by Lea Ryan
Part 4
"A lot of help you are." Juniper said to Cricket later.
"I told you to run. It's not my fault you didn't listen." She came out from behind a tree.
The two of them held hands as they passed into Night Limbo.
"We're going to Nikki's house again, but there's something I have to do first."
They manifested in Francine Townsend's kitchen once more. Juniper's mother, under a solitary light in an otherwise dark kitchen, washed dishes in the sink. Her hair was tied in a rough ponytail and her clothes, a rumpled t-shirt and a pair of jeans, were the same as the night before.
Juniper watched her from the shadows for a few moments.
"What are you going to do?" Cricket asked.
"I'm here to kiss her goodbye."
"Touching her is against the rules. You can't -"
"I'm not worried about the rules."
"You'll risk condemnation for a kiss?"
"I'm going to risk condemnation for something more important. Like I said, this is just goodbye."
"You can't help your friend. I know this helplessness is frustrating, but order exists for a reason. There is a natural progression in which mortal events occur. Destiny is real."
"Destiny is crap."
Juniper stepped toward her mother. An odd sensation came over her. Air around her seemed to thin. Her body became more corporeal. She carried her own physical weight, and she knew that if she touched an object, it would move. She had awakened her ability to manipulate the living world.
"Touching her is your turning point. Once you make contact with the living, you have officially broken the rules. There will be no going back."
"I know, Cricket. Stop nagging. Give me some peace so I can make the most of this. Leave if you're that scared."
The girl sulked.
Juniper touched her mother's cheek.
Francine put her hand to her face where her daughter's fingers left a cold feeling. She turned from the sink and scanned the kitchen for the source of what she probably assumed was a draft.
Then, Juniper the wandering spirit embraced her mother. She hugged her as tight as she could. She kissed her.
"I love you, Mom. I'm sorry."
Francine leaned back against the sink. She went pale.
"Juniper? Baby?" She looked right through her daughter, but she knew.
"I'm here."
"She can't hear your voice." Cricket told her.
Juniper grabbed a cookbook from the kitchen island to hold it in the air.
Her mother's face lit with happiness.
"You're still alive! I mean, not alive, but your soul, oh baby doll. I never should have allowed you to stay in that damn carriage house."
Juniper went to the writing board on the wall over the desk in the corner. She uncapped a marker and wrote: Can't stay. Luv u always.
Howls came from somewhere outside.
"Now you've done it." Cricket said. "Gareth is coming."
"We aren't in Day Limbo. He can cross into the mortal world?"
"I didn't know he could."
They rushed to the front window to find the night sky aflame with angry light from down the street.
Gareth's voice echoed, "Juuuuniper."
"Shit." She shut the curtains. To Cricket, she said, “I thought we'd have more time than this." She went back to the kitchen.
Her mother searched the room calling her name, oblivious to the malicious presence outside.
"We can go out the back."
"They will still catch us." Cricket wrung her hand.
"We have to try. We can make it to Nikki's apartment. Leave if you want to."
"I'll stay with you for now. You know the area. He doesn't. It might be enough to slow him down."
There came a second howl, a closer one.
"Out the back door." Juniper commanded.
They dashed through yards, by wooden swing sets and gas grills, past decks and torches, and a couple enjoying a glass of wine on their patio. They hurdled fences with the grace of supernatural beings. They left the howls behind, but only temporarily. Gareth would catch them. Juniper knew she couldn’t think about that.
She pushed all notion of consequence aside. Whatever happened to her didn’t matter. The short amount of time she had before Gareth would likely capture her meant the difference between life and death. She refused to waste those precious moments worrying about herself.
Then the wandering spirits were through a door, a hallway. Did she hear the raised voice of the boyfriend? Through the apartment door. Same mess. Same sad life.
Shouts came from the bedroom.
Juniper found him standing over Nikki with a belt. The pregnant girl shielded her face with one arm and cradled her swollen abdomen with the other. There were welts on her arm.
Juniper couldn't believe the size of her.
The jackal howls closed in again. They moved quickly. Were they flying?
Cricket knelt beside Nikki.
Juniper made a stand between the yet again drunken beast of a man. His unbuttoned work shirt had a nametag sewn on. The devil's name was Greg.
She waved her hands in front of his face.
"Leave her alone! See me?"
Greg didn't see.
She ripped the belt from his hand.
He looked at his empty hand stupidly, "What the -?"
Juniper threw it at the wall.
"You want to pick on someone? Pick on me!" She screamed in his face, channeled her rage down her arms and shoved his chest.
He staggered.
"You did it." Cricket said in amazement. "Do it again."
Juniper wasn't listening, but she did shove him again. She punched him in the face, and his head flew back.
The jackals scratched the window ledge outside and the glass.
The man swung his thick arms through his ghostly assailant's body.
"What is this?" He looked to the left to the mirror on the dresser, saw the reflection of a very dead and pissed off girl, and let a surprised yelp.
Juniper opened her mouth to release an unearthly scream. Her voice climbed higher until it vibrated the walls.
Greg covered his ears. He fell, hitting his head on his way to the floor.
Still, she kept on until the sound shattered the mirror and the window.
Jackals flooded the room.
Juniper felt a tiny hand around hers.
Cricket led her over to the largest shard of mirror on the floor. They dove in together.
