The Psychic

Small, Bare feet ran through the forest dirt. The little girl jumped over a tree branch then ducked and rolled under another. She was relieved to find a hole in a tree where she jumped inside of and cramped herself. The police officers and the hounds jumped over her head, falling over each other. “Where is she?” Yelled the chief.

“Chief, it’s useless. She’s just a little girl. Couldn’t’ve known what on Earth she was doing.”

The chief grabbed him and jacked him up. “She knew exactly what she was doing. These kids … who grow up around pill making parents, they catch right on. And I’m taking every one of em down. You really think she can’t tell what she’s doing?”

There was a splash in the puddle behind them. The girl stood in place as the other officers scrammed. From behind a tree, one yelled, “Chief no!”

Bang.

Jade’s eyes popped open. She swallowed and coughed at the dryness of her throat. she stepped into the shower, got ready for work and put an avocado toast between her teeth. Jade took a phone call from her assistant as she took a bite put of her toast. Her celebrity request had denied her. “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

“Jade, you know I love you.”

“Yes?”

“But you have to take some time to look at the pattern.”

“What are you talking about?”

“A-listers don’t wanna work with people like you.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“You know.”

“I don’t.”

“Come on. Don’t make me say it.”

“You started it.”

A sigh and then, “crazy people.”

“Jade chuckled and pointed as she said, “I’m crazy?”

“Come on.”

“Okay, so that’s what the office thinks of their boss? Okay, whatever.”

“Jade, it’s nothing personal.”

Jade hung up and tossed her phone aside. She slowed her car down as she drove past police tape stretching over a few trees. It caught her eye for a minute as she rode past.

She scanned her badge and made her way onto her floor. Everyone’s conversing stopped as she walked by. Their heads turned as well. She shut the door behind her and snatched the curtains shut. She set her suit jacket aside and bowed her head on the desk. Three knocks interrupted her peace. “Who is it?”

“Amber.”

“What do you want?”

“I have some papers for you to sign.” Amber let herself in and closed the door. “It’s dark in here.”

“Are you sure you want the crazy lady to sign off on anything? Does my opinion still hold any weight?”

“Do you want the office to reach ninety eight degrees again?”

“Of course not.”

“This is the slip for the AC. They won’t start operating until the woman in charge signs off on it.”

“Fine.”

“And then here’s the next celebrity request.”

“Okay, I’ll sign whatever later. Just give me few minutes. I didn’t get enough of sleep last night.”

“You’re going to take a nap?”

“Do you wanna keep your job?”

Amber didn’t say a word, just grimaced.

“Let me work, please.”

“I’ll be back in a few hours, after lunch.”

Amber excused herself as Jade put her head down as a response.

The floor creaked as Jade walked forward. She was in a house she had never see before.The tv was the only thing lighting the room. She ran into a corner after a woman ran past her.

“You don’t own me.”

“I’m your husband.”

“So what? You think that means something to me, Chief? You might have everyone else in this small town fooled but not me. I don’t care who you think you are. If you’re so concerned about my well being, lock me up.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Lock me up.”

“I love you.”

“Well, I like getting high. And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

“Susan, please. Losing our baby wasn’t enough for you to stop?”

Susan stepped forward, caressing her husband’s chin. “I never wanted that baby anyway. Now, do you got some more for me or not?”

Chief shook his head “no” and Susan walked off. He cried in his hand for a minute before throwing everything off the kitchen table.

“Hey,” said Amber as she shook Jade.

“What?”

“I told you I’d be back or are you gonna threaten to fire me again?”

“There’s no way it’s already been three hours.”

Amber tapped her watch and then pointed at the clock on the wall.

***

Jade exhaled as she rested her back against the door. She turned on the tv as she plopped down onto the couch. “Sources say, Abigail, the young victim in the recent drug bust has been found dead just less than a mile from her prison of a home. It’s to be believed that she may have stumbled upon a hunter in the words and they defended themselves. It’s been three weeks since the unsolved case. We believe that there is still a few missing children.

Jade gasped as she stood to her feet. It was bright on the other side of the window so she closed the curtains and pulled her comforter over herself.

This time she walked into a rom full of children on their knees. Her heart beat faster at the thought of seeing such small children chopping, scraping, and placing pills in various bags. She walked closer and stopped halfway. A man had been walking toward her. She gasped and backed up as he went on without addressing her. She put her hand on the able and it went straight through. Then she put her hand through one of the kids. What is this?, she thought.

“It’s the truth.”

Jade jumped.

“Don’t be afraid. I use to be afraid but I had to get used to it.”

Are you saying I’m dead?”

“No.”

“Then what

“You’re just dreaming. But, I’m dead.”

“I know. I saw you on the news.”

“I need your help.”

“I’m not who you’re looking for.

“Yes, you are.You have a gift. You can see things that others can’t. You know things that other people don’t.”

“So.”

“So, I need you to set me free.”

“How do I do that?”

The man ran back into the room with a belt. “I don’t have all day. We have people waiting, you understand?”

The little girl turned back to Jade and said, “You have to go to my grave.”

“And do what?”

“Go up to the headstone and smash it.”

“Smash it with what?”

“Anything. Something strong”

“That’s desecration.”

“There’s no body underneath. My ashes are in the headstone. My soul is trapped in this realm. I have to escape or I’ll keep reliving this.” She pointed at jade. “And so will you.”

Jade heaved for breath as she awoke. She threw her jacket on and grabbed her car keys. She sped down the road with her phone in the passenger seat. The screen read, “where is Abigail Finland buried.”

She slammed the trunk shut with her mallet in hand as she walked through the graveyard. She walked from stone to stone looking for a specific name. She found it and pulled the mallet back before taking a swing. The top corner chipped of. Then she took another swing. She sent a crack down the middle just as a police siren went off.

“You sick, woman,” yelled the officer. He walked toward her and yelled, “You’d do that to an innocent child’s grave?”

“You don’t understand. She told me to do this. she wants to be free.”

Danny, Jade’s fiancé hopped out of his car and ran toward her. “Babe? Babe, what did you do?”

“I’m setting this little girl free.”

“You need to come with me.”

“No. I’m doing what she’s asked me to do.”

“Jade, You’re not thinking straight. You’ve been off your meds for two weeks. No one’s been talking to you.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is. You ever notice you only have these visions and dreams when you stop taking your meds?”

“But she was right … there. She has been talking to me.”

“She hasn’t. I think you’re a little spooked because she might remind you a little of your sister.”

“No.

“Yes. They never found her and this little girl isn’t’ your sister. You don’t know her and she hasn’t been talking to you.”

“But, the dreams.”

“She’s not talking to you Jade. I’m sorry.”

Jade with tears in her eyes, fell into Danny’s arms.

***

The paramedic closed the door with Jade inside. He turned to Danny and said, “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. She just does this sometimes. Swears she’s some kind of psychic or something.”

“I’m very sorry.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s her I’m worried about.”

Dany was on his way back home as the sirens silenced. He kicked his shoes off and went into the kitchen. He took a bowl from the cupboard and dropped it to pieces as he was met with a young girl in his kitchen.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Danny.”