“Had our chance? That’s nonsense. We haven’t been given a chance at all.”
“Oh you silly child, you don’t understand!” he muttered in frustration.
“Mr Kemp, it’s you that isn’t making any sense.”
“Cathy, Mr Barclay is in agreement with me.”
“That is a lie!” I shouted. “You’re lying!”
“No, I am not,” his voice lowered and he almost sounded as though he felt sorry for me. “Cathy, I care about you more than you could possibly believe. You just have to trust me that I know more than you and I have seen this end badly before and I will be damned if you think I will sit quietly. The two of you give me no choice but to intervene.”
”What are you talking about?” I started to walk away from him; I couldn’t comprehend how he was allowed to teach with his erratic and behaviour.
“Cathy!”
“You’re mad. Stay away from me!”
When I got to James’s office, I decided not to knock. I just opened the door and locked it behind me. I was slightly embarrassed that I just barged in, but I wanted to get away from Mr Kemp. The curtains were closed and the lights were off, making the room completely dark.
“James, it’s me,” I whispered. I took several steps into the room. I knew James was in here but I didn’t understand why he wasn’t by responding to me. Could Mr Kemp possibly be right, that he didn’t want to see me?
“James, are you in here? Can you please turn the lights on? I need to talk to you.”
Suddenly, I sensed movement.
I felt his body brush by mine. He was behind me. I could feel the heat from his body, his hands on my arms, pulling me close to him. He pulled my hair away to one side and kissed my neck. I felt like my body and soul had been drugged and I couldn’t speak. My body felt heavy and motionless. I could hear banging at the door. The doorknob was being moved around. It was obviously Mr Kemp outside, trying to get in. James was not concerned so neither was I. He continued to kiss me.
The thumping on the door continued.
“Catherine, open the door!” he yelled.
What? The voice didn’t sound like Mr Kemp.
“Catherine!” the voice yelled again.
“James…? James…?” My heart stopped. I felt my body crumble as I fell to the floor and screamed in terror. Who is in the room with me?
“Catherine!” James yelled.
There was a huge pound at the door that tore it off its hinges. Light instantly flooded into the room, James was charging towards me, followed by Mr Kemp. I still couldn’t move, fearing the sight of whomever or whatever was in that room.
“Dear God!” James said as he fell to his knees. He looked around and I waited for a clash between James and the other man, but nothing. James grabbed me and pulled me close to him.
“James, be careful.”
He scouted around the room, but there was no one there.
“Where did he go?” I screamed to James.
I then looked at Mr Kemp who stood in the doorway, pale and not wanting to enter the room.
“Where did he go?” I yelled at Mr Kemp. No one would answer me.
I stood up and looked around the room, still fearful that I would actually find what I was looking for. I couldn’t make sense of it. Had they let him go in those few seconds? James was now standing looking at Mr Kemp. I went to him and held onto his shirt.
“I thought it was you. I did!” I cried.
“It’s alright, I have you now. I’m not going to leave you ever again,” James said, looking at Mr Kemp to make sure his intentions were clear.
“James, he kissed me and I let him… I thought it was you…” I said as I grabbed onto James and buried my face into his chest. James grabbed my arms and pushed me away from him to look me in the eyes.
“Kissed you?” he asked with alarm.
“Yes, there was someone in this room. I came in here to see you to give you a gift. Mr Kemp tried to stop me, but he was being awful and I wanted to escape him, so I just came in and locked the door. But it was so dark.”
I shook my head with disbelief and looked up at James.
“Is this college haunted?” I asked.
“Pardon? No… Of course not!” James replied. He then looked at Mr Kemp, who was now making his way to us.
“Is that what you think is happening? That this college has a ghost? Is that really what you think?” Mr Kemp asked with sarcasm in his tone.
“I don’t know. Something is happening, I hear voices. I feel like I know things that I couldn’t possibly know, and now this. Wait…” I looked at Mr Kemp in shock. “You didn’t push me into James’s door, did you?”
“Finally, she gets something right,” Mr Kemp replied again with sarcasm, I guess I deserved that one.
I looked at James. “And you know that for sure, how can you be so sure. If you have the slightest idea as to why this is happening or who is doing this, you have to tell me.” I pleaded.
To my disappointment, Mr Kemp answered instead of James. “We can’t tell you anything, that is the problem; you have to figure this out on your own. This college, haunted?” he muttered, amused.
I looked at James. “What is he talking about?”
“Mr Barclay, please remember what we spoke about and agreed to,” Mr Kemp reminded James in a stern voice.
James took hold of my hand, directed me to his chair and knelt beside me. Mr Kemp went back to the door to attempt to fix it. “Mr Kemp is on our side,” he continued.
“Sides? Are we in battle?” I asked sarcastically.
“Not exactly… When he, Mr Kemp, wanted you gone, it was to protect you, so that you didn’t have to go through what you are going through now. He has been right from the beginning.”
He then looked at Mr Kemp with a look that seemed thankful.
“He is a very important man, whose life is beyond belief, and we need him on our side. If we are to be together, we need him.”
I couldn‘t believe what I was hearing. Mr Kemp is the hero of the day? This just keeps getting weirder.
“What did he mean by I need to figure this out on my own? Can’t you help me?”
“That’s not possible. It just doesn’t work that way, I’m sorry.”
“Are you sure you can trust him?” I looked at Mr Kemp who was still working on the door.
“Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but yes, I most definitely trust him, and you have to also.”
“I don’t know — I really don’t think he likes me…” I said unconvinced.
“What he thinks of you is not important, but your safety is.”
“James, I don’t know what you want me to say. This… all of this doesn’t make sense to me. And I am suppose to figure this out like it’s a riddle and you’re the prize,” I said putting the gift I was holding into James’s hand.
He looked down at his hands, then looked at me confused.
“I got you a gift today. That’s why I came here,” I whispered.
James straightened his posture and smiled.
“Are you sure you want to give this to me now?” he questioned me, as he looked at Mr Kemp.
I smiled my answer.
“Alright,” James smiled, opened the pouch and emptied it into his hand. He brought it close and seemed to be overwhelmed. He was both happy and sad at the same time. I felt confused.
“You got this?”
“Yes.”
“Why this?”
“Do you think it is silly?”
“No, not at all… It’s perfect, I am just curious as to why you picked this?”
“A daydream… I…”