Invisible Terror Collection (18 page)

“But — ”

“I get to go home tomorrow morning. Call me there.”

“But, Julie, it’s — ”

“It’s okay, Beck, I promise. You won’t know till you experience it. But don’t worry. I’ll teach you how.”

“But — ”

“Good night, Becka.” There was a click on the other end, followed by the dial tone.

Rebecca stared at the receiver. Her face drained of color. She looked at her hands. They were beginning to shake.

Chapter 6

No offense, Beck, but it almost sounds like you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” Becka said in disbelief. “Me?”

“It’s only natural,” Philip continued. “Hand me up another piece of tape, will you?”

Becka tore off a strip of masking tape and lifted it up to Philip. He was balanced precariously on a ladder, trying to hang a poster over an archway in the school. Ryan stood nearby, unrolling another poster. It was 7:30 a.m. Thirty minutes before classes started. A few kids were wandering in, but for the most part the place was still empty.

The three of them were hard at work putting up the campaign posters that members of Ryan’s campaign committee had made the night before. This one was particularly impressive. Not only for its classy lettering — “Ryan for President” was scripted in gold metallic paint and highlighted by deep burgundy shadows — but also for its location. Philip was hanging it directly over the steps leading to the cafeteria.

Of course, Krissi should have been there too. But, as usual, she was late. Probably something about her hair, makeup, nails, or whatever. 

After calling Julie, Becka had been up all night. She tried calling Z back, but it was too late. She tried talking to Scott, but he was too exhausted. Lately, when her brother wasn’t in school, he was spending every waking hour over at Darryl’s cousin’s place, playing some stupid computer game. She barely saw him anymore. Of course, she had tried to call Julie at home the next morning. But for whatever reason, Julie wasn’t accepting calls.

And now, to top it all off, Philip was mistaking her concern as jealousy.

“I’m not jealous, Philip. I’m just worried about her, that’s all.

She shouldn’t try to make supernatural stuff happen on her own.

It’s too dangerous.”

“But it’s okay for you?” Philip asked.

“I — I didn’t say that,” Becka said, a little flustered.

“Look,” Philip continued, “in the beginning it was just you and your brother, and that was cool. You guys were the ones experiencing all the mystical junk. But now Julie is starting to get in on the action. And so is Krissi. I guess it’s only natural that you’d be a little — ”

“Philip, I am
not
jealous. I’m worried. I mean, if we learned anything at the mansion, it was that not everything supernatural is good.”

“But,” Ryan corrected, “not everything supernatural is nec-essarily bad, either.”

Becka glanced at him. It was obvious Ryan was still thinking about last night’s disagreement over heaven and hell. Philip nodded. “My point, exactly. What’s so bad about an angel? Everybody’s talking about them. I mean, just look at the TV, movies, magazines, books.”

Becka wanted to respond, but at the moment, she was feeling a little outnumbered.

“Remember what Krissi’s note said?” Philip asked.

Ryan chuckled. “Yeah. Awakening our powers? Evolving to a higher level of consciousness?” 

“Don’t laugh. Isn’t that the exact thing Julie is experiencing, going into another dimension with her angel buddy? And isn’t that exactly what the Ascension Lady predicted?” Ryan grew more serious. “You think there’s a connection?

Between Julie and Krissi?”

Philip chose his words carefully. “I think something’s been happening ever since the mansion. It’s like something’s been, I don’t know, turned loose in Julie and Krissi. And,” Philip tried to soften the next phrase, but there was no missing its sting, “I think Becka has to stay open. She has to be careful not to hold us back.” The words burned in Becka’s ears. Hold them back! She was the one who had
saved
them in the first place. She was the one trying to protect them!

Philip leaned farther over the steps and the ladder started to tilt forward.

“Becka!” Ryan reproved. “Hold it steady.” She looked at him, surprised. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at her.

A little embarrassed, he returned to his work on the other poster and resumed the conversation. “What do you mean, hold us back? How could Rebecca hold us back?” Philip continued reaching across the stairs. “I got a call from Krissi last night. She received another message.” Ryan and Becka exchanged looks. “Phil,” Ryan ventured, “do you think that stuff’s okay?”

“You mean is it for real?”

“Well, yeah, for starters.”

“The handwriting’s not Krissi’s, I can tell you that. In fact, it has a left-handed slant to it. Krissi is right-handed. Besides, like I said, it fits with what’s happening to Julie and what the Ascension Lady said.”

“So that makes all that stuff good?” Becka asked incredulously. She immediately bit her lip, wishing she hadn’t sounded so defensive. 

Philip looked down at her. His voice was calm, which made her feel even more stupid. “I didn’t say they were good or bad, Becka.

I’m just suggesting you stay open and not stand in our way.” Becka looked to Ryan, hoping for some defense, but he busied himself with the other poster. She felt a slight tightening in her throat. Ryan didn’t have to agree with everything she said, but right now his silence felt more like a betrayal than staying neutral. Once again her mind churned over last night’s disagreement about hell and the supernatural. Why hadn’t Z answered that question?

Losing herself in thought, she barely heard the chirpy “Hey, guys, it looks great.” Philip and Ryan turned to see Krissi round the corner.

It was the turn that did it: The shift of Philip’s weight to see Krissi pulled the ladder too far forward, and Becka, still lost in thought, didn’t notice.

“Becka!”

She looked up, startled. The ladder tipped; Philip lost his balance.

“Watch it!” Ryan leapt for the ladder, but he was too late.

Philip slipped and fell fifteen feet to the hard concrete steps.

“Philip!”
Krissi screamed.

The ladder crashed down on top of him as Krissi raced down the steps to his side. Ryan quickly joined them.

Becka looked on, frozen. Krissi and Ryan were both there to help, but Becka could only stand and stare.

“Philip,” Krissi cradled his head in her arms. “Philip …

Philip …”

He stirred slightly and opened his eyes.

“Philip, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, trying to move, but wincing in pain. “I’m all right.”

A few kids started to gather. At last Becka was able to move.

“Philip, I’m so sorry. I don’t know — ” 

Krissi spun around at her. “Stay away!” she ordered. “Get back.”

The command shocked Becka, and she came to a stop.

“Krissi,” Ryan tried to reason, “it was an accident. Becka didn’t — ”

“Yes, she did.” No one moved. Krissi’s voice grew louder and more shrill. “She knew exactly what she was doing!” To prove her point, she dug into her handbag and pulled out a folded piece of paper. The very paper she had written the night before. “See for yourself.”

Becka looked on as Ryan took the paper, unfolded it, and read. More kids gathered as Krissi continued her accusation. “It told me you were dangerous!” she shouted. “It told me your jealousy would try to stop us!”

Becka started toward her again. “Kriss — ”

“Stay away!”

By now a sizable group of kids had gathered. Becka could feel her face and ears growing hot under their questioning stares.

**********

It was 2:15 in the afternoon. Once again, Julie entered the crystal.

But it wasn’t really the crystal. Now she understood that the crystal was merely a tool, a way of clearing her mind. She knew she was actually back home. Her folks had picked her up from the hospital earlier that morning, and now she was back in her own bedroom, in her own bed. At least that’s where her body was.

Her mind was someplace else.

At the moment it was striving for another level. Summoning her angel was much easier now. She’d been practicing off and on throughout the night, all morning, and into the afternoon. One thing you could say about Julie Mitchell, she was determined.

Her angel, her guardian, was as good a teacher as she was a pupil. Already he had helped her understand the “futility of the physical.” Of course, her parents had protested when she refused to brush her hair or eat either breakfast or lunch. But how could they be expected to understand? After all, they were limited to earthly thinking. They had no idea of the great spiritual level to which Julie was evolving. They had no idea that food, clothes, and appearances were merely vain endeavors, earthly weights designed to hamper her evolution to the higher dimension.

Each time Julie approached that dimension, her guardian embraced her with the same warm, accepting light. And each time he gently but firmly encouraged her to give more and more of herself over to that light. Soon she would be able to merge with it. Soon she would become one with the guardian, one with creation, one with God himself.

As she entered the guardian’s presence, she felt his light wash over her. Only this time she felt something else. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it almost felt like … sadness.

Have I done something wrong?
she thought.

The guardian glowed and shimmered before her.
Perhaps we
are moving too quickly.

No … this is what I want.
She moved closer.
You promised me.

You said I’d soon be joining your level.

And so you should, except
…

Tell me. What’s wrong?

You have been called to a great purpose, this is true. We
had hoped for your transcendence to be this very day.

Transcendence?

Your entrance into our level.

Julie’s heart leaped. This is what she had been waiting for, this is what she had been working for.

But we are moving too fast
…

Why? What’s the problem? Is it my taking a shower? I know you
said to forget the physical, but I mean, it’s only a shower, and the
soap, I know it was perfumed, but —

No!
 

The thought cut her off with an intensity she hadn’t felt before. Apparently, even angels could get frustrated. She waited, almost breathlessly, as the frustration rippled through the light around her and slowly faded.

Finally the creature spoke again.
It is your friend. The one
with the dark emotions.

Who?

The follower of religion.

You mean Becka? Are you talking about Rebecca Williams?

She felt another wave of frustration, more intense than the last, and she frowned. This was more than frustration. It was …

anger. Intense, searing anger. And it frightened her.

Her ways will contaminate you.

Julie frowned.
But she’s a Chris tian. She’s the one who —

I know who she is,
the thought interrupted.
But her ways
are not ours. She clings to obsolete thinking. Her narrow-mindedness hinders your progress. Her presence will prevent
you from reaching and maintaining the god consciousness.

God consciousness?

Oneness with god.

Julie’s mind raced.
Well, then … let me talk to her. We’re good
friends. Let me explain that —

NO!

The anger was there again. Only stronger.

Julie pulled back.

The guardian’s next words were more gentle.
The time has
come. You must make the decision. If you wish to enter our
level, your time has arrived.

Excitement surged through Julie.
Now? You mean we can do
it now?

Yes,
the creature continued patiently.
But you must promise
to cut yourself off from the enemy’s influence.

Ever so faintly, Julie heard the phone in her bedroom begin to ring. Instinctively, she sensed who it was.
That’s Becka calling,
isn’t it?
 

The light began to fade. The guardian wavered, then began to disappear.

No! Come back, come back!

The phone continued ringing.

Don’t go! Come back!
Her pleas were urgent, frantic … and, apparently, effective. The light rippled, growing brighter than ever before as the guardian returned.

You are ready, then?

The phone continued ringing.

Yes. Yes, I’m ready.
Julie’s mind was speaking louder now, practically shouting, trying to drown out the phone.
Tell me,
what am I supposed to do?

It must entirely be your choice.

Yes, yes …
Julie was breathing harder now. Both in fear and excitement. The time had come.

Then let yourself go.

But how — ?

Let yourself go. Give your will over to me.

The phone continued ringing. Julie hesitated.

Completely.

But —

NOW!

Startled, afraid of losing something she had to have, Julie obeyed. She blocked out the sound of the phone and gave herself over.

Instantly, something flowed into her, filling her body, her thoughts, her mind … her entire being. Her chest stiffened, lifting into the air in an instinctive effort to fight off the intruder.