A Halloween Love story

by unruly orange

 

As Jacque lay in her bed staring at the sculpted ceiling she thought about John.  

She and John had been sweethearts for five years and even though he was with a new girl now, the old feelings hung on.  As luck would have it the couple lived just next door in the same apartment complex.  It was sometimes hard to lay with only a wall between their apartments and hear the sweet laughter just behind the barrier.

Jacque twiddled her hair and realized that she was still a bit angry that John was such a cheater and had caused the split up. She felt a surge of anger as she blamed him for the lost of all that had been theirs before.  Now this sad mess was just the way it was, plus the new girl friend was really sweet and also a dear friend. Case closed.

Jacque could hear John and several of his buddies as they drank their beer and goofed around in the drive. They were loading up an old motorcycle which had just been rebuilt to take to Gaffer City. 

Carla, John's girlfriend and her dog were busy in a training session which included eating the seat from one poor slob's baggie pants. Jacque chuckled to herself as she laid listening to Carla's southern accent as she stood yelling at the dog to get off the guy who was so desperately trying to get into the truck. 

The seven guy wonders of the world climbed aboard the truck and took off with a jerk and screech. This hot and sunny day in July seemed just like all the others, and a party was planned for that evening when the merchants returned with their capital gains.

Jacque had been feeling strangely ill all day and chose to nap for a while. Something in her stomach felt queasy and out of sync. 

It seamed that she had just fallen asleep when she was awakened with the feeling of someone in her room.  With sleepy eyes she looked around and saw no one, so she drifted away again. 

Again she woke feeling the mattress shift with the weight of something on her bed.  She felt very tired and pushed it away thinking it was her old cat. Seemingly out of nowhere, she could smell John’s familiar scent which made her take a deep breath. Opening her eyes she saw nothing, and soon drifted back into slumber.

Moments later she felt a body laying next to her and she was being cuddled in familiar arms. She immediately recognized the intruder as John.  She was surprised at first and then a bit angry.  What was he doing in her room?

He felt wet as though he had just slipped in from the shower and she wondered just what he was trying to pull. Her resistance was weak at best and she was trying not to feel guilty when she heard his whispering voice telling her he loved her and not to worry.  In the stillness she selfishly clung to deep emotions as he promised his love till the ends of the earth. Deep inside she wanted to keep silent forever, thinking perhaps he would stay, even though she knew this cheep trick could not work out. What about Carla?

Knowing that what he was doing was wrong, she held still for a longing moment taking in all the love she so wanted to be hers.  At just the moment she had decided to give into her desires and fully embrace him, she felt him pull away leaving only the wet spot where he had laid.  She could not bring herself to look his way so she kept her eyes closed tight and asked him to leave the room before they both regretted this stupid moment. With out another word he was gone.

The next time Jacque opened her eyes the room was filled with total blackness and the sound of a wildly ringing phone. She rolled over knocking the phone to the floor and as she leaned down to pick it up she could hear a screaming, crying voice on the other end. In a foggy daze she lifted the receiver to her ear. 

"Oh my God! Jacque, help me, he is dead. They are all hurt and dieing. Mickey wrecked the truck and John went through a barbed wire fence. It cut him almost in half.  I was at my sisters house when they came for me." Carla's voice broke into sobbing sadness as she said, " I missed his last moments."  

With her body trembling from head to toe Jacque sat frozen in shock and bewilderment. She wanted to scream, "No you’re lying", but she let the phone hang loosely in her hand as she touched the still wet sheets. A flood of emotions of love and fear swirled and tangled inside her mind.  How could this be true?  How she could have been with John only moments before if he had been dieing in the hospital?   

Forever she would wonder if their love had truly bridged the great gap of time and space, if only for his departing moment? >0<