The Rest is Silence: Chapter 1


Tonight seemed the perfect night to talk to spirits, if Horatio believed the movies. It was just after midnight, and purple-blue fog obscured the full moon and cast a ghostly glow over the land and trees. Hooting owls echoed their chants from the woods on both sides of the narrow cobblestone drive where Horatio stood. The wet began to seep into his five-thousand dollar Don Adriano jacket. He stifled a shiver and continued down the lane. Finally, he reached the end of the road and stood before the black iron gate emblazoned with the rampant lion of the Dane family crest.

Frankโ€™s severe voice drifted out from the guardhouse, barely louder than the hooting owls. โ€œWhoโ€™s there?โ€

โ€œA friend,โ€ Horatio warbled elongated haunting notes back into the darkness.

โ€œIs that you, Rato?โ€ Frank wasnโ€™t laughing. No surprise there, really.

Horatio stepped up to the camera and smiled. โ€œJust his ghostโ€”โ€œ

โ€œYouโ€™re late.โ€ Frank snapped.

After a moment he iron gates rattled and the door to the guardhouse popped open.

Horatio sauntered through the gate and into the small guardhouse. โ€œQuiet watch tonight?โ€

โ€œToo quiet.โ€

Horatio took off his wet jacket, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it on the floor in the corner. Smiling, he wiped the moisture from his glasses with his shirt. โ€œSo you havenโ€™t seen the thing again?โ€

โ€œNo.โ€

โ€œWell, that makes sense.โ€ Horatio scoffed as he put his glasses back on. โ€œThereโ€™s no such thing as ghosts. I bet youโ€™re just not getting enough sleep.โ€ He picked a half-finished airline bottle of vanilla vodka off the desk and raised an eyebrow. โ€œOr else youโ€™re drunk on baby liquor.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ve seen it every day this week.โ€ Frank snapped, ripping the bottle away from Horatio and drinking the contents.

โ€œItโ€™s only Wednesday.โ€

โ€œJust wait. Itโ€™ll show. I guarantee it.โ€

Chuckling, Horatio shook his head.

A heavy quiet as thick as the fog outside followed. Frank squinted, staring through both.

โ€œYou got any more?โ€

โ€œHuh?โ€ Frank turned his scowl to Horatio.

Horatio signed ยซ alcohol ยป.

Frank raised an eyebrow.

โ€œBooze, my friend. You really should learn some sign. The basics at least.โ€

Frank shook his head and opened a file cabinet. He pulled out another tiny bottle. โ€œSince Hamโ€™s been gone, it really hasnโ€™t come up.โ€ He tossed the bottle to Horatio.

โ€œYou know he just got back into town this afternoon.โ€

Frank shrugged.

โ€œI think maybe youโ€™re going crazy, Frank. Too much sorority girl liquor.โ€

Horatio settled into the wooden chair at the back of the guardhouse and drank the vodka in a single shot. The vanilla vodka warmth settled into his stomach. He leaned back with a smile and a sigh.

โ€œYou know, Bernie saw it, too. Last week when he covered my shift. He said he saw a bright green light in the west.โ€

โ€œI went to Arden with Bernie since middle school. He used to say he couldnโ€™t join the lacrosse team because he was too busy playing polo. The guy couldnโ€™t join cause he was on a scholarship. Heโ€™s F.O.S. You shouldnโ€™t indulgeโ€”โ€œ

โ€œShh.โ€

โ€œHim.โ€

โ€œShut up.โ€ Frank urged in an even more severe tone than Horatio thought was possible. โ€œGet over here.โ€

Begrudgingly, Horatio roused himself from the surprisingly comfortable wooden chair and walked to the observation window.

โ€œOh my god, Frank! Look! Itโ€™s fog! And more fog! Wow!โ€

Frank danced into his coat and tossed on his scarf. โ€œCome on.โ€ He pushed past Horatio and went out the door.

โ€œDude, for real. This is getting silly.โ€

โ€œWhy did you even come out here, Rato? Huh? If you donโ€™t want to see him? If you donโ€™t believe, you could have stayed home.โ€ He didnโ€™t even look at Horatio as he jogged out the door.

โ€œFine. Show me.โ€ Horatio followed Frank outside. He immediately regretted leaving his jacket on the gatehouse floor.

Horatio shivered.

โ€œStop here, Rato.โ€ Frank stopped Horatio about ten feet from the gate and took off his scarf. โ€œI donโ€™t think we should get too close.โ€

He handed the scarf to Horatio.

โ€œThanks.โ€ He wrapped it around his ears and neck and looked out into the cloud-covered night. โ€œWhat am I supposed to be looking at, Frank?โ€

โ€œTen oโ€™clock. To the west. Toward the family plots.โ€

Horatio squinted in that direction. It was just fog. Swirling yellow and green glowing fog about fifty feet away.

โ€œFog, Frank. Seriously.โ€

The owls fell silent.

Yellow and green?

Horatio rubbed the moisture off his glasses with Frankโ€™s scarf and refocused.

Yes. It was yellow and green.

From the cloudy swirl emerged a vaguely man-shaped figure.

โ€œVery funny, Frank.โ€ Horatio chuckled.

Frank said nothing.

โ€œBernie! Welcome to the party! Frankโ€™s got lady booze!โ€ Horatio shouted. โ€œHow are you doing that glowing thing?โ€

Bernie didnโ€™t answer.

Horatio turned to Frank. โ€œHowโ€™s he doing that?โ€

Frank gawked, unblinking as Bernie steadily slid closer to the gate.

โ€œFrank?โ€

Frank was a terrible actor. Commitment to a prank was not something Frank was particularly known for. In fact, Horatio couldnโ€™t remember a time where Frank had ever even made a joke. Unless maybe his whole existence was some elaborate farce.

The obscured person stood maybe twenty feet away now.

The clouds parted.

This glowing, green, gliding figure came into focus. It was too imposing to be short and scrawny Bernie. It must have been over six feet tall with shoulders half as wide. Its tuxedo tails faded to mist behind him.

โ€œHoly fโ€” fog.โ€ Horatio exhaled a puff of curling vapour as he took a step toward the gate. โ€œWho are you?โ€

The figure stopped its advance.

Despite Frankโ€™s scarf, Horatioโ€™s ears burned in the cold. The hair on Horatioโ€™s bare arms stood on end.

โ€œI command youโ€”,โ€ half-mocking fear cracked Horatioโ€™s voice. โ€œFor real. Say something!โ€

Yellow-green light flashed in a hundred branching lightning bolts. Then steadily the figure in the distance became smaller and dimmer until it looked more like a dying firefly than a man.

The owls simultaneously took up their songs again, and the clouds dissipated. He and Frank stood alone under a full moon and a starry sky.

โ€œHe wonโ€™t talk to me either, Rato.โ€

Horatio pretended to listen to the owls for a moment as he searched for his voice. โ€œIt looked like Mr. Danes.โ€

Frank nodded.

โ€œBut Mr. Danes is dead.โ€

Frank nodded again and walked back into the gatehouse.

โ€œWill it be back?โ€ Horatio asked, unable to move.

โ€œNot tonight.โ€ Frank called back from inside the tiny building.

โ€œWhatโ€”โ€œ Horatio cleared his throat. โ€œWhat does it want?โ€

โ€œIf I knew, I would have taken care of it myself. He wonโ€™t talk to any of us. Not me, not Bernie, not Mark.โ€

โ€œYou think itโ€™ll talk to Ham?โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s actually why I asked you to come. We donโ€™t really know Hamilton well enough to ask him.โ€ Horatioโ€™s jacket smacked him in the side of the head and landed on the ground at his feet.

He turned and glared at Frank, who stood expressionless in the doorway. He picked up his jacket and shook it out. It was buttoned up before he realised he was no longer cold. โ€œYou mean, you donโ€™t like talking to the deaf guy.โ€

Frank didnโ€™t say anything, but Horatio saw shame in his eyes.

โ€œNo worries, Frankie.โ€ Horatio snarled. โ€œAre you on duty tomorrow?โ€

Frank nodded.

โ€œIโ€™ll bring him by.โ€

โ€œDonโ€™t be late. And bring your ownโ€”โ€œ Frank paused and fumbled with his hands until he signed ยซ deaf school ยป. 

Horatioโ€™s chuckle got lost somewhere between his heart and his head.

ยซ Alcohol ยป Horatio showed the correct sign with a sigh and a shake of his head. โ€œMaybe youโ€™re right. Maybe you shouldnโ€™t bother with it.โ€

Neither of them spoke for a moment. Horatio studied the spot where the ghost of Mr. Danes had stood only a few minutes ago. He shuddered.

โ€œYou gonna let me out?โ€

The gates buzzed and rattled open. Horatio strode forward down the driveway, giving the spiritโ€™s area a wide clearance. He walked down the lane to his waiting car, all the while wondering if he would sleep tonight.


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