Half Life (7 page)

Back in the parlour Sally takes the spare armchair, leaving Kate no choice but to sit on the couch next to Nick.  It
’
s clear he likes her and why shouldn
’
t he?  She
’
s beautiful and astonishing. 

I stand sentinel in the corner of the room, a sullen and hostile presence while they chat about this and that.  When Kate throws her head back and laughs at one of Nick
’
s pathetic jokes my jealousy reaches breaking point.  I come up behind him and pull his hair.

“
Ow, what the hell was that?
”
frowns Nick, putting a hand to his head and turning in his seat. 
“
Something pulled my hair.
”

Kate
’
s the only one who can see me and flashes me a warning look. 
“
You must have caught it in the zip of the cushion covers,
”
she says.

This explanation seems to satisfy the oaf and he continues talking.  So I tug his hair again.

“
Ow, what is that?
”
Nick demands, getting to his feet and looking around the room.

Stop it,
Kate mouths at me.

I can see Sally is starting to get nervous and I smile maliciously.  It
’
s her fault Nick
’
s here.  She
’
s the one trying to force him on Kate.  I move behind her and sensing my presence she looks around nervously but of course sees nothing.

In the meantime Nick has retaken his seat and launches into another longwinded anecdote.  Kate can hardly concentrate on his words because she
’
s too busy trying to keep a subtle eye on me.

When I generate a cold spot around Sally she squeals and leaps to her feet.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
frowns Simon.

Kate
’
s eyes harden when she looks at me but I don
’
t care.  I
’
m too angry.

“
Something
’
s here, I can feel it,
”
she says, clutching her arms tightly about herself.

Simon laughs. 
“
She thinks this house is haunted by the spirit of the man who built this place,
”
he tells Nick, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Recalling the hair pulling, Nick doesn
’
t think it
’
s so much of a joke. 
“
Is it haunted Kate?
”

“
I
’
ve never seen anything,
”
she replies, her eyes fixed on me.

This denial enrages me so I kick the back of Sally
’
s chair, causing her to leap into the air with fright.

“
What is it now?
”
says Simon.

“
Something kicked my chair, I felt it.
”

“
Darling you
’
re being ridiculous
…
hey.
”

He leaps up too when I kick his chair.  Kate looks positively murderous and I know she will make me pay for this later but I can
’
t help myself, I
’
m so damn mad.  I yank the back of Simon
’
s jacket, pulling him back down into his chair.  Sally screams and runs for the door, abandoning her husband to his fate but I reach it before she does and lock it.  She yanks at it frantically, screaming and shaking but it wont open.

“
Tom, stop it,
”
yells Kate.

Ignoring her I turn my attention back to the bemused Nick who is staring at the scene with his mouth hanging open and I shove him back onto the couch before tipping a bowl of pot pourri all over his head.  He releases a yelp of surprise and frantically brushes the dried flowers off himself.  I follow this up by hurling cushions at him and he jumps up and runs for the door.  Shoving Sally out of the way he tries to pull the front door open but it still wont budge.

“
Tom I said stop it,
”
thunders Kate.

“
Tom?  You mean Thomas Galbraith?
”
screams Sally, cowering against the wall as I hurl more objects at them while Nick continues to wrestle with the door.

“
Yes,
”
says Kate. 
“
He
’
s harmless really.  These are just cheap parlour tricks.  Tom I said stop it,
”
she yells when I pour a glass of wine all over Simon
‘
s lap.  Unlike the others he just sits there, staring at the glass floating through the air in bewilderment. 

I pick up the plate of biscuits Kate had laid out and throw them at him.

“
That
’
s it, I
’
m out of here,
”
he cries and joins the other two pounding at the door.

Kate has to push Nick aside she can unlock the door.  Sally leaves first, shoving the men out of the way with a strength belied by her small stature.  Her husband follows next and when Nick attempts to leave I stick my foot out, sending him sprawling onto the front step.  He scrambles to his feet and charges down the path after his friends, not bothering to say goodbye.  

“
Well how rude,
”
I smirk.

Kate slams the door shut and rounds on me ferociously.  My smile drops.

“
How dare you?
”
she hisses, hands on hips and foot tapping angrily. 
“
They were my guests.  You had absolutely no right to treat them like that.
”

“
I didn
’
t like Nick.  He wasn
’
t a good man.
”

“
And how would you know?  He
’
d only been here five minutes when you decided to start tormenting him.  On top of that I asked you to leave Sally and Simon alone.
”

“
They
’
re hideous people.  I don
’
t know why you
’
re friends with them.
”

“
I
’
ll tell you why.  Because they were the only ones who stood by me when all my other so-called friends abandoned me.  I could never have got through the court case without them. When Michael had completely destroyed my life they offered me sanctuary here.  I
’
ve known them both for over ten years.  Who the hell are you to judge them?  And if I want to talk to a man I will, you have no right to interfere?
”

“
No right, after all that has passed between us?
”
I say, thinking of what I told her just before that shower arrived, of the most personal and distressing thing that has ever happened to me.

“
That
’
s been lovely but where did you think it was going?  You can
’
t even kiss me, not without draining the life out of me.  What kind of a future do you think we have together?
”

“
So this is the real Kate is it?  A spiteful shrew.  No wonder Michael couldn
’
t wait to get rid of you,
”
I spit back.  The words are out of my mouth before I can consider them.  She
’
s hurt me and all I want to do is hurt her back.

The pain in her eyes breaks my heart. 
“
You bastard.  This isn
’
t working anymore.   I think it
’
s time you moved on.
”

Before I can say another word she
’
s out the door.  I try to run after her but my energy starts to drain as I approach the garden gate and I have to stand and watch impotently as she climbs into her metal beast and speeds off down the road.

I return to the house, cursing myself.  How could I say something so cruel, especially after what she
’
s been through?  Because she hurt my manly pride, that
’
s how.  What a fool I am.  What right do I have to interfere in her life anyway?  Haven
’
t I always thought she deserves a man who is at the very least alive?  What do I have to offer her?  Nothing. 

After tidying up the mess I
’
ve created I pace back and forth, working myself up into a state.  Three agonising hours tick by and she
’
s still not returned. It
’
s almost time for our show too.  We always watch it together and it wont be any fun without her. 

Finally I hear the key in the door and I wait to greet her, practicing my apology over and over in my head.  However I
’
m surprised to be confronted by Sally instead. 

“
Kate?
”
she calls.  When there
’
s no reply she looks over her shoulder at someone. 
“
It
’
s alright Marguerita, she
’
s not here.  She probably got scared and ran off too.
”

In walks a bizarre looking woman, middle aged wearing a long flowing multicoloured dress and draped in jewellery and scarves.  Her hair is bright red and her make-up makes Sally
’
s appear subtle.  This must be Marguerita Swirls, the famous psychic.  Let
’
s see just how damn psychic she is.

“
I sense someone here,
”
says Marguerita in a breathless little voice. 
“
A man.  He
’
s angry and upset.  He doesn
’
t want us here.
”

“
Is it Thomas Galbraith?
”
says Sally timidly.

“
Yes.  Thomas, you can
’
t stay here any longer.  Do you hear me?  You must move on.  You must go towards the light.
”

What
’
s the ridiculous woman talking about?  I
’
ve never seen any light.

“
This is no longer your house,
”
she goes on.  For someone with such a soft voice she is quite a powerful speaker. 
“
You
’
re interfering with the living and it cannot continue.
”

Now I divine what has happened.  Sally thinks she will rid Kate of me forever.  Well I
’
m not going.  Petulantly I kick over a chair and Sally squeals and hides behind Marguerita
’
s bulky body, who appears completely unruffled.

“
This is a very powerful spirit,
”
Marguerita tells Sally. 
“
I
’
ve never encountered one so strong.  He must be feeding off the occupant of the house, like a bloated leech.
”

The comparison offends me.  Sally appears angry and it is clear she only has Kate
’
s best interests at heart and suddenly I find it hard to be cross with her.

“
She has been tired a lot lately,
”
says Sally. 
“
I just thought she was depressed.
”

“
I
’
m going to help you Thomas,
”
calls Marguerita theatrically. 
“
I
’
m going to send you home.
”

“
I
’
m not going,
”
I yell, knocking the books off the coffee table with a sweep of the arm. 

Marguerita produces from beneath her dress a book and what appears to be a small wooden rattle.  I worry where she got them from because that dress has no pockets.  Marguerita opens the book and starts chanting in a strange language and shaking the rattle rhythmically.  As she gets into full flow the whole room seems to darken around me, as though night has drawn in early and I drop to my knees as the strength drains right out of me.  All I can do is lie there helplessly on the rug as the world recedes away, leaving me in a terrifying limbo.  I attempt to rise but it
’
s impossible.  I can see my hands are transparent, almost faded away to nothing and I
‘
m icy cold.  Then I am overcome by a debilitating paralysis and can do naught but lie here impotently.