Chapter 32

"Even if Ned doesn't find any record of a burial for Stephanie, that doesn't mean there isn't a grave somewhere," said Jason. "Her parents could have buried her in some other town."

Cassie tried not to look disappointed for neglecting that possibility as she finished a bite of her lunch. "Still, he might find something that would suggest she's still alive. Or that the report you saw was wrong."

"Yeah, okay, so what if he finds she's worm-food right here in town, huh?" Richie demanded.

Cassie put down her fork, her stomach souring at his unfortunate word choice. "Ned thought we might visit the grave," she said, unable to meet his eyes.

"Uh-huh. He have any other bright ideas?"

Cassie sighed. "Richie, I know how upsetting you find this new ability of yours. If you don't want to do it, you don't have to."

"I'm not sure what it would tell you," Jason said. "It's hard to imagine a connection with Doctor Mann."

"I know, Jason, but we thought Ned was wrong about suspecting Mann in the first place, and he turned out to be right," Cassie said in a hollow voice.

"What, you want her to be there?" Richie grumbled.

"No, I don't!" Cassie cried. She shook her head and waved off Jason when he extended a hand towards her. She did not want the distraction that his touch was sure to bring. "I don't want to communicate with the dead any more than you do, Richie. I've already told Ned that we're not going to force you, period."

Richie frowned and looked away, returning his attention to his lunch.

"This could still be another of these false perceptions," Jason said.

"Then I don't know how we can deal with it," Cassie said. "It was frightening what I sensed when I was linked to Heather earlier. It was like her concept of reality was changing. Ms. Hollis' power -- Victor's power as well -- works on a different level."

"I know. I can see it over the link. It's almost like looking at an Aura. It changes what you perceive to be true and your mind tries to make sense of it. The human brain has an inherent need to see patterns in everything to maintain its cognitive state. It's why we can see faces or objects so easily in otherwise random patterns like clouds. Or why people become convinced they see divine images in what are really just arrangements of light and shadow."

Richie rolled his eyes and muttered something about "nerding out." He glanced behind Cassie suddenly and waved. "Yo, over here, Nose!"

Cassie gasped. "Please, Richie, don't call him--"

"Nah, it's okay, babe," Ned said, squeezing her shoulder as he sat next to her. "He's got special permission on account of bein' a Harbinger."

"So whatcha find out?" Richie said.

Cassie gave Ned a controlled neutral look, but her face fell when she saw his own apologetic expression. "I found it on the first try," Ned said in a low voice. "A mention 'bout her funeral. Few clicks later, I found the grave."

Cassie sighed and raised a trembling hand to her cheek. Richie frowned but said nothing.

"Where is it, Ned?" Jason asked.

"Whaddaya mean where?" Richie said. "There's only one fucking cemetery in town. Can't be hard to find it."

"Ah, that's the innerestin' thing 'bout it," Ned said. "She ain't in Mesa. She was buried in someplace called 'Fairview Grove Cemetery'"

"I never heard of it," Jason said.

"Neither have I," said Cassie.

"Yeah, same here," Ned said. "So I did some more dig ... um, looking. It's got an address that's on Old Fairview."

"Old Fairview?" Jason asked. "Hardly anyone lives there anymore. It's not even paved."

"Yeah, and there ain't no office listin' fer the place anymore, least not what I could find. Looks like it musta been abandoned."

"No, that doesn't make sense. The whole 'abandoned graveyard' thing happens only in Hollywood. Even if a funeral home goes out of business, the local government would take over the cemetery or put it in conservatorship until they found someone in the private sector to maintain it."

"Yeah, but this is Haven, dude. Ya can't apply good ol' fashioned logic ta this place. Look, all I know is that this place used ta be part of some church right at the edge of town. The church closed fer business in 1985 and I guess the cemetery went with it."

"W-well, that's it then," Cassie said in a shaky voice. "Stephanie Fowler really is dead. I'm really t-talking to..."

Richie's eyebrows rose when he saw Cassie's eyes water and a tear trickle down her cheek.

Ned squeezed her hand and wrapped his free arm around her. "Hey, hey, babe, calm down, I ain't done yet. Don't go countin' yer spooks before they haunt."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that this stinks jus' like everything else this week. Jason, yer right. Graveyards don't jus' get abandoned. I find it mighty convenient that this one did jus' after Stephanie was buried there. Here's another thing: she supposedly died in a barn fire. What's the first thing that happens after something like that? Someone makes a big fuss 'bout abandoned barns. Or 'bout careless kids. Or 'bout fire codes. People demand action, or slap lawsuits around, or both. This time? Nada. Nein. The big zero. It's like someone went ta a whole lotta trouble ta make people ferget there ever was anyone named Stephanie Fowler."

"Well, fuck," Richie growled. "They did the same freaking thing to that judge in my parents' divorce case."

"That wasn't quite the same thing," Jason said. "But I have to admit, that sounds like too many odd things on top of one another."

"I wanna see this place," Ned said. "And today. I think we're gettin' too distracted and need ta figger out what we're really s'pposed ta be doing. I mean, shit, we only jus' figgered out that it could be this Gina chick that's the one in trouble come Halloween."

"Huh? Who?" Richie demanded.

"Gina Caligano," Cassie explained. "A girl in junior year. I only realized today that she's the only one that I never, ever encountered in my dreams, and Ned said she's been seeing the counselor."

"Yeah, every day," said Ned. "I saw her goin' inta his office as I was headin' ta the library. And I think that the tall, dark, and ugly stranger that Cassie's seein' in her dreams is Victor. Yeah, yeah, I know, sounds impossible, but we gotta check this out."

"Ned," Cassie said. "Remember what I told you."

"Well, yeah, I know, but--"

"Ned. I mean it!"

"Aw, for fuck's sake," Richie grumbled. "I'll do it, okay?"

"You don't have to, Richie," Cassie said.

"Yeah, I do. Why the fuck else am I part of the Harbingers?"

"I don't mean that!" Cassie cried. "Richie, this girl died in a fire. Her last moments may have been horribly painful, not just physically but emotionally."

Richie hesitated. He let out a slow sigh. "Yeah, well ... you wanna figure out if you're talking to the dead, don't you? I've put up with worse."

"I won't be able to go with you," Jason said. "I have to see Mrs. Radson and get right home if I don't want to get in trouble with my mother."

"We can handle it," Ned said.

"I hope I can get Harry to take us there," Cassie said.

"Mebbe get him ta park further south near the greenbelt and then hoof it over there? We can claim we jus' wanna take a walk by the creek."

"Does the greenbelt come close enough for that to make sense?"

"Stop in the library again before you head out and look on that new Google maps service," Jason said. "Look on the satellite view. That should tell you."

"Gotcha, old hoss," said Ned. He stood up. "Now, I gotta get me some grub before they start scrapin' the bottom of the barrel of mystery sauce."

Richie watched Ned go, then tipped back his can and slurped the remaining soda. He placed the empty can in front of him on the table and flattened it with a sudden strike of his fist that made Cassie gasp in surprise.

"Sorry," muttered Richie. "Anyway, it's been great shits and giggles but I gotta go."

"Go?" Cassie said. "There's still twenty minutes to go in the lunch period."

"Yeah, well, all this crap with Diane and then Heather made it so I don't know what the hell happened in half my classes this morning. I wanna at least go over the assignments."

Both Jason and Cassie stared at him as if he had just sprouted a third eye.

"What?" Richie demanded.

"You? Care enough about your classes that much?" Jason asked in an incredulous voice.

Richie frowned. "Okay, so maybe I just want to get away from all the grave talk for a bit."

"Or lie in wait to pester Melinda again," Jason muttered.

Cassie tried to look neutral. Richie was hesitant in his comeback, his mouth looking as though it tried to operate ahead of his brain.

Jason frowned and shook his head. "Forget I said that. Never mind."

"Hey, look, I don't want to take your girlfriend, okay? She's too whiny anyway."

"I said it's okay, Richie," Jason said, his voice strained.

"I won't make her do it. It's not like the House, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

Richie looked confused for another moment, then decided leaving was better than saying anything further.

Cassie almost called him back. She glanced at Jason and poked at her food with a fork held by an unsteady hand.

"You said it yourself, Cassie," Jason said. "It will take some getting used to. And I'm hardly one to talk with the number of times I've done it with Heather. Even with her right there in the room."

"Jason--"

"I mean, I even did it with you. It wasn't for long, but--"

"Jason!"

"What?"

Cassie forced herself to take a deep breath, but it did little good. She looked at him in exasperation, paused to reconsider, then shook her head. "No, I'm not going to ignore it. I'm not going to be the freak of the group."

Jason was taken aback. "What are you talking about? No one thinks you're a freak."

Cassie refused to be sidetracked so she would not lose her nerve. She lowered her voice when she spoke again. "We have to ... M-maybe we should have done more yesterday, Jason. Or for longer. Or something."

Jason gave her a nonplussed look, but it gave way to understanding when he looked into her intense and troubled eyes. "Oh, you mean ... you've been having, uh, urges..."

"Yes, I have," Cassie said, her voice turning husky despite her efforts to stop it. "I mean, it's not overpowering, not like it was with Heather yesterday. But I don't think it's going to go away until we ... um..."

"Yeah, I get it," Jason said, shifting in his seat. He drew his seat forward to hide his crotch from her view.

"This is what I was afraid of, being compelled to do things by feelings that aren't even my own."

"Well, this is not quite like that. I mean, yes, you're being affected, but it's not the same as being controlled by someone."

"And I should know that and understand it, but I'm still having trouble with it. I think I've been in so many people's dreamscapes that I have way too much sense for how my own head works." She paused, glanced at him, and squirmed. She lowered her voice further. "At least tell me the idea of having sex with me is exciting you."

Jason was too stunned to answer at first.

Cassie uttered a low, lusty sigh and shifted in her seat. "I-I mean you seemed like you were surprised when I told you what was going on with me, so I guess nothing has been urging you to pursue me."

Jason found his voice, though it was uncertain. "No, not that I noticed."

"At least if you were interested, on your own, I wouldn't feel like I was taking advantage of you. I think I enjoyed the brief sex I had with you, and I'd like more, I just wasn't sure if you could ... um..." Cassie paused as the warmth in her sex became a moist heat. "Maybe I better not talk about this anymore."

"Yes."

Cassie stared at him. "Huh?"

Jason shifted in his seat again. "Yes, I'm interested."

Cassie caught the movement, and her eyes flicked downward without forethought. She covered her face with her hands for a few seconds. "I don't believe I actually tried to look at your..."

A faint smile curled Jason's lips. "It's okay, really."

"This is so unlike me, Jason."

"Ned told me you're afraid of losing yourself. I don't think any of us have. Maybe you're being too hard on yourself and putting too much weight on this one thing."

Cassie slowly returned the smile. "Thank you. I needed to hear that from you."

Seeger emerged from his office and prepared for his between-periods patrol, entering the halls a full ten minutes before the bell. At this point the halls should be empty. Even if a teacher were forced to end a class early, the students were expected to remain in the classroom or the study hall until the bell.

Seeger spotted a senior who had just finished P.E. and was dribbling a basketball in the halls. He berated the boy on the spot and sent him off with a warning.

Next were two juniors, a girl and a boy, that thought they could duck out of an assigned study period early for some kissing and petting in an unoccupied classroom. Seeger put a stop to that, giving the boy detention and the girl a warning. He had caught them with his hand on her breast, which had embarrassed the girl to the point of tears. Seeger thought that punishment enough for her.

He emerged from the classroom to a moving, metallic rattle. He witnessed Richard Gardner jogging down the hall away from him, holding a ruler against the lockers so that the end clattered along the handles.

Seeger scowled, but did nothing else. He remained still until Richie was out of sight.

Another two minutes until the bell, and the cafeteria began disgorging students. One barreled into the hall at a dead run, and Seeger almost had to trip him to get him to stop. Another girl and a boy began to share a kiss as they walked out, which stopped after one Seeger glare.

More students milled in the halls. He chastised one boy for excessive foul language, and a girl for excessive flirting. In the distance he spotted Heather and Diane.

Seeger frowned. From the lingering dampness of Heather's hair, it was obvious that she had just taken a shower outside of her normal P.E. period, which required permission from the faculty. Heather put her arms around Diane and pulled her into a kiss. It lasted no more than a few seconds, but their hands dropped to each other's hips and rear, caressing and fondling.

Seeger kept his distance and his frown until the two parted and headed towards the cafeteria.

The throng thinned. He glared at a few stragglers until they hustled to their classes or the lunchroom. With fewer distractions, his thoughts ventured among dangerous avenues. Despite his efforts, his previous encounter with Heather lingered, as did the memory of the odor.

A long time had passed since he had experienced it first hand, but some things a man never forgot.

Seeger wandered back to the administrative offices as the hallways became empty once more. Laura emerged from her office as he approached. "Seymour, there you are. I wanted to speak with you for a moment."

"Yes, what is it?" Seeger said, trying not to sound as tired or frustrated as he felt.

"You no longer need to worry about the issue concerning Heather Sovert and Terri Hollis."

Seeger's eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

"I had a frank talk with Terri yesterday and it helped clear up the matter."

"I still wish you had thought to invite me to that meeting."

"I did tell you I would handle it. Anyway, I felt it would be less intimidating if it were just me. Less confrontational that way."

Seeger folded his arms. "I seem to recall that it was you that wanted to tread the confrontational route, considering what you had me do."

"I reserve the right to change tactics when I believe it will achieve the goal faster. The point is, Seymour, that you no longer need to concern yourself with this matter. It was a misunderstanding."

"A... misunderstanding?"

Laura smiled. "Sometimes it pays to get the other side of the story. Perhaps I should have taken that tack earlier. At any rate, it appears that Miss Sovert has had several ongoing behavioral problems. Any and all inappropriate conduct was instigated by Heather Sovert and not Terri Hollis."

Seeger frowned. He thought back to Heather and Diane. To Heather and Ned. To the odor. The stains.

Heather the instigator of another "episode" of moral breakdown at the school? Embracing such a simple solution would be easy. He also wanted to insist that Heather was the victim. Everything he had witnessed in the past week supported either case, leaving him caught in the middle.

"I hesitate to ask, Laura, but just what behavior was--"

Laura shook her head. "I'm sorry, Seymour, I need to keep that confidential considering the sensitive nature of the issue. However, it is being handled, and it should trouble you no more."

Seeger's face became stone. "How?"

"Hmm? How what?"

"How is it being handled?"

"The long term details I prefer not to discuss at the moment. In the short term, she will be given some immediate punishment. She has detention tomorrow."

"I was not informed of this."

"She will have detention with both Terri and myself."

Seeger scowled. "I beg your pardon?"

"This is not intended to be a slight to you, Seymour, but she does not need your kind of detention. This is not so much a punishment as it is a way of helping her come to terms with what she has done."

"About which you conveniently cannot inform me."

Laura paused. "And just what are you trying not to say to me?"

Seeger issued a windy sigh. "Forgive me for being wary, but it does strike me as odd that we have had this stupendous turnaround in little more than a day."

Laura's voice became cool. "Once more, Seymour: what are you trying not to say?"

Seeger was not sure himself. He did not want to believe that anything more nefarious would happen than disciplining a recalcitrant student. He was a witness himself to actions that supported the argument.

Yet was this not something better handled by counseling? Should the school even involve itself? He did not think anyone at the school even remotely qualified to handle this, including the mysterious Doctor Mann.

He realized he could not trust his own opinions about Heather or Terri, but he also found himself trusting Laura Bendon even less.

Seeger shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Laura nodded. "Which reminds me, I have some other good news for you. I've spoken with a friend I know on the school board. He believes he can see his way clear to granting you an early retirement in return for your wonderful service to Haven High over the years."

"How soon?"

She smiled. "Any time at all."

Seeger stared. "What?"

"Just what I said. If you want tomorrow to be your last day, so be it. I mentioned that your help was critical in solving this mess with Heather Sovert. That helped give them the little push they needed to ensuring you'll get full retirement benefits."

Seeger wiped his face with his hand. Retirement had been his Holy Grail for the past year. He wanted nothing more than to remove himself from the stress and futility of guiding teenagers that desired to be anywhere but in school. He wanted to reconnect with his wife and catch up on all the reading he used to do.

And most of all, he wanted to move as far from Haven as possible.

"Shall I inform them, then?" Laura asked.

"No," Seeger heard himself say. "I wish to think about it."

Laura hesitated, then nodded once. "Very well. But please don't spend your last days worrying about this Sovert affair. It is case closed where your involvement is concerned."

Last days. Seeger would have relished hearing those words just a few weeks ago. Now he resented it, as if he were being pushed out the door just so he could not bear witness. But bear witness to what? His imagination was no use; it had failed to serve him a long time ago.

He looked at Laura, the woman who was once the only voice of sanity at Haven High, and now a stranger to him. It sparked the first concrete, clear thought of the day: humor her.

"Of course, Laura," Seeger said. "Apologies for casting doubt on your approach. It is my job to care for the students' well-being, even if it means playing devil's advocate."