The Darkness

By Claudia Klaus

Nineteen-year-old Stacy Burke used to be a perfectly normal college student. When a life-threatening fever leaves her with a strange new ability she can't control, she wants nothing more than to get rid of it. But her best friend and roommate Ari has other ideas. While Stacy struggles with seeing other people's pasts in her head, Ari is far more enthusiastic about her friend's new-found talent.
Forced to relive a gruesome murder, Stacy's only desire is to forget everything she has seen. Ari wants to bring justice to the victim.
Without physical evidence, the police are understandably skeptical of the girls' claim. Unable to persuade the police to believe them, Ari convinces Stacy they should try to find the killer on their own. In over their heads, and dangerously naive, the girls set out to catch a killer. But can they find the murderer before they become the next victims?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Claudia Klaus
• Release date: Jul 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301149346

Claudia Klaus

Claudia was raised in a small town in Connecticut. She spent the first three decades of her life there before fleeing to a place where the people didn't know that in a pinch a driver's license makes a pretty good ice scraper. She now lives in Arizona with the love of her life, Brian, a couple of dogs, a mess a of cats, and a small herd of alpacas.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The darkness was not complete. It never was. There was always some glow, some spark to mar the perfection of black. Tonight it was a solitary street lamp that cast its pale yellow light down onto the abandoned street. Standing within its feeble ring of safety stood two women. These were rough women, hardened by the harsh reality of their lives. Beaten by the world and everyone in it. Their unwashed bodies showed the scared evidence of their night’s activity, as they leaned unsteadily against each other.

He watched them from his car, parked in the shadow of a building. He imagined the darkness finding them, embracing them in its finality. He imagined himself being the one to bring this wondrous gift to them. His pulse quickened at the thought. There was no desire of the flesh behind this excitement. For in truth these unkempt bedraggled examples of the human species repulsed him. But the darkness! The darkness was pure and beautiful and unblemished.

One of the women pushed herself into a more upright position, tottering slightly as she lost the support of her neighbor. With a distracted wave and a salutation that he couldn’t hear, she faded into the night on her way to whatever rancid bed awaited her. Her companion continued to wave long after her friend was gone from site until she appeared to forget whom she had been waving to. She looked around with a bemused expression on her face, as if uncertain where to go next.

He opened the door of his vehicle and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The walk over to her was short.

You look lost, he said, reaching out to touch her elbow. This isn’t a safe neighborhood, why don’t you let me give you a lift home.

Her bleary eyes took a moment to focus on him. The she broke into a grin, showing uneven yellow teeth.

Well hey sweetie pie! You can give me a ride anywhere you want. She broke out into raucous laughter and leaned into him.

He grimaced at her touch and pushed her firmly away. My car is right down the street. He turned and gestured. She grinned at him again as she started walking in the direction of his outstretched hand into the waiting darkness.

CHAPTER 2

Stacy looked for a spot to set down the Solo cup she had been carrying around for the last hour as the bland light beer it held slowly reached room temperature. It had started out rather tepid, so this equilibrium had been reached relatively quickly. Especially in the heated atmosphere of the overcrowded apartment. She slid it onto the stained and dirty end table, already over flowing with abandoned cups and empty beer bottles. Free of her burden, she looked around the living room, the air hazy with cigarette smoke, trying to locate her roommate, Ari. Stacy’s head was beginning to throb in time with the music blaring from large speakers, their tops covered in more empty cups and bottles. She had been ready to leave the keg party an hour ago, but Ari had begged her to stay just a little while longer. Well she couldn’t wait any more; she was beginning to feel really unwell and longed for the quiet comfort of her bed back at the dorm.

She made her way across the room, pushing her way through the crowd until she spied Ari dancing with some blonde. Her hair sticking in sweaty tendrils to her neck as she ground her backside enticingly into the unknown mans crotch. Stacy noted that they both had their eyes closed and wondered fleetingly if either even knew whom they were rubbing against.

Ari! Stacy shouted in her ear when she reached her.

Ari didn’t respond.

Ariana! Stacy shouted again, the words sending a flash of pain through her temple. This time she nudged Ari’s shoulder.

Ari opened her eyes, breaking out into a large grin when she saw Stacy standing there.

Hey, girlfriend! What’s up? She stepped away from the gyrating body of her partner who kept right on dancing without her.

I need to get out of here. I’m really starting to feel like crap, Stacy replied, leaning in close to Ari’s ear.

Immediately a look of concern furrowed Ari’s brow. You do look a little flush. How much have you had to drink? she asked, reaching out a hand to touch Stacy’s cheek. Gee, you feel kind of warm too.

It’s not the beer. I think I might be catching something.

Okay, let’s get you home. The year is young; there will be more keggers to attend when you’re feeling up to it. I’ll walk you back to the dorm. Ari took Stacy’s elbow and began to guide her through the crowd, her dance partner forgotten without a backwards glance.

The cool night air was a relief on Stacy’s aching head as the girls strolled down the sidewalk. I’m sorry to pull you away from the party, she apologized to her roommate.

Don’t be silly, Ari replied. Like I said, the school year is just starting. There will be plenty of time to party. Besides, I can always come back over here later if anyone else is headed this way. It’s more important to take care of my best bud. She leaned in and gave Stacy’s arm a quick hug.

Stacy and Ari had met their freshman year at Blakeman College; a small liberal arts school nestled in a quiet suburb of New Haven. Stacy loved the sleepy atmosphere that prevailed. To her it had a small town feel, and yet down town New Haven and the culture of Yale was a short bus ride away. When the girls first met, they bonded over weekend rides to the green where they would spend hours sipping Starbucks and people watching. Stacy, the more reserved of the two, would usually let Ari take the lead. Ari would entertain Stacy by inventing stories about the people who passed by their seats. She had a quick wit and lively imagination and the tales fell easily from her lips. She would often point a person out and invite Stacy to come up with a background for them, but the more reticent Stacy always felt her versions of the strangers’ lives seem to fall flat. Invariably, Ari would sweep in and add a twist and the game would get back in swing.

Now Ari chatted on about the blonde dancing man from the party. Stacy only half heard her, as it was taking all her effort to keep putting one foot in front of another in spite of the stabbing pain in her head.

He said he was studying pre-med, but I’ll bet he’s really a business major. He probably wants to be a doctor, but his father is making him work in the family business after he graduates or he’ll be cut from the family fortune. He wants to hook up sometime, but I didn’t tell him where we live so don’t worry about him just showing up at our doorstep, Ok? Stacy?

Hmm? Oh sorry Ari, I just really feel horrible. All I can think about is curling up in bed and sleeping it off.

It’s okay, we’re almost to the dorm, see, you can see the lobby lights right up there.

Stacy tried to focus on the lights in the distance but had to close her eyes as the exertion sent brilliant flashes of pain shooting into her brain.

Ari guided her ailing roommate up the steps leading to the lobby of their dorm and into the elevator. When they reached their room, she helped Stacy undress and crawl into bed.

Stacy? You’re burning up. Stacy? Ari’s voice came to her through a fog.

The last thing Stacy remembered before she drifted into a restless sleep was a cool washcloth being pressed to her forehead.

CHAPTER 3

Detective Mike Reynolds was having a bad day. It had started out when he managed to spill coffee down the front of his shirt on his way out to his car. Traffic had been beyond awful and now his only witness to an armed robbery had just decided he hadn’t really seen anything after all. Eight thirty a.m. and he was already reaching for the aspirin.

We’ve got another one, his partner Detective Josh Brown said as he walked up to Mike’s desk. He was glancing down at the file in his hands, flipping between the pages.

Same M.O? Mike asked glancing up from his computer screen.

Yeah. Josh tossed the file onto Mike’s desk, sinking down into the chair adjoining it. He slouched down in the seat. This a sick fucker if you ask me.

Detective Mike Reynolds, raised an eyebrow to Josh before he settled back in his seat. He sighed.

I guess I can’t really disagree with you on that. I’m guessing this guy is probably a few cards shy of a full deck.

A few cards? He’s missing a whole damn suite. Josh snorted. You know Zoe down in the lab says he used his fingers to gouge out their eyes. His fingers! If that ain’t fucking twisted, then I don’t know what is.

So who is it this time? Mike asked leaning forward and picking up the file.

Homeless. Looks like she may have been shooting up recently. The lab will be able to tell us that when they get around to it. Strangled; eyes, ah, removed just like the other two.

The other two, Mike thought to himself. This had started, as far as they knew, three months ago. A jogger had come across the body of a prostitute dumped on a small beach area near the harbor in the industrial area. Six weeks later a maintenance worker found a young transgender in a dumpster near the mall. They had both been strangled and their eyes roughly removed after their deaths. No other wounds to the bodies, no sign of sexual assault and more importantly no clues. Nothing.

It gets better, Josh, continued, A reporter from ‘Our Times’ has started sniffing around. Someone leaked details about the first two murders and he knows they are related. He wants to know what the police are doing about the serial killer in our midst. If he gets his teeth into this third one, he’s going to have a field day. I can just see the headline now; ‘Police Cover Up Murders of Under Privileged’, or some such crap.

Tell him we’re doing what we always do; our jobs, Mike replied. Who the hell leaked to him any way? I can’t think of anyone that even reads that trash much less contributes to it. He had little use for the ‘Our Times’, a small privately owned rag that specialized in stories about alien abductions. But he did worry about mainstream news picking this story up. A serial killer tended to cause panic among the general population and would make finding the killer that much harder. If the ‘Our Times’ reporter made enough noise, he was bound to get noticed sooner or later and Mike wasn’t prepared for the details of these murders to be common knowledge.

Come on. He rose from his seat. Let’s get out there and see if we can finally find someone who saw something and is willing to tell us about it for a change.

CHAPTER 4

Beep, beep, beep.

Stacy wondered why Ari wouldn’t turn off the alarm.

Beep, beep, beep.

Oh for the love of god, her head hurt and why was that alarm still going? Stacy tried to lift her hand to slap at the offending clock herself, but it felt oddly heavy.

She’s waking up.

Stacy heard a hushed voice as she struggled to get her senses. A cool hand was on her arm.

It’s ok honey, we’re here with you.

Stacy opened her eyes trying to focus on the woman standing next to her bed. She knew that voice, she had heard it her whole life. Mom?

Yes honey, it’s Mom. And your father is here too. Stacy’s mom gestured to the other side of the bed with her chin. Stacy turned to see her father perched on the edge of the bed. Hi baby.

What are you guys doing here? Stacy started to take notice of her surroundings. The insistent beeping was not her alarm. The sound was coming from a machine that as monitoring her vitals. The bed wasn’t her comfy bed in the dorm. She was in a hospital bed. How did I get here? she asked, confused.

You got sick at school, her mother started.

But how did I get here? Stacy asked again.

That’s what your mom is trying to explain, sweetheart. The doctors think you had a reaction to some sort of drug, possibly some kind of antidepressant.

What! I don’t take any kind of drugs. How could I have had a reaction? You guys don’t think I’m doing drugs? Stacy asked confusedly, looking worried.

No honey, we don’t think you’re taking drugs, her father answered reassuringly. We’re not sure how the drugs got into your system, he added. Ari said you had been drinking at a party. Maybe someone slipped something into your drink. He pursed his lips. He did not approve of his nineteen-year-old daughter drinking.

I thought drug reactions caused your tongue to swell up or you break out in a rash, something like that. None of that happened. I…, she paused, thinking back to that party, I don’t know what happened to me. She looked at her mom, questions in her eyes.

Well, her mom sat back in the chair that had been pulled up next to Stacy’s bed Ari told us you started feeling unwell, and she walked home with you. Apparently, you started to spike a fever. She said by the time you got back to the dorm, you where kind of out of it. According to the dorm supervisor, Ari came and woke her up around three saying you were thrashing around and she couldn’t wake you up. The supervisor felt you were sick enough to call 911. When they got you to the hospital, they said your temperature was over 105. They immediately started trying to cool you before they even really knew what was wrong.

Oh my god, Stacy whispered. She didn’t recall any of that. That was last night? she asked.

No honey, that was three days ago. You’ve been out of it this whole time.

Just hearing those words left Stacy feeling drained. She sank back into her pillow. A drug can do that?

The doctors are calling it Serotonin Syndrome, her dad said. They think the worst is past and you should be able to come home in another day or two. They just want to run a few more test to make sure everything is out of your system.

What about classes?

Ari is getting assignments from your professors so you won’t fall too far behind, but I’m sure you won’t have to make up more than a week, her father answered. Now let’s talk about your wild partying, he said with a mock scowl on his face.

CHAPTER 5

Mike and Josh walked back to their car. They had been canvassing a neighborhood that the latest victim had been known to frequent. Predictably, they had little to no success. It didn’t matter if a killer was loose, preying upon their own; these people tended to view the police with suspicion and would close ranks when approached. When shown photos of the three victims, all of whom had police records and mug shots on file, the reply would always be ‘never seen them before.’

Well, there you go, Josh said opening the passenger side door of the squad car, these people never existed, so a crime never really happened. Frustration was dripping from his voice. You’d think we were trying to take their children, not save their lives.

Mike didn’t reply. He understood where Josh was coming from, he felt the same, but he also understood the point of view of the people they had been trying to talk to. These people lived on the fringe of society, they had their own code of justice, and they didn’t always have a reason to trust the police. But this sure as hell wasn’t making their job any easier.

They sat in the car in silence for a few minutes while Mike decided what approach they would try next. Glancing in his side view mirror he saw an old man walking up the sidewalk towards them. His face was intent as he approached. Mike rolled down the window of the car as he drew close.

How are you doing today sir, he said.

The old man smiled, showing a toothless grin. He wasn’t used to people treating him with such respect, calling him sir.

Doing fine, he replied. Them photos you had, I seen one of them once, at a shelter on the East side.

Do you have a name for this shelter?

Sure do. It’s called Shebly House. It’s over on Dixelette.

Thank you sir; much appreciated. We’ll check it out.

The old man smiled again, lifting his hand in salute as he turned and continued walking down the sidewalk.

Mike turned to his partner. Ready to go for a ride?

May as well, Josh replied. It’s not like we’re getting anywhere here.

CHAPTER 6

The building they pulled up in front of was unimpressive at best. Its bland gray exterior gave no hint of the sanctuary inside.

Are you sure this is it?

Mike shrugged. We’ll find out.

There was a small parking lot next to the building, but the detectives had found a spot on the street in front of the building.

They exited the car and walked up the cracked concrete sidewalk. The wide double doors opened into a neatly kept foyer. There were doors on either side of the small room, both closed. The far end opened into a large hall. Mike and Josh paused to get their bearings. A woman, wiping down a table in the nearby hall took note of them and straightened from her task.

Come in, she called. Everyone is welcome here.

Josh turned to Mike and gestured with his hand for Mike to precede him. They entered the hall, meeting the woman who had started towards them. Mike saw tables lined up cafeteria style in the room. Against one wall was a stack of folded cots.

Hello ma‘am. I’m Detective Reynolds and this is my partner Detective Brown.

The woman smiled and