Shadeland (The Ethereal Crossings, 1)

by D.L. Miles

Astral Bodies Sample

  There’s been a murder in Arrowood with only one witness, and she can’t come forward with any information because she technically wasn’t there.

  Twenty-year-old Tess has the ability to astral project, and while going for a midnight walk in the woods she stumbles across a ritual murder. Not only that, the killer was actually able to see her when nobody else could.

  After leaving an anonymous tip with the police, Tess thinks her life can return to normal, until Jonas Adler contacts her and offers her a job she just can’t refuse. He wants her to become his apprentice and work with the FBI using her unique ability to find the killer.

  Tess is soon thrust into a world that both terrifies and excites her, and into a job she never knew she wanted.

  Excerpt…

  That evening I decided I needed a little me time. Or a lot of me time, actually. My roommate at the university had gone out, and it was the last night I was going to have to myself for the next four months; I had to do what I could. After I made myself a cup of tea, I slipped into my pajamas and jumped into bed.

  It was time for me to let loose. I grabbed a book and opened it, setting it in my lap to make it look like I had fallen asleep reading should my roommate come home early. Taking deep breaths, I focused my energy onto my soul, imagining a lighter aspect of myself lifting from my body. Another deep breath and I was in a trance.

  When I opened my eyes I was standing beside my bed, looking down at my unconscious body.

  “Never going to get tired of this,” I said, hands on my hips. The silver cord that connected me to my body was as strong as ever, and drifted easily over my comforter. It would occasionally disappear as I moved, but it didn’t worry me anymore. The only way that cord could break was if someone came into the room and killed me; nothing on this side could harm me.

  I had no idea where I got this gift from, but it certainly wasn’t my mother, despite her claiming it was in our family history. Rose wasn’t able to do it either, and Dad was the last person I’d ask about it. How did one ask their family about astral projection? I certainly had no idea.

  It was easier when everyone pretended like nothing happened, except my mother on occasion. For whatever reason she still believed in my gift, though I now claimed to not have it. And I was not going to make the same mistake again by telling anyone. Ever.

  I glanced out my window and saw that the world had taken on a milky violet twilight. Splashes of colour ignited the new leaves, and after a few steps I was floating outside my window, taking it all in.

  A walk in the spectral woods was just what I needed to calm down. I flew easily over the campus, watching as students flitted to and fro with their astral tails following behind them. It was odd to tell what people were thinking based on the colour of their tail. One boy looked excited, creating a sparking clear red; someone thought he might be getting lucky tonight. Too bad the girl he was with was showing a dark gray…I rolled my eyes at myself, reminding me of my number one rule.

  Don’t watch others or their emotions; it’s rude. I wouldn’t want someone prying into my feelings, so why would I do it to someone else?

  I glided towards the woods, and in seconds I was landing on a small dirt trail that I often walked. Even though it was night, everything was lit up in an array of dark colours. Purple, indigo, green, and even a little white made the woods illuminate.

  Walking through cleared my mind, lifting me a little off the ground. If I didn’t pay attention, I tended to float up. I quickly grounded myself, feeling the earth squish beneath my spectral feet.

  I furrowed my brow. Squished?

  I looked down and found I had stepped in a sort of black ooze, something I’d never seen before. Astral projecting gave me new discoveries every week it seemed, but nothing like this. I floated above it, finding the black had almost sunk into my feet. I shook it off, but just barely.

  Searching up and down the pathway, I saw that the trail led deeper into the woods. Curiosity got the better of me, as it often did, so I followed. Nothing could hurt me in this realm anyway, right?

  Minutes later I found the trail grew thicker, but something else did as well. I floated into the trees, finding another trail lighting my way; one of a muddy green and gray. I was beginning to get worried, seeing so many negative emotions so far from the city. But I kept moving forward, verbally reminding myself that I was safe.

  “Nothing can even see you,” I said, “stop being ridiculous.”

  The woods grew more shadows as I moved, the black ooze infecting everything around it. It didn’t move, didn’t bubble or twitch, and just…engulfed everything nearby. I began to hear multiple voices chanting and saw a bright light coming up.

  As the black ooze trail ended I saw a figure leaning over a pedestal. A pedestal that held a body on it.

  It didn’t take me long to realize that the source of the ooze was death itself, from the girl on the pedestal; she was completely still, no sign of life in her. No aura surrounding her. My heart raced while my mind tried to make sense of what I was seeing.

  The person leaning over the body was mumbling something over and over again, the nearby fire crackling. The flames lashed towards me in the ether, creating sparks of green and blue and making me flinch back. The figure turned, face covered by a hood.

  I swore they looked right at me, and I froze to the ground. After a moment, the person’s head moved right and left, as if searching for me. Soon, the chanting turned to a growl all around me, and they swung their arm backwards, palm open and smashing into an unseen wall. That was the last thing I saw before I woke up in my bed.

  I jumped up, throwing my book across the room and knocking my tea over. There was a scream trying to crawl out of my throat, but I managed to choke it down and breathe again.

  “What the hell?” I questioned. I searched my memory but everything began to blur together. All I knew was that I found a body in the Arrow Woods, and the killer was still there. Ignoring the spilled tea, I jumped from bed and grabbed my cell phone, ready to call the police. But I had to stop myself.

  How would I explain seeing that to them? Another idea struck, and I headed from my dorm, not even bothering to put my robe on.

  The university still had a couple old pay phones hidden in its shadowy corners. Nobody used them anymore, and I prayed they were still functional. As I approached them I searched the lobby for anyone that might notice me, but found myself alone. I was behind the front desk, the woman there busy playing some game on her cellphone.

  I picked the phone up quietly, keeping my eyes on the front doors, and dialed 911.

  When they picked up I interrupted them and said, trying to disguise my voice to be much more wispy, “There’s a body in the Arrow Woods, near the falls. The killer made a fire and they’re doing some sort of…ritual, I think. You should hurry.”

  I felt sick. Every inch of my good natured being was ordering me to answer the operator as he asked my name, but instead I hung up the phone. I licked my lips and closed my eyes a moment, allowing my hands to shake.

  I took a deep breath. It was over now; I’d done my part.

  Slipping back towards the doors I straightened my back and approached the front desk. “Hey,” I said, the woman looking up at me. “I spilled some tea in my room; do you have the key to the closet so I can get some stuff to clean it up?”

  “Oh, of course,” she said. “Just bring it back before ten.”

  I nodded. “Absolutely.” She passed me the key and I started walking back to my room when she called, “Were you outside? You’re feet are filthy! You should wear shoes or something.”

  I stalled and looked at my feet. Lo and behold, the soles of my feet were pitch black.

  It was the first time I’d ever brought something back from the other side.