Chapter 28:
Traffic Lights
“Oh my God! I am so
sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The girl said while looking at the small
distance between the lamp post and my car.
“Oh yeah, that was
obvious. Sticking your bloody face on someone’s car window is just a normal
thing.”
“Nick!” Andrea used
the tone my Mom always uses when she wanted me to apologize to her guest.
“I’m sorry.” I said
in a low voice and sighed.
“I just wanted to
ask if you have seen my boyfriend. He was just standing next to me but after a
couple of seconds he was gone.”
I looked at Andrea
and tried to ask her through my facial expression if the girl knew she was
already dead. Before Andrea could respond, the girl continued explaining.
“We met an accident
on our way home from a friend’s party. A drunk driver was stupid enough to run
a red light, the jerk survived but we did not. I was the one driving and I
should have listened to my father. He always tells me that when the traffic
light turns green I should count until three before I step on the gas pedal. He
said it is a safety measure just in case someone will run a red light.”
“When did the
accident happen?”
“Maybe a couple of
hours ago.” She shrugged. There was uncertainty in her eyes.
“Have you seen the
light?”
“What light?”
“What’s the date
today?” I had a feeling she died a long time ago.
“January 18, 2005.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, it’s my
friend’s 23rd birthday. I told you we just attended her party and we are on our
way home. Why are you asking me these questions? You are starting to freak me
out.”
“Today is
Valentine’s day. February 14, 2007.” I tried to say it as calmly as possible.
“What? You gotta be
kidding me. Are you from the future or something?” She forced a fake laugh but
I could see the confusion in her eyes.
“Miss,”
“Vicky. Victoria
Fitzgerald.”
“I’m Nick Carter.”
“Now I know why you
looked so familiar, you are the tall blonde one from the Backstreet Boys.”
“Yep, that’s me.” I
gave her my I’m-proud-to be-a-Backstreet-Boy-kind-of-smile.
“I didn’t expect a
celebrity to be talking to a ghost.” She chuckled
“Ghosts are part of
my daily life.”
“Can you help me
look for Jake, Nick?”
“Of course, I will
do whatever I can to help you find him. So, the accident happened two years
ago.”
“Was it really that
long? It really seems like it happened a couple of hours ago and Jake was just
here beside me.”
I nodded. “If it is
okay with you, please tell me what happened and give me information about
Jake.”
“Jake and I attended
Sarah’s birthday party. He had three bottles of beer, so I volunteered to
drive. The accident happened right in this intersection, the drunk driver who
hit us came from that direction.” She pointed the road on her left. “The impact
was so strong that it made our car turn twice. My head hit the windshield and I
died on the spot. Jake was still breathing then, I remember looking at him and
praying that he would survive. It took around ten minutes before the paramedics
came. It was too late, Jake was already standing beside me with a big smile on
his face. We started walking away from the scene because we couldn’t look at
our lifeless body covered with blood. We were just happy that we were together.
Then, when I looked beside me Jake was gone. I tried looking for him but I
couldn’t find him. By that time the ambulance drove off with our bodies, the
police one by one left the scene, and before I knew it I was alone. I just want
to know that Jake is safe wherever he is. I want to know why he left me. Is he
already in heaven?”
“The light I was
asking you earlier, you haven’t seen it?”
“I don’t know what
you are talking about.”
“Vicky, when people
die, there is a light that appears before them. It is like a guide for you, it
will bring you to the place where you should be after your life here on Earth.”
“You mean heaven?”
“If that’s what you
believe in, then, yes.”
“You think Jake
already saw the light and went in without me?”
“I am not sure yet.
But I will find out for you.”
“Thank you.” She
seemed really hurt by the idea that her boyfriend left her all alone.
“Would you like to
come with us? The investigation might take a while. Andrea will keep you
company until we have answers.”
“I’d love to, but I
can’t.”
“Why?”
“I’ve been trying to
get out of this place to look for Jake, but no matter how I try, I couldn’t get
past those traffic lights. It seems like I am confined in this place.”
“Do you feel
electrocuted when you try to get past those traffic lights?”
“No,” She shook her
head “But every time I reach those traffic lights, I’ll find myself on the same
spot where I died. Then I will try again but it just keeps on repeating. Seems
like I am not allowed to get 500 meters away from where I died.”
“I am sorry. I’ll do
my best to help you find Jake.”
“I am really sorry,
Nick. I didn’t mean to put you in trouble.” She said before she disappeared.
I looked over my
shoulder and saw a police car approaching. I looked at my car and hoped there
won’t be any problem.
***