A Phantom Passion Read online

  Lee and Georgie sat in a small independent coffee shop called Moreno's Coffee, which was located a few blocks South from the Hill and Main Street four-way intersection. It had sleek wood flooring, a coffee bar, plenty of tables, and customer photography on the walls – it strongly supported the independent scene. Being independent photographers, Lee and Georgie were more than willing to return the support – no matter how bland the coffee.

  “What were you daydreaming about this time?” Georgie joked as he leaned back in his seat, “Did you fall in love again? Was it that cute cashier at the market? I think she's moving into a retirement home soon, you can probably move in with her if you play your cards right.”

  Lee chuckled, “It's nothing, don't worry about it... What's this job?”

  Georgie enthusiastically sat up and opened the folder, “This is it. You can take photos for our new site, we'll have plenty of gore and masochistic shit in there and we'll make a bundle. I'm talking thousands a month.”

  “I don't... I don't take those types of pictures. I can't take those type of pictures. I'm not like you.”

  “Like me?” Georgie laughed as he pointed at himself.

  Georgie was a freelance photographer like Lee. Unlike Lee, Georgie specialized in taboo photography – up-skirts, down-shirts, unsolicited nudes, and grizzly accidents. It was a bizarre profession, but it had its audience. Fortunately, the audience paid very well. Consequently, Georgie lived a comfortable lifestyle – a grizzly untrimmed beard, arms full of tattoos, a fast and ferocious car, and his choice of peculiar yet attractive women.

  “Look Lee, your artsy photography is great and all, but you need some funds until that crap sells,” Georgie smirked, “This... this, right here, is your opportunity.”

  Lee sighed and ran his fingers through his curly hair until he finally murmured, “What do I have to do?”

  “That's what I'm talking about, Lee! Your first job will be very, very simple. You won't have to travel far from home, but your time is constrained.”

  “What? You're saying I have a time limit?”

  “Yup!” Georgie smashed his palms on the desk and rhythmically tapped his fingers as he leaned towards Lee and whispered, “You have to take the photos before they clean the crime scene.”

  “Crime scene!”

  “Shh!” Georgie smiled and waved at the other patrons, “Keep it down alright.”

  “A crime scene?” Lee whispered loudly, “I can't enter a crime scene.”

  “You can, alright? You can enter a crime scene. This one should be easy, too, it's right next door to your apartment.”

  “Gina's apartment!” Lee shouted again.

  “Okay, if you're going to keep yelling, we might as well stop whispering. You're killing me here, Lee, you're killing me.”

  “I can't break into Gina's apartment. I'm not going to do it.”

  “If you don't do it, then you can't pay your bills and you get booted from your apartment. You don't have many options.”

  Lee huffed and looked down at himself. Lee thought, he's right, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it. He couldn't bring himself to accept the job, either. It was a troubling dilemma. Lee continued to caress his hair as he flipped through the pages in the manila folder – in all actuality, he was simply buying time, he had no interest in the miniscule details. Georgie continued to tap his fingers as he waited.

  “Lee...” Georgie continued, “I know it's hard for you, I know you really loved her, but you need this.”

  “I don't... I don't know, it's just wrong, you know?” Lee stuttered, his voice breaking, “I can't... I can't do this to her.”

  Georgie sighed, “You were daydreaming about her, right? When I got here...”

  Lee chuckled, “It's, uh, it's not the type of fantasy I thought I'd ever have. It wasn't good.”

  “I understand how you feel, but you're not going to last long in this world unless you take the risk. That's why you didn't end up with Gina, you didn’t take the risk.”

  “I know, I know. I can't really get Gina now, can I? I can't get her love anymore,” Lee's face scrunched slightly as he fought off the urge to cry.

  “I know you loved her, but there will be other Ginas. It'll be hard, but you can find someone else.”

  Lee continued to stare blankly at the manila folder.

  “What are you afraid of, Lee? Ghosts? Zombies? The police?” Georgie laughed, “Take my gun if you're afraid, but take the job, too.”

  Georgie smirked as he lifted his shirt to reveal his pale belly and a handgun in his waistband holster. He cautiously looked over his shoulder at the other patrons and chuckled. In his line of work, he could never be too safe. Lee shook his head as he stared off.

  “What about Doug?” Lee asked, “What do I do if Doug shows up?”

  “Have you checked the paper? Maybe they caught him already, I don't know. I don't even know if he did it, actually.”

  “Me, neither... But, if he did...”

  “If he shows up, bop him in the head with a toaster or something. You can take my gun, too, Lee.”

  After some hesitation, Lee bit his lower lip and murmured, “Alright, what do I have to do?"

  “Finally! That's what I'm talking about!” Georgie ecstatically exclaimed, his arms reaching to the ceiling, “Do you... Do you want the gun, too?”

  “No, no,” Lee nervously laughed, “I won't need it, just tell me what I have to do.”

  “Okay, go home to your apartment tonight. Walk towards Gina's door, make sure no one is looking, then break into Gina's apartment. It's that simple, okay?”

  “That's it? You want me to just stroll into her apartment. What if it's locked? What then?”

  “Lee, you'll find a way, okay? Check under the mat or a rock for a key. Ask the security guard, tell him you forgot something in Gina's apartment. You'll find a way.”

  Lee continued to nod reluctantly.

  Georgie continued, “After you enter the apartment, do what you do best – take pictures of everything. Leave no stone unturned, you understand? Even if it's the grizzliest shit you've ever seen, take the pictures. It's the easiest money you'll ever make.”

  “So... let me get this straight,” Lee leaned forward and said, “Walk into her apartment, take pictures, walk out. That's it?”

  “Yup,” Georgie nodded, “You can also get yourself a little bonus, if you bring home some of Gina's panties. Some people will pay a lot of money for a dead woman's panties.”

  Lee's face creased in disgust and anger, “No, I'll pass.”

  “Alright, that's fine, it's just something to keep in mind. So... you're doing it tonight, right?

  Lee simply nodded as he closed the manila folder.

  Chapter 4 – A Grizzly Crime Scene

  Lee quietly sat in his vehicle parked a block down from the Hill Apartment Complex. He continued to bite his fingernails as he contemplatively stared at the apartment building. Rain was drizzling lightly through the streets that were solely illuminated by the street lights and moonlight. Although sundown had passed and the rain supplied ample cover, Lee was hesitant to begin his job – a police vehicle sat in the parking lot of the apartment complex.

  “What are you waiting for?” Lee whispered as he stared at the police car, “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Despite his concerns, Lee built up the courage and briskly walked towards the apartment. The anxiety was overwhelming, Lee could feel his stomach twist and turn as he approached the apartment – the lump in his throat felt like he was swallowing a can of tuna. As he passed the police car, Lee couldn't help but peek from the corner of his eye. To his surprise and slight dismay, the vehicle was empty.

  “Oh shit,” Lee murmured as he continued walking into the apartment complex, “Where the hell are you?”

  Lee entered the building's lobby and waved towards the security window, acting as normal as possible. From the corner of his eye, he could see something was wrong. The security guard was absent, as well. Lee
scratched his head as he quickly called the elevator and departed towards the third floor.

  On the third floor, the doors slid open to reveal a lonely and quiet hallway. It was unusual, though, it was barely past 11:00 PM and everyone seemed to be in bed already. Usually, Lee could hear his other neighbors' loud television or obnoxious children. Not tonight, though, it felt as if the building had been evacuated before his arrival. Lee slowly stepped out of the elevator and continued to stare down the hall. Only the noise of the elevator shutting behind him echoed in the tight corridor.

  After inspecting every inch of the desolate hall from the elevator, Lee started walking towards Gina's apartment. The eerie atmosphere was dreadful. His movements were slow and cautious, his breathing was heavy. There it was – unit 304. Lee stared at the yellow police tape spread across the doorway.

  It repeatedly read: “POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS.”

  Lee stared at the door, tears swelling in his eyes as he thought, should I really go through with this? After a brief moment, he sighed loudly and began tearing the yellow tape, cautiously looking over his shoulder every other second for the missing police officer. The tape slowly and majestically swayed in the air until it hit the hallway floor. Although frightened and saddened, Lee fought off his tears and quickly turned the doorknob. To his dismay, the door was locked.

  Lee continued to rattle the doorknob as he constantly murmured, “Come on, come on, please...”

  But, alas, the door was indeed locked. Lee looked down to his feet – there was no welcome mat in sight, either. He rubbed his eyes and grunted as he pulled out his cellphone to call Georgie. The job was a failure before it started. As he started walking down the hall, Gina's door clicked loudly. With the phone to his ear, Lee stared back at the door in shock.

  “What the hell?” he whispered as he put his phone away.

  Lee immediately thought, the police officer?

  “Who's there?” Lee shouted towards Gina's apartment, “I wasn't... I wasn't trying to break in or anything. I forgot something...”

  The hall was completely silent. Lee approached Gina's apartment once again and gently placed his ear to her door. Much like the eerie hall, Gina's apartment was completely silent – no sign of life whatsoever. Lee looked to his right and to his left – no sign of the police officer, either. He turned the door knob. This time, the door was open.

  Lee took a deep breath as he slowly pushed the door. The door howled and screeched loudly, almost like if it were crying. From the doorway, Lee stepped into the immediate living room, which was seamlessly connected to the kitchen – exactly like Lee's apartment. Past the living room and kitchen sat a small hallway that connected the parallel bedroom and bathroom. There was a small window in the bathroom, and large windows in the kitchen and bedroom. As Lee expected, Gina's apartment was an exact mirror of his – except for the difference in furniture placement.

  Lee flipped the light switch, but the power was out. It was peculiar, though, the entire building clearly had power, except for Gina's apartment. That doesn't seem right, he thought as he slowly stepped into the dimly-lit living room – the only light being the moonlight seeping from the windows.

  As his eyes adjusted to the ominous darkness, Lee realized the apartment was a mess. It was practically obliterated from the damage of the fight. There were fist-sized holes punctured into the dry walls. There were broken plates scattered across the floors. The tables in the kitchen and living room were flipped over – each missing a leg or two. Even some of the cabinet doors in the kitchen were torn off or punched through. The first thought that ran through his head: How the hell did I sleep through this?

  Lee continued to carefully traverse through the apartment, there were yellow evidence marking tents scattered on the floor that he hoped to avoid. As he tip-toed through the mess, he noticed drops of blood next to one of the evidence tents. The anxiety swelled in his body as he realized he was nearing the main crime scene. Only a few steps down that hall, he thought as he stood in the middle of the living room.

  Lee, however, decided to buy some time. He grabbed the dangling camera around his neck and began snapping photos of the chaos. The flash briefly illuminated the dark room every single time. And, every single time, he'd catch a glimpse of something more disturbing. He was especially shocked to find blood markings on most of the broken furniture and scrawled across the walls.

  “What the...” Lee murmured as he continued to photograph the massacre, “I can't...”

  He was speechless. The more photos he took, the more his stomach twisted and turned – and he hadn't reached the actual crime scene yet. As Lee continued to photograph the apartment, a soft giggle and indistinct whisper swept through the room.

  “What?” Lee asked immediately, “Is someone there?”

  The apartment was silent.

  Lee continued to ramble, “If you're there... I have... I have a gun!”

  Immediately, Lee smacked his forehead and stomped his right foot as he thought, what if it's the cop, you idiot! The soft and innocent giggle echoed through the room again. Lee quickly turned down the hall. Lee figured it was safe to assume the chuckle was either coming from the bedroom or bathroom. He took a deep breath and slowly walked down the claustrophobic hall. The anxiety had evolved into pure terror – the fear of finding something he should not have seen and the fear of being caught by the police.

  Lee made it down the small hallway, the bathroom sitting to his right, the bedroom to his left, and a small storage closet sitting directly ahead. The bathroom door was closed, while the bedroom was slightly cracked open. From the bright moonlight of the bedroom window, he had the perfect view of Gina's bed. Lee had fond memories of the fantasies he had about Gina. I wish we could have slept in that bed together, Gina, he thought. He smiled as he reminisced about the life he never had – the life he could have had.

  The giggling continued before Lee could enter the bedroom. He knew for certain the laughs were coming from the bathroom. He took one last glimpse at Gina's bedroom before shutting the door and moving his attention towards the bathroom. As Lee's hand hovered over the doorknob, the snickering stopped. Lee stopped himself from opening the door.

  Lee gulped loudly and asked, “Is someone in there? It's okay, I don't really have a gun. I won't hurt you, I promise.”

  There was no response. Lee caressed his hair as he contemplated his next move. You got this far, Lee, you might as well finish the job, he thought.

  “Okay, well...” Lee murmured as he nervously shrugged and opened the door.

  The door creaked loudly as it opened to reveal the dark bathroom. Lee flicked the light switch hoping at least one room would have light, but, alas, the bathroom was shrouded in darkness. He was even more shocked to see that the moonlight was not illuminating the bathroom from the small window over the toilet. Lee continued to stand in the hall, but stretched his head into the dark room and squinted to get a better view. Of course, he couldn't see a damn thing. He figured it would be the same bathroom as his apartment, though, considering the rest of the apartment was symmetrical to his own.

  “Shit,” Lee whispered, clenching his jaw in disappointment – he realized he'd have to enter the room for a better angle.

  Lee reluctantly took his first step into the bathroom. Immediately, it felt heavier. An unusual feeling, like if someone were sitting on his shoulders. His spine-tingled from the ominous atmosphere. His legs began to tremble as the fear increased. Lee took a deep breath, aimed his camera, and snapped. There was no flash, though. Lee looked at his camera, perplexed and frustrated. He aimed his camera at the bathtub and tried to take a photo again. The flash did not work.

  “What the hell is wrong with this thing?” Lee frustratingly whispered as he stared at the camera like a caveman staring at fire for the first time.

  Lee continued to try to photograph the bathtub until the flash suddenly illuminated the room. To his dismay, it was not what he expected. The flash briefly revealed Gina's horribly
disfigured and dismembered body in the bathtub. Lee rushed out of the bathroom, his breathing intensifying as he stumbled over himself and landed in the living room. He quickly stared back towards the hall. Was that really Gina's body, he wondered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

  As he regained his composure, Lee frantically looked through his camera to find the photograph. The only picture he captured in the bathroom revealed a bloodied bathtub with yellow police investigation tents scattered around. Gina's body was absent.

  Lee continued to look through the photos as he stuttered, “It... It can't be... I know... I saw her, she was there!”

  Lee's train of thought was once again disrupted by a gentle giggle echoing through the apartment.

  Chapter 5 – A Welcomed Haunting

  “Who's there?” Lee roared as he frantically inspected every inch of the apartment, “Where are you? Show yourself!”

  Lee stood in the middle of the living room, his mind racing with thoughts upon thoughts: was she really there? Is this place haunted? Is it all in my head? Lee blankly stared towards his only exit – the front door. He stepped over the junk and evidence while cautiously looking over his shoulder towards the bathroom.

  Before departing, Lee stopped in his tracks and whispered, “Gina, is that you?”

  The soft giggle was once again swept through the room, a barrage of footsteps accompanying it. Lee couldn't see the source of the footsteps, but he knew they were there – his spine tingled from the bizarre sensation. Instead of investigating, Lee figured it was time to depart. He continued to stare over at the source of the footsteps as he briskly jogged towards the front door. Before he could even touch the doorknob, the door shut and the lock clicked on its own.

  “Oh, no,” Lee whispered as he slowly stepped backward, eyes locked on the door.

  What the hell do I do now, Lee thought. He hopelessly looked towards the living room and kitchen windows. They were large enough to fit through, but the fall would be damaging – he was on the third floor, after all.