Ghosts and Goths(Laura Weber) THE THOUGHT AND IMAGE PROCESS BETWEEN EMILY AND JAMES TAKE THE PLACES OF PHONE AND CELL PHONES. EMILY IS HUMAN AND JAMES IS A GHOST.

Emily Gotham sat with her usual cup of tea, as she did every morning, reading the newspaper. But the story unfolding before her eyes left her shaken and horrified. There had been a murder in the unused underground tunnels at Charing Cross. What an ideal place to commit a crime of such magnitude which would certainly send shock waves through the suburbs where she lived.

The victims were six children, under the age of ten years, that had been smuggled in from Eastern Europe illegally by one of the many drug lords operating between England and Romania. The children must have been sold to someone for very evil purposes as sex slaves or to devil worshipers to use in their sacred ceremonies.

They were murdered in a ritual satanic initiation ceremony. The statement from the Police Department was quite damning against the Gothic community. The sight of the dead children hanging from the rafters was like a scene in a nightmare as she stared at the photos printed in the newspaper, which should not have been allowed to go public.

Emily ran a small business, called The Private Investigative Services. Her partner was a ghost named James Murray. He had been a tough hardened police officer, who showed no mercy to the sinners and criminals he caught. Emily had known James since she was a child and knew how uncompromising he was toward crime. She had always been in love with James ever since she could remember and when she started to grow up, James began to notice how pretty and delicate she had become; he was suddenly aware that he could not lose her and they became engaged to marry. Emily hoped that she could eventually change him and soften his approach to life. James was killed just before they could marry; whilst on duty in a raid on a drug bust tip off.

Several years ago James had appeared in what she thought was a dream, but he had to spend some time trying to assure her it was a kind of dream, but a very real spiritual one. He wanted her to start a PI Agency and he would help her as a silent partner. It took her a while to realize by James’s persistent contacts that he was actually around but now as a ghost.

After a while she clung to the fact that James was back in her life with some ideas she found difficult at first to understand. As time went on, and Emily got used to a new unique way, she had to undergo training lessons especially on how to listen with her mind to comprehend the art of imaging to her, which she had to learn very thoroughly.

As time went on she could not believe he had undergone such a character transformation and tolerant make over, which she found quite tantalizing and hard to understand. James had a bit of explaining to do. “This is what happens when you find yourself most unexpectedly in another dimension, the spiritual world. My death was a terrible shock as I never expected to die so young and healthy.

Immediately on arrival as we know it as heaven, we are given options. Jesus once said his father’s palace had many rooms which are put to good use. There are lessons to be learnt from this statement.

Once realization has hit that you are dead and you know exactly what has happened, you are then summoned to various departments for character assessment, and there are definitely records on what you did on earth that have to be faced. I did not like what I saw in myself.

Love and heavenly peace is given freely, with no strings attached. You are allowed to make up our own mind. It is quite unlike anything I have ever experienced on earth. There are degrees of punishment to be dished out to the bad, and schooling for those who were not bad characters when alive, and would have liked to change eventually. Even before I died, Emily, I could feel your influence at work in me. I desperately wanted to change.”

After many bewildering months things began to smooth out and all arrangements worked efficiently because they had learnt to communicate with each other by thought process and picture images which he beamed to her. Emily was still in love with her James. She found his presence constant which made her deliriously happy. When James was alive he used to pace up and down whilst trying to solve difficult cases. As a ghost he still had this habit, but now it was a kind of hovering and floating around the office.

The business was well run by her efficient staff, and successful investigators. Now, together with James’s ghost, the team had all worked in crime of different categories when they were alive.

“James, have you sensed the news today?”

“Hang on Ems, nearly finished, just give me a minute”

“I am really worried James, they are blaming us, the Gothic community, and as we live in the area where the crime has been committed, it is going to be very hard to defend ourselves. We have lived all our lives in peace and harmony and worked hard to make decent choices for ourselves.

It is such a laugh when pop stars and way outrageous fashion stylists promote us in black from head to toe, especially when we have marvelous colorful artists leading blameless lives. The Goths built beautiful cathedrals and structures and were responsible for printing and script writing among their many gifts and talents. The fact is we are also conservative in our approach to life and who we vote for as well.”

Emily said she did not trust the Chief of Police, or believe that someone had phoned and informed them that he had witnessed the murder. The Police have said they are on to several leads and arrests will soon be reported on. The Goths are being framed and I feel very frightened. Emily went on to say they have to act very quickly on this before it gets out of hand. There are very powerful people at work including high society using their wealth to further satanic practices.”

When James gets agitated she can usually feel his invisible shroud hovering around her at any bad news concerning her safety.

James said he would get a team together a s a p, a group of well trained expert Internet hackers who can open up hidden records and files without too much of a problem depending on where the files were stowed away, and how long it takes to decipher codes. Several hours later Emily sensed a message coming through.

“Concentrate Ems, I am sending you pictures and image evidence which you will never believe.”

As James was imaging information, Emily cried out, “Oh my God James, Lord Argon has come out first as the head of the cavern here in London. His family goes back to the time of the Crusaders and the court of King Richard. He fronts as the leader of the utmost respectability in society. Although I heard whispers about him, I never took much notice.

The Chief of Police is the pillar of the Church here, together with a couple of well known MPs thrown in for good measure, no doubt to vote him into power again and again. What I did hear was that he was once a pupil of Crowley who taught him all the tricks of the trade, the art of black magic and this is why he has such a high rate of successful confessions out of suspects charged with crimes, which makes him popular. No one has ever queried his method as they are only too happy to see them locked away.”

”I think we should go to investigate the scene where the murder took place, and see what we can pick up. Probably the place has been swept squeaky clean and any evidence will be impossible to find, but you never know. They might have been careless because they were so sure of themselves and left stuff around; even though I am certain they have deliberately planted evidence to frame the Goths.”

Later that day Emily and James were on their way to Charing Cross station. Once there they did not have any difficulty negotiating the steep iron steps, rusty and black with damp and age. It did not make it any easier as there were no lights to see where they were going as everything was in darkness. At last the chamber of horror.

Emily shrank back at the terrible smell of mustiness and gas. These underground tunnels and chambers have gas pipes just above, which are routed all over London as they supply the city with gas. Emily took one look at the rafters that the children were murdered from, and burst into tears. The atmosphere was so emotionally charged, she felt James float and hover around her, his anxiety etched and felt in the agitated feeling emitting from his wraith like hazy shroud, helpless that he could not do anything to protect her.

“You have no idea, James, how I long for you with every part of me and for your wholeness. It is an unbearably lonely life not to have your comforting self beside me. I feel the despair of the children, having to endure the torture and agony they suffered at the hands of evil men.”

“Ems when they pass over they are already in a deep coma, to which they never come out of. They do not want to leave the peace they are now in, so much better than the life they had before.”

“Are the people ever punished for their terrible sins they commit, James?”

“I can assure you of that. When a bad person dies the spirit world do not want their haven to be contaminated by such evil, they are met by our special garbage collectors armed with shovels and swept into sacks that are tied with knots and cannot be undone. The sacks are taken and tossed into a vast silent space, adrift forever floating in just air and nothingness. And their thoughts, taped to repeat forever.

‘Come Emily; let’s get you home for some hot tea and calm. I worry about you all the time. I hate to leave you so upset, but I have to get back to work to uncover some much hidden secret files which will expose some nasty things going on.”

Once home, Emily, being Emily, had to do some investigating herself. She made her way to the village where the Lord of the Manor Argon had his residence. She decided to start in the village and shopping area. What a surprise to find an area so quaint with old fashioned shops. It is almost as if she had stepped into a past era. This kind of architecture is typical of Londoners where everything goes so far back in history. About an hour later she began to realize things were not as they seemed. The shopkeepers were strangely silent and did not like her friendly questions. Anything she asked for, they informed her that the shop was out of stock.

She imaged James and informed him where she was and that the villagers could be a cavern for Satanists. The Argon family had been owners of the borough for centuries. Plus the fact she was being tailed. “I am going to hot foot it out of here.”

She found to her horror she was not losing the stalkers, so she started to run. They grabbed hold of her, but she punched one so hard in the eye, she was able to fob them off, but not for long because she heard the wail of the Police cars sirens and saw the blue light flashing. She was quickly surrounded by Police, apprehended and cuffed.

The officer informed her she was under arrest and being taken in for questioning.

Emily said, “On what charges, I have done nothing to warrant an arrest and before you go any further and charge me, I want my lawyer present.”
Emily was informed the charges were trespassing on private property and harassing the owners, and disorderly conduct.

With that statement, Emily started to struggle and make a fuss and all the while she was trying to contact James that she was in terrible trouble and needed him desperately. She saw and felt a cloth pressed into her face. The last thing she remembered before being manhandled and bundled into the car was the face of the Chief of Police.

Emily came to and sent out an S.O.S, “James, I am tied to the rafter in the chamber where the children were murdered; I shall be OK, till you get here as I am all alone, the police have gone.”

Minutes later, “I am here now Ems, but we have to try and get you released as quickly as possible, your friend the Chief of Police left you a present, a time bomb. The only way is to use our minds and kinetic powers, almost a Houdini method, but you have to be alert and concentrate as never before. Do you remember a long time ago when you were about six years old there was a swing in the garden on which you were very adept at playing flying games through the air. One day we all got a fright when we saw how high you were swinging, screeching with joy as you got higher and higher, and then you let go, and did a swan dive down, and landed on your feet.

Emily you got a hiding from your Dad. You must jump exactly like that again, to get well clear of the bomb.”

I have brought many of my friends here, as this operation has to be as secret as possible. When you feel the rope start to loosen, grasp the chains up above that are attached to the rafter, and use them for your swinging. Ready steady go, now”

Emily felt that her body was surrounded by a misty haze which helped her to loosen up and relax. She swung to and fro, starting slowly at first, but this time it was a little harder, as her feet had no firm base to stand on, but she could feel the power begin to rise within her mind, and in a trance of lightness and smooth flying she felt the perfection of swinging higher and higher, unaware at first that James was calling her, “Jump, Ems, jump,” as the bomb was exploding underneath, again a voice loud and desperate, a sound so far away, but what was that a voice, James’s voice urging her to let go and jump now.

As she was falling towards the voice she was screaming out his name, “James, where are you, I am dreaming, don’t wake me up, let me stay on in my dream here.”

As she fell James caught her and he rolled them over to safety from the danger of the exploding bomb, his arms still around holding her tightly. James had to wake Emily; by holding her close to try and bring her round slowly and gently with soft words of love and comfort to ease the shock. She started to respond and James took full advantage by kissing her eyelids and nuzzling under her ears, little caresses she used to love. The best of nature took hold, bringing two people into an ecstasy of love and passion.

“I am real, Ems, I know it is unbelievably hard to understand, I have been given my life back, a second chance, to do good things from now on. It is not unusual for spirits to be given the miracle of life, and return to the world to carry out many acts of bravery and Endeavour for helpless victims. Our world can be a very cruel paradise.

We will stay here hidden for the time being until it gets dark. The bomb was meant to kill you; the Chief must never know you survived that explosion. If by some remote chance they thought otherwise, your life will always be in danger. I cannot be recognized as James Murray, although you are in far greater peril than me. They might just be watching your flat.

Don’t worry about clothes, our ghost teams were all cops before their demise. They now beam on a regular basis to their old partners when they used to work together to help solve cases. A suitcase has been left in a secret alcove in the tunnel for us. It will be full of dark clothing, caps and glasses, which will fit in with the popular fashion everyone seems to like and wear.

We will take the night express to Scotland. There is a Research Station near the North Sea, working with computers, researching vital information from all over the world, even space; it is an ideal place to start. They are pretty good at what they do. I want to prove worthy of you, my most precious and dearest partner.

As I speak to you now, I am being imaged by my team. We have definitely landed a coup, Argon and the Chief of Police have been taken into custody and the rest are being rounded up including the top drug lords in England, France and South America, who supply Europe with drugs.

I could not tell you what was going on, but I will never keep secrets from you again. My memory of the last few years will gradually fade away. I will only have an inkling of what happened, but the need will always be in me stronger than ever to help the victims of our world.”

All Emily was capable of were expressions of deep sighs of utter contentment. For once the power of speech had simply eluded her.

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