Incorporeal by J.R. Barrett Read Free Book Online Page B

admit it, you’ve fallen in love with a ghost. He may be incorporeal much of the time, but he’s the best man that’s ever happened to you.
    Stop. Stop right now. The situation is impossible. A living woman cannot be in love with a dead man.
    “ Oh yeah, remember last night? Well he didn’t feel dead last night. His heart beat; he was warm to the touch. I swear, I don’t know what Nathan is, but one thing he’s not is your run-of-the-mill ghost.”
    There you go again, talking to yourself.
    Irritated, Sara rose to her feet. She cried out loud, “Well who the hell else am I going to talk to? There’s not a soul who knows what I can do, what I can see. Not even my best friend knows, and if she did, she’d run for the hills. She thinks I have a vivid imagination. She likes my stories, but that’s all they are to her, made up stories, fairytales. But they’re not. What happens to me is real.” Her voice shook. “It’s as real as eating a piece of toast or driving to the grocery store or watching a movie or taking a long, hot shower. I can’t keep pretending otherwise. I see ghosts. A ghost has been living in my house for almost three months. I’ve been making love with him. I have to face the fact that I’m involved with a dead man.” Sara stomped her foot. “Deal with it, brain.”
    Her stomach rumbled and she remembered that her food intake for the day had consisted of coffee with Dalton and an apple for lunch. “Fine,” she called out to the empty room. “I’ll eat all by myself. And here I planned to make some spicy curry for you, Nathan. Have you ever eaten curry?” She headed to the kitchen. “Do you even eat?”
    Sara grumbled as she banged pots and pans around on the stove. Reaching into the fridge, she filled both arms with bags of vegetables and a package of raw chicken. Before she knew it, she’d dropped the slippery chicken onto the floor, the veggies went skittering across the cutting board and she’d sliced her hand with a paring knife.
    Sara took a deep breath; wrapped a clean dishtowel around her bleeding palm. “Stop it. You’re acting like a complete idiot. He didn’t abandon you; he’s not capable of abandoning anyone. A ghost can’t fall in love. He’s dead, Sara, dead and buried. Your worlds collided for a moment, that’s all.”
    She stared at the mess she’d managed to make of the kitchen, remembering the satisfied sound in Nathan’s voice when he’d told her he’d put away all the groceries.
    Enough! I can’t think about this now . I’ll go crazy if I do.
    With a sob, Sara ran for the stairs.
    ***
    “ Why have you come, Natan de Manua?”
    Nathan paused at the bottom of the majestic winding marble staircase. He stared at the Guardian. “You know why I’m here.”
    “ Of course I do.” A smile cracked the stone cold face. “I simply want to hear the words from your own lips.”
    Nathan felt like punching the angel.
    “ Your pride has ever been your enemy, Natan. We are not.” He moved his golden spear aside.
    As he passed the angel, he said, “Nathan. My name is Nathan.”
    “ It is Natan, God has given.”
    Nathan stopped and turned to look into the imposing face of the Guardian. “My mother called me Nathan, so to you, I am Nathan.”
    A wicked grin curved the corners of the creature’s mouth. “So be it, Nathan. I hope you find the answers you seek.”
    Nathan continued up the stairs without a backwards glance. “Or you may leave with even more questions.” The voice trailed after him. Determined to ignore his doubts, Nathan increased his pace. He needed to speak with one person, if he could find her.
    ***
    She waited beyond a thin, slivery veil of rain, alone in the ruins of his former home. Nathan felt a bitter laugh well up inside. It’s not as if anything remains a secret in Sheol, in this realm of shades and shadows . Of course she expected him, even after so many centuries.
    She sat upon the edge of a tumble-down wall, watching him approach.