Take a look around....

[indyweasel]

Pete

"Huh", I stammer, and then I realize that I am holding my shorts in my hand. Meaning that I hadnt put them on before I walked out of my bedroom.

I try and laugh it off as I set my beer on the bar." Good thing that I am actually wearing underwear today. Otherwise I might have scared you away." I hurry up and finish getting dressed and look at her again.

"Ready now?"

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

"Ready for what," Is what crossed my mind in answer to his question. I was ready for something that did not include our business partnership and I frantically pushed that out of my mind. I was going to have to see about increasing my social life...and quick.

"Ready when you are," I said out loud as I bounded off the couch. "Lets see if we can forget business for awhile."

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

I stand next to you as you pratically jump off the couch. I notice that you seem to look at my crotch again as you get off the couch.

"After you ma'am", as I walk behind you so I can lock up the apartment behind us. I walk over to the car with you and decide to be a gentleman and open your door for you.
I see the surprise in your eyes as I hold the door open waiting for you to get in.

After you get in I walk over to the other side of the car and jump into the driver seat of my Mustang. I turn the key and feel the power of the V8 rumble to life. I notice that you are awfully quite as I turn out to go to the bar.

"A penny for you thoughts"

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

I looked up at him startled at his gentlemanly gestures. I had never seen this side of him. Usually it was all business and if we ever got into a car together one of us was driving while the other was either jumping in or out of it.

As he pulled out of his parking space, he said,"Penny for your thoughts," and I had to allow myself a grin. The thoughts I were having right now were not up for sale.

"Oh, nothing really," I said to him with a sly grin,"Just thinking about all of the things that have happened tonight." The truth was I was mainly thinking back on about the last half an hour but I wasnt going to tell him that.

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

What a cryptic answer. Boy, she is good when she really doesnt want to let me know what is going on in that head of hers. I wait for her as she gets out of the car and walks with me towards the front door.

"Have you ever been in here?", I ask as we walk past Stacey amd back into the lounge area. I go ahead and order you another beer and tell Steve to give me a Long Island.

I walk you back to one of the booths in the corner were its dark and kind of secluded. I hand you a beer and offer a toast. "To one hell of a wierd night, may it get better tomorrow."

 

[Neale]

Jerry Sullivan

I shrugged at my friends, "Sure, why not?" Arky handed me the tube, and I popped the cap.

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

I raised my beer in toast and take a long drink before putting it down. There was a moment of silence between us. I could still see him walking out of the bedroom with his shorts in his hands instead of putting them on.

Growing uncomfortably warm at the memory, I search around for a topic of conversation not related to this night or the job. It came to me how much I really didnt know him when all I could come up with was weather and sports. With a sigh I decide to stay on topic.

"I think we should have a plan in case things go sour tomorrow," I said to Pete,"I dont like how everyone but us knows what is going on here."

 

[Ask For More]

Chapter 2: Possession

As the bottle is opened, nothing happens. Then suddenly Jerry is slammed back against the wall as if he had been hit by a car. His nose starts to bleed, and he feels an incredible pressure on his head. Holding his head, he writhes on the floor screaming out in pain while his two friends look on in horror, paralysed by the shock of seeing such a brutal occurence. The lights in the hallway flash while he is on the floor, and the glass from one of the painting frames shatters, spilling fragments onto the floor.

After about ten seconds the pain is gone, and Jerry is able to think again. He looks up to see Arky and Angelica standing over him, their faces pleading with him to be ok. He smiles, but then he heads a voice:

"Who are you?"
"I'm Jerry, who the fuck are you?"
"What?" Arky and Angelica look at him in confusion. "Jerry, are you ok?"
Jerry looks around and realises the three of them are alone.
"Yeah....I though I heard a voice just now that's all."
"You're a cheeky boy you know that?"
"What the hell?" Jerry looks around frantically, but they are still alone. Where was the voice coming from? Arky and Angelica look at him in concern, beginning to doubt Jerry's current state of mind.
"I'm inside you."
Jerry looks down at himself.
"In your head stupid!"
"This is a major fucking trip...." says Jerry, shaking his head, "who the hell are you?"

"I am Alexander Graham Bell."
"What? But he's dead?"
"Very perceptive of you. Are all Americans this stupid?"
"What?"
"I'm a ghost you idiot! And it looks like I'm going to be staying in your head for a while."
"You're possessing me?"
"Very good, buy the boy a new receiver! I do believe my presence is improving your intelligence by the second!"

"Shut up!" Jerry turned to face his friends, who were looking at him in a mixture of confusion and concern.
"Stop looking at me like that, I've got something to tell you."

[Edited by Ask For More on 05-09-2001 at 10:32 AM]

 

[Neale]

Jerry Sullivan

I couldn't believe it! Was I crazy? Arky and Angel couldn't hear him... "You're who? What the hell are you doing in my head? Get outta my head, dammit!" My friends were looking very concerned. Guess I should say something, before they start looking for butterfly nets...


"Guys... I'm hearing things. No, not voices telling me to kill the Beatles or anything like that! I keep hearing this voice in my head, and he claims to be Alexander Fucking Graham Goddamned Bell! You know, as in Watson, come here, I need you... creator of the fucking telephone Bell!"

 

[captainb]

Arky

I took the open tube from Jerry's hand, but he didn't resist, actually glad to be rid of it. "Dude, relax, sit here," I said, pulling a small chair towards him. "Okay, you're hearing someone claiming to be...um, Alexander Graham Bell. You said something about being...possessed?" I looked sideways at Angelica, then peered carefully into the tube, almost afraid something might reach out and yank me into it.

 

[Neale]

Jerry Sullivan

I just look at Arky... "Yeah, as in projectile-vomiting, head-spinning, ohshit call the Exorcist... POSSESSION! And by a snippy old geezer who took umpteen bejillion attempts to make a lightbulb before he finally got lucky!"

That was EDISON, you doltish boy!

"Edison, Bell, whatever... the fact remains, you are in my head... why?"



[Edited by Neale on 05-09-2001 at 07:42 AM]

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

"Eliza, I'm so lost as to what were are into, that I have no idea what our backup plan should address. All I can tell you is this, if we do not got some better answers to what we are doing. I have no problem pocketing the 5G we've already gotten and looking for another case."

I drain the rest of my beer and yell up at Steven, "How about a long island and another beer here."

"What do you think, Eliza?"

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

I ran both hands through my hair and gave him a frazzled look. "What I think is that we are in over our head. We dont know what is going on, we dont know who we are working for and we dont know who the good guys are...if there are any. I am with you. We get answers or we get out."

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

"If I give you answers can I get in?" I mumble under my breath as our drinks arrive. "Enough of this sitting here all melancholy. Lets go shoot some pool. Do you know how?"

 

[Ask For More]

"Such insolence! How can you not know what is going on?"
"Look, I really don't have a clue ok? Gimme a break!"
There was a short pause.
"Ok, ok, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
I am Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone and numerous others which I will not bore you with. And I am a genius comparable to Edison!"
"So what does that have to do with this?"
Jerry suddenly felt his head turning and looking at the other two. It seems that Bell had some control over his body too. "Hey!"
"For this it's better if I address the three of you," Jerry heard his voice say.
"Is that....Bell talking?" Arky asked uncertainly.
"Yes this is. I feel that an explanation should be shared amongst the three of you. That way you will be able to survive for longer."
"What?" said Angelica, "What do you mean?"
"Have a look outside." She got up and walked over the window, eyeing Jerry/Bell suspiciously. "Oh my God...."
"What is it?" Both the men went to the window and looked out.
All along the street every single lampost was flickering, and all the lights from the houses were also flickering. The lamposts and the lights in houses close to them were not as vigourous though.
"What the hell?" said Angelica.
"Sit down first," said Bell, "Let me explain."

"I am free."
"No shit," muttered Arky.
"Shut up and listen. In my lifetime I had done many great things for mankind. My inventions shaped the way of the world today, along with many other great inventors such as Edison, Ford and Nobel."
"And what does that have to do with all of this?" muttered Arky, obviously taking a cynical approach to the whole affair.
"Give me a chance to tell you!" Bell paused briefly, and then resumed his story.
"On the day of my death, many were at my bedside, all showing concern for me. But not for my well being. They all wanted one thing: my spirit.

You see my young friends, the consequences of my actions means that I have a very powerful spirit; many ghosts cannot share minds like I am with Jerry now. Other, inferior spirits would not be able to get into such a potent mind as this and exert any sort of influence.
You see all these lights are flickering around here? This is the residual effect of my spirit being freed. It will probably continue for a few miles.

When I breathed my dying breath, my assitant Thomas Watson held that very same glass vial over my nose to catch my spirit; he knew that there would be many, evil people who wanted to consume me and give themselves life. So he helped to hide me from those people. I do not recall the years that have passed, but somehow I have ended up in this young man's head, 80 years onwards from my death."

"This is some really crazy stuff your telling us," Arky was shaking his head, "you mean to tell us there are people who can...eat your ghost?"

Bell nodded, "Something like that. You see, there are certain people in this world who have lived for many years now, but retain their youthful look and bodies. This is because they consume the spirits of dead souls. It gives them life, and rejuvenates their bodies and souls. A powerful spirit like mine would mean at least another ten years of life.

The shockwaves have been felt already. Now that I am free, people will be chasing you to find me. They will stop at nothing to get my spirit. You must be very, very careful."

-----

Meanwhile, in the bar that Pete and Eliza are sitting in, the lights suddenly start to flicker. This carries on for a couple of minutes and then settles down as quickly as it started.

OOC: edited the previous post to add in a couple of things, so take a look just to make sure of the details

[Edited by Ask For More on 05-09-2001 at 11:39 AM]

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

OOC: AFM..anyone tell you you have a vivid imagination?

IC: "Can I shoot pool?," I said to Pete with a semi shocked look on my face. I hoped that he would take it that it was from his question and not the fact that I overheard his comment. "I grew up with four brothers a father who thought beer was a neccessity of life. Just point me to the tables and get out of my way."

Standing, I grabbed my beer and waited for him to come with me. It was definately getting warmer in here and I needed something to take my mind off of what was making my temperture rise.

[Edited by Isolde on 05-09-2001 at 12:22 PM]

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

"I see. So you are good at playing with long hard objects?" I hope she thought I was just teasing her, but its been 3 months since my girlfriend and i had broken up and I was getting a little tired of my hand. And since I spent all day and alot on nights with here anyway, I guess it was just natural that I'd become attracted to her.


I take her hand and have her follow me over to the area with the pool tables. "What do you use, about an 18 ounce cue?"

 

[captainb]

Arky

I looked at Angelica with what must have been a curious expression. "I don't get it," I said to Jerry/Bell. "So, your spirit is now like a commodity, it can be passed on from host to host? And you did this on purpose? If someone had...eaten or absorbed your spirit back when you died, those ten years would have come and gone long ago. Now you've got our friend trapped along with your spirit. Can't you just get back in the vial and we'll hide you away again?" The thought passed that this could have been an elaborate gag of Jerry's, but I quickly dismissed it. The lights were starting to weird me out, and I looked again at Angelica.

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

I gave a sideways glance at Pete as we walked to the pool table. I didnt know if he was teasing or not. There seemed to be something there but I wasnt sure. Since we had started the business I had not had time for much of a social life. Hell, who was I kidding? I had no social life and the last time I woke up with someone next to me was after a bing at a bar when my steady boyfriend decided on a newer model. And that was seriously one memory I could do without.

Taking the cue that he offered, I twirled it around in my hand to get the feel of it. Giving him a wink I said,"Yup, and I also play many more games. Remind me to show you some day."

"My break," I said as I bent over to set up my shot. In doing so, my hip came in contact with Pete's groin as he did not get out of the way in time. A sudden sensation of warmth coursed through my hip causing me to jar and blow my shot, the ball bouncing off the table and rolling across the floor without hitting anything.

"Damn!," I said under my breath as I heard the men's laughter surround me. "Way to go, idiot," I said to myself.

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

Damn.. is she flirting back? "Play lots of games, huh? I'd be willing to watch anytime you want to some me something."

As I watch her line up the break, I guess I was to busy to look at her to notice that I was in here way.
She leaned back on the break and her ass nestled itself right against my groin. I was too shocked to move, and I think I scared the hell out of her. She mishit the cue ball so bad it bounced off the table and went rolling across the floor. Some of the regulars starting piping up about a woman playing pool, until I went out to retrieve it and shot them each bad enough looks to return to their drinking.


I walk back up to you and sheepishly grin as I hand you the ball. "Try that again. You kinda surprised me there."

 

[captainb]

Arky

Everything started to spin. Too many things had happened too quickly. I had chosen the one correct picture that hid the card, and had poked at the one place where the spirit-tube was hidden. Unless every picture had its own spirit tube...no, I didn't want to start down that road. Not coincidence, but more like some invisible guidance, like pawns...My skeptical view of the world shook as paranoia swept through me, and suddenly everything seemed packed with meaning. I remembered the vividness of the other paintings, and saw the broken glass on the floor. Jerry/Bell paused for a moment, maybe in some internal struggle. "Angelica," I said quietly, and then didn't know what else to say. Breathing hard now, I stepped to the broken frame and looked again at the picture.

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

"Thanks," I mumbled as I accepted the ball from him, our hands coming in contact and tingles surging up my hand as our skin brushed against each other. Dammit! What was wrong with me? This wasnt the first time we had touched. Pete had pulled me out of harms way in the line of work before. Why was this touch so different.

My hand trembled a bit as I put the cue ball back on the table and I again leaned over to line up my shot. That shot, when it came, was not he best shot I had ever done. Of course my concentration wasnt the best either.

I took two more shots before I missed and it was Pete's turn. Making way for him to do his shot, I snuck a peek at his firm ass. Not a bad sight at all. Looking away quickly, I hoped he hadnt seen what I had just done.

 

[indyweasel]

Pete

I can feel Eliza's eyes on me as I line up the shot. I try to ignore it as I pocket one and then another ball. I mess up on the second shot though and leave myself nothing to shoot at. "Damn..that was intelligent.", I mumble as I survey the table. I try and get a shot on the 6 ball, but I miss it rather badly.

"Your table Liza", as I walk back to the table holding our drinks.

 

[Ask For More]

"You don't get it do you?" said Bell to Arky.
"Jerry was lucky that he wasn't breathing in when he opened the tube; if he had opened it and breathed in the air inside which contained my spirit, he would have consumed me and probably been killed as well. You see it takes a lot of training before such a strong spirit like mine can be absorbed easily; you have to start small, with weak spirits, and become used to the power and energy before you can attempt to move on. That is why the people who want me are the most dangerous."

Arky was still poking around at the picture, but there was nothing more concealed in the hallway.

 

[Isolde]

Eliza

I looked at Pete startled. He had never used a shortened version of my name before. This evening was getting stranger by the minute. Something told me that our relationship was getting deeper than just a partnership but I tried to put it off as too much alcohol.

Putting up my cue and moving to our table behind Pete, I said,"Hey, what do you say to getting out of here? Maybe some dinner? I have some leftover lasagne in my fridge. Throw in a tossed salad and french bread and volia....dinner."