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He stopped again and looked at the young man, but this time rather than wait, Matt nodded and said, "Okay."
"I start looking around it and I tell you from the start something felt strange. Something I still can't explain, a feeling... a dreadful feeling. So, I took out my knife and shimmied the lock. Went inside and looked around... and... and... I'm down on my knees looking at the bottom crypt and I swear I hear my brother's voice." he explained.
"His voice? What do you mean?" the young man asked, unable to hold back.
"Yes, his voice and I ain't lying. I heard it, but it scared me and I left. But I came back and heard it again," he replied.
Matt looked hard at the man wondering if he was crazy or perhaps was having fun at his expense. However, he looked truly sincere and a little frightened, so he decided to hear him out.
"Go on," he said.
"You know that mausoleum is... nice. Well built... good stone. It's why my brother wanted to draw it," he said, then stopped in thought for a moment before continuing, "I looked into the... inhabitants. Found out they died in a car wreck on November 1st, twenty-three years before."
"So, what's it mean?" Matt asked, suddenly wanting a simple explanation.
"Let me finish," the man said, and before the young man could respond, he started again, "It took me a long time to accept it because it was just too strange, but I think that couple took over the bodies of my brother and his wife. They put their souls in the bodies and locked my brother's in that vault."
"That's impossible," the young man stated.
"I know it sounds crazy and if someone told me I'd tell them they were crazy, too. But I lived this for a long time, and when my brother died, I couldn't hear his voice anymore," he said.
"When the man you think took your brother's soul died," Matt tried to clarify.
"That's right... that's what I'm sayin," he responded, and when he saw the look from the young man, he added, "I know it sounds crazy. You can believe it or not. I don't give a shit."
"So, if I go out there... and go inside. I can hear my girlfriend? Hear Heather?" he asked.
"All I can say is that I heard my brother. Sometimes I could communicate with him, but that was rare... like less than a dozen times. Only twice did I think I heard his wife," he replied.
"How do you get inside?" the young man asked, remembering the locked gate.
"I had a key made... long time ago," he said.
Silence enveloped the two men as each became lost in thought. Matt was not a believer in the paranormal, in fact, he thought it silly. Thus, he struggled to accept the story of the groundskeeper. In his normal way of thinking, the old man was either disturbed or suffering from dementia. However, there were two things he couldn't shake. First, the man seemed completely sincere. He didn't feel he was being played, so the man might be crazy, but he wasn't underhanded. Second, he knew in his heart the young woman that shared his apartment wasn't his Heather.
"I'd like to go... I mean can you open it for me? I'd like to hear her. Then, I'd know... really know..." Matt suddenly said.
"You sure you want to?" he asked, and when the student nodded, he took a large set of keys from his pocket and set it on the table. It looked like he was about to rise, but he dropped back into the chair, looked at the young man and said, "Hold on for a sec. We need to think about something first."
"What's that," the young man asked.
"Why they didn't get you," he replied, and then continued with, "You said you felt something and tried to leave?"
"That's right. It was a strange sensation and then a glow or something. I turned to leave and tried to pull Heather but... I guess..." he responded.
If there was any truth in what he was hearing, then he realized he had failed to protect the woman he loved, his future wife, from the clutches of something profoundly evil. The thought caused him to choke and shake his head with disgust.
"Don't think about it that way. How the hell were you to know. And what if you didn't get out? You'd be trapped in there, too, and no one would know," the old man said, and after a brief pause added, "But, something tells me you shouldn't go in there."
"So, I don't get..." he started but wasn't sure how to phrase the event.
"No... no, I'm convinced that there is something special about November 1st. The research I did long ago said it was some kind of special day for evil shit. Plus, that couple died on that day. I don't know if there was a connection or if it was chance, but I don't think they can do the trade except on that day. No... what I'm thinking is it's best if they don't know you know. It's better, for now, that way," he explained.
"I... I, really... I really have to see if I hear her voice," the young man said.
The old man stared at him for a few seconds and he could see a softening of his expression as if he understood the need, finally, he replied, "Okay, but don't say anything... just listen. No talking no matter what you hear."
The man stood, followed by Matt, and together they left the small apartment and made for the mausoleum which was only a short distance away. On the walk, the young man thought about what he had learned and with the cool air clearing his senses, he wondered if he was being stupid. He had just heard an unbelievable story and now he was walking with what might be a very disturbed individual to a crypt to try and listen for his girlfriend. He thought about just breaking off and heading for his car, but at this point, it just seemed easier to finish things out.
The key entered the lock and the old man quickly opened the gate. Suddenly, the strange feeling the young man had felt on Halloween night came rushing back, and every hair on his body stood on end. The groundskeeper put his finger to his lips, repeating his warning and they stepped inside. He watched as the man knelt before the crypts and then motioned for him to do the same. They became still and save for a gentle breeze moving through the trees, there was no sound. The seconds ticked by but the old man remained motionless in a manner that Matt sensed must have come from practice. They were there so long that his mind began to drift, and then, suddenly, he heard it. It was barely audible over the wind, and at first, he thought it might be something the breeze was affecting, but it seemed different and he noticed that the old man had heard it, too.
The man's arm grasped his wrist, nodded downward, and lowered his head until it was just off the floor. Matt followed, and now, he could hear a voice. It sounded like it was a whisper from down a long hallway, but it was there and it was clearly female. The words were hard to make out, but he thought he heard a "where" and a few seconds later a "who" and then he heard the voice say "Matt." It took all his willpower not to scream in reply, but he recalled the warning from the old man and suddenly, it made sense.
The grip on his wrist tightened and looking up, he could see the man nodding towards the entrance. He desperately wanted to stay and listen to Heather, but he was wise enough to know that he was deep into uncharted territory and needed to learn more. They quietly backed out and after closing the gate, they went back to his quarters.
"She's there... in the vessel," he said as soon as they were inside. He went to his whiskey, and after a quick drink, he added, "This shit still freaks me out... after all this damn time."
Matt was too numb to drink, but let the man settle before he asked, "Vessel? What do you mean?"
"It doesn't mean much, I guess. I couldn't figure out how to describe it so I named it the vessel. Seems to fit," he explained.
"What do I do?" Matt asked.
"I don't know... I really don't. I thought about it all the years and never came up with an answer. I took this job almost fifty years ago to figure it out and never did. They took my brother's life... stole his life from him and I couldn't figure anything out," he replied, looking like he might break down in tears. The young student was about to ask another question when the man started again, "They lived right here. Imagine that... right here in this town. It didn't take them long to figure out I was suspicious and once they knew I was on to them, they wouldn't talk... I went forty years living close to a man that was supposed to be my brother. The world thought he was my brother and we never spoke. He died ten years ago and his wife six. Like I told you before, when he died... I never heard my brother's voice in there again. I guess there is an end to it..."
"But they stole Heather," Matt said.
"Yeah... I guess they want someone else's life now... starting all over. I should have knocked that goddamn thing down. I thought about it after Frank was gone... I didn't do it... I should have..." he said while looking into his glass.
For the next few minutes, they sat in silence. Matt could tell the man was morose from reliving the experiences of his time in the cemetery. He wanted desperately to determine something he could do, something actionable that would result in progress.
"Did they have kids... the ones that stole your brother," he asked, thinking he might be able to learn something from their offspring.
"No... none, and when they died in the car wreck there were no kids, neither. I learned that much," he replied.
"I have to do something," the young man spat out in frustration.
The groundskeeper looked at him with sympathetic eyes and said, "You get on back and let me think. It's been a long time and I'm getting old so I'll try to remember everything I learned. Remember this, do not let that woman know you're on to her. It's important, now. Somehow, you got out of their grip and that's different from my brother. Need to think what that means."
"Can... I... get her back?" Matt asked.
He needed to hear encouragement, so when the man answered, his knees almost buckled, "She's probably gone. We'll try, but she's likely gone."
"What's your name?" he asked the groundskeeper after staring at the ground for a few seconds.
"Gus... names Gus. Yours?" the man replied.
"Matt..." the young student responded.
He left with the understanding he would return two weeks later. It seemed like a long time to him as he wanted to do something, take some action to fix things, although he still wasn't entirely sure he knew what that meant. The man's story was just so incredibly bizarre, and even though he heard, or thought he heard Heather's voice in the mausoleum, it was still hard for him to accept.
As soon as he returned to the apartment, he started to surreptitiously watch his girlfriend looking for any sign, no matter how small, that would indicate that she wasn't the real Heather. There was nothing overt, but he did note that she spent more time in the bedroom reading than before, and showed only a passing interest in the TV shows she typically enjoyed. Also, there was the sex, or lack of it, as she seemed indifferent. Matt, feeling it would be an act of betrayal if his girlfriend's soul really had been captured, didn't push, so when he returned to the cemetery for his meeting with the old man, the young couple had not made love since the fateful night.
"Come on in and have a seat," Gus said as he opened the door.
Matt had been concerned about how he would react when they met. He wasn't sure the man was altogether stable and thought he might not remember meeting him, or even worse, have a violent reaction. However, his relaxed body language and balanced expression indicated recognition.
"Thanks," he said and went to the same chair he had used before, and after pouring two cups of liquor, the man joined him at the table.
"What happened? How's she acting?" he asked, immediately jumping to the purpose of the meeting.
"It's hard to explain," Matt started, and then paused to collect his thoughts before continuing, "It looks like her, she dresses mostly the same, eats the same, but there is just something different."
"What's different?" he asked.
"She's distant. Spends a lot of time in the bedroom by herself... and... you know... there is no sex," he explained.
"No? Nothing since the last time you were here?" he asked, and when the young man nodded his head, he followed with, "That's not normal I guess is what you're saying."
"No, it's not normal. She... my Heather... is usually very passionate," Matt replied.
"When was the last time?" the old man asked.
"The night... that night..." he responded.
"Shit... that ain't good," Gus said, and before he could reply, the man added, "She don't want you... she wants him I'm guessing. Her man... the one still in there."
"I... you know... I got to say... I feel the same way," Matt said.
"Yeah, I got you... but... you can't have her thinking you're on to her. You're going to have to do it so she doesn't get suspicious," he told the student.
Matt looked at the man for several seconds, and then replied, "It will be weird... like cheating..."
"Maybe... but the worst thing that can happen right now is for her to find out you're on to her. That wouldn't be good... not for you... and, especially, not for her... in that vessel..." he responded with a somber expression.
"Okay," the young man finally replied to break the silence.
"She's going to plan something. That's for sure. But whatever happens in that mausoleum I think can only happen on November 1st. So, you got until then..." he explained before his thoughts trailed off.
"She tried to get me to back inside... for more sex," Matt said.
"When?" Gus fired back.
"Right then. When she came out of there she wanted to go back inside and do it again. She got mad when I didn't and then when we left... I mean later she kept wanting to go back," he replied.
"Yeah... cause it was still November 1st. She had all day and wanted her husband out of there. If you'd gone back in, they'd of had you. You'd be in there like your girlfriend. Stuck like my brother and his wife, he told the young man.
The message sent a shiver through Matt as he thought about how close he'd come to transferring in the macabre scene. However, as he continued to contemplate the outcome, he realized that at least he would have been with Heather.
"Can't she find someone else? Another guy?" he asked.
"I don't know really... it's a good question. Maybe there is something because y'all were a couple... maybe that means something," he replied, and after several seconds of silence, he added, "She'll likely try with you again next time... next November 1st, but I don't know after that. Maybe she'll move on if it don't happen."
They entered a period of contemplation that lasted for several minutes. Matt wondered if he could live with the woman, knowing the truth, especially with his girlfriend locked away in what the caretaker called the vessel.
"Did... uhhh... do you know if your brother and his wife...I mean... did they know they were together and did they at least have that?" he asked, needing to break the silence.
"They knew about each other... they did. I know that for a fact because Frank talked about her sometimes," Gus answered as a look of distress appeared on his face.
For the next hour, they talked about the situation and traded thoughts. The caretaker went on to explain how his research years ago had uncovered little about the couple other than they were wealthy from unknown sources, extremely private and considered exceedingly strange, especially the woman. Also, even though they were only in their 40s when they died, they had already constructed the mausoleum.
"That's all?" Matt said when it looked like the conversation was coming to an end.
"Oh, I forgot one thing. There are some strange carvings along the ceiling in there. I got some pictures of them one time and tried to figure out what they meant, but didn't get anywhere. You can take them if you want," he said and handed over a manila envelope.
The young man opened it, scanned through twelve numbered photos, and then looked up and asked, "They go in sequence?"
"Yes, and the first is just to the right as you step inside," he explained.
Matt nodded and then looked at the caretaker and asked, "Did you ever get married? Kids?"
"Nahhh... spent all my time on Frank... all those years..." he answered.
"I want to go inside and hear her again," he said.
"I went in and listened a few days ago. She's still there. I heard her and she was a little easier to hear. She's confused," Gus said, and before Matt could respond, he added, "I don't recommend you go. If they find out about you, it could be bad for her... and you..."
"Look... I've got to... I just... do..." he replied while staring anxiously at the groundskeeper.
All day, he had been thinking about the meeting and the opportunity to listen to his Heather. Part of his desire was to confirm what he thought he heard last time, but the most compelling reason was his need to stay close to the woman he loved. He viewed it as a simple act of solidarity, like a hospital visit for an injured person.
The old man repeated his concerns about the idea, but when he realized Matt wasn't swayed, he shifted to reiterating the need to remain silent. Then, they went to the mausoleum, used the key to enter, and dropped to their knees beside the crypts. Like before, there was an eerie silence, broken only by the sounds of the gentle breeze whispering through the trees, before the muted sound of a female voice reached the student's ears. It sounded as if he was hearing only one side of a conversation, and the words were so faint that he couldn't make out their meaning, but he would have bet everything he owned that it was Heather speaking.
"That's Heather... I know it's her," he said excitedly when they were safely away from the structure.
"Yes... yes, it's her. No question," Gus replied.
"I know it's her, but I can't tell what she's saying," Matt fired back, and then added, "Could you understand?"
"Yeah, it's hard. Takes practice," he replied, and after staring into the young man's hopeful eyes for several seconds, he continued, "She was talking to the man in there."
"What about?" he asked.
"She's still confused... about where she is... who he is..." he lied.
"Shit... poor Heather... shit! I've got to get her out," Matt declared.
They returned to the groundskeeper's apartment and talked for a few more minutes, but Matt felt detached as he couldn't take his mind off his girlfriend's voice. Finally, he pulled himself from the chair and with a frustrated sigh, announced his departure. Gus showed him to the door, and when he disappeared into the night, he turned back to his drink. He thought about the evening and their visit to the mausoleum. As the minutes ticked by, he wondered if he had done the right thing by keeping the information from Matt. He liked the young man, especially his determination, but he knew he was still coming to grips with the reality of it all. No, he decided, it wasn't the right time to tell the young man about the pursuit of his girlfriend by the demon that shared the vessel.
The visit to the cemetery affected Matt so strongly it took him several days to recover. His schoolwork was suffering from his lack of focus and he worried that the woman possessing Heather would sense something was off. Finally, knowing he would be of no help to his girlfriend if he didn't gain control, he decided to sit down and work out a plan. It took him several hours to think it through, but finally, he finished. In truth, it was nothing more than a simple daily roadmap, but he felt empowered now that he had something formal as a guide. There were three primary focus areas; his schoolwork, his interaction with Heather, and the research he wanted to do on the demonic couple, building off Gus' efforts.
