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Writer's pictureCrystal Crawford

Chapter 29: The Code

The mob stopped just in front of the shed in Jay’s backyard.


James turned to watch Jay approach—with Ryan and Kyle behind her.


“Make us all corporeal,” James demanded as soon as Jay was in front of him.


Jay blinked at him. “Are you insane?” She knew he was, but surely even he could see that this request strained the limits of reasonability. “Why would I make the mob of angry ghosts who just raided my backyard corporeal? You’re kidding, right?”


James signaled to a ghost near two other ghosts who now held Jay’s father upright, dangling limply between them as they each tightly gripped one of his arms. The third ghost delivered a swift knee to her father’s gut.


Her father grunted in pain, though he didn’t even seem fully conscious.


Jay’s heart lurched, but she schooled her face into impassivity. “I will make one of you corporeal. One.” She eyed James, knowing he would choose himself—why wouldn’t he?


The two ghosts who had held her father let go of him. He slumped limply to the ground.


James eyed her. “Why? So your two goons can overpower me? What kind of fool do you think I am?”


The narcissistic, psychotic kind, Jay thought, but she kept that to herself. “Fine. I’ll turn two of you, so it’s an even match for my two… goons.” She glanced at Ryan and Kyle, but they were too worried to be offended, it seemed. Kyle was watching her in concern, and Ryan just shrugged.


“Three,” James countered. “You might be weak, but you have the object, so it’s not an even match unless I’ve a bodyguard to protect me from you as well.”


Jay rolled her eyes. “Fine. But I get to pick which ones, and I’m not picking that beefy ghost in the back. He looks like he was a bodybuilder.”


“Trapeze artist, actually,” James said, “but fine. Just do it and let’s get on with things.”


Jay drew a deep breath, then picked out two flimsy looking ghosts from the lineup—one scrawny man, and a scowling woman with a fancy umbrella and a perfectly styled up-do who looked like the worst she’d ever done in life was whack someone with her purse—then whispered to the object.


SShe watched in horror as it fulfilled her bidding, making the man and woman solidify. Their skin again turned flesh colored and their clothes and hair once more became their proper shades, which for the man was a drab grey suit that made him look almost as miserable in full color as he had in spectral blue. The woman, it turned out, had flaming orange-red hair. That was a little surprising given its prior hazy blue-gray shade.


Jay slowly turned to her right, where she found James—in full living color. His brown eyes were somewhat bulging, more prominent now that they were once again in color, and had an overeager glint to them. He looked even crazier in life than in death, which was saying something.


To her left, Jay could see Ryan and Kyle both watching her closely.


Jay drew a steadying breath as she locked eyes with James. “Stand back so I can put in the code.”


James tensed. “No. You tell me the code, and you and your goons stay out of my way.”


Jay shook her head. “That’s not our agreem—”


A ghost kicked his boot into Jay’s father’s stomach, forcing him to utter a sound that sent Jay’s heart skittering.


“Stop!” Jay lunged for him—


The scrawny man Jay had brought to life charged at her, but Ryan intercepted him, tackling him with an oomph just a few steps short of him smashing into Jay, as Kyle stepped between Jay and the rest of the mob.


The woman Jay had made corporeal scooted to the side a few steps, tucking her umbrella behind her back as though she’d planned to hit Jay but thought better of it.


Kyle slid protectively between Jay and the woman, whose scowl deepened considerably.


The ghost who had kicked Jay’s father pressed his boot threateningly against her father’s throat, glancing between Jay and James.


Jay drew a shaky breath. “Okay, fine. I’ll tell you the code to open the shed,” she said carefully. Just…let my dad go. Without harming him further. He stays with us.”


James raised his eyebrow. “Done.” Two of the ghosts shoved Jay’s father forward, onto the ground in front of her, then returned to the mob a few steps back.


“Take the bindings off of him,” Jay said.


James rolled his eyes, but obliged. With a wave of his hand, the glowing ropes fell away.


Even so, there was no celebration of freedom from her father. He lay, slumped, breathing roughly and with his eyes open, but barely seeming to register what was happening around him.


“What’s wrong with him?” Jay asked, dropping to her knees next to him.


James sneered. “He’s barely alive anymore, even in our version of a life. Stuck in limbo like this, it takes energy to maintain composition. His is nearly drained. He’s very nearly scattered to nothingness.”


Jay could feel the truth in James’ words, even as her mind told her he could be manipulating her. But she knew her father—and this was not normal for him, to be so unanimated, so drained of energy and engagement. He was barely hanging on. And if Jay didn’t get him to the other side before his energy in this form failed him—to the true other side of things, where he could really be at rest—would he just be trapped in this half-existence, forever? Or somehow cease to exist? Both possibilities sent panic racing through Jay’s veins.


“Make your mob move farther away from him,” Jay said. “Tell them they can’t harm him anymore.”


James sighed in exasperation, then turned to his mob. “Fine. Move back, toward the fence—you’re not to harm the traitor.”


Jay bristled at the term… but then, in James’ deranged mind, that’s what her father was. Someone who had married the enemy—because, of course, James was completely insane.


Her father glanced up at her, finally noticing her nearness. He smiled weakly and reached for her.


Jay rested a hand over his, even though his only felt like mist. “You’re going to be okay,” she told him.


His eyes locked on hers, and he nodded. As though he truly believed her.


Please, help me to live up to that belief, Jay prayed. She was going to need some divine help, if her flimsy plan was to work. That was for sure. Right now, she just had to keep moving forward and hope for the best.


Jay gave a sigh of relief once the mob was regrouped near the backyard gate, several yards from the shed.


“Happy?” James asked her with a scowl.


“Not really, but we can proceed,” Jay said, sliding the object safely back into her pocket.


James turned toward the lock on the shed and lifted it. He paused, running his finger over it in a mesmerized way that was only made slightly less creepy by Jay’s knowledge that he probably hadn’t felt something solid—even something as simple as a metal lock—in a very long time. Then he snapped his face toward Jay. “The code,” he growled.


Jay drew a deep breath. “3289.”



PirateCat Author Note:


What is Jay up to? Have you figured it out? All chaos breaks loose in the next chapter…get ready!

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