Free Aftermath by Jenna-Lynne Duncan Page B

don’t.
It’s fine. I was just trying to help.”
    “I know you were. You
always are. That’s the problem, ain't it?”
    How right he was.
“Yeah, well I’m going to get suited up. I take it I’ll have the
honor of being Zack’s dive buddy for the inspection on that
ginormous boat on our docks out there?”
    “’fraid so,” he
spoke his classic saying with a little humor.
    I sighed. “Bye, Mr.
Christian.”
    There was only one
locker room, so I took the gear out of my dad’s locker and headed
to the bathroom. I was putting on my wet suit when there was a knock,
no, a pound, on the door.
    “Hurry up.”
    “Yes, Zack.” I only
had so much niceness left in me. I hoped one day I wouldn’t snap,
because it would not be very becoming when it finally came out.
    Zack kept the rest of
our conversations clipped and professional. I was thankful for at
least that. But what was he mad about? I was the one
who tried to do something nice for him so he could have Friday off.
He should be thanking me not blaming me. The only displeasure he
verbalized was a grunt when I said I had to leave for the night.
Apparently, he had to stay and do the paperwork. I didn’t allow
myself to feel bad about it. I had a haunted house to check out.
    I texted Hayden that I
would see him soon, and then started toward downtown. I had passed
the theater countless times in my seventeen years or so of living in
New Orleans but I’d never been inside. I circled the theater on St.
Peter Street a few times before finding a spot in which I didn’t
have to parallel park. After sliding in next to a meter, I cut the
engine. Now what? I inhaled, afraid to think of the answer. I
already knew what I was going to do. Based on the signage, the
building was still used as a theatre and therefore open to the
public. I didn’t know if I should feel relieved or chilled to
discover I could go inside. Relief was what I settled on when I
stepped out of the car. The aroma of food in the air was almost
masking the mold and mud smell left by Katrina .
    I walked around the
terra cotta colored building until I found a set of doors that wasn’t
shuttered. The theatre was two stories; a balcony with identically
shuttered doors was above me. I peeked into the window panel,
resentful that there wasn’t more activity going on inside. Do I
just go in or should I knock? It wasn’t exactly show time, but I
figured if the door was unlocked, it permitted entrance. When I
turned the knob, the creak of the old wood was the only barrier to it
opening.
    Inside, the lobby was
huge and opened up into a courtyard. There were two separate theatres
on either side. I looked in both directions.
    “Hello?” I softly
called out.
    I sucked in a breath
and walked toward the courtyard. Where was everyone? The late
afternoon sun shone through into the courtyard. 1960’s style
tropical wicker furniture scattered the courtyard as did a mix of
flora from palm trees to ferns to carnations. A squawk from a bird
flying overhead broke the silence as did the sound of water trickling
from the fountain. All together, I felt as if I were in utopia. I
spun around, admiring this little piece of paradise in the Quarter. Seriously, where was everyone? My heart pumped at that
realization. A door above slammed from behind me and I turned around
with a jump. I looked up to the second floor balcony, trying to see
if I could see anyone inside the French doors. I was nearly on the
tips of my toes, squinting my eyes and preparing for what could
possibly appear in the windows of those doors, when the sound of
splashing made me turn around again. The frantic splashing came from
the fountain. I swallowed, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I did
not have a good feeling about discovering what was making the noise.
It sounded completely unnatural. I took a few steps toward the
fountain and peered over. My lips quivered open as I let out a gasp.
Inside the fountain was a dozen Koi, swimming wildly about. All I