Nearly Departed, Max Schlienger [the gingerbread man read aloud txt] 📗

eyes darted from the stone to the chair, where the ghost sat looking at him with an expression of aghast confusion. He reached out and waved his hand at her, making a last attempt at dissipating the illusion.

“Stop it!” the ghost snapped, holding up her hands. His fingers passed right through them. There was no heat, no smoke, and the image of the girl remained completely untouched.

Dennis slowly turned to face Elspeth. The mirror atop the vanity showed his face as an emotionless mask, and behind him, an empty armchair. Then, with as much poise and professionalism as he could muster, Doctor Darvyn Luciano September fainted.

Chapter Five

The splash of water came as a disorienting shock, and Dennis sat bolt upright, clawing at the ground. Elspeth was squatting in front of him, looking for all the world like a disapproving mother. “There’s no use sitting around all day, Doctor. Now get up.”

Dennis struggled to regain his feet, but slumped down again as a wave of disorientation hit him. He was surprised at how dizzy he felt. He had never passed out before and… Oh, god, he had passed out. He examined his surroundings through water-spotted glasses. He was in the hall outside the bedroom, and the door had been closed. Elspeth must have dragged him there after his sudden loss of consciousness.

“Is, uh… Is everything okay?” Dennis asked lamely. Elspeth put a hand on her hip, still holding an empty pitcher that was dripping onto the carpet.

“Well, your makeup is a bit smeared, but I daresay you can fix that pretty easily. Here,” she said, holding out a glass. “I expect you could use a proper drink.”

Dennis took an immediate gulp of the liquid, and realized too late that it was, in fact, gin. He coughed and sputtered, nearly spilling the rest of it. Not that it would have mattered, seeing as how he was seated in a widening puddle of water.

“I’m glad that one did the trick. I’d already splashed you once,” said Elspeth. Dennis touched his face, and examined the tinted substance that came away on his fingers. He looked up sheepishly, but Elspeth held up a hand. “You don’t have to explain anything, dear. Although you might want to use something waterproof next time.”

“You’re not… you’re not mad?” Dennis ventured. Elspeth answered with a laugh that was both warm and full of wisdom.

“Doctor, I’m fifty-three years old, and I’m dying of cancer. I’m not about to waste my time with feeling cross. Besides, do you really think that you’re the first flimflammer that Evy has done this to?”

“Flimflammer?” Dennis repeated. Then, upon second thought, he added “Evy?”

“Evelyn,” replied Elspeth. “It’s a family nickname. Now, come and have a sit-down.” She took the glass from his hand and led the way back into the foyer. Dennis made a second attempt at finding his feet, and managed to pull himself to attention without falling over.

“I’ll thank you to take your coat off first, so as not to get the seats all wet.” Elspeth pointed at a wooden coat rack next to the entrance. Feeling wholly out of his element, Dennis shed the soaked garment and hung it on one of the pegs. Then, not seeing any other viable course of action, he joined Elspeth back at the table.

“Look, I,” he began. He took a breath and exhaled as he sat down. “I’m sorry about the act, Ms. Palin, I just didn’t…” He trailed off, looking down at the table.

“Call me Elspeth, dear,” she said. “And I told you, there’s no need to explain.” She put the glass and the pitcher on the table, and then poured a cup of tea from the kettle. Once again, she dropped a cube of sugar into it, stirred for a moment, and passed it to Dennis. The tea was still warm, although not to the point of discomfort anymore. He drank it in two large swallows, trying to clear the stinging taste of alcohol from his throat.

“So,” started Elspeth again. “Do you think you can help me?”

Dennis’ eyes snapped up. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Do you think you can help me?” Elspeth asked again. Dennis shook his head in confusion.

“You know that I’m a fraud, and you still want my help?” he asked. “Why?” Elspeth poured herself another cup of tea before answering, and when she did, it took Dennis a moment to follow the shift in topic.

“She won’t remember this tomorrow, you know. She won’t even recognize you. Every day, her memory sort of… goes.” She dropped a sugar cube into her cup and stirred it. “There’s not much point in my trying anymore, since I’ve tried damn near everything. It seems to me that a fresh set of eyes might be able to come up with fresh solutions.” She held up a hand as Dennis opened his mouth to speak. “Let me finish, Doctor. I saw the way you watched the room when Evy popped in. You don’t miss much, save for maybe what’s right in front of you, and who can blame you for that?” She finished stirring and replaced the spoon on the silver tray.

Dennis sat and stared. He had heard the term “deer in headlights” more times than he could count, but had never expected to find himself in the path of an oncoming truck. Elspeth met his gaze solidly and with confidence, patiently expecting an answer.

“I don’t know anything about ghosts,” Dennis finally confessed. “I just tell people what they want to hear.”

“So tell me what I want to hear,” replied Elspeth. “Say you’ll help me.”

There was no desperation in her voice, no pleading, only an open request. Dennis knew that if he refused, she would most likely bid him goodnight, and that he’d never hear from her again. He thought back on the events that had taken place in the bedroom. Part of his brain still insisted that this had to be a trick, but Dennis dismissed it. Everything had been too perfect, even including…

“My stone!” Dennis suddenly