What Lies Beyond

by B. B. Palomo

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” he asked finally, reminding me that I’d always have him in my corner, and I nodded, pretending to feel more confident than I was.

  “I have to do this alone,” I said. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  I left a very weary Noah to sit alone in the truck while I ventured off on my own to the only place I could be sure to get immediate exposure. I wasn’t confident in my pressured decision, nor was I overly ecstatic to be out here alone, in the dark, which was already creepy long before the notion of me calling on the undead. However, desperate times called for even crazier measures, and at this point, I was willing to try just about anything if it meant getting rid of a demon and seeing my dad.

  The rest of the visit with Grammy went well. She explained that investigating and embracing the aspects of my sight, after it spending so long veiled in my life, was likely the only way to rid myself of my new parasite. The answer didn’t sit well with me, but if doing so would kill two birds with one stone, I was all for it.

  We’d set a date for the day after tomorrow to meet out behind Grammy’s house, where she would set up protections to help us complete the exorcism. Noah could drop me off, but other than that, she thought it was best to keep people far from harm’s way in case things went south. I didn’t ask her to elaborate on what that could entail, just assuming it was nothing I’d want to know.

  What was most important, she reminded me, was that I test out my sight without preconceived notions. I needed to be one hundred percent open-minded and accepting that it wasn’t something to be feared or hated. It was a chance to view a whole different side to the ideas we’re taught to have about life, about death, and everything in between. If I couldn’t do that, I wouldn’t be able to take on what was to come, and that frightened me much more than what I was about to try.

  The grass hadn’t been cut in a few days. The chilly, wet blades tickled my ankles as I walked to the back of the cemetery, where I knew I wouldn’t be seen and where I was sure I knew the way out because of past experiences. I smiled as I passed the place where my friendship was sealed with the group, the negative memory of Timmy and his friends bullying me all but wiped away with their acceptance.

  I’d ended up with a nasty goose egg on the back of my head, but it was worth it to see Timmy blanch at me being protected by people I’d only known for a day. The derogatory remarks about being a witch hurt a lot less when they came from a group of kids running for their lives to avoid Adira’s rage.

  The path was lit up the same as before, lanterns casting just enough light to brighten the trails, but the darkness that surrounded me still taunted me mercilessly as I walked. Knowing that there were things out there others couldn’t see made every shadow and sound more daunting, and I found myself jumping more than once over nothing more than a twig snapping under my shoe.

  I came to a stop as soon as I worked up enough courage to try and drop my walls and follow through with what Grammy advised. The whispering breeze warned me against the idea, or maybe my mind was just playing tricks on me. Grammy assured me I’d be okay, that these spirits weren’t the same as the demon following me, but my heart still thumped wildly in my chest anyway. I took a deep breath in, willing myself not to run back to the comfort of Noah’s presence, and dropped the only thing between me and the lost souls I was about to encounter.

  At first, it was quiet, and I thought I might have done something wrong, but then I was surrounded. The indiscernible whispers were deafening as they gravitated toward me. My head swelled, ready to explode as blood dripped from my nostril, the warmth slipping between my lips and burning my taste buds. I slammed my palms over my ears to help with my focus, but the sounds seemed to slip between the folds of my fingers, each voice coated in an undying need for assistance. I closed my eyes tight as they invaded my personal space, doing my best to ignore the throbbing racking my skull.

  Just breathe. You can do this. Concentrate.

  I focused on my lungs, the way the giant muscle expanded to touch my ribcage before expelling the hot, deoxygenated air as my chest cavity relaxed. In and out, it went until the roars of the departed turned to the soft voice of just one. I counted to three before opening my eyes, drawing strength from the childish antics as if the numbers would save me from the spirit I knew would be there when they opened.

  I focused my gaze as it landed on a small child. Cinnamon curls were pulled to each side of her part, secured in elastics. She wore a ruby dress, the black flats on her feet muddy in a way that reminded me of my childhood. Running through a rain puddle in a brand-new dress Mom had bought me, ruining it but having the time of my life. Her face was ashen, making her eyes seem sunken in as she stared back at me, lips moving, but the words going over my head as if it was a different language. I squinted, hoping that if I focused on her mouth’s movements, I could better understand what she was trying to tell me.

  “Elp eee,” she said.

  “I’m sorry.” I wet my lips, nervous, suddenly uncomfortable knowing if someone passed us, it would look like I was talking to myself. “I don’t understand.”

  “Heeelp me.” Her voice grew more frantic.

  “How?” I backed up instinctively as she took a step forward, reaching out her hand to me.

  She didn’t stop moving, gaining speed as I panicked. I stumbled, tripping over the headstone behind me as she kept coming. The fall shocked my tailbone, the sharp pain shooting up my back as my jeans soaked up the moisture from the grass. Involuntarily, I reached for the source of hurt while shoving out another hand to stop her from touching me. It was no use. She moved right through my arm, it solid in her hazy midsection. She placed chilled fingertips to my forehead, and my eyes started to roll back, dizziness taking over as I was transported to a place I’d never seen before.

  Sweat formed at my brow instantly, the humidity suffocating. It was late spring, by my guess, somewhere down south with the blooming magnolia and the draping bald cypress trees hanging above us. Mud covered my shoes, dipping between the lacing and under the tongue to saturate my socks. April showers, bring May flowers seemed to be literal here as the clouds still hung heavily above us. Off in the distance, a church bell rang, sending a flock of white doves flying into the air, their coos disjointed as they searched for their handler. I could hear the cheers of a brand-new marriage being celebrated, almost picturing the kernels of rice getting caught in the delicate twirls of the bride’s hair.

  I’d realized the girl clung to my hand, pulling us deeper into the foliage, away from where I was certain her parents were. My feet moved, but it didn’t seem like I was in control of them or their direction. The giggles of children grew the farther we walked, the subtle sounds of shoes stomping through the wet sludge as they played. We broke through a clearing, and I gasped, seeing the image of her likeness sitting on a dangerously thin branch well above where the rest of the kids ran around. I looked from the girl on the branch to the one still holding me in a tight grasp to confirm what my eyes were witnessing. She nodded slowly, jerking her head back up in a silent request to watch.

  She looked carefree up there, unlike the version of her in the afterlife. Her cheeks were plump and rosy from the heat, legs swinging wildly with the adrenaline of being so far from the ground. Her feet were already muddied, the whites of her stockings covered in brown splats, stopping just below her knees. Those same pigtails she wore now blew unrestrained in a breeze that made the leaves sing. Even from a distance, I could spot the slight chip in her front tooth, letting me know fear held no bounds on her, not like it seemed to do for the rest of us. She was full of adventure, and my heart cracked when I realized her potential was never going to be reached.

  “Emma?” a young boy called, and my breath hitched sharply in my chest as he moved through my body, reappearing in front of me. “Emma!”

  The shout startled us all.

  The kids running to the side, their images hazy, froze as Emma jumped at the sound of her brot
her’s voice scolding her for being so high. We both screamed no as she slipped, falling from the tree, limbs unable to catch their bearings and help break her fall. A sickening crack echoed in my ears as her skull connected with a lone rock resting on the ground, just waiting for a victim. We ran forward, and I let go of her hand to try and protect someone I already knew was gone. As soon as her touch was gone, the memory dissipated from in front of me, casting me back into the graveyard. I slammed down on my shins, throwing my arms out to stop from colliding with the gravestone in front of me.

  Sharp sticks nicked my knees as hot tears streamed down my flushed cheeks. The stone temperature was blistering, buzzing with an energy I’d never encountered before. I swiped my hand against the furry moss covering the inscriptions, feeling their curves as they were exposed. Emma Wright was emboldened by the outline around it, accompanied by a familiar gone too soon underneath her name. I looked up at her, not understanding what had just happened or how I’d been able to see that snippet from her life before.

  A sad look rested in her eyes, but it didn’t seem like it was for what she lost. Instead, she looked at me like she was sorry I had to experience that, like I was the one who was truly dead. I sat back on my feet and used my forearm to wipe the wetness from under my eyes. I wasn’t going to back out now. I understood now. She was here for a reason, waiting for the help, and I was going to give her the peace we both so badly needed.

  “What can I do?” I asked, not fully expecting an understandable response.

  “My brother.” Her image shuddered, losing the driving energy it had once before. “He blames himself. Please make him understand. I forgive him, and he should move on, be happy. Most importantly, that I still love him.”

  Before I could agree, she was gone, leaving me to sit in front of her resting place alone once more. I threw my walls back up, feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion hit me to the core. I thought maybe I’d see the light and tell her to go to it or maybe convince her it was her time like a show I’d watched once before. Perhaps I’d feel some sort of resolution, know for sure she had moved on with my help, but instead, I was left with more questions than answers. The only thing I could do was snap a picture of her grave and make a promise to the wind that I’d bring her wish to the family she still worried for, praying if she hadn’t truly departed, that she’d hear me.

  By the time I’d made it back to the truck, I was dragging my feet, the pure desire to move them all but gone. Noah was out front, pacing back and forth, trying to decide if he should disobey my request to remain alone during this experiment and chase after me. I didn’t know how long I’d been gone, but his eyes widened when he saw me and he smiled guiltily at having been caught worrying. I gave him a tired grin back, hoping I hadn’t rushed the graying process of his hair when the stress lines around his mouth came into focus.

  “You’re muddy,” he said, giving me a once-over as I stomped my shoes against the payment, trying to knock the grass and dirt from the soles.

  “I fell,” I answered, brushing the debris from my butt.

  “I can see that, and can I say,” he began helping me with a smile that said it wasn’t just for my benefit, “I’m not all that surprised.”

  “Truth be told, I hope I never surprise you again.” I chuckled but meant it.

  “I highly doubt that’s possible with you,” he said and walked me to the door so he could open it and help me in. “Did you accomplish what you set out to find?”

  “Not quite,” I answered, not wanting to go into details. “But, for the first time, I think I’m finally on the right track, and I know what I need to do.”

  He didn’t respond as he started the truck and put the heat on high to help dry my pants. The rough rumble of the engine had my eyes closing instantly, working better than any lullaby as I laid a heavy head on his shoulder. When he thought I was asleep, he leaned over to kiss my forehead softly, whispering against my hair.

  “I’m so glad.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  I’d spent the better part of the morning googling the Wrights, trying to figure out where they could be. All I could find was a fifteen-year-old news clipping of Emma’s tragic passing and that her brother and parents had left New Hampshire six months after the accident. By the time Noah pulled the dying laptop away from my agonizing typing, the whites of my eyes burned dry, and the phone I’d been ignoring since last night had gone off at least half a dozen times in the previous hour.

  He slid hot tea across the table, the cotton string hanging loosely against the rim of the gray ceramic mug. I inhaled deeply, the herb coated steam warming my nasal cavity and helping wake me back up. Noah rubbed my shoulders firmly, working the tense muscles from sitting hunched over too long from my body as I relaxed back into his touch.

  “How long are you gonna be at this?” he asked before shifting forward and dragging my phone closer to me to show the almost double number of notifications I’d initially thought I missed. “She doesn’t take kindly to being ignored. You know that.”

  It was true. Adira was relentless and would keep reaching out until she figured out why I canceled our plans last minute. Grammy said I had to strengthen my mind before I could attempt to exorcise the demon that was still attached to my soul. I had some comfort knowing my dad was around, holding it back, but I also could sense that the Band-Aid wouldn’t last forever. All I could do was hope that the short amount of preparation I had would be enough, but if Grammy’s insistence was any indication, time was not on my side at either end.

  “I know,” I said, placing my palm against his stilled hand. “And I’m sure I’m gonna get an earful, which I’m so not looking forward to, but this is important. I have to figure this out.”

  It wasn’t until the time on my phone came into view that I realized how long I’d spent tracking these people down. I’d woken up sometime around three in the morning with sudden anxious energy to fulfill my promise to Emma. I tossed and turned, over and over again, until Noah started to stir. Not wanting to disrupt him, I made my way to the kitchen, where Sasha still stayed far from my side, and got to work.

  By the time Noah woke and came searching for me, my butt had gone numb, and I was struggling to keep my nose from touching the computer screen as I worked. The phone chimed again, and when the look he gave me didn’t convince me to answer it, Noah snatched it up to do the honors.

  “No.” I did my best to merge a shout and whisper.

  “Adira.” He smiled widely at me, sticking his tongue out before turning his back to me.

  In retaliation, I opened the laptop again and quickly clicked on a link to a home listing. It matched the picture in the article, and even though it had been sold twice since then, I figured the owners could possibly know where the Wrights moved to. Plus, it was the only lead I had.

  “Willow?” Noah stalled on the phone, glancing at me for direction and trying not to laugh when I waved my hands like I was directing an airplane.

  “I’m not here,” I said, not ready to come clean about everything.

  “She’s not here,” Noah repeated and then paused. “You heard her? Oh, you’re at the—”

  Three loud knocks at the door brought both our attention there.

  I stood just as Noah opened the door, the phone still hovering by his ear. He flashed a guilty grin as Adira barged past him, hands already on her hips.

  “Come in,” he spoke to the entryway sarcastically.

  My lips numbed when Cora followed in after her, still rushing before Noah closed the door like it would stop her from entering. Her sparkling eyes met mine, reading a question I hadn’t even been able to think up yet. She raised her hand, showing off her friendship ring, and I couldn’t help but twist mine on my finger. That’s how she was staying close to us.

  “Well.” Adira touched the back of her hand to her forehead, feigning relief. “And here I’d worried you’d been in an awful accident and gotten amnesia because I know you’d never ghost me like that.”
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  I tried not to be offended that she’d used two examples that seemed oddly pointed, considering my history. She was just upset, and I could understand that. I didn’t need to avoid talking to her, but I knew she’d sniff through my lie if I tried to say nothing came from our trip to Grammy’s. Plus, on strict instructions that Adira couldn’t come tomorrow, there was no way for me to break that news casually without her pushing back, hoping I’d cave.

  “It wasn’t on purpose.” Lie. Of course, the first thing out of my mouth, and she immediately noticed.

  “Did I do something?” she asked, and I sighed, having backed myself in a corner.

  “No.” I shook my head and motioned for her to sit on the couch.

  As we passed Noah, I shot him a dirty look like he would have been able to avoid all of this. I mean, I only had to make it to tomorrow. Adira sat down heavily on the couch, still pouting as I got comfortable next to her while Noah pulled a chair from the table, straddling it.

  Cora didn’t say anything to me as she crossed her legs to sit on the ground. Sasha came out from hiding, stretching her back before exposing her belly to her. My eyes went wide when she purred as Cora petted her.

  “Hello.” Adira waved her hand in front of my face. “Earth to Willow.”

  “S-sorry,” I stuttered. “And I’m sorry for ignoring you.”

  Adira’s shoulders relaxed as her feistiness calmed. She couldn’t stay mad at me, and once she’d said her piece, it was water under the bridge and never brought up again.

  “I forgive you.” She poked an index and middle finger to her eyes before turning them at Noah. “But not you.” She joked, laughing when Noah opened his mouth in surprise and slapped a hand to his heart. “Okay, now tell me everything! Don’t leave out any details! Is she spunky? Creepy? Oh, is her house made of bones—”