The SPECTRE Of The VATICAN ©

Chapter 8 - A Day At The Races.

Time: 23 Years Prior.
Location: Sydney, Australia.

Carter was bored now. He thought to himself. It's Monday, what can I do on a Monday? Then he remembered. I'll go to the races. Suddenly he was there. Randwick was crowded. It was Queen's Birthday weekend. A Monday race meeting at Royal Randwick. He loved the races ever since he was a kid. He remembered how he and his mates, Trevor, Malcolm, Mark and David, would often walk home through Centennial Park having dropped their last money including their taxi fare on the favourite in last race. They had been going to just about every Randwick meeting ever since right into adulthood. They told their wives and girlfriends that it was their 'boys will be boys' time. Some, like Layla, didn't like the gambling but they did it anyway.

He smiled to himself. I wonder if Mal and David are here. He was in the bar. David nearly knocked him over as he gestured to the others to follow him to the bookie ring. But his hand and arm had passed right through Carter.

Carter attached himself to Mal as they passed and went with them. It was nearing start time for the Bronte Handicap for mares, David said, "I'm going to put fifty a place on the favourite."

Mal had been quiet all day, "I miss Carter so much."

"Yeah, we all do," chimed in Mark.

Trevor then said something that would change things for Carter forever. He said, "Hey Mal, why don't you ask Carter to tell you the winner? He must know up there."

Then he didn't know why he said this but Mal said, "You know I just might do that. I've had this funny feeling that Carter is here with us."

"Whaaaat? You've seen something?" asked Mark.

"No . . I just know he's here, I felt it back in the bar, and I still feel it now."

"You're feeling yourself alright!" quipped Mark. "He's dead, finito, there's nothing after that, nothing."

Trevor laughed, they all did, but Mal's was half hearted. Trevor said, "Go on Mal, why don't ya. Go over there and sit down and have a chat with Cheval. Shit his name means horse in French surely he can tip us a winner!"

Mal strode over to a vacant bench and left them laughing. Mal spoke softly to himself, "Carter, I don't know if you can hear me or if you are there or not. But if you are, can you show me which horse will win this race? Just this once. I won't bother you again. Just to shut them up. I know they don't mean it, they miss you too, but not as much as I do. No one could miss you as much as I do, except maybe your Mum, and Layla but that's different, a different kind of 'miss.'"

They all came over to him now.

"Anything?" Trevor asked hopefully. Mal just shook his head.

"Let's go look at the horses," suggested David. They all left ~ Carter in tow.

They all sidled up to the fencing around the mounting enclosure. Mal said, half out loud, "Come on Carter, make one of the horses do something unusual so I'll know it's the one you want me to back!"

Carter said, "That one, the one with the lightning bolt on the shoulder of the jockey, and it's Kathy, Mal, Kathy O'Hara, and it's got three names, Falvel On Diva, remember my system?" He was shouting now. But nobody heard . . . least of all Mal. The crowd had begun to cheer loudly.

The horses were starting to go out onto the track. There wasn't much time. Carter thought, please Teacher help me . . . help Mal . . . I'll do anything you say . . . Anything!

Teacher appeared, "The races eh? Very quaint! Go over to Falvel On Diva and attach your light." He did. "Now ask her to whinny, the horse - not the jockey."