The Somnibus: Book I - Finding the Mark (A Paranormal Thriller) Read Free

soon.
    “Hello.”
    “Hi, Michael. It’s ….”
    “I know who it is,” I interrupted. “Well, what’s
left?”
    “I think you’re going to be surprised. It’s not
final yet, but after the note is paid off, and the fees are cleared away….”
    “Of course, the fees,” I again interrupted.
    He cleared his throat before continuing. “As I was
saying, after everything is paid off, you should get a check for around
$400,000.”
    I waited for him to correct himself. The house
appraised at $350,000 last year and had a remaining mortgage of $50,000 on the
property.
    “Are you there?”
    “Ummm yeah. How much?”
    “I thought you’d be shocked. It appears as though
the buyer wasn’t interested in the lowest price. When the bidding opened at
$75,000, a hand went up immediately. The offer was for $450,000. Well, needless
to say, that was the fastest auction I have ever attended. No other offers were
made.”
    My attitude toward Barnes and the situation took
an abrupt turn for the better.
    “Who was it?”
    “A pleasant gentleman, Mort
Bell. He’s been a long-time
customer at the bank, kind of a quiet person. He’ll be coming by the house
tomorrow and wondered if he could meet you.”
    “For $400,000, I’ll take him to dinner and hold
his hand, maybe more.”
    He laughed on the other end of the line. “Well, I
don’t think that’ll be necessary, but I’ll let him know you’d be happy to meet
him tomorrow. Is two o’clock okay?”
    “That’s fine. It’s not like I have to work or
anything.”
    “Okay, I’ll let Mr. Bell know you’ll be there. I’m
glad it worked out. Truly, your parents were good people.”
    I hesitated for a moment before answering.
    “Thanks. I know I’ve been a bit of a prick through
this, but I hope you understand, it’s the situation, not you. It’s nothing
personal.”
    “No problem, Michael. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Sounds good.”
    I had no idea what I would do with the money, but
the urgency of the job search was gone and I still needed to find an apartment.
I spent the rest of the afternoon scrolling through the classifieds, searching
the next higher price range, but nothing too expensive. A few places were
available, so I called and made an appointment for the next morning.
    I drove back home. The house now belonged to
someone else, and I felt like a trespasser.

-Chapter 4-
     
    B arnes left plenty of food in the fridge after the
auction. Cheese and cracker trays were stacked in the mostly-empty space, while
the other section held ice-cold bottles of Bud Light. I didn’t drink often, but
that night it seemed only appropriate. It was a bittersweet moment: I had an
answer for my immediate financial situation, but it had come because of the
death of my parents.
    I emptied several bottles in celebration of my new
financial position, and with the hopes of drowning some of my sorrow. It wouldn’t
be enough money to live on forever, but it would certainly hold me afloat for a
while.
    After the fifth empty bottle found the recycling
bin, the celebration ended. My mind’s eye flashed happy memories of my
childhood. 
    I pictured myself playing on the tire swing out
back, and Dad doing yard work while Mom pushed me. It was never high enough.
    “Higher, Mommy!” I would shout while the wind raked through my
hair.
    She would say that I nearly touched the sky. As a
child, I thought I did touch it, at least once.
    My mind broke free from the memory, but so did the
tears. The recollection of my childhood, mixed with alcohol, overwhelmed me. My
emotional see saw deposited two more bottles in the recycling bin before I’d
decided I’d had enough.
    My feet carried me awkwardly up the stairs to my
bedroom. Sliding open the drawer to my nightstand, I pulled out Mom’s stone,
and held it tightly in my palm as I bounced my way from wall to wall back
downstairs. I cried all the tears I had and passed out in the recliner, stone
in hand.
    I woke in the middle of the night with