Shifting by Rachel D'Aigle Read Free Book Online Page A

but his ghostly hand sifted right through.
    Colin shuddered.
    “Sorry!” Eddy said. “I have not interacted with living people in a few years now. I am also afraid our meeting for today must end.”
    The twins groaned.
    “No worries, I’m not going anywhere yet!”
    “Would you like to meet our friend Jae? We’re staying with his family.”
    “Do you trust this boy? Because I must admit, for reasons I will not currently explain, I must remain a secret from your gracious hosts.”
    “Jae would never tell if we asked him not to,” answered Colin.
    “Our secrets keep adding up,” noted Meghan.
    “Perhaps they do, but all for good reason,” acknowledged Eddy.
    Colin raced away and was back a minute later with Jae.
    “This is our Uncle Eddy,” introduced Colin.
    Jae broke into a bewildered smile.
    “You’re kidding! That’s amazing.”
    Eddy then bid them farewell.
    27
    “Meet me here tomorrow,” he said, as he vanished into the woods.
    The trio departed Grimble, crossing the bridge and heading back toward Bedgewood Harbor.
    “I’ve never seen that before,” said Jae in disbelief. “All the other ghosts I’ve met have unfinished business in other places, but never have I seen one waiting for their business to arrive here.”
    “Whatever the case, I can’t wait until tomorrow,” said Colin. Meghan agreed. It was one bright spot, in a seemingly not too bright future. Her mind strayed to when they would have to say goodbye and move on. Colin caught the thought.
    “Why couldn’t we stay here with Uncle Eddy?” he suggested. “Why not wait here for the doorway to reopen?”
    “I hadn’t thought of that. We should ask him, when the moment is right.” Jae could not get over the twins’ uncle staying behind in the after life, waiting for them to arrive.
    “He wants to see us as much as possible,” said Meghan.
    “At least you’ll have something to do while I’m at school.” It was exactly what the twins wanted to hear.
    “I think we should keep him a secret,” suggested Meghan, hoping they were not pushing their luck.
    “You’re probably right,” agreed Jae. “Gets easier to break the rules once you’ve already done it, huh?” he added in a low, insinuating voice.
    The twins unfortunately agreed.
    “Still,” worried Meghan, “it’s like we are teetering on the edge of complete destruction.” That evening, as the twins headed for bed, each noticed a small package on their pillows.
    Hearing each other find a similar package they glanced out of their curtains.
    “Wonder what these are?” Meghan sent to Colin, who opened his.
    “It’s a notepad,” he sent back to her. Meghan’s package was the same and a horrible thought struck her.
    “School! They’re gonna make us go to school,” she cried out, afraid they would have to stand up their uncle. Colin came close to agreeing, until something slipped out of his notepad.
    “Look. I think its money,” he guessed. Meghan’s notepad was stuffed with the same.
    Jae entered the room and saw what they were holding.
    “Where’d that come from?” he asked.
    “It was on our pillows,” replied Meghan.
    “It doesn’t say who it’s from,” added Colin.
    “This is Svoda money,” said Jae, counting it. “You’ve got enough here to survive a long time.
    Did I tell you our money is enchanted by mermaids?”
    “Mermaids? They’re real?” choked out Meghan.
    “Yup. They enchant the money, that way it takes on the shape of whatever currency we need, depending of course on what world we are traveling in.”
    “It will change as we travel?” confirmed Colin.
    “Yeah, pretty cool, huh.”
    “Wicked cool,” said Meghan.
    28
    “Who would do such a thing?” wondered Colin.
    “Someone who wants to help I guess,” said Jae. “You don’t need much to survive in the village, but as I said, there are occasion’s money still comes in handy.” He hopped into bed. The twins followed. Mireya was already fast asleep. Meghan counted her