MIDNIGHTS  : O

chapter one

     It was October 25th, eleven thirty-five p.m., when the chartered plane landed at the quiet landing strip in California. Dimly lit lights glowed eeriely from the strip's only controller tower. Beautiful Haitian born Arla was helped off the plane and into a waiting resort shuttle van that was going to take her to the One Hundred Palm Trees Suites and Resorts. Before she got into the shuttle she looked around the darkened strip.
     "A bad omen surrounds this place. An ominous vibe has been with me since I left Jamaica. The plane was late because of a sudden storm on the island causing a three hour delay which caused the pilot to become confused with this flight directions, and then my having to take the originally hired fortune teller's place here at the resort at the last minute because of his sudden unexplained death. This tells me that these time consistant coincidences are not merely coincidences, but an alignment of time that is readying itself for a trist with fate."
     "Look lady, it's late and personally I don't believe in you psychics mumble jumble so you don't have to put on a show for me. I'm only here to drive you to the resort because I'm getting paid to." the driver said snidely as she held the door to the shuttle van open. Arla looked the elderly woman up and down.
     "Believe me lady, none of what I said was for your benefit personally."
     "Good because whatever you got to say won't spook me. Save it for somebody who cares." the driver chuckled as the pilot walked over with Arla's two travel bags.
     "Getting spooked will be the least of your problems driver. I see death coming your way real soon." Arla said and got into the van. The driver gave her a mean look, put her bags in the van and angrily sped off into the quiet night as they rode the black paved road in silence.

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     Even though the now winding dark road was only lit by a few very dim lit lamp posts, Arla could see that the rocky sloped sides of the road were steep deep gorges. They soon turned off the winding dark road and were welcomed by bright flood lights that directed them to the One Hundred Palm Trees Suites and Resorts. They arrived at the main entrance just at the stroke of midnight. The manager, who was there waiting opened the door and helped her out the van with a smile as bells from the resort town's Church chimed twelve times faintly in the distance.
     "Arla, thank you so much for coming at such short notice. I'm Russ Reese manager here at One Hundred Palm Trees Suites and Resort. I truly thought we were in trouble when our New Orleans fortune teller died suddenly under such unusual circumstances, but now of course we have an authentic Haitian born Jamaican raised fortune teller to charm our guests for our big Halloween extravaganza. I hope you don't mind that we're billing you as, 'a palm reader', to go along with the theme of our resort's name. The owner thought the play on the Palm Trees and palm reader name was catchy." Russ finally finished as they walked into the beautiful and extravagant lobby. It was so tropical looking it reminded her of Jamaica.
     "Your play on the name is fine Mr. Reese." she said still looking around as Russ shook his head.
     "Oh no, please call me Russ. No formalities here. Now we have your suite ready. Winston here will be happy to take you there. Even though it's late, we're happy to serve you. I'll let you get some rest after your long flight and we'll talk more tomorrow afternoon of what you'll be doing for us for the next six days." he smiled and kissed her hand.
     "Thank you Russ. I will look forward to it." she smiled and followed the bellboy Winston as Russ yawned and headed for his office suite.

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One month earlier,.............................

     It's September 25th, near midnight, on the island of Aruba where tour boat guide Beaseley Barnes and resort housekeeper Stacee Smyth popped the cork off a bottle of champagne to celebrate their new positions at the One Hundred Palm Trees Suites and Resort in California. They were working for its smaller sister resort Twenty-five Palm Trees Suites and Resorts there in Aruba. Beaseley had been working there for the summer as a chartered tour boat guide while he waited for his apprenticeship to design boats and cruise ships in California to go through.
     Just so happened the resort in California wanted to build its own fleet of chartered and sightseeing yachts. The firm he worked for in New york was partnered with Florida and California's boating manufacturing industry. His engineering degree from Florida A&M University got him into the coveted world of design.
     Stacee was born in Aruba and only finished high school. She never been off the island and followed in the footsteps of her parents by working with them at their small oceanside bed and breakfast family business. Her and her older brother worked there and since he and his wife were interested in running it once their parents were retired, Stacee left to work at the larger hotels because she wanted exposure to the more lavish style of living.
     She worked at a large hotel chain for two years before she was recommended to the Twenty-five Palm Trees Suites and Resorts. She had worked there for a year as a housekeeper when Beaseley was hired for the summer as a tour boat guide. They both instantly became infatuated with the other which led them to become instant lovers. The relationship was sex oriented, but they did learn to respect each other by mid summer.
     As Stacee became fascinated by Beaseley's travels from New York and up and down the Caribbean's ports of calls building sailing vessels and driving them made her mention how she had never been off the island and would love to visit the states. Beaseley encouraged her to apply at the

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main resort in California with his and his firms recommendation. She only agreed because he was going to work there. He was being considered to be a part of the boat design team that would develop the yachts.
     Now as Beaseley and Stacee layed on the secluded beach they toasted each other at the stroke of midnight as they drank champagne. Stacee couldn't believe that she would be leaving for California to live and work thanks to Beaseley. She kissed and thanked him over and over again as they drank two bottles of champagne. Both, being a little tipsy, caressed and held each other as Beaseley sleepily looked into her eyes.
     "I love you Stacee, I wish we could be together forever." he said as she took his tone to be serious.
     "So what are you saying Beaseley? Do you want to marry me or something?"
     "Maybe. Do you want to marry me?" he asked as she nodded.
     "Yes I would. How about we become engaged?"
     "Okay." he said and kissed her as they made love.

     A few days later they both found themselves at the airport. Beaseley stood watching Stacee say goodbye to her family after he was introduced to them as her fiance. He was uncomfortable with the title because neither had confirmed it to be true. After they boarded the plane, whose first stop was Florida, Beaseley told Stacee how he felt.
     "I can't believe you told your family we were engaged."
     "But we agreed that we were."
     "Then you told them we were getting married soon."
     "Well we did talk about being engaged and getting married."
     "But we were drunk Stacee."
     "I know Beaseley, but we still love each other right? I mean you told me that you loved me."
     "I was drunk Stacee. I didn't really mean what I said."

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     "You didn't?" she asked as he saw she was disappointed and tried to change his answer.
     "Well, maybe not all of it."
     "Well I did. I do love you Beaseley."
     "And I care for you Stacee, a lot but I'm not ready to get married. Please tell your family that we're only thinking about getting engaged okay?" he asked as they settled into their seats.
     "Okay." she sulked as he felt guilty.
     "Stacee, I'm sorry. It wasn't like I was sincere, had a ring, or was down on one knee."
     "But you initiated it."
     "But I didn't ask you. Look, who knows what the future holds for us. I like you a lot, hell I may even love you, but not enough to marry you right now. Give me some time and let me ask you in my own way okay?" he smiled, held her hand and kissed her cheek as she blushed and agreed. When the plane landed Stacee and Beaseley separated. She caught a flight and went on to California because she started her housekeeping position in two days. Beaseley took a flight to New York where he had a meeting with his firm's head.

     Beaseley arrived in New York and went to his apartment to freshen up and change. The next day he went to the Manhattan office and was shocked to find his college sweetheart Gracelynn Gray sitting across from his boss. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. She stood up and they both smiled widely and hugged.
     "Well you two must know each other huh?" the boss Oscar Oliver smiled.
     "Yes sir, we do. It's good to see you again Gracelynn."
     "You too Bees."
     "You were the only one who I let call me that."
     "Yeah, that was my way of saying I love you." she smiled.
     "You two are getting a little too personal for me."
     "We're sorry Mr. Oliver. We were college sweethearts at Florida A&M. We both were

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engineer majors with a flare for design." Beaseley said looking in her eyes.
     "Well what a coincidence the two of us wind up here for the apprenticeship right Mr. Oliver?"
     "It's a coincidence indeed. Both of you are about to compete for the same job, designing yachts for One Hundred Palm Trees Suites and Resorts. There's only one apprenticeship and two of you. Russ Reese the manager was told to have the best two eager beavers apply so he can choose the best. So I guess you two are headed for California. I chose you Beaseley, and Gracelynn's boss from Clearwater Beach Florida chose her. I guess I can say may the best person win. Russ Reese will be expecting you two in one week so be on your best behavior and sell yourself like your life depended on it. Good luck." Mr. Oliver said as the two left his office.

     They had dinner that night and discussed old times and why they broke up, which was because Gracelynn wanted an older established boyfriend who could pull strings that would allow her to start at the top, not the bottom. Beaseley unfortunately couldn't do that because he was at her level. He told her over dinner that she must not have met this man or she wouldn't be starting at the bottom by applying for an apprenticeship. She confessed that she hadn't because the men expected things from her that she wasn't ready for like marrying them or being their long term mistress since most were already married. She couldn't do any of those things because she still loved her Bees and knew they would get back together someday.
     He knew that part of what she was saying was true because they once were crazy about each other, but her competativeness always got the better of her. Deep down he knew she had wanted to be the first to be successful between them two years ago when they graduated college, and she still wanted to be now. He didn't care though because he still had feelings for her too. He wondered, since they were so different, if they would be able to start a relationship all over again. Gracelynn wondered the same thing, but once again didn't care because it would be fun trying to see as they both tried to prove it to each other that night and the rest of the week by making love over and over.

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chapter two

     Beaseley and Gracelynn found themselves in California the second week of October. They both quickly realized the huge resort got its name from the actual one hundred palm trees planted throughout the property. It sat right near the ocean with a view that was spectacular. The resort had three large swimming pools and the suites were simply, sweet. Everyone loved them. Russ welcomed them to the resort and explained to each of them what he and his bosses were looking for when it came to the yachts design.
     He gave them the rest of the week to come up with a pitch and their design idea as they aquainted themselves with the feeling of the place. As they left the office and headed for their adjoining suites, they ran into Stacee and her co-worker Emmagene. Stacee was so thrilled to see Beaseley that she forgot she was still on the job. She left her cleaning cart, ran to him, grabbed his face and kissed him. As Emmagene smiled with delight, Gracelynn looked on with envy. Beaseley, enjoying every second, slowly pulled away.
     "I wonder if all of the hired help this friendly Bees. Do you even know this girl?" Gracelynn asked looking her up and down.
     "Yes he knows me, I'm his fiance."
     "Stacee, I told you not to tell people that."
     "You said don't tell m family. Who is she?"
     "I'm his girlfriend, from way back. You can't possibly be his fiance because the week we just spent together making love proved I was his one and only."
     "Making love? What is she talking about Beaseley?"
     "Bees and I use to go together back in college, we broke up, found each other again and now we want each other back right Bees?" Gracelynn asked as all three women looked at him. He swallowed hard.
     "I'm sorry Stacee, but Gracelynn's right. We sort of found each other again and we both have strong feelings for each other."
     "So you want to be with her?"
     "At this point yes, but I still would like to be friends with you." he said as Stacee slapped

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his face and ran away crying. He started to go after her, but Gracelynn grabbed his arm.
     "Uhn-uhn. I think you better stay here and explain her to me Bees. Who is she and why does she think she's your fiance? Have you two been that deep?"
     "Well, she think she's...." he started as Gracelynn stopped him.
     "Nevermind. You go on after her. I'll find someone else. Someone who isn't into playing games." she said as he caught her by the arm.
     "No wait a minute. This is all of my fault. I'll fix everything." he said as Gracelynn yanked her arm away.
     "Yeah, you go ahead and do that but until then I'm not your girlfriend either." she said and walked away leaving Beaseley to sigh heavily as Emmagene pushed her cleaning cart and left too.

     A few days later Stacee had calmed down enough to listen to what Beaseley had to say regarding Gracelynn. Even though he explained that Gracelynn was the one he wanted to spend time with, he let her know that if things were different, she would be the one he wanted. Stacee didn't like the idea of being Beaseley's second choice or being looked down upon by Gracelynn because she was a housekeeper.
     Instead of letting her broken heart be exposed, Stacee worked like nothing was bothering her. This attitude angered Gracelynn with jealousy because the secret effect it had on Beaseley was the confusion of not really knowing if he had made the right choice. During this time Gracelynn not only flirted openly with Beaseley for Stacee's benefit, she secretly flirted and slept with Russ Reese to get the apprenticeship.
     It worked. Russ Reese was a handsome twice divorced middle aged man with a girlfriend, but liked to flirt and mess around as well. Stacee, Emmagene, and the concierge Alice all witnessed only the flirtations and gossiped about it amongst themselves. After Beaseley and Gracelynn gave their presentations to Russ on why they should be a part of the yacht design team, both Beaseley and Gracelynn were offered the apprenticeship as a joint partnership. Russ believed Beaseley's presentation was better, but Gracelynn's flirtations were just as good and he owed her for sleeping with him.

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     Being a little short handed with tour boat guides because of the Halloween Ball, Russ asked Beaseley to stay on for the week of Halloween to drive Halloween partiers around on nightly boat tours that had spooky surprises for double his pay. He agreed and asked Gracelynn to stay too, even though their yacht design jobs weren't suppose to start until January because of the upcoming holiday months.
     She agreed, but couldn't come back until the thirtieth of October due to a prior engagement. He told her that he had a Halloween engagement surprise for her of his own so he wanted a guarantee that she would be back. Knowing that he was going to propose marriage to her she happily guaranteed that she would be back. Unfortunately Stacee found out about the Halloween engagement through exaggerated rumors, but believed they had some truth to them.

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chapter three

     The month had passed and it was now October 26th. Russ Reese had spent the day with Arla explaining what was expected of her concerning entertaining the guests with fortune telling and stories of the supernatural with folklore twists. Arla understood that this whole Halloween Ball shindig was for entertainment purposes only, but she knew something more was about to happen that wasn't going to be entertaining at all because she was ready to entertain with thrills and chills.
     For the next two days she observed the resort property, the atmosphere, and the employees as they transformed the resort into a spooky Halloween fright fest. Arla found herself being drawn to Stacee and Beaseley's, who were now on friendly speaking terms, positive and negative spiritual energies which made them perfect targets.
     Arla began to perform the job she was hired to do as the resort began to become over run with guests. She talked to the guests about strange happenings that involved voodoo spells, witch doctors, voodoo priests and priestesses, and zombies. She told tales of witches, psychics, life after death experiences which involved unsolved crime cases, spirit boards that moved by themselves and those who could bring back the dead. Ghosts towns and ghosts that walked the earth because they had unfinished business were her spookiest tales.
     In between telling these tales, she read palms giving good news, strange news, truthful news, and bad news. The driver of the resort shuttle van watched her from afar and laughed with friends, but secretly took heed to the death warning. Business was good from the continuous stream of guests checking in for the event, but Arla still observed Beaseley and Stacee in her free time. She overheard them around midnight on the twenty-eighth discussing how he had realized that the love he could finally admit to had changed between the two women and his confusion on which one he truly loved would be remedied by Halloween.

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     She watched them on one of the tour boats that night and soon learned that the third party of this love triangle was Gracelynn. This was when she decided to intervene in the troubled souls lives by mixing various suggestive powders together that would be placed in the hand of the unsuspecting soul during a reading.

     October 29th brought the beginning of the end as far as Arla was concerned. That evening Stacee and Emmagene were on their way to get their paychecks when Emmagene had an overwhelming urge to have her palm read. She talked Stacee into going with her to get a quick reading from Arla. Emmagene got a standard reading then talked Stacee into getting a reading too with the help of Arla who promised Stacee that she had something very important to tell her. Stacee sat down as Arla quickly rubbed her hands in the powder on the table, took Stacee's hands and squeezed them tightly. Arla let go of Stacee's hands and looked into them and sighed as she gave her a stern warning.
     "Stacee love, do not take what you hear, see, and believe to heart today because life is too short. However if you do take it to heart, you will win your heart and the price that you pay will be of your own making, at your own expense." Arla finished leaving Stacee's palms wet. Stacee and emmagene left slightly confused as Arla smiled to herself and watched them leave. The two decided to go get their paychecks once again which was by Russ's office. As the two neared his office, they heard Beaseley's voice mentioning proposing and his boss Oscar Oliver, who Russ and Beaseley invited to the Ball, mentioned Gracelynn's name.
     Fortunately the office door was ajar and the two women peeped in to see Beaseley holding a red velvet box which held a sparkling diamond ring. The men congratulated him and said how lucky the young lady was. When Stacee heard Beaseley say he would pop the question at the Costume Ball, and when no one mentioned Stacee's name, she automatically knew he meant Gracelynn since he

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told her to come back for the Ball. Again she ran from the door and down the hall. She went to her suite which was off the resort property, but near it, that was designated to the employees only.
     She layed in bed for a couple of hours until she realized that she didn't get her check. She went back and got it, but was stopped by the concierge Alice who told her that Gracelynn had called from Clearwater Beach Florida to tell Beaseley that she would be in late tonight by midnight instead of tomorrow. She also asked if Stacee would be attending the Ball because she wanted to make sure Stacee would be around to see Bees propose to her personally.
     Stacee couldn't believe what she was hearing and angrily decided to blackmail Gracelynn into going back home by threatening to tell Beaseley that she flirted with Russ to get the job. She took the chance of trying to catch Gracelynn on the only road coming from the airport before she reached the resort.
     Stacee left at eleven o'clock p.m. which was the same time Beaseley asked Emmagene to deliver his invitation to Stacee which asked her to be his date for the Halloween Costume Ball. He couldn't deliver it to her himself because he was asked to cover for another tour boat driver at the last minute. Emmagene went to her suite but didn't find her there so she went to the spot where Stacee would sometimes go, which was near the ocean, to think. Instead she found Arla who told her that a disaster was about to strike and poor Stacee would be involved.
     "What kind of disaster will it be Arla? she asked as Arla shook her head.
     "One that will change all of our lives in a way that will seem truly unbelieveable."

     The clock read eleven fifteen p.m. when Gracelynn received the keys to her rental car at the airport. It was about an hours drive from the airport to the resort. Gracelynn figured if she sped she could get there before midnight. Since there was no one on the roads she was able to drive happily over the speed limit along the darkened road.
     Twenty-five minutes later she was on the winding road that led to the resort. This was where she literally ran into Stacee. She screeched on her brakes, but hit Stacee's jeep anyway. Stacee jumped out the jeep screaming at Gracelynn who got out of her car too. They argued over Gracelynn's speeding and Stacee's waiting in the middle of the road.

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     "Are you crazy Stacee! What in the world are you doing out here?"
     "Waiting for you!"
     "Why?"
     "To stop you from ruining all of our lives."
     "What in the heck are you talking about? You're the one out here in the middle of the night, in the middle of the road trying to cause accidents. If anyone will ruin lives it will be you because you're going to cause somebody to get killed."
     "I'm here to stop you from coming to the resort. I can't let Beaseley propose to you." Stacee said as Gracelynn nodded her head and smiled.
     "I see what this is about. There's no need to be jealous Stacee. Bees and I go way back and it's only fair that he marries me."
     "But is it fair for him no to know how you flirted around with Mr. Reese?"
     "How did you know about that?"
     "I saw you."
     "Well you need to get a life. If all you have time to do is watch me flirt and sleep with Russ to further my career then you're pathetic." she said as Stacee looked on surprised angrily.
     "You slept with Mr. Reese!"
     "What do you mean? Yeah I did. You just said that you saw me didn't you?"
     "I said I saw you flirt with him! I had no idea that you slept with him! I didn't know you were so nasty. Beaseley definately doesn't need to be with someone like you. Cheating on him with the man who could become your boss because you want to steal the job you and your boyfriend are competing for is low. You are not worthy of his love. I'm not going to allow him to propose to you without knowing what you've done." Stacee said and headed back for her jeep. Gracelynn thought

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about jumping her from behind and beating her up, but decided against it and thought scaring her to death by running her off the road would be more fun.
     "You're not going to tell him anything." Gracelynn shouted after her as both women got into their cars without fastening their seatbelts. Stacee started her jeep up and drove off as Gracelynn did the same thing. She sped after Stacee, caught up with her, and rammed the back of her jeep as they neared the steep gorges of the winding road.
     Gracelynn sped up trying to get on the side or at least right behind her. Stacee lost control of the jeep a couple of times nearly falling off the edge of the road and into the darkened gorge. Gracelynn reveled in the chase as she scared Stacee. Stacee, fearing for her life, decided to make a drastic move as they came up on the curve that ended the winding road.
     On one side the steep gorge met up with the ocean while the other side met up with a wooded area. Stacee screeched on her brakes while she spun the jeep around as it nearly went off the side of the road to face Gracelynn's oncoming speeding car. She smashed down on the gas pedal and sped towards Gracelynn who continued to speed towards Stacee. Both women, determined to make the other turn away, continued to speed towards each other. Just as they're about to run head on into each other, Gracelynn swerved out of the way, but not in time. Stacee's jeep hit her car giving it the push that it needed to go tumbling off the road and down into the gorge. The hit made Stacee lose control and she too skidded off the raod and down into the gorge on the opposite side.
     Gracelynn's car landed upside down with the impact causing the roof of the car to smash inward which crushed Gracelynn into the steering wheel and the dashboard as it landed at the bottom of the gorge near the edge of the ocean. Stacee's jeep rolled down the gorge still speeding with such force that it ran through a cluster of trees and rammed head on into a thick tree trunk.

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     The impact threw Stacee head first into the tree trunk too, but automatically jolted her right back into the seat of the smashed jeep. There she sat lifeless as the bells from the distant Church chimed twelve times bringing on midnight.

     The next day Emmagen and Beaseley wondered why Stacee hadn't turned up for work and why Gracelynn hadn't showed up either. As night fell a worried and desparate Emmagene went to Arla who told her and Beaseley her worst fears had come to pass and the dead would walk among them as the day of evil approached. An angry Beaseley told Arla to stop talking so crazy and negative.
     "I'm sorry Beaseley, but what I'm saying is not crazy and what I'm feeling is not negativity. It's true. I have a connection with you, Stacee, and Gracelynn. I know things that seem impossible to some are truly possible to all no matter how unbelieveable they seem. My feelings are always on the money because I have a true gift."
     "I don't care about your gift or what you feel Arla. You're being paid to make things up and to entertain the guests, not me so keep your outrageous lies to yourself." he said angrily and left as Arla smiled.

     Once again midnight was approaching as the bells began to chime. Stacee began to moan and groan as she moved slowly in the jeep. She layed still for a second and as the last bell chimed she opened her eyes. She looked around and began to cry as she realized the situation she was in and felt the dried blood on her head. Her body ached as she got out of the jeep. She looked around the darkened area and began to walk.
     She realized she was shivering and confused on where she was when she suddenly heard rustling noises behind her and the crunch of twigs from footsteps. She turned around to see something so unbelieveable she had to blink a couple of times. There was Gracelynn, coming towards her, but she was slightly glowing and transparent. She could see right through her, but she didn't understand how she could.

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     She decided that she was seeing things and turned to leave as a cold hand grabbed her arm tightly. She tried to twist free as she turned to see Gracelynn holding her arm. She was luminous and angry. Stacee scratched the fingers which made them ease up their grip as Gracelynn let out an eerie painful howl. Stacee stumbled, but found herself running away fast. Gracelynn followed. They ran through the wooded area for several minutes until Gracelynn lunged and jumped on Stacee causing both women to fall.
     Gracelynn put her hands around Stacee's throat and began to choke her as Gracelynn howled, "I won't let you tell Bees." Stacee gasped for breath as she twisted her body and clawed once again at Gracelynn's fingers. Gracelynn seemed to be superstrong, but Stacee was just as strong. She pulled the hands from her throat and shoved Gracelynn off and into a tree which seemed to had knocked her out to Stacee's surprise.
     She got up and followed the moonlight which led her to the Church whose bells rang every midnight. She walked through the small Church cemetary and up to the door of the Church. She put her hand on the door handle to open it and felt a strong sensation of not wanting to go in, she turned around and saw Gracelynn standing in the cemetary watching.
     She figured that she must have been feeling the same overwhelming sensation of not wanting to go in like she felt since she had stopped chasing her. Although she was confused, the sight of seeing Gracelynn as a ghost made Stacee scared enough to fight the feeling by pulling the door open and going inside. The Church was dimly lit, but empty. Stacee looked at the crosses and the religious statues as well as the stained glass windows. The moonlight glowed through the windows and sparkled on the pews. Stacee sat on one of the pews, felt weak, and fainted.

     Halloween finally arrived as dawn rolled in. The afternoon quickly came and went allowing the festivities to get underway at the resort. Halloween music filled the air, haunted boat rides were being taken, buffets were layed out throughout the resort as guests roamed around in costume as evening turned to night.  Arla, whose long palm reading line wouldn't allow her to leave, watched Beaseley and Emmagene talk to a police officer outside. He told them Gracelynn and Stacee could not be reported as missing until 48 hours had passed. Besides, it was Halloween and they were probably playing a trick on them.

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     Fearing the worst, they called a couple of the local hospitals, but no one had been admitted yesterday or today. They called a couple of morgues, and only one woman had been bought in. They rushed over, but it wasn't either woman. Not sure where else to look they went back to the resort.
     It was close to eleven p.m. when they walked through the crowds of people as the Ball was in full swing. Arla was still reading palms, but during her break, she assured Emmagene that everything would be revealed by midnight. Emmagene tried to tell Beaseley, but he shrugged her off and went off to the ocean's edge and looked out into the night.

     Stacee awakened herself by feeling sick to her stomach and the annoying ache of having to get out of the Church. As she got up, feeling weak, she noticed the Pastor of the Church staring out at the cemetary. She reached the door to see Gracelynn still standing there. The Pastor looked at her strangely, but asked if she needed any help. She told him no and left the Church. Once out she felt better, but still not quite right. She gathered her strength when she noticed Gracelynn walking towards her from the cemetary. This time she followed the sparkling lights far off in the distance as Gracelynn followed screaming her name.
     Fifteen minutes had passed when Stacee suddenly stopped. She realized that the lights she had been following were the lights from the resort. She heard music too. She remembered it was Halloween and the Ball was going on. Getting to Beaseley was all she thought about when Gracelynn caught up and grabbed her hair from behind yanking her back into her arms. She put her arm around her throat squeezing it tight, but Stacee stomped on her foot and elbowed her. She let Stacee go and coughed in pain.

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     Stacee ran as she felt herself going up hill. Gracelynn let out an ear piercing scream of, "Nooooooooo!" as Stacee reached the top and found herself on the road that led to the resort. Breathing heavily she walked towards the resort. She saw headlights coming down the road as she heard Gracelynn screaming her name. Stacee turned around to see her standing in the middle of the road. The driver of the resort shuttle van whizzed past Stacee and tried to avoid hitting Gracelynn by swerving through her and off the road down the gorge and into the ocean.
     Stacee ran down the road as Gracelynn chased her screaming, "You can't tell!" Stacee made it onto the resort grounds and ran screaming Beaseley's name and how Gracelynn was trying to kill her. The costumed guests looked on in confusion but all gasped in fright as the ghostly  figure of Gracelynn walked through crowd. Beaseley, who was standing near the ocean turned around teary eyed to see Stacee running towards him. He ran to her and each landed in the others arms as they kissed.
     "Where have you been? I wanted to tell you that I loved you and wanted to marry you." he said as she smiled with surprise.
     "It was me you wanted? Not Gracelynn?"
     "It was you. I love you. Will you marry me?" he asked and pulled the ring out as Gracelynn shrieked an ear piercing "No!" As she began to run towards them, the Church bells began to chime in the distance as midnight approached. Beaseley stared in amazement as Gracelynn reached them and lunged for Stacee, but disappeared instantly. Stacee smiled and looked into Beaseley's eyes and told him she would marry him.
     As he slipped the ring on her finger the last bell chimed. It was midnight and All Hallows Eve was now over as a stunned Beaseley watched Stacee slowly become transparent. She felt as if her life's essence was being ripped from her body.
     "What is going on!" she cried in extreme agony as Arla appeared out of the crowd.
     "You died Stacee, you and Gracelynn died when you had the accident on the road. I warned you

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not to let your heart believe what it saw and heard, but you did and paid the price for doing so by dieing within the cursed hours of the midnight to midnight timeline that occurs every Halloween. This timeline allows the dead to walk amongst the living without the dead knowing that they are dead leaving them to interact with the living. Of course it depends on when you died, you first walk amongst the living, then you become transparent, then you disappear. Both of your broken hearts desire, which was Beaseley, set the timeline between life and death into motion giving you the chance to be proposed to, and Gracelynn the chance to try and stop you." Arla finished.
     Stacee nodded as the pain began to subside. She held on to Beaseley feeling faint.
     "You had chosen me Beaseley, before any of this had happened. I should have known in my heart that you truly loved me. I wouldn't have went after Gracelynn and I wouldn't be dead." she said and began to fade away as the police entered looking on in amazement as Beaseley cried, "Noooooooooooooooooo! Don't leave me!"
     "I'm sorry Beaseley, I love you." she whispered and disappeared as the ring Beaseley had put on her finger fell to the floor bouncing a couple of times and spun slowly until it stopped. A teary eyed Beaseley bent down to pick it up as the crowd cheered and clapped believing the whole thing had been a show put on for their benefit as a trick for trick or treat. The police explained to Beaseley that they had found Stacee's body in her jeep and Gracelynn's near the ocean. Arla, who was nearby, sighed with a smile.
     "My work here is done." she laughed as an overwhelming smell of rotting flesh filled the resort grounds. She began to glow brightly nearly blinding the guests as she transformed into a hideous rotted corpse. As the glow faded away, she became transparent, walked towards the ocean and disappeared into the night.

                                                                      THE END
By DJPM

    
           




                                                                      

Our Fifteen Minutes Of Fame: The Devine Intervention

Chapter One

     Sometime after nine p.m., in a racially mixed small wooded village, a misting rain fell. A weakened clap of thunder reassured the ending of an hour long storm. Several lightning bolts cracked brightening the skies in a thick wooded area where a man and a woman pointed guns at each other. As the lightning bolts light faded into the darkness, shots ran out which takes the story back twenty-four hours earlier.

     Twenty-three year old DeSander Jones, nicknamed Junior after her mother, sat in her family owned tattoo parlor and fortune-telling business talking to her twenty-five year old cousin Lucien Miller Jones, nicknamed Lucee after his mother. He and their grandmother Regina Jones ran the tattoo parlor while Junior and their grandfather Germaine Jones ran the fortune-telling side. They both read tarot cards and palms, but Junior did a little more. Being the liar that she was, Junior sometimes used the proverbial crystal ball as one of her parlor tricks. She also sold love, health, and wealth charms, removed spells and curses, and often boasted of her uncanny ability to speak with the dead. Even though they knew this was for entertainment purposes only, Junior and Germaine were truly wannabe psychics. They were good at reading people and telling them what they wanted and needed to hear. Since they preyed on the lost and desperate, Germaine referred to their business as 'soothsaying', which meant being able to tell the future, because this ancient sounding name seemed more authentic. Junior was use to being called a charlatan since she was one, but she still wanted to be respected and believed. She loved her work and wanted to be known as a world re-knowned psychic.
     "Get real Junior, that's not going to happen."
     "Now why would you say that Lucee? You know that I predicted the plane crash that killed our
                                                                                
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 parents." she reminded him.
     "It was only a dream Junior." Lucee reminded her.
     "A dream that came true," Junior said folding her arms. "But I truly believe it was a vision. Don't forget I also predicted that the man on death row would be freed."
     "That doesn't make you psychic Junior, anybody could have guessed that outcome." Lucee derided her as Regina took up for her.
     "Maybe not Lucee, but it gives her hope and the chance to try and pursue that dream....unlike my children who will never dream again God rest their souls." Regina said sadly as Lucee looked at Junior.
     "Now look what you did Junior," Lucee angrily said. "You made grandma Regina upset."
     Junior jumped from her chair. "There's nothing wrong with her grieving my parents and your mother."
     "But the mourning process is over. Bringing up something that happened five years ago is
unnecessary."  he said.
     Regina wiped her eyes. "Stop it Lucee. Junior is only trying to show you that she has the gift of fortune-telling. She had to bring up John and Lucille....and DeSander of course." Regina corrected.
     "That's right Lucee. Remembering my parents and your mom Lucille is a good thing. Now if I brought  up that bum of a father of yours who left when you were born I could understand your anger."
     Regina clapped her hands and sternly said, "Come now you two! Be quiet! Grandpa Germaine is still doing a reading in the next room."
     "Sorry grandma Regina. Lucee and I were done for the evening and had nothing else to do but do what comes natural to us, which is disagreeing."
     "She's right grandma and I am sorry too. How about you and I start closing up shop here since Junior has a date to keep."
     "A date? It's not with that Murphy Martin boy is it?" Regina frowned as an angry Junior struggled to smile a lie.
     "No grandma Regina, it's not him. Now I better get going." she said as a woman, name Z, walked in.

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     "No one is going anywhere until I find out who removed my curse." Z said eyeing Junior.
     "Why do you want to know?" Junior frowned as Z stared angrily at her.
     "So it was you! You made Ronesha believe that you removed the curse I put on her."
     "So what if I did?" Junior defiantly asked as Germaine accepted payment from his customer. They looked on waiting to hear Z's response as did Regina and Lucee. Z walked slowly up to Junior.
     "Then you would have to suffer the consequences, but you didn't remove the curse because you're a fake. This phoney backwoods business of yours is a sham." Z answered.
     "If we're a sham and she didn't remove your so-called curse, why are you here?" Lucee spat.
     Z folded her arms. "I'm here to tell her that she cannot predict the future and if she keeps playing around with the unknown she will get hurt."
     "So now you're threatening us?" Junior asked.
     "Take it as you like, but be warned." Z said.
     "Or what? You'll put a curse on us too?" Junior laughed as a concerned Germaine cleared his throat.
     "Get out of here witch right now!" he spat with a quivered tone as Z smiled.
     "I'll leave, but I just want her to know that she's good at fooling people. Ronesha believes my curse has been lifted, but it hasn't. It will run it's course, and so will you Junior." she laughed and left as the customer turned to Germaine.
     "You don't see her in my future do you?" he asked with wide eyes. Germaine smiled and shook his head.
     "No sir. Now you get on home, it's getting late." The man thanked him with a handshake and left as Germaine locked the door behind the man. Junior began to laugh as she put her purse around her neck letting it hang across her body.
     "Can you believe that woman? Storming in here and having the nerve to call me a fake. She's as fake as they come." she smiled.
     "Are you sure about that Junior?" Germaine asked seriously as Junior took her keys out of her

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purse and snickered.
      "Of course I'm sure. She only came over here to check out the competition. That wannabe now knows that I can blow her out of the water." she smiled and snapped her fingers as she walked towards the door.
     "Maybe it takes one wannabe to know one." Lucee smiled with folded arms. Junior sighed, unlocked the door and opened it with a chuckle.
     "Maybe it does, since she wannabe me. Later guys." she waved with her back to them.
     "Be careful." Regina called after her as the door closed. The smile on Junior's face disappeared as she stood by the door for a few seconds, sighed, and went around to the shed. It was several feet from the family home the three of them shared whiled Lucee had the garage apartment. As she unlocked the lock, she turned around quickly thinking that she heard a clicking sound. Not seeing anything or anyone, she took the lock off and went inside. She rolled a bicycle out of the shed, relocked the door, hopped on the bike and pedaled off into the sunset.

     Twenty minutes later the moonlight was her guide through the thick wooded area. Owls hooted and crickets sang as Junior saw car headlights in the distance. She smiled and pedaled faster towards the lights. She reached the car to find her lover Murphy Martin, a tall and handsome dimpled man who was a sheriff's deputy, leaning against his sports car smoking a cigarette. She jumped off the bike and ran to the man throwing her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. He hugged her tightly around the waist nearly lifting her off the ground as he passionately kissed her back. He reluctantly began to release her slowly pulling back as she tried to continue to kiss him. He finally pushed her away as he looked into her beautiful face and confused dark brown eyes.
     "What's wrong Murphy?" she asked as she looked up into his hazel eyes.
     "I'm sorry Junior, but this is the last time we can meet like this." he said as she smiled and

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put her arms around his waist.
     "Come on Murphy, you said this before and then met with me again the next day."
     "I know, but this time I mean it. I'm serious." he said gently guiding his finger down the side of her face following the black cascading waves of hair that framed her face.
     "What's different this time Murphy?"
     "She's pregnant Junior. Greer's having a junior for me." he smiled trying to joke as she pulled away.
     "Pregnant? She's lieing Murphy. She's too old to have kids isn't she? I mean she's pushing forty-five, or is she fifty?"
     "She's thirty-nine Junior."
     "And you're only twenty-six. She's trapping you with this lie Murphy."
     "Greer's telling the truth. The doctor confirmed it after a second opinion. She's about ten weeks along." he said as both of their eyes teared.
     "But I thought you two were using protection."
     "Most of the time we did, but mistakes happen." he said as she slapped him hard.
     "How could you let this happen? I thought you loved me Murphy. If you would have divorced her when I told you to this wouldn't have hapened!"
     "I know, and I'm sorry."
     "Well all is not lost. Threaten to divorce her if she doesn't have an abortion."
     "Abortion? I can't do that, it's my kid."
     "You don't know that. She could have cheated."
     "Maybe,...but I doubt it. I know my wife Junior."
     "And I know you Murphy. You love me."
     "Yeah I do, but I love my wife and child too. If I have to choose, I choose them." he said as Junior slapped him causing him to drop his cigarette. He grabbed her hands, pulled her to him and held her tightly as she cried. A faint sound of clicking joined the other sounds in the darkened woods. Several minutes later Junior pulled away from him and stared up at his chiseled features and wet sad eyes. She backed away slowly, turned, and went to her bike. She picked it up and got on.
     "Wait Junior! Let me drive you home!" he called after her as she pedaled quickly away trying to

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stop crying. She thought to herself how she wished that she was truly psychic and she would have seen this coming. This was when she realized that she was going the wrong way. She stopped and was about to turn around when she heard whimpering. She wiped her eyes and looked towards the area where the sound was coming from. As she neared, she saw a light shining from a small Church. She wondered what was going on when she heard a car door slam. She squinted to see a man carrying a medical bag walk towards the Church. Junior laid the bike down and swiftly walked towards the Church and reached it just in time to catch the swinging door after the man went inside. She slightly pushed it open so she could see what was going on. A woman, wearing a habit which led Junior to believe she was a nun, sat on the small stage next to the pulpit holding her stomach. She didn't seem very happy to see the man. He stopped a few feet away from her where he sat his medical bag on the first pew.
     "DayShawn the atheist, what are you doing here of all places?" she asked almost out of breath as he opened his medical bag not uttering a word. "You interrupted my prayer of forgiveness to the Lord." she winced in pain. "I don't know what you're doing there, but I haven't changed my mind. I'm still having this pregnancy terminated and it won't be by you or your clinic." she cried grabbing her stomach in pain with one hand while making the sign of the cross with the other. He put rubber gloves on and took out a bottle with a cloth wrapped around it. "Did you hear me DayShawn?" she breathed heavily as he looked at her and nodded. "I made other arrangments. Do you really believe that I would let you touch me again after what you did to me? It wasn't natural and it was wrong." she cried out once again in pain. He opened the bottle and took the cloth off.
     "You agreed to it." he muttered.
     "I didn't agree to be your research lab rat. I was only trying to help my sister."
     "And now I'm helping you sister." he smiled and  poured  the solution onto the cloth as she slid

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backward on the stage trying to get away from him.
     "You stay away from me. I've called an ambulance and it'll be here any minute." she screamed out in excrutiating pain which made her bend and double over.
     "Sister Lourdes, any minute is all the time I need to tell you that earlier today at the clinic my colleague Dahvee gave you the abortion you so desperately wanted while you were under anesthesia." he said as she looked up at him stunned with a tear smeared face not uttering a word. "Along with the multiple birth abortion we performed we administered other drugs which are causing what you are experiencing now. I have to make this look like you died from complications and this stuff here will help to do it." he said walking quickly over to her and forced the cloth over her nose and mouth. "I'm sorry sister, but I can't take the chance of you exposing my research." Junior heard him finish realizing that the nun never had a chance against the strong doctor. She watched sister Lourdes' struggling body go limp. He let her head go and she fell backward onto the stage lifeless. As he gathered his things, Junior let the swinging door close slowly and backed away. She ran to her bicycle and watched DayShawn leave the Church. He looked around after he reached his car. Junior peered through the trees as he started up his car. She jumped on her bike not thinking why, but knowing that she had to follow him into the night as an ambulance's siren was heard faintly in the distance.

     At the same time Lucee handed the woman named Z, who had called their fortune-telling business a sham earlier that evening, a crisp hundred dollar bill outside of his garage apartment.
     "Thanks again Z for the act you put on to teach Junior a lesson. It was worth every penny."
     "Anytime Lucee. I just wish my drama coach over at the theatre house could have seen my performance."
     "Speaking of good performances, I bet Junior is thinking twice now about pretending to be something she's not."

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     "Well hopefully she won't continue this charade and will treat the business as simply that, a business."
     "By the way Z, what made you choose to use the curse thing and how did you know about Ronesha? I didn't tell you about her." he said as she laughed.
     "Ronesha and I go way back and she believes in this crap. When she mentioned she thought she was cursed and had saw the local backwoods psychic, I took it and ran. What a coincidence huh?"
     "Yeah it is, but you better get going Z. I don't want us to be seen together." he said as she smiled and put her arms around his neck.
     "I'm in no rush to get home." she smiled and kissed his cheek.
     He blushed. "I'm flattered, but it's late and my grandparents may see us or Junior may ride up amd catch us." he said matter of factly as she smiled.
     "Although those excuses are true, we both know your not wanting to be with me is because of my gender." she said as he defensively shot back surprised.
     "What do you mean? I like girls."
     "And boys too. Goodnight." she smiled and walked off into the night as Germaine watched from his bedroom window. Lucee stood wondering how she knew he was bisexual.

     After a ten minute ride, Junior came to a stop and slowly got off her bike. She watched DayShawn get out of his car and go into a warehouse which was dimly lit by a flickering bulb over the door. Junior walked towards the warehouse which had no visible windows. She reached the door and turned the knob. She sighed heavily finding it locked. Junior backed away looking up above the door and read the name aloud. "The Devine Clinic and Research Laboratory." With that she smiled, went back to her bike and pedaled away in the direction of which she came.

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Chapter Two

     Junior had purposely spent the rest of the night on the downstairs sofa, once she got home, so she could hear Lucee come into the house that morning for breakfast. Once he did she put the plan she had put together hours earlier into motion. She jumped up from the sofa and slowly fell to the floor. Lucee ran to her and fell to his knees as he called his grandparents. He began to softly pat Junior's cheeks trying to revive her. Once she heard Regina and Germaine enter, she began to flutter her eyelids as if she were truly just waking up. She opened her eyes to see their faces. She blinked them quickly a couple of times and sat up with Lucee's help.
     "What happened?" she asked.
     "You fainted. Are you alright?" Lucee asked as she nodded.
     "I'm fine I think. My head kind of hurts." she said as Germaine grabbed her hand. He and Lucee helped her up and onto the sofa as Regina left to get her a glass of water. She returned and gave it to her. The three watched her take a few sips when she suddenly dropped the glass and screamed. "Oh my God! I remember now! I had a vision!" she lied as Lucee sighed an expression of disbelief. "I saw a nun," Junior cried. "Being killed!" Germaine and Regina looked at each other with terrified eyes.
     "What are you saying?" Lucee started. "You saw someone killing a nun?" he finished as she nodded.
     "And she had been pregnant." Junior threw in as the three looked at her in amazement.
     "That is crazy Junior. Nuns take a vow of celibacy, right grandma?" Lucee asked as Regina humped up her shoulders scared to answer.
     "Of course they do. Men and women of the cloth don't have sex,.....unless this nun in your vision Junior had had sex before she became a nun." Germaine tried to explain as Junior shook her head.
     "No grandpa Germaine, this happened after she was a nun."

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     "But you said she had been pregnant. Her baby died with her when she was killed?" Regina tried to understand as Junior shook her head again.
     "No. The nun, Lourdes was her name, had an abortion before she was killed." Junior said as Lucee stood up angrily.
     "I'm not buying this crap Junior! You're making this up!" he shouted.
     "No I'm not. I saw the vision clearly. It happened only several hours ago in the woods. It should be on the local news." she said as Lucee turned a nearby television on. He skipped a few channels, but stopped at the local news channel which was conveniently showing the breaking news story. They all watched in awe as the reporter gave sketchy and assuming statements about a Jane Doe who seemed to be a visiting nun who died from complications from a miscarriage or an abortion. A local midwife and the medical examiner were looking into the cause of death. The Archdiocese had no comment and was going to do its own investigation. The Pastor of the Church, where the nun was found, was cooperating with Sheriff office's newly appointed detective Murphy Martin. The three looked at Junior in amazement as she shook her head.
     "Junior I'm sorry that I doubted you. You were telling the truth." Lucee smiled relieved as Regina went over and hugged her. Junior pulled away and stood up. She grabbed her purse.
     "I have to go. They think she died from complications but she didn't."
     "But where are you going?"
     "To work with the police as a psychic detective! I have to let them know that Sister Lourdes was murdered by the doctor who made her pregnant." she said and left.

     Junior arrived and couldn't believe the media circus that was now camped outside of the small Sheriff's office. She couldn't believe that her dream of being a world re-knowed psychic had come true. Once she told the media, who'll in turn tell the world that she solved this case, she would use

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her fifteen minutes of fame to keep her name a household name. She squeezed through the crowds of onlookers and pro-life protestors and saw Murphy Martin talking. She  went over to him but stopped when she saw who he was talking to. She cleared her throat as Murphy and his wife Greer, who worked part-time as the office's photographer, acknowledged her coldly. Junior congratulated him on his promotion and told him that she needed to talk to him about the case, alone. This prompted Greer to kiss his cheek and told him to hurry back. They went into his new office where Junior fought her romantic feelings for him. She told him half of her vision and how he had to let everyone know that he was working with a psychic. It peaked his interest, but he expressed his credibility would be on the line if he agreed. Of course she didn't want to hear this and was ready to do whatever she had to do.
     "Both of us want something from this case and we can have it if we work together."
     "But I thought you told me that you were a fraud when it came to your psychic abilities Junior."
     "I thought I was too, but this vision was overwhelming and appeared on television. I'm telling you, Sister Lourdes did not die from abortion related complications,...she was murdered and I know who did it."
     "So who did it?" he asked.
     "I won't say anymore until you agree to tell the world that I'm psychic and I'm assisting you."
     "I can't. It's unethical and no one would take this office seriously. I could even loose my job Junior and you know I need it now more than ever."
     "I don't care about your baby or your stupid wife Murphy. I only care about me and you. Either you do as I say or I swear I'll not only solve this case before you by telling who killed the nun and why, but I'll tell the whole world about your and my affair and make up stuff that will ruin your life. I swear." she said as a quick knock was heard at the door and Greer entered.
     "Excuse me honey, but there are some visiting Catholic missionaries and an Archdeacon trying to get through the media and the crowd of onlookers."

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     "Excuse me Mrs. Martin, but Murphy and I are still in a meeting here." Junior told her.
     "Excuse me, but I don't care about your stupid little meeting Ms. Jones. Honestly, your time is up." Greer said matter of factly as Murphy quickly walked to the door and grabbed Greer's hand and lead her out. Junior angrily sighed when he suddenly poked his head back in.
     "Don't do anything stupid Junior, please." he said and left as she thought for a few moments, smiled and left as well.

     An hour later back at the tattoo parlor Regina, Germaine, Lucee, and a few clients watched Junior on television as she told the world how she and detective Murphy Martin knew secret details about the sensational case involving Sister Lourdes because of her psychic abilities. DayShawn Devine, who was a scientist turned doctor, and his assistant Dahvee, who was Haitian but grew up in France, watched the telecast at the same time in their basement of the warehouse clinic.
     Five minutes later Junior finished her speech for the surprise press conference by saying, "Sister Lourdes' death wasn't God's divine intervention, but a doctor named D. Devine's, spelled D-e-v-i-n-e, murderous intervention at his experimental research clinic." Reporters began to scream questions at Junior as DayShawn looked on and swallowed hard reallizing once the world knew he was doctor D. Devine, all of his illegal hard work would be found out.
     At the same time Mayor Boston, who was running for senator, turned his car radio off after Junior finished her statement. He angrily screeched the car to a halt as his banker Mr. Jacksyn, who sat beside him, sighed heavily. Mayor Boston turned the car around and sped off onto a road that led into the backwoods.
     Back outside the Sheriff's office, a taxi-cab pulled up. Teraysa Phillips paid the driver who had commented on the press conference they had listened to. She got out of the cab and watched Junior continue to answer questions.
     Twenty minutes later Junior waved off the press after telling them she was through answering

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their questions. She was more interested in watching Sheriff Cook angrily argue with Murphy about her and what she had done. She smiled and thought it served him right for picking his wife over her as she continued to ignore the onlookers and press until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and nearly had a heart attack when she thought she was staring into the eyes of the nun. The woman introduced herself as Teraysa Phillips, the twin sister of Lourdes Phillips, the murdered nun. She told Junior that they had to talk. An estatic Junior couldn't believe her luck. She grabbed the woman's hand and agreed to talk to her for more information. Greer watched the two angrily as they disappeared into the backwoods.
     Junior and Teraysa walked along the rocky bank of a winding river as Junior finished telling her supposed vision of Lourdes' death. A grief stricken Teraysa began her guilt ridden tale.................. Her half Puerto Rican-half Brazilian librarian mother, Olivia Phillips, was raped thirty years ago by a white ex-con. Embarassed and afraid of what her husband may have done, she didn't tell him or report it to the police. Unfortunately nine months later she gave birth to twin girls and hoped to pass them off as her husband's. With him being black, he took one look at the golden blonde haired blue eyed twins and wanted a blood test. They weren't his so he divorced her not believing she had been raped, but had cheated. A devastated Olivia, who blamed the twins for her misfortune, went back to her father's hometown. With nowhere to go, since her parents had died years earlier, she found lodging at a convent where her parents had worked as teachers. There Olivia suffered a nervous breakdown and committed suicide. When the twins, who the nuns named Teraysa and Lourdes, grew to age eleven in the convent's orphanage, they were separated. Lourdes wanted to stay and become a nun while Teraysa wanted a husband and family. Teraysa was adopted which led to a tearful goodbye.
     The girls kept in touch until Teraysa married at eighteen and moved out of state while Lourdes travelled in and out of the country on religious charity business. Teraysa's husband began to

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physically abuse her which lasted for seven years until a car accident killed him and ruptured some of her internal organs. Lourdes stayed with her at the convalescent hospital for six months and another month at a retreat cottage there in the village. A neighboring nunnery sponsered the cottage, which was several miles down from where the two women were walking. A forester named Nigel Carmen walked into the still recuperating Teraysa's life as Lourdes went back to the convent. Teraysa and Nigel fell in love and married. When they decided to start a family Teraysa was devastated to learn that she could not carry a baby to term due to the car accident. When she realized that Nigel had a problem with this, she feared that he would divorce her. That's when she asked,...no begged Lourdes to think about carrying a baby for her and Nigel.
     After careful consideration and a plan of secrecy in place, Lourdes agreed. A happy Nigel suggested  a clinic he came upon while working in the forest which was secretive and experimental. Lourdes took a sabbatical from the convent and took up residence at the retreat cottage by the river. Doctor DayShawn Devine performed the invitro fertilization and Lourdes became pregnant. Everything was going alright until Lourdes realized something was wrong. She was two and a half months pregnant, but looked five months. She was sickly and bled believing that she would miscarry. DayShawn and nigel assured them everything was alright, but Lourdes had thought differently Teraysa remembered as she finished the tale.
     Junior reminded her that it wasn't alright because in her vision the doctor mentioned multiple birth abortion meaning more than one baby. Night had fallen as thunder roared and lightning cracked. This was when Teraysa decided to go question DayShawn and Junior followed.
     Around the same time detective Murphy Martin opened the door to the riverside cottage with a forensic team behind him. His cell phone rang and he listened to the medical examiner tell him that Junior's psychic tip on testing for specific drugs had led them to find that there was foul play. Minute traces of abortion pill RU486 and the poisonous sleep aid Bella Donna among various other drugs

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were found and were probably used to cover up a botched abortion. As Murphy closed his eyes and sighed heavily, raindrops fell outside.

     DayShawn Devine stood in the cllinic's basement in silence as his partners in crime argued murdering the nun wasn't part of the program. Banker Jacksyn financed the clinic's reproductive genetics unit research. Nigel was in on being a part of the implant and the decision to try and make Lourdes have a multiple birth pregnancy by switching her iron pills with fertility drugs. He was all for capitalizing off of a nun giving birth to four or more of his children. Mayor Boston only wanted votes for being a part of stem cell research, although he and DayShawn had their own sinister plan for the cells uses. Mayor Boston wasn't a stranger to scandal and controversy. When his teen son needed a heart transplant quick he supposedly encouraged euthanasia to an ill relative. Two days later the relative died and his son did too after his body rejected the relative's donor heart. Their last partner in crime was wannabe doctor Dahvee who was a medical school dropout who practiced medicine without a license.
     The raindrops outside had turned into a heavy downpour as DayShawn explained that Lourdes had found out about the fertility drugs. His plan was to see if she could spontaneously abort two of the embryos for possible DNA and cloning research while using the other babies stem cells once they were born. She said she would abort them all elsewhere before she would let him touch them and she threatened to expose him once she did, so he killed her. He killed her with Dahvee's help, with the bank's money that Mayor Boston authorized, and with Nigel's blessing to go ahead with everything that was necessary. Just then Teraysa stood in the doorway drenched and had heard just about everything they had said. She screamed Nigel's name in a disappointed cry as Junior walked in a few feet behind her on a cell phone. Regina was on the other end telling her that the media, the clergy, protestors, and hundreds of people stood in line waiting for her to get

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 back there and do a reading on them. It was a mad house, but business was great.
     An estatic Junior told Regina to put her on speaker phone and have the media put their mikes up to it so everyone could hear what was going on there at the clinic. Regina did what she asked as the media in turn had the conversion hooked up to the television and radio vans loudspeakers. Junior assured the people that DayShawn was the murderer and held the phone towards the six arguing people as they all implicated themselves, unknowningly. Teraysa slapped Nigel as the Sheriff and a deputy walked in with guns drawn. He told them they were all under arrest as Nigel panicked, pulled his gun from his pants and grabbed Teraysa around the neck. He put the gun to her head and threatened to kill her if they tried to stop him from leaving. He and Teraysa backed out as the deputy cocked his gun in the deafening silence causing Nigel to instinctively shoot the deputy in the arm as he dragged Teraysa out. The Sheriff cautioned the others not to move as he called for back-up.
     The rain had turned into a mist as Nigel and Teraysa ran through the dark woods hand in hand for several minutes until Teraysa purposely felll bringing Nigel down with her. She yanked away from him, jumped up and ran back towards the clinic. Nigel shouted for her to stop and shot her in the left shoulder. She stopped and yelled out in pain as he walked towards her with the gun still pointed. As he neared her, he told her that she was going to be his hostage and to turn around slowly. As she did, she pulled her own small pistol out of her purse. She pointed it at him.
     Several lightning bolts cracked brightening the sky and faded away as shots rang out from both guns. Nigel fell to the ground as blood streamed from the left side of his chest while his bullet grazed the left side of Teraysa's neck. Police sirens blared in the distance.

     Later, just as the sun began to rise, Junior stood in front of the tattoo parlor. She spoke into several microphones that were pushed into her face. She reminded the media, and the thousands who had gathered, that she was a psychic and it was because of her that this sensational religious and political saga was known about and solved.

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 Just then a reporter emerged from the crowd.
     "Ms. Jones, this reporter fairs to differ with your being a psychic. This whole vision story is a hoax! Proof tells that you're a deceptive, fraudulent capitalist who has fooled the world into believing that you saw a murder in a vision." the man shouted as a nervous Junior cleared her throat.
     "I have no idea what you're insinuating sir. I did see a murder."
     "Yeah you did, but not in a vision. I have pictures that show you at the scene Ms. Jones. You were a witness to Sister Lourdes' murder! You stood outside of that Church and watched Dr. Devine kill her and you did nothing to help her! You were only a witness to the murder---you're not a clairvoyant, a seer, nor a soothsayer! You're nothing but a liar and may have been in on Dr. Devine's plan to experiment on Sister Lourdes' selfless act of kindness for her sister Teraysa." he finished as Junior shouted that the reporter was wrong as Murphy walked over to her from the side with handcuffs.
     "Murphy, whoever gave this man that story is wrong. The murder was a vision I swear." Junior pleaded as he handcuffed her and recited the miranda rights to her. His wife Greer Martin appeared behind him with a camera around her neck and a mini video camera in her hand. She snapped a picture.
     "You had a vision alright, but it wasn't about the murder Ms. DeSander Jones Jr. The pictures are real because I took them and I video taped you too. I wanted to make sure I had proof that Murphy broke up with you so I followed you out there last night. Thinking he may follow you, I followed you on my own trusty bike to the Church where I got you watching the mad scientist Devine instead. After you two left, I stayed with sister Lourdes until the ambulance came. I didn't know you were watching a murder all of that time. I reported you and showed Murphy and the Sheriff the pictures and the tape. We all thought you were going to confess to witnessing the crime, but instead you lied like the liar that you are." Greer spat.

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     "I'm taking you in simply on suspicion Junior and you better not be a part of this thing." he said as Junior's family looked on in shame, especially Lucee as they watched Murphy lead her away. The crowd booed as Z looked on smiling and shouted out to her.
     "Hey Junior! They say be careful what you wish for because you may get it, even though yours would be considered your fifteen minutes of fame. So who's the wannabe psychic now huh?" Z called after her laughing as the media wrapped it up and the onlookers headed home.


     Several days later Teraysa kneeled in the Church graveyard next to Lourdes' grave after laying a rose on it. She prayed, made the sign of the cross, stood, and walked away.

                                                                            The End

                                                                                                                                                 DJPM