Fight 4 Us (Book 10): Ghosts Read online

  FIGHT 4 US

  GHOSTS

  Copyright © 2019 by Brian Grenda

  All rights reserved.

  This book or any portion of this book or the FIGHT 4 US book series may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author and publisher.

  THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION.

  NAMES, CHARACTERS, BUSINESSES, PLACES, PRODUCTS, COMPANIES, EVENTS, SYMBOLS, LOCALES, AND INCIDENTS ARE EITHER THE PRODUCTS OF THE AUTHOR’S IMAGINATION OR USED IN A FICTITIOUS MANNER.

  ANY RESEMBLANCE OF ACTUAL PERSONS, BUSINESSES, LOGOS, SYMBOLS, OR ANYTHING STATED IN THIS BOOK OR THE FIGHT 4 US SERIES IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

  FIGHT 4 US

  GHOSTS

  CHAPTER 1 - I’M NOT

  CHAPTER 2 - AFRAID

  CHAPTER 3 - NO WAY

  CHAPTER 4 - STAY WITH ME

  CHAPTER 5 - I HOPE THIS WORKS

  CHAPTER 6 - WE AREN’T

  CHAPTER 7 - READY

  CHAPTER 8 - IT’S CLASSIFIED

  CHAPTER 9 - GOOD LUCK

  CHAPTER 10 - HANDLE IT

  CHAPTER 11 - I THINK

  CHAPTER 12 - I WON’T HOLD MY BREATH

  CHAPTER 13 - WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

  CHAPTER 14 - I’M SORRY

  CHAPTER 15 - WHY

  CHAPTER 16 - ARE WE

  CHAPTER 17 - IN

  CHAPTER 18 - TROUBLE

  CHAPTER 1

  I’M NOT

  The sound of a shovel picking up dirt and then dropping that dirt onto the ground is heard.

  A cool breeze hits the old oak tree, that is in our cemetery inside Citrus Oaks, and moves the branches and leaves.

  I put the last pile of dirt onto Bobby G’s freshly filled grave.

  Lauren walks towards our makeshift cemetery inside Citrus Oaks and sees me smoothing out Bobby G’s grave that I just dug next to her father’s grave.

  “I’m so sorry honey,” says Lauren with tears in her eyes as she walks over to me.

  I hear Lauren’s sympathetic statement, but I don’t know how to respond.

  The sun starts to set in the sky.

  With my shovel in my right hand I stare down at Bobby G’s grave.

  Lauren walks closer to me and hugs me.

  I drop the shovel out of my right hand and hug Lauren.

  An immense feeling of sadness overcomes me, and I start to cry.

  I close my eyes and try to fight back the tears from coming out of my eyes, but several tears fall down onto my cheeks.

  Lauren wipes the tears away from her eyes and picks up the shovel that I just dropped.

  I wipe away the tears from my eyes and cheeks and just stare at my father’s grave.

  “I just wanted to check on you honey. Do you need anything?” asks Lauren.

  I look at Lauren and answer, “I’m okay. I’ll be home in a little bit.”

  Lauren hands me back my shovel and kisses my right cheek.

  Lauren starts to walk away from me as I stand in our cemetery.

  I turn towards Lauren and say, “Lauren wait a second.”

  Lauren slowly turns around and looks at me.

  I look at Lauren and say, “Before Bobby G died, he told me to tell you that he loves you very much, and that he wanted you to keep me in line.”

  Lauren smiles and a tear falls from her left eye.

  Lauren gives me a half smile and jokes, “I’ll always keep you in line.”

  “I know you will sweetie. I love you,” I reply to Lauren.

  “I love you too honey,” replies Lauren.

  Lauren walks down the street and heads home.

  I smooth out Bobby G’s grave with my shovel and then put my shovel down on the ground.

  I look down at Bobby G’s grave and think of the good times I had with my father. I remember him pitching baseballs to me when I was little, going fishing together, him working in the yard at my childhood home, and several other great childhood memories.

  My sadness starts to fade, and I start to wonder about Bobby G’s decision to leave the community alone.

  “Oh dad, what the fuck were you thinking? Why would you leave here alone?” I ask as I look down at Bobby G’s grave.

  “I’m not going to let this happen again. I’m not going to let you die for nothing,” I say to myself and to Bobby G’s grave.

  “What’s the plan Ryan?” asks a person who is standing behind me.

  I quickly turn around and see Shaun, Phil, Jon, and Matt standing in the street behind me.

  I am partially startled as I see the guys standing behind me, and I have to gather my thoughts.

  “We did a quick search of the area right outside of here, but we didn’t find Chris,” says Shaun to me.

  “Thank you, any idea where he may be?” I ask Shaun.

  Phil answers, “We brought your dad’s SUV back here, and we have an idea where Chris might be.”

  I reply to Phil, “Good, let’s go out first thing in the morning after we have our service for Bobby G tomorrow.”

  “You sure you are up for it Ry?” asks Jon.

  I look at Jon and answer, “Yes, I’m not letting Chris get away with this.”

  “We can handle it though Ry. You should take some time to gather your thoughts and clear your mind,” says Shaun to me.

  “I will after I find Chris,” I respond to Shaun.

  Jon is about to say something to me, but I interrupt him and say, “I need closure with this. I need to know why Chris did this and I’m not going to get over this until I get answers.”

  Shaun asks me, “What time do you want to have Bobby G’s service?”

  “I think ten is good. I’ll be here early tomorrow morning, but I’ll start the service around ten tomorrow morning,” I answer Shaun.

  “Sounds good Ry. We will get everyone here tomorrow morning,” says Phil.

  “Come on Ry, let’s get you home. You have been out here for hours now,” says Shaun to me as he wraps his right arm around my upper back and grabs my right shoulder.

  I walk with Shaun, Matt, Phil, and Jon down the street.

  “Where do you think Chris could be?” I ask the guys as we walk down the street.

  Phil answers, “I’m pretty sure he is in a house in a neighborhood that is pretty close to here.”

  “How do you know?” I ask Phil.

  “There is a car that is parked on the front lawn of a house that is near here and that could be Chris… And that house had a group of zombies around the front door… So something has the attention of those zombies, and it could be Chris,” answers Phil.

  “Yeah, that car definitely looked like it was parked by someone who was driving poorly and erratically,” says Matt.

  “You couldn’t get into the house?” I ask Phil.

  “There were a lot of zombies by the house and around the neighborhood. It wasn’t safe for us to go into the house, sorry Ry,” answers Phil.

  “No, thank you Phil. I appreciate the effort. Thank you, all of you,” I say to Phil and the guys as we walk by Buck’s house.

  “That house is surrounded by zombies, so whoever is in that house isn’t getting out easily,” says Jon.

  “Then we will start there tomorrow after my father’s service,” I say to the guys as I stop walking in my driveway.

  “If you need anything Ry, I’m just across the street,” says Shaun to me.

  “Thank you, Shaun,” I reply to Shaun.

  I exchange handshakes and hugs with Shaun, Phil, Matt, and Jon.

  “My father loved all of you,” I say to the guys.

  “Except Shaun,” jokes Jon.

  I laugh, and so do the guys at Jon’s joke.

  “But seriously
, Bobby G loved you and always asked about you guys when I talked with him on the phone. He knew most of you guys since we were little, and he loved you all.”

  “It definitely sucks Ry, I know how hard it was losing my dad,” says Matt.

  “Me too, I wish I was able to save my parents,” says Shaun.

  “Losing my parents was tough and I’m not going to lose any of you guys or Kelly,” says Jon.

  “Going forward, no one leaves this place alone. I don’t care how small the reason is, no one leaves alone,” I say to the guys.

  “I agree,” says Phil.

  I say goodbye to the guys and the guys walk back to their homes.

  I start to walk up my driveway and towards my front door, but I stop walking next to my car that is in my driveway.

  I walk towards my garage door and keep walking towards Bobby G’s driveway.

  I see Bobby G’s SUV parked inside his garage, and I just stare at Bobby G’s old SUV.

  I grab the garage door handle and close the garage.

  I enter Bobby G’s house through the front door, and I stand in silence in Bobby G’s house.

  I open the sliding glass door and enter the back covered patio.

  I sit in a patio chair and see an ashtray full of cigarette butts.

  I look at the overflowing ashtray and say, “I thought those cancer sticks would be what killed you.”

  I sit back in my patio chair and look at the empty chair that Bobby G usually sat in.

  “How is Ryan holding up?” asks Lisa to Shaun as Shaun enters his kitchen.

  Shaun opens his refrigerator and answers Lisa, “As well as can be expected. I’m not sure what stage of the grieving process he is in.”

  “It takes time. I’m not really sure you truly get over losing a loved one,” says Lisa.

  Shaun grabs a beer from his refrigerator and says, “I know I’m not over losing my parents.”

  “I just hope that is the last person we lose around here,” says Lisa to Shaun.

  Phil walks into his living room and sees Nicole playing with Mia and Mason on a blanket in the center of their living room floor.

  Mia rolls on to her back and looks at Nicole.

  “Oh man, they are rolling now,” says Phil to Nicole as he walks over to Nicole and the babies.

  “Well Mia is. Mason is a little behind Mia right now,” answers Nicole.

  Phil kisses Nicole.

  “Girls do develop faster than boys,” says Phil as he looks at a smiling Mia.

  “How’s Ryan doing?” asks Nicole to Phil.

  Phil answers, “He’s holding up, but I know he’s hurting.”

  “We have to help him through this. Ryan is a great guy, and he didn’t deserve this. His father didn’t deserve this,” says Nicole.

  Phil sits on the sofa and says, “I will help Ryan for sure, I will always be there for Ryan and our group.”

  “Did you lose your parents?” asks Nicole.

  Phil looks at Nicole and answers, “Yes, I lost them before all this zombie crap. My mom had cancer, and my father was killed by a guy who stole his car.”

  “I’m so sorry Phil. I didn’t know that,” replies Nicole.

  Nicole feels bad for asking about Phil’s parents.

  Mia lets out a playful scream as she kicks her feet.

  Phil jokes, “That’s right Mia, how dare your mom ask about my parents.”

  Nicole looks at Phil with a mournful look on her face.

  Phil sits down next to Nicole on the living room floor and says, “It’s okay koala bear. It happened a long time ago, and I know you were just asking about them.”

  Nicole replies, “I’m sorry though. No person should suffer like that.”

  Phil responds, “Losing my parents was tough, but it made me who I am today and made me become a cop.”

  Mason stares at Phil and Nicole sees Mason smile at Phil.

  “Well, I know I am really happy you are here with us and I think these two are as well,” says Nicole to Phil.

  Phil smiles and replies, “Yeah, I’m happy to be around these two great babies.”

  Nicole asks, “And what about me?”

  “I don’t know. What about you?” jokes Phil.

  Nicole gives Phil a flirtatious smile.

  “I’m just messing around. You are the best thing to ever happen to me,” says Phil as he looks into Nicole’s hazel eyes.

  “I’m glad you checked on Ryan,” says Kelly to Jon as Jon and Kelly stand in their kitchen.

  “Me too. I have known Ryan and his dad since we were little kids,” replies Jon.

  “I still can’t believe that your parents are gone,” says Kelly to Jon.

  “I know, it doesn’t seem real at times. This whole zombie apocalypse shit doesn’t seem real. Losing people like this feels like we are trapped in some crazy dream,” replies Jon.

  “I wish this was all a dream, and I would wake up in our bed back home,” says Kelly.

  “I wish this was over and these freaking zombies would just go away,” says Jon.

  “One day they will all be gone. One way or another I guess,” responds Kelly to Jon.

  “I don’t want you going out alone,” says Matt to Ann and Kylie as they stand in Matt’s living room.

  “I don’t want to lose any more people from here,” says Matt to Ann and Kylie.

  “How did Ryan’s father die?” asks Ann.

  “He was killed by Chris outside of the neighborhood,” answers Matt.

  “That’s terrible,” replies Ann.

  “The guy that used to live in here Chris?” asks Kylie to Matt.

  “Yeah, that same asshole. Ryan cut him several breaks, and then he turns around and kills Bobby G. What a fucking world we live in now,” answers Matt.

  Kylie and Ann can tell that Matt is worked up and anxious.

  “What is the plan going forward now?” asks Kylie to Matt.

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you and this community. I’m going to help protect this place,” answers Matt.

  I enter my house and close my front door.

  Milo runs over and greets me.

  I pick Milo up and say, “Hey belly boy.”

  Milo starts to purr.

  Fran and Lauren walk over to me as I stand in the foyer of my house.

  I put Milo down on the area rug that is in our foyer and he runs over to his food bowl.

  “I’m sorry Ryan. Your father was a great guy,” says Fran before she gives me a hug.

  “Thank you, Fran. He was a pain in the ass, but I loved him very much,” I jokingly reply to Fran.

  “We were just finishing up dinner. It should be ready in a couple minutes,” says Lauren.

  “Great, thank you sweetie,” I reply to Lauren.

  Lauren and Fran go back into our kitchen, and I walk into my man cave.

  I see my black yoga mat still sitting in the center of my man cave and I roll up the mat and put it away.

  I see a picture hanging on my wall from a golf trip that my dad, Shaun, Matt, and myself went on.

  I smile as I look at the picture and laugh at the sight of Matt’s pink golf pants.

  I walk up to a shelf and grab a small wooden box that has several Chinese symbols on the top of the box.

  I sit down in a chair and open the small wooden box.

  I remove the contents of the small wooden box piece by piece. The small wooden box has several different things in it. I find some pieces that are for cleaning my katana and place them on a table.

  I reach back into the small wooden box and grab a small usb flash drive that is in the shape of a dragon. I open up my laptop and insert the small usb flash drive.

  As the usb flash drive is connecting to my laptop I see a picture inside the small wooden box.

  I grab the picture and look at it.

  I look closer at the picture and start to feel upset as I see who is in the picture.

  The picture is of me, my martial arts sensei Master Phu, several
members of my martial arts class, and my father.

  I remember the day that picture was taken and start to think about that day.

  My father was driving me to my martial arts class, as I couldn’t drive yet, and it was a rainy day.

  I was getting my black belt in jiu-jitsu that day and it was a big deal.

  “You sure you can’t come in?” I ask Bobby G as Bobby G parks his car in front of the martial arts dojo.

  “I can’t today son I’m sorry,” answers Bobby G.

  I remember being so mad that he wasn’t coming in for the class.

  I slammed the car door shut and ran into the dojo to avoid getting hit by the rain.

  My sensei, Master Phu, was a tough no nonsense middle aged Asian American man who blended a lot of mixed martial arts into his teaching. I learned a lot of different skills from different martial arts such as Tai Chi, Kung-Fu, Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, Muay Tai, and Tae Kwon Do.

  I studied several martial arts under Master Phu, but started with Jiu-Jitsu when I was a little kid.

  The class ended and I was getting my black belt in Jiu-Jitsu with my friend Jimmy.

  Master Phu could see that something was bothering me the entire class and pulled me aside before the belt ceremony.

  “What’s wrong Ryan?” asks Master Phu.

  “Nothing sensei,” I answer Master Phu.

  “Don’t lie to me, I can see it in your face,” replies Master Phu.

  “I just wish my father was here to see me get my black belt today,” I answer Master Phu.

  “You have worked very hard on getting this belt today. You should be happy,” responds Master Phu.

  “I am happy to be getting my belt today,” I say to Master Phu.

  “Ryan, people will always let you down. No matter if it’s your father, your mother, or your friends. The more people you have in your life the better chance they will let you down,” says Master Phu to me.

  “Yes sensei,” I reply to Master Phu.

  “Your father will always be with you even when he’s not in the same room as you,” says Master Phu.

  “But the people who show up for you when you need them, are the people you know you can trust,” says Master Phu to me before he turns me to face a person who is recording our conversation.

  I look at the person that Master Phu turned me towards, and I see my father recording us with his phone.