Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 (13 page)

“I’m here too, Joseph!” Linda called out. “We’re just
getting a little more coffee. Would you like some?”

They wouldn’t lie, Rose told herself. Why would they lie
about something she knew to be true? But she knew they’d lied. She needed to
talk to Joseph.
“Hey, you guys,” Linda said. “What’s the deal?”

Rose forced her legs to carry her toward the kitchen. She
wanted to run upstairs. No, she wanted to run after that woman. Martha. She
wanted to get into Martha’s car and ask her to take her somewhere. Anywhere. It
didn’t matter. But Martha, whoever she’d been, was gone.

At the last moment, Rose remembered the postcard in her
hand. She slipped it into her pocket and entered the kitchen. Olivia and Linda
stood at the counter. They looked past her into the hall, then at her again.

“Where’s Joseph?” Olivia said.

A few moments passed before Rose found her voice. “It
wasn’t Joseph.”

Olivia and Linda exchanged glances.

“But it had to be Joseph,” Linda said.

On the kitchen wall, the clock ticked. It was almost ten
o’clock.

“Why?” Rose said.

Linda shook her head to indicate she didn’t understand
the question. Her hair shimmered from sunlight streaming through the windows.
“Why what?”

“Why did it have to be Joseph?”

Again, Olivia and Linda checked each other’s eyes.

The clock ticked on the wall.

Olivia cocked her head. “Because you and Joseph have
plans. You’re going to the florist today. Isn’t that what you told me?”

“Who was at the door?” Linda said.

Rose fought the urge to touch her pocket. She could feel
the postcard there, pressed against her thigh. It was real. She knew it was
real. Nikki and Henry were real.

“No one,” Rose said. “There was nobody there.”

“But the doorbell rang,” Olivia said.

“They were gone by the time I got there,” Rose said. “Whoever
it was.”

“But you’re sure you opened the door,” Linda said. “Did
you open the door?”

“Oh, that’s it,” Olivia said. She brought her eyes to
Rose’s. “You said you were tired. Did you come in and fall asleep on the sofa?
I bet that’s what happened.”

“That’s right,” Linda said. “We were sitting outside and
you said you were tired. You came into the house. Then we heard the doorbell
ring and came in to check. I bet you dreamt that you opened the door.”

Rose wanted to say that it didn’t make sense. She wanted
to scream those words. What they were saying wasn’t possible! She knew what had
happened. Martha, she told herself—it had been Martha at the door. She’d given
her the postcard from Nikki. She had it in her pocket.

The phone rang in the front hall.

“I bet that’s Joseph,” Olivia said, then walked toward
the doorway.

When was the last time the phone had rung? Rose couldn’t
remember now. It seemed like it never rang anymore.

“I bet it is.” Linda smiled at Rose. “Come on,
sleepyhead. How about I get you a cup of coffee? Where’s Camila this morning?”
As soon as she said it, Linda averted her eyes. “Maybe she’s off today.
Whatever. Hey, I heard about a new band yesterday. I think they’re called the
Moody Blues. How’s that for a name? I guess they’ve got a hit in England.”

Camila.

Where’s Camila this morning?

Olivia caught the phone before it rang a third time. A
moment passed. The clock ticked on the wall.

“I knew that was you,” Olivia said.

“Or maybe some juice instead?” Linda said. “That sounds
kind of good too, come to think of it. Too much coffee makes me all jangly.”

“No, Rose fell asleep,” Olivia said. “We thought she got
the door when you came over. You know, you could have just come in.”

“That new show Bewitched is on tonight,” Linda said.
“Want to come over and watch it? Why don’t you?”

“It was locked?” Olivia said. “I’m sorry, dear. That was
so rude of us.”

 “We could have a sleepover,” Linda said. “It would be
like old times. You know, maybe it would be good to just forget about the whole
wedding thing for one night.”

“She was talking about that couple again,” Olivia said.
“Just a little. I’m sure it’s just nerves. She hasn’t been sleeping well.”

Almost like it couldn’t happen at all. Which is
exactly why I didn’t ignore it. Have you ever had the feeling that you
shouldn’t ignore something?

“You’re lying,” Rose said. “Both of you are lying. Stop
lying!”

Rose continued to stare at Linda, who cocked her head and
stared back. A smile tugged at the corner of Linda’s mouth.

Rose heard Olivia in the hall. “I should go,” she said.
“Try not to worry, Joseph. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

Rose spun around and ran from the room, past Olivia, who
reached out as if to grab hold of her. She flung the front door open, leaving
it ajar as she dashed toward the street. Why was it that in this neighborhood,
where people had kept to themselves for as long as Rose could remember, they
were now coming out of their houses? Windows lifted in rooms on second floors.
People she hadn’t seen in years, whose names she couldn’t recall, stared out at
her.

Rose gasped as a man in sunglasses suddenly stood before
her on the sidewalk. She realized who it was. Mr. Campbell. Just minutes ago,
Linda had mentioned this man she hadn’t seen in years. Rose stopped, her heart
pounding.

“Where are you going, Rose?” Mr. Campbell said. “Is
everything okay?”

Rose started walking. “Yes, everything’s fine.”

He walked alongside her. “Are you sure?”

An old woman Rose remembered from her childhood stood at
the edge of her lawn, just a few feet away. Ellen Humphrey. Rose felt sure
she’d died years ago, at some distant point in time she barely remembered.
Still, there she stood. “Rose? Where are you going so fast? Can I help you?”

Rose shook her head, picking up her pace again. “I’m
fine,” she said. “Everything’s fine.”

She told herself not to look over her shoulder, that she
knew what she’d see. But she turned to look anyway. Olivia and Linda watched
from the front lawn as behind them more people gathered in the street.

Rose jumped when someone touched her shoulder. An old man
looked into her eyes, the same man who’d been at the cemetery. “Sometimes it’s
better not to look too close,” he said. “You might see things you’d rather not
see.”

“It’s true, Rose,” Ellen Humphrey said. “If I were you,
I’d go back home now.”

“Rose?” Olivia called out. “Think about your wedding!”

Rose started running and she kept running. There were
only two people she wanted to talk to—two people who had to exist since they
were the only people she could trust.

Living the Dream

Henry felt sunlight
against his eyes and at first just thought it was morning. But light held so
much more meaning in this dark world. Henry knew what that light really meant,
of course.

As if reading his thoughts, Nikki lifted her head from
his shoulder from where she’d slept nestled against him. “I think we’re back in
the dream.”

“I bet you’re right.”

Even as Henry said it, part of him wished they could
remain where they’d just been together—taking refuge, isolated in a place only
they shared. Together, they’d just created light in a place formed of darkness.
Henry wanted nothing more than to keep Nikki safe, but it was their mission to
take Rose toward the light again too. And Nikki had signed on for that, of
course. She’d never once backed down from anything since Henry had known her.
Each time, she’d shown him how truly strong and selfless she was even when she
liked to pretend otherwise. How was it possible that he’d met her in this
in-between world? He’d never known anyone like her before. Would he be able to
find her again in another life when they chose to start over?

Someone knocked on the front door, reminding Henry that
this wasn’t the time to think about those other issues yet. Thankfully, the
light outside the windows told him who was out there this time. Nikki’ s
expression, curious this time rather than fearful, showed that she knew the
same.

As soon as Henry opened the door, Rose rushed past him
toward Nikki, her eyes full of tears. “I’m sorry. I just…I didn’t know where
else to go.” She turned to Henry. “I probably shouldn’t have just barged in
like this. I’m just…”

Nikki placed her hand on Rose’s shoulder. “It’s okay.
What’s going on?”

Rose opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head,
obviously confused. She tried again. “I don’t know. I’m sorry. You’re going to
think I’m crazy.”

Nikki stared into Rose’s eyes. “You’re not crazy. We’re
your friends. Please, tell us.” Gently, she steered Rose toward the living room
where Nikki sat next to her on one of the sofas.

Henry took a seat across from them, thinking this had to
be the moment. Rose would either trust them now or surrender to the dream
again.

Rose wiped tears from her eyes. “Things have been
happening. Strange things. I just want to know the truth.”

Nikki and Henry exchanged glances, then Henry hunched
forward. “What kind of things?”

“They tried to convince me that I’d never met you.” Rose
looked back and forth between them. “They told me you weren’t real.”

Nikki smiled. She took hold of Rose’s hand. “We’re real.
Henry, are we real?”

“I like to think of myself as being totally real,” Henry
said.

Rose laughed even as more tears ran down her face. “I have
this memory. At least, I think it’s a memory. That we went to the beach
together. Did that happen?”

“Yes,” Nikki said.

“It really did? The three of us?” Rose’s eyes searched
theirs. “And Joseph. Was Joseph there too?”

Again, Henry and Nikki made eye contact. After all,
Joseph hadn’t really been there.

“He was with us,” Nikki said, obviously deciding Rose
wasn’t yet ready to process that part of her situation. Still, Henry knew
that’s where they’d soon be going.

“Why would they want me to think that never happened?”
Rose said. “It’s like…it’s like they want me to think I’m going crazy. How can
I be sure I’m not?”

“Rose, you’re not going crazy,” Henry said. “That’s not
what’s happening here. Let me ask you something and I need you to go with your
gut instinct. Don’t think about it too long. Can you do that for me?”

Rose hesitated, then she nodded.

Henry kept his eyes on hers. “Good. Here’s the question.
Do you trust us?”

Rose looked back and forth between them again. “Yes, I
trust you.”

Henry perched forward on the sofa. “I’m going to ask you
another question. How long have you been engaged to Joseph?”

Rose glanced at the ceiling. “Since November.”

“Of this year?” Nikki said.

“Yes.”

“What month is it now?” Nikki said.

Rose frowned. “It’s May. I don’t under—”

“Please, you have to trust us,” Henry said. “This is May,
1964, right?”

Rose tried to smile. “Are you guys messing around? Yes,
it’s May, 1964.”

Nikki smiled at Rose. “What were you planning to do
today? I mean, before you got upset and came over here. Did you have plans?”

Rose nodded. “We were going to the florist. Joseph and I
were—” Rose checked her watch. “It’s almost ten o’clock. Joseph and I are
supposed to—” Rose stopped speaking. She tapped on her watch. She frowned and
Henry knew that the truth was starting to sink in. A small fracture had just
developed in Rose’s dream—a fracture she could now see.

“What about yesterday?” Nikki said. “You said we went to
the beach. Do you remember what you had planned when you first woke up?”

“Joseph and I were…” Rose checked her watch again,
automatically, both out of habit and confusion. She shook her head. “It doesn’t
make sense. We were supposed to…”

“And the day before that,” Henry said. “What were you
supposed to do?”

Rose’s eyes continued to widen. “I don’t remember.”

“What don’t you remember?” Henry said, suspecting the
fracture had just split wider.

“I don’t remember the day before yesterday,” Rose said.
“I mean…it’s like…it’s almost like... it’s not possible.”

“Exactly. It’s not possible that each day is the same.”
Nikki looked into Rose’s eyes. “Just like it’s not possible that we don’t
exist.”

Henry went on a hunch, based on what he’d observed in
this realm. “When was the last time it rained?”

Rose hesitated, then said, “I don’t remember.”

“What else has happened that doesn’t seem possible?”
Henry said. “Can you think of anything recent?”

Suddenly, Rose’s expression darkened. She shook her head
almost imperceptibly as she stared into space.

“Please trust us,” Nikki said. “We can help you. What
happened?”

Rose spoke in a whisper. “There were graves. I thought I
saw…no, it’s not possible. It doesn’t make sense!”

Rose jumped up from the sofa and crossed the room. She
kept her back turned as she stared out the window.

Nikki looked at Henry before getting to her feet. She
went and stood behind Rose. “What did you see? Please tell us.”

Rose turned to face her, wiping tears from her cheeks.
“There were gravestones. I hadn’t seen them before. Next to my parents’ graves.
I saw my grandmother’s name. I saw
my
name! But then they were gone
again. That couldn’t have happened, right? How would that even be possible?”

Henry watched as Nikki closed her eyes. Just briefly, but
long enough that Henry suspected what she was doing. Nikki had always
maintained she couldn’t read people on their side to the same degree she could
those still in the physical realm. Still, she got definite impressions. That
much he knew. She’d been the one to discover him alone and confused after his
sister’s abduction. Somehow, Nikki had known both where to find him and that
he’d needed help.

Nikki opened her eyes again. “What about dreams?”

“Dreams?”

Rose hadn’t been prepared for the question, her mind
apparently still fixed on the graves she’d seen. Henry hadn’t anticipated it
either and wasn’t sure where Nikki was going.

“Have you been having any dreams?” Nikki said. “Dreams
that repeat themselves.”

“Yes.” Rose’s gaze shot from Nikki to Henry, then back to
Nikki again. “I had one this morning. About being in my house. There were other
people there. It was terrible. It felt so…”

Rose’s words trailed off. Unconsciously, she started
tugging at her hair, her finger intertwined in a curl.

“Any others?” Nikki said.

Rose started pacing back and forth, her finger still
tugging at her hair. “I can’t talk about that,” she said. “I don’t want to talk
about that.”

The fracture kept widening and Henry felt sure Rose could
see it happening.

“Were you falling?” Nikki asked. “In the dream, are you
always falling?”

Rose stopped pacing and gripped her head with both hands,
her fingers digging into her scalp. “Please don’t make me remember that!”

“It’s a cliff, isn’t it?” Nikki said.

Rose kept shaking her head. “I don’t want to think about
that dream.”

“What’s at the bottom?” Nikki said. “What do you see?”

Rose clenched her eyes clenched shut. “I see a car. I
don’t want—”

“Whose car?” Nikki said.

“How do you know about all—”

“You see Joseph’s car, don’t you?” Nikki said. “You see
where it crashed after you—”

“Stop making me remember!” Rose’s voice came out a
strangled scream. “I make myself forget about that dream. Every day, I make
myself forget!” Rose’s eyes shot open again. She stared at Nikki.

Nikki stared back at her, her eyes full of compassion as
she fought off tears herself. “How long have you been doing that? Rose, how
many days have you made yourself forget that dream?”

A moan escaped Rose’s lips as she bent over, still
tugging on her hair. The moan escalated to a wail that sent shivers up Henry’s
spine. She gasped for breath as saliva dripped from her open mouth onto the
floor. Slowly, she straightened up again. She stared at Nikki, then at Henry.

“Who are you?” she said. “Where did Henry and Nikki go?”

“We’re right here,” Henry said.

Rose shook her head vehemently. “No, you’re too young.
You’re…you’re…what happened to Henry and Nikki?”

Suddenly, Henry understood. The fracture had grown so
wide now that Rose saw them as who they actually were. She no longer saw the
couple she’d imagined in her dream.

When Rose spoke again, she looked inward rather than at
them. “That was real,” she said. “That wasn’t a dream. It was real and I’ll go
to hell for what I did.”

Nikki stepped toward her, trying to gain back her trust.
“Rose, I know you saw me differently before, but I’m still Nikki. That’s still
Henry. Please try to believe me. We can help you!”

Rose turned in Nikki’s direction but her eyes were
vacant. “I killed them both. That’s what happened. I’ll go to hell for what I
did.”

Henry walked toward Rose as well. “Rose, listen. That’s
not going to happen. We’re here to help you. We came to guide you back—”

Rose doubled over again. She closed her eyes. “I’m a
murderer. Oh, my God, I’m a murderer!”

The room around them darkened. Henry’s eyes went to the
window as, within seconds, all sunlight was sucked from the sky. Beyond those
panes of glass, he saw nothing but total darkness, a void where now even night
wasn’t simulated. No wind shook the house. No thunder rumbled. Only  a moment
passed before a black fissure cracked one of the walls. Soon, another black
vein wound its way up an adjacent wall. Then another and another as the walls
silently cracked, letting more and more darkness in. Rose remained doubled
over, moaning, unaware now as the house around them disintegrated. Together,
they watched as Rose faded from view, swallowed by the flood of darkness that
flowed in and surrounded them once more.