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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.
Frankโs severe voice drifted out from the guardhouse, barely louder than the hooting owls. โWhoโs there?โ
โA friend,โ Horatio warbled elongated haunting notes back into the darkness.
โIs that you, Rato?โ Frank wasnโt laughing. No surprise there, really.
Horatio stepped up to the camera and smiled. โJust his ghostโโ
โYouโre 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. โQuiet watch tonight?โ
โToo 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. โSo you havenโt seen the thing again?โ
โNo.โ
โWell, that makes sense.โ Horatio scoffed as he put his glasses back on. โThereโs no such thing as ghosts. I bet youโre just not getting enough sleep.โ He picked a half-finished airline bottle of vanilla vodka off the desk and raised an eyebrow. โOr else youโre drunk on baby liquor.โ
โIโve seen it every day this week.โ Frank snapped, ripping the bottle away from Horatio and drinking the contents.
โItโs only Wednesday.โ
โJust wait. Itโll 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.
โYou got any more?โ
โHuh?โ Frank turned his scowl to Horatio.
Horatio signed ยซ alcohol ยป.
Frank raised an eyebrow.
โBooze, 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. โSince Hamโs been gone, it really hasnโt come up.โ He tossed the bottle to Horatio.
โYou know he just got back into town this afternoon.โ
Frank shrugged.
โI think maybe youโre 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.
โYou know, Bernie saw it, too. Last week when he covered my shift. He said he saw a bright green light in the west.โ
โI went to Arden with Bernie since middle school. He used to say he couldnโt join the lacrosse team because he was too busy playing polo. The guy couldnโt join cause he was on a scholarship. Heโs F.O.S. You shouldnโt indulgeโโ
โShh.โ
โHim.โ
โShut up.โ Frank urged in an even more severe tone than Horatio thought was possible. โGet over here.โ
Begrudgingly, Horatio roused himself from the surprisingly comfortable wooden chair and walked to the observation window.
โOh my god, Frank! Look! Itโs fog! And more fog! Wow!โ
Frank danced into his coat and tossed on his scarf. โCome on.โ He pushed past Horatio and went out the door.
โDude, for real. This is getting silly.โ
โWhy did you even come out here, Rato? Huh? If you donโt want to see him? If you donโt believe, you could have stayed home.โ He didnโt even look at Horatio as he jogged out the door.
โFine. Show me.โ Horatio followed Frank outside. He immediately regretted leaving his jacket on the gatehouse floor.
Horatio shivered.
โStop here, Rato.โ Frank stopped Horatio about ten feet from the gate and took off his scarf. โI donโt think we should get too close.โ
He handed the scarf to Horatio.
โThanks.โ He wrapped it around his ears and neck and looked out into the cloud-covered night. โWhat am I supposed to be looking at, Frank?โ
โTen oโclock. 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.
โFog, Frank. Seriously.โ
The owls fell silent.
Yellow and green?
Horatio rubbed the moisture off his glasses with Frankโs scarf and refocused.
Yes. It was yellow and green.
From the cloudy swirl emerged a vaguely man-shaped figure.
โVery funny, Frank.โ Horatio chuckled.
Frank said nothing.
โBernie! Welcome to the party! Frankโs got lady booze!โ Horatio shouted. โHow are you doing that glowing thing?โ
Bernie didnโt answer.
Horatio turned to Frank. โHowโs he doing that?โ
Frank gawked, unblinking as Bernie steadily slid closer to the gate.
โFrank?โ
Frank was a terrible actor. Commitment to a prank was not something Frank was particularly known for. In fact, Horatio couldnโt 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.
โHoly fโ fog.โ Horatio exhaled a puff of curling vapour as he took a step toward the gate. โWho are you?โ
The figure stopped its advance.
Despite Frankโs scarf, Horatioโs ears burned in the cold. The hair on Horatioโs bare arms stood on end.
โI command youโ,โ half-mocking fear cracked Horatioโs voice. โFor 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.
โHe wonโt talk to me either, Rato.โ
Horatio pretended to listen to the owls for a moment as he searched for his voice. โIt looked like Mr. Danes.โ
Frank nodded.
โBut Mr. Danes is dead.โ
Frank nodded again and walked back into the gatehouse.
โWill it be back?โ Horatio asked, unable to move.
โNot tonight.โ Frank called back from inside the tiny building.
โWhatโโ Horatio cleared his throat. โWhat does it want?โ
โIf I knew, I would have taken care of it myself. He wonโt talk to any of us. Not me, not Bernie, not Mark.โ
โYou think itโll talk to Ham?โ
โThatโs actually why I asked you to come. We donโt really know Hamilton well enough to ask him.โ Horatioโs 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. โYou mean, you donโt like talking to the deaf guy.โ
Frank didnโt say anything, but Horatio saw shame in his eyes.
โNo worries, Frankie.โ Horatio snarled. โAre you on duty tomorrow?โ
Frank nodded.
โIโll bring him by.โ
โDonโt be late. And bring your ownโโ Frank paused and fumbled with his hands until he signed ยซ deaf school ยป.
Horatioโs 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. โMaybe youโre right. Maybe you shouldnโt 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.
โYou gonna let me out?โ
The gates buzzed and rattled open. Horatio strode forward down the driveway, giving the spiritโs area a wide clearance. He walked down the lane to his waiting car, all the while wondering if he would sleep tonight.