Google Ghosts - A Cyber Psychic Serial by Tony Baksa - Episode 6 - Artie, Bob and Jill

                                          EPISODE 6 - Artie, Bob & Jill
                              
              

Artie slowly regained his faculties. As he began to visually focus, he could see all manner of shapes and horizons, movement, colors - so many colors. He heard vibrations and a sort of music - bells, chimes, horns, tinkling sounds. It was all so pleasant - like a summer breeze - like a cooling off - like a beautiful rest. It was heaven.
                                            

Artie also became aware that he was much taller and larger and darker. He hadn't happened upon his refection as yet but he could see from looking down at himself that he no longer seemed to look as he did before he was absorbed by Bob. In fact he was certain he looked like Bob. He felt like he looked like Bob.

Artie desperately searched for something where he could verify his likeness - that  would capture his image - to reflect back at him. It was a feeling. He somehow knew he was Bob. Artie was Bob. Suddenly he didn't need validation. He was Bob. Artie was Bob - big dark and fearless AND aching to get on with it. Artie/Bob was now fiercely motivated to get to the bottom of it all. What had been happening to him. He felt ever so confident that he would know. Artie/Bob would know by the end of the day - or whatever was day in here - all would be revealed - he would uncover the meaning of all this. Artie was never more certain of anything in his entire life. Boy did he feel good!

So Artie/Bob continued moving - moving forward. To keep moving was the plan. He was bound to come upon someone or a revelation, an explanation, a reason - meaning. Artie/Bob was never more determined. He was also rather determined to put an end to thinking of himself as Artie/Bob. So it was that he would remain Artie.  After all Bob was no one. Well, that is not true. Bob was someone very important. Bob was Artie. Artie knew this instinctively. What he didn't know was why this was so. But, strangely, it didn't bother him one bit. He didn't care why. His new confidence gave him understanding. Artie understood that he would know why in time. It was more important to forge on and solve this mystery - his mystery.

Artie thought:
Where are my parents?
Where's Norma?
Where's Clifford?
Why is Gregory such a monster?
And what about Jill? He hadn't even made contact with her.
                                  

      
Jill was in some ways the saddest story of all. She seemed to be born into the wrong family. Vulgar and borderline criminal, her family was shunned by everyone in West Hills where Artie and Jill grew up. Artie befriended Jill in 2nd grade and their friendship never ceased. It only grew stronger over the years. Nothing could stop their runaway train. They were soul mates forever. Artie's friends couldn't understand the attraction. She was shy, a bit morbid and just not
like them. But the chemistry between the two of them was unexplainable. As the years rolled by, Jill became a given with Artie's crowd. She was accepted into the fold although not completely welcomed. Jill was invited to all parties and events that Artie attended. His friends knew they just had to include her. So they did. Not begrudgingly, quite - just a matter of course. Artie's coming so, of course, Jill must come too. Case closed. Mercifully, Jill in her sweet naivety, never felt like she was along for the ride. Jill, sweet soul that she was, felt liked even loved by Artie's crowd. So what did it matter in the long run. Jill, for all intents and purposes, was part of the in crowd. Artie's crowd.

Now, it must be understood. Artie and Jill were not a romance. Never. Again, it was unexplainable their bond. They were like brother and sister. Artie being the big brother protector even though they were the same age.  People sensed this and therefore left Jill alone. Jill was never bullied or badly teased once she fell under Artie's wing. Her family was as bewildered over the relationship as was Artie's family and friends. As for Artie, he was totally unaware of everyone's concern. Jill was his friend - his best friend and that was that. Even sister Norma was okay with Artie's other "sister". Norma, five years older than Artie had her own world with friends and interests vastly different from her younger brother. This did not mean that Artie and Norma were strangers. To the contrary - the siblings were close. The fact is, Artie's relationships were exemplary. His friends adored him. His parents adored him. His sister likewise and Jill, of course. Everyone loved Artie and why not. Artie was and is a very likable guy. In fact, Artie was perfect - the golden boy - friends galore and no enemies.

As Jill and Artie matured, they stayed connected. Both away at separate colleges but always in touch with letters and phone calls and when they could - weekend reunions scattered throughout the school years. After college they both secured jobs at the same company in New York City. . Jill had blossomed into quite the sophisticate and not a trace of "wrong side of the tracks" could be detected. She soon married the nicest guy - a dead ringer for Artie. A year later Jill was pregnant. Ten months later she was mourning the lose of her baby son, Arthur. It was too sad for words. Yet, Jill, ever the optimist became pregnant again seven months later. Thirteen months later Jill and her husband, Frank, found themselves burying their second child, Robert. This was sadder than sad. This tragedy was soon followed by a monumental disaster. Jill's husband was murdered in a freak incident. He was sharing a cab with a total stranger - a man who suggested they share due to a seeming scarcity of cabs to be had. Not an unusual practice - people did it all the time. Jill's husband agreed. The man sharing Jill's husband's cab held up the cab driver and Frank taking his well stocked wallet, Omega watch and diamond encrusted wedding band. Almost as an afterthought, he turned around as he was leaving the taxi and shot the cabbie in the head - Frank, too - in the head - killing then both.

The murdering thief was never found.

Jill - poor poor Jill had much to grieve about and grieve she did. Artie, of course, was there for her and that helped considerably. Just as Jill was coming to the end of her grief several years later, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Soon she was dead.

Artie was devastated. It was just too too much. "My dear Jill" he thought, "why were you even here? What was the purpose of your existence - a life that never seemed to take off. What good was potential. Why fall in love. Why bother with any of it."

Yes, Jill's story was the saddest of all.

Artie realized that Jill was who he needed to find. He had this gut feeling that bordered on certainty that Jill possessed all the answers. Jill would have answers to all the whys. How did Artie know this? He just knew. As he knew he was Bob he knew Jill was his savior.

Artie needed to find Jill!