Chapter 17-4

Chapter 17-4

EJ sat under the tree stunned. “How is this possible? Jeff’s dead he can’t die twice, but I can.”

Jaydan and Derrick quietly sit next to him. “EJ I know it a lot to take in for a boy your age finding out. Jeff is a ghost and there are more than just your world floating around. Now finding out that I am more than just an ordinary school teacher which by the way at some point in my life before any of this happen to me I really was and many other things I picked up along the way.

“I can tell you this.” Jaydan looked over at Derrick. “He means what he said about you going home to where you belong. It just that to do that we need to know from you how far your willing to go in saving your friends life….? Because right now Jeff is you and we can’t have two EJ’s running around everywhere now can we?” Jaydan replied

EJ laughed “Now that would make Morgan’s day finding a whole mess of me’s out there.”

“Yes, but your Pa and Ma would only want the original EJ. How would they know which one?” Jaydan asked.

EJ picks up one of the blossoms blew into the wind, looks at the gate and stands. “Alright, let's go home.” Everyone remained sitting except EJ as he starts for the gate, giving him a funny look, but a serious look as they wait for him.

Jaydan smiles as he remains seated on the grass under the tree. “It’s not that simple EJ, not this time. Jeff brought you here and we have already done what needs to be done.” Jaydan slowly lowers EJ back down under the tree. “It’s different for you, Jeff’s dead and you are still alive with flesh and bone. Whereas his body doesn’t have those qualities anymore expect the qualities we give it.”

“I thought I was going home?” EJ asked starting to get very worried. Jaydan could tell that all they were doing was upsetting him more.

“EJ do you trust me?” Jaydan asked looking him straight in the eye. “Have I ever lied to you ever since you laid eyes on me?” EJ shakes his head no. “Alright then. There are two kinds of magic, good magic and bad. I think you pretty well no the difference by now by looking at this place and the place you where at plus I know your not an idiot, I’ve seen some those grades myself.” Jaydan taking vile from his pocket and another pouch lay it in front of him. “Would like to see some magic?” He asked.

“What kind?”

Everyone laughs, Jaydan smiles rubs his head. “The best kind, the kind that Morgan hates, in fact, you get to help with this trick. It is called how to make a boy like you disappear and yet still be here.”

“How?”

“With these simple ingredients, a large fancy stick.” as Jaydan waves his hand twirls a couple of times. “A glass of water and.” Jaydan pulled two apples and plumb from the tree and putting them in a bowl, setting a knife beside them and a spoon. Jaydan quickly diced up the fruit, mixes the stuff from pouch creating nice fruit mush. Pours the vile into the water then taps the glass with the stick making clear water once again, says a few fancy words with a wave of his hand.

Then hands EJ a spoon and the bowl of fruit mush and smiles, “now for the magic my boy. They say the proof is in the pudding so give it try.” EJ ate it eagerly. It had been some time since he had anything that had to resemble real food, in fact, he ate that bowl clean begging for more as they laughed so hard.

Jaydan handing him the glass of water promising he can have more as soon he gets home. That water tasted so good going down, so refreshing and cool not daring to spill a single drop. Jaydan and Derrick waited as they slowly watched with amazement. EJ’s hair and face changed. EJ looked down at his hands dropping the bowl, looking down at his two small feet and knees as they twist and turn elongated in size. He was thin as rail compared to his brothers as his body matched their likeness with Pa, Ma, and his three sister’s all his brothers at home.

“Home,” EJ thinking of word home as he watched the changes before his eyes had a nice sound to it as EJ tried to speak. Words come out his mouth they weren’t his words, yet they were, he thought them. Lisp them in old English, EJ could hear more sounds around him and see more distances as his eyes focus more.

His bedclothes just barely hang on him ripped and torn and dirty from Morgan underground dungeon. EJ now knew for the first time and understood what they meant as he looked at himself, he was changed so was Jeff. EJ slowly looked into Derricks and Jaydan eyes. “I’m the reason Jeff had to leave first?” As he looked at the gate where it all started, Derrick nods EJ slowly turns to the gate where Jeff has gone. EJ whispered softly as he turned towards the gate. “I too am willing my friend…”

Jaydan nods… Paused as if took a last glimpse of things to come. “Now it begins. The question is who will be saving who....?”