A Case with the Police

Frank was in no mood to answer any questions or engage her in a discussion. He wanted her to go so he could vanish out of thar place.

"Please just go home," he said to her, "I'm too disturbed to talk to anyone."

"I need to know, please."

"I guess you know already."

"You're the man who was here sometime ago that early morning."

"Yes. And like I said, you are safe. Good home. It's getting late."

"Are you aware that the whole town has made a demon out of you?"

"What do you mean they've made a demon out of me?"

"They said you're an evil spirit and that it was you who carried out the massacre at the market square some months ago. And again, those who saw you when you spoke to Sussie that afternoon said they saw you vanish into the air, thus confirming the the fears that you're a spirit, and a wicked one for that matter."

"Eva, go home," Frank said drily. The thoughts of Jenna was still somewhere in his mind, raging.

"I need to know," she pleaded. "You don't look like what they have made you out to be."

For some seconds, Frank did not say anything. He looked ahead, beyond the trees, his mind a whirlpool of emotions. When he spoke, his voice was heavy with sadness.

"What if I told you that I'm not a mortal?"

Eva's brain registered no shock at what she just heard. Somewhere deep inside of her, she had known he was not a normal person. She just did not know how abnormal he was.

"I know already," she said.

"Oh, you do? Good."

"So you're the spirit who killed more than thirty of our people at the market square."

"Yes, I killed them because they attacked me first. But I'm not a spirit.":

"Who are you, really?"

"I'm an immortal. You won't understand. Go home." And then, before she could speak, he said, "How come you aren't scared after I told you that it was me who carried out that massacre at the market square? Sussie had bolted away twice even though I had told her less."

"Well, I reckoned that if you wanted to kill me, you would have done it. And besides, you assured me that I had nothing to worry about."

"Okay, okay," Frank said, "you can go home now?"

"Do you have a home?"

"I do?"

"You mean you live a normal life like.the rest of us."

"Eva, you're trying to know me, but you can't."

"I'm fascinated by you."

"You are?"

"Yes, I haven't seen anyone quite like you."

"I'm not that special, trust me. If anything, I have woeful existence."

"Tell me your story."

"I can't."

"Please…"

"Not today. I have something else to attend to now."

\*\*\*

Three hours later, at about 8 P.M., Sussie listened in disbelief as Eva recounted the events of the day to her. There were seated on a wooden bench in front of the verandah of her Eva's father's house.

"My dear, I still can't stop thinking about it," Eva said in a whisper, "It was surreal."

"Have you told anyone?" Sussie asked, enchanted.

"No," Eva replied.

"Not even even Sussie?"

"She would definitely tell my parents. I don't want to spread panic as there is absolutely nothing to panic about."

"You were really brave, Eva, standing there and talking to me even after knowing who he was."

"I'm not very brave. Don't forget that I fainted at the start."

Sussie laughed. "But damn, he is quite a phenomenon."

"You can say that again."

"Can we meet him again?"

"I'm not sure you want to meet him again," Eva said.

"Why did you say that?"

"I don't know. Is that necessary?"

"I feel that there's something I can do to help him."

Eva did a double take. "Did he tell you he needed help?"

"I have had a lot of scary dreams about him. I still remember a few while I've forgotten many others. And in all of those dreams he was always in danger, always being attacked by enemies. I think there's more to him than meets the eye."

For over a minute, Eva said nothing. Her mind had been upended, as it were. She had had her suspicions for a while now, but tonight those suspicions had been confirmed. Sussie had fallen for this strange man. It was evident in the way she spoke about him, the way her voice moved between timbres and octaves, always going lower, always solemn. Eva knew that Sussie, too, had been captivated by Frank charm. And it made her instantly sick.

"You love him?" she found herself asking. She had not meant to ask the question, but she just couldn't help it.

Sussie did not like the fact that Eva had asked her that question again.

"Are you deliberately trying to get me peeved, Eva?" she snarled.

"Come off it, Sussie! What's the matter with you? Why do you always get cranky anything I ask you that question? What's wrong with the question?"

"I just don't the question."

"Is it because it's ths truth?"

"What truth?" Sussie asked, standing up, "I think I have to go now. I can't have you insult me tonight."

Eva was nonplussed. "What has come over you, Sussie? You are behaving so strangely, so out of character!"

"And you are asking strange questions! How could you think I'm in love with him? How? For God's sake, the man is not half-human, half-spirit! How can I be in love with such a person? And what would even make me fall for him?"

"Well, it's just about the most handsome man I've ever seen in my life and I know how much you like fine guys, Sussie."

Eva's words broke the ice and Sussie laughed.

"Well, I can't really explain it," Sussie said at last, "but perish the thought—it's not love. Love must have a basis; there's no basis in this case. I just feel drawn to him and, I swear, I don't know why. I'm also scared of him. But I see him in my dreams every time. I just can't explain it, Eva."

Eva smiled, but there was an uncomfortable feeling behind that smile and she tried not to let it show.