Rose was too consumed with awe to speak. She stepped forward, noticing a change of physical laws; she felt lighter, as if her weight had halved and, if she wanted to, she could leap into the air and float like a balloon.
Transfixed by every sight and sound, she moved towards an intricate banister railing. Steps to the left and right led to the ground floor, all within the largest dome interior she had ever witnessed, more so than St Paul’s Cathedral. Above, small windows produced God’s rays. There were many statues, mostly of people in defiant poses. One in particular graced the centre stage: a man standing twenty-foot high held a spherical cage in the palm of his hand while looking towards the dome.
Crowds of people jostled for space – or were they people? thought Rose. She glanced behind to witness her unchanged, translucent sibling, and returned to watch those below; they looked real, solid, like people from the world she had left.
A young couple breezed past the twins. Hand in hand, they stared at each other in amazement. “We’re here,” said the man, and together they headed down the steps towards the masses.
Rose changed her gawping expression to a quizzing one. “Lily, what do you think we should do?” she asked, holding onto the banister railing, unable to divert her eyes from the crowd.
“Why am I still a primitive?” said Lily. “I don’t get it. I’m a spirit, just like them, aren’t I?”
Rose noted Lily’s uncertain tone. “I think we should go down. Those behind the desk might advise us, or something.”
“This isn’t right, this is not how I’m supposed to be!” Lily persisted, flicking her fingers.
Rose headed down the steps to her left. She chose this route as the least amount of people congregated there, which included two elderly gentlemen. While passing, Rose listened:
“I knew there was an afterlife. I always thought so, even as a wee sprog,” said one.
“I assumed I’d be going straight to Hell,” said the other, chuckling. “Looks like I got away with my sins.”
“Attention! Attention!” boomed a male voice through speakers from all sides of the dome. “Welcome to Kiian. All entrants, please form an orderly queue at the check-in. I repeat…”
Rose ducked and weaved her way through the rampant crowd of people, most of whom appeared to be searching for someone. Through the mass of chaos and confusion, she reached the front desk, which stood far higher than she anticipated.
On her tip-toes, Rose began to wave at a woman. “Excuse me, miss, hello!” she called, waving her hand with vigour. “Miss, excuse me, down here!”
The woman looked middle aged, and was relatively plump. Her hair towered high in a bun, and she wore a long necklace with what appeared to be galaxy shapes all along it. Small spectacles sat below her eyes on her nose while she typed, talked, pointed and ordered others behind the desk.
“Miss! Excuse me … we’re looking for our mother!”
The women glanced directly at her before resuming her typing. She then gazed back, raising her spectacles to eye level, and moved her head closer for inspection. “Child … how in the world …” she said in a small Scottish voice. Flustered and overwhelmed, the woman composed herself to beckon Rose towards a row of turnstiles.
Rose didn’t hesitate. She swiftly headed to her right, squeezing through the crowd.
The woman pressed a switch, which caused a red light mounted over the turnstile to turn green. Rose pushed the bars and proceeded through, to the displeasure of others.
“Quickly, come here, my dears, quickly now,” urged the woman, scouting all around as if possessed with nerves.
Urgently, Rose dashed into a room, followed by the woman, who closed the door and shut the blind.
The twins observed an office space, rectangular and study-like, brimming with books, stacks of papers and many half-open drawers, spilling out documents. They scanned the narrow room, watching the woman close the blind at the far end of the office.
“No snooping eyes, thank you,” said the woman, switching on a nearby desk lamp. “Right… let me have a look at you,” she added, waddling closer, adjusting her spectacles. “My… how on Kiian did you come here? And a primitive too. My goodness, you must be twin sisters?”
“Yes, my name is Rose, and –”
“My name is Lily,” she interjected. “Why am I still like this?”
The woman’s face fell with sorrow. “Well… you’re a primitive. A true spirit is solid, fully formed, whereas you are –”
“I’m aware of what I am. Now look, you old crow, we don’t have time to tell you our life story. We want to find our mother and find her right now. So tell us how and we’ll be on our way.”
The woman gasped, raising her eyebrows. “Well… I… never,” she said, huffing. “A girl should know better than to speak to an elder in that tone. You haven’t been taught manners, young lady.” She shook her head with disgust, searching for a reason to help a girl with such a mouth disorder. “Although… since this is highly unusual, I’ll let it pass, this once.” She pondered her next words. “However you’ve managed to be here, you shouldn’t be,” she said, looking directly at Rose. “And you, my dear…” She turned to Lily. “Well, you’re in the right world. But I’m afraid, in order to see a loved one, you must first be judged.”
“Judged?” said Rose. “What do you mean?”
“All new spirits travel to Sector LV-426, and stand to be judged by Judge Kiian. He will decide your fate. He knows everything about your time on Earth. One glance, that’s all it takes.”
The exterior noise grew as the door opened; a man poked his head through the gap. “Erm, Mrs Barnett –” he said, pausing and staring at the twins, unable to remove his confused expression.
“Yes? Quickly now.”
“You’re needed, it’s… We’re overrun,” he babbled.
“Yes, yes, one moment,” she said, shooing him away. “And shut the door behind you.”
Lily gave Mrs Barnett a narrow glare. “Please – you forgot to say please…”
Mrs Barnett looked at them both as the sounds subsided and the door clicked shut. She stepped closer and knelt. “The fact is, you’re not allowed here,” she said, looking fondly at Rose. “And you shouldn’t be a primitive,” she added in Lily’s direction, with the eyes of an angry teacher. “What is occurring here is quite frankly unheard of. Nevertheless, you’re here, but you can’t remain as you are.”
Rose noticed a mirror at the door side. She stepped once towards it and the twins’ identical eyes met for the first time. Mrs Barnett stood and leant against the back of a wooden chair, observing them. Only the constant frolicking of the outside hustle and bustle could be heard.
“All right, you two, you can’t be judged. You will both be banished and who knows what,” said Mrs Barnett, stroking her dimpled chin. “I do know of somebody who may be able to help you. He knows far more about this malarkey.” She walked over to the desk and pulled out a piece of paper, scribbling in a hurry. “Right, I’ve written his name and address. You need to travel to this sector.”
“What’s one of those?” asked Rose.
“There’re hundreds of sectors on Kiian. Each differ in size but … it’s hard to explain – they’re big steel things that you go inside, okay? The man you must visit is called Professor Pei. He lives alone in his home, which is also his laboratory, or so I gather. Probably going senile, but he’s your best bet. Tell him I sent you.”
She reached out the paper and handed it to Rose. “I hope he can shed some light for you both. And I hope you find your mother. Now, as you can see, I’m rushed off my feet.” She walked towards the door and stopped in her tracks. “Oh, wait a minute. You can’t use the portals. The Govern, they may discover you got through operations. That would be dangerous for you, me and the entire entry staff.”
“The Govern?” said Rose in a whimper.
Mrs Barnett’s face fell with dread. “Only the deadliest, nastiest –” She stopped, thinking better of it. “Just k
eep away, got it? Never go near the Govern. Never.”
Rose gulped and wondered what a Govern looked like, but didn’t dare ask. Lily pictured a cloaked man with immense horns, along with razor-sharp claws and fangs.
Mrs Barnett walked over to the window and peeked through, muttering to herself. “On second thoughts … what if you travelled by air?” Her eyes sparked with excitement. “Delivery service is due to leave in an hour or so.” She plucked a book from a shelf, browsing the delivery timetable. “Yes, they will travel to Sector NY-334. I can send a package to ensure they take you directly to his house. Let me see…” She set down the book and waded through a pile of clutter, placing her hands on a large empty cardboard box. “Ever wanted to be a parcel?”
“No, I’ve never liked being trapped,” said Rose.
“Pfft,” uttered Lily.
Rose stared at the box with unease. “Well… if you think it’s best, then we should.”
She stepped over to the box and hopped inside. Lily, not able to touch, scrunched herself tight so as not to appear through the cardboard. The lid was closed and secured, drowning the twins into darkness.
* * *
Mrs Barnett pushed a trolley with the twins onboard, heading into the depot bay. “Now remember,” she whispered to the box lid, “be cautious of everybody. There are spirits out there that will thrust you upon the Govern at any given chance. Keep your wits about you, and, Lily, mind your manners.”
The girls sat in silence, hoping the plan would work and that they would never come close to a Govern, or be judged, for that matter.
They rolled through the halls and arrived at the depot entrance. The vast interior echoed clanging sounds and booming engines.
Mrs Barnett stopped abruptly, causing Rose to hold out her hands to prevent her head from impacting the box.
“Barnett… why are you not at your desk?” asked a deep-voiced man.
“Urgent delivery, Mr Lewis – unexpected. I’d better be on my way. Won’t take –”
“Hold it. Why not order a junior for this? I believe we’re busy, are we not?”
“Indeed, sir, I just wanted to make sure it arrived safely.”
“Whatever is it?”
“Oh, you know, faulty hardware. We can’t handle the crowds when our machines aren’t up to scratch, now can we?”
“No… of course not. Let me see.”
“I really should be going. Like you say, we’re very busy.”
“I want to know the model number. Won’t take a mo–”
“Sir!” shouted a voice from down the hall.
With reluctance, Mr Lewis turned to face the running figure. “Yes?”
“There’s been a surge of entrants at EN-259,” he said, gasping for breath. “We need to open more portals. It appears to be a natural disaster – an earthquake struck southern Asia.”
“And?”
“We need your permission at HQ. They can’t open them otherwise.”
Mr Lewis sighed and turned to Mrs Barnett. “I don’t want to see this happening again,” he said, and strolled away in a hurry.
“Of course not, sir,” she said, trundling off with the trolley.
Within a minute, she had arrived at her chosen station where she set the twins down. “Wait here to be collected. And all the best, my dears,” she whispered. “Take care now.”
“Thank you,” said Rose to the box lid.
They sat in silence and darkness. Then, just as Mrs Barnett had stated, they were wheeled into the rear the delivery craft, and after a short, anxious wait, Rose felt the vessel take flight.
The twins stared at black for over half an hour. Then, without warning, their attention was gripped by a change of acoustics. Gone were the quaint humming engine sounds, replaced with sinister roars of thunder; sharp whistles and ominous rumbles careered all around.
“Lily, what is that?” asked Rose, clutching her collar.
“I have no idea.”
Rose detected a slight nervousness in her sister’s reply. Just what in the world was outside?
The sounds of a storm raged for over twenty minutes and then faded, as if switched off. The howling roars and lightning whiplashes were replaced by the soothing hum of the vessel.
Rose licked her dry lips and felt their descent, hopefully towards their destination of Professor Pei’s home/laboratory. Whatever the case, the twins were free from the raging tempest, which Lily found tremendously exciting, while Rose prayed to never hear such sounds ever again.
CHAPTER FOUR
Portals and Potholes
A vigorous thud shook the twins on touchdown. The rear doors opening caused a speck of light to infiltrate their containment; the tiniest of holes gave nothing away of their surroundings. However, the sounds of people and machinery were vibrant.
“Almost half a ton,” said a male voice. Perhaps the pilot’s voice, thought Rose.
“You’re putting on weight, Dom,” replied a female voice. Maybe she’s the pilot, thought Lily.
The twins buffeted while the box was carted off into another vehicle. A petrol engine gurgled into life and the vehicle sped off; with any luck, towards the home of a professor.
“I hope it doesn’t take long,” whispered Rose, “I’ve got pins and needles.”
Lily gave no response. Pins and needles were far too human, and she didn’t particularly want to hear about those occurrences; all the peculiar habits and expressions, such as goose pimples, fevers or dizziness.
“Stop complaining,” she said. “This Pei had better help us. I can’t stand to be like this much longer. Rose, you listening?”
“It’s really uncomfortable. I need to stand and –”
“Just take your mind off it. Think of something else.”
“Like what?”
No reply.
During a moment of listening and wondering, Rose remembered a query. “How come you’re wearing my uniform?”
“I wear whatever you wear. I have no choice. So don’t go thinking I admire your dress sense.”
“Have you always been able to see me?”
“I see everything.”
Rose puckered her lips for thought, which soon turned to frustration as the pins and needles remained merciless. She squeezed her eyes tight and pictured herself in the garden on a sizzling summer day. While planting flowers by the shed, her father watered the cabbage patch. Rose was shocked by the sudden spray of cool water. Armed with the hosepipe, her father gave chase and threatened to use it. She smiled at the scene; it helped too, as she quickly forgot about those pins and needles. But her thoughts soon turned to dread when she imagined her father observing the empty bed, followed by the window ajar; a bedroom of a runaway girl, not even leaving a note.
“Dad is going to go spare,” she said.
“Quiet.”
The vehicle came to a sudden halt. A door slam was followed by the rear doors opening. The tiny hole shone bright, along with familiar sounds: bustling vehicles and beeping horns provoked images of a town, or a city.
The packaged girls were rolled out into the sunlight and pushed along on the trolley. Further car horns beeped, and language Rose was told never to speak ensued.
A thud, followed by thud, thud, thud; the impacts caused the twins to rock inside as the trolley descended a series of steps. A final thud was followed by successive knocking.
“Yes?” said a faint voice.
“Delivery for Professor Pei.”
“I’m not expecting anything. I don’t order anything from Beyond. Now leave!”
“Sorry, mister, just doing my duty. Do what you want with it.”
“No! Not my problem. You talk to your superior!”
The twins remained still while listening to the fading footsteps. The engine revved and the vehicle sped away. Before Rose could reach for the box lid, there was a click, followed by a rattling chain. A sound of hinges emitted an elongated whine.
“Bah! Foolish delivery man, very foolish!” said Pei. His
accent wasn’t familiar, the twins mused, but they knew it was Eastern, and he sounded old and wise. He took hold of the box. “Oh, Dribble Holly! It weighs a ton of spuds!”
Rose made a face while the box slid across the floor. She began questioning what his reaction would be when he discovered the contents of his package.
Lily had waited long enough, and had grown bored of staring into darkness. “Open up, Pei!”
“Bah! Stay back!” he cried, followed by a jangle of jars. “I know chemicals to turn your skin to tar and your eyes to jelly!”
Rose pushed above with all her might. The box lid bulged.
“Agh!” squealed Pei, followed by another jangle of jars.
On the second attempt, Rose pushed with her legs too. The lid split open, causing her to lose balance and tumble out onto all fours. She stared up to see Pei, an old Asian man with white hair and a lab coat, holding two jars of coloured liquid, preparing to drench his invaders.
“Gir– human, and primitive, OooOOooo, visible, here?” said Pei, bemused, before recalling their obscure way of entry. “What are you doing here? Explain yourselves, right now!”
Rose dusted her hands and stood to her feet, brushing her hair aside and remaining calm. “We came for your help,” she said, and pointed behind. “Lily, my sister, heard that our mother may be able to separate us. Will that work? And what would happen to me if she can?”
“Wait, wait, wait. How did you know where I live, hmm?”
“Mrs Barnett, at the entry hall. She told us to speak with you.”
“Rose, turn around,” ordered Lily, and she obeyed her sister’s request. “I once overheard a group of spirit boffins. They talked about something called ‘a child’s desire’, and that a parent can transform their primitive child into a true spirit. But with Rose being human, will it work?”
Pei placed the jars down and shuffled around the twins, scratching his hairy white chin. His voice was softer and calmer. “There are many theories, true ones, and downright lies. And ‘a child’s desire’ does not necessarily qualify for separation –”
“What! That’s rubbish!”
“My child, the separation of conjoined spirits isn’t black and white. What you fail to understand is that a spirit must be one entity, fused within a consistent reality.” Pei moved over to a blackboard situated next to the sink and chalked a large circle. Inside it, he began to write what appeared to be mumbo-jumbo; some sort of formula, Rose guessed. “You two, on the other hand…” He held a thought, raising a white eyebrow. “You two aren’t sharing those existing laws.”
Twin Spirit Page 3