alter our appearance.
Otherwise, no one recognize us.”
I
smiled, seeing it clearly for the first time, snapping it all into place like
pieces of a puzzle that didn’t fit together so easily. It was then that I heard
him. I closed my eyes to give him my undivided attention. A voice, beautiful
and melodious, spoke in my head.
“Who is
it?” Creesie asked, probably already knowing the
answer.
“Just a
boy.” My voice was barely a whisper. I opened my eyes.
“Can’t
be just any old boy,” she declared. “There has to be a strong connection in
order to hear people. Especially the living! He must be someone special.”
“He says
he thinks he knows me, but I’m sure he’s mistaken. If he met me then that would
imply that I’d met him, and trust me, there’s no way I’d ever forget that
face.” I shrugged so she didn’t think I was making a big deal of it.
“Yes,
well . . . it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?” Creesie nodded thoughtfully as my eyebrows knotted together. “Soul groups tend to
travel together throughout lifetimes. Sort of like best friends for eternity.
Ever meet someone and feel as if you’ve known them all your life? There’s a
reason for it.”
“Oh!” I said, suddenly thinking of Ethan.
Forever. How mind-blowing was that? Still, my group of forever friends probably
filled one small room, whereas my sister’s required a whole stadium, possibly
all of Antarctica. Claire was very popular.
Creesie motioned for Cat, and two warm slices of peach pie
with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream arrived almost instantly. We both slid
our forks into the pie, and lifted it to our lips. It melted in my mouth.
“He
reminds me of my Joseph,” Creesie gushed. “Has a good
heart, too. I can feel it.” She scooped the last of the ice cream from her
plate, and then raised her eyes to mine. “You’re free to go see him, Hope.
After all, now you’re a traveler, too.”
“Liberty
Station,” I mumbled under my breath, realizing the implications.
“There
are, of course, a few guidelines you should bear in mind.”
“Guidelines?
You mean rules, don’t you?” I was never a fan of such things.
“As I
said, we’re very organized around here,” she reminded me. “The universe has an
order to it. I would have thought you’d figured that out by now.”
Though I
didn’t fully understand, I nodded as if I did.
“First
off, these are just people.” She waved one arm around. “Best not to use the
word ghosts. It’s archaic and has quite the negative connotation. After all, do
we look like things that go bump in the night?” I believe she meant it
rhetorically, but I shook my head anyway. “And spirits?” she snorted. “Too
ethereal! Often makes the living think of Angels, which . . . as you’re aware,
we are not.”
I nodded
again. This was easier than I’d expected.
“Oh, and
be careful about feeling other people’s emotions. It can be difficult for newbies to handle. Strong emotions, either positive or
negative, can be so powerful that they incapacitate you. Try not to let any of
the living walk through you.”
I
shuddered, remembering far too well how I could feel my sister’s panic, and the
grief of Amora’s mother from clear across the room.
Even the tall boy from the accident. I couldn’t tell where he ended and I
began. His feelings for Caroline became my feelings for Caroline. Though she
didn’t mention it, I supposed the reverse was also true. I tried not to think
about my earlier glimpse into Ethan.
“Just
one thing,” I asked, wanting to confirm my status. “You said I wasn’t” —I
struggled to speak the word—“ dead. ”
“Heaven’s
no! You’re very much alive,” she insisted with a sweet smile. “You’ve merely
separated from your body. It’s the reason you can experience some of the things
we can, but not quite all.”
“And
since I’m not dead, where does that leave me exactly?”
“You’re
Somewhere,” she
Otherwise, no one recognize us.”
I
smiled, seeing it clearly for the first time, snapping it all into place like
pieces of a puzzle that didn’t fit together so easily. It was then that I heard
him. I closed my eyes to give him my undivided attention. A voice, beautiful
and melodious, spoke in my head.
“Who is
it?” Creesie asked, probably already knowing the
answer.
“Just a
boy.” My voice was barely a whisper. I opened my eyes.
“Can’t
be just any old boy,” she declared. “There has to be a strong connection in
order to hear people. Especially the living! He must be someone special.”
“He says
he thinks he knows me, but I’m sure he’s mistaken. If he met me then that would
imply that I’d met him, and trust me, there’s no way I’d ever forget that
face.” I shrugged so she didn’t think I was making a big deal of it.
“Yes,
well . . . it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?” Creesie nodded thoughtfully as my eyebrows knotted together. “Soul groups tend to
travel together throughout lifetimes. Sort of like best friends for eternity.
Ever meet someone and feel as if you’ve known them all your life? There’s a
reason for it.”
“Oh!” I said, suddenly thinking of Ethan.
Forever. How mind-blowing was that? Still, my group of forever friends probably
filled one small room, whereas my sister’s required a whole stadium, possibly
all of Antarctica. Claire was very popular.
Creesie motioned for Cat, and two warm slices of peach pie
with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream arrived almost instantly. We both slid
our forks into the pie, and lifted it to our lips. It melted in my mouth.
“He
reminds me of my Joseph,” Creesie gushed. “Has a good
heart, too. I can feel it.” She scooped the last of the ice cream from her
plate, and then raised her eyes to mine. “You’re free to go see him, Hope.
After all, now you’re a traveler, too.”
“Liberty
Station,” I mumbled under my breath, realizing the implications.
“There
are, of course, a few guidelines you should bear in mind.”
“Guidelines?
You mean rules, don’t you?” I was never a fan of such things.
“As I
said, we’re very organized around here,” she reminded me. “The universe has an
order to it. I would have thought you’d figured that out by now.”
Though I
didn’t fully understand, I nodded as if I did.
“First
off, these are just people.” She waved one arm around. “Best not to use the
word ghosts. It’s archaic and has quite the negative connotation. After all, do
we look like things that go bump in the night?” I believe she meant it
rhetorically, but I shook my head anyway. “And spirits?” she snorted. “Too
ethereal! Often makes the living think of Angels, which . . . as you’re aware,
we are not.”
I nodded
again. This was easier than I’d expected.
“Oh, and
be careful about feeling other people’s emotions. It can be difficult for newbies to handle. Strong emotions, either positive or
negative, can be so powerful that they incapacitate you. Try not to let any of
the living walk through you.”
I
shuddered, remembering far too well how I could feel my sister’s panic, and the
grief of Amora’s mother from clear across the room.
Even the tall boy from the accident. I couldn’t tell where he ended and I
began. His feelings for Caroline became my feelings for Caroline. Though she
didn’t mention it, I supposed the reverse was also true. I tried not to think
about my earlier glimpse into Ethan.
“Just
one thing,” I asked, wanting to confirm my status. “You said I wasn’t” —I
struggled to speak the word—“ dead. ”
“Heaven’s
no! You’re very much alive,” she insisted with a sweet smile. “You’ve merely
separated from your body. It’s the reason you can experience some of the things
we can, but not quite all.”
“And
since I’m not dead, where does that leave me exactly?”
“You’re
Somewhere,” she
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