Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 by David Pandolfe Page B

think that was a good
idea but it made no sense. Joseph had always been a good driver. Much better
than herself, in fact. This ridiculous daydreaming had to stop, now.
    Rose started walking again and turned to Nikki. “It is
kind of a sharp turn, you’re right. But nothing bad has ever happened there.
Not to the best of my knowledge, anyway.”

9
    The Rapids
     
    Twice they’d almost gotten through. Both times, Henry had
watched Rose’s eyes as she’d questioned the reality she’d created for herself.
He’d wondered if it might have been too soon when he’d asked her about her
Beatles records, but it had seemed like an opening, a small way of making a
dent. So, he’d gone with it and didn’t doubt that Rose had stopped to wonder at
the nature of how time moved for her now compared to the way it had when she’d
been in the physical realm. Nikki’s attempt had been more effective,
definitely. Rose had completely shut down, literally remained frozen in the
hallway as she’d considered Nikki’s question about that spot where both
Joseph’s life and hers had ended. Henry had gotten his hopes up that it might
even be that easy, that Rose would suddenly realize the truth. But then Joseph
had woken her up again. No, not Joseph, Henry reminded himself—the entity
posing as Joseph. And he hadn’t really woken Rose up. In fact, just the
opposite. He’d seduced her back into the dream with just the sound of his
voice.
    Outside, the sun remained shining, the sky nearly
cloudless, the same as it had been when he and Nikki walked over. After Henry
had found her outside this morning—standing in the garden as if she had no idea
where she was or even who she was—the sky had started to blacken, night
suddenly replacing day. There hadn’t been any way to know but they’d guessed
Rose had stopped thinking about them sometime after leaving the house again.
Wherever she’d gone—whatever had been on her mind—had caused them to be
forgotten. They’d been left again taking haven from the dark and withered world
they’d crossed through before. They hadn’t been sure what to do or how they’d
even be able to find Rose’s house again. It seemed like about an hour passed before
the sun returned to the sky. They’d opened the front door to see the
neighborhood they’d first found themselves in the day before.
    “Just look at how beautiful this day is!” Rose stopped in
the driveway next to Joseph’s car. She spread her arms and raised her face to
the sky.
    “It’s perfect,” Joseph said. “I sure hope this weather
holds out for the wedding.”
    Rose beamed at him. “It will. I just know it will.”
    She got into his car and Joseph swung the rear door open
for Nikki. Henry watched as her eyes met his but she gave nothing away. Nikki
played along, acting as if Joseph was just as he appeared in that moment. She
even offered him a smile before sliding into the back seat.
    Joseph held the door for Henry too, their eyes meeting.
“Sure, let’s go to the beach. You like being around the water, right?” He
nodded toward the car. “Does that remind you of anything?”
    Henry looked into the car and it took everything he had
not to rear back. His pulse escalating at the sight of it full of water, as if
submerged beneath a murky river even while sunlight beamed across its roof. Captured
in that space, Nikki’s bent body floated limp, her hair rising in tendrils to
the ceiling, lifeless eyes staring from a face suddenly gone bloodless. It’s
just an illusion , he told himself. I don’t know how he’s doing it but
that’s all it is.
    “Come on, guys! Let’s get going.” Rose’s voice came to
him muffled, as if from some distant place.
    Then he heard Nikki. “Everything okay?”
    “Go on, get in,” Joseph said, his voice close to Henry’s
ear. “You’re not scared of a little water, are you?”
    Henry remained transfixed by the nightmare image he knew
couldn’t be real. He wanted to tell Joseph he wasn’t