by Ching, G. P.
"Finally it occurred to me to ring the bell again. When I did, I realized that when I turned the knife away from my father, I'd pointed the blade toward my mother's chest. When time started again, she couldn't stop her momentum. She plunged that chef's knife into her own chest. I watched my mother stab herself with SpongeBob playing in the background."
"Oh my god, Mara. That's..."
"Horrible. Awful. Tragic. Excruciatingly painful."
The words dripped with regret. "It wasn't your fault. The day I became a Soulkeeper, I almost killed two boys in my class. The water threw them thirty feet into a wall. All it would have taken was something sharp or the wrong angle and they'd be dead."
"Huh. Well, my mom didn't die, but see when the cops came and I tried to explain what had happened, it sounded crazy. I didn't know what I was, so I told the truth. Then I told the truth again and again to a bunch of different people. And before you know it, I was committed to the Jacksonville psychiatric hospital."
Jacob buried his fingers in his hair. Suddenly, his head felt like it weighed a million pounds. "How did your helper find you?"
"He didn't for a full year. I lived there for three hundred and sixty seven days. And you know what? My parents never came to visit me. No one came to visit me. Then one day, an old man asked to see me. Right there in the visitor's center he explained to me what I was. His name was Dean Bell. Ironic huh. I had a Helper named Mr. Bell."
"How did he get you out?"
"Oh, he just handed me a bell, held my hand, and told me to use it. I lived three years with him. A Watcher killed him during a mission last year. It was just the two of us. We killed it first but...I couldn't save him. That's when I moved to Chicago."
"What about your parents? Didn't they come looking for you?"
"I don't even think they noticed I was gone."
"Mara, I'm glad you told me but there's something I've gotta know."
"What?"
"Why in the world would you want to remember that? I mean, the SpongeBob pajamas part."
"Because it taught me the power of my gift. I can stop time, Jacob. If I wanted to, I could walk into a bank, and take all the money out of the open drawers. I could move someone I didn't like in front of a bus. I wear the SpongeBob pajamas so that I remember how it felt to watch someone I thought I wanted dead plunge a knife into her chest. I didn't like it, Jacob. SpongeBob reminds me to live by the rules even though I don't have to."
She brushed the hot pink streak back from her eyes. For a moment, Jacob was speechless, mulling over Mara's profound history. When it was clear the silence was making her uncomfortable, he searched for something to say.
"You could've just kept the kitchen knife."
Mara squinted her eyes in his direction. "What?"
"Instead of buying the pajamas, you could've bought a kitchen knife."
"Do you have a problem with the pineapple under the sea, Lau."
"In fact I do. I think it's like crack for third graders."
"Nice."
In the quiet that followed, they both tried to squelch a wave of giggles. "You called SpongeBob crack," Mara said, laughing.
Jacob stood. "Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep."
"Okay. See you in the morning," she said. "Oh, and Jacob?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sure everything will be alright with Malini. She'll understand."
"I hope you're right."
He climbed the staircase, hoping he could be a friend to Mara. After all she'd been through, she needed one.
Chapter 10
Planning Committee
Malini tossed her orange tray down across from Jacob and Dane. At some point during the school year, they'd migrated to Dane's table with Amy Barger and Phillip Westcott. When Amy broke up with Dane, she defected to Jacob and Malini's old table with her girlfriends. Phillip, who had never fully accepted the Dane-Jacob friendship, remained at the table but he and Mike perched on the end with a full two-person gap between his section and theirs. It was pretty clear that there was still a line in the sand. Dane was just on the other side of it.
"Good news, Jacob. I think my dad is ready to break the un-grounding me. At breakfast, I mentioned studying together this week and he didn't freak out," Malini said.
"So, he said yes?"
"Not exactly. He sort of tilted his head to the side. But it wasn't a no." She grinned, taking a bite of her salad.
"How was Springfield?"
"Good actually. My Dad and I hardly fought at all."
"Cool."
"By the way, thank you for coming by Saturday night."
"You're welcome," Dane and Jacob said together.
Malini looked back and forth between the two of them. "I meant Jacob, Dane."
"Oh," Dane said. "Sorry… I thought, because I was there and you were still grounded…"
"I came by anyway," Jacob said, curtly. "Later." He gave Dane some seriously hostile eye contact.
"Will you guys chill? Please?" Malini asked. "Can you come by again, tonight, Jake?" Malini asked.
"I don't think I can," Jacob said. "Something happened Saturday night. Something I need to tell you about."
Malini leaned forward just as Dane did until she realized Phillip had stopped eating and was watching them suspiciously.
"Maybe there's a better place for this conversation," Malini whispered, tilting her head in Phillip's direction.
Jacob became interested in his meatloaf. Dane shifted in his seat. The instant quiet was as cagey as the huddling. Thankfully, Dane came up with alternative conversation.
"Have you guys thought about prom?" he asked, louder than necessary.
"Do we need to think about it now? It isn't until May, right?" Malini said, rolling her eyes. Jacob glared at her. It was a sore subject.
"True, but it's the end of March. They're starting the planning committee. I thought we could all, you know, work on it together."
Jacob pressed a finger to his lips and squinted at Dane incredulously. "You want to join the prom committee?"
Thinking it was a joke, Malini burst out laughing, but stopped when she noticed the look on Dane's face.
He lowered his voice again, a blush forming on his cheeks. "Since I broke up with Amy, there's no one to go with. The committee would be an excuse for me to be there alone. You know, you guys have each other but I'm kind of on my own here."
"Don't be ridiculous." Malini said. "You're the most popular boy in our class."
Dane swallowed a gulp of his lemonade. "Not anymore."
Jacob and Malini's exchanged looks. It was true. Befriending them had cost him his reputation.
"Prom committee sounds fun," Malini said. When Jacob didn't say anything she kicked him under the table.
A grin stretched across Jacob's face. "Prom committee? I was planning on joining before you asked."
Dane snickered. "Thanks, you two. The first meeting is Thursday."
Jacob reached for Malini's hand. "Speaking of meeting, McNaulty's after school? I have to talk to you."
"Sure, but it will have to wait until four. I'm working in the lab for Mrs. Jacques."
"My God, Malini. How many jobs do you have?"
"Counting my fake job with Dr. Silva and the part-time position with your uncle, three. My dad is loving it."
"Damn. Guess who's paying for prom tickets?" Jacob said.
Malini kicked him again beneath the table.
"Ow! That one really hurt."
"So, am I invited to this super secret meeting?" Dane asked.
Jacob stuffed his mouth full of meatloaf. It was obvious he was avoiding the question, Malini felt obligated to answer. Dane was part of this whether Jacob wanted to admit it or not, and he had every right to know. "Yes, Dane. I'm sure if Jacob has anything to tell me, he needs to tell you too. You're as much a part of this as I am."
The look Jacob shot her told her he didn't agree, but he didn't say anything to the contrary.
"Cool. I'll see you ther
e."
Dane grinned like he'd just won some huge contest. Malini wondered if he realized the only prize when it came to dealing with Watchers was surviving.
Chapter 11
Anatomy & Physiology
"What are we doing today?" Malini asked Mrs. Jacques. The science lab was deserted and her voice seemed unnaturally loud in the empty room.
"First things first, I need you to clean off the lab tables. Anything that looks valuable, you can put in the lost and found basket by the window. Otherwise, throw everything away and wipe down the tables with this disinfectant."
Malini wedged a roll of paper towels under her arm and picked up the bottle of blue liquid.
"When you're done with that," Mrs. Jacques continued, "place one dissection kit at each pair of seats." She opened the top of a large cardboard box that sat on her desk and started pulling out items. "There are three things in here: the tray, the instruments, and the frogs. Please cut open the instruments but leave them in the bag so none of the pins get lost. Don't cut open the frogs or the entire room will smell like formalin."
A wave of nausea rushed over Malini. Her face must have paled because Mrs. Jacques snorted. "Are you okay? Don't worry. They're not gross or anything. In fact, this company preserves them so well, they almost look alive." She pulled a shrink-wrapped frog from the box. It did look alive but for some reason this was not a comfort to Malini.
"I can do it," Malini forced herself to say. In her head, she was planning to use the chemistry tongs to carry the frogs by the corner of their packaging. No way was she touching those things.
"Good, because you'll be dissecting one in Anatomy and Physiology tomorrow. Might as well get comfortable with the idea." Mrs. Jacques flashed a sardonic smile as if she found her student's discomfort with dissection both ridiculous and amusing.
Malini responded by heading to the first table and clearing it of the used paper towels, pencils, and scratch paper that had been left behind. She tossed everything in the garbage before spraying and wiping down the table.
"Looks like you've got it under control. I'll be grading papers in the teacher's lounge if you need me." She picked up her stack of work and shouldered her way out the door. It swung shut behind her.
"Right," Malini said, finally free of Mrs. Jacques watchful eye. "Sure, I'll handle your dead frogs for you. Why, I love the feel of plastic wrapped amphibian in the afternoon." She rolled her eyes toward the door.
She made short work of the clean up. Then, she doled out the trays and instruments as instructed. The frogs she left for last. Using chemistry tongs, she lifted each one out of the box by the plastic corner, flipping them onto the dissection trays one by one. Unfortunately, the plastic was slippery enough that it became like a game, trying to get the frogs into the trays before the weight of the animal slipped her grip. She was fine for the first several tables but on the last one, furthest from the door, the specimen slipped and landed in a rubbery splat on the tile floor. Sighing, she abandoned the tongs and decided to put her big girl panties on. She picked it up with her hands.
She was surprised how fake it felt resting in her palm, the plastic wrap a barrier against the dead thing underneath. It was sad, really. In the wild, when a thing died, it decayed and became food for other living things. The great circle of life. This was permanently dead—preserved in a state that should have been transitional. She wasn't sure why it bothered her now. She'd dissected things before and understood the importance. There wouldn't be doctors without dissection. But for some reason this particular frog made her stomach sink.
Her palm tingled. Maybe her hand was falling asleep? Malini tried to dump the frog onto the last tray but the plastic wrap stuck to her skin. She gave it a shake. Sweat beaded around the plastic. She shook her hand again, harder. The frog didn't fall to the table. The tingle advanced to a burning sensation. At first it was minor, like a sunburn, but soon it felt like someone was holding her hand to a hot skillet. Her skin was on fire.
She tugged franticly at the plastic. It didn't come easily. A patch of skin from the heel of her hand ripped away. Blisters formed near the edge of the packaging. The plastic bubbled against her palm. The chemicals used to preserve the frog must have somehow leached out of the bag!
Bolting toward the sink, she cranked the water and flushed her hand. She screamed as the spray hit her injured skin. Hot and cold comingled painfully in her palm and the plastic oozed from her hand, taking a layer of skin with it. Red and blistered, black burnt-looking skin edged the wound. The cold water helped. The burning pain turned into a dull ache, just as Mrs. Jacques burst through the science room door.
"I heard a scream! Malini, are you alright?" she asked.
"I...I...," Malini began over her shoulder but as she looked down into the basin she couldn't finish her sentence. For one, her hand was completely healed and…and…"The frog is alive!"
Mrs. Jacques ran to her side, shutting off the water and rubbing her back. "It's okay, Malini. Take a deep breath." The teacher inhaled sharply. Next to a mangled piece of plastic the grass green frog leapt repeatedly into the shiny stainless steel wall of the sink, not only alive but vigorous.
"Oh my God. I have never seen such a thing in my twenty years of teaching. That company is going to hear from me!" She handed Malini a paper towel. "I know it's upsetting dear. To think they've packaged an animal alive. It's horrific. I can't believe the poor thing survived."
Malini's eyes turned toward the other frogs, the ones on the trays. She searched for any sign of movement, anything to help her believe the frog had been alive in the package the whole time.
"Don't worry, honey. I'll check the rest of them. Hopefully it's an isolated incident. You'd better go home. You look woozy. Do you want me to call your father to come pick you up?"
Malini shook her head. "No, I'm fine Mrs. Jacques," she forced herself to say. "But I think I will go, if it's okay with you."
"Of course."
Malini backed through the door, twisting the paper towel between her fingers. Alone in the hallway, she looked down at her palm, pain-free beneath the paper. Her skin was its usual shade, perfectly healed.
"Shit, this is not...right," she said under her breath and bolted out the door. She had to find Jacob and talk to Dr. Silva. This wasn't normal. It definitely wasn't natural. But Malini was afraid to even consider what it might mean.
Chapter 12
McNaulty's
Malini entered McNaulty's all but running to her usual booth. She came up behind Jacob just as he was finishing a sentence. She didn't hear what he had said but his voice was raised and Dane's jaw was clenched.
"What's going on here?" Malini slid in next to Jacob.
Dane answered. "I asked Jacob if he'd like for me to take you to the prom if your dad didn't allow him to take you. He wasn't keen on the idea."
"Hell no, I'm not keen on it," Jacob said.
Malini held up her hand. "Stop! First of all, this conversation is just stupid. It's much too early to be worrying about prom. Second, something's happened that's much more important!" Malini thrust her hand out palm up between them.
There was a pause as the boys looked at her hand.
"What? What is it, Malini?" Jacob whispered. He slid his hand into hers.
"My…my hand was burnt and now it's not...and there was a frog. I'm sure it was dead and now it's alive. There's something wrong with me or maybe this is it. Maybe this is how I'm a Soulkeeper."
"Slow down, Malini," Dane said. "Tell us what happened."
"I was in the lab. I was holding a dead frog, one of the shrink wrapped ones Mrs. Jaques buys for dissection. My hand started to burn and the plastic wrap melted and then the frog jumped away. My hand was burnt, red and black and covered with blisters. Look it's healed." She let go of Jacob's hand and thrust it out again. "What do you think it means?"
Jacob ran his hand through his hair and exchanged glances with Dane.
"Maybe her power is fire?" Dane whispered. "Like ma
ybe you guys balance each other. You're water and she's fire. Sharkboy and Lavagirl." He laughed.
"It's not funny, Dane," Malini said.
"Gideon did say we were drawn together, spirit to spirit. Maybe that's what he was sensing, that our powers would balance each other," Jacob said.
"But what about the frog?" Malini asked.
"Are you sure it was really dead? Maybe it was just like hibernating and when you melted the plastic it got a good breath of air and revived," Dane said.
"I guess." Malini shrugged.
Jacob rubbed her hand between his own. "The only other explanation is that you raised the dead." He gave a breathy chuckle as he said it but a chill ran up her spine.
"Don't say that, Jacob. It's wrong. No one can raise the dead."
"What if you're a Healer?" Jacob asked. The word rolled out of his mouth like a multi-legged alien life form that the two of them wanted to pretend wasn't wriggling on the table between their cokes.
"Is that a bad thing?" Dane asked. "Healer sounds like a good thing."
Malini shook her head. "Healers are very rare, Dane. There can only be one or two on the earth at any one time. Plus, Dr. Silva tested me for that. One of our first meetings, she sliced my shoulder with a kitchen knife. It bled like you wouldn't believe. She said it ruled out my being a Healer."
"Yeah. She tried something similar with me." Jacob lowered his hand from his head and pressed his palm into the table. "You need to talk to Dr. Silva. She'll be able to tell you what this means."
"Until then, avoid dead frogs," Dane said.
Jacob grinned.
"You guys, you're acting like this is no big deal!" she said.
Jacob's face turned serious. "It is a big deal. But we've always known you were a Soulkeeper. And now you know. You may not fully understand what your gift is, but at least you know for sure that you've got one."