Doogie, aka Tracey Douglas, aka their heavy-hitter, was first to bat. She selected The Beastess and approached the mound.
B.A., the Royals’ pitcher, stood and started the chant: “Let’s go, Doogie, let’s go!” With the crowd roaring behind her, Doogie blasted a homer over the left-field fence. She carefully tossed The Beastess behind the home plate and began a slow jog around the bases, grinning and giving a thumbs-up to the third base coach as she passed.
The coach clapped wildly and shouted to the girls. “Come on now! Two to tie – three to win!”
Mouse ambled to the plate in a saucy swagger, swinging The Beastess beside her. She fist-pumped her chest and motioned to the pitcher. “Bring it on, girl!” Stepping into the batter’s box, Mouse crouched low.
The pitcher glared and said, “How about this?” She threw a rocket-speed pitch.
“Strike!” hollered the umpire.
“And this,” muttered the pitcher, throwing a windmill pitch even faster than the one before.
“Strike!” said the ump again.
“Come on Mouse, you can do it!” hollered Jayden.
The pitcher kicked the mound a couple of times before winding up. At the last moment, she switched momentum and threw a change-up. Mouse tried to adjust her swing but missed completely.
“Strike! Batter’s out!”
At 6’ 1”, Grench, aka Greta Nords, the tallest girl on the team, accepted The Beastess from Mouse and walked to the plate. “You can do it,” encouraged Mouse. “Starts with you Grench, starts with you!”
With the second pitch, Grench hit a solid grounder through second base and into centre field. She easily loped to first base, rounding it in a tease before heading back to first. The second baseman dared her to advance but Grench nonchalantly stood her ground, removing her batting gloves and tucking them in the back pocket of her knee-high ball pants.
Jayden was next to bat. She, too, selected the preferred bat, her own Beastess, and sauntered in her own cocky style to the plate. Kicking the sand from the bottom of her cleats, she stepped into the box. Breathe.
Her eyes narrowed as she followed the first two pitches, holding her stance. The third pitch came slightly high and a little outside. Spank it. Jayden swung and the ball catapulted over the leaping second baseman and into right field. Grench took off from first, pumping her legs in gazelle fashion. She rounded second and, with the order from the coach, headed for third. Jayden hustled to first base and tantalized the fielder by pretending to run to second. The fielder had control of the ball though, and the play stopped with Jayden on first and Grench safely on third. If they both made it home, Jayden would be the tying run.
“One out!” hollered the base coach. “Eyes on!”
Jayden focused her attention on the signals given by the third base coach. Steal. I’ve got the steal-base signal. Her new friend and baseball rival, D.S., was a few steps away, glove out and guarding first base. They hadn’t spoken or acknowledged each other’s presence at all during the game. Until now.
“That the steal signal you just got?” D.S. challenged. “You know I’ve been watching every signal your coach gives.”
Jayden ignored her, keeping her heel on the bag and prepping her body for a sprint.
The pitcher threw and Jayden surged toward second. The crack of the bat forced her to pause and she wrenched her body sideways. The batter had misread the coach’s signal and hit the first pitch. Jayden watched as the ball sailed straight up and the catcher moved forward to snag it.
“Infield fly – batter’s out!”
The entire Royals bench groaned and Jayden hustled back to first. With two out – it was all or nothing for the next play.
D.S. rotated her butt in a boogie move beside Jayden and, in a falsetto voice, belted out the famous lyrics to an old song: “It’s now or never.” Jayden glared at her, and then focused again on the signals from the third base coach. Steal. Jayden tipped her helmet, acknowledging the signal.
The pitcher checked Jayden and then threw hard and fast to the home plate. Jayden took off like a shot, cleats churning chunks of dirt behind her. As she advanced on base, the second baseman bent forward in anticipation of the catch. With a few metres between her and the bag, Jayden began her slide, launching her body feet-first. She could hear cheers and whistles from the stands and she hoped it was Grench stealing home. Jayden slid to a stop with her thigh against the bag just as the second baseman swooped her glove down, ball intact. She slammed Jayden on the chin and the force of the blow caused Jayden to roll sideways. The field ump was standing near them with his hands in the safe position but, when Jayden rolled with the force of the blow, he changed his mind.
“Out!”
Jayden’s bench erupted in turmoil.
“Interference!” hollered the third-base coach but the base ump maintained his ‘out’ posture. Hoping to overturn his call, the coach pointed to the head umpire behind the plate and hollered, “The runner was safe before the baseman swiped her face. You saw it! You make the call!”
The head umpire gave a time-out signal and called the field ump over for a huddle. Jayden stood on second base and brushed the sand from her pants. She stretched out her jaw and felt her chin for blood. The baseman’s leather glove had scratched below her jaw and at the top of her neck, but she was alright. Outrage at the girl’s rough play and at the ump’s call poured through her veins but she held her comments.
The umpires spoke for a couple of minutes and then the head ump gave the signal. He pointed at Grench and said, “Run scored!” Then he pointed at Jayden on second and said, “Out – and that’s the game!”
Jayden shook her head in disgust as she jogged toward the dugout. That was that.
“Sucks to lose with that kind of call,” D.S. said wryly as Jayden trotted past. “I thought you were safe.”
Disappointment etched the face of every team member. However, they walked onto the field with heads high, meeting their rivals on the pitcher’s mound. They marched past each other, hands slapping in subdued high fives. It was not the expected, exuberant ending for the Royals’ season and they retreated in solemn fashion to the bench.
“Great game, ladies,” said the head coach, drawing the team close when they were back in the dugout. “I’m proud of how you handled that last call, especially you, Jayden.” Heads nodded in a chorus of agreement.
“Well, girls, you know what’s next,” interrupted Mouse. “End-of-season hot tub party at my house!” She winked at Jayden and added, “Be sure to bring your handsome dude.”
Jayden gathered her ball gear and stuffed the items into her bag. A few team mates caressed the trunk of The Beastess, whispering, “Till next season!”
Mr. Nanjee and the boys were waiting for Jayden beside the bleachers.
“Great game,” said her dad.
“You got robbed!” cried Max.
“Shush,” Jayden responded, elbowing him smartly in the shoulder. She peered around, hoping no one overheard his zealous words. All was clear until she spied D.S. walking her way. Her dad followed Jayden’s worried glance and said, “Uh oh. Here comes trouble.”
“Hey, Jayden! Didn’t that call just suck? But your team is great – so much spirit!” She turned to Connor and gave him her sweetest smile. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yeah, they have a boisterous team, for sure,” he acknowledged.
“And look at you little man!” D.S. said, gawking and touching the ginger hair mop on Max’s head. “That’s some ’do you got there!”
Max blushed so deeply that the colour of his face nearly matched his hair. “Th-th-thanks, I guess?”
“Rightio!” D.S. winked cheekily at Mr. Nanjee and then, like a mini-tornado after touchdown, she took off. “Ta-ta, gotta go; my mom’s waiting for me!”
“That girl’s a little bit crazy,” Jayden remarked as her friend left. “Don’t pay her any attention.”
Connor grinned as he watched D.S. sashay over to the parking lot. Jayden frown
ed, unsettled that Connor was smiling that way at another girl. He’s not mine, she reminded herself.
Suddenly, Connor’s grin turned to shock and then his face dropped in horror. He squinted, rubbed his eyes and then looked to Jayden and back to her departing friend, D.S.
“Who is that girl?” Connor whispered.
“She’s a friend from school,” Jayden answered, turning to observe D.S. “Why?”
D.S. had her arm around a tall, middle-aged lady. The woman had her dark hair slicked back in an upswept bun that was so tight it appeared her face was being twisted up into her scalp. As Jayden watched, the woman nodded at D.S. and attempted to smile. Even from where Jayden stood, she could see there was no warmth exuding from the stretched gash that resembled a mouth. The vivid red lipstick glowed against her deathly pale skin and made obvious the dirty yellow tones of her teeth.
A chill ran down Jayden’s spine. “What is it? Why are you looking at D.S.’s mom like that?”
“That woman,” choked out Connor. “That woman is Richard’s mom.”
* * *
D.S. focused her attention on her mom, matching artificial smile with artificial smile. It took all her willpower to keep her back to Jayden and her friends. Still, D.S. was in shock.
Everyone in the cross over land is real.
Each time D.S. crossed over, she would see one or all of them. But they never saw her. She was good at hiding.
She kept crossing over – she had to – to find her brother, Richard. She knew he was somewhere in the cross over land, but somehow they never crossed paths. Nonetheless, she kept bringing him supplies – items to help him ‘fall’ into real sleep. Into that magical Town of Sleepmore.
She had to save him.
It was her fault he was there.
Chapter 23
Nothing Normal Here
The hot water soothed her mind. Jayden turned her face into the shower, absorbing the pellets blasting her skin. Time to revive and time to figure out a plan of action.
After leaving the baseball complex, she volunteered the keys to her Jeep and sat in the passenger seat while her dad drove them home. For some reason, saying ‘good-bye’ to Connor and Max had been very difficult. Her gut told her they would soon be crossing over to the dream world – probably that night. After Connor’s revelation about the relationship between D.S. and Richard’s mom, she knew the guys were feeling the cross over call too.
Jayden towel dried and dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Pushing her face to within inches of her bathroom mirror, she stated: I swear I will never cross over again in my pyjamas – ever! Her promise was interrupted with the beeps and vibrations from her cell phone. There were several text messages, all from her team mate, Mouse. Jayden scrolled through them, amused.
Where r u?
Hot tub partaaaay.
Get here now!
And then a picture of a piece of wood, the 2x4 kind used for framing a house.
Confusion crossed Jayden’s face.
What the heck is that? she texted Mouse in return.
It’s a stud, Mouse texted back. Where’s yours?
You’re a nut! Jayden responded. Chuckling, she texted again. Sorry, Mouse... busy tonight...
A moment later, Mouse had the last word. You go, girl!
Jayden shut down her phone and prepared for bed. Before lying down, she tied six colourful shoe laces around her wrist. Connor had mocked her for bringing them but, for some reason, they seemed important. Besides, she told herself, I have nothing else to bring.
She fluffed her pillow and rested against the headboard.
“I’m ready,” she whispered.
* * *
Max inspected his backpack for the tenth time that night. Everything he had stuffed in there a week ago was still stuffed. He had learned an important lesson, though. Sleep with your backpack strapped around your stomach, not around your back. He had slept very little for the first few nights with the pack strapped to his back. Duh.
Max pulled the General Jaxxon shirt over his head and stretched it to cover the backpack. It was a tight fit but there was enough room for him to puff out his chest in imitation of the General. He mentally swatted away the childish, afraid-of-the-dark fantasies that flitted in and out of his mind. Think brave, he told himself. Be invincible tonight. He grabbed a hoodie from his closet and zippered it over his shirt and backpack. There was, however, one uncertainty floating through his mind: they hadn’t tested his theory about wearing a backpack full of stuff when they crossed over as opposed to ‘carrying’ stuff. In a dream world where the natural laws of physics seemed not to apply, he considered his theory to be true.
Max lay in bed and clasped hands across his chest.
“Come, my Protector... come.”
Instantly, the beam of light shone through his closed eyelids. Was that instant or was I already asleep?
The voice boomed: “Max, you may cross over...”
Max hugged the backpack close to his chest.
The apparition nodded. Did he smile?
“It’s not too late...”
* * *
Connor gently stroked the smooth skin of Georgia’s face. Her peaceful repose did not suggest she was anywhere but a deep sleep. Yet, Connor had witnessed her bizarre facial contortions and heard her cry out about monsters. He knew the substance of her dreams. He had been to that land where nightmares begin.
Connor pulled the hospital chair closer to her bed. “Tonight, I’m staying with you,” he whispered. Taking her slack hand in his, he closed his eyes.
* * *
Ewww.
Jayden spat out dirt and rolled over. There was muck in her hair and more muck encrusted on her elbows. The scent of scorched wood filled her nostrils.
She had crossed over.
Jayden crouched low, sensing the powerful energy from the shield behind her. The crackling sounds confirmed the shield was still activated and playing the vines like an evil puppeteer.
Suddenly, a pale, freckled face jumped in front of her. It was Max, his thick shock of ginger hair standing straight out, like an electrified Ronald McDonald. Each strand of hair had a life of its own, reaching as far from Max’s head as physically possible. Max was quaking, whether in fear or from the electric charge, Jayden wasn’t sure, but she knew one thing: he looked hilarious.
Max extended his arms like the Frankenstein monster. There was something protruding under his hoodie, making him look even whackier. “I do solemnly tell you,” Max intoned, “if you touch the shield, it will hurt.” He nodded but his hair remained at attention, full of static electricity.
“Don’t touch anything,” Jayden warned, “or you’ll ‘zap’ yourself.” Jayden closed her eyes and held her sides, trying to control the laughter brewing in her belly. “Be nice,” she told herself. She peered at him from the corner of her eye and choked down a laugh.
“What’s wrong?” Max asked. “Is it bad?”
“Oh, Max,” Jayden turned her head away. “I can’t look at you.” She began to chuckle and then coughed to cover it up. But the more she peeped at Max’s electrified hair, the more she laughed. It bleated out of her in waves.
“Max,” she chortled, “If only we had a mirror... You are definitely the hottest ginger on the planet.”
“I’m thinking that is not a compliment,” he responded. “This isn’t funny. I could be in serious trouble here.”
Unexpectedly, the shield shut down and the vines immediately collapsed to the ground. Humour dissipated in Jayden’s body as quickly as did the electricity from the shield.
Max gingerly patted his tummy. “I crossed over with my backpack intact. What about you?”
Jayden stretched out her arm and the multi-coloured laces glowed in the moonlight. “All’s good.”
“Okay then, let’s get back on track... the shack.” Max slowly shuffled his body and his hair fell to his head in its normal mop style. “Can you remember where the shack is?”
Jayden
nodded. “But what about Connor? Shouldn’t we wait for him?”
Max hesitated. “I don’t think so. I have the feeling we have to move. Or climb. Or both.”
Jayden dusted the dirt from her clothes and stood with her hands on her hips. She offered her face to the moon and studied its tranquil pale face. “The moon never moves here, did you notice that?” she asked Max. “The clouds move, but the moon is always in the same place.”
“Yup. Everything about this place is strange,” he agreed. “Nothing here is normal.”
“Yeah, this way,” Jayden said, pointing ahead. “There’s a narrow footpath alongside the volcano vent that’ll lead us to the shack.”
The two set off. Max walked slowly, cradling the backpack on his chest like it was a baby. Jayden forged ahead, anxious to get out of the woods.
“Come on,” Jayden motioned to him urgently. She twisted the laces on her wrist in frustration. “Will you hurry up!” She could see the shack in a small clearing ahead. The tall rock wall was now almost directly beside them.
Suddenly, Jayden held up her hand in a ‘s-s-s-hhh’ gesture and ducked behind a tree. Max jumped behind a tree a few yards away.
“What’s up?” he asked.
Jayden stole a quick look at the shack. “The door’s open.”
“Didn’t you lock it?”
“Yes!”
“From the inside?”
“YES!”
Max crept forward until he was beside Jayden. The forest was silent around them. Not even a cricket chirped and Max gulped in dramatic fashion. The combination of fear and moonlight made his freckled face appear even paler.
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