Jump When Ready

by David Pandolfe

  Nikki stared at Jamie, blinking repeatedly, as if at the total end of her patience. “I think it’s safe to say you totally Emerged at the guy. I mean, he stared at you. He went pale. He nearly had a heart attack. I may not exactly be an expert on these matters, but that’s pretty much a classic seeing a ghost sort of reaction. So, you thought what—that he needed to use a bathroom all of a sudden?”

  “I really wasn’t sure what to think,” Jamie said. “Like I said, Martha kind of gave me the wakeup call that same day. Either way, that was the last time I crossed over before I came back here with you guys. Besides, even if I could Emerge, why would I want to go around scaring the crap out of people?”

  “I can think of a bunch of reasons right now,” I said.

  Jamie raised his eyebrows. “Dude, totally true! So, it looks like this was the right time for me get super-talented. Think you guys can get used to it?”

  “It certainly won’t be easy,” Nikki said. “I figured you were stretching it at skateboarding without falling over. But, hang on—this is like the freaking planets aligning. River Rat can Speak, I can Read and you can Emerge. So, what’s the deal?”

  That’s what had been on my mind since our conversation at the pond. It couldn’t all just be a coincidence. Nikki must have been wondering about the same thing the whole time.

  “Listen,” I said. “I know I’m new at being dead, but I’m starting to get the feeling our group may be kind of special. Think about it, Curtis is also a Manipulator.”

  Nikki nodded, but didn’t seem too happy about that part. “I know. I always try not to think about Curtis—he’s such a creep. I was kind of hoping his little talent for messing with people might not enter into it. But, obviously, he’s part of whatever it is too. What are the odds of this happening? Wait a minute, what about Simon and Naomi?”

  Nikki had a point, definitely. “Maybe they just haven’t figured out yet what their talents are?”

  Nikki thought about that, then sighed. “Naomi, I’m not worried about. But I think I’ll pass on being around when Simon puts it together. Probably a totally new category. Let me guess, he’s an Annoyer!”

  “Hang on.” Jamie started pacing. “So, we’re like the gifted group or something. Like Advanced Placement in high school? Cool!” He stopped pacing. “Wait, I always hated those kids.”

  I thought about it for a moment. “Or maybe we’re totally the opposite. Maybe we’re the kids most likely to cause problems.”

  Jamie burst out laughing. “Awesome! Total renegade punks!”

  “Speak for yourself,” Nikki said. “Maybe we’re just the really cool crowd. I’m going with that.”

  Suddenly, something occurred to me. “Maybe, on our own, we can’t have enough of an effect on this side. Not if we can only have an impact on one sense alone. At least now there’s the three of us here, but do you think we need Curtis?”

  Nikki only gave it a moment’s thought. “You better hope not. Fat chance of that happening.”

  12

  Talking to a Dead Kid

  In the morning, Karen crept out of the bedroom and went out to the front porch with her sketch pad. She sat in a rocking chair and started to draw while the sun rose over the mountains. It seemed strange to me, watching her, that I’d been hoping to become an artist while here Karen was trying to do the same thing. I wondered who she might have become if maybe her life had taken a different direction. Something told me she’d once been a good person. Even now, I wondered if that could still happen for her.

  After a while, Karen took out colored pencils and started to add shades to the hills, trees and sky she’d drawn. Then she stopped, took a breath and started to cry. She wiped her eyes and looked around as if afraid someone might see her.

  “She’s starting to crack,” Nikki said. “She never intended for it to go on this long.”

  Karen glanced back at the windows, then reached inside her pencil pouch. She took out a joint and lit it. She took a deep puff, then another.

  “Great, they both have substance issues,” Jamie said.

  “You find this surprising?” Nikki said.

  Karen went back to her sketch, adding more colors. Every so often, she’d stop like she was thinking about things and her eyes got a far away look. Suddenly, she set down her pad and said, “Oh, my God. I didn’t check on her last night.”

  She went inside and I didn’t wait for Jamie and Nikki. I passed by Karen just as she knocked on Bethany’s door. It was totally a hunch but I had to go with it. For one thing, Karen was stoned. More importantly, Will was still sleeping, probably because of all the whiskey last night. For once, he wouldn’t be watching.

  Bethany was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

  “Close your eyes,” I said.

  Bethany looked in my direction.

  “Act like you’re still sleeping. Please, trust me on this.”

  Bethany rolled over and closed her eyes. She pressed her face into the pillow.

  Karen came into the room and closed the door behind herself. “Bethany, are you okay? I’m so sorry I didn’t check on you last night. I don’t know what happened. I just got really tired and—” Her eyes went to the handcuffs. “Oh, my God. It’s still on your wrist. I didn’t even make you comfortable. What the hell is wrong with me?”

  Karen started tearing up again. She wiped her eyes with her forearm and took a key from her pocket. She unlocked the handcuff. “Bethany? Maybe you should wake up. Do you need to use the—”

  “Now!” I yelled. “Go!”

  Bethany sprang from the bed and knocked Karen to the floor. She ran from the room, slamming the door against the wall.

  I was right beside her. “Go!”

  Bethany ran down the hall and out the front door. She leapt past the porch steps and darted toward the woods.

  “Run! Do you see that path?”

  “I see it!”

  I flew next to her as she ran into the woods. Glimpses of morning sunlight flickered through the trees. Bethany’s arms and legs pumped as she gained distance, but her feet were bare and her breathing was raspy.

  I saw light up ahead, maybe a clearing where she might be seen.

  “Run! Keep running!”

  Then I heard steps right behind us. I heard Will breathing, gasping as he struggled to catch up. In that moment, I realized this was the dream I’d had that first night after I drowned—Bethany running, terrified as someone chased her, the light flickering through the trees on the horizon. Suddenly, I had a very bad feeling and wondered if I’d made a terrible mistake in getting Bethany to try this escape.

  Just then, the air behind me exploded and wood splintered off a tree. Crows raced for the sky, cawing and flapping. Another shot rang out and dirt sprayed at Bethany’s feet. She tried to dodge, stumbling down the path. She’d almost regained her footing when Will fired again. Bethany tripped and fell, then got to her knees, wheezing and trying to catch her breath.

  “Get up, Bethany! Please, run!” I didn’t know if that was even the right choice but I couldn’t help it. I just wanted her to get away somehow.

  Bethany got to her feet just as Will closed the distance between them. He pointed the gun at her back.

  “Don’t make me do this,” he said.

  Bethany froze, tears streaming down her face. “Henry? What do I do?”

  What could I tell her that wouldn’t get her killed? “I don’t know,” I said, tears coming to my eyes as well.

  “Who’s Henry?” Will said.

  Bethany turned to face him, her eyes like slits. “You tell me, Will. Or whatever the hell your name is. Who’s Henry? Did you forget all our little chats already?”

  Will kept the gun pointed at her but he nodded. “Okay, sure. Are you really talking to him again? Kind of sick talking to a dead kid, don’t you think? But if you don’t feel like joining him, I’d advise you to start walking back to the cabin.”

  I ran toward him, about to lock onto his brain and start howling. I did
n’t care what happened other than making him hurt.

  Nikki jumped in front of me. “Henry, no!”

  Jamie grabbed hold of my shoulders. “You have to wait!”

  I stopped and looked at them, not sure how much they’d seen or when they’d caught up with us. “Why should I wait? I’m going to kill that—”

  “Think!” Nikki said. “He’s got a gun.”

  Again, they were right. I forced myself to wait, knowing there wasn’t a thing I could do but stand there and watch as Will marched Bethany back to the cabin. Once they were inside, he kept the gun pointed at her. He turned to Karen, who sat at the kitchen table holding her head in her hands.

  “Drug her, now. Double-dose her.”

  Karen didn’t move fast enough.

  “Now!”

  Karen went the cabinet, then spilled several pills onto the counter. She filled a cup with water.

  “Force them down her throat if you have to.”

  Karen crushed pills against the counter with a spoon. She scooped them into the water, then held the cup out to Bethany. “You better drink it,” she said, apologizing to Bethany with her eyes.

  Will raised the gun. “Exactly, you better drink it.”

  Bethany was still winded, breathing hard. “Or what, you shoot me? Kind of hard getting ransom that way, isn’t it?”

  “You’d be surprised,” Will said. “They don’t have to know you’re dead. Believe me, I’ve given it some thought.”

  Bethany hesitated, her hand shaking as she held the cup. But something in Will’s eyes made her drink the water. Karen took the cup from Bethany.

  Will tossed the gun into a drawer and slammed it shut. He grabbed Bethany’s wrists and dragged her back down the hallway. Bethany managed to free one arm. She swung at his face but Will caught her wrist just in time.

  “What, are you tough all of a sudden, little girl? Get the hell in there!” He shoved Bethany through the bedroom door and wrenched her arm up behind her back. Bethany cried out in pain. Within seconds he’d pinned her down and locked her wrist to the bed.

  I couldn’t take any more. With the gun gone, I didn’t have to. I ran at him and screamed, “Leave her alone, you bastard! You’re going to pay for this! Do you hear me?”

  Will turned toward me, then searched the room with his eyes.

  “Yeah, you heard me! The same guy you heard when you were driving. Remember?”

  Will’s stumbled toward the door. “Go away!”

  “Kind of sick talking to a dead kid, don’t you think? Guess what? I plan to hang around with you in prison. I’m going to watch everything that happens. You’re going to hear me laughing!”

  Will ran back into the kitchen and flung the cupboard open. He brought the whiskey bottle to his lips and gulped.

  “Hey, Will! Did Richard know about your drinking problem? For that matter, did he know you were a lying psycho?”

  Will slammed the bottle down on the counter. “Jesus, shut up! Just shut up!”

  Karen stared at him. “Who are you yelling at? What’s going on?”

  Sweat dripped from Will’s forehead. He stared down at the floor. “Nothing! Nothing’s going on. We’re sending the ransom demand today. We’ll arrange the location like we said and—”

  “But you said we should wait until—”

  “I know what I said! Don’t worry about it.”

  “Jamie, Emerge now,” Nikki said. “For like one second while he’s not looking.”

  “I don’t know if I have that kind of control,” Jamie said.

  Nikki narrowed her eyes. “Cut the crap.”

  Jamie Emerged in front of Karen. He pointed and yelled, “You two are going down!”

  Karen jumped back, her eyes wide. “Shit!”

  Will spun around. “What happened?”

  Karen had gone pale. “Something…someone...I don’t know. He pointed right at me! I swear to God.”

  Will’s eyes darted back and forth. “Did you hear anything?”

  “What? No! I just saw him. Maybe it was my imagination. I don’t know!”

  “Okay,” Nikki said. “I think we should back off now.”

  I spun around to face her. “Why? We’re totally messing them up!”

  “Exactly. So, let that settle in and save the rest for when we really need it. It’s not like we can do anything right now.”

  Will crossed into the living room and hoisted his computer case onto the coffee table. He took out the laptop and sat waiting while it powered up. “Yeah, it’s time to get this done. We’re starting to lose it.”

  “What about the video?” Karen said.

  Will nodded in Bethany’s direction. “Grab the camera and get some now. There’s a newspaper on the counter. Have her read the headline.”

  “What if they get away with it?” I said. “I think we should keep going. Make them totally insane. Jamie, you should Emerge again!”

  “I don’t’ know,” Jamie said. “Maybe Nikki’s right. They’re already freaked and he just tossed back a bunch of whiskey.”

  Nikki pointed down the hall. “And even if they get away with it, at least Bethany goes home, right?”

  I tried to calm down. Sure, it made sense. At the same time it wouldn’t make up for weeks of torturing my family, not to mention betraying my uncle.

  Karen went to a closet by the front door and took out a video camera. She went down the hall and came back a minute later. “Great advice drugging the crap out of her. She’s totally passed out.”

  Will stared at the laptop screen while he typed. “Whatever, we’ll use the clip from when I tested.”

  “But that was like a week ago!”

  “Then they’ll have to go on faith, okay? We need to finish this up and—”

  Karen’s head swiveled toward the window.

  “What is it?” Will said.

  “Quiet!” Karen looked outside. She held her hand up to keep Will from talking.

  But Will had heard it too. “Is that a car?”

  “Oh, my God. It’s a cop! He’s coming down the driveway!”

  Jamie, Nikki and I all turned to look. My heart kicked into overdrive. “Yes! There’s a freaking cop outside!”

  “Awesome!” Jamie said. “They’re totally going down!”

  “Please, please, please, arrest them,” Nikki said.

  Will stood and looked at Karen. “Stay calm. And get away from the window. Actually, go back to the bedroom and stay there.”

  Karen ran from the room and Will got the gun from the drawer. He shoved it into the back of his jeans and pulled his T-shirt over the handle. When the knock came at the door, he waited. The knocking sounded again and he went to the door.

  “Good morning, officer. How can I help—” It was the same cop from the day before. “We met yesterday, didn’t we?”

  The cop nodded. “We did. How are you today?”

  Will smiled. “Fine. Beautiful day. Is everything okay?”

  “As far as I know,” the cop said. “We received some calls about gunfire up here. Do you know anything about that?”

  Will didn’t even hesitate. “We heard it too. We just thought it might be some people out hunting.”

  “Hunting’s not allowed in this part of the mountains. Is your girlfriend here?”

  “She’s in back,” Will said.

  The cop kept his eyes on Will. “I need to make sure she’s okay. Can you ask her to show herself?”

  “Sure, of course.” Will turned to the hallway. “Honey? There’s a police officer here and they heard gunshots. He just needs to be sure everything is okay.”

  The bedroom door opened and Karen stuck her head out. “Did you say they heard gunshots?”

  The cop stared at Will. “Didn’t you say you both heard it?”

  “Right there,” Nikki said. “He thinks they’re lying.”

  Will turned back to Karen. “The gunshots we heard in the woods.”

  Karen nodded. “Right. We heard those too. I thought mayb
e there were more. Sorry, I fell asleep back here while I was reading.” She yawned. “Can I go back to bed now?”

  Will looked at the cop, who waited a second, then nodded.

  “Sure, honey. It’s fine.”

  I ran over to the cop. “Please, he’s lying! They both are! They have my sister locked in the bedroom!”

  “Anything else I can help you with?” Will said.

  The cop hesitated.

  “He doesn’t get it,” Nikki said. “They’re both fine, obviously. But he still thinks they’re lying.”

  I needed some way to get through. It took everything I had to calm down and try the other approach. I whispered into his ear.

  They abducted a girl. She’s here in this cabin.

  The cop glanced around the room, then looked Will in the eye. “Is anyone else here with you?”

  “He heard you that time,” Jamie said. “Definitely.”

  Will shook his head. “No, it’s just us.”

  “Just you and your girlfriend. Is that right?”

  “Yes, officer.”

  They’re lying. They have a girl locked up in—

  The radio on the cop’s shoulder squawked with static, then a woman spoke. “Unit twelve, we have a ten-eighteen on Buckingham Road at Chester Street.”

  The cop punched a button. “Copy. Injuries?”

  “Affirmative. Can you get to the scene?”

  Please, we need your help!

  The cop looked around the inside of the cabin again. He waited just a moment, then said, “On my way.”

  ~~~

  After the cop left, Will paced back and forth in the living room while Karen smoked a cigarette.

  “It was just a coincidence that it was the same guy,” Karen said. “It’s not like he knows any—”

  “Please shut up and let me think.” A few seconds passed as Will kept pacing. “No, this is bad. That’s two days in a row. And someone heard the gunshots. What the hell is up with that? There’s no one around for miles.”