Read Dreamwalkers Book One - The Intruder. A Markland Garraway Paranormal Mystery Thriller Page 55

  Chapter 54

 

  Howie Doyle’s flat

  9.57 a.m.

 

 

  Howie rubbed his eyes and blew air through his cheeks.

  “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I think what’s happened to you and I is real. We’ve skipped to parallel worlds,” said James.

  Howie shook his head. His patience was paper thin.

  “Is this some sort of fucking joke you’re playing?” barked Howie.

  “I only wish it was. Listen, I’m as confused as you are. The only difference is that I’ve had about a month to come to terms with what’s supposed to have happened. I didn’t believe it either when it happened to me, and to be honest, I still find it difficult to take on board now.”

  “This is all so very screwed up,” said Han.

  “So what about you. Are you from another parallel world?” asked Howie, directing his question to Han.

  “No, I don’t think so, but to be honest, I’m not entirely sure.”

  Howie stood up, walked to the window and looked at Jodie Standwick’s car parked across his driveway.

  “Do you really expect me to believe this shit? Have you got some kind of Candid Camera thing going on? I’m sorry, but you’re talking bollocks.”

  “I don’t expect you to believe us, at least not right away, but I think you’ll soon find out that things in this world are a little different to things in your world,” said James.

  “My world! MY WORLD! You make it sound as if I’m from Mars.”

  “Well think of things from my perspective. I’ve come from a world where I am married to Helena and live in Exeter. In this world we’re divorced, and I’m stuck living with him,” retorted James, pointing at his father.

  Howie looked around his flat, and couldn’t see any strong evidence that he was in a parallel world. His flat seemed to be pretty much the same as always. Although he couldn’t see the huge pile of Top Gear magazines that were normally stacked against the wall.

  “I bet you can’t find a shred of evidence to back up what you’re saying,” said Howie.

  James and Han looked at one another. Between them, they tried to think of something to prove they weren’t making any of it up. James strolled to the window and looked out across the street. He had no idea what things were like in the world from which Howie had burst. He struggled to think of anything that he could be certain was different here to Howie’s parallel world.

  And then he remembered Howie’s car. He recalled Howie telling him that his car was off the road because the radiator was leaking. Howie was waiting until pay day so he could get the thing fixed. He looked at Howie with a glint in his eye.

  “You told me your car’s been off the road for a while.”

  “For a while? It’s been stuck in the drive for years.”

  “So what would happen if you turned the engine?”

  “Nothing. The battery’s dead and the engine’s seized up.”

  “Do you have the keys?”

  Howie walked to the kitchen and returned with a key.

  “Let’s go outside,” said James.

  Howie followed James to the front garden. Han stood and watched from the hallway. James took the key and opened the car door. Howie hadn’t noticed when he’d glanced at his car from the window, but now he saw how clean it looked. He remembered that the plastic hubcaps were normally covered in a layer of grime and that the tyres needed air.

  James sat in the driver’s seat and placed the key in the ignition. If James was right, even though the car was leaking water and needed a new radiator, the engine should still turn over. He turned the key, and on the first attempt the little red Ford Fiesta’s engine started and happily chugged away.

  “I won’t run it for long. According to Howie in this world, the only thing wrong with this car is that it has a leaking radiator.”

  Fifteen seconds later he shut off the engine, before it had a chance to overheat.

  “Is this some kind of elaborate hoax?” said Howie.

  “No, it’s the proof you wanted that this parallel world thing is actually happening.”

  Howie popped open the hood and inspected the engine. He looked in the boot, which was full of things of which he had no recollection. The Fiesta even smelt good. Normally, a car which had been untouched and not used for years would smell damp and mouldy. He slumped against the side of the car with a look of bewilderment.

  “Let’s go back in. I’ll make us strong coffee. I think we could all do with one,” said Han from the doorway.

 

  The three men sat in silence and sipped their drinks. Eventually Howie spoke.

  “Can I just rewind the clock and check I’ve got this right? You were taken from a parallel world in which you and Helena remain married. You replaced the James who came from this world, and who you presume is now with Helena.”

  James nodded.

  “And ‘the other you’, plus Markland and Jodie are on a mission to find ‘my James’ and bring him home,” added Han

  “I think the proof is in the fact that you’re here with us, which means the Howie from this world must be in yours,” said James.

  Howie’s mind was spinning. In the space of around twenty minutes he’d taken on board so much information he could barely cope.

  “What can we do about it?”

  “We’ve no idea. We’re putting our faith in you and the other two…….. not you, I mean the other you,” said Han, who was getting confused by the strange scenario.

  Howie strolled back to the window, looked at the shiny red car and thought about his clapped out Fiesta he owned.

  “What am I like?”

  “Do you mean ‘what are you like’ in this world?” asked James, knowing exactly what Howie was thinking. It was one of the first things he’d asked when he eventually accepted that he was also from a parallel world.

  “Yeah, what am I like here? Am I doing okay?”

  “You’re doing pretty well. You’ve got an okay job at the school, you’ve got plenty of friends and you’re enjoying the life of a single man…. If you know what I mean,” said James, with a knowing smile.

  Howie thought about his life which wasn’t so great. Each day was the same monotonous routine. He’d racked up so many debts he hadn’t even been able to keep his car on the road. He didn’t go out much, and about the only true friend he had was James.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way of sorting this mess out. Soon you’ll be back in your world, and hopefully James will be back with Helena,” said Han, trying to sound convincing.

  “The thing is Mr Trafford, if what you and James are telling me really is true, I think I’d prefer to stay in your world and take my chances, than return to mine.”