The Tracks by Sally Royer-Derr (little readers TXT) 📕

time it happened. I was climbing that tree.” He pointed to a tall oak behind him. “And I fell. Hit a rock.”

“How can I have the power to heal you? I’m just a person.” I was calming a bit. I moved my hand closer and examined it. It looked normal. Like it always had. With all that heat, I thought I might have a hole burned through it.

“You are my connection to the world, at least this world. I’m somewhere in between, as stupid as that sounds. Blood and pain are earthly, and you are my earth-bound friend.”

“Your earth-bound friend.” I laughed. “That sounds so stupid.”

“Hey, this is all new to me, too. I’ve never been a ghost before.” Tommy reached out and hugged me. “I’m so glad you found me.”

“I didn’t really have a choice,” I said. “Something brought me here. And guess what? I saw my father tonight!”

“Really?”

“Apparently, you aren’t the only dead person I can see,” I said. But I hoped that those two were all I could see. I didn’t want to become some kind of communication device for the other side.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tommy followed me into our trailer. Every light in the place was on. Aunt Holly slammed down the phone on the kitchen counter when we, or as she saw, I, walked inside. Sam arrived soon behind me. The slam of the door followed him.

“There you are!” she yelled. And Aunt Holly never yelled. “It’s almost midnight! I was so worried about you.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I fell asleep in the woods. When I woke up it was dark. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Sam eyed me suspiciously. Tommy stood next to him. He reached out and tickled his left ear. Sam shook his head. Tommy tickled again, and Sam rubbed his ear. I suppressed a chuckle.

“I’m going to bed.” I wanted to get away from them as soon as I could. I didn’t want to explain anything that had happened tonight. Tommy and I went to my room. I locked the door and put the radio on—just in case they heard us talking. They would think it was the radio.

We lay on the bed listening to the music for a while. Sam’s bedroom door closed. A few rumbles as he moved around inside. And a thump. Few minutes later, he was snoring. Loudly.

“So, your mom’s going to be okay,” Tommy whispered to me.

I nodded. “She’s coming home tomorrow.” I took my hand, the hand that had healed him earlier, and touched his forehead. Not even a scratch on it. Amazing. “And tomorrow afternoon your dad is coming here.”

He groaned. “Oh, I feel so weird about that. I mean, just seeing him is going to be strange. A man I’ve wanted to meet my whole life standing in front of me. But what if he can’t see me?”

“I don’t have any answers for you. But we have to try it. It’s the reason you are stuck here.”

Tommy smiled. He touched my chin lovingly. “Maybe I want to be stuck here. Being with you is the happiest I’ve ever been.”

I smiled and closed my eyes. I didn’t want him to see the tears forming in my eyes at the thought of him leaving. I wanted him to stay stuck here, too.

***

Rain fell softly, drumming a soothing song on our trailer’s metal roof. I sat with Mom on the sofa, drinking sweet ice tea. She looked good. Actually, better than she had in weeks. The color was back in her face. And she was well-rested. Aunt Holly buzzed around, picking up this and that. Rearranging the kitchen cabinets. Throwing in a load of wash.

“I can do that stuff, Holly,” Mom said. “Thank you for all your help, but I’m okay now.”

“The doctor said at least one more day of rest,” Aunt Holly said. “I say two more. I have a ton of personal days stored up at work. Let me use them and take care of you.”

Mom smiled and winked at me. She’d be tired of Aunt Holly’s flittering about, no doubt, at the end of the two days. But why argue?

“Well, since you’re staying, I think I’ll take a nap,” Mom said. She yawned. “I am a little tired.”

“That’s great, Mom,” I said, standing. “I’m meeting a friend in town anyway. I won’t be gone long.”

Aunt Holly caught me at the door on my way out and whispered, “Make sure you’re not out like last night. I don’t want your mom to worry about you.”

I nodded and slid out the front door. I had no intention of running around the woods tonight. I would go to the restaurant where Joe Tucker planned to meet Tommy and me. I jumped on my bike and pedaled into town. I thought about what Dad had told me yesterday about changes. I’d always been resistant to change of any kind. It bothered me because if something was good, why mess with it? And unexpected changes, forget it. Familiarity was my friend. Change was the villain who threatened everything I knew as good and safe in my life. But change also forced me to grow up. At least a little bit.

The air was cooler today with the rain. Just a drizzle now. I liked its wet refreshment trickling down my face as I rode. My hair was damp, but not quite wet. I pulled into the parking lot of the town diner, The Coffee Cup. I parked out front and walked toward the stainless-steel door with a bright-red sign that said: Yes, We’re Open! The door squeaked when I yanked on it.

Tommy appeared to my right. I smiled at him and bent to tie my shoe.

“I’m nervous,” he said, leaning down next to me.

“Don’t be. I’m sure he will be able to see you.” I tied the laces