Perception (Apparition Investigations #1)

Case #2: Hell's Gate: Part 17

The ward stayed still even as he moved out of it. I bit down my surprise. I'd assumed the ward would follow him, sort of staying around him like a bubble, the way it did with Violet in Disney's The Incredibles.

But no, it wouldn't. Otherwise we could have left Nathan Elgin.

God, how hard had those rocks hit me?

I needed a CAT scan or something.

The wind assaulted Noah the moment he stepped out of the ward. He threw his hands up to protect his face. Then he shouldered forward, pushing through the debris and tornado.

I could see his outline as he moved forward, pushing toward Esperanza.

Then he pounced on her, his arms wrapping around her shoulder, clamping them down.

She let out an inhuman yell, partly her voice, partly that strange man's voice. It was a long, suffering scream. Her head thrown back, her hair whipped by the wind, she didn't look human in that moment.

Camilla hiccupped beside me.

I glanced down long enough to see she was on her knees. Her eyes focused on her sister and Noah, watching with rapt attention. A bomb could have gone off and I don't think it would have disturbed her focus.

Rose mirrored her attention. She watched Noah with the same consideration, her hands twisting the corner edge of her unzipped jacket.

Esperanza let out another yowl, yanking my gaze back to them.

Noah had lifted her off her feet and was moving closer to his barrier. Each step took effort as he fought with the wind and the girl. Her feet kicked out, flailing. And even though she couldn't get her arms up, they sporadically wind-milled, smacking at what they could reach.

They took a few more steps toward the barrier.

Esperanza landed a kick on Noah's shin. I saw the pain flash across his features. But then his face set into stone and he took two more steps forward.

The wind grew louder, more violent, wilder. It plucked one of the thick plastic vases from a tombstone, throwing it into the whirlwind.

It was like we'd wandered into Twister. I have expected Helen Hunt to come barreling in at any second.

Then they reached the barrier. And Noah pushed Esperanza against it.

Humans could pass easily through the ward. Ghosts couldn't.

When her body touched the barrier, it began to sizzle. Inches away from us, the sound cut through the swirling winds. Smoke rose from where her flesh connected with the barrier and then was swept into the vortex.

She screamed.

It was an inhuman, pain-filled scream. The two voices in her throat ripped through the maelstrom outside the barrier, louder than the gusting winds could be.

"What is he doing?" Camilla screamed, scrambling forward.

Rose came down on her, pinning her in place. She didn't look certain though. Her eyes stayed locked on Noah and Esperanza, and I could see the conflict warring in them.

I didn't know what to do either.

I couldn't move, buried under my indecision.

Noah continued forcing Esperanza against the barrier. Tears streamed down her face, creating lines through the dirt on her cheeks. Her head was thrown back as she screamed.

The fighting intensified for a moment. Her limbs thrashed and flailed.

And then they began to slow. The strength in them drained.

First her arms stilled. Then her legs.

She took in a gasping, shuddering breath to scream some more. But it died in her throat.

Noah held her there, forcing her up against the barrier, as she went limp in his hands.

Then her body passed through it.

Rose and Camilla sprang up at the same time, catching her.

Outside the ward, the winds died instantly. The swirling debris fell, no longer supported, on the dead grass of the cemetery.

No longer needed, the ward vanished.

Noah doubled over, bracing his hands on his knees. His chest rose and fell quickly as he gasped in a lungful of air. His eyes closed. And he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of one hand.

Camilla cradled her sister to her chest with one hand, her other fluttering over her. Brushing hair from her face, smearing the tears from her eyes to make even more mud on her cheeks.

Esperanza didn't move.

Rose and I watched her, unmoving and silent.

I silently willed her to open her eyes. To wake up. Hell, to twitch her pinky finger.

And then her eyelids began to flutter.

Rose let out a shaky breath, running both hands through her hair.

My eyes darted to Noah.

He'd opened his eyes, and when he caught the motion of my slight head turn, his eyes met mine.

For a moment, we just stared at each other.

Then he straightened and marched outof the cemetery.