Ghost In The Vestige's Shadow - Chapter 4 - Candidate part 1
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Albert’s POV
I didn’t need to ponder what she said at all. I know I should’ve thought about what I should’ve done,
but I can’t piece together what happened earlier to really get myself in the right condition. Suddenly, my thoughts circle back to the sound.
That soul-wrenching sound took the wind out of me twice today. The day’s almost over and I don’t even have a simple gist of what that sound was. This morning. It was so loud I could feel everything inside me shaking, so much pain coursing through my body I thought I’d burst open.
But how could it be that only me and Zach were affected? I know I heard a commotion from outside my apartment, but when I and Zach went to check…
There was nothing out of the ordinary. I swear, my head hurts more and more just by thinking about this. “Albert? Hey, you there? Now you’re the one who looks like you’re racking your brain a little bit too much. Seriously, what happened to you two today?” I have to tell her. It just wouldn’t be right to keep her out of this. But, would she even believe what I had to say?
While I was mustering up the courage to tell Bea, Zach called us, walking to the couch carrying a tray of snacks.
“Hey guys! Hope you didn’t wait too long! It took me a while to look for some food there. Buuut, all I could find were snacks.
I knew you too were hungry so I took a mix of everything.” Well, that’s some perfect timing by you Zach, you just saved me from having to explain everything that happened today. “It’s about time, Zach! What were you doing in there? If you messed up my kitchen, you wouldn’t want to know what I’d do to you!”
There she goes again… “Relax, MOM, I didn’t make a mess in there. Come on, just eat guys.”
The three of us sitting on the couch, me in the middle, eating what Zach brought. “Hey, doesn’t this remind you guys of back then? I mean, when me and Zach were still in school?” I ask, reminiscing about how we always hung out almost every day back then.
Zach replies first. “Of course I do! I won’t ever forget. I remember Bea‘s parents really liked us, and let us sleep over whenever we wanted!
We’d go to the mall, the cinema, and I even remember that one time me and Bea went to watch your football games!” After that, Bea follows suit. “Yeah, but I don’t think his team ever won.” You just gotta rub it in, do you? “It really has been a long time. It’s fun to do this once in a while.” I was already back to eating. But Bea and Zach are still talking about all the times we spent together back then. Can’t blame them though. The last time we hung out like this was almost a year ago. “I just hope we can get together like this more often. And not because you passed again, Albert!”
“I appreciate the thoughtfulness, Bea.”
It’s true that we haven’t gotten together like this in a long while. But I can’t ignore this feeling. It’s subtle, but I know it’s there. It feels like I’m supposed to know something at the back of my head. And whatever it is, I know it can’t be good.
When our food ran out, Zach went to fetch some more, and we all decided to just watch shows until as late as we could.
Though it was like that for only a few hours, probably not even more than one, that time felt like it lasted so long.
And I can see that Bea and Zach are feeling the same too. But we, excluding Zach maybe, knew that things had limits, and we all eventually felt bored, and the need to sleep settled in with us – still excluding Zach.
“Well, if I wasn’t drained already, I guess I am now.” Yawning, Bea stands up, and drags her feet along the hallway, turning to face me and Zach before entering her room. “I almost forgot to tell you guys… Albert, you can sleep in the guest bedroom. And Zach, I guess the couch would be fine. Goodnight now!”
As expected, protests come raring out from Zach‘s mouth, but I don’t think any of his arguments make any sense.
Feeling my own drowsiness come up to me, I switch off the television and head for bed.
“Well, I guess I should be going over to bed now too.” It’s been quite a day. And I can’t wait to sleep. Especially since Bea happens to have a queen-sized bed and proper air conditioning in the guest bedroom. “Have fun on the couch,” I say, wishing Zach goodnight.
“Hey, Albert. You weren’t thinking of just sleeping off what happened today right? I think we need to talk about this.”
I was already at the room’s door when I heard Zach. What? What… just happened? Did a flip just switch inside him? I never remembered Zach talk like that before. The tone of his voice permeates with a kind of seriousness I couldn’t quite lay my finger on. Sure, earlier events confused me beyond anything else ever managed to. I can only call them unexplainable. And unexplainable things are better left out of the discussion “Zach. I now understand what you’re trying to say,
but I’ve had enough of painful wails and screeches. I haven’t heard any more of those today, and I’d rather leave that subject alone
than tire ourselves talking about something we can’t even begin to comprehend.” Shutting down Zach‘s request made me feel bad, but I meant what I said, and I didn’t want anything more than to sleep. It’s alright Albert. I sure hope Zach didn’t feel too put down by this.
I think to myself, trying to gain some reassurance. Without anything else on my mind anymore, I drop myself on the bed, welcoming a peaceful slumber. “Are you sure about that, boy?”
I’m almost already asleep, but I hear what I think is a voice. It sounded so raspy and scratched up.
Like an old man with a throat filled to the brim with phlegm. Each word is drastically more chilling than the last.
It takes me a great deal of will and effort just to open my eyes and sit up on the bed. Really? Why was it always like this today?!
I couldn’t rest properly this morning and afternoon, and now I can’t even get an ounce of sleep! I scan around me, but all I see are dark shadows and silhouettes of chairs, desks, and other furniture in the room.
Nothing is out of the ordinary, but that’s not what worries me. It’s the fact that I’m alone, and it’s been dead silent until now.
I know it could just be the wind, but…
Suddenly, someone knocks at my door. “Albert, it’s me. We need to do something. Now! Before this gets any worse.” Zach? Does he know about what happened?
Did he also hear the same voice? I open the door and see my friend. He was visibly distressed.
“Zach, what -” Then he cuts me off, “It was there again Albert. That-that noise! Didn’t you hear it? But it was different now. I almost wasn’t able to bear the pain. My ears were ringing, and my was head hurting so much I thought it’d split open!” The seriousness he had earlier was gone now. Not even a single trace of it remained.
Now his voice was shaky, fear ringing in every word that left his mouth. Zach was leaning himself on the doorframe,
his face was pale – almost white, trembling. “H-hey Zach. It’s alright, calm down. Take it easy.” Zach holds his gaze. But it wasn’t me he was staring at. Looking past me. Someone’s behind –
“What a pity it is, truly, for a Failed Candidate…” That voice ag-
Without any hint at all, Zach collapses, his body thumps on the floor, falling like a sac of potatoes. Motionless.
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