Deanna The Journey Begins

By Judithe Williamson

Are Ghosts real? Can we see them or hear them? 

 

Steve saw first hand good cops can use help and even then some can go bad. 

 

As an ex-cop turned private detective, he learns unexpected friends can help in ways unknown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamondback Publishers International
• Release date: Sep 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393442936

Book preview

I dedicate this book to my sister Sharon,

who always had faith in me

and drove me to do better things

Chapter 1

THE ACCIDENT

D amn Snow, it always seems to snow when I decide to take a few days off and head for the cabin. I sure hope the stove works and that the lights have been turned on like they guaranteed me they would be. What the hell is that? It looks like a car over the edge and a bad place for it to be too. I’ll call for help, but maybe I should go and see if anyone is in the car first.

He pulled over as far off the road as possible turning on the hazard lights he reached in the glove compartment for his flashlight and attempted to turn it on. He found that it wouldn’t work he shook it and tapped it on his gloved hand but still nothing, cursing softly to himself he got out of his truck.

Looking over the embankment he could see no movement in the car and it was on fire, although it appeared to be a small fire, probably electrical, he mused to himself. But taking no chances he quickly called for an ambulance and a tow truck giving an approximate location of the car. Then went over what was left of the guard rails and through the snowbank carefully working down to where the car sat at an angle and tried to peer into the car to see if anyone was in it.

Not seeing anyone he looked around but noticed that gas was leaking out, and if it were to reach that small fire already burning in front of the engine there would probably be an explosion. He climbed back up to the road to direct the ambulance when it arrived or the tow truck whichever came first.

It sure was cold out here, and he wasn’t sure if he should just stand there like an idiot or get back in his own truck to wait. He decided to stand there and hope someone would hurry before the car really started to burn. He hadn’t seen anyone in the car, but it was dark and he wasn’t exactly dressed for climbing around in the snow looking for anyone.

The snow seemed to be falling harder by the minute and Steve was getting wetter as well. It seemed like an eternity before he heard the siren or saw the flashing lights of the trooper's car that was following the ambulance.

He told them he had just come along and noticed it down there called them and then tried to see if anyone was inside. But he had not seen any sign of anyone, so he climbed back up to the road.

I would have tried to just put snow on the fire but wasn’t sure if that would help, as the fuel leaking out would have just kept coming.

Well thanks, in this weather you did more than the average guy would do. We’ll take it from here, there has to be a driver somewhere.

Steve felt he must wait until it was verified whether or not someone was down there. A trooper went down with a flashlight to see if anyone was inside.

Hey you had better get a stretcher down here there is a woman in here, and she looks pretty bad, he shouted up to whoever was there.

Bring a fire extinguisher too there is a small oil fire under the front hood and gas leaking out.

It took nearly an hour of cutting away at the door of the car before they could free the girl, but by then they had little hope she was going to survive.

Steve went back to his truck waved to the trooper and drove off. He felt that all he was doing was making it more hazardous for other drivers having all those police and ambulance vehicles to drive around and Steve’s truck too.

Is that all the heat this thing can put out? I’m freezing, thanks for stopping to help though; I was worried I wouldn’t make it. Why are you so silent, did I scare you? I’m sorry I just wanted to get out of there before the wrong people came looking for me and decided to shoot first and ask questions later.

Steve almost lost control of his truck when he first heard her voice. He turned his head a little toward the sound and was surprised to see a young woman in her late twenties sitting there shivering. He automatically reached for the heater control and turned the heat up.

Who are you and how did you get in my truck? he asked her.

I’m the woman from that car back there, sorry if I gave you a scare. I was a little scared myself, it isn’t everyday you wake up dead, she answered.

Wait a minute, if you were in that car the police may want to ask you questions. After all, they are going to want to know what happened to make that car go off the road or if the driver was speeding or drinking, things like that.

I can’t help them, I’m already dead. They said so when they pulled me out of that car and took me on the stretcher to the ambulance.  Don’t you understand, Mr. I’m here but I’m not here? I watched while they got me out of the car and while they worked over me in the ambulance, and then they said I was gone. Now I have got to figure out who actually fixed those brakes on the car and prove it too. If you don’t want to help me then just let me out here and I will do it on my own.

I can’t let you out in the middle of the night on a mountain road in a snow storm. What kind of man do you take me for? Who did what to your brakes? Maybe you should start back at the beginning and tell me everything that happened. When she didn't answer, Steve asked again.

I thought you were going to start at the beginning and tell me what is going on. Who are you and what are you doing in my truck?

Now who is asking questions? My name is Deanna and I was in that car back there that suddenly went plummeting over the edge of a cliff in a blinding snowstorm. You stopped and came down to try and help me, but didn’t see me in the dark as I was hunched over in the front seat. Either my ex-husband or my ex-father-in-law tried to kill me. Correction. Did kill me, and now I need help proving it.  Will you help me please Mr. what-ever your name is?

Steve, my name is Steve Wilson. If you are dead as you keep saying then how is it that I can see you and hear you? Also, the answer is no I have never heard of a ghost being cold, tired, or hungry. What do you eat for breakfast, Ghost Toasties with evaporated milk? Hahaha!!

If that was meant to be funny, I didn’t think so. Besides I’ve never been a ghost before either so how would I know what they eat or if they can feel things. I didn’t know I was a ghost either until I heard them say I was dead. Then I was there but not really there in that ambulance. I was sort of floating above it all and watching them, I was a mess. I loved those shoes and now their ruined and I have a run in my last pair of nylons too.

She began to cry softly and Steve was unsure what he should do for her. He reached across the seat to pat her gently on the back but jerked his hand back suddenly when it went through to the door on the passenger side of the truck. He shook his head and glanced over toward her again and she was still sitting there shivering and crying.

I’ve only got a few more miles to the cabin and you can stay there tonight if you want to and then maybe once I get a fire going you can get warm again, he offered.

But I wonder if everyone can see me or only you?  How come you can see me, I can’t quite figure this out. Of course, I’ve never been dead before either.

You keep saying that, I’m beginning to think either you’re crazy or I am.

I can’t be seen like this either, I’ll need a change of clothes. Do you have a wife or a girlfriend or something?

I had a wife; she’s dead and no girlfriend or something.

Well, what size was she? Can I use some of her clothes?

She was never here at this cabin; I didn’t get it until after she died. So there aren’t any clothes of hers here. If you’re dead why do you worry about what you’re wearing?

Well, I wouldn’t be caught dead dressed like this. Oops, I guess that is redundant since I am dead. Well anyway, I can’t go out in public looking like this, suppose someone saw me?

But you have said numerous times that you are already dead, so what makes you think anyone can see you?

Well you can, so maybe others can too. Besides I need a change of clothes to make me feel better because actually, I look terrible. At least I did back there as I was floating overhead and looking down at myself.

We’re here, so you can at least get warm soon. I just have to get the fire started and turn up the furnace. Then I’ll fix us something to eat, so that should help."

Do you have running water here?

Yes of course I do. The only time I use the furnace is during the winter to keep the pipes from freezing. So it will just barely be warm in there yet.

Do you have hot water too?

Yes, I do. Why do you ask?

Because I have just been in an accident and am covered in dirt and snow as well as blood. That won’t mix well with food, so I am going to take a nice hot shower.

A shower, of course, every ghost I’ve ever known takes a hot shower before they do anything else. Now I’ve heard of everything. Whoever heard of a ghost taking a shower?

Well, I am dirty and cold so stop acting as though you find it odd that a woman wants to take a nice hot shower since going through what I have.

They had gotten to the cabin and Deanna walked in as if she had always been there. Steve went over to the thermostat and turned it up, then laid some logs in the fireplace and lit the fire. He turned and went back to his truck to bring in the things he had brought with him.