Shifting (26 page)

“Is it all right?” he asked.

“Sure,” answered Meghan nervously. Once inside the carriage she asked, “How’s your head?”

“I gather it’s safe to talk,” he said, glancing at Jae.

“Its safe,” confirmed Jae.

“I figured as much. I didn’t mean to tag along but I wanted to ask a question.”

“Shoot,” replied Meghan.

“What’s so great about that book that someone would attempt to kill Colin for it?”

“That’s actually why we’re going into Grimble,” she said, wishing she had not allowed him to ask his question so easily.

“Grimble?” he questioned.

“Yes,” she said.

Colin took over.

“We’re going to visit a dead relative.”

“I knew you had to be visiting someone,” he nodded as if to congratulate himself on being correct.

“How did you end up at the mud huts, anyway?” asked Meghan. This was a question she had been dying to ask Ivan. He leaned back, smiling pompously.

“As I said before, I thought it was an outside job. Especially since you two were spending so much time in Grimble. Then, I got help with that hunch when I came across Nona. She nearly knocked me over one day trying to get out of the wagon. I assumed you would be with her, but she was alone.”

“She does that a lot, disappears for hours,” said Meghan.

Ivan continued as if she hadn’t spoken.

“I decided to follow her and she led me to the gully where the compound was. I staked them out, in attempts to investigate whether they had anything to do with Colin’s attack. Which is what I was doing, when we, uh, crawled into each other.”

“Ivan,” she began, putting aside her pride. “I never thanked you properly for helping me.” 128

His response was not the friendly response she hoped for, but it was better than his usual tone.

“I was there on my own accord.”

“I want to thank you too, Ivan. Without your help my sister might not be here today, at least, that’s what she tells me.”

Meghan shot daggers at him.

“I can’t say as I was much help. I think she had some luck on her side that day, too,” he said, glancing at the book sticking out of Colin’s jacket.

The look on Ivan’s face said, You’re not going to tell me what’s so special about that book, are you?

The carriage reached the edge of the village and Meghan asked it to come back two hours later. No sooner than they had gotten out of sight of the wagons, Timothy appeared.

“Hey, guys, Merry Christmas.”

They returned the greeting and followed him to the old mill where Uncle Eddy greeted them.

“Merry Christmas everyone, Meghan, Colin, Jae, and, someone new.”

“Uncle Eddy, this is Ivan Crane, he helped me get the book back, maybe saved my life,” she admitted, dutifully. Colin glanced at her sideways about to make fun, but stopped himself.

“I can’t thank you enough, then, Ivan Crane.”

“Glad to be of service, sir.” He eyed Uncle Eddy curiously.

“Sit, sit,” Eddy insisted. “Not much time, not much time.”

Timothy kept Ivan and Jae busy, allowing Meghan to relay details of the ghost compound ordeal.

“Now you understand why it is vital to keep that book safe!”

“Uncle Eddy, why am I supposed to have this book?” Colin dared to ask, hoping for an answer.

“The book understands what it needs, ask it sometime. You never know what it might tell you.”

“Ask it? I never thought of that,” said Colin.

Ivan and Jae grew weary of Timothy and joined the conversation with Uncle Eddy, who after a few minutes pulled Ivan aside. Meghan assumed he wanted to thank Ivan privately, for his help and left them alone.

“Ivan, I don’t have much time, so I will be blunt. I can tell you recognize me. I beg you to keep my secret and please, what you are planning, I implore you, don’t do it!” His ghostly face pleaded.

Ivan stuttered his reply.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes you do, Ivan. There are things even you do not yet understand. It is all I will say.” Ivan stood alone for a moment and then put on a strained smile, rejoining Jae and Meghan.

“We should be getting back soon,” said Jae.

Ivan nodded in eager agreement.

“Just a bit longer,” implored Meghan. She laughed, seeing Timothy swirl around Colin’s head playfully.

“Timothy,” Colin said, curiously. “If you don’t mind talking about it, how did you die?” 129

Timothy’s eyes widened and he whisked closer to Colin.

“It was terrifying, actually. I died in a fire.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” replied Colin.

“I lived in an orphanage,” explained Timothy. “One rainy night I was lying awake in my bed, and I heard voices outside, so I tiptoed to the window. We got into a lot of trouble if we got caught out of bed. When I looked out of the window, I saw four people standing in the shadows, holding something in a blanket, and then poof, they vanished. I ran back to my bed and hid under the covers. After a while, I snuck back to the window, but there was nothing there.

“Then, out of nowhere there was something. A man, at least I think it was a man. His face looked caved in and a bit yellow. I watched him point something at the orphanage and a few minutes later a fire started. It burned everything.

“I remember helping kids get out and then I got stuck in a room. The smoke was so thick I couldn’t see. The next thing I knew, I was dead.”

Colin thought that was the end of the sad story, but Timothy continued.

“After I died, I decided to hang around for a few days. I guess I wasn’t ready to move on yet.

The headmaster of the orphanage was heartbroken. I remember him crying for three children lost in the fire.

“On the third night, a woman showed up, sobbing. I can still hear her voice, ‘I was coming for you.’ She sat for hours staring at the rubble, realizing whatever she was looking for was gone. I don’t know if the she ever found who she was looking for, or if they were one of the unfortunate ones that died the same night I did.”

Timothy floated higher into the air, indicating it was the end of his story.

“I really hope you get to move on soon, Timothy,” said Colin. “This is not a good place for you.”

“It’s not so bad. It will be a lot more boring once you’re all gone. But I’ll go on helping the new arrivals,” he smiled. Timothy became his happy, playful self in no time.

Colin called Meghan over and explained what he had just heard.

“Poor Timothy,” she replied, at the same time thinking something about Timothy’s story sounded familiar. She could not place why.

“I don’t mean to be a party pooper,” interrupted Jae. “But we really do have to get going.

Mom’ll be furious if we’re late for Christmas dinner.”

“Yes,” agreed Ivan, eager to leave.

“Yes,” said Uncle Eddy as well. “It is time for us all to go.” The twins hoped it did not mean what they feared.

“Now? Are you sure? We still have almost a week before we leave,” reminded Colin.

“I’m sorry, but it is time. Come, I believe I have two more pieces of that candy in my pocket and I would love nothing more than one last hug.”

Meghan fought off tears. Colin couldn’t hold it back, a tear dripped down his cheek. Out of politeness, Jae and Ivan walked away, allowing the twins some privacy. Eddy popped the candy in his mouth revealing a living uncle. They hugged him together, as hard as they could.

130

“Okay now, I’ve only got a minute,” he knelt in front of Colin. “You are as tall as your actions.

Keep the book safe, and I am so very proud of you.”

He turned to Meghan.

“I couldn’t be prouder than I am right now, seeing what you have already accomplished.

Above all else,” he said to them both, “never break your bond.” They hugged him one last time and stepped back as the ghostly uncle returned.

“It’s time,” Eddy said, extending his hand to Timothy. “Are you coming?” he asked lightheartedly.

“Really and truly?” Timothy replied, his ghostly eyes widening.

“Really and truly,” replied their uncle.

“I can’t believe it! I’m finally going home,” he shouted, readily grasping Eddy’s hand.

The twins could not help but smile.

“You better take good care of our uncle, Timothy,” ordered Meghan, through her sniffles.

“You bet I will,” he said, as they floated higher and higher into the gray sky.

Jae came over and waved alongside Meghan and Colin. The heard the echo of Uncle Eddy’s voice, one last time.

“Remember that you always have each other.”

What they did not hear, however, was this:

“You did a good job, Tim, keeping yourself in that cell, pretending you couldn’t get out.”

“She fell for it just like you said she would, and she used magic all on her own, just like you hoped.”

“Yes, Tim, she did. I only hope I did enough.”

“They have a rough road ahead, don’t they Mr. Gillivray?”

The ghost who had called himself the twins’ uncle sighed, taking one last glance below.

“Yes, Tim,” he answered. “A road even I wouldn’t want to travel.” The foursome slowly made their way back to the carriage. Once inside, Nona licked Meghan’s face, then snuggled up between her and Colin, licking Colin’s salty, tear covered hand. It was hard to stay sad for long. The streets of the Svoda village were lined with twinkling lights, and the Mochrie house was full of good cheer. Ivan and Jae entered the house, leaving Colin and Meghan outside. Footsteps trudging through the snow caught their attention.

Darcy.

“Merry Christmas, Ditch Witches,” she croaked.

“What do you want?” asked Meghan, bored of Darcy’s games.

“I’m getting quite tired of you two screwing up my plans.”

“Have you ever considered making better plans then, Darcy?” challenged Colin, much to the surprise and delight of Meghan.

“You will so pay for that,” she retorted. “One of these days, I will figure out what you’re up too!” She haughtily strode away.

“You know, Col, as much as I wanted it to be Darcy that hurt you, I don’t think she had anything to do with it.” She hated to admit it.

“No. I think she’s your basic run of the mill bully. But, I’m not going to worry about it today.” 131

Meghan twisted her head, staring at her brother.

The sun was setting over the horizon, the air was crisp, and today, nothing could dampen their spirits.

“C’mon little Sis,” said Colin, shifting his body so he could reach up and put his arm around her neck. “It’s Christmas.”

She put her arm around him, laughed, and they disappeared inside.

Much later that night:

“Hey, Meghan,” it was nearly three a.m.

“Yeah,” she mumbled.

“Do you think we’ll get to meet some other long lost relative, wherever we go next?”

“Doubt it, Col. Probably be much more boring than Grimble.”

“Meghan,” he sent her a minute later.

“Go to sleep, Colin,” she accosted.

“There’s my sister,” he closed his eyes.

“Goodnight,” she muttered as another echo filled her ear. “What now, Colin?”

“Huh,” he replied. “I didn’t say anything.” He rolled over, opening his curtain, checking that the door was locked. Corny had not visited him in a while, but they had decided to keep the door locked, just in case.

A reflection in the mirror, hanging on the wall across from Colin’s bed, caught his eye.

Corny’s scribbling’s were readable! How had he not noticed it before? Corny had been writing backwards.

“They will take it, keep it safe,” Colin read. He lay back down, dumbfounded, and very much wishing he had been smart enough to see it before he had been attacked. He made an instant decision to start being friendlier to Corny Tibbitt.

“May need him on my side, if any one gets it in their head to steal the Magicante again.” He tried to fall back to sleep but heard a distant voice from his sister’s head.

“The,” and “father,” were the only words he could make out.

“Meghan, are you dreaming, or playing a joke on me?”

“Thanks to you, I’m not asleep enough to be dreaming, and I am way too tired for jokes.”

“Then whose voice is in your head?” he asked.

Meghan sat up.

“That wasn’t you talking?”

“Sorry, Sis, it’s a distant echo. Not in my head, just yours.”

“If it’s not you, who is it? Why can I hear another voice in my head? This better not be the next stage of my Firemancy, hearing voices!” she huffed. “Goodnight already,” she shot to Colin.

He did not answer as he had fallen asleep.

He dreamed of the silver haired girl.

132

Colin bolted upright in bed, instantly and fully awake. It was still night and the Mochrie house was fast asleep, including Meghan.

“The hospital! That girl, Catrina, she was in the room I thought was Meghan’s.” His mind finally put two and two together, realizing that his dream girl, and hospital girl, were one and the same. He jumped out of bed sneakily getting dressed, and then tiptoed out of the house.

The night air was biting cold. He entered the hospital and went to the level where he had first seen the girl. The room was empty. A nurse he did not recognize slept behind a counter. Colin cleared his throat, waking her.

“Sorry,” he said. “I wanted to ask, where is the girl that was in that room?” He pointed out the one.

“Girl?” she questioned, half awake. “Not sure who you’re talking about, young man,” Seeing Colin’s disappointed face she added, “Sorry, kid, we never use this level for patients, seeing as we barely ever have any. Just a break area now.” She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.

Colin stared into the empty room and then left the hospital, wondering if he had remembered wrong.

“No! That part was no dream. She was there.”

Catrina’s words echoed in his head.

“You will need me as much as I need you.”

Colin replayed her warning, and knew he needed to find her, and soon.

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