Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

thought to warn Greg earlier about Lyndon’s appearance. He himself was so used to it he didn’t even notice anymore.
“There’s blood all in his hair and running down his neck onto his shirt.” Adrian lowered himself to the floor and crossed his legs beneath him. “It’s really hard to tell, since he’s usually pretty transparent, but I think maybe the back of his head was smashed in when he died. He’s got, well, brains coming out of his head.”
Greg paled. “Oh.” He swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Okay. Ready when you are.”
Adrian held Greg’s gaze for a long moment. When Greg gave him a nod and a faint smile, Adrian shut his eyes and turned his focus inward. He drew a deep, slow breath in through his nose and blew it out through his mouth, imagining all his tension exiting his body along with the air.
A few breaths was all it took to send Adrian into the lightest of semi-trance states. Lyndon’s energy caught and held his in a grip stronger than he remembered. He felt the warm rush through his blood, felt the very air around him swirl and condense, heard Greg’s surprised shout, and knew he’d been right before. Today was the day.
He opened his eyes. Lyndon bobbed a few feet away, between two wedges of sunlight, more solid than he’d ever been before. Transparent crimson dripped from his battered skull onto the floor, vanishing even as it hit. His pale eyes burned with purpose. The bloodless lips opened, moved. Ssssshowwww…yyyooouuu…
“Oh, shit.” Greg pulled his legs closer to his chest. His face had gone dead white. “He talked. He fucking talked , Adrian, oh shit. Oh shit.”
Adrian blinked, startled. He was positive Lyndon hadn’t spoken out loud before. Then again, he’d never said “show you” before either.
Everything about today seemed stronger, more vivid. A jolt of excitement shot up Adrian’s spine.
Keeping his gaze on Lyndon, Adrian held out a palm toward Greg. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Stay there. Don’t move, no matter what. Stay calm. Promise me.”
Greg drew a hissing breath, but nodded. “Promise.”
Reassured, Adrian let his eyelids fall shut. “Show me.” He dropped all his shields and left his mind open to Lyndon.
…Halloween party. Five hundred invited guests. Cassius wasn’t one, but snuck in anyway. He makes a dashing Musketeer…
…Sneaking up the stairs to the tower room together. “Hush, now. No one must know.”…
…His naked skin glows in the flashes of lightning from the storm outside. So lovely…
…God, yes, right there, oh…
…Dress swiftly after. It’s been nearly an hour. Someone might notice…
…Door bangs open. Jump apart, quickly now. Did he see the kiss? An introduction, a smile, a handshake and a clap to Cassius’s shoulder. Perhaps he didn’t see after all…
…Confusion and fear in Cassius’s eyes. So blue. Shaking hands as Cassius leaves, because there’s no other choice now. Goodbye, love…
…Rage, such rage. He saw, dear God, he saw. He locks the door…
…Hands squeezing, choking, cutting off breath. Uncle Lionel’s straining neck, his tight jaw and furious snarl, eyes bulging beneath the fall of sweat-damp curls. “Fucking…little…sodomite…whore!” Each word punctuated by a burst of agony like a bullet to the back of the head…
…I am going to die…
…Lightning flashes. The soiled white collar of Uncle Lionel’s pirate shirt shines in the light, its embroidered blue flowers a pure Carolina blue. Anger, futile anger that such beauty could coexist with such evil. Then the pain flares again, and shadows swallow the world…
Adrian emerged from the memories with a start. His eyes flew open. Lyndon hadn’t moved, though he seemed a bit less solid than before. His gaze seemed to bore straight through Adrian’s skull. Adrian’s throat constricted. I’m so sorry, Lyndon. So sorry.
“Adrian? What happened?”
Taking a deep breath, Adrian turned to meet Greg’s worried gaze. “I saw it. The whole thing, this time.”
“And?”
“And Lionel Groome really did murder Lyndon.” Adrian rubbed both hands over his face. “He caught Lyndon and Cassius kissing, and after Cassius left he killed Lyndon by smashing the back of his head against the stone floor here in the tower room until he died.”
“Oh, Jesus.” Greg rubbed his arms, eyeing Lyndon with sympathy. “That’s horrible.”
“It is. It was awful, watching it. The bastard just…” Adrian couldn’t say it, not with Lyndon