Witness by Jamie Magee Page A

her.
    She didn’t answer me for a second or two; instead, she sat on the floor beside my bed. “Is anyone ever gone, ever real? Are we not just energy in a different form?”
    I raised my eyebrows and slightly smiled. “That’s a new way to look at it.”
    Her pale cheeks blushed slightly. “They need energy…to show themselves…if they just appear at will without preparing you for it…it will wipe you out…they will pull all of the energy of the room to them just so our eyes can see them.”
    “Now, that’s debatable. I’ve seen my father, Draven’s mother, and countless shadows and never felt wiped out.”
    Her dark eyes peered up at me. “Your energy is strong…you have developed a tolerance for the images you see…your father has done this…he is still careful not to overpower you. He comes in your dreams when your body is not strong enough to see him.”
    I moved my head from side to side. “Did they tell you to convince me to sleep and eat more?”
    Her blank stare told me that she had no idea what I was talking about.
    “So…it’s obvious that you can see what we see. Most of us use music as an escape, a way to deal with it…Madison uses art…what’s your escape? Do you play like your brothers?”
    An innocent smile came to the corners of her lips. She reached for Draven’s necklace, which was still wrapped around my fingers. I let her have it. I wanted to let her know I was her friend. Once she had it, she reached in the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out a miniature version of the rock she had placed on my night stand, as well as a few small rings. Her long dark hair fell around her as she looked down, and I had a hard time seeing what she was doing with her hands.
    A few minutes later, she looked up, smiled slightly, and reached for my hand. I held it out for her, and she hooked a newly made bracelet around my wrist. The cord that held the necklace was wound three times along the leather cord. There was Draven’s pick, the small tan rock she had in her pocket, and a charm. It was an Ankh; I assumed that Madison had gotten the inspiration to sketch Ankhs from Monroe.
    “I make jewelry…sometimes, anyway…I like to create new looks.”
    “Well…that’s a beautiful escape; almost as beautiful as this,” I said as I pulled my wrist back to myself so I could admire how perfectly this bracelet was put together. I had no idea how she had connected it. There didn’t seem to be a way to take it off. I didn’t intend to anyway, though, so that didn’t bother me. Oddly, I felt safe wearing it…full of energy.
    Monroe reached for the cord that led to the rock on my nightstand and turned a switch on. The rock seemed to glow slightly in response to the power that was going to it.
    “Do you feel the energy?” she whispered.
    I nodded, realizing that I did feel something. It was almost like a hum in the air.
    “Now to speak to him,” she said, looking up at me.
    The sound of the guitar around us grew a little louder.
    I smirked as I smiled. “Dad…feel like showing yourself?”
    At that instant, he appeared beside Monroe. He wasn’t as faint has he had been the last few times I’d seen him. There was still a glow about him, but he looked more real. My eyes grew wide with surprise as I looked from him to the rock, then at Monroe. She was rising to her feet. She never acknowledged that my dad was standing there.
    “Your sister was right, though…words are for the living…no rock will bring to life that aspect…they commutate on a much higher level…you just have to listen.” She let her eyes fall as she made her way to the door.
    Once she was gone, I looked up at my dad. He smiled slightly as he sat down next to me on my bed. I looked down at my wrist and fumbled with the charms that Monroe had placed there.
    “Kinda had a bad day…” I whispered.
    I felt the energy of my father’s arm go around me, and I leaned into him.
    “Is he gonna be OK, dad?” I whispered in a tearful