Read Online The Ferryman by Amy Neftzger - Free Book Online Page B

someone drinks too much alcohol,” Fate explained in a patronizing tone as she swatted Karen lightly on the shoulder.
    “That’s not what I meant,” Karen replied, more curious about the situation than angry with Fate over her remark. “Scott – my last assignment – he never got drunk. Why is this man intoxicated? Do some ghosts have a higher tolerance for alcohol?”
    “It’s not the alcohol that he’s drinking now that’s making him inebriated. Trevor was drunk when he died,” Fate explained.
    “Will he ever sober up?”
    “That’s not your concern. Your job is to move him into the next life.”
    “How do I do that? He can’t think straight.”
    “Well, that could be an advantage!’ Fate said with a smile and vanished like a balloon collapsing when punctured, and the suddenness of Fate’s exit made Karen jump backwards.
    “I hate it when she does that,” Trevor slurred without looking up.
    “Me, too,” Karen agreed as she moved towards the ghost.
    “I hate that bitch,” he continued in the same depressed, garbled tone. He was still looking down and off to the side. Karen studied the pavement that was holding Trevor’s attention, and realized that the image captivating Trevor was in his mind.
    “You know her?” Karen asked, wondering if he actually knew Fate or if she just reminded him of someone else.
    “Everyone runs into that bitch sooner or later,” Trevor responded quietly. Karen took one more step forward, and her shoes filled the space where his eyes had been focused on the ground. He blinked a few times before craning his neck to look up into her face. “You’re not like her, though,” he said after studying Karen’s face. “She makes people do things they don’t want to do.” The wind picked up down the alley, and Karen coughed when she caught another strong fragrance of rotting trash.
    “You don’t think people have a choice?”
    “I have a choice. That’s why I’m still here.” For a drunk who could barely speak, he was making a remarkable amount of sense.
    “How do you know Fate? Have you known her for a long time?”
    “Slow down." His hands flopped in the air in an attempt to instruct her to speak more slowly. “Too many questions makes a man dizzy.”
    “How do you know her?” Karen asked, carefully pronouncing each word.
    “She comes by here every week and tries to get me to take a walk.” His head flopped down to one side and bobbed a few times before coming to rest on his shoulder.
    “She does?”
    “Do I look like I’m lying?” he deadpanned with his chin against his chest. His head leaned to one side and barely moved when he spoke.
    “No,” Karen replied. “In fact, you appear to be quite honest, unlike her. I don’t trust her either.”
    “You’re a very smart lady.”
    Karen looked him over. He had a few cuts and bruises on his head and there was a large bloodstain in his hair near the part.
    “What happened to you?”
    “I died in an accident.”
    Karen felt both relief and concern at his statement. She was relieved that he knew he was dead, but she wondered about the circumstances surrounding the accident.
    “It was her fault,” he continued. Karen’s mind raced. If Fate caused this accident, what could have motivated her to take a life? Was it some sort of retaliation? What could Fate be planning for her? Then she realized that it was possible that Trevor could be talking about something else, so she decided to ask for clarification.
    “The accident?”
    “Yes. Everything. I’m done listening to her.”
    “What did she tell you to do?” Karen asked, speaking slowly.
    “She never told me to do anything. She never does. She makes people do stuff. It’s like people are her puppets.” Karen immediately felt a sense of camaraderie with Trevor. Despite his inebriation, he understood her experience with Fate.
    “Yes,” Karen said, “she does. She’s been trying to bully me, also.”
    “Don’t let her be the boss of you. I think