Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 (11 page)

“Spill it.” Nikki narrowed her eyes and stared at the two
of them.

Simon pointed at Naomi. “Hey, she was there too.”

Nikki rolled her eyes. “Really?”

“Come on, you guys,” Henry said. “We still have a
decision to make and it sounds like you know something we don’t.”

Jamie leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
“Well, first we got curious. You know, just some research.”

“We just went on the internet,” Simon said.

“Not literally, I hope,” Nikki said, remembering Simon
recently managing to get himself not only on
YouTube
but onto news
stations as well.

“Nothing like that,” Simon assured them.

“Yeah, we were just seeing what we could dig up,” Jamie
said. “I’m guessing we didn’t learn much you didn’t already know. Just that
Rose came from a rich family, that both of her parents died when their car got
hit by a truck one night.”

“She was only seven when it happened,” Naomi said, her
voice soft. “It’s just so sad.”

“It was really sad,” Nikki said. “Sorry to say, it’s way
more sad now.”

“That’s kind of what we figured,” Jamie said. “We wanted
to try and help you guys but we didn’t know how.”

“Then we got an idea,” Simon said. “Remember Julie?”

“The psychic?” Henry said.

Jamie nodded. “Yeah, her.”

Suddenly, it seemed so long ago that they’d learned that
their old friend, Curtis—who was now living on Earth again as Ian—was supposed
to die unexpectedly. They’d decided to do everything possible to prevent that
from happening. One of the things they’d tried was contacting Julie, a psychic
Ian had met and who’d experienced a vision of the moment he was going to die.
Part of Nikki still felt mad at Julie for not trying to help them at first.
Still, Julie had fought back her own fears in the end and tried to get
involved. She’d even warned Ian and Nikki knew she couldn’t be blamed for him
dismissing that warning.

“What does Julie have to do with any of this?” Nikki
said.

“We went to see her,” Jamie said. “You know, just to see
if she could maybe tap into things.”

“And she definitely did,” Naomi added, somewhat reluctantly
it seemed.

Nikki perched forward in her chair. “Wait, how could
you... I’m sorry, this might sound kind of crappy. But how could you possibly
talk to her without Henry?”

It appeared that Jamie couldn’t help himself, since a
grin spread across his face. “I emerged. Holding a sign. Can’t believe I never
thought of it before. It’s so freaking obvious!”

Henry’s eyes widened. “That’s brilliant. Like, you wrote
something on a piece of cardboard?”

Jamie shrugged. “Pad of paper, but yeah! Still can’t
believe it took me that long to think of it. I mean, if someone on the other
side can see me, then they’re also probably going to see what I’m holding. A
psychic, for sure.”

“I told you to try that like twenty years ago,” Nikki
said, willing herself to keep a straight face.

As expected, Jamie took the bait. “Oh, my God! You
totally never, not even once, mentioned that being—”

Nikki burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it, seeing
his eyes bugging out at her that way.

Henry lost it too, then reached over to bump her fist.
“Nice,” he said, before turning back to Jamie. “So, what did your sign say?”

Jamie shot a dirty look at Nikki before continuing.
“Well, it was just an idea so I thought I should keep it simple. I mean, just
because I wrote something on a piece of paper didn’t guarantee anyone would be
able to see it.”

“Plus, he has truly terrible handwriting,”  Naomi added.

“And there’s that,” Jamie said. “I kept it to this: ‘Rose
Boland. We need your help.’”

“Okay, cool,” Nikki said. “So, what happened?”

“Julie got that we were there and she talked to us. She
definitely knew you guys weren’t with us and she even gave a pretty good
description of Naomi and Simon. And she could hear us too. I think the sign
thing just opened the door a little faster.”

“She didn’t get that I was from the UK, though,” Simon
said. “For some reason, she thought I was an American.”

“Sorry, Simon,” Naomi said.

“Thanks, Naomi. Nothing against you guys but I hope I’m
not getting an accent.”

Jamie stared at Simon. “You’re the one who
has
an
accent.”

“You don’t like our accent?” Naomi said.

“You have a very nice accent, Naomi,” Simon said. “I
didn’t mean anything bad by that.”

“Anyway,” Jamie said, “Julie sort of talked to us for a
while, then she totally did her thing. She went all trancy-wancy.”

Naomi giggled. “Trancy-wancy. I like that. It’s cute.”

Nikki frowned. “Um, guys?”

“Well, here’s the thing,” Jamie said. “Julie did a
reading and at one point she got pretty freaked out. She started pacing around
the room and shaking her head and I thought she was going to bail entirely.”

“She might have tapped into Rose’s situation,” Henry
said.

Nikki nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking too.”

Jamie looked at Henry, then Nikki. “Remember that thing
she does where somehow she can contact people like us? People between lives, I
mean.”

Nikki thought back to when they’d watched Julie give a
reading, thinking at first Julie hadn’t even known they were there. They’d been
wrong about that. Julie had become totally aware of their presence. But even
more impressive was how Julie had quickly determined that her client—the
middle-aged woman who’d come to  see her—had unfinished business with her
mother who’d recently passed away. The woman sitting across from Julie hadn’t
even mentioned being concerned about her mother. Somehow, Julie knew anyways
and it wasn’t long before she’d established contact with this other woman no
longer living in the physical realm. It was one of the more amazing things
Nikki had seen, and that was saying a lot, all things considered.

“I remember,” Nikki said.

Jamie hesitated for just a moment, then said, “She made
contact with Rose’s parents.”

Nikki felt like she’d been hit with a bucket of cold
water. Her pulse suddenly kicked into overdrive. “What?”

Henry stared at Jamie too, his eyes wide. “Are you sure?”

“Well, it wasn’t like I saw them,” Jamie said, “but from
what Julie said I didn’t doubt they were in the room with us. You remember,
right?”

“Like last time,” Nikki said. At the time, she’d felt no
doubt that the woman’s mother had been in the room and she’d wondered how it
could be that, even though that woman had also Transitioned, she’d remained
invisible to herself, Henry and Jamie. But when Nikki had thought about it more
she’d come to realize they experienced the same thing right in their
neighborhood, where they heard other kids but never saw them. Apparently, that
was just part of the reality of the realm they presently shared.

“Exactly. They were totally there,” Jamie said. “They
knew about everything Rose has been through and everything she’d been hoping
for—that she keeps hoping for. But there’s a reason we almost didn’t tell you.
They said they’ve been helplessly watching the entire time. They’ve kept trying
to get through to Rose but nothing seems to work.”

“Did they say why?” Henry said.

“Because of guilt. No matter how hard they try, she can’t
allow herself to face them.” Jamie shrugged. “There was some other stuff too
but I’m thinking it probably doesn’t matter right now. I mean, they’ll sort it
out eventually.”

“Yeah, agreed,” Simon said. “You guys have already been
through a lot.”

Nikki checked Henry’s eyes. He didn’t have to say
anything for her to know he was thinking the same thing.
Yes
, his eyes
said,
we need to know
. And that was the thing about Henry—the one thing
Nikki knew she could always count on. He never backed down when it came to
helping someone else, despite how much it might cost him to try.

“What other stuff?” Nikki said.

Jamie glanced off into the distance, hesitant to speak.

“We really need to know,” Henry said.

Jamie nodded. “Rose’s parents were told that if Rose ever
breaks free, she’ll get to join them again. They’ve been waiting all this time
for that to happen. And they’ll keep waiting. Forever, if they have to.”

No Greater Mystery

Early the next morning,
Henry knocked softly on Nikki’s door, suspecting he wouldn’t have to wait very
long. He was right. Only a few seconds passed before she stood facing him,
dressed in jeans and a hoodie like she was ready for whatever came next.

Henry kept his voice low. “Did you get any sleep?”

Nikki shrugged and whispered back, “A little.”

Henry gestured with his chin in the direction of Martha’s
door. He knew he didn’t have to say anything, that Nikki would know. It was
better to do this now before the others woke up. There wasn’t any point in
discussing it further with them. As soon as Jamie had told them what they’d
found out, Henry had understood why the three of them had been hesitant to
share that information. Undoubtedly, they’d known that as soon as Henry and Nikki
learned of it they’d be unable to leave things as they were. They were right,
of course. Rose had gone her entire life having suffered the loss of her
parents as a child. Now, her parents remained waiting, refusing to move on for
an eternity, if need be, until Rose joined them again. Henry and Nikki had
discussed it again yesterday evening and both had agreed they had no choice but
to try everything in their power to free Rose’s spirit, no matter what might be
involved. They’d tried to tell themselves that Joseph and his kind might have
already delivered their worst, although neither had been entirely convinced.

Nikki stepped into the hall and they crept passed the
other doors, behind which their friends remained sleeping. Henry thought about
asking Nikki how they could know that Martha would even be there when they
knocked. To remind her, as he had before. A ritual. This time he didn’t but he
smiled, remembering one of their first conversations, not long after he’d found
himself in this strange new world.

How do we know she’s even here?

She’s always here, if you need her.

What if you don’t?

Then she’s not here, idiot.

He’d known then, even as she’d made fun of him, that she
cared. He’d known it from the moment he’d found himself suddenly alone—after
helplessly witnessing his sister’s abduction and being somehow yanked away to a
place from his memory he’d almost forgotten. He’d heard a voice, her voice, and
opened his eyes to see Nikki. She’d tried to act like it barely mattered—like
he
barely mattered—but Henry knew she wouldn’t have been there suddenly standing
next to him if they hadn’t shared some sort of connection. He’d known it from
that moment.

Henry looked at Nikki one more time. He wanted to ask
again if she was sure but he knew what she’d say. So, he lifted his eyebrows as
if to say, “Well, here we go,” then he knocked. A moment later, the door swung
open and Henry found himself looking into Lysrus’s eyes.

At first, Henry expected the inside of Martha’s apartment
to have again transformed into that space without boundaries. But everything
behind Lysrus appeared normal. He and Nikki stepped forward, the door closing
behind them again.

Henry wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but still he asked.
“Did you know we’d made up our minds?”

Lysrus gazed back at Henry, his head slightly cocked. For
just a moment, Henry again sensed that alien quality in Lysrus’s countenance.
Something distant that made him feel as if Lysrus could look right through him.
Then Lysrus offered a warm smile.

“When you knocked on this door, I felt it safe to assume
you’d decided to return,” Lysrus said.

It was the only time someone other than Martha had opened
this door and Henry wondered how it was possible that Lysrus had known they’d
knocked upon it. For him, it was another reminder that, not unlike Rose’s
dream, all of this too was an illusion. Just a much nicer one. Henry considered
asking Lysrus why he hadn’t made the same choice from the start, meeting them
here in this familiar setting rather than the bright void where they’d
originally met. It occurred to him that possibly it was because of the Veil
through which Lysrus had passed and that he’d also used to reveal those scenes
from Rose’s life. At the same time, part of him also suspected that in order
for he and Nikki to attempt what they’d decided to do, they’d needed to know
from the outset that they were dealing with something entirely unfamiliar on
all levels. Now, they were past that point.

“Where’s Martha?” Nikki asked.

“I asked Martha if she’d mind if I spoke to the two of
you alone,” Lysrus said. “The fact is, she’s both worried about you and doesn’t
want to influence you in any way. I agreed with that last point, that it’s
better overall if she doesn’t carry that particular weight. As you can imagine,
being in Service can take its toll from time to time.”

“You’re not worried about us?” Nikki said.

Henry wasn’t entirely sure whether Nikki was being
sarcastic or asking a genuine question. This time, her expression didn’t give
her away.

Either way, Lysrus took the question at face value. Or,
at least, he appeared to. “I don’t worry. I haven’t been able to use my mind
that way in a very long time. However, I am aware of possible outcomes. I’d
prefer some over others.”

“Comforting,” Nikki said, beneath her breath.

Lysrus arched an eyebrow. “Would you prefer I pretended?
My impression so far has been that you’d rather I didn’t.”

Nikki rolled her eyes but then nodded. “You’re right.
Sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize.” Lysrus turned his
attention to Henry. “Would you—”

“No, I’m good.” Henry shrugged and looked back and forth
between them. “I guess, on some level, it amounts to the same thing.”

A smile played at the corner of Lysrus’s mouth. “Yes, it
amounts to exactly the same thing. Just experienced differently. Very good.”

For a moment, Henry felt proud of demonstrating that he’d
gained a minuscule understanding of Lysrus’s point of view. The feeling faded
immediately since it also occurred to him that, from Lysrus’s perspective,
their fate might only matter so much in the grand scheme of things.

“I wondered if you might have questions,” Lysrus said.

Henry’s thoughts spun since he wasn’t really sure where
to start. But one question jumped out of the crowd. “Why didn’t you tell us
about Rose’s parents? I’m assuming you probably know.”

Lysrus didn’t hesitate. “I didn’t see it as being
relevant.”

Nikki placed her hands on her hips. “How could it not be
relevant?”

Lysrus shook his head. “I didn’t mean that their
situation doesn’t matter. I didn’t feel it was relevant to the choice you were
asked to make.”

Suddenly, Henry understood. “Because you thought we’d try
to help her anyway.”

Lysrus nodded. “I felt nearly certain.”

Another thought occurred to Henry, as he recalled what
Lysrus had said before. “And the outcome you’d prefer…”

This time Lysrus truly smiled, his eyes lighting up as he
looked back at Henry. “Exactly. The outcome I’d prefer would result from your
success, whether you knew about Rose’s parents or not.”

“Wait,” Nikki said. “Did you think we’d be less likely to
try helping Rose if we
did
know?”

Lysrus shrugged. “I wondered if it might have been
overwhelming to know at the outset. You felt pressured enough. Any more didn’t
seem fair. How did you find out, by the way?”

Henry couldn’t help grin. “Our friends talked to a
psychic.”

Lysrus surprised Henry by laughing, although he laughed
warmly, his eyes this time gleaming with amusement. “Martha was right about
your group. I wouldn’t have seen that coming.”

Henry felt a surge of pride thinking about his friends,
that they could achieve something even someone on Lysrus’s level hadn’t
anticipated.

“I have a question,” Nikki said. “These entities, as you
call them. You said they feed off of Rose’s fear and guilt. Her pain. But what
are they? Who are they?”

The smile faded from Lysrus’s face as he considered how
to answer the question. “I suspect you know the answer. The fact is, they’re a
form of energy, as are we. They’re just a much different type of energy. I
think it’s more that you’d rather think they don’t exist.”

Henry noticed that Lysrus chose the word “different”
rather than “bad” or “evil” and it surprised him. He didn’t have time to think
past that when Lysrus continued.

“Those that surround Rose have had many names throughout
time. In your culture, especially among those who practice religion, they’re
known as demons.” Seeing Nikki’s eyes widen, he added, “Don’t let the name
frighten you more than the beings themselves. At this point, you have no need
to fear the word. The connotations would only make your task that much more
difficult.”

“Why are they even allowed to exist?” Nikki said. “I
mean, if all they can do is torture others to survive?”

“When a tiger feasts on a living gazelle, is it evil?”

“It’s horrible.” Nikki thought for a moment. “But at
least tigers are beautiful.”

Again, Lysrus shrugged. “Aren’t cockroaches beautiful?”

Nikki wrinkled her nose. “They’re gross.”

“To you,” Lysrus said. “For lack of a better mutual term,
it’s a matter of polarity. However, in this instance I’m of the same polarity
as you. I also find the parasites draining Rose’s energy to be repugnant. It’s
not for me to judge but it is for me to try and protect her energy. In this
scenario, that is the outcome I greatly prefer.”

Henry watched as Nikki studied Lysrus, her dark eyes
shining. She offered Lysrus her half-smirk, half-smile. “If we beat them, do we
win a prize?”

Lysrus’s smile returned as he kept his eyes on hers. “Of
that, I have no doubt. None at all.”

~~~

“Okay, where the hell are we?” Nikki whispered.

Henry looked around, his heart beating rapidly inside his
chest, hoping his eyes would adjust to the pitch black around them. He took a
step, his pulse slowing a little as he realized he stood on an even surface. He
sniffed the air. “I think we’re in the house.”

Nikki took hold of his hand. “Remind me to ask Lysrus for
a flashlight next time we step through that freaking door.”

“Wait, there’s a next time?”

Nikki laughed. “Right, scratch that. I just figured we’d
plop down into a car or something again. In daylight. Remind me. How did they
pull that off exactly?”

Henry took another tentative step. A floorboard creaked
underfoot. A good sign, hopefully. As long as it was a floorboard and not part
of a pier. “It was almost like someone told Rose we were coming. As if she knew
how to imagine us.”

“Exactly. Maybe they have some more tricks up their
sleeves.” Nikki took another step herself, her fingers laced through his. “By
the way, that kind of freaked me out. You driving, I mean. You can barely
handle a skateboard.”

Henry tried not to laugh, then laughed. “Hang on. I can
walk through walls and float in the air. I can talk inside peoples’ heads. But
you can’t picture me driving?”

“Yeah, that’s going too far. Maybe riding a bus. I think
I could imagine that okay. Or like a subway or something. Not driving. Way too
much responsibility.”

“And yet you join me here,” Henry said. “This suggests a
lack of judgment.”

“Someone has to keep your dead ass alive.”

Henry burst out laughing. He took another step. Suddenly,
pain shot through his body and he doubled over, gasping.

“What!?”

Henry tried to straighten up. He took a deep breath. “I
walked into something.” He reached out and ran his hand across a shape in the
darkness, feeling a smooth surface. “I think it’s a bookcase.”

“You scared the hell out of me. A bookcase?”

“An aggressive bookcase.”

“Are we in the house or what?” Nikki said.

“The last time I checked, bookcases didn’t live in the
wild.”

Suddenly, lightning flashed, revealing windows. Thunder
rattled the walls. Yes, they were in the house, walking the hall from the
kitchen toward the front rooms.

“Why do I get the feeling someone knows we’re back?”
Nikki said. “And I don’t mean Rose.”

The sudden violence of that thunderclap made Henry think
the same thing. Lightning flickered again as he and Nikki crept forward,
instinctively making their way toward the study where they’d spent that first
night. Henry listened as the wind picked up outside. He knew what would follow
and only a few seconds passed before the pounding started against the house.
Voices hissed with the gusts again, louder this time—a rising cacophony of
threats and demented laughter.

“Nice touch,” Henry said, doing his best to set Nikki’s
mind at ease. “They called out the welcoming committee.”

He told himself he didn’t need the same reassurance, that
those were nothing but empty threats. But he knew better, didn’t he? Henry well
knew the capabilities of those…demons. He hated thinking the word and wished
Nikki hadn’t asked Lysrus. Just a word, he told himself, a term used to
describe something predatory and spineless. Henry had met bad people
before—bullies, thieves and schemers—and he reminded himself of what always
held true. People like that were evil and harmful, definitely, but they always
proved to be weak at their core.

“They’re putting on quite a show tonight. Kind of
flattering, actually.” Nikki pressed against Henry and shivered all the same.

“This is like the world’s longest hallway,” Henry said.
“Why couldn’t we enter a poor person’s nightmare?”

“Wait.” Nikki tugged Henry toward the wall. She reached
out, feeling for something.

“What?”

“What’s up with the lights?”

Henry’s face grew warm.

“They were on before,” Nikki said.

Henry hesitated. He didn’t want to tell her.

“Someone must have turned them off.”

Henry sighed, knowing what was coming. “Well, I sort of
did. I mean, I imagined it.”