Erasing: Shadows Read online

  "Well, since I'm the only one that really kept up study and work on the astral, with you somewhat too, it makes it pretty damn difficult." Stu sat backward on one of the 'dining' chairs.

  "Yep," agreed Jonathan. "I have an idea though."

  "Oh you do, do you?" Stu grinned. Jonathan knew that grin. Stu liked trouble.

  They settled in and discussed the idea at length. They both agreed that, although troublesome, and likely to cause problems with the others, it probably was still the best idea to employ.

  "But you know," said Stu, "Michael will never forgive you if we do this behind his back."

  "Yes, he will," said Jonathan, hesitating. "Or, he will if it works."

  Stu shrugged. "He's your brother. I'll need a couple hours to prepare."

  "What do you want me to do in the meantime?" asked Jonathan.

  "Just go home. I'll find you." Stu had a wicked grin on his face.

  "You know you have to be normal, right?" Jonathan looked worried.

  "Don't sweat it bro. I've got it covered," said Stu.

  Jonathan put his face in his hands but went ahead and left. The screen door screeched behind him.

  Stu began to prepare. He had never done anything of this scope before, but he puffed up his chest. Yep. It promised to be a fun week.

  ***

  The next morning, Lu, Trina, and Zac agreed they hadn't been able to key in on Mira, wherever she went in her dream, but they perceived sadness.

  "Some part of her knows," said Trina, cracking her stiff neck from rough sleep on the leather chair. "Comfy to sit in, not so much for all night," she mumbled to no one.

  "Yeah, but we can't worry about Paul now. Too much else to do," said Zac, rolling up off the floor. Lu had been given the couch.

  At that moment, Michael and Onie showed up, looking every bit of twelve and sixteen, respectively.

  "Jonathan's not here yet?" asked Michael.

  Zac shrugged. "Not yet. What time are we meeting Mira?" He looked at his watch.

  "Now," Michael answered. "Jonathan can catch up. He knows where we're meeting her."

  The group set off without Jonathan. Mira was already there waiting, on top of a hay bale again. She started to hop off, but Michael was there to help her down. She easily swooped down this time with the aid of his arm.

  "Mira," said Michael. "This is my cousin, Zac, my cousin Lu, and my friends, Onie and Trina."

  Zac stepped forward and gave a bow. Trina nodded.

  Awkwardly, Onie shook Mira's hand. They had all known Mira for more than twenty years. Introductions were exceedingly odd.

  "So," said Michael, noting Mira's flushed face, "did you think of the first new thing to show or teach us?"

  "Yeah," said Onie, "you have a group of explorers in front of you." Onie pawed the ground with her shoe.

  However, before Mira could answer, two figures could be seen coming over the hill. Michael squinted. He could see one was Jonathan. Who was the other one? If he brought Stu, I'm going to kill my brother.

  But no, as they came close, the group could see Jonathan was walking with a small kid next to him. At least he looked small next to Jonathan. The kid was short, had red hair and freckles, and didn't look like any of the rest of the family.

  What the— Michael refrained from showing surprise on his face. Shit, leave it to Jonathan to make us all have to improvise. And why? What was this all about? Michael guessed he would be introduced as a friend, but he was so young. How was Jonathan going to explain hanging out with someone half his age? Geez, he thought again, leave it to Jonathan… At this point all he could think about was wanting his wife and life back. He knew the strain was having its way with his thoughts. He missed the way Mira threw her arms around his neck to kiss him. No, he had to hold it together. Mira's life and maybe Brandon's depended on it.

  Jonathan ambled up. "Hi all! Hey Mira. I don't know if Michael mentioned me, I'm his older brother, Jonathan. We just moved in up the road."

  Well at least he sounds natural.

  "He did. Nice to meet you. I'm Mira," she said with a big smile.

  Michael missed that smile and wished he were home. With her. With the kids. With his adult life back. He had to admit, it was weird being twelve after all this time. My God, he was the same age as his youngest daughter! He reminded himself to cut her some slack the next time she acted out. These preteen emotions were the pits.

  Michael watched Jonathan introduce Ed to the group. According to Jonathan, Ed was apparently twelve too, though small for his age. Michael guessed that Jonathan had some sort of astral use for Ed that had to do with their mission. Ed also had an English accent. Michael consoled himself that at least it wasn't Stu.

  "Yeah, I'm staying with my aunt this summer, to visit America," said Ed by way of introduction. "We've already seen the Grand Canyon and New York."

  "Wow!" said Mira, impressed. "I've never been to New York."

  I'm going to take you there in twelve years, thought Michael, suddenly tired again.

  "It's brilliant," said Ed, with enthusiasm. "But my aunt had a fall and hurt her leg so I'm stuck here for a bit, while she mends."

  "Oh, that's too bad," said Mira. "I'm sorry about your aunt. Who's your aunt by the way? I can stop by and bring her some treats. I'm sure my mom'll want me to."

  Oh great. Now we're in a jam just like I was trying to prevent.

  But Jonathan already had it covered. "Mrs. Carmichael is his aunt. And I'm sure she'd love a visit sometime." Michael looked incredulously at Jonathan, who just winked. That must mean he already had an astral version of Mrs. Carmichael ready to go. Ed would have needed a place he called home, Michael guessed. When had Jonathan gotten so advanced?

  Mira continued, "Well, there's not much that happens around here."

  Zac burst out laughing. Michael shot him a dirty look.

  "Sorry," said Zac. "Just thinking of a joke."

  "Kids," said Jonathan, making an inside dig at Zac. Onie smirked.

  "Anyway," he said to get them all back on track, "I told Ed you all would all be interested in learning some of the things he's taught himself." Jonathan cast a pointed look at Michael. "I'll let Ed explain."

  The rest of the group, other than Mira, looked confused, but turned to Ed.

  "Well, they're all kind of interesting really, and this one's not that hard to do." Ed glanced shyly at Mira. Mira smiled at him. Michael wanted to gag.

  This wasn't how it was supposed to go! Mira is supposed to be infatuated with me, and I show Mira around the astral and how to take care of herself. Just like before. Now who knew what'll happen? He wished he had some antacids handy.

  Something must have shown on Michael's face, because Jonathan walked over to him and whispered, "Trust me bro. It's okay. Don't forget you have a twelve-year-old's emotional makeup so it seems worse than it is."

  Ed continued. "Well, I started teaching myself dream work when I was really young. I can do lots of things. The official word for this is the astral, and it has its own laws and rules though, you know."

  Mira was excited. "I always believed in other worlds."

  "Yeah, well, they exist. Jonathan knows." Ed pointed to Jonathan, deferring to the oldest kid here.

  "And Michael knows some too," added Jonathan fast. Michael was thankful for his brother trying to keep things the same as they were over twenty years ago. Not that it was working.

  "So anyway," said Ed, with a sly look on his face, "one of the first things I could show you is how to find each other in dreams. Meet up like."

  Mira was so excited she couldn't stand still. Michael looked at her and remembered that was part of why he fell in love with her. Always adventurous. Always exploring and learning. They were a good match.

  "Um, sounds great?" said Zac, who wasn't sure how to reply since they were off script.

  Onie and Lu said they were on board because if Jonathan was running this, then the plan must be solid.

  The burn dug into Michael just a little
more.

  Trina looked skeptical. Never one to mince words, she said, "Look, I don't know you, kid. I know Jonathan introduced you, but astral world traveling is a precarious business. You look like you're about nine. It's hard to take you seriously."

  The group turned to Trina to see the showdown.

  "I mean, it sounds great," said Trina to Ed. "Can you fly too?"

  But Ed was right there with her. He winked at Trina good-naturedly. "Sure, but that's hardly lesson one."

  That shut Trina up for the time being.

  "So would everyone like to try this tonight?" said Ed. "If so, we have some prep work to do. If you'd rather not, just let me know."

  "Yes, definitely!" exclaimed Mira. She was practically jumping up and down. Even for a twelve-year-old, she was overly emotional. Ed looked at her carefully.

  "Mira, you know it isn't all fun and games. It can get scary if things get out of hand. I want to make sure you know what you are getting into."

  Mira said with seriousness, "I can handle it."

  Michael interrupted. He was taking no chances with this Ed guy. The situation had suddenly gone out of his control. And Jonathan was to blame. "The first thing for safety is this: anytime anyone gets lost, no matter when or where, this place right here—" He looked around at the hay bales, the gravel road and the oak trees— "this place right here is ground zero. Do you understand?" He gave a cursory look to the group but his focus was on Mira. The group understood because this was protocol from before. They all looked at Mira.

  "What exactly do you mean?" asked Mira.

  "He means," said Jonathan, "that the physical presence of the surroundings here needs to be embedded in your mind and your senses. Then if you get lost, part of you will recall those surroundings and you will end up here. That way, also, if any of us get lost, we always know where to find one another."

  "Wow that is really cool," said Mira, "and makes sense."

  Michael remembered showing her the same thing before. Years ago. Before three kids. Before their marriage. Before their first kiss. She had thought he was cool then.

  "So everyone, sit down on the ground. No, not there Mira," Jonathan said, pointing. "On the gravel road. Sit down hard. Feel the gravel on your legs. Feel the breeze. Smell the hay in the field."

  Everyone else, already familiar with the routine, had already sat, but Mira was entranced with the new directions and didn't notice.

  They held hands and sat in a circle on the gravel. Michael brought their awareness to their sensory impressions—the hands they were holding, the gravel beneath their legs, the hay bales in front of them, the smell of the field, and the feel of the breeze from the oak trees. They spent a while taking in the sights, sounds, and smells.

  Michael spoke at last. "This is very important," he said. "This place needs to be imprinted in your brain, not just consciously, but unconsciously. Enough so you would find yourself here in your dreams even if you were lost or not thinking clearly."

  Everyone nodded. Mira spoke up with excitement. She just remembered her dream.

  "Hey, I did this already, right here! I came here in a dream and felt the gravel beneath my legs!"

  "Well, you're a natural then!" said Jonathan, smiling, and let it go at that.

  But Mira remembered more. "And I met a boy there, he looked like—" She stared straight at Michael, and he wondered if she'd admit to seeing him before today. "I don't know, it was hazy," she said at last. "Maybe it was Ed!"

  Michael closed his eyes and said nothing. Ed smiled but said, "I doubt it Mira. I keep track of my dream work consciously now, and I didn't meet up here or with you until today."

  "Wow, you really are advanced," said Mira.

  Michael gave a sarcastic harrumph that Mira and Ed ignored.

  "Well," said Trina, giving in to the inevitable, "now that we've established our emergency place, let's move on to tonight."

  Michael spoke once more. "I just want to be sure everyone has this place ingrained in their mind first. Is everyone sure? Can you picture and sense it blindly?"

  For the first time, Mira nudged Michael playfully. "We've got it, Mr. Serious!" He smiled in spite of himself. Mira always had that effect on him.

  "Okay," said Ed, "on to the next event."

  The next two hours were spent showing everyone how to key into each other. It was similar to the previous exercise but involved getting to know each other emotionally and engaging in physical contact. Each person had to spend a good ten minutes with every other person. This was hard for the gang, as they already knew everyone except Ed, and occasional jokes and fooling around broke out. But Jonathan or Michael always brought the group back on track, and Mira seemed to take it all very seriously.

  "I think she has it," whispered Jonathan to Michael.

  Michael sighed. "I hope so. We'll find out tonight."

  The last exercise was to go to the old McArthur place, where they had chosen to meet that night. Of course, the group knew that it was the astral McArthur place, but Mira didn't. The boys explained that their parents were away for the summer, and Jonathan was in charge, so they had the place to themselves—the perfect experiment.

  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.