look at the body before it is moved.”
Sarah trembled. “It can’t be Shane. It can’t be our son. We aren’t the kind of people who end up murdered. We are good people. Yeah, we play poker. But Favors is a reputable place. We are good people.”
“I am sure you are. I play poker. I am not very good at it. So you say your son was winning. How much had he won when you left?”
“He had won $25,000. And I had lost $5,000 which is my limit.”
“The young man did have some money on him but not nearly that much. Was he in a car or on foot when you two went to Favors.”
“We both walked to Flavors.”
“I had the car and was running errands when they went to Flavors. I had to have a tire repaired and I bought some groceries. Snacks and such. Neither of them should have been walking around with that kind of money.” Claud fights back the urge to cry. “I know.” Claud cleared his throat. “Is it possible the young man isn’t our son?”
“There is always a chance but you should be prepared.”
“Oh God. I shouldn’t have left him there alone. Why did I leave him there?”
“He is young but he is an adult.”
“Grown but he was still my baby. He will always be my baby.”
“Are you ready to walk down to the beach?”
“The last time we walked down to the beach, it was to play in the ocean. He was cracking jokes. We were having fun. This isn’t fun. This isn’t a vacation story I want to tell my friends about. Oh God.”
“I know. I am so sorry you are being put through this.”
“Honey, we need to walk down to the beach with this nice lady. We need to see if the young man is our son.”
“Okay.” Sarah took several deep breaths. “Let us go view the body.” Sarah struggled to not cry. “The body.”
***
Stewart Duddley had turned his attention from Mary Dugan to Deputy Sally Francis. Who was more interesting? Who was more sexy? Mary Dugan in her bikini or Deputy Sally Francis in her uniform.
Stewart smiled as Deputy Sally Francis walked up to where he and Mary Dugan were standing. “That man standing there told me that he saw you at the Flavors Poker Room at the same time that the victim was there.”
Mary Dugan said, “Yeah I was playing poker. I can’t remember whether I saw the victim there or not.”
“The man said he saw you speaking to the victim.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t remember every dork who speaks to me.”
Deputy Sally Francis asked, “Are you two friends? I mean you and Stewart Duddley.”
Stewart said, “No. We just met. I just arrived here and I am waiting for them to get my room ready. I saw the activity on the beach and became curious to what is going on.”
“A young man has been murdered.”
“She, by the way I don’t even know your name, told me. It is awful. Have you identified him and notified his family yet?”
“Sheriff Connie McIron has gone to who we believe are his parents though we aren’t sure yet. We are not sure who he is yet? Stewart, do you want to see the body?”
Because Stewart was a High School Football star, it was not unusual for people to know him, but for him to not know them. Still, it was awkward. And he kept thinking, “I should know this lady, this deputy?”
Deputy Sally Francis repeated, “Do you want to see the body?”
“Want? I guess it is possible the deceased is someone I know. So I can view the victim if that is what you want.”
Deputy Sally Francis smiled. “Come with me.”
Stewart walked with Deputy Sally Francis. Mary Dugan remained where she had been standing.
Stewart asked, “Is that girl a suspect?”
“I don’t know. What do you think?”
Stewart smiled. “This is awkward. I should know you. Shouldn’t I?”
“Not really. I have been in your house. Your mom and I go to the shooting range together sometimes, but it is not like you and I have ever sat down together and discussed our favorite sexual position.”
Stewart blushes a bright red and nervously laughs. “I do now remember you. It is just you look different in your uniform. I like your uniform.”
“Thanks. But back to the question. Do you think Mary Dugan should be on our suspect list?”
“Yeah, she came across as lying when you told her about her being seen with the victim at the Flavors Poker Room. But of course, even if she is lying about that, that does not mean she is guilty of killing him.”
“Your mom told me that you were some law enforcement related classes at the collge. She does not really like that idea but I can see why you would have that interest.”
They came to the body which had been put on a stretcher. Stewart looked at him and did recognize him. That is Shane Felter. He is, was, in a few of my classes at the Hearthville College. I didn’t really know him. My brother thinks I am a snob and I guess I can be. Of course right now I have nothing to be a snob about. I thought Football would be my life.”
“You will find a new calling.”
“Calling. Preacher Pat Piaolo says the same thing. But I don’t know, I had such plans. I guess Shane did also, and now look at him. What would you say his new calling is?”
“Maybe an angel.”
Though invisible to everyone Shane stood there. Watching. Listening. Talking to himself. “I am no angel. If I were, maybe I would not be dead now. Why is my memory so fucking hazy?”
Deputy Sally Francis saw Sheriff Connie McIron walking with the parents of Shane Felter. “Here she comes with his parents. This is going to be awful.”
Sarah Felter was walking at first. But then she started running when she saw the stretcher. She reached the body. She saw her son. Dead. And she fainted. Stewart caught her and eased her down to the sandy beach.
Claud ran to his wife. He saw his dead son. He cried out in pain. “This can not be happening. This can not real. I am having a nightmare.”
Unconscious, or maybe beyond unconscious Sarah Felter saw her son standing over his own body there on the stretcher. And Shane saw his mom come out of her body.
Sarah screamed, though no one but her son could hear her. “Please don’t be dead.”
“I am sorry mom. I don’t know how this happened. I do not know who shot me. I don’t want to be dead.”
“Please come to me. Let me hold you in my arms one last time.”
Shane moved toward his mom. He reached out for her and she reached out for him. And then there was the smell of smelling sauce. With the awful smell in her nose Sarah opened her eyes and with a start, sat up. She saw Steve Jergins yank the vile of smelling sauce away from her nose.
Steve Jergins whispered, “I am sorry.”
“I saw the ghost of my son. He was standing over his body. He said he does not know who killed him. And before I could give him that one last hug, you pulled me back to my body.”
Steve repeated, “I am sorry. May I help you stand up.”
Stewart reached down to help Steve bring Sarah to her feet. Bracing herself on the stretcher she looked at her dead son.
Claud moved to put his arm around his wife and shared her look at their son. “He was more than our son. He was our best friend.”
The ghost of Shane smiled. He touched his father on his shoulder. “The two of you were my best friends.”
Shane saw a strange creature come out of the ocean. The creature was holding a birdcage. Somehow Stewart also saw the creature and the birdcage. And suddenly he could see Shane. Stewart wasn’t sure where the thought or the realization came from but he knew he had to warn Shane.
Stewart screamed, “Run Shane. Do not let the creature catch you. Run. Run now. The creature is going to try to catch and cage you. Run. God damn it. Run.”
Shane ran and took flight though he had no idea how he was flying. For now, Shane made his escape and the creature began walking back toward and into the ocean.
Stewart’s focus turned from the creature as it vanished into the ocean. And then he saw everyone was looking at him.
Sheriff Connie McIron stared at Stewart. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Stewart didn’t know what to say. He had to think fast. He remembered his mom telling him that one of her friends had narcolepsy. “I am sorry. I sometimes experience narcolepsy. It is more likely when I am upset and under stress.”
Deputy Sally Francis said, “I also have narcolepsy.”
Sarah whispered to Stewart. “You saw him too.”
Stewart nodded but doesn’t say anything. Sheriff Connie McIron heard the question and noticed the slight nod. She decided it is best for her to ignore what has been said for now. She watched as Stewart, looking dazed, walked away.
Deputy Sally Francis said, “I better go with him. He might be sleep walking. That sometimes happens.”
Stewart walked to parking lot of the Sevy Motel. He sat down at a table that is near a hotdog stand in the parking lot. He pulled out his phone. He called his brother Victor. “Victor, I need you to come to Hotville. I am scared. Shane Felter that is in a few of my classes has been murdered and I saw his ghost. I saw a creature come out the ocean and somehow I knew the creature planned to cage Shane.”
Stewart looked around to see Deputy Sally Francis standing behind him. He knew she had heard what he had told Victor. She sat down at the table with Stewart. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. Continue talking.”
Stewart said, “Victor, can you come.”
Victor told him that he was in Atlanta and would ask a friend to fly him to Hotville.
Stewart said, “Good. I need my brother. I don’t understand this kind of stuff.” Stewart hung up.
Deputy Sally Francis said, “So Victor is coming.”
Stewart said, “Yeah. Seeing Shane’s ghost and that creature coming for him scared the hell out of me.”
“I understand.”
“Do you think I am crazy?”
“I don’t know what to I think. Shock and grief does strange things to a person but maybe you and his mother did see Shane’s ghost. I don’t know. Did you see Shane get away from the creature?”
“Yes. But I fear the creature is not finished yet.”
“Do you think the creature has something to do with Shane being shot?”
“I don’t see how, but I don’t understand supernatural type stuff.”
“Do you think you might have been the one to kill Shane?”
“No. Hell no. I just arrived in Hotville. I didn’t know he was here, and the truth is, I don’t really know him. We had classes together but that is it. Well. Not it. I hate that he was murdered. And I feel awful for his parents.”
“Sure.”
“I do.”
“I am not doubting you.”
“Then why do I feel like you want to put handcuffs on me.”
“Maybe I do, but in a kinky sort of way.”