ICHABOD

The wind howled and the breeze that followed rattled the stool, the noise jerked the drunk old man back into consciousness. Old Adam opened his sleepy eyes a little. He wiped the saliva from the bottom of his lips where he sat hunched over in his lounge chair, Everywhere in the cemetery was pitch black. How come the night came so suddenly? The old man thought in his mind. It was barely hours ago when the sky was painted in hues of different colors...

The little fire he had made close to him to get him warmed was already out and he began to search for his torch, with his hands searching everything on the stool and around him, blindly. At first, his hand touched the metal cup on the table, he was careful enough not to tip the cup over. Finally, he felt his feet pressing on something hard on the ground, and then he remembered, he had purposely kept the torch under his feet for easy finding. Old age was catching on him. He turned on the torch but the night was too thick and there was not a single star in sight. The torch in his hand could only allow him to see about an arm's reach in front of him but it was not a problem, he was used to this.

Slowly, he stood up from his chair, it was almost time for him to leave the grave yard, he was supposed to stay till the following morning but these days, no one was supervising him, meaning he could leave anytime it grew dark, no one would come to find him or ask for anything. Except someone who wanted to speak to the dead-there was no such person.

Slowly, he removed his jacket from where he had hung it around the chair and dipped the bottom of the torch into his mouth, holding it in place with both lips while he stuck a hand into the jacket to wear it comfortably.

Apart from the darkness and himself, the only thing that existed was the chilly wind that sent harsh bites through his jacket and into his skin. It was very cold, unusually cold. His blood was running cold and his hands became stiff.

He placed the stool in its rightful place and folded up the lounge chair. He would need to lock the east gate before going to his house. He groaned, but he knew there was no choice.

Minutes later, he was walking slowly and carefully, bypassing the graves towards the east side. While he walked, he kept flashing the torch at the tombstones so as not bump into any of them. He wondered why the night was this cold, the day had been so hot and now, well, maybe they were having a weather change, His mind drifted off to the hot cocoa he would have on getting home, the thought of that sent warmth through his entire body and he smiled to himself but the excitement was cut short as he suddenly hit his hand against something heavy and sharp.

"Oh my God!" He yelped in pain, flashing his torch towards the substance and to his dismay, it was a white coffin.

For a while, he thought he was probably still drunk. He rubbed his eyes but there it was.

This was insane! Who would put a coffin just anywhere in a grave yard? He thought to himself. Could this have happened when he was asleep? Did anyone forget to bury their dead loved one? All these questions were running through his mind when all of a sudden he heard a sound.

In all the years that Adam had spent guarding the graveyard, he had never experienced anything like this before. Still, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him.

He closed his eyes and opened them again.

Silence!

He breathed a little and was about going on his way when he heard that sound again. All the hair at the back of his neck stood up as he realized that someone was knocking in the coffin. His two legs were shaking vigorously and the cold immediately left him sweating.

"Go, go away! You don't belong to this world anymore!" He stammered and was about to make a run for it when a shattering noise sent him flying, dropping his torch which was now pointing directly to the coffin.

His heart was beating rapidly as if it would fall out of his chest, He was now lying faced down on the ground, wide-eyed and saying his last prayers. Too afraid to look at the ghost or whatever was about to come out of the coffin.

While he said his prayers fearfully and quickly, he could hear movements behind him. He knew he was really done for. Still he continued.

"Hello there." Said a voice behind him and he stopped. It was a man's voice. Quickly he looked behind him and that was when he saw him. He was standing right behind him, all suited up even though he couldn't see his face. As if reading his mind, the man picked up the torch and flashed it to his own face so Adam could see him.

He was a tall white man in a brown suit and he looked nothing like a ghost.

"So, now that you can see that I am not a ghost, I need you to answer one question. What year is it and where am I?"

She stood up from where she lay on the ground, gathering the hem of her wedding gown with her with one knife while holding the knife in her hand, the expression on her face was that of satisfaction as she stared at the knife. The blood of her victim was dropping in thick droplets on to the carpeted floor. It

The man writhed on the ground, in a great agony; blood was oozing from his chest. He kept starring at her, desperation to know why she had killed him was visible in her eyes.

She took another look at him, this time with a cold expression, the hatred was burning through her and it seemed as if even the death which she had punished him with was not enough. Finally, she dropped the knife on his body and then still looking at him as he spat out blood, she pulled out the ring on her fourth finger of her left hand, and she threw it at him.

He spat more blood...

"Wh..why?" He managed to ask but that minute, she dipped a hand into her gown, and pulled out a picture. When the man saw this, his face went white all of a sudden, his lips slack and he took his final breath.

She threw the picture on his lifeless body, her face expressionless as she walked with a blood-stained wedding gown out of the room...

"CUT!"

The director shouted with all his might and everyone in the room began to clap. All of sudden, the lights came on.

**

"And that was a job well done!" Shouted Director Dee (D.D) as he hugged his superstar actress who was now coming back in the bloody wedding gown.

"You did well dear." He said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Now, let's clean up this place, " D.D shouted and was surprised to see that Alex was still lying on the ground. "Come on stand up buddy! She's killed you and you are dead but that's in the movie, not in real life. If you dare sleep off on that floor, I will be the one who kills you in real life."

Everyone laughed including Adam who was now standing up, removing his blood-stained costume.

"Come dear, let's get you out of that costume." Said Vivian to Harmony, she was her costumier and her closest friend.

"You look like you actually killed someone in real life." She joked as they walked to the bathroom together.

"What time is it?" Harmony asked while her friend pulled out a chair for her, they were in the dressing room.

"It's some minutes past midnight." Vivian replied, pulling out the wig from Harmony's head and brought out a box of facial wipes.

"Where's my baby?" Harmony asked while her friend dabbed at her face, wiping off the make-up.

"She's in the other room, she's sleeping peacefully, " Vivian replied.

"I promised her pizza tonight, too bad I couldn't give her. She would never forgive me. I need to go home tonight."

Vivian stopped and stared at her friend. "Go home? It's a dangerous babe. Look, you are my friend, okay, and you are a grand superstar, we cannot let anything happen to you."

Harmony sighed, "I have to go home. I move into my new place days ago and I haven't even spent a night in it. I really need to go home tonight. I can't go to a hotel tonight."

"You are so stubborn Harmony! Has anyone told you that before?"

She nodded, "yea, you have. A million times."

**

An hour later, she was driving on the road while nodding to the music playing in her car. Tracy slept beside her, snoring peacefully. She was just five years old and she was everything to her. Sometimes, Harmony would wonder if there was a greater love than that of a mother to her child, it was amazing how you would love someone even more than you love yourself. She would die if anything happened to her daughter.

She took another look at her before focusing on the road. She should have really stayed back. She had a long day and she was tired but she just wanted to spend at least one night in her house, Tracy had been clamoring for that and she had promised her two things tonight-either pizza or taking her home tonight. She wanted to see the surprised look on her face when she wakes up in the morning she would be so thrilled.

Harmony smiled to take another look at her daughter, hardly had she turned back when she realized a trailer was coming straight at her. Quickly she pressed the brakes but for no reason, it failed.

No, no, no no!

She looked at Tracy and then back at the trailer who was still rushing towards her, she couldn't swerve right or left as they were on a bridge, swerving would be a colossal mistake.

"Oh God! Please!" She prayed, her chest rising and falling, there was only one thing on her mind and that was the safety of her daughter. She let go of the wheels, gathered her arms around her sleepy daughter and shut her eyes......

**

"Lord please even if I die, keep my baby safe please, please, please."

Those were the prayers I found myself repeating over and over again even when I felt the brightness of the headlamps so close in my eyelids, I shut my eyes tight. This was the end of everything, I could tell it was just a matter of second before it crashed into us but all of a sudden, I heard a shrieking noise and I shut my ears while still holding Tracy close. It wasn't a crashing noise at all, instead, it was like someone pulling perhaps the brake of....

I looked up and to amazement, the trailer was slowing down even though the tip was already touching the front of my car, I couldn't see what was happening but, I realized the door of the trailer was opened and whoever was inside was pulling the brake somehow...

Oh my god! Oh my god! Without thinking, I grabbed Tracy in my arms, opened the door and climbed out of the car and began to run further back, away from the sight.

"Mummy..." Tracy stirred in my arms where I sat hurdled in a corner far, where I looked at what was happening.

"Oh my darling. You are okay, you are awake..." I cried for joy, hugging her closer but she was too confused. Still I sat on the tarred road, watching the trailer which was no longer moving but a few inches away from my car. The door was still opened but while watching, I realized someone climbed out of it. I couldn't really see because it was dark and the lights from my car weren't towards that direction. Instead, I saw the silhouette of a man standing and looking at us.

For some reason, my mind kept beating rapidly as I watched him. Could he be driver? Why was he not talking? He could at least apologize or...the sound of siren behind me interrupted my thoughts. Police cars and an ambulance were approaching. I heaved a sigh of relief and stood up, holding Tracy by the hand. Momentarily, I glanced towards the figure again but to my surprise, he was gone.

"Madam, are you okay?" Said an inspector, rushing towards me. I nodded as the rest went towards the scene.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, the trailer..i don't know what happened to the driver, he was just standing there and my brakes failed but I am fine."

"You said you saw the driver?"

I nodded and pointed towards where he had stood. "Yes, he was just standing there few seconds again." I explained.

"Okay." The inspector replied and talked into his walkie-talkie.

"Come with me madam." Said another inspector, a woman this time. She carried Tracy in her arms and together we walked to one of their cars.

After I got settled in the car with my daughter with me, the other inspector came closer.

"Thought you said you saw the driver some seconds ago?"

I nodded.

"Well, was he wearing a uniform?"

I frowned, "I don't know, it was too dark. Why? Did you see him?"

"We found a man in the other seat beside the driver, he looked like the driver as it is stated here." The inspector said, bringing out a wallet which had an ID card. "Think he had a seizure of some card, he has foams all over his mind and that was why he lost control of the truck. You sure you saw someone there?"

I frowned, what was the meaning of this. "Yea, I did. I think he actually pulled the brakes to give my daughter and I a chance to escape."

"Well, there is no one there and there was no way any sane man would have climbed into a moving trailer that was about to crash. Plus, I just called the company, the man left the company alone and no one was with him."

I was quiet. This didn't make any sense. While I wondered, I saw the medics carrying a stretcher and on it was the driver, he had the uniform on. Still, who was the man that had saved us? How did he get into a moving truck and why did he leave so suddenly without a word?

He had been sleeping peacefully quietly and peacefully in his bed when he immediately felt this sudden rush and fear in his spine. Quickly he woke up. He couldn't explain the way his mind was rising and falling but he knew that she was in danger. Again...as always! No matter how much the other part of him wanted to ignore this danger signal, his beastly side would never let him rest without doing anything.

He groaned. It was so damn difficult being two people at the same time but he couldn't help it. It didn't take him much time to figure out where and what was happening. Just to relax and pay attention was all that his other side required. His ears caught the cry for help and his brain calculated the distance. All that was left was for his super-fast legs to carry him there in a flash!

She was on the road quite alright and where she was in her car, it was just a matter of time before the trailer crushed her down. Quickly, he got into the truck, he tossed the driver to the other side as if he weighed nothing, then he pulled the stuck brakes with his might.

When they were finally out and he got down from the truck, watching both the mother and child afar off, from the darkness, it took all his human strength from rushing towards her. The connection was too much. His beastly side could catch the delicious scent of her blood from where he stood-he could rush towards her now and bite her to regain his human strength, it was too easy. He had travelled through centuries and continents for this moment and he had it but his other nature, his human side...or at least what was left of his human nature was only looking at the poor innocent girl in her hand...who would take care of her?

His head was boiling as his beast side and human side fought each other-within him but far away, he picked the sound of a siren and taking one last look at the mother and child, he left in a flash, like he had come.

** **

"If you had listened to everything I told you that night, all this wouldn't have happened. You are so stubborn and you need to start thinking not only about you but your daughter and...."

Vivian kept on and on where Harmony set in the living room of her mansion, starring into the cup of tea that the cook had brought her. She was quiet and absentminded. She was exhausted. Being so close to death had filled her with an emptiness that she hadn't felt in a while.

The TV proudly displayed the picture of her and Tracy while the news man recounted the story of what had happened the previous night but as always, with a bit of exaggeration. That was the problem of being a celebrity, no part of your life would be hidden.

"Are you sure you can stay here alone?"

"I can stay here Vivian. Don't worry about me." Harmony replied.

Her friend shrugged and then frowned. "You said you saw another man at the scene?"

Harmony nodded. She was tired of thinking about it. "I could have sworn he saved our lives but it baffles me why he didn't bother to say hi or to even say anything."

"Maybe he was afraid that the police might think he had anything to do with the near-accident, " Vivian replied. "You said he got into a movie vehicle, how is that possible? You sure he wasn't a ghost?"

Harmony sighed and stood up. "I have seen lots of things Vivi but I am not sure about this one." She said, walking towards the door.

** **

Minutes later, she was in the shower as the cold water washed down her naked body. The previous night kept flashing in her mind. The figure....that figure, she had seen it before but that was many years ago or perhaps it was just her imagination but how could she have dreamt so many times about a man and how could such a man now materialize in a real life? Was it even possible?

The dreams she had had about him were the same. Everything in the dream was the same and it was on that story that she had become a famous actress. She had titled the movie "Doppelganger" and ever since the release of the movie which had been based on the series of the dreams she had had about this strange man, it had stopped.

Right from when she was young, she knew there was this man who had always appeared only in her dreams but that was just in the dream ...the reason why she was a super star was because most of the movies she had produced had been a picture of what she had experienced in her dreams. She had never really believed in the so called 'guardian angel' theory or 'dream man' theory or that there was something called, being two people in one body-that is a good side and an evil side. Everything that mattered to her was just Tracy and nothing else. But maybe she should think about the possibility of all this being unreal.

Michael was the father of her child and they were not really together anymore. He was a football coach and he was barely around. They were not really divorced but they were not really together either. He actually never wanted Tracy but she made it clear to him that she was keeping Tracy. The last time she had seen him was about four months ago, other times was on the TV.

She turned off the tap and stepped out of the shower while tying her white towel around her. Since that night, she hadn't gotten any sleep. Instead, she had spent the night, looking at Tracy while she slept peacefully without any worry in her mind.

"Babe, I will back later, need to get some things at the mall." Vivian shouted from the living room.

"Okay." She replied, cleaning her body with her towel before rubbing on somebody cream and finally jumping into her bed.f

She knew she was supposed to at least wear something, but she lay with just the towel on her. She was that tired.

Holding the remote control in her hand, she skimmed through the channels on the flat screen. She did this repeatedly until her eyes became heavy and she fell asleep, with just the towel on.

"You are so beautiful..." He said to her and she laughed. They were both in the dark together but they were on the bed and covered in a blanket. She was wrapped in his arms as he kissed every part of her body. Her body responded with every touch. She could smell his masculinity and it was turning her on. She wanted him really badly.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He whispered into her ears, nibbling on her ear love and she shivered with pleasure. His voice sounded like music to her ears, she was having the best time of her life. She turned her head and he leaned in. She could feel his breath on her neck. She has never felt so safe and happy. He kept playing around, breathing into her ears and she kept laughing...she arched against him while he slipped a hand around her to brace her weight...

"no, no, no..."

She could hear him say to himself.

"What is it?" She asked, unsure of what was happening. Instead, he turned her around forcefully, his wild scent now filling her nose and she shut her eyes, still not sure of what was happening. He wouldn't hurt her...she thought. But then he reared back and she opened her eyes just in time to say his shimmering red eyes.....

She screamed and woke up!