Part 20 (1/2)

Ryan chuckled. ”Yeah. Awakening our powers? Evolving to a higher level of consciousness?”

”Don't laugh. Isn't that the exact thing Julie is experiencing, going into another dimension with her angel buddy? And isn't that exactly what the Ascension Lady predicted?” Ryan grew more serious. ”You think there's a connection?

Between Julie and Krissi?”

Philip chose his words carefully. ”I think something's been happening ever since the mansion. It's like something's been, I don't know, turned loose in Julie and Krissi. And,” Philip tried to soften the next phrase, but there was no missing its sting, ”I think Becka has to stay open. She has to be careful not to hold us back.” The words burned in Becka's ears. Hold them back! She was the one who had saved them in the first place. She was the one trying to protect them!

Philip leaned farther over the steps and the ladder started to tilt forward.

”Becka!” Ryan reproved. ”Hold it steady.” She looked at him, surprised. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at her.

A little embarra.s.sed, he returned to his work on the other poster and resumed the conversation. ”What do you mean, hold us back? How could Rebecca hold us back?” Philip continued reaching across the stairs. ”I got a call from Krissi last night. She received another message.” Ryan and Becka exchanged looks. ”Phil,” Ryan ventured, ”do you think that stuff's okay?”

”You mean is it for real?”

”Well, yeah, for starters.”

”The handwriting's not Krissi's, I can tell you that. In fact, it has a left-handed slant to it. Krissi is right-handed. Besides, like I said, it fits with what's happening to Julie and what the Ascension Lady said.”

”So that makes all that stuff good?” Becka asked incredulously. She immediately bit her lip, wis.h.i.+ng she hadn't sounded so defensive.

Philip looked down at her. His voice was calm, which made her feel even more stupid. ”I didn't say they were good or bad, Becka.

I'm just suggesting you stay open and not stand in our way.” Becka looked to Ryan, hoping for some defense, but he busied himself with the other poster. She felt a slight tightening in her throat. Ryan didn't have to agree with everything she said, but right now his silence felt more like a betrayal than staying neutral. Once again her mind churned over last night's disagreement about h.e.l.l and the supernatural. Why hadn't Z answered that question?

Losing herself in thought, she barely heard the chirpy ”Hey, guys, it looks great.” Philip and Ryan turned to see Krissi round the corner.

It was the turn that did it: The s.h.i.+ft of Philip's weight to see Krissi pulled the ladder too far forward, and Becka, still lost in thought, didn't notice.

”Becka!”

She looked up, startled. The ladder tipped; Philip lost his balance.

”Watch it!” Ryan leapt for the ladder, but he was too late.

Philip slipped and fell fifteen feet to the hard concrete steps.

”Philip!” Krissi screamed.

The ladder crashed down on top of him as Krissi raced down the steps to his side. Ryan quickly joined them.

Becka looked on, frozen. Krissi and Ryan were both there to help, but Becka could only stand and stare.

”Philip,” Krissi cradled his head in her arms. ”Philip ...

Philip ...”

He stirred slightly and opened his eyes.

”Philip, are you okay?”

”Yeah,” he said, trying to move, but wincing in pain. ”I'm all right.”

A few kids started to gather. At last Becka was able to move.

”Philip, I'm so sorry. I don't know - ”

Krissi spun around at her. ”Stay away!” she ordered. ”Get back.”

The command shocked Becka, and she came to a stop.

”Krissi,” Ryan tried to reason, ”it was an accident. Becka didn't - ”

”Yes, she did.” No one moved. Krissi's voice grew louder and more shrill. ”She knew exactly what she was doing!” To prove her point, she dug into her handbag and pulled out a folded piece of paper. The very paper she had written the night before. ”See for yourself.”

Becka looked on as Ryan took the paper, unfolded it, and read. More kids gathered as Krissi continued her accusation. ”It told me you were dangerous!” she shouted. ”It told me your jealousy would try to stop us!”

Becka started toward her again. ”Kriss - ”

”Stay away!”

By now a sizable group of kids had gathered. Becka could feel her face and ears growing hot under their questioning stares.

It was 2:15 in the afternoon. Once again, Julie entered the crystal.

But it wasn't really the crystal. Now she understood that the crystal was merely a tool, a way of clearing her mind. She knew she was actually back home. Her folks had picked her up from the hospital earlier that morning, and now she was back in her own bedroom, in her own bed. At least that's where her body was.

Her mind was someplace else.

At the moment it was striving for another level. Summoning her angel was much easier now. She'd been practicing off and on throughout the night, all morning, and into the afternoon. One thing you could say about Julie Mitch.e.l.l, she was determined.

Her angel, her guardian, was as good a teacher as she was a pupil. Already he had helped her understand the ”futility of the physical.” Of course, her parents had protested when she refused to brush her hair or eat either breakfast or lunch. But how could they be expected to understand? After all, they were limited to earthly thinking. They had no idea of the great spiritual level to which Julie was evolving. They had no idea that food, clothes, and appearances were merely vain endeavors, earthly weights designed to hamper her evolution to the higher dimension.

Each time Julie approached that dimension, her guardian embraced her with the same warm, accepting light. And each time he gently but firmly encouraged her to give more and more of herself over to that light. Soon she would be able to merge with it. Soon she would become one with the guardian, one with creation, one with G.o.d himself.

As she entered the guardian's presence, she felt his light wash over her. Only this time she felt something else. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it almost felt like ... sadness.

Have I done something wrong? she thought.

The guardian glowed and s.h.i.+mmered before her. Perhaps we are moving too quickly.

No ... this is what I want. She moved closer. You promised me.

You said I'd soon be joining your level.