Spooking by Gill James

 

Chapter Six

“That’s what they do, you know,” said Marcus. “Pretend it ain’t happened.”

“Why?” asked Tom. “Why do they do that?”

“Shows they care,” said Marcus. “It’s the ones who make a fuss you have to worry about. They’re just enjoying all the drama.”

“I don’t get it,” said Tom.

“Just the first stage of grief,” said Marcus, shrugging. “Denial.”

The train arrived in the station. The people standing on the platform got on and Marcus and Tom floated in behind them. The train was rather crowded, but Amanda did manage to get a seat. It was almost as if people realised that she was a bit delicate today. Tom hung on to one of the grab poles so that he could be near her.

She did look pale, and as the train juddered out of the station, she just stared ahead. So, she was being different today. Normally she would have read her book, or done a bit of writing, or chatted to other people on the train. He wished he could hold her, kiss her, make her feel better.

“You’ve got to make her believe it,” said Marcus.

The train arrived at the next stop. Two young women got on.

“Did you hear about that young man who got killed last night?” asked one.

“The one that went into the river?” asked the other.

“Yeah. Terrible wasn’t it?”  

“Do something to make them stand near her!” hissed Marcus.

“What, though?” asked Tom.

“Let’s twist ourselves round the poles,” said Marcus. “People will know there’s something there even if they can’t see us.”

Marcus floated over to one of the grab poles and twisted himself round it. He looked like a monkey on a stick. Tom copied him. 

The taller of the two women put her hand on Marcus’ thigh and pulled it away quickly as if she had just touched something very hot. The other one did the same to Tom’s knee. They had to move along until they were standing right by Amanda.

“They say he was going too fast,” said one of the women.

“No, I don’t think so,” said the other. “It was some big car that was out of control. Flipped him round, then he went out of control as well and over the side of the bridge.”

“Oh, my God. I wonder if he tried to get out of the car? It must have been horrible, feeling yourself drown.”

Yeah, it wasn’t very nice, thought Tom.

“Well, they say they reckon it was pretty quick.”

That too.

“That was a blessing then. It’s his parents I feel sorry for. Tragic. Losing a son like that.”

“They say he had a girlfriend as well.”

“Oh my God. The poor love.”

Tom saw Amanda’s face crumple. He rushed over to her, almost knocking one of the women over as he passed.

“God, this train’s jerking about today,” she said trying to regain her balance.

Amanda let out an animal-like noise. She began to shake.

“It would be better if she cried,” said Marcus. “But it’s too early yet, probably. Of course she might be sick over everybody. That would be a laugh.”

Tom went to thump him.

“Don’t look at me,” Marcus warned. “You need to take care of her.”

Tom could see that Amanda was digging her nails into her palms and was biting her lips in between gulping and screeching.

“Oh my God,” said the smaller of the two women. “It’s her. I recognise her from the photo on the telly. They showed them together. They looked a really nice couple. Oh, dear.”

Tom tried to get as close to her as he could, but somehow the women were in the way.

“You won’t be able to do anything,” said Marcus. “She won’t know you’m there, and you can’t touch her. Not that she’d notice anyway. And really, she’s got to go through all of ‘em. All the stages of grief. There ain’t no short cuts.”

“You shouldn’t be going to work,” said the taller women. “I think you ought to get off at the next station and get a taxi home. We’ll come with you if you like. You need a nice cup of tea.”

Amanda nodded. The train stopped again and Tom watched as the two women escorted her off. The scene faded and he and Marcus were back in the Nowhere Place.

Why couldn’t he have done more to help her? Why couldn’t he make her realise that it was all right being dead? And that he was still actually around? Why couldn’t he get through to her? 

“That wasn’t it, then” said Marcus. “You’m still here. I bet you’ve got to go through all seven stages. One down, six to go, then.”

Tom nodded. That would be hard. It would be horrible seeing her so upset. Especially if he went on not being able to help her.

But then he smiled quietly to himself. At least it meant he could spend more time with her.

“Oy, you,” called Marcus. “Don’t you start getting too cosy.”

He played a loud discordant trill on his mouth organ as they floated into the Nowhere Place. 

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