Shadows in the dark (closed--PM in interested)

Another day, another murder.

With a sigh, she placed the paper back on her desk in the back room of her little shop, which was located downtown in New Orleans. It was a small fortune telling shop, mostly there for the tourists, to which she gave 'gypsy readings' to them when they came to visit. Most were so enthralled with New Orleans history and legends, they just wanted to hear good things and most of the time, they did...

Most of the time.

Dakota Stone knew she was one of a few handful of 'real' psychics in these parts, but she also didn't consider herself just a psychic, but rather, a medium. Since the age of 3, she could talk to the dead. She saw them as clearly as she saw those who really were living. Of course, at first, it was scary. Not just seeing apparitions but also, the evil. In time though, she had learned to control most what she saw and especially when she could see them.

Her bloodline dated back as far as the new settlers of the Louisiana territory. It seemed to all run on the women's side of the bloodline. Her grandmother had and was the only one who understood what Dakota saw in her visions and, if you will, dreams. Her mother, unfortunately, passed when giving birth to Dakota...something her father never forgave her for up to this day... and the frequent beatings as a child was what sent Dakota to keep quiet about her 'gift'. At least until recently.

The locals knew the story, as did some that hung onto the old traditions and ways. It was all a matter of perspective. Either you believed or you didn't. Simple as that.

In fact, she even worked with the local police department to aid in the finding of a some missing children.

Finding someone required she not necessarily get into the mind of the person missing, although that was needed, but more into the mind of the person who was committing the crime.

And that in itself was scary.

This time, though, she had one of her feelings and when she went to the police, they laughed at her...well, not all of them, just the new chief. He knew Dakota's story and he didn't want her presence tainting his new position. It still irritated her as she could hear his laughter ringing in her ears. There was so much he was hiding and of course, out of spite, she could use it against him. But the thing was, she wasn't a spiteful person.

"Jerk.." she muttered under her breath and stood up, it was time to close up shop for the night. There was a storm brewing and she didn't want to be caught up in it as she headed home.

*****

Dakota had just beaten the storm when she finally made it home. Even though the rains just started, she was soaked to the skin as she entered her small house on the edge of the city. Her grandmother's house. A house in which she was in the middle of restoring so there were some parts that were leaking but luckily, she had already placed some buckets in those spots so she was ready. The only dry spots was the kitchen, the living room and of course, her bedroom with the connecting bathroom.

Yeah, there was still a lot of work she had to do on it. But of course, money was an issue and so far, she had poured every last cent she earned into the house but it seemed to be a futile project.

But of course, she wasn't one to give up hope. It would get done...soon.

Although if these storms kept up with the way they did, she wasn't going to have a house left to refurbish.

Quickly, still in her wet clothes, she put on a pot of hot coffee. Then, as it was brewing, she went to take a quick hot shower before the power was lost... no, she didn't need the ability to see in to the future for that. It was something that happened every time a storm hit.

After her shower, she tossed on a pair of jeans and a faded t-shirt. Tonight, she was planning to get some of the house work done even with the storm raging outside, she knew she wasn't going to get any sleep.

Dakota hardly slept as it was.

Before she started, she made a sandwich and grabbed a beer.

Beer. Or just alcohol in general, helped with the voices.

Helped quiet things a little.

As she was making her late dinner. Dakota paused. She just stopped in midst of placing a slice of bread on her plate.

Someone was coming.

Calvin had enough of it. He couldn't put up with all of the rumors. He had to get out. While she was at work, he packed his bags and left. Yea, it meant that he would have to find a new job, but that was not a big deal; working at the asphalt plant wasn't exactly a glorious position. Anyway, there were too many rumors about Sheila cheating on him for him to stay.

Out on the highway, Cal decided that he would try to hitchhike out of town and catch a bus from the nearest city that had a bus. He wasn't having much luck. He got one ride, but that only took him about 5 miles. He was about to give up and call it a day and find a place beside the road.

The pick-up stopped just ahead of him. He started to walk up to the truck, but stopped when he recognized the two guys climbing out of the bed. They were friends of Sheila's brother. Before he knew it, they, along with the three who were riding in the truck, were grabbing him and throwing him in the bed of the truck. He was held down and beaten as the truck drove. One of them sat on him, the others kicked and punched him. He had no idea how long it went on.

When it started to rain, Calvin thought it would end. It didn't. The beating continued. The kicks and punches would come in waves... followed by stretches of calm. Those calm moments were not long. Finally, when the rain started to come down harder, the truck stopped. he was thrown out of the truck onto the side of the road.

After the truck drove off, Calvin got up off the ground. Everything he had in the world had been left back where he had been picked up. Cal looked around. He saw a light on at the house, and decided that he would try it out.

He walked up onto the porch of the house. he had no idea what he was going to ask for. He had no idea where he was. He did not want to involve the police. he just wanted to get away from the life he had just walked out on.

Opening the storm door, Cal knocked on the wooden interior door; having no idea what to expect from the person or persons inside.

The banging on the front door should have startled Dakota but no... she was expecting it. She pushed her food aside and although she should have asked who it was, she didn't sense any danger but she did sense pain. With a frown, she unlocked the three lock she had on the door and swung it open. Dakota couldn't help but gasp when she saw the man in front of her...wet and obviously covered in blood and holding his side. She started to say something but then, the man just leaned against the door, looking at her and before he could say anything, he started to slide down toward the floor. Dakota lunged out and tried to help him but was unsuccessful and proceeded to fall with him.

The man was in and out of it as Dakota tried to urge him to the couch. It was hard because he was leaning his over six foot frame against her five foot four inch body. When he collapsed on the couch, Dakota ran her hands over his head, face and torso...nothing seemed broken but when she lifted his shirt, he had a ton of bruising all over him. It took some doing but she got him out of his clothes because first off, they were wet and second of all, he was shivering and she wanted to get him warm. She brought out a warm blanket and as soon as she covered him, the power went out, making her curse under her breath.

Never had Dakota thought the man on her couch would be any danger to her... well, that thought hadn't crossed her mind as she was building a fire about 20 minutes later. She had used the remaining hot water and had gotten the cuts on his face and chest cleaned up. It wasn't the best nursing skills but it was at least something for the time being afterward, she hung up his clothes near the fire, so they could dry quicker. As she hung up his jeans, his wallet fell out and so she picked it up and walked over near the couch and set it down on the end table. As she backed up, his hand touched her thigh and quickly, images of him... of Calvin and what had happened in the past 24 hours had become visions for her and it was as if she was living them too.

She saw the men... men was familiar with beating on him, saying something about someone... Sheila?

Dakota looked down at the man.. down at Calvin and shook her head as she ran a hand over his forehead...

He saw the woman open the door. He tried to say something to her, but he didn't have the power to do so. Try as he might to stay on his feet, he felt himself going down. He sensed her attempting to keep him up right before his hands hit the floor.

Trying to help her move him to the sofa turned out to be futile. He sensed himself collapsing onto the sofa and .... The next thing he remembered was waking up. He was covered in a blanket. The room was dark except for a fire burning in the fire place. He felt something or someone against his hand. "Who are you?"

He tried to sit up, but every muscle in his body hurt. He couldn't manage anything more than turning his head and moving onto his side. He tried to make out the person using the little bit of light that the glow of the fire provided.

As he rolled, he sensed that he was naked beneath the blanket. "Thank you for helping me... whoever you are. If you just get me my clothes, I will be out of your way. You have done enough for me and I will get out of your way. The only thing I would ask is that you tell me where I am, so, I can figure out where I am going."

Dakota didn't answer him, instead she reached over to coffee table and picked up a mug with some hot tea that had cooled enough to drink. Holding it near his lips, she told him softly, "Drink this, Calvin."

As he took small sips, Dakota sighed slightly, "You can't go yet... at least not in this storm. There's a small hurricane passing through so it looks like we're both here for at least two more days. Which is a good thing for you.." her voice during the whole time remained low and gentle. When he didn't take any more sips of the tea, she set it aside. "As for where you are, you're just outside the city... New Orleans, that is."

"Hopefully the tea will help, it's a special mix, something to help you relax and also to help with the pain...after all, a lot has happened to you, right?"

When she called him by his name, he looked at her. He wondered how she knew his name. His mind started to race and he wondered if she was in with the group that had beat him up and she was just being nice to him to keep him there until the guys returned.

"So, I am not far from where I started. I feel as if I have been dragged across the country, and all they did was get me out of the town." He tried to focus for a minute and recall what had happened to him. He knew he had been beaten; he could feel it, but he did not remember the specifics about what they had done to him.

She was trying to get him to drink something. She said it was a special tea. He hesitated to drink it because he had no idea who she was and what exactly she was trying to get into him. He looked at her. She was very attractive, and there was something he found very sexy; even in his current damaged state.

"How do you know my name? Why are you trying to help me? I am sorry I am asking questions." Then he thought back to her last question. "How did you know that a lot has happened to me? Are you with them?"