Chapter Two

“Is she—isn’t that what ghosts look like when they’re crossing over?” asked Serge.

“No, she’s not crossing over,” Craig said. “But she is on the other side.” He gently closed her eye. “The question is, why?” He seemed to be asking the question to himself, but he turned his attention back to us. “We can’t take her to the hospital. Mortals won’t be able to see what we see, but they’ll know something’s not normal. Her pupils will seem constricted and there’ll be rapid eye movement. If they misdiagnose her, it could be fatal.”

“What do we do?” Serge asked. He looked at Craig. “Can you heal her?”

“If she was infested with malevolent spirits, yes, but I’m not a doctor. I’m not allowed to do anything with mortals other than take them to the other side.”

“What about you, Serge?” I asked. “You helped Rori.”

“I started her heart. Electricity is my thing, but Nell doesn’t need a shock to her heart. What about her dad? He’s a doctor. Maybe if we tell him what’s going on—”

“It won’t work,” I told Serge. “Her dad’s pure scientist. We start talking about supernatural forces and he’ll think we’re high.”

“What if Craig shifted to his ferrier form to prove we’re telling the truth?”

“Then the doc’ll think he’s high.” I moved back into the driver’s seat. “Our best bet is to head to the hospital and hope she snaps out of it before we get there.”

“I don’t understand,” said Serge as he buckled his seatbelt. “Why would she be on the other side?”

“Rori was just here.” I pushed the speedometer higher and watched the road for black ice. “For sure, whatever’s going on with Nell has to do with Rori. They were close.”

“How can she be back so soon?” Serge frowned. “Doesn’t she get—I don’t know—get processed or something?”

“Or something,” said Craig. “Processed is a good word for it. She shouldn’t be back on this plane of existence so soon. Something’s wrong, but I don’t know what it is. After we get Nell to the hospital, I want to come back and check out that patch of road. If her presence appeared there, there might be a clue—”

There was a guttural cry from the backseat. In the rearview mirror, Nell’s shadowy figure rose, clutched the sides of my seat, and began babbling in a language I couldn’t understand. She reached out, grabbed me by the shoulders, and held tight.

“Is she okay? Ow—god! Her nails! Should I pull over? What is she saying?”

Nell’s voice grew in volume and pitch, until she was shrieking. One final burst of words I couldn’t understand, one more squeeze of my arms that was hard enough to leave bruises, and she collapsed.

“Is she dead?” Serge craned his head toward the back.

Silence, then, “Nah, alive and kicking,” said Craig. “Just coming out of it.”

“What was she saying? Did anyone understand?” I decreased the car’s speed.

“Ancient Egyptian,” he said. “And she was talking to you.”

Trust Nell to bring me back a message from the other world and bring it back in a language I couldn’t comprehend. “What’s the message?”

“Beware the light. He comes in red.”

“Someone wake her up so I can punch her,” I said.

“Punch who?” Nell sounded groggy. “Someone get me food. I’m starving.”

“You’re lucky I don’t shove you out of the car. And PS, you need to trim those talons you call nails.”

“What did I do?”

“You had a visit to the other side, you came back with a message for me—” I turned onto Running Creek Road “—which you gave me in ancient Egyptian. Craig translated but it’s just as confusing in English.”

“I came back bringing a message from the other side?”

“Yeah.”

“It was probably from your sweatshirt,” she said, her voice still foggy. “It wants you to let it go to the great laundry room in the sky.”

“Ha ha.”

“Seriously. It wants to cross over to a land of needles and looms.”

“You’re a loom,” I muttered. “What happened to you?”

She leaned forward on the centre console. “Where are we going? This isn’t the way to the Tin Shack.”

“To the hospital.”

“For me? I’m fine.”

“The jury’s still out on that,” I said.

Nell put her hand on my shoulder. “Honest,” she said. “I’m fine.”

“I’d still like to have you checked out.”

“Forget it, there are no cute doctors on call tonight.”

“Nell—”

“You’re worse than my mother. I’m fine. Besides—” She let go. “My dad’s a doctor. I promise I’ll ask him to give me a once-over.”

If there was one thing I could trust in this world, it was a promise from Nell. “What happened just now?”

She leaned back. “Craig screamed—”

“I didn’t scream—”

“Craig screamed a manly scream—”

“I can live with that.”

“The car rolled…” She faded into silence.

“Then? Nell?”

“Drop your pearls, Millicent, and give me a minute. It’s like trying to remember a dream.”

For a moment, the only sound was the swish of the tires on the road.

“I was in a field with the brightest, greenest grass I’ve ever seen. And a sky so blue it hurt my eyes. There was sun and warmth and clouds.” She made a soft sound. “And Rori was there, with her wolf. I feel like we talked for years, that I got an entire lifetime with her. I wish—I wish I could remember what she said because I know I asked her a bunch of stuff.”

“It sounds nice,” said Serge.

“It was. We talked about everything and then I didn’t feel sad anymore. Is that weird?”

“No,” he said. “I exploded once, and when I came back, it all felt better.”

“Me too, I feel better. When I talked to her, I understood why she’d chosen to cross over. There are things she needs to do and she couldn’t do them on this plane. And it’s so peaceful there, and the love, it’s as thick as air. No, wait, that doesn’t make sense. But it does make sense. Love is like air and it’s so … so tangible … you can feel it, like a physical thing.”

“That does sound nice.” I felt happy for Nell, for the closure she got. Then I hurt for my mother, who’d died and now lived in torment.

“I remember she said she was watching out for me. And that things would get scary but I shouldn’t worry.”

I turned onto Tucker Avenue.

“Then she said she wanted you to know something, and she told me it. And then I woke up and told you.”

“Craig said—”

“No, wait,” said Nell. “It wasn’t Rori. She brought me to you and you gave me the message.”

“You who?” asked Serge.

“Mags.”

“You saw us?” Serge twisted in his seat to look at her. “Like out of body?”

“No, no, Maggie was there, on the other side.”

“Wait.” I glanced back at her. “I was here, driving the car, but I was also on the other side, giving you some message to give to me?”

“Yeah,” said Nell.

“Okay,” I said. “I’m done driving. Craig, take over before I run us off the road.” We exchanged spots and I seat-belted in next to Nell.

“Let’s go to the Tin Shack,” she said. “All this visiting other planes has got me starving. I want poutine.”

“Get back to me visiting you on the other side,” I said. “That’s not possible.”

“It’s possible.” Craig adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see me. “You’re a supernatural creature and your powers are expanding.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. You see the dead, don’t you? That’s as supernatural as it gets.”

“Everybody’s a comedian,” I muttered. “I meant about my powers expanding and me being able to be in two places at once.”

“Yes and yes. You had a vision of Rori before she died. If you’re able to have visions, you’re able to exist simultaneously in two places.”

“Where was this ability when I had to take gym?” I hunkered in my seat and processed his words. Then I considered his tone. “What are you not telling me about the visions and expanding power?”

He exhaled. “If your future self was strong enough to reach back in time to try and send a warning, then very bad things are about to happen.”

“What kind of bad things?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m not psychic.”

“Do you think this is connected to me trying to find out about my mom?”

“Could be, but it could be something else.”

“The only things that have happened in the last couple of months are Serge being murdered—”

“Maybe the bad thing is Serge’s parents,” said Nell. “They were psycho, and they have hell on their side.”

“Doubt it,” said Craig. “Hell keeps its souls.”

“What about that horde of demons we battled last week?” I asked. “Seems like the underworld is missing a few tenants.”

“They were loose in this world until I sent them to the other side,” he said. “Anyway, if the message involved Serge, then the message would have gone to him, not to you, Mags.”

“But maybe I sent myself a message to give to him,” I said. “After all, he has reception issues.” I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers.

“Hilarious,” said Serge. “I’ll remember that the next time you need me to text your dad.”

“Serge died first,” said Nell. “Then Kent. Both of those ghost stories are done. Maybe it’s about something you’re going to do, soon.”

“So, what’re my options? I stay at home for the next three months until my future self signals the all clear?”

“Whatever it is,” said Craig. “You’ve already opened the door, or else your future self wouldn’t have sent back a warning.”

“But you said once that time’s not the same on that side. Maybe I gave the warning to Nell to prevent what I’m about to do.”

“That’s fair,” he said. “But Rori was on the road—it feels too much like a warning about things that will happen, not a warning to prevent things from happening.”

“Great,” I muttered. “I have enough power to have an otherworldly meeting with Nell, but I’m too stupid to give her the message in English.”

“That’s my fault,” said Nell. “I tried to tell you, but the words came out wrong.”

“That’s not on you,” said Craig. “The spirit realm has a language and syntax of its own.”

Beware the light. He comes in red. “My future self is a moron. I couldn’t just give you a name?”

“Maybe you were talking in code,” said Serge. “And we have to decode it—never mind. You’re not that smart. Ow!” He rubbed the spot on his arm where I’d punched him. “I didn’t mean it like that…okay, maybe a little like—” He ducked as I went after him again.

“In your future self’s defence,” said Craig. “She probably did give you the name, but it’s lost in translation from that world to this one. Kind of like how a dream makes sense within the dream, but once you wake up, it doesn’t anymore.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Nell.

“If it’s not something that I do in the future and it’s about a door I’ve already opened, then this must be about my mom,” I said. “I want to find out what happened to her, how she died, and why she became The Voice. But now, Rori’s come back to warn Nell about things getting scary. Plus, I’m astral projecting and tossing up ‘beware of demon’ signs. Maybe I should shut it all down. Just forget about it.”

“And leave your mom to whatever torment she’s living in the afterlife?” asked Serge. “You’d never do it.”

“Sometimes trying to avoid your destiny brings you to it,” Craig added. “That night, on the bridge, when you and Serge agreed to become guardians, you accepted your fate.”

“My fate,” I said. “Not everyone else’s.”

“We’re all connected,” he said.

“So, what’s the right answer?”

“Sometimes there isn’t one,” he said. “Sometimes you just make the choice and go.”

“What do I do?” I sat back and closed my eyes.

“The only thing you can do,” he said.

✦ ✦ ✦

“Good call on the poutine,” I said and used the last fry to scoop up the remaining gravy.

“When stuck between a rock and a hard place, eat carbs.” Craig wiped his hand on a napkin and tossed it into the bag at his feet. Then he reached over the car console and nabbed a few fries from Nell.

“Thanks for turning me solid,” Serge said around a mouthful of burger. “It feels good to eat.”

“What does it taste like?” asked Nell.

He shrugged. “Good but different.”

She turned to me. “Does a large helping of cheese curds and starch answer your questions and sooth your troubled brow?”

“My brow wasn’t troubled until you started talking about soothing it.” I’d managed to not think of my mother during the ride to the Tin Shack’s drive-thru, and I’d managed not to think of her when we drove to a deserted section of Dead Falls to eat. And I definitely hadn’t thought of her when I was scarfing down the food. But Nell’s mention of her killed my appetite. “Short answer: no, I still don’t know what to do about her.”

“Tell your dad, for one,” said Serge.

“I can see that conversation now. Hey Dad, remember how Mom left us right after I was born and you let her go because you thought it would make her happy? Well, she’s dead. And not only is she dead, she’s one of the lost souls.” I held up my hands as though stopping applause from an audience. “Wait. It gets better. However she died, it was so violent and traumatic, she became The Voice, the otherworldly thing that tortures me and, oh yeah, almost killed me once.”

“But she didn’t kill you,” said Serge. “She was trying to help you, it just came out wrong.”

“I’m sure that’ll make my dad feel better.” I shook my head. “No. I can’t do it. I won’t. He thinks she’s off in some sunny location, drinking wine and having fun. Let it go at that.”

“Mags, this doesn’t feel right,” Nell said. “It’s you and your dad. You guys don’t keep secrets from each other.”

Serge reached into the backseat for a napkin.

“It’s going to hurt him. He’s going to question everything he said and did when she left. And then he’ll feel guilty and blame himself,” I told them. “He’ll never let himself be happy if he thinks she’s tormented in the afterlife. He’s going to break up with Nancy, I know it, and then everyone’s life will suck. That woman’s raisin scones make me believe in a divine and benevolent god.” I reached into the front seat and grabbed a handful of Serge’s fries. “I can handle this. I’ve got a ghost and a ferrier on my side.”

Nell punched me in the arm. “Me too.”

“I don’t know—”

“I’ve been to the other side,” she said. “And I was strong enough to come back. I’ve got experience with supernatural stuff and, most of all, I’ve got pluck.”

“Pluck?”

She nodded. “Things always work out for girls with pluck.” She held my hand. “I’m on your side and I’ll always be beside you, I promise.”

“Great, just when I thought my life couldn’t get any scarier—ow! Stop hitting!”

“Stop being an idiot,” she said. “We need a plan. Craig, can’t you do some woo-woo stuff and get us answers?”

“I wish. I’m only allowed access to the souls I transport, plus a little bit of knowledge about the people connected to them.”

“But you knew that Serge wasn’t supposed to die,” she said.

“Only because I was sent here to transport the soul of his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend.”

“Oh, right, I forgot that part,” said Nell. “Still, there’s nothing you can do? You’re ten thousand years old. Seniority has to count for something.”

“Nell, I know you want to help—” I held up my hands to protect myself from another punch. “But pluck aside, this is dangerous territory we’re wading into.” I heard Serge curse. He disappeared into the footwell of the passenger seat.

“More dangerous than the time Tammy and Bruce brought the Ouija board to your house and set free a horde of demonic ghosts? Or the time you made me take you to my aunt’s place and her house blew up?”

Before I could answer, she said, “Rori said I shouldn’t worry. That things will get scary, but it’ll work out in the end. If anything, I’m your lucky rabbit’s foot. And I’m even luckier than that, because unlike the rabbit, I still have my foot. Both of them, come to think of it.”

“I guess but—”

“It’s starting,” said Serge. “Whatever you were warning yourself about, it’s happening right now.”

“Can you feel something?” I asked.

He came into view and pointed at the windshield.

The rest of us glanced at each other, then ducked and looked up, trying to see what he did. Craig got out of the car.

I wrapped my coat around me and stepped into the cold. High against the inky sky, the snow spun in a magenta-hued whirlwind. From its centre, red lightning flashed and dark shadows of souls swam in the eddy.

“I don’t see anything,” said Nell, coming to stand beside me.

“Craig, can you take Nell home while Serge and I check this out—ow!” I rubbed my shoulder and glared at Nell. “What did I say about hitting?”

“What did I say about plucky sidekicks? You’re not moving me.”

“Craig,” I said. “Help me out.”

“If you rub the spot she hit and apply pressure, it’ll help with the bruising.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He shrugged. “I don’t mess with plucky sidekicks.” He popped a fry in his mouth. “Come on, let’s check it out.” He stepped toward the light.