Um...so...I'm halfway done with The House.  Strange because I've never started and completed a book this fast.  It just keeps pouring out but it's going to be a problem with the next few months as I try to finish up with this semester.  I'm really enjoying the story and so I'm looking forward to continuing but I really don't know what I'll do if I finish it this year.  Ah well problems to face later.  Enjoy this brief glimpse into the mind of Jackson.

I couldn’t sleep again.  This was something I was getting use to.  At first I had contributed it to nerves but now…I knew it was something different.  Beside me Veronica muttered something in her sleep and rolled over.  That must’ve been nice, silent and peaceful slumber.  Having nothing inside you’re head to bother you seemed like it would be amazing. 

The digital hotel clock at my side read eight am.  It would be around five in California.  Haley would be getting up soon.  She was more of an early bird than any of the actual birds that pecked at our feeders.  A glance at Veronica told me that she was still asleep.  Quietly I rolled out of my side and did my best not to disturb the mattress.  After putting on a pair of boxers I quietly slipped out of our room. 

The living area was a mess; bags of chips and soda cans littered the surface of the table and kitchen counter.  Among the counter hidden in the clatter I unclipped my phone from its charger and sat down on the couch.  In a few minutes she’d be up and getting ready for a jog.  Only Haley could get up for a 5 am jog on Saturday morning.

It had been longer than two months; I had intended to call her back after my last message.  I’d been feeling particularly nervous and had called just to say hi, only to remember that she had class when the answering machine picked up.  I hadn’t called since then for various reasons’ mostly the time was just never right and I didn’t want to disturb her.  But now I looked through the small screen on my phone for the home number.  Maybe I could catch her before she left. 

“Jackson?” I jumped at the voice behind me, I’d woken Veronica.  “What’s going on?” she asked stepping out of our room in the hotel robe. 

“I was going to call Haley” I asked rubbing my hand over my face, I really needed a good night of sleep. 

“Jackson, it’s five in the morning in California”

“She gets up early to go jogging”

“On Saturday?”

“Everyday” Veronica sat on the arm of the chair and reached over taking the phone from me. 

“Jackson, honey its early why don’t we go back to bed we can call her in the morning.”

“I don’t know what she’ll be doing tomorrow. I don’t want to interrupt her and Cassandra says that she’s not been doing well lately.  I just need to talk to her” I said lunging for the phone, but she instinctively pulled her arm away.  I sighed getting angry with her.  This wasn’t the first time that this had happened.  It seemed like the majority of the time that I had tried to call Haley Veronica was the one that came up the long list of reasons I shouldn’t.  Now I was starting to see what she was really doing.  Distracting me.  She would make up an excuse as to why it wasn’t a good time and tell me we could call later, then when later came there would be more excuses.  If I had to be completely honest the reason I’d tried to sneak away so silently from Veronica tonight was because I knew she would do it again.  But she had the ears of a hawk and I should’ve known she’d hear me. 

I couldn’t help what had been passing through my mind lately.  I knew that Haley and Veronica didn’t get along.  They didn’t get.  Period.  They’d had a few confrontations but mostly Haley tried to avoid her.  Those few confrontations had been started by Veronica, at least according to Cassandra who wasn’t a reliable source in this case.  Cassandra wasn’t exactly pleased with Veronica, either.  She was happy we’d found someone but I could see her shy away from her.  Deep down I couldn’t blame her.  It should be Cassandra here with us.  Cassandra deserved to be here with us.  But Veronica was. 

I’d never known Cassandra to be spiteful or jealous.  If I hadn’t known her as long as I did I’d say that she didn’t have it in her, but that was just the thing, she had it all in her.  She held in her comments filtering through them one by one so that the only ones that left her mouth were the good ones.  Cassandra was always the first one to go up to someone and talk with them.  It was like she had a sensor.  When I’d first met Haley and couldn’t read her like I could now; Cassandra could.  When I let my mind drift back to that day we talked on the movie set I could pick out the little tendencies that I couldn’t understand then. 

She had tucked her hair behind her ear, a nervous habit when she didn’t know what to do with her hands.  Her eyes weren’t focused on me but let revolved around the room, which meant that she was looking for some form of easy conversation when she didn’t know what to say.  Then she had been shifting weight something she always did when she felt even slightly out of place.  What I didn’t know then Cassandra did.  I think that’s why she had jumped into our conversation in the first place.  When I didn’t know what to say she did.

What Cassandra felt, I was never positive.  Haley on the other hand I could read like a book.  When I look back to see where that friendship had started it was probably when she opened the door in her hotel room.  However I could pinpoint the minute that we became best friends.  The Sunday after we’d gotten back I’d called her to see if she wanted a ride with the band next weekend, her station wagon was in sorry condition and I was surprise it was still legal to drive.  That night we got into a long conversation about everything:  our families, hobbies, interests, and of course plans.  It was how I knew a month later how to help her and just how to ask her so that she would say ‘yes’. 

After a difficult period of English I smiled as I plopped down between Cassandra and Haley at the lunch table, the guys sat across from us.  George and Greg were chatting about the busy weekend ahead of us.  Recording the song we were doing for the movie soundtrack and prom were the same night and now thanks to our late night extended practice last night I had to add one more chore onto my list.  Cassandra had her head bowed and hands folded under her forehead as she did before every meal she ate and Haley was deep in conversation with Nick.  She’d taken to sitting with us the Monday after we first met her.  The group consistently admitted that they liked her and felt like they were performing a public service by adopting her into the fold.  I hadn’t known much then but after about a month in I was beginning to enjoy the company of a different person to talk to.  And I knew that by the look on her face she was happy to be with us too.    

“Nice duds” I commented.  She scowled and looked down at the tiny top that revealed her stomach and short pleated skirt that I wasn’t sure how she sat in.  Then again I’m sure she’d had plenty of practice at this point.  Her hair was tied up high with a matching red, white, and black ribbon that could’ve given anyone a face lift.  But because her hair wasn’t flowing down her back was able to see the crimson blood rush to her face as she frowned at my words. 

“Senior pep rally” she responded crossing her arms over her stomach.  Clearly she was embarrassed by the short outfit; hell, I was embarrassed for her. 

“We figured, we’re playing” Nick commented as I shrugged out of the green jacket I kept with me.

“You look cold,” I placed to over her shoulders and she grabbed the sides and pulled the around her.  She’d told me that it was the last time that she would cheer but I hadn’t seen her in her out fit.  Had I known I would’ve taken one of my sister’s coats with me this morning to lend her. 

“Thanks” she smiled gratefully “I didn’t know you were playing at the rally”

“Neither did we until last night”

“The DJ cancelled last minute, we were available” Cassandra added free from her prayerful state.  “Haley, are you still good for dress shopping after school”

“After the rally, yeah”

“Dress shopping” I asked

“We are performing at prom tomorrow Jackson I have to wear something it’s just unfortunate that it would be inappropriate for me to wear a tux, that would have really been perfect.” 

“Jackson you did know Cassandra had to wear a dress right?” Haley joked.

“I guess I knew I just never really thought of it like that though.  I’m having a really hard time picturing you in anything but cargo pants” I couldn’t even remember what she’d been wearing at the performance we made for that movie.  Had she even worn a dress?

“Trust me it’s not by choice” she muttered turning back to her meal.  She preferred to eat in quiet.  It had disturbed me when I first met her but over the years I accepted it.  I was glad that Haley ate with us at lunch now.  It gave me more time to talk to her.  It was strangly easy.  Like talking to someone I’d known my whole life even though I hadn’t.    

“Haley, are you still coming with us?” Greg asked her.

“You know it” she said with a smile and Greg in his usual energetic self reached over and high fived her cheerfully.  The other guys had a different relationship to Haley than Cassandra and I did.  She was like their little sister; Greg especially enjoyed having her around since his had been killed last year.  To Cassandra she was a good amount of estrogen that she felt she had coming to her after being one of the guy’s for so long, and as strange as it seemed she was my best friend.  Not in a sister way or a friend even like Cassandra, she was like a guy friend only the wrong gender.  It was hard to describe.  “If Jackson is still picking me up” she smiled glancing my way and bringing me out of a haze. 

“I’ll be there at five just like I promised.” I smiled back and bumped her shoulder reassuringly.  “Actually Haley I think I have a solution to your roommate problem”

“Problem implies that there is a solution.  There is no solution therefore there is no problem” Across the table Nick chuckled under his breath.  She gave answers like this frequently when she was trying to convince herself of something that wasn’t going to happen.  She was trying to lie to herself hopeful that she would believe it.  I could only guess what that was.  The fact that she didn’t like to think about her roommate issue, which was why her mood had turned sour, only helped my diagnoses. 

“Fine, I have an… idea to help your…situation” I altered.

“Better.  What’s your ‘idea’?”

“I’ll show you tomorrow morning” I cringed at the idea.  I knew she’d be up but I wasn’t an early bird.  That was the only time I could fit it in.  I would take her in the morning and that would give me plenty of time to get to pick up a carless Cassandra and get to the studio at two.  Record the song drop everyone off and book it back home to change and pick up Haley and Cassandra again for prom.  It was going to be an interesting day.  I was looking forward to Sunday morning; when it was over. 

“Jackson” she strained her voice at my words.  She did this voice whenever I pulled stunts like this on her.  I suppose she thought that it would scare me into telling her what she needed to know.  It never worked.

“You’re just going to have to wait and see.  It’s a surprise” I saw the nervous look on her face and knew that she was guessing what was going on.  She was probably pretty close.  She knew that I had numerous recourses at my fingertips and knew that if I wanted too I would use them.  She turned annoyed in my direction and opened her mouth to say something when a girl slightly younger than her but dressed identically kneeled down next to our table an pillowed her head innocently against her folded arms. 

“Haley?” she turned to the girl after attempting to stare me to death and communicate with her eyes.  Sometimes it go through sometimes it didn’t.  But this I could read loud and clear.  What did you do!  I sighed thankfully when she turned away.  Saved by a cheerleader; words I never thought I’d say, or even hoped I’d say.  There was a blow to my ego.  “Claire and me want to know when we’re warming up”

“Claire and I” Haley muttered under her breath.  “Um” she twisted around in her seat until she found a clock “right now” Claire left and ran back to the table that Haley used to sit at.  Haley passed the jacket back to me, tightened the ribbon in her hair and popped out of her seat; her previous thoughts forgotten. 

“Cassandra can I meet you afterward in the locker room?  There’s no way I’m going out in public like this”

“I would support that notion and yes.  Sounds great see you then.”

“Ok, How do I look?” she asked putting on her past fake smile. 

“Disgustingly cheerful” George answered.  Haley considered this for a moment the put two thumbs up.

“Perfect.  Break a leg you guys” then she turned and hollered across the room for her squad “see you there” she muttered before leading a parade of red, white, and black out of the room to a tune of various cat calls. 

“Bless that girl” Cassandra spoke up “If I had to deal with that all day I’d shoot myself.  No wonder she has faith issues”

“You think everyone has faith issues” I accused biting into an apple and gathering up the contents from Haley’s tray. 

“Everyone does” Cassandra added.  I couldn’t help the snort; she was a perfect Christian, which automatically invalidated that sentence.  “Including me” she added sensing my thoughts.  The rest of us at the table laughed as we took up our trays to go to the last period before we would get our chance to rehearse for the senior pep rally. 

Last year we never even thought we would get this far, life seemed simpler then.  The guys and I had an apartment and we were all looking for apartments and a place to practice and continue playing.  Cassandra was the only one going to college.  We’d had small arguments about it.  She’d never said that she was quitting but I’d taken it that way, I suppose I could’ve handled it better than I had.  She was entitled to do what she had to do.  Looking back from where I sit now, she was right.  We could play and get farther than any other music group ever had, but sooner or later we had to have something to back us up.  “I have faith” she had told me “Just in something higher than this”. 

“Come on, lets go back to bed” Veronica pulled on my hand and tugged me back into the room. 

“I really need to call Haley, tomorrow” I sighed as I lay back down and Veronica curled back into my side, resting her head on my chest.

“I’m sure she’s fine, Jackson.” Her voice was irritated, but truth be told I was jealous of her.  She’d called her friends everyday, which was really all I wanted.  “I’m sure she and Cassandra are having a marvelous time” I wanted to believe her really I did but I knew that she wasn’t doing well and even though I knew it wasn’t in her nature, I could hear the tone in Cassandra’s voice every time I called.  Neither was she. 

Dear Haley and Jackson, I'm really liking you're story and I thank you for giving me something to write when my head is empty.  I also like using both of your POV's it's a new writing challenge that I'm really enjoying.  I will continue to write you're story, but the second that I think it's going no where I will stop.  You have both been warned.  Love always, Emily

I had just started to put the loud banging noise out of my head when I heard a loud knock on the door.  This couldn’t be happening.  I squeezed my eyes as tight as they would go and hoped it would go away only to have it chime in louder.  I growled loudly as I furiously kicked the blanket off of me and jumped out of my makeshift bed.  I opened the door with the force of an F5 tornado and started at the man in front of me.  Jackson Tibson.  One of the pluses of being on the squad was that one way or another I knew everyone one at my school.  “What?”  I asked rudely.  He only stared at me for a minute and took in my sports bra and tattered shorts then looked down the hallway. 

“Don’t you hear that?” he asked.  I closed my eyes at another loud bang. 

“Of course I hear that it’s in my room.  I let the door go and walked back to my couch. 

“Well are you going to do anything about it?” he asked as the door clicked into place.  Apparently he had followed me into the room.  “You’re room is right next to ours and we can’t focus.”  I sighed and sunk into the couch. 

“Look, they are in there, you do something about it, I’m too tired” he breathed heavily and I closed my eyes and threw my arm over them so that no light would penetrate when he left.  In the distance I heard a door open and I figured he had left, but smiled when I heard the banging stop a couple of minutes later.  The couch wasn’t the ideal place to sleep but with the silence hopefully I’d be able to get some sleep.

“Are you sleeping out here tonight?” I moved my arm away from my eyes to see him at the arm of the couch. 

“Of course I am,”

“Did they kick you out”

“Technically I think they would’ve been fine if I stayed”

“but you’d have had nightmares” he guessed, I smiled at this thought.

“Yeah, for starters”

“She’s on your squad can’t you just fire her or something” I shook my head.

“Coach, controls who gets kicked off, I can only recommend it.  How’d you know I was a cheerleader?” I asked sitting up, he perched himself on the arm of the couch. 

“Haley Cox you are not just a cheerleader, you are the captain.  We go to a small school and you and you’re crony’s sit caddy corner to us at lunch.” That was true.  There were just over a hundred graduating this year and if I allowed my memory to take me back Jackson had gone to school with me since elementary school.  I saw him and the band he had formed in middle school on my way to the lunch table every day.  They made up their own group and most people knew them.  They were all here for this movie.

“Impressive” I commented.  “So why are you here?  Mommy and Daddy run out of cash” I countered.  Jackson, while he was good at just about everything, was the failure of his family.  His mother and father had inherited millions in a train company that they had run for years.  He had two sisters one younger and one older.  The older was in college studying up on business to take over from her parents someday and from what I heard his other sister attended private school and she too was focusing on business as a possible major when she got out.  Jackson was the black sheep, while he was smart he focused more on his music than anything else and went to public school with the rest of the poor children. 

Jackson merely chuckled under his breath.  “Touché” he commented.  “Actually we’re performing.  They liked our music and we’re playing tomorrow.  It’s a promotional thing, we’re hoping someone will want us.  They’re taking us into the studio to record a song for the soundtrack in about a month”

“You’re really serious about this whole music thing aren’t you?”

“Much to my family’s disbelief” he smiled.  “So do you always answer the door half naked” I glanced down through drooping eye lids and saw what I was wearing. 

“I’m a cheerleader we wear less than this at games.” 

“Yeah I suppose that’s true.”  We looked back at the door as another loud bang came from within my room.  I moaned in anger and watched as he got off the couch and went back to the room.  He emerged a few seconds later with my small case in hand.  “I grabbed this while I was in there, thought I spare it too” I sat up and took it from him. 

“Thanks” at least now I had some more cloths. 

“What do you have in there”

“Homework, I’ll get up early tomorrow morning and do most of it”

“You’re a cheerleader and you do you’re homework”

“You’re a spoiled rich brat and you’re planning on breaking into the music business”

“Your situation is just as odd as mine”

“Believe it or not I’m in the top ten of our class.  The cheerleader outfit is just a distraction”

“Apparently”

“I have to do well.  I start UCLA in August”

“Oh Cassandra too” he commented taking up his seat at the edge of couch.  “She’s the only one of us going.  The rest of us have an apartment about fifteen minutes from your campus.  It’s her ‘job’” he put finger quotes around the word.  “What are you going for?”

“Pre-law”

“You’re a…”

“Cheerleader going to law school, yes I know it’s very legally blonde of me but it’s what I want to do” I said angrily.  Not that I didn’t enjoy having my intelligence insulted I was just a little cranky.  Lack of sleep did that to a person.  “No offense Jackson, but it’s been a long day and I’m really tired, would you mind”

“Oh yeah of course.  Sorry.” He apologized getting up and heading toward the door.  I scooted back down and turned onto my side.  Sleep.

“Look” my eyes shot open in disbelief, he was still here! “I know it’s not much but you look really tired and there are only five of us.  Cassandra has the room to herself and she wouldn’t mind sharing with you”

“Oh” I sat up “That’s really sweet of you, but I couldn’t”

“Don’t be silly of course you could, and a bed is far more comfortable than these couch’s are.”  He had a point and I did have to get up early tomorrow morning.  “Cassandra won’t mind” he repeated. 

“Fine,” I said “Thanks,”

“It’s no problem, but you might want to put a shirt on”

“Right” I leaned over the side of the couch and pulled a shirt out of my bag.  After slipping it over my head I left my bedding where it was and picked up my bag.  I followed him out through the door and down the hall to the next room over.  “Thanks again I really appreciate this”

“Oh, it’s no problem, Cass would kill me if I didn’t offer anyway.” He said as he placed his key card through the slot and opened the door for me. 

“Jackson, finally!” A man named Nick sighed. 

“Yeah, sorry guys” he helped me in and there was a silence that even I could hear.  “This is Haley,” he told them “she got kicked out of her bed by two young lovers, that was the banging that we heard.  Cass is it cool if she crashes with you”

“Sure, Haley my stuff is on the bed on the right but you can take the left and I’m sorry that my stuff is all over the bathroom.”

“That’s ok I showered earlier.  I’m just going to go to sleep”

“Cassandra’s room is right through there” Jackson pointed.  “We’ll keep it down” 

“Ok, thanks again” I muttered there was a chorus of “no problem’s” and “good-nights” as I walked down the hall and shut the door behind me and closed my eye’s as I leaned against it. 

“She got kicked out!” a male voice said trying to whisper.

“Yeah, she was sleeping on the couch.  We got to talking and I couldn’t let her sleep on a couch all night” Jackson stated.  “She’s nice, different from the others” I sighed, they all knew me, fantastic.  “Alright enough of that, Cassandra where do you want to pick it up?” My eye’s flew open.  I had traded a room of headboard banging for a group of band members.  Great, I was better off on the couch.  I moaned and pushed myself onto the bed in front of my shoving the pillow over my head.  Eventually I picked my head up when I heard no sound.  The only tones I could hear was Cassandra singing with an occasional guy and a lovely guitar.  I rested my head on the pillow and listened.  I’d heard that they were a good band, better than any in our area and better than most high school bands but I listened to Cassandra sing and someone’s guitar playing and smiled.  If they were this talented without the rest of their instruments then they were great. 

Well Soul Shifter or The Rouge Soul, as I'm now calling it, has been done for about a week or so now.  I miss it, I feel like there is a sequal some where in there, I know that there's another story but until Jennifer or Allison or Cindy or someone else from that universe starts speaking to me and telling more of the details it's not coming.  I've been itching to write something else and I have several stories in my head but only one that's really talking to me at the moment is this one.  I'm calling it The House for now but that will probably change.  I'm not really sure how this will go, this story doesn't have much of a plot but instead just has a story.  The Characters Jackson and Haley are eagar in my head to tell their story.  It's not what you might think it will be, I've only written out this introduction.  I don't know how far this will actually go it's just filling up my time while I wait, maybe on Jennifer.  But in the mean time I'm enjoying listening to these two talking or arguing there is something about them that is interesting.  I'm sorry if this is slightly depressing, but it'll get better.  The next chapter will be going back to the beginning of the relationship.  I don't know how often I'll post but I'll put up excerpts when I can.  Enjoy and I hope you've enjoyed The Rouge Soul.  If I get any other inkling that anyone other than Caitlin ever reads this I'll post some more excerpts from the final, I'm almost done editing!  Well, meet Haley and Jackson.

The House

The lightening flashed outside of the window and my illuminated my room for the briefest second in an eerie blue.  These days the entire house seemed like it should be painted in blue.  Uselessly I sat up and glanced around the darkened room before another flash lit it up.  I had given up on sleep.  It had been four months two weeks and six days.  There was no point in holding it back while I was in the house.  Outside I did my best not to show how I missed him, and it was surprising how easy it was.  We had lived separate lives outside of this house but here, traces of him still covered the surfaces.  I hadn’t even bothered to erase his last message that he sent me.  A useless message on the phone “Hey, I know you’re in class…sorry about the noise, bands warming up, we’re going on in a few minutes…God, I’m so nervous.  Look, everything is going great here.  I hope everything is alright.  I want to call you later and talk if I find the chance to but for now, good news, the tour has been extended so…I don’t know how long yet.  But I’ll let you know the minute I do. Oh hey we’re on gotta go, love you, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” The click that I heard the first time I played that message seemed so ordinary, now every time I played it back it had seemed like it was getting louder and louder.  That message had come two months ago and I hadn’t gotten word from him since. 

With a rumble of thunder and the flash that followed after it the clock flickered as the power wavered.  12:04 the time flickered on the clock that I kept by my bedside.  Four months three weeks.  Sleep was pointless.  The house wasn’t a home.  And still no word. 

I gathered the blanket at the foot of the bed and draped it over my shoulders.  I slipped my slippers over my feet and moved to the door of my room illuminated by another flash and rumble outside.  There was nothing left, at least not in my room.  I walked down the hall passing the master bedroom that we had agreed to keep as a guest room when neither one of us could agree who would get it.  At the other end of the hallway was his room.  Just like he’d left it with two exceptions, the dust was beginning to pile up and his blue comforter was wrinkled from the countless nights that I’d spent in here.  I flipped the switch only to find that the lights refused to come on.  Some where, between the walk from my room to his, the power had gone out.  Whatever.  I couldn’t bring myself to care any more. 

Another flash of lightening lit up the room displaying the Chaos that the room had been in as he left.  Planning ahead had never been his strongest suite.  I closed my eyes and leaned against the door frame the memory playing in my mind without cease. 

“I can’t believe that you hadn’t thought of that!” I yelled

“Would you get off my back!” he responded clearly frustrated.  “Toss me some shirts” I rolled my eyes and opened the second drawer and pulled out a handful of the stashed T-shirts that wore daily.  Glancing down I dropped them on the bed and folded them one by one as I handed them to him.  Then watched as one by one he shook them out again and shoved them in his bags. 

“Calm down you’re making me nervous” I spat flopping down on his back. 

“At what?” he asked moving about the room and glancing out his window at the empty street. 

“It’s two months Jackson”

“It’ll pass in no time.  Besides you’ll be busy with classes and I’ll be busy with the group.”

“And Veronica”  His movement stopped so abruptly it took me by surprise. 

“She’s not as”

“bad as I think she is I know…I know.  Just something about her”

“bugs you” I nodded putting my head in my hands.  The bed next to me dipped and I felt the familiar arm around my shoulders.  “Everything will be ok, Hal.  Two months I will be back here and nothing will have changed” I nodded.

“I know that, I feel so crazy here I am obsessing and you’re acting completely normal”

“I’m nervous, after I’m on the bus then I’ll start worrying about being away.  Listen I packed a picture of you and I promise to call you every night.  You’re my other half too ya know” I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped my lips. 

“A picture, Jackson.  Honestly, are you sure you aren’t gay”

“Mmm, you live with me you know first hand that I’m not”

“How could I forget they take, forever in the bathroom in the morning.”  We laughed in unison, these were the last few minutes that we would have for two months.  And it was suddenly cut short by a pound at the door followed by the sharp click of heels on the tiled foyer. 

“Jackson!” called a voice that made Jackson smile but left a sour taste in my mouth.  The clicks disappeared as I heard the movement on the steps.  Veronica.

“Jackson, sorry we’re late.  Are you…oh” she turned the corner and stood in the door frame.  “Hi Haley” she managed a smile and looked through me to Jackson.  “Are you ready, we’ll be late”  He glanced around the room, probably still half unpacked. 

“I’ll send you anything you’re missing”

“Then I guess I’m ready” he stood up and grabbed his bag and guitar as Veronica led the way down the stairs and I followed after like a puppy. 

“You’re going to call every night right!”

“Every night!”

“And you’re sure the places you’re going are safe” Outside the door stood a huge rented bus.  Jackson’s friend Greg came up and took the bags from him. 

“Hey Haley” he nodded at me but looked slightly afraid of actually saying anything.  Which made me question how I must’ve looked. 

“Jackson” Veronica whined grabbing his arm, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her.  Of all of Jackson’s crazy idea’s she’d been the worst to endure, then again he deserved it.  I’d never known him to make a bad choice; he was well behind protocol in that department. 

“Nic, can you give us a moment”

“We’ll be late.  Not anymore than we already are, please, then I’m all yours for the next four months.”

“Ok, have a good two months Haley” she smiled as she turned headed onto the bus. 

“Slut”

“Haley”

“I honestly don’t know what you see in her”

“Haley,” Jackson snapped “It’s two months can we not leave this in a fight” I sighed at his words.

“Two months”

“I’ll call every day”

“Do you promise?”

“Have I ever lied to you?” I shook my head; it was true he never lied “I promise” finally I lied and pretended to be happy with his answer. 

“Ok, hug me, go be famous”

“Go put people in jail” I was use to standing on my toes to hug him but I found myself clinging a bit more than I ever had.  “Ok I have to go.  Love you, Grace” he chuckled at our own private joke.

“Love you, Will” I joked back.  We were Will and Grace our friends would joke only neither one of us was gay.  And it didn’t help that William and Grace were our actual middle names.  Sometimes we felt like nerds at the fact that we still laughed at this.  We let go and after a quick kiss good-bye he was off across the lawn.  “Promise!” I called

“Promise” he hollered back “See you in two months, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” he called as he took the steps to the bus in one leap.  The windows of the bus were tainted black and with the sun setting it was impossible to see inside.  I stood on the front stoop and watched as the bus traveled down the street until it was out of sight.  With a sigh I turned back and looked at the big house I now had to myself.  A big empty house.  As I stared at it I jumped at the tickling sensation of my vibrating phone coming from my pocket. 

“Hello” I choked without looking at the screen.  Hopefully it would be Cassandra or Bethany, maybe they could stay the night.  But resolve faltered as I sighed with relief. 

“I told you I’d call”

I had been so happy those first few weeks when he had kept his vow and called everyday.   But now…I stared across the room and made my way to his bed that I fell back on and curled up on easily.  A promise broken, he’d lied.  At first I’d supposed there was a first time for everything but now I couldn’t help but be confused.  I’d lived eighteen years without Jackson, so it seemed logical that I should be able to do it now.  Yet I couldn’t seem to get out of this ditch that I found myself in every night. 

A promise broken, a lie uttered.

A tear shed, a silent plea made. 

Come home.  Now.

I was thinking about another section to post when I figured out the perfect one.  Months and months ago I published sippet of the rough idea how I wanted Allison/Jennifer to figure out the news.  Well I hadn't written nor was I anywhere close to writting that part.  Well it's been written for a long time now and I think you will find that it's vastly different and much much longer than the original but still the same basic stuff.

"Brian!” Sam called getting up and hurrying to the hall “Tray’s been” she paused in the hall and Allison caught up only to stare herself at her brother holding the door open for Tray himself.  “Discharged” Sam said quietly finishing her sentence. 

“As I’ve noted” Brian said staring himself. 

“Jennifer” it was Tray speaking but the accent and attitude, not to mention the sudden blackness of his soul, screamed that it was the Prince.  “Pant’s” he commented letting himself into the hallway and looking her over.  His posture was straight and his arms were folded behind his back as a sneer crept into his mouth. “How indecent of you” he turned and walked into the living room. 

“Oh I’m not going to like him am I?” Sam said sounding angry.

“I don’t already” Brian stated staring at him. 

“That’s ok the two of you don’t have to stay” Sam snorted at the comment.

“Are you kidding this is going to be better than Jerry Springer.” She and Brian followed Tray into the living room and sat down on the sofa watching him walk around the room taking in everything that he saw.  He ran his fingers over the stereo on the table. 

“So, are you going to tell me what is going one” she rolled her eyes thinking that at this point she should just make a recording.  She took a deep breath and crossed her arms in front of her chest.  She recounted the story of her life as she had told it to Erik a week before when this entire mess began.  She stopped and waited for his response.  His arms were still behind his back in a straight posture. “So who are you?” he asked finally “A soul” he questioned with his eyebrows raised. 

“I’m still trying to figure that out” she stated. 

“Well then, this has been truly fun, but it’s time to go back and put this far behind me” He took two steps forward before she threw up her hand and backed away. 

“I can’t do that” she said.  He hung his mouth open slack jawed starring at her.

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“I have to be touching Erik…”

“Prince Erik” he interrupted.  She stifled a laugh at the fact that he would dare to correct her at a time like this. 

“Right” she pushed the thought from her mind “I have to be touching Prince Erik” she continued.  “It’s night time right now and I don’t know how to find his room from mine” she lied, if she was going to do this switch she would rather not be left alone in a dark room with Prince Erik at night in the end.  Besides she had no idea how Jennifer was moving with her leg.  “Not being by him could be disastrous for Jennifer, besides the fact she’s injured at the moment” Allison sighed.  The look in the Prince’s eyes changed to a surprise. 

“How did you injure yourself” he asked suddenly with concern.  The memory and he emotions of what had happened the day before fired through her system and she turned to him hoping that some of the poison in her eyes might affect him. 

“Because of you” she spat “The Wanderings came back through our country and invaded.  They shot me in the leg trying to defend my house in your country.  A job that your safety regiment should have been doing.”

“There is no safety regiment, that’s something that we just tell the villagers to keep them calm” 

“As I’ve been told”

“Ah,” he smirked “There’s my Jennifer, I knew you were hiding in there somewhere” he smiled obviously pleased with himself.  She stared at the ceiling trying not to acknowledge the fact that the uncontrolled arguing they were doing had brought her accent out. 

“I’m not ‘your Jennifer’” she said not bothering to hide the accent this time. 

“You will be soon enough, in fact this will benefit you.  The second you take me back I can get you proper treatment for your injuries, maybe I’ll even move you into the castle”

“You’re too late, I’m already there.  Erik moved me in there for my own safety and in return for being delivered back here safely he is writing out a proclamation as we speak freeing me of all marriage ties to you.”

“No!”

“Yes, we are playing this game according to my rules, not yours” she turned to go into the kitchen and get a drink but he stopped dead at the words the followed.

“Do you want to know who is after you” She turned around and looked him dead in his eyes.  “By this moment enough should’ve happened to at least give you the impression that we’re after you”

“You are behind it, you Bastard”

“Ah, but only I know who the other person that is.  The only way for me to call them off is for me to meet up with that person and call it off.  And trust me if you try to send the Tray in my place this person will know that it is not me.  So you see we really are playing by my rules.  And it doesn’t really matter to me if you get out of a marriage proposal.  That’s meant to happen” he circled her again like an eagle trying to decide if it had scared its prey into submission yet.  She silently began to hope that he would see that she wasn’t weak.  “The proposal is real but according to the plan that we’ve planted your not going to ever get to the marriage because you’ll be dead.  Trust me the plan will continue if I’m not there to stop it.”

“Jennifer is already dying I’ve nothing to fear but the inevitable”

“But you have how to fear.  It could be painless if I go back or I could just let the death of Jennifer happen instead of what is really planned for you”

“I’ll simply switch back to Allison and spare myself.”

“Ah, but tell me Jennifer, what of your parents, or that little brother of yours and the youngest sibling to come.  You maybe are able to escape but there is nothing that will deliver them out of my jurisdiction” he threatened. 

“If you lay a hand on my family”

“I won’t have to” he reminded her “All it takes is a court case the right people to be paid off in order to make your father lose his shop and soon his house.  It takes a simple accident or sleeping carrier to assure that your brothers test never makes for grading.  And wouldn’t it be absolutely tragic if something happened to the child that your mother is carrying.  Something as simple as it falling asleep and never waking up again” Allison squeezed her hand into a fist and was ready to throw a punch at him when Brian grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him out of the way. 

“I’ve heard enough.  I don’t know how you run your government in this place that you rule.  But things are different here.  To the outside world you are threatening Allison and not Jennifer.  All it takes is a call to the cops and they’ll haul your ass off to jail faster than you can imagine.  How do you get back to Sacbara when your not allowed to touch her.”  Brian threatened him.  “Let us figure this out in time and we’ll take you back to your precious country.  There is no reason for you to harm and cause pain to innocent bystanders and certainly not an unborn child” Allison smiled as her mind did a quick evaluation and thought of the one saving grace her family had.

“Actually his threats against my family are useless.  They are not in your jurisdiction or at least they won’t be.  I’ll see them moved out of the country before you get back.”

“And that’s not legal” he argued back “They’d be on the run and when they’re caught I’ll see them back before they even have time to settle”

“It is legal; my sister has just accepted a marriage proposal from a man in Mittleburg.  So by our laws and theirs, she can and the rest of my family can move to their country and be ruled by their monarchy, safe from you.”

“Maggie accepted a proposal” he muttered, freeing himself from Brian and taking in the statement that had just passed through her lips. “How is that possible”

“You know how it is poss…”  before she could finish the sentence he had grabbed her arms and pushed her against a wall.

“I have to get back to Sacabara today”

“HEY!” Brian yelled.  Now Brian stood once again with the scuff of Trays shirt pulling off of her, leaving her shaking off against the wall.  “you need to leave.  Now” he said through gritted teeth.

“Stop!” yelled a voice from the hall.  In the hallway stood a old woman.  She had more wrinkles than her picture and her speckled hair had now gone completely gray.  Her face was set almost in stone as she stared at the scene in front of her as she shifted some of her weight to the cane that she held in one of her hands.  Allison looked Anita Marison over and for the first time the sense of the soul that stood before her was not good or bad.  It was recognition, it was the exact same as hers.  Anita stared at her with the same look that Allison was giving her.  “You would be the soul no doubt.” 

“I…I didn’t hear y-you come in” Allison stuttered still in shock at the feeling the woman set in her soul.

“I would imagine not, I could hear the yelling coming from outside.”  Anita stepped inside the room and sat down on the couch across from Sam.  “Are you going to let him go?” Anita asked and Allison turned and was made away that Brian was still holding on to Tray.  Brian also realized this and looked at Tray. 

“Can you behave yourself?” he asked but Tray simply nodded still trying to understand what was going on.  Brian released him and rounded on Anita.  “So who are you?” he asked.

“Her name is Anita Marison” Sam answered for her.  Anita simply smiled and looked at her. 

“And you would be the one who found me no doubt.  You’re soul bleeds guilt from the many laws I imagine you broke to do that” Sam smiled.

“I never feel guilt over what I do”

“But your soul does” Anita responded then turned her eyes on Allison.

“Well, you remind me of my past, far to much for comfort I’m afraid” she sighed resting her chin on the curve in her cane.  Allison looked at the others around the room then rubbed her hands clean on her jeans and sat down with Sam on the couch opposite from Anita.  Brian still remained close and in check of Tray. 

“So, I was right, you’re a soul” she said fighting away her proper English accent.  Allison watched her eyes search around the room like her grandmother had before she died, inspecting what she could.

“I use to be” she said simply.  Allison sighed and crossed her legs.  Trying to figure out what she had to ask the old woman to make her give the answers she needed.

“You’re husband said you were on vacation”

“After you called I looked you up.  Apparently you are in the papers frequently enough, as I myself was.  And your not the only one with a friend that’s good with computers.”  She nodded toward Sam.

Allison opened and closed her mouth several times before settling on a question “The article said you stopped when you were 18” Anita nodded, the entire house, a battle ground a few moments ago was now eerily still as if Anita and Allison were the only ones there. 

“Yes, as will you, soon enough I suppose.  I’m assuming the other you is already dying.” A chill ran through Allison’s body as she thought of the two times that she had left and Jennifer had stopped breathing, and of the new information that she had only just acquired.

“Is that what happened to you?”

“Clearly not as I’m still here.” Allison took the time to register what she said in her mind and hope sparked within her for the life of Jennifer. 

“You weren’t supposed to be Anita” the old woman shook her head.

“I was supposed to be a French girl names Jacqueline.” She said pronouncing the name with a French accent. She sat up and leaned forward a bit like she was getting ready to tell a story.  “Have you ever heard the phrase that the body is weaker than the soul?” Allison nodded “Well it goes both ways sometimes the soul is weaker than the body.  I was born as Jacqueline and a few moments after I first transferred into Anita.  The soul given to Anita didn’t bond and there was a body without a soul.  The other me called my soul and I imagine you know just what I went through for the first eighteen years of my life.” Allison nodded but then shook her head in confusion. 

“But your Anita now how…how…what did you do! Did you divide a soul?  Please I have to know” Anita shook her head.

“You can’t separate a soul.  I’m sure you realized that by now.” Anita smiled “I met a handsome soldier in this world and he changed my life…what little there was of it.  I was in and out of a hospital.  I was dying.  Anita had gone to long without a soul of her own.  A body can’t exist without one and so a month after I turned eighteen time ran out.  I wanted to be with my soldier.  I hated my life in France both parents were abusive and Jacqueline was so poor she didn’t have money to eat some nights.  I decided that Anita would be missed far more than Jacqueline and that winter I dug a whole in the ice by the river and let Jacqueline disappear under the ice then I came back to Anita.  Twenty minutes later I realized that couldn’t go back to Jacqueline no matter how hard I tried.”  It wasn’t the story that she had expected.  Allison had her hands over her mouth and her eyes were swelling with tears. The silence in the house was startled by the gasp from Sam.  Allison would’ve cried but didn’t know what that would help.  What was even more startling was what Anita had done.  Not only had Jacqueline died alone she had died empty. 

“So…so there’s no choice.  Jennifer’s going to die, isn’t she?”

“Jennifer is?”

“My mutual body”

“The other you.  Well Jennifer then doesn’t have to be the one to die.  You could sacrifice Allison for her” She mumbled

“That’s not an option” Brian yelled from the other side of the room the thought of losing his sister causing him to shake violently.  Allison turned back to Anita. 

“The only reason I’ve kept up with this is because I didn’t want one family to suffer over the other.  There has to be another way.  Maybe there are others out there.”

“No, the last one I knew made the same choice as me.  He let his other self die to stay in this world as well.” She commented and Allison immediately thought back to Mark “I haven’t met one in your generation yet that has survived.  Usually around this time is when they either start to die or let their ‘mutual body’ as you called it go and die in there place.  The only one that decided not to stay here died two years ago.”

“But there are others?” Anita nodded. 

“Two or three in every generation” she answered as Allison stood up and paced the length of the room.  “I’m only telling you what I know to be true, Allison.  You have three choices.  Continue what you are doing and let Jennifer die slowly only to realize one day that you can’t get back to her.  Say good-bye to everyone in that world and kill her.  Say good-bye to everyone in this world and stay there.”

“Why Jennifer?” she asked not even bothering to hold back tears, her heart felt like it should be bleeding out from the whole that she could picture forming there in her head.

“Because the soul didn’t belong to her in the first place.  The soul is Allison’s, always has been.  You were meant to be Allison and even if your soul didn’t bond it still has a very special connection to Allison that it will carry through on.  I’m sorry to deliver bad news” Allison had to fight to keep her soul here as it sought to return to whatever safety Jennifer held.  She sat back down fighting off the dizzying feeling that accompanied the fighting within her.  She turned to look at Tray still against the wall. 

“When will this happen?” she asked Anita “The death of one of my bodies I mean.”

“Could be any day now.  Most that I’ve met don’t make it to eighteen and a man named Mark was the oldest managing to hold it off until he was nineteen.  But seeing as Jennifer is already dying I imagine it will be very soon.” She thought about everything that was happening and suddenly that deadline seemed much sooner than she had ever thought it would be.  She shook her head with anxiety. 

“I have to switch the souls back” she admitted with tears “now”.  Tray jumped for joy as Sam and Brian both asked what that meant and Anita questioned her with her boring eyes.

“What do you mean switch the souls back?” she asked angrily.  Allison pointed at Tray

“He is from Sacbara, I accidentally switched him with his mutual body and due to circumstances beyond my control I couldn’t switch them back until recently.”  Anita gasped, as she looked at Tray and back to Allison.  She stood up and leaned on her cane as she took a step toward   

“Completely ignoring the fact of what you have done” she yelled standing up “You need to get back to Jennifer.” She ordered.  “Jennifer can only die when you are not within her.  Every second you’re away, her body comes one step closer and if Jennifer dies there is no possibility of switching back the two souls.   These two men will be trapped here forever without you” Allison looked around at the people around her. Then stared for a moment at Tray and took in everything that had to be done before standing up.

“I’ll go” she said

“Take me with you.” Tray said trying to get to her only to be held back by Brian.  Allison shook her head. 

“We’ll make the switch tomorrow morning.” She told him “That gives me enough time to have Erik sign my way to freedom and get my family safely away from you.” She spat at him “then I’ll come back and check in tomorrow morning to make sure that everything is ready and switch the souls back.”

“Seems fair enough” Brian said and Anita nodded. 

“I’ll be there tomorrow.  I’d love to chat with you some more if you don’t mind” Anita assured her still staring at Tray.

“I will be as well you know that” Sam commented.

Allison nodded a silent but understood thank you to her.  “Sounds like a plan”

“No!” Tray yelled “Not ok I have to get back to Sacbara now.  The festival is coming up”

“You’ll be there on time.” Allison assured him. 

“No now!” he yelled breaking through Brian’s hold and charging at her.  The threat registered to her and her soul sought to return to Sacbara this time she didn’t stop it and instead allowed her body to hit the floor in what she was sure was a painful thud before Tray could get his hands on her. 

As you wish:  Two sections just for you Squishy!

The door to the kitchen creaked open and she glanced out her window noting the light, and the footsteps downstairs. 

“Bloody hell, they’re home early”

“Did you just swear?”

“Shh” she tip toed out of her room “Mother, Father?” she called they appeared to her on the bottom floor. 

“Jennifer, what are you doing up there?”

“I was…” she looked back toward her room where the Prince was walking out faster than she could stop him.  She hung her head as he stepped out onto the landing. “Idiot.  Couldn’t you have gone out the window or something?” 

“Jennifer, what is going on?”

She rolled her eyes and sprinted down the stairs in front of her father. 

“Nothing is going on” she insisted

“John, what’s wrong?” Her mother gasped as she came into view “What’s going on Jennifer?”

“Nothing is going on or did at least”

“Honestly she’s telling the truth” he came down the stairs and her parents eyes widened with recognition. 

“Maggie, go get your brother from school” Maggie came into the room also looking over the situation with eyes wider than her parents.  Jennifer thought she looked like she was going into shock.  “Maggie, leave please” her mother pushed.  Maggie stepped forward and grabbed Jennifer’s arm in a death grip, and pulled her to the side. 

“What have you done now?!”

“I didn’t do anything Maggie, that’s what I’m trying to tell people!”

“Maggie, your younger brother, get him now!” her father yelled

“I believe you Jennifer” her mother wrapped her hands around Maggie as she pulled her away and pushed her out the door.

“Sonya, maybe you should sit down” her father suggested “think of the baby.  Jennifer you too” She tried to help her mother into a chair but she shrugged away from her gasp.  Ignoring her, she pulled out a chair and helped her fall back into before she pulled one out for herself.  The Prince stood motionless, obviously becoming more and more aware of what was happening every second he breathed in the frustration.  In the living room, her father paced by the mantle uneasily. 

“Father, nothing happened”

“Maybe I should go?”

“Please” she mentioned a little too quickly.

“Jennifer, do you know what people could say if they saw you”

“There was nothing to see!” she yelled.

“She’s telling the truth.” The Prince chimed in.  “We were talking down here while she was working on…”

“A dress” her head shook with the idiocy of his words.

“A dress” he continued “for her sister” Jennifer got up and fetched the fabric from the counter.  She kneeled by her mother and placed it into her lap.  Her mother fingered the unfinished dress.

“Beautiful color” she choked back not looking at her. 

“We started fighting, so I asked him to leave and took the laundry basket upstairs”

“Ran away would be the correct term”

“You know why don’t you just go and!”

“Anyway!” he raised his voice before she could finish the empty threat “I followed her upstairs and continued to fight”

“Talk” she interrupted, he shook his head as he stared at her slack jawed at their argument still continuing.

“While she folded the cloths we continued to talk” he spat “you can check her room everything is folded just the way it was before you came in.  We hadn’t even been up there ten minutes.” Her father gazed around the room searching for a glint of lie in the teenager’s eyes.

“Wait here” he told her mother.  The light was fading and he lit a candle before going up the steps quickly.  The light disappeared as he entered the room.  She heard the clunk from the holder hit the floor and her fathers loud booming voice shout a profanity.  Her mother tried to get up.

“In the name of the Almighty, John what is going on”

“Jennifer get up here!  Now!” 

“Don’t look at me, I don’t know what he wants” she said to her mother as she sprinted upstairs.  Her father stood in the threshold to her room with a face still as stone.

“What is your explanation for this?” he asked holding the candle out for her.  She took the light from his hands and walked into her room to be met with a very strong odor.  The thin sole of her shoe felt sticky and suddenly conformed to her foot in a way a shoe shouldn’t.  The metallic smell that surrounded her darkening room made the food she had eaten early rise to her throat.  She put her hand to her mouth and nose as tears of disgust swarmed to protect her eyes.  Blood.  It was everywhere.  It was painted thin onto her dresser and desk while puddles of it spotted her bed and floor.  Swallowing back the sickness in her throat she lowered the candle to the floor and picked her dress to find the reason for the ruined shoe.  She was standing in a puddle of it.  The candle fell from her hand as she struggled to take the dreaded things off.

“Jennifer?” her father asked his voice changing to concern.  It only took a single step to launch herself out of her room and be caught around the waist by her father. “What’s wrong” she shook him off.

“It wasn’t like…that a minute ago” she was vaguely aware of her body not being able to pull in enough air to breathe.  Her soul was trying to retreat, go some place safe and she struggled to contain herself to Jennifer.  She pushed out of her fathers arms and ran back down the stairs and out into the yard.  Her back curled as her stomach could not contain the sight and smell of the threat.  She landed on all fours and emptied her stomach.  It was dark, no one would notice at this hour.  Her arms as she felt a cool rag being placed on her neck.  Her mother helped her up but she couldn’t silence the worry in her head.  No one had entered or left the house that she hadn’t seen.  The person was still in there.  He had to be.  “Father has to… check the house…the man could still be in there” 

“Jennifer deep breaths.” Her mother coaxed “stand up we can go sit inside.” She shook her head and wiped her hair back from her clammy cheeks then lay back on the grass taking in the fresh air through her nose. 

“I think I’m in trouble mother” she cried. 

“John!” her mother called

“Sonya get into the house.  Come here Jennifer” she could feel herself being picked up and taken back into the house but could only smell incense burning from upstairs.  She was placed on the couch and sat up rocking herself. 

“She’s going into shock, do you have a blanket for her?” She was wrapped up in a blanket and cuddled next to her mother and the moving child inside of her.  Her father sat on the mantel and watched her as the Prince sat on one of the chairs closest to her. 

“Maggie and Whitney are taking to long, where are they?” her heart rate had jumped up drastically as she began to wonder who had died to give her this message. 

“They are fine I’m sure they’re just running a little late.”

“The horses are also fine”

“Then how”

“There are five bled out chickens in your room and a rope hanging from the roof that cleverly crosses right in front of your window.”

“There’s no one in the house?”

“No Jennifer”

“Or the barn?”

“No, I’ve looked there is no one but us here.”  He twisted his hands in his lap.  “You need to tell us what’s going on” he told her.

“What kind of trouble are you in baby?” her mother cooed still rocking her back and forth.  She took a deep breath and leaned away from her mother.  She quietly told them about the bloodied piece of paper that she had found twice.  How she had kept it a secret because she had thought it was a joke.  Her mind raced with thoughts.  This wasn’t a joke it had gone much farther than that, this was sick.  Her parents and the Prince watched with inquisitive eyes.

“Why didn’t Maggie tell us?”

“I asked her not to.  She wouldn’t betray me like that” her voice sounded like sandpaper.  He mother looked at her father still clutching Jennifer to her. 

“Should we move?”

“Not in your condition right now.”

“But what about Jennifer”

“No” the prince answered. “You don’t need to move just her.”  He was staring at her but not really seeing as mind was working through something.  “She’s moving into the castle tonight” Her mother gasped and tightened her death grip on her.  “She’ll be safe there, no one can get in or out without knowledge.  She’ll have her own room, high so that its impossible to enter from the outside, I can supervise whoever goes in and out. 

“No, I want to stay here” she cried with my family. 

“I don’t see the point Jennifer you’ll be living there soon enough this is just a head start.  Honey, get Stardust ready please” he told her mother.  Jennifer rubbed her head which had gone from fear to anger, they seemed to close for her liking. 

“Why is nobody listening to me I’m not going any where in three months!” she stood up to match her fathers stare.

“That is not what we are discussing here nor is it what is important at this moment in time!”

“Then what is?!”

“Your safety!” he yelled back.  His skin was red with blue lines patterning where the blood was flowing too thickly.  He grabbed her arms.  “If I can’t keep you alive then there is no use in even having a conversation like that in the future.  Protect you tonight and talk about it in the morning that is the process!”  He shook his head as he hugged her.  “Let him keep you hidden…Please” The tears streamed down her face and she couldn’t keep her chin from trembling or her frown for breaking over her face as she nodded in acceptance.  “Thank you highness” he said to the Prince.

“Don’t mention it” he said quietly.  Her father gently steered her outside.

“We can get your things tomorrow” By tomorrow her things would smell to much to wear, that’s what she should have said but she couldn’t stop the tears long enough to tell him. 

The air outside was crisp and cool with only a few wisps of cloud cover over the stars.  Maggie and Whitney were on the other side of the fence just arriving back.  Maggie was watched her being pushed to the barn where her mother stood holding Stardust. 

“What’s going on” she screeched leaving as they landed on the other side of the fence.  She jumped off Illusion and darted toward her sister, grabbing her hands.

“Where are you going?” she whimpered. 

“I have to go” she choked out.

“Where?” Maggie cried with tears coming out of her own eyes.

“To the palace”

Maggie shook her head trying to make sense of what was happening.  “Something happened and I don’t have time to explain it now.”

“When?” she cried with a trembling lip.

“Tomorrow, I promise”  Maggie threw her arms around her.

“You’ve never gone away with out me” she whispered. 

“Come with me.”

“Maggie has to stay here and prepare herself” he father remarked.  A sudden burst of realization crossed through her.

“He said ‘yes’?” she asked about her trip. She pulled away and nodded. “I’m so happy for you”

“Maggie, your sister needs to go now” Her mother came up behind her and put the cloak that had been in the stable around her. 

“Keep warm, sister” Maggie cried.  She didn’t want to be here anywhere but saying good-bye to Maggie.  She felt it before she could control it.  The distance took her farther away from Maggie and up into the sky.  She didn’t see who caught her soulless body.  Only Allison asleep in the hospital bed remained. 

And what I wrote at Camp and really liked:

           She opened her eyes and instantly wished she hadn't.  She felt horrible.  Her srms were twitching and felt like there were needles and knives in sticking into them.  her stomach felt like it was going to explode and her head was swarming with voices.  She could hear maggies voice and another panicing about where they were and another that simply said "there are four of us total.  And the other ones name is Mellissa"  She felt like she was in a big pool with a thick sheet of ice over it.  In the ice there was a whole just big enough for one person to fit through.  Allisons body could not take the stress anymore.  She reached over the side of the bed and vomitted into the waste basket.
          She felt herself slipping under the water as Maggie pushed throught the sheet of ice.  "Help" she screamed "where am I"  She couldn't recognize the other two voices.  She heard footsteps racing up the stairs.  Sam and Brian broke into the room.  Sam looked down at her questioning, Brian saw her thrashing and rushed to her side.  He held her forarms down.
          "Sam I need some help" he yelled Sam held her down gently "heartrate is way above normal.  Fever." Sam held her down again as her body erked out of control.  Allison fought to regain control of her body.  "Spasms"
          "Allison, whats going on?" Sam asked gently.  Brian was still doing an exa on her, trying to figure out what was going on.  Allison tried to slow her breathing and calm the muscle spasms.  She felt her face break through the ice in her mind as she gasped a voluntary breath.  "Possesion" she whispered while she was still in control.  
          "She's awake!" Brian yelped.  "Allison, Allison look at me" Allisons head was lolling around as the souls fought to bring her back down and claim body.  Tray was right the pain was excrutiating.  No wonder the bodies always wanted her out. 
           "What's going on with her" she recognized the voice of Anita.
           "Go back downstairs" he yelled through gritted teeth. 
           "Wait,!" Sam yelled "She can help us"
           "Not unless she has a nursing degree"
           "It's not medical it's spiritual"
           "What>: /abuta tiij twi steos toward her and sighed "She's possessed" she muttered
           "What?" Allison felt herself lose the battle for control to one of the unfimiliar voices.
           "Your sister is very special answered.  The door to her room opened again.
           "Jennifer!" Tray called to her.  He pushed Brian aside and kneeled by the bed. "Jennifer what happened?" the distant soul subsided and she tried to gain control over her body but Maggie fought harder to get to the surface. 
           "Erik!" she gasped The look in Trays eyes changed and his hands found her face.
           "Maggie" he whispered "I'm going to get us out of here ok, I promise"
           "Maggie," one of the unfimilar voices whispered in her head "I can help" she could feel as Maggies soul gave way and the strange one took over.  "Do not fear Erik and Tray, I can help us.  All of us"
           "Who are you?" She looked over at Anita.  Behind her Sam was holding onto Brian as they both watched.
           "Brian and Sam, you have been just friends and done all you can but the end is coming"
           "Say again demon, who are you?" Anita pressed
           "Demon, surely not, she laughed "You of all people hould recognize a fellow soul when you see it Anita" Tray looked over at Anita.
           "You're a soul?" He asked her.
           "She use to be" the voice answered
           "How do you know this?"
           "You'd be surprised what a sould not conected to a body knows Tray." Allison wated to talk but she also wanted to listen to what the 'soul' was saying and if she really could help
           "What's going on?" Brian asked 
           "Hush, I'll explain later" Sam answered
           "Allison needs to hear" the soul said "I am a pure soul.  I have existed sharing the body of another for nearly 18 years"
           "Oh shit.  You're the real Jennifer!" Tray exclaimed
           "I thought I was suppose to be."
           "How did you know that Anita was a soul"
           "I have lived without fully connected to a brain.  The knowledge within us is vast but only when a human brain does not limit it.  Even then the knowledge we contain is a small fraction of what the Creator possesses."
           "who is the Creator?"
           "Souls will not speak His name but it is He that takes responsibility for us.  he creates us and decides what to do with us after the body dies"
           "What about the people?"
           "The souls are responsible for the people.  The body can sin but it is the soul that is stained for not keeping the body in check.  "The Creator charges the soul to take care of the body but the soul has the option to not obey.
           "Only three times has the Creator made humans.  A man and a woman destined to fall and cursed themselves.  Finally one so perfect that it was the Creator and He saved the entire race of people"
           "Does Allison know this?"
           "When she's outside of her bodies she has access to it"
           "But she said that she didn't know where the souls came from"
           "Oh, she knows.  She can just choose not too.  If she looks deep enough she'll find the Truth.  She has a hard time believing that someone would curse her to two lives"
           "Why not?" asked Tray
           "Free will" Sam chimed in "Even Jews know that?"
           "Your jewish?" Brian asked
           "I was until about two minutes ago"
           "The Creator gives the souls an option to believe or not."
           "This Creator of yours can he seperate or divide the soul"
           "Yes, but He won't, this is going exactly according to His plan"
           "What plan? How do we fix this"
           "It is fisign itself.  The problem is not Allison or myself or our bodies, it is maggies"
           "Maggie?"
           "The Creator makes souls in hope that they will abide and love Him.  But sometimes souls rebel, argue, and disobey Him.  When Maggie was to be born a soul, thinking it was ready for the test, took the place of another and became the life in Maggie.  The Creator heard the cries of her before they were spoken."
             "What cries?"
             "Her soul mate cries for her and she for him.  He is answering her cries." Tray pushed himself back from the bed.
             "Do you understand?" Anita asked him
             "I do now"
             "Great you want to fill us in" Sam asked eagarly
             "Maggie wasn't suppose to be Maggie.  The soul in Maggie was meant for Jennifer.  her soul mate was suppose to be the Prince, but as maggie she was too old for im and they couldn't be together" Tray explained
             "Exactly" the voice answer
             "You were suppose to be Maggie, which then changed to being Jennifer"
             "I was and now I exist only to tell the tale and fix the problem"
             "How do we fix the problem"
             "There are two soul shifters in this world one as recently as the past hour and the other has the power to fix this."

I'll finish later I have homework