Parallel Roads

by Mel Teshco

  Flame grinned almost manically. ‘I can sure try.’

  The Kombi roared over the rutted track, slamming through big potholes and clearing rocks that Jessie hoped the car following wouldn’t. Lolita peered behind her and gave him a look that was between exhilaration and reproach.

  ‘Are you trying to kill us before we even get to the house?’ she asked.

  He shook his head. ‘I think we have police on our tail.’

  Lolita’s eyes rounded. ‘Are you shitting me?’

  ‘Sadly, no.’

  Iris laughed from the front seat. ‘What a rush!’

  When Flame guffawed along with her, Lolita suddenly broke into a grin and turned towards the front. ‘Is this thing even out of first gear yet?’

  Jessie stayed busy keeping Tara comfortable and on the mattress while the Kombi lurched and bucked. Still, he didn’t see any more headlights for the rest of the ride, though he knew the other car wouldn’t be far behind them.

  Relief washed through him on spotting the old house up ahead. ‘That’s it,’ he said.

  ‘Fucking wow, man,’ said Flame, ‘creepy.’

  ‘Otherworldly,’ Iris said softly.

  Lolita stared, but he guessed she was thinking the same thing. It was only when Flame parked the car close to the house that Lolita seemed to snap out of her trepidation and inform the hippies, ‘I think being a free spirit is going on my to-do list.’

  Iris laughed, though the sound wasn’t full of its usual warmth. ‘Sugar, you’re already a free spirit.’

  Jessie unlatched the back of the Kombi, and then cradled Tara in his arms before carefully climbing out. ‘We’re almost there,’ he said to her softly.

  Flame slammed the tailgate shut and Jessie asked him, ‘One more favour?’ At Flame’s nod, he added, ‘Would you have a spare lighter?’

  ‘Sure, man.’

  Flame excavated one from his pocket and Jessie thanked him and pushed the lighter into his shirt pocket. Then he said, ‘You’d better get out of here. If you’re caught, tell them you were forced at gunpoint to do what I said.’

  The other man nodded and clapped him on the back. ‘Don’t you worry about us. Just take care of yourselves, okay?’

  Jessie nodded, emotions swelling for these people he barely knew. People he’d thought were freeloaders, but who’d helped them out when they needed help most. He’d never judge a person so blindly again. ‘I plan to.’

  Lolita came to stand beside him, accepting the tartan cap from him and putting it into the backpack before she hoisted the bag into position against her spine.

  Flame climbed into the Kombi. He gave them the peace sign as he drove towards a faint trail that was barely even legible. Hell, Jessie hadn’t once noticed it in any of the dimensions.

  A caw sounded directly overhead, and Jessie looked up, unsurprised to see the shadowy outline of a crow on the house roof. He bet the bird only had one eye as it stared down at them. ‘Hi Midge,’ he murmured.

  Lolita followed his stare. ‘What, you talk to birds now too?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, guess I do.’

  He jerked his head towards the house and its door. ‘Do you think you can open it for me?’

  Her breath shuddered. ‘I don’t suppose I have a choice.’

  ‘There’s a lighter in my pocket.’

  She fished it out then clicked it on—as the sound of another car engine approached. ‘Shit,’ she breathed, hurrying along the jagged stone path and to the door with Jessie following as quickly as he dared.

  At the back of his mind, he’d hoped maybe the headlights weren’t from a police car and they weren’t being followed.

  No such luck.

  Lolita pushed open the door and stepped gingerly inside. Jessie kicked the door shut behind them and his sister swore as the flame flickered and burnt her finger. Darkness, absolute and more than a little unnerving, hit them in the face.

  He couldn’t do a thing about the light issue with Tara in his arms. Instead he instructed his sister, ‘Get the lighter working again.’ She did so and he continued, ‘See the chair over there, pull out as much stuffing from it as you can and pile it against the wall.’

  She did as he said, his pulse pounding in his ears at the sound of a car slowing to a stop outside. ‘Now lean the chair against the door to help barricade it and buy us some time.’

  A car door slammed outside as Tara wedged the chair under the doorknob. ‘Now what?’ she whispered.

  ‘Light up the foam.’

  ‘Are you serious?’ she hissed.

  ‘Never more serious,’ he returned. As footsteps crunched outside he whispered, ‘Do it. Quickly.’

  She nodded, crouching and lighting the foam from the bottom like a good little girl scout. A knock sounded on the door as Jessie hoisted Tara over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold before he took to the ladder. ‘Follow me.’

  He was halfway up the ladder when he saw the flames spread quickly from the foam to the floorboards and wall, the fire eating the old wood as though a monster devouring its prey.

  Lolita watched the fire, seemingly transfixed. ‘Move!’ he shouted, careless now of the noise.

  She dragged her gaze from the crackling flames and, as though waking up from a dream, nodded understanding and ran towards the ladder.

  The front door shook with the force of someone trying to break it down, the chair almost shaken loose. But suddenly he was in the ceiling and his sister was clambering up too.

  ‘Holy shit,’ she whispered. The deep shadows writhed and danced as though to some ghastly tune, the spreading flames below giving off enough light to see that the ceiling and roof did indeed stretch much farther than should have been possible.

  The chair skittered across the floor and the door crashed inwards. Too late. Flames billowed across the floor and towards the door, but the sudden incoming air vacuumed the inferno upwards and Jessie stepped back in horror as a myriad of sparks landed on the ceiling and flared into spot fires.

  Lolita pulled him backwards. ‘This way.’

  He shook his head. ‘Tara’s dimension is the other way.’

  ‘Jessie! It’s too late. Come on!’

  Tara wouldn’t survive in another dimension. Would she? He stepped backwards from the heat, his mind spinning, and then replaying a conversation he’d had with Bruce. He’d said she wouldn’t survive unless she was taken out of this dimension.

  Had her grandfather known something he hadn’t?

  ‘Jessie!’ Lolita all but screamed.

  He turned and ran as fast as could along the beam, ignoring the heat and the burning ache in his shoulders and arms as he followed his sister, passing at least a dozen manholes. Lolita stopped, her cry of alarm causing Jessie to stop and look up.

  In the hazy smoke and orange glow that appeared to be more a reflection of the fire than real heat, three ghostly images climbed up through the manhole ahead. Jessie, Tara and Lolita. All three of their other selves ran blindly towards them, then through them, fear etched into their faces.

  A shiver trekked up and down his spine, and for a second not even the smoke and the fire registered.

  ‘Oh my god,’ croaked Lolita.

  His sister’s fear snapped him out of the trance. And he all but yelled, ‘Go down that manhole.’ They were running out of time. If their other selves had all been alive in the dimension they’d just come from, then that was the dimension he’d choose.

  Lolita stumbled forward and clambered down the ladder. It took the better part of a minute for Jessie to carefully descend one-handed, the smoke stinging his eyes and the old house groaning under the bite of the inferno.

  ‘We have to get out of here,’ Lolita said in a shrill voice.

  The fire was gaining ground, crackling and hissing louder and louder and giving off an even brighter orange glow in the gloom. It was enough light for him to spy the cockroach lying prone on its back near the door.

  Nothing unusual or sinister about that. So why the cramp of
foreboding deep in his belly?

  ‘Jessie?’

  His heart skipped a beat and all anxiety slammed into the back of his mind. He looked down at Tara, his heart swelling and his voice shaky. ‘Sweetheart, you’re awake.’

  Her eyes were open wide as she hacked out a sudden cough. But she smiled and managed, ‘You can put me down now.’

  The relief that washed over him counteracted all the negatives. As long as Tara and his sister were with him, everything would be okay.

  Tara was unsteady on her feet but her logical mind seemed to be ticking over fast when she stared around. ‘You’re burning the house down?’

  ‘Yes, I set it alight.’ At her shocked expression he added, ‘The police followed us here. And I knew we’d never stop looking over our shoulders unless I could put a stop to travelling from one dimension to another.’

  Lolita stepped forward. ‘I hate to break up the reunion party, but we really need to get the hell out of here.’

  Smoke was billowing from the manhole now and Jessie nodded agreement. He turned to Tara. ‘Are you okay to walk?’

  ‘I’m fine.’ She lifted a shaky hand to swipe some hair from her face. Obviously she wasn’t yet at full health. She peered up at Jessie with a frown. ‘Let’s go.’

  He nodded and opened the door. The three of them stepped outside into the cool, crisp night air. Though he was yet to see the flames from outside, he could hear the snapping and hissing of the fire from whichever dimension the old house was burning.

  But that wasn’t what bothered him.

  His senses were tingling, everything within him telling him something wasn’t right. Three of the Hummer’s doors were left ajar, as though their other selves had been in an awful hurry to leave.

  Had they seen the fire and knew it was their last chance to find his own dimension?

  They climbed back into the Hummer and slammed the doors shut to keep out the smoke. Lolita was quiet, in shock no doubt. Jessie knew there was little if anything he could do to make it better for her. He should know.

  ‘I think we should get out of here,’ Tara said in a small voice. She turned to Jessie. ‘If every dimension of this house explodes into some huge big fireball, I wouldn’t want to be in its vicinity.’

  Jessie nodded. ‘Good point.’

  When he started up the Hummer and tore along the track, the first thing he noticed was the lack of a fence. His hands tightened on the steering wheel. This dimension would probably be very little like his own.

  Somehow he didn’t mind. He’d been successful in one of his lives, there was no reason he couldn’t be successful again in another. His chest warmed as he glanced Tara’s way. Only this time he’d have the love of his life sharing the journey—his gaze moved until he could see his sister in the rear-view mirror—and a sibling who he’d nearly lost.

  Yet even when he once he turned onto the highway, he couldn’t shake the chill that had settled deep in his bones.

  Tara turned to him and said softly, ‘Something doesn’t feel right.’

  Lolita’s voice from the back quivered with raw emotion. ‘The hairs on my arms are standing up.’

  Jessie slowed when he came to a car that appeared to be parked in the middle of the road, its lights still on and engine running, the driver’s door left ajar. He cruised past without stopping.

  Lolita leaned forward. ‘Shit, Jessie, what is going on?’

  He shook his head. ‘I have no idea.’

  Only when, five minutes later, they passed an empty road train parked in the middle of the highway, did Tara turn on the radio. Static fizzed through the speakers before a voice filled the silence. ‘This is a pre-recorded message. If you can hear this, you have survived a chemical warfare attack against Australia. Seek shelter. Stay safe. This is a pre—’

  Jessie flicked off the radio, his pulse thundering in his ears and his shock absolute. He understood all too clearly now the fear on the three ghostly apparitions that’d been their other selves. They’d been fleeing the chemical attack by going into another dimension.

  Tara clasped her hands across her belly, and swung him an ashen-faced look of pure terror. He turned to view Lolita. Both women were in total shock, but appeared healthy enough all the same.

  He swallowed hard, his voice cracking with strain, ‘I think whatever atrocity has been committed here is over now. The chemicals are probably burned out … neutralised.’

  ‘What makes you say that?’ Tara asked in a small voice.

  ‘If they weren’t, we’d all be dead.’

  His knuckles cracked as he gripped the steering wheel harder again, his wrists straining. It was only then he noticed that the second-hand on his watch was moving once again. His skin crawled right along with it. This dimension was clearly now his own.

  He took hold of Tara’s hand, needing to touch her. To reassure and be reassured. Only when they drove into Mirraway did he release her hand so that Lolita could climb into the front between them.

  No one spoke a word, as if each of them was living in their own horror.

  But Jessie could take comfort in one thing. For better or worse, they were all together now … alive and well.

  Whatever the future, he wouldn’t be facing it alone.

  Thanks for reading Parallel Roads. I hope you enjoyed it.

  If you’d like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my webpage melteshco.com follow me on Twitter @melteshco, or like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mel.teshco

  You can also follow me through my publisher’s page here www.escapepublishing.com.au

  Reviews can help readers find books, and I am grateful for all honest reviews. Thank you for taking the time to let others know what you’ve read, and what you thought.

  If you liked this book, here are my other books, Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives—Camilla and Secret Confessions: Down & Dusty—Clarissa.

  This book was published by Escape Publishing. If you’d like to sample some more great books from my fellow Escape Artists, please turn the page.

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