“Well, it’s not like I don’t want to see them,” Nikki said. “I think that was the weirdest part about all of it. And we went through some seriously weird stuff.”
Henry looked up at the stars spread out above. “Yeah, I know. But, I guess, at the end of the day, they helped make it happen. It was their idea.”
Nikki looked up too. “You know, that’s true. Good job, Jamie, Simon and Naomi.”
“They’re kind of special, aren’t they?”
“Very. You’re going to make me cry. Believe me, you don’t want that to happen. My face crumples all up and snot runs out of my nose. You seriously don’t want to see that.”
Henry slid over, closing the remaining gap between them. He put his arm around her shoulders. “Hey, sorry,” he whispered. “What did I say? I thought we were kidding around.”
Nikki sniffed and rubbed her eyes. She took a breath. “Yeah, we were.”
“But now we’re not, right? Just being sure.”
Nikki laughed and wiped her eyes again. “It’s not you. It’s me. I just had this weird thought yesterday. It kind of came out of nowhere. I thought about the those guys and it was like they were already gone or something. I thought about how much I was going to miss them.”
A few seconds passed and Henry didn’t say anything. He couldn’t.
“Hey, what’s up?” Nikki said.
Henry stared up at those distant stars shining in the sky. He blinked back tears.
“Are you okay?” Nikki said.
Henry shook his head.
Nikki turned to look at him. “Oh, my God. You’re crying. I’ve never seen you cry. Does snot run out of your nose?”
Henry couldn’t remember if he’d ever laughed and cried at the same time before. He felt pretty sure he hadn’t. Leave it to Nikki. “I’m not crying.”
“You totally are.”
“Here’s the thing,” Henry said. “I had the same thought too, about how much I was going to miss those guys. A few times and it didn’t seem to make sense. I mean, it’s not like we made any decisions. I guess it’s just from thinking about it. You know, jumping in again.”
Nikki rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
“What kind of sigh was that?” Henry said. “Just being sure.”
“You said ‘we.’ Did you mean to say that?”
Henry hadn’t realized he’d said it, at least consciously. At the same time, he’d meant it. Of that much, he felt sure. He nodded.
Nikki nudged him again. “A nod? That gets a nod?”
Henry grinned and nodded again.
“Wow, you’re one cool customer, Mr. Rat.”
“You’re finally getting to know me,” Henry said. “Good thing, before it’s too late. Because you can never really tell what’s real, right? Looks like I had you fooled the entire time.”
“So, like that thing that happened the other night when we were at the house. You know, the house that wasn’t real in the place that wasn’t real…”
“You mean, when we were sitting in front of the fire that wasn’t real?”
“Yeah, that night,” Nikki said. “What about that thing that happened? Do you think that was real?” She waited about two seconds, then added, “If you nod, you’re going to die.”
“Should I ignore the obvious irony there?” Henry said.
“Please do.”
“I think that was real. I feel pretty sure about it.” Henry turned to meet her gaze. “But, you know, we could test that theory.”
“I was thinking maybe we should,” Nikki said.
Nikki leaned in toward him and closed her eyes. Henry closed his too, fully certain now that this dream remained theirs alone.
~~~
Henry awoke to the sound of soft knocking on his door. He knew who it was and smiled. Still, he kept his voice low just in case. “Did we sleep in again?”
“It looks that way,” Nikki said.
Henry listened for sounds coming from downstairs but somehow he knew. Even if the others didn’t realize it, things were changing. In the past, they’d always waited until it was the five of them together. He couldn’t help feel sad even as he smiled thinking about them.
“They’re not downstairs, are they?” Henry said.
A moment passed before Nikki answered and Henry suspected she was sharing the same emotions. She spoke softly. “I don’t think so.”
Henry sat up in bed and ran his hand through his hair. It fell around his face again and for some reason, only now after all this time, did he think about what it might feel like to get a haircut again someday. Would his hair be the same color or would it change like Curtis’s had when he’d become Ian? What would his eyes look like in the future when he saw them in the mirror? What color would they be and would he recognize them as being his own?
Still, upon opening the door and seeing Nikki, he somehow knew he’d always recognize her eyes. Even if they changed color entirely, he’d know her spirit resided behind those eyes. Something told him they’d find each other again.
Nikki lifted an eyebrow. “They’re getting pretty outdoorsy, our old friends. Don’t you think?”
Henry smiled. “Who would have thought? There I was thinking we might spend eternity in the food court.”
“Or game room.”
“Or indoor pool.”
“Halfway House is a pretty sweet deal,” Nikki said.
“I’ll miss it.” Even as Henry said it, he wondered. Would he remember having been here? At least on some level? Or would all of it, every moment, vanish like a forgotten dream?
Nikki’s eyes met his and darted away. “Remember what I said about snot,” she said. “We’re talking tons. Like getting slimed in Ghostbusters.”
Henry laughed. “Sounds awesome. I have to see this.”
Nikki shook her head. “Not going to happen.”
“Do you think they’re outside with Becky again?”
Nikki nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking.”
Nikki walked toward the stairs and Henry followed. She stopped at the top landing and sighed. “What about Service? I mean, should we think about it?”
“We might be good at it.”
“Pretty sure we would be. We kind of already are.”
Henry knew that was the other option on the table. Technically, remaining here and keeping things as they’d been all this time was also an option but somehow that no longer seemed to be a choice. No one had said it. There’d been no need to. Martha had always told them they’d know when they were ready to move on and she’d been right. That time had come.
Even though they’d guessed correctly about finding the others at the horse pen, Henry wasn’t the least bit ready for what they soon encountered. Neither was Nikki, evidently, since she stopped dead in her tracks.
She stared, her eyes wide. “You have to be freaking kidding me.”
Jamie sat in the saddle as Becky galloped in circles. He saw them approaching and reined Becky in to make her stop. He grinned and waved. “Hey, guys! How’s it going?”
Henry and Nikki crossed through the gate as Jamie rode up and hopped off. Dust swirled into the air as he landed on the ground. He turned to pat Becky’s neck. “Thanks, Becky. You rock.” He turned to face Henry and Nikki again. “I guess she just wanted me to trust her.”
“See, she knew you were scared.” Naomi patted Becky’s forehead and cooed at her. “Jamie just didn’t know any better. Did he, Becky?”
“Like I was scared,” Jamie said.
All eyes went to Jamie.
“So, the whole running away thing,” Nikki said. “Just making sure Becky was getting enough exercise?”
“Part of the training process,” Jamie said. “First, you get them to run after you. Then, just when they think they’re in charge, you take control and hop on for a ride.”
Becky snorted and shook her mane.
“I think Becky just called you a dipshit,” Nikki said.
“So, guys, the word is you di
d good,” Simon said.
Henry arched his eyebrows in surprise. “There’s word?”
“Martha told us this morning,” Naomi said. “She seemed really happy.”
“Relieved, I’d say,” Simon added. “She’s seemed kind of stressed lately but she was all smiles again today.”
As a group they started walking toward the gate.
“Martha said you freed Rose so she could finally move on,” Naomi said. “That’s really cool.”
Henry noticed that while for the longest time Naomi had remained with phrasing things as people had in her era, these days she was just as likely to say something was “cool” or “awesome.” Just another one of those little things that kept changing.
“Well, it’s really more like we helped Rose free herself,” Henry said, as they continued walking toward the house.
“It’s really true,” Nikki said. “It was mostly Rose’s own fear and guilt holding her there.”
“Well, she got to move on and that’s awesome,” Naomi said.
Henry couldn’t help smile, even as what he and Nikki were about to tell them weighed on him. As they climbed the steps to the back deck, he stopped and Nikki did too.
The others took a few more steps before realizing, then turned to face Henry and Nikki.
Jamie searched their faces. “Everything okay?” he asked, but the look in his eyes told Henry he suspected news was coming.
Henry took a breath, suddenly finding it difficult to find the words. He looked at Jamie, Naomi and Simon as they stood waiting. His friends, this family he’d known here. Sometimes it felt like just days since he’d been pulled away from the family he’d known on earth. Still, as painful as that had been, there’d been no choice. This was different. This time it would be his choice to leave. His choice and Nikki’s. Even though he’d imagined this moment and had told himself he wouldn’t cry, now he blinked back tears.
Henry took another breath. “There’s something we have to tell you guys.”
Nikki reached out and took hold of his hand. She hadn’t thought about it, Henry felt sure. It had been instinctive. Still, that simple gesture told the story. As Jamie, Naomi and Simon gazed back at the two of them, their eyes misting even as they tried to smile, Henry could tell they already knew.
17
Stepping into the Sky
On the day that Henry had first crossed over from his last life on Earth, he’d found himself high in the sky sitting on the branch of a giant fir tree. At the time, he’d been confused and terrified, having no idea he’d just died. That the tree itself had been created from his own imagination had been utterly incomprehensible. In time, he’d come to realize what had taken place. One of his last thoughts had been about an upcoming trip his family had planned for visiting the Northwest together. He’d manifested that towering tree in his new realm by envisioning that future just before he’d drowned.
Now that he and Nikki were ready to jump back into new lives again, Martha suggested returning to where they’d last seen “Henry’s tree.” She brought them again to that plateau overlooking a canyon. On the other side of the chasm, a waterfall cascaded into a river below, the thunder of its force muffled by distance. Not too far from the waterfall, on that other cliff facing them, towered the ancient fir tree that had sprung from Henry’s imagination.
Henry didn’t question how that tree remained part of what was manifested in this realm. He knew that all of it—everything he’d experienced in the time that had passed—resulted from their shared hopes, dreams, memories and imaginings. On some level, though, that was also how it worked in the physical realm. Everything on Earth—for good or for bad—originated first from thought. From there, thoughts became words and actions. The result was essentially the same—creation. The only true difference was time. On Earth, it took time to grow a tree. Here, it sprang into existence as soon as someone thought of it. But time itself—as Henry well knew now—was an illusion.
It had been a few days since they’d broken the news to the others and things had been different since. Not bad, in Henry’s opinion. A little sad at first but after that they’d all managed to get used to the idea, trading jokes and asking questions as they always had together. They’d taken walks, played games, watched movies and shared meals. At times, there had been moments of silence where there might not have been before. Or maybe Henry had just noticed those silences in a different way. One day, he and Nikki had also met with Martha and Lysrus. They’d been asked to decide where they’d be going and who they’d join in their next life. It seemed funny to Henry now that he’d been so excited for Nikki’s possibilities that he’d lost sight of his own. Her situation was different in that she’d been on this side much longer than him. The result of that conversation had been something he never would have anticipated and at first wasn’t sure how to feel about. He felt good about things now, though—given what he knew would happen, what might happen and what had to happen.
That last part was up to them, both Martha and Lysrus had said. What they felt had to happen could only take place if they made sure it did. And that involved not forgetting. Henry felt sure he’d never forget. Not now, not ever.
Now, he and Nikki stood facing the people they’d known here—Jamie, Simon, Naomi and Martha.
Henry met Jamie’s eyes first. “Well, I guess this is it,” he said.
Jamie nodded. After a moment, he grinned even as his eyes glistened. “We’ll hit the skate park again together. You know that, right?”
“Never doubted it,” Henry said. “I’ll be looking for you.”
“Might have to change the hairstyle,” Jamie said.
Henry shook his head. “That mohawk is exactly what I’ll be looking for. You better hang on to that.”
Jamie wiped his eyes. “Love you, bro.”
Henry stepped toward him and gave him a hug. “You too,” he whispered. “Love you too.”
Henry turned to Simon. “I guess I’ll be seeing you on my phone or computer in a few years. I mean, when I’m a teenager again.”
Simon laughed. “That will be like a month for me. But, yeah, that could happen.”
“Do I hear a note of doubt?” Henry said.
Simon blinked back tears. “Might be changing my ways soon.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Simon glanced at Jamie, then Naomi. “It’s all just a matter of time, right? Been kind of missing England lately. If you know what I mean.”
Henry gave Simon a hug too. “I guess we’ll just have to find our way over there, won’t we?”
“You’re the best, mate,” Simon whispered, giving Henry a squeeze before letting go again. “I’m going to miss you.”
Henry turned to Naomi next, that little girl who’d remained young and innocent for all this time. Only lately had she started to grow up but Henry knew she wouldn’t be turning back now either. Naomi didn’t try to hide the tears running down her face. She stepped toward him and wrapped him in a hug.
“I love you, Henry,” she said. “I just know you guys will be happy.”
Henry couldn’t fight it off anymore either. He let the tears fall. “I love you too,” he said. “I’m going to miss you.”
“No, you won’t,” Naomi whispered. “But you’ll know me when you see me again.”
Finally, Henry stood before Martha. While over the years, he’d always seen kindness in her eyes and sometimes concern, this was the first time he saw sadness.
“Will I see you again?” Henry said. “In the future?”
Martha offered that warm smile he’d grown so used to that he couldn’t imagine not seeing it again. “We’ll know each other forever. Nothing can change that.”
“I mean, in the future as I perceive it. Will I see you again?”
Martha hesitated while she seemed to consider. Or maybe she heard a voice communicating from some other realm only she experienced. Who could say? After a moment, she spread her arms and Henry stepped into her embr
ace.
“Thank you,” he whispered, thinking back to that day so long ago when she’d knocked on his door. From the moment he first saw her eyes, he’d known she was someone he could forever trust. “Thank you for everything.”
Martha spoke softly into his ear. “Speaking off the record, you’ll see me again in the future. It just might be a while.”
Henry stepped back and watched Nikki’s parting moments with each of them. Henry didn’t hear most of what they said as they embraced one another but, true to form, Nikki left each of them both crying and laughing. Finally, she stood next to him again. Nikki took his hand. “Ready, River Rat? We better get this done. Otherwise, something tells me we’ll find ourselves sitting in the food court for a few more decades.”
It was one of the hardest things Henry had ever done, turning his back on his friends in this realm and walking away. But Nikki was right. If they didn’t do it now, they never would. A few moments later, he and Nikki stood at the cliff’s edge still holding hands. Henry did his best to ignore the lump in his throat, but it took him a few seconds to regain his voice.
He wiped his eyes and turned to Nikki. “What do you see?”
Nikki peered past the cliff down through the mist, seeing something meant for her alone. A few moments passed before she said anything. Tears streamed down her face even as she smiled.
“It’s really them,” Nikki said. “They’re with my sister. Just like my dream. She’s with them again.”
Henry’s heart lifted at the thought of Nikki finally joining her family again. At the same time, he couldn’t resist. “Think you can handle being the baby sister?”
Nikki laughed. “Oh, my God, no. I never once thought of that. I really don’t think I’d be good at that. Do you?”
Henry laughed too. “Yeah, no. But maybe the new Nikki will love it. You never know, right?”
“I bet I’m going to be the little sister from hell.”
Henry laughed again, knowing it was more than likely true. Good luck to Nikki’s sister in the coming years.
“Now you,” Nikki said. “It’s your turn.”
Henry peered down into the mist, which opened for him as it must have for Nikki moments ago. He saw images as clear and vivid as those Lysrus had shown them when he’d allowed them to look through the Veil at Rose’s life. Only this time, the scenes that flashed before his eyes brought only feelings of happiness and hope. Some were from his past life, nearly forgotten images of two people he’d remembered fondly but who’d passed away when he was just a kid. Along with those images, he saw scenes that now seemed somehow familiar even though they’d remained outside his consciousness until now. He saw a man and woman who’d loved each other for a long time and who loved each other still. Only in this moment did he recognize the scenes for what they were—memories from a different past he’d somehow forgotten until now.
Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 Page 18
