Erasing: Shadows (The Erasing Series) (6 page)

The friends spent twenty more minutes getting the smells and feel of the McArthur study, where they were to meet. There was even stickiness to the wallpaper in the hallway. Mira could smell the embers from the winter fires. She ran her hands along the wallpaper. She even spun in the roll top desk chair.

A question popped up. “I feel confident about coming here, but how on earth will we all show up at the same time?” she asked.

Neither Michael nor Jonathan answered. They turned instinctively to Ed.

“Simpler than you think,” said Ed. “Just make sure not to overcomplicate it.” He looked at Michael when he said this. “Right before you go to bed, tell yourself both out loud and in your mind three times: I am going to meet the gang at 2:00 a.m., unless you guys want a different time?” he added.

“No, 2:00 a.m. is good,” said several of them at once. It seemed to be the time they always met, even in the old days. Not too early, not too late. Close enough to morning light if things went too long.

“Besides,” added Michael, “you’ve already placed that time in our minds. To change it at this point wouldn’t be prudent. There might be mix-ups.”

Michael wondered if it was a coincidence that Ed had chosen 2:00 a.m. or if Jon had told him. Who knows who Jon had been working with on this stuff?

“Good thinking, Michael!” said Ed. “You’ll be advanced in no time!”

Michael looked at all ninety pounds of this kid and wanted to punch him in the face.

“Any last questions?” asked Jonathan.

Everyone remained silent except Mira who shifted the conversation with, “I have to be getting back . Paul is already going to kill me because I’m late for chores. See you guys tonight! This is going to be great!”

Jonathan, Onie, and Ed, who had not heard about Paul from the night before looked down at the ground. Mira, already on her way, didn’t notice. As the screen door slammed, Michael couldn’t resist shouting, “Mira!” She turned around on the old porch.

“If you get lost, remember the gravel!”

Mira flashed him a smile. “Sure thing, Michael,” she said, almost shyly.

The group gathered around after she left. Jonathan spoke in no uncertain terms. “Ross place in one hour!”

He didn’t say it, but everyone understood he meant the real world, although an identical version of the Ross place was certain to be here. No one had checked that out yet.

“Good gosh, Jon,” said Onie. “We do have lives too. I need to check on the kids, and others probably have some things to attend to.”

“I’m sorry,” said Jonathan. “You’re right. And we appreciate all you’re doing. Is three hours enough? We have to have enough time to get some sleep tonight too, before we meet Mira at 2:00 a.m.”

Everyone agreed that three hours was enough.

“What about Ed?” Michael asked. “Is he in the real world too?”

“Yep,” said Ed, and he was out the door.

“Well does he even know how to find the house?” asked Michael.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Jonathan. “He’ll find it.”

“I still don’t like that kid,” said Trina.

Chapter Six

The Real Ed

As the first one home to the real world, Michael was greeted by hugs from everyone except his mother, who was more than a bit irritated that he had been gone so long. He couldn’t blame her. It had been shocking to him when he first came back, and Mira was no longer in the bedroom with him. The fact that Mira had somehow managed to manifest her whole body in the other world scared the daylights out of him. No wonder his mother was upset too.

“Mom,” said Michael, once he was away from the kids, “it’s all about getting Mira back.”

“I know,” said his mother. “It’s already been a whole day in real-time. I just worry.”

“I know you do, Mom,” he said and kissed her on the cheek.

As usual, Morgan was hanging out nearby and had heard the conversation. “Dad, have you lost Mom, still!” she said it as if it were a joke.

Madison rapped her on the top of her head. “It’s not funny!” she exclaimed.

“No it’s not,” said Michael with a stern look. He had been through too much today.

“Sorry, Dad,” said Morgan and hopped away to another room.

“Mom,” said Michael, “a large group of our old friends and one new one are coming here tonight for a meeting about all this. We’ll be in my study. Can you keep the kids occupied upstairs?”

“Of course, dear,” said Mrs. Ross. “I’ll make some sandwiches too. You never know when you kids will be starving.” Michael was grateful for his mother again. She still referred to his friends as kids even though they were grown now. She had known most of them all their lives. It was a tight group. Mrs. Ross had thrown more than one late night sandwich party for them when they were younger.

“Thanks so much, Mom,” said Michael. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Starve, likely.”

“By the way, how was Brandon?” asked Michael.

“We had a minute of translucence this afternoon, honey, but he turned back solid after only a few seconds,” said Mrs. Ross.

“Oh, damn.” Michael’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. “I’m so worried about Mira, I don’t even have a clue about the problem with Brandon. He can’t disappear again. He just can’t!”

“Honey, you’re overwrought with all this stress. You leave Brandon to me. He’ll be fine.” Mrs. Ross patted Michael’s arm and stroked his head as she used to do when he was a child.

“Are you sure, Mom?”

“I’m sure,” said Mrs. Ross. “You just concentrate on poor Mira.”

Michael knew not to question his mother when she was like this, and he had utmost faith in her. Still, how in the world had a three-year-old managed full-body travel to the other world? Was someone trying to take him? He banished that thought from his mind. He must trust in his mother. She always knew more than she let on, but he never pressed her about it. Somehow, when the High Five Gang was younger, she had always known what they needed and when, or she had shown up at just the right time.

However, he was left wondering if the exercises this afternoon in the other world had somehow caused that moment of translucence. Well, he might never know, and now he had to take a shower, spend some time with the kids, and get ready for the meeting.

***

Exactly three hours later, Trina showed up with Lu, Zac, and Onie in tow.

“How are the kids?” asked Michael, trying to care but asking more to be polite.

“Curious as to what we’re doing,” answered Onie, “but good.”

“Mine too,” said Michael.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Jonathan tumbled in.

“Did Mom make sandwiches?” Jonathan pointed to his stomach and wore a pained expression on his face as if he hadn’t eaten for days.

“Do you really have to ask?” answered Michael. “They’re in the office. Head on in. I’ll wait for Ed.”

“Oh, I’ll wait with you, here,” said Jonathan, feigning nonchalance.

“Well, you don’t have to ask me twice,” said Zac, already inside and halfway into a mouthful.

After Zac went in, Jonathan quietly closed the office door, leaving himself and Michael in the hallway to await Ed.

Trina looked up from inside the study. “Uh oh,” she said. “Brother talk.”

Michael looked at his brother, eyebrows cocked. It wasn’t like Jonathan to change the plan without telling him, and now he had no idea what he was up to.

“I want to tell you what’s happening,” said Jonathan, but just then, the doorbell rang.

Michael went to open it.

“Wait—” shouted Jonathan, but it was too late.

In sauntered Stu.

Michael turned and looked at his brother and instantly knew what had happened. “I’ll never trust you again.”

He shook his head with resignation. Walking into the office, Michael sat down in the chair at the ancient roll-top desk that had been in his family for generations. The others saw the expression on his face, and silence filled the room. Levity turned to apprehension.

Lu broke the silence. “What’s wrong, Michael.”

Michael just gestured toward the outer room with a stormy look on his face.

Jonathan walked in followed by Stu.

“Stu!” Trina exclaimed. His mere presence brought her to her feet.

“Before everyone has a cow,” said Jonathan, looking at Michael and Trina, “let us explain.”

“What is there to explain?” argued Michael. “You changed the plan without telling anyone, you brought in an outsider—one which you knew I don’t trust by the way—and now we’re stuck.”

Jonathan answered tersely, “Hey! This isn’t just about you and your ego. Let me explain.”

“Hey, nice to be here, too,” said Stu, trying to keep it light.

“Where’s Ed?” asked Zac. Onie elbowed him in the ribs.

It was true though
, thought Michael.
Half the group knew what was going on, and half didn’t. The ones who had kept up on their studies knew Stu had masked himself as Ed. The others were still wondering why Stu was even here and why Ed hadn’t shown up yet.

Jonathan quickly explained the mechanics of masking to the group and sorted the confusion out so he could get to the important part. “Michael, nothing against you, but I went to Stu as soon as I realized this was affecting the real world. This is not a situation for our ‘gang’ to just play around with. As serious as Mira and Brandon’s predicaments are, I’m sure we can solve them. But if we screw something up in the real world, we are going to be in too deep. That’s why I brought in Stu. I know some of you don’t trust him. I know he can be arrogant and—”

“Hey!” said Stu.

Jonathan ignored him. “—full of himself at times, but Stu and I have become good friends over the past few years and I would trust him with my life—and have—on several occasions. I am asking you to give him the benefit of the doubt for me. I know him, and he wants to help.”

The group looked at each other. What could be said after that speech?

“Okay, have it your way. What’s next? We don’t really have any choice now anyway.” Michael turned away. His words didn’t match his body language.

“Yeah,” said Trina. “I understand what we’re doing, but I don’t understand how it’s going to solve the problem.”

“Not to mention what happened to Brandon,” said Lu.

As if on cue, Mrs. Ross knocked on the study door and had Brandon in her arms. “Brandon wants to say goodnight.”

Seeing Brandon brought the reality of what the gang was trying to do back to the entire group. Michael felt chagrined. He picked up Brandon and kissed him goodnight, then handed him back to his mother.

“No,” said his mother, “Brandon wants to say goodnight to all of you.” She held him out going around the circle one by one.

Brandon pushed his baby hand out and touched each person on the face saying, “Goodnight!”

When he got to Stu, he said, “Goodnight Stu!”

Michael and Jonathan exchanged glances.

When Mrs. Ross was done, she left the gang with a “You kids behave,” and closed the door to the study again.

Properly chastised, the gang, including Stu, began to relax.

Trina sprawled across the loveseat. Lu sat on the arm.

“Sandwich anyone?” offered Zac, who was sitting on the floor, face level with the coffee table full of sandwiches. Stu looked at Michael who nodded. Stu took a sandwich.

“When we’re done tonight, which shouldn’t be long as we all need some sleep before this next undertaking, Stu, can you stay behind a minute? Michael and I need to talk to you,” said Jonathan.

“Sure,” said Stu, “as long as this doesn’t come to blows.”

“Ever start feeling like a sidekick?” quipped Zac to no one in particular.

“That’s not true,” said Michael. “Everyone here is invaluable.”

“Now, tonight at the McArthur house in the astral,” Jonathan continued, “I think it best that we keep it short and sweet. Don’t try to do anything fancy. Let’s just meet then go home. That will be interesting enough for Mira, and then we can plan the next step.”

“What if something unexpected happens?” asked Lu.

“And remember,” said Michael, almost at the same time. “If something happens, go to the hayfields behind Mira’s home ‘there,’ and we’ll find you. And everyone,” he pleaded, “keep Mira in your thoughts.”

After a few more logistics and sandwiches, everyone admitted they were bushed, and the rest of the High Five Gang left for home. Stu, Michael, and Jonathan were abandoned in the study. Michael got right to the point.

“How did Brandon know your name, Stu? He’s never met you.” Michael saw that Jonathan looked interested in the answer. He obviously had no clue either.

Stu looked at Jonathan, then Michael. “If I tell you everything, you can’t get upset. Everything I’ve done has been correct.”

Michael looked down. Jonathan said, “Just tell us. We have to all be on the same page to move forward.”

“For someone who brought in ‘Ed’ I find that amusing.” Michael glared at Jonathan.

Jonathan responded, “Michael! Move forward. We are all on the same team!”

“Sorry,” said Michael, feeling only slightly like a curmudgeon.

“Well,” said Stu, his face red, “I’m sorry to have been part of such turmoil, but while everyone has been off living their lives, I kept up my studies of traveling and the laws and rules of the astral realm. It’s really all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“Hence no girlfriend,” joked Jonathan.

Almost succeeded in lightening the mood
, thought Stu.

Michael grabbed a sandwich off the platter. It was going to be a long night.

“So, I kinda know when things get disrupted sometimes. It’s like a day with a normal breeze against your skin, and then one day, the wind picks up with too much force. I don’t know really how to describe it.” Stu looked down, embarrassed. “It’s kind of a ‘feel’ thing.”

However, Michael did understand; he had his own experiences. And the Stu he remembered would have been more articulate. This whole thing wasn’t usual, though. “No, I kind of know what you mean, Stu.” Stu looked up. This was the first time Michael had addressed him as an equal.

“I feel Mira at times in my heart area. I get impressions of what’s happening, good or bad, so I guess if you expanded that and practiced you could probably sense a larger area.”