STALKER

Chapter 20 - 7th June part 2

This was something new. I had no idea what was going on with Granddad. His normal human silhouette was expanding as he circled the table. He looked more like a Tesla electricity experiment, his black tendrils shooting out across the room, sparks and blue flames crackling along the wispy threads. This was worse than when he wanted to connect with my dad. Weirdo really pissed him off. I didn't get the chance to react to what he said, let alone ask if he saw Granddad. I don't think he did. I hadn't seen Granddad for days. Still, it was freaky that Weirdo knew. What were the odds that he'd meant it as a joke and just happened to be right?  It was the last thing I expected him to say. He'd floored me twice in one day.  At this, it was a mystery all I knew was that Granddad was in such a fury that, somehow, he managed to make the suits on the coat rack swing on their hangers....that was new too.

He suddenly stopped and turned to look at me. I could feel him focusing his attention on me. He moved in my direction and I had a bad feeling. Granddad was reaching for me. I moved away and put the table between us. The last thing I wanted was him touching me again, especially in this mood. We did a little dance around the table until he went to the door and stopped. He made it clear that he wasn't letting me out.

I was hungover and felt like death and this was the last thing I needed. It seemed that being humiliated in front of my parents, embarrassed in public by my ex, and waking up with a stranger wasn't enough of a karma dump. Now, my spectral housemate was having a tantrum and wanted to take possession of my body.

He pointed at the table. I wasn't moving from where I stood....nope it's not happening. He kept pointing but I wasn't budging. As time went on it started to feel ridiculous, it was a stalemate. Neither of us was giving an inch. I sat on the bed ready to jump left or right if he came at me. I was so mindbogglingly tired, all I wanted was to go back to sleep, instead, I was trying to stay alert. Granddad didn't move from the doorway, his arm never dropped.

30 minutes later I gave up. My stomach was heaving, I needed to pee and worst of all I ran out of cigarettes and a new carton was in the kitchen calling out my name.

I hated the idea the thought repulsed me but I was going to let the grumpy arsehole have a little" me time" literally. He stood by the table opposite me, he pointed at my hand. I placed it on the table in front of me...I really, really didn't want to do this. He leaned over and placed his hand on mine, in mine, until we were one. The last time this happened I was asleep and I didn't see it coming. His invasion was in the form of a dream. This time it was different. The light in the room faded and all colour with it. The room in my peripheral vision darkened, then blurred and slowly the whole room faded away until all that remained was a circle of light in a black void. It was like a slow transition fade out and fade in from the real world...to where ever the fuck I was. In that circle sat the table with me on one side and a young John Morrison on the other.

"Does this make it easier for you?" Granddad said. I wanted to laugh because nothing was easy about this. There he was, exactly how I last saw him in 1942. "I thought you'd feel more comfortable if you saw a familiar face."

"No, not in the slightest. Nothing can make this situation comfortable." If I could, I would have sold a kidney for a pack of cigarettes at that point. "What do you want? Why are we doing this?" I waved my hands around.

He sat down on the corner of the table and looked down at me. "I'm sorry for the dramatics but I needed to talk to you." Watching him, like every other time I've seen him, I felt a strange kind of happiness. Giving the specter a face made him real, less terrifying.

"So, what have you got to say?" Can I call you John?"

"Certainly not, Granddad is fine." Ok! I stand corrected. It didn't feel right but I wasn't in the mood to argue. Obviously he didn't intend this to be a bonding session.

"Finnne....Granddad, please tell me what you need to tell me so you can send me back This place is freaking me out." The complete darkness that surrounded the table was bad enough, but the silence was totally unnerving.

"I can't say anything to you about the past but I know you're a smart boy..." Jeez, he really was talking like a granddad. I half expected him to hand me a lollipop. What was coming out of his mouth didn't go with the young handsome face. "..and you can work things out for yourself. But I had to warn you. Don't trust that man."

I'm assuming he's talking about Weirdo. He got up and started to pace the way he did when he was in his true form. He was wringing his hands and shaking his head. "When I saw him, it all came...." Granddad stopped mid-sentence.

"I don't know why he ended up in your life and in your bed. I didn't know you were like that." The bastard had the hide to turn up his nose at the idea of me being game. "But don't let him in the house again. Don't trust a word he says. Have nothing to do with him." What a wanker was my first thought; the next one was what a hypocritical wanker.

"I'm not  "like that". AND....of all people you shouldn't even go there...hypocrite." I mumbled the last bit under my breath.

Granddad glared at me. He knew, I knew all his secrets. "I tried my hardest to make up for my mistake."

I was taken aback. Was granddad still in the closet in the Afterlife? Is this what they mean when they say spirits hang around because they have left something unresolved. Did his shame follow him after death? It never crossed my mind that he regretted his relationship with Jules. From everything I've come across, it's the opposite. Every memento was precious, preserved. He loved Jules, I'm sure of it. I was shocked to discover, tucked away deep, deeeep, really deep inside me there lurked a romantic, who wanted to defend their relationship. I didn't want to let him get away with what he said.

"You loved Jules, cut the crap. I saw it. I felt it. Don't bullshit me." Next minute he's practically flying over the table and grabbing at my collar.

"Shut your mouth. I married your grandmother...that's who I was." Granddad yelled in my face. It was the strangest thing, and I surprised myself but I wasn't scared. I had felt it. He was the one that forced me to. I wasn't backing down.

The conversation he planned had gone south. It had become very personal. "It's time to go back now John. I think we're done here."

.....

I was back in a blink, sitting at the table looking at nothing. I was alone. Granddad, nope it's going to be John from now on just to piss him off, was off sulking somewhere. I probably wouldn't see him for days. I dragged myself to the kitchen for a coffee and my cigarettes, then went back to my bed, planning to spend the rest of the day dozing, uninterrupted. As I climbed into bed, coffee in one hand and cigarette in the other, the perfect combo.  I wondered how in less than a day, my life turned into a fucking mess.