Ch. 15 Gone But Not Forgotten

Ch. 15 Gone But Not Forgotten
'Let me out.'
Jack stood staring down at the cornmeal boundary, breathing hard.
Yeats scuffed an opening with his foot. Jack ran from the room and up the stairs, two at a time.
'We may all exit the circle, it's safe now,'Yeats said.
                          . . . . .
Emmeline flopped down upon the sofa, still clutching the ovoid object. 'What just happened here, Mr. Yeats?' She asked, looking down at it, as the others freed themselves of the spell cast by the strange event that had marked this equinox as something rather from out of the Twilight Zone.
Yeats was staring at the staircase after Jack. He sighed gently.
'We had a visitation.' He said and turned to the others.
'Yes,' Marta agreed, sitting at last and taking a sip of cold coffee. 'But of what sort? From whom, or from what?'
Yeats took his time in answering. Aleister headed back to the brandy, and proferred the bottle to the company. 'I believe I shall join you, Aleister,' Em allowed, still staring down at the artefact.
Al brought a glass to Em, then headed for the kitchen with his. 'I'll just start some fresh coffee.'
Tina joined her mother beside Emmeline on the sofa and held her hand. 'Whatever they were,' Marta declared, 'I do not think that they were spirits from the other side.'
When Aleister returned, Yeats spoke at last. 'I believe, you are correct, Marta. Although the professor had supposedly perished in the fire which destroyed his lab, I believe that the body was never found.'
Emmeline drank a long sip of brandy. 'Yes. That is so.' She leaned her head against her hand, 'I...was much younger then, and upset of course. I simply took the police's word that nothing was found of the body, and believed him to be dead.'
'Apparently....' Yeats continued, 'He had gone for a last Time Walk. Possibly...he has been Walking ever since, or, like Frank, had been caught Inbetween, unable to exit.'
Em frowned at this. As upsetting as it was to hear this news, she did not wish anyone to be caught Inbetween, even her father. 'Why, then, did he not exit, as did Daryl? And Jack's uncle...is he also Timewalking?' She rubbed her forehead, 'So much of this, I don't understand. What had happened with Jack's parents, then?'
Yeats heaved a great sigh and sat in one of the armchairs. 'Is that coffee ready yet?' He enquired. Aleister nodded and went into the kitchen, reappearing with a hot pot on a tray, and he poured fresh courage around for all, then took a seat himself in the other armchair.
Taking a long drink, Yeats spoke at last. 'Jack is very close about it all. But, what we know is only this: Supposedly, ' he accented the word, 'Jack's parents and uncle were vacationing on Daryl's sailboat, off the coast of Bermuda. Jack, of course, was at school at the time. He spent much of his young life in boarding schools...anyway, there came a storm at sea, and the Caribbean can be a challenge for even the most experienced sailor. All, were believed to have been lost at sea. Even Daryl.'
'That, is why he blames his uncle for their deaths?' Em enquired.
Aleister spoke then. 'That, and for other things...but, he didn't really know his uncle well. They hadn't spent much time together.
After Jack was born, Daryl seemed to...absent himself from the rest of the family, especially Jack's father,Drake...' Al frowned into his glass. 'The two brothers did not get along well. But Sarah, Jack's mother, tried to patch up their differences and when Jack was older, Daryl made the occasional appearance, always with some extravagant gift or boon to bestow upon him. Anyway, they all were together somehow, for some reason, on this vacation far from home...from which they never returned. And, Daryl had named Jack as heir in his will. All very curious.'He concluded.
'I see.' Emmeline was trying to. She wondered if everyone there was thinking the same thoughts as she. Obviously, Jack favored his uncle...and Daryl had disappeared when Jack was born.
 And then became estranged from the family...and made Jack his heir. Then there was Daryl's parting remarks. Rather telling.
Yeats added, 'Jack is very receptive, like yourself, Emmeline. He absorbs energy, and ideas from the ethers. That, is why I keep things from him...it isn't that I do not trust him.' He drank down the coffee. 'You noticed that you were able to leave the circle, while I had to make an opening for Jack. He had absorbed some of Daryl's energy. He is an empath.Sometimes...he is not quite himself.Or something more.'
Emmeline believed she knew what he meant. Jack needed to learn to shield himself.'I think, I'll just see if Jack would like something to drink...at worst, he can just refuse...'
She put her brandy glass on the tray, poured Jack's mug with fresh coffee then paused, and poured a glass of brandy for him as well, She headed upstairs.
                               . . . . .
Emmeline passed the second story where Jack's room was. She knew he wouldn't be there.
Up to the third floor then, and she knocked upon his 'practice room', the turret room door, No answer. 'Jack?' She asked. 'It's me, Em. I brought some fresh coffee for us.'
After awhile, she heard movement behind the door, and it opened.
It was dark inside, but from the window outside, some moonlight showed through. 'I'll light a candle, Em, just a moment.' Jack did so and Em set her tray down upon a low table in one corner. The room was sparse, open floor ready for martial arts practice. Beautiful sets of katana hung upon the walls. Next to the low pine table were two large floor pillows against the wall with tatami underneath. Jack motioned Emmeline to be seated.
'There's brandy and coffee, Jack.'
He stood above her, gazing outside at the moon. He paced before the window awhile, then seemed to see her at last. Coming over to where she sat, he seated himself cross-legged upon the big pillow and looked down at the floor. Sighing then, he looked over at her, then took the brandy glass. 'There isn't enough cognac in the world to dull the pain tonight,' he said and drank.
Em said nothing right away. She sensed he needed some time and space. But, perhaps he didn't want to be altogether alone...'It's been...a challenging evening,' she allowed.
He gave a soft snort at that, and drank off the brandy.
'...It is odd, though...to see my father, and Daryl, together,' she mused.
'Yes.' Jack agreed, and frowned. 'I wonder what it means.'
'As do I. It's something I...did not wish to see,' Em concluded.
'Exactly, Em. Exactly.' Jack reached for the coffee then, drinking gratefully. 'I didn't need this...gods, no.'
Emmeline sighed. 'I don't know what to do, now, Jack! Can we do anything? Must we do something? And, what, or how?' Em rubbed her forehead again. 'I'm getting a headache just thinking of it...'
Jack frowned out the window. 'I just wish to forget that it happened.' Then, recalling himself, 'I mean...as far as Daryl goes...'he sighed, 'If you like, Em, I'll see what may be done for your father. Possibly...he's caught in a timestream and is having problems returning...'
'What of your uncle, though, Jack? Surely no one deserves to be caught out of time, as Frank was, for so long?'
Jack hung his head. 'Em...you don't know...'
She put a hand on his shoulder then. 'Jack, I did not get along well with my father. You know that. But I can't just leave him trapped in  limbo! Not if I could do something to help.'
He looked at Em. 'I just don't have it in me to help Daryl. Not now.' He looked down.
Em finished her brandy. 'There's just so very much to deal with just now!' She sighed. 'Let's focus on the present moment! Our chief concern is the safety of Marco and the Guevaras!'
'You're right, Em.' Jack took her hand then. 'Thank you. I was driving myself crazy up here, thinking only...' he frowned, '...only that I wanted to kill Daryl.'
'Jack, no.'Em knew this was serious. 'You don't. You're angry, and upset. You don't mean that.'
'Of course not, I...can't kill anyone. I don't want that weighing down my heart and soul. But if anyone deserved...'
Em put her hand on Jack's arm then, and then touched his face, a shadow on his cheek where his beard was returning. She felt it then, and smiled. 'An 11 o'clock shadow?' She asked.
'Is that the time?'said Jack absently, taking Em's hand that held his cheek, and kissed her palm.
'Perhaps,'Em said, 'It is.' And she took his chin in hand and turned his face to hers and leaned into his lips, pressing gently with her own. He held still, and when she released him, he kept his eyes closed, with his mouth open slightly, as if in midst of a dream from which he did not wish to awaken 
Em felt it had been a good kiss. Perhaps another would be as well... She tried it...taking the back of his head in her hand, her fingers in his hair, she pulled him down to her and took his mouth in hers again. Jack responded and held her shoulder, pulling her close, and pressing against her lips as though they held the secret of life itself. Em felt rather dizzy, but rather amazed, still. As they drew apart, she thought, now THAT was a kiss!
Jack drew breath, mouth open, eyes closed, still. 'Jack...?'
'Yes, Em...?'
Emmeline touched his face again. 'You'll be alright, Jack.'She pronounced.
'I think so.' he agreed.
He stood then, and pulled her up with him, holding her close. 'Thank you, Em.' He just held her awhile. Gods, what a night! But, she was right. The main thing to concentrate upon was their friend's more immediate problems, not some phantoms from the past...He took her hand, 'Let's head back down to the others.'
                          . . . . .

When they returned to the parlor below, with only  firelight illuminating the scene, their friends all lit by a warm orange glow, Em realized how much she cared for these people, all of them, even Jack. She took his hand at the bottom of the stairs and they walked together into the room.
'Ah!' Marta spotted them first. 'Come, join us! We have been 'telling tales 'round the campfire!''
Em and Jack sat on the rug together, and leaned back upon the couch, in the spaces between Marta and Tina, who lay back against the sofa's arm and was bravely attempting to keep her eyes open, Em now saw.
'Tina...you've been up early and working hard! I know! Let us head on up to your room, now! We'll alert you soon as we hear from Leon!Come!Tomorrow we can fight El Tigre...'Tina laughed, and Emmeline took her arm ,despite her protests, and woman-handled her friend upstairs and into bed.
Jack meanwhile, lay his head back and Marta caressed his hair. 'You have hair like my son, Leon...'
'The Lion,' said Jack who despite knowing he should protest, somehow simply couldn't. 'Oh, Marta...that feels so...so... a..ahh..mazing...'He loved it when women rubbed his head...and tugged his hair...and...oh...Em had kissed him! And, he felt that it was good! Oh, gods...that nearly took the sting out of seeing bloody Daryl. No, don't go there!
Just here, now....
One...'
Jack breathed in and counted to himself....out...two....in....three...out...four...
and Marta stroked his hair. Jack allowed himself to be soothed, something he rarely had a chance to do....Al and Yeats were playing a game of poker at the corner table meanwhile, and the fire seemed altogether normal now...even Alice had crept back inside and was seated on Al's shoulders as was her wont...
Gods, what a night...it was the best of nights and the worst...
The horror of seeing Daryl again, had been balanced by Emmeline's
concern for him and her kiss...whatever happened now, he would never forget that blessed kiss...
When Em returned to the parlor, she smiled. Oh, Marta, yes. thank you. That's good, Jack needs that touch now. She suspected that Marta was enjoying it as well...
'She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow! Oh, how I wish I could do that!' Em butted Marta to move over mejor on the sofa, pretending to be jealous.
'You cannot sleep, nina?' Marta asked, looking at Em. She still pulled Jack's hair though, to his delight.
Em sighed deeply. 'I never have, Marta. As long as I can recall.'
'Querida! I did not know! We can help with that.' She nodded and began massaging Jack's head in earnest with both hands. He made a noise like a buffalo orgasming...
'I...' Em laughed,herself, 'I...ah...'giggles...'Oh, what a night!' She saw Jack smiling, eyes closed. Good. He's had a shock, Em knew. He just wasn't ready to admit it to himself.
'I can't sleep! Oh, Marta it has been the bane of my life! I watch others sleep and think migods...such bliss! It takes me hours to sleep and then but briefly and I wake again! Oh Marta...' Em shut her piehole then. What was she talkin'!? And here Marta was worried about her son...'Marta, it's nothing...'
Eeesh, she talked when she was nervous. Not good. When she talked like this, Jack would just look at her, then away and say, 'That's the Chip talking.' whatever that meant.
Marta took Em's hand. 'We'll fix you up. No problem. I have a very good receta; both recipe and remedy, yes!' She rubbed Em's neck then, as well. 'But YOU! You two!' She shook her head. 'Both have the same energy! I could see it, hovering about the two of you. Now, I know who it is.' She rubbed and tilted Em's head back, pulling her hair, gently. 'Someone is trying to contact you both.Also...I think, maybe...you may have been together at some other place and time. In the far east perhaps' She let that hang in the air awhile. Blowing in the wind. 'And as to you, nina! Senorita Ocho!' She drew a diagram around Em's back, in a figure eight, then pressed her warm hand where the infinity sign intersected. 'There, no?'
'Oh, yes...' Em's head was back and she ached, especially her lower back, ever since she'd been working at the library, hauling heavy books about.
'So! To be born on the 8th day of the 8th month means...' Marta paused for emphasis. '...you have a backache!'
'True!' Em straightened. '...That's IT!?'
Marta laughed and rubbed her shoulders. 'No, my dear...there is a reason for that...it's because you carry a heavy load. It is a number of fate, of destiny. You are here to fulfill your karma. You know what is karma, si?' Em nodded, heavily. 'Old man Saturn, Chronos...and Ma-at!, The Balance, the weigher of souls, the Egyptians, the gypsies call her...the waning light, the golden sunset,..Libra...as in liberate, as in libros...'
Em's head nodded, her eyes closed, as Marta kneaded her sore shoulders...'...It's true, veridad en suenos!' she announced. 'Libros, books and libraries! And Libras, liberation and liberty!'
'Pancho Villa was a Libra...'Jack added, eyes closed still.
Marta paused a moment. 'You have heard of la Revolucion? Yes, Diaz must go, the cabrone...' She shook her head, 'To have exiled Teresita, es muy malo...we'll see what Ricardo and Enrique will do now!' She hugged Emmeline then. 'Be of brave heart, cara!
This could be your last incarnation! Most people of the eight
vibration have voluntarily taken upon themselves a  heavy load in order to free themselves at last,from the wheel of karma, and others as well.'
'Liberty...' Em thought of her captain's boat. Keithcliff had wished to name her 'Emmeline' and as flattering as that was, Em simply couldn't agree. Her captain loved America, the country and American ladies, especially. 'Name her 'Lady Liberty' for that lady in the harbor then!' Em had told him, and Lady Liberty she became.
'I would wager that you Jack also have an eight vibration. What is the date of your birthday?' Marta asked.
'May 26th...'Jack answered.
'Ah, you see? It adds up. But not quite so heavy...' Marta trailed off.'Gemini...' She said. 'There are two of you, Jack, at least! Sometimes, you feel split down the middle, no?'
'In some ways,' Jack answered, but then he thought of the earlier events of the evening and hoped that he hadn't an evil twin at loose in the real world in the shape of his wicked Uncle Daryl.
Time crept on toward the witching hour. The fire was burning low. Jack considered adding more wood, and wondered what the wee hours of the night would bring.
Suddenly Alice stood upon Al's shoulder, arching her back and a shudder rippled through her. Yeats looked out the window. 'Hoofbeats!' He was up in a flash and headed for the door, Marta directly upon his heels.
It was Leon. It appeared Marco was with him. Both horses were hitched to the cart, and one was tied behind it, following the rest, Mariposa, most likely. Whatever this meant, it did not look good.
Yeats, Al and Marta ran to them as they came into the yard. Leon tied the horses up and helped Marco down from the cart. 'Aleister! Marco has been shot!'
Marta gasped, 'No!' Aleister was at Marco's other side and the men helped him indoors.
'It's not so bad, just grazed my shoulder, is all,' Marco said.
'Let's have a look,' Aleister sat him next to the fire and turned up the lantern beside them. Taking Marco's coat from about his shoulders, he saw a tourniquet had been applied above the wound, which had torn off quite a piece of flesh. 'Ripped right through, at least! We can patch you up, and help stop the bleeding...' Al had kept his case handy downstairs tonight, and set to work.
'What happened?'Marta asked Leon.
'We still don't know who it was. They wore hoods, white hoods with eyeholes. I didn't recognize the voices either. Probably some hired guns that the gentry were paying to 'fix things'...' Leon looked grim. 'It's not safe for us here any longer, momi.
We must leave town for awhile. I want us all to go. Tina can find work elsewhere. In Mexico City...'
'Yes,'Marta sighed. 'Your father can help us now. Oh, to think it has come to this for some small silly prejudice!' She looked at Marco, wincing from Aleister's ministrations with disinfecting alcohol. 'Marco must come as well.'
'Of course.' Leon agreed. 'We all must go. And we should stay gone awhile. We had to...well, we had to do what we must. We laid traps, but one fool got himself entangled in the rope that was to
catch his foot...and,with the damned sheet he was wearing, the rope wrapped up in it somehow and...he hung himself.' He looked down, sighing. 'We were busy with the others, and didn't find him until it was too late.'
'A man was killed?' Marta looked stricken. 'Oh, Leon, no...'
'That was the only casualty. A stupid mistake...But they will not view it as self-defense! You know that!' Leon was adamant.
'We must go.' Marco agreed, as Aleister bandaged his arm. 'We can fill in details later, but you must believe us...it is best to leave, soon as possible, and to remain far from here for a good long while.'
'I brought things in the cart we may need. I feared this may happen and had packed some basic necessities against this night...'Leon had planned well, and thought out the worse case scenario. 'We will head south, now. Where is Tina?'
'I'll fetch her,' Emmeline offered, heading upstairs.
'Wait, Emmeline!' Marta stood, 'If you are serious about working for me, you will be coming with us as well, now!' She looked at Leon, who nodded. 'We may not return for some months.So get your stuff together, only essentials. We can always pick up what we need later. If you are coming with me, now is the time!'
Em had not expected this. But she knew what she must do. 'I'll be right with you.' And she flew up the stairs.
Jack couldn't believe the turn of events this night had taken. He followed Emmeline, to find her helping Tina get ready.
'Em...' he began.
She turned and silently pushed past him as she entered her room and pulled down her carpetbag and hastily gathered some clothing together, shoving it inside.
Jack looked pained, but he exited and headed to his own room then. When he returned, Emmeline was buttoning her coat and sat upon the bed, trying to put her boots on at the same time. 'Em,' Jack sat beside her. 'Do you really insist on going...? There may be a lynch-mob after you!'
'I can't stay here, Jack!' Em laced her boots, determined.
'Why? Why not? There is no reason to make yourself a fugitive!'
'I already feel like one...I can't explain now, Jack! I simply cannot stay here...I would just be living on your charity...and I...'She sighed,'I am sick of Pankhurst! This small-minded, bigoted, gossiping, little place full of crooks on city-payrolls!
You can't understand, Jack! You're a man,a white male at that! You're always able to do what you wish! I have a chance to live my life the way I wish to, and be free! That is what I want Jack, that's all I have ever wanted!' She stood then, as did he, and she faced him.
'If that's truly how you feel, Em...then, take this, please! Keep it safe!' He held out an envelope. 'It's the settlement I got from Moore, from the library. You deserve it, Em.'He took her hand and pressed the money into it.
'Jack, I...'
Tina was at the door. 'We're leaving Em. If you're coming?'
'I'll be right down!' Tina exited, and Em looked at Jack.
'Thank you. I'll never forget the kindness you and Aleister and Mr. Yeats have shown me!' She threw her arms about Jack and hugged him close, tearing up a little. Jack felt his world crashing about him. This couldn't be happening!
He looked at her and touched her face, 'Please, Em...I don't know what I'd do if you left. I'd go mad with worry. Don't do this to me!'
She looked at him,and tears fell from their eyes.But he could see  steel behind the sadness in hers. She reached around his head and sinking her fingers one last time into his rich dark hair, she pulled him to her, and kissed him tenderly. She heard him make a sound somewhere between a whimper and a groan...and knew she felt the same.Oh, gods, this was hard...she hated feeling such love for him, and knowing she had to turn away from it. She released him and turned, grabbing her satchel.'I must go.'
Jack swiped his eyes with his sleeve, gasping.'Alright.' She headed for the door, and he grabbed her arm, 'Emmeline. Don't ever forget I love you. You always have a place to come to, here with me.'
She touched his face once more and smiled through her tears. 'I will send word to you, as soon as I can. We'll make it out of here alright, don't worry! But we have to go--now!' She kissed him quickly, then ran down the stairs before she could change her mind, Jack at her heels.
'No time, no time!' Marta was calling from the door. 'Vamanos!'
All had gathered in the yard. Marta climbed into the seat beside Tina and made room for Em. Emmeline tossed her bag into the back of the cart and turned to give Aleister a quick hug goodbye, and then Mr. Yeats. 'Stay safe, Emmeline. I will be keeping an eye on you!' He winked then.
'Jack...goodbye!' She hugged him quickly.
'Til we meet again, Em.' He kissed her, a hard, desperate kiss as though he needed it to survive, then she broke from him and he handed her up into the cart.
'We were not here, and you saw nothing!'Leon told them, as he turned the horses around.' Gracias, amigos! Wish us luck!'
'Good luck! Goodbye! Keep in touch! Be careful! Take care, Em!'
Aleister, Yeats, and Jack called to them all waved their friends farewell, and Jack felt that everything that could have possibly gone wrong in his life...just had.
                         . . . .
Everyone was silent in the cart as they headed south out of town, down a back road seldom used. As they bumped along as fast as they could over the old wagon track, Emmeline felt renewed. She wasn't taking any of this lightly, but she knew it was the right thing to do, for her.
The night was clear and starlit. It was past midnight and Emmeline had begun a new life. She just hoped she would live to see it! Somehow...she knew that they would be alright. The thought of taking any other course never occurred to her...she could no longer bear Pankhurst, for some reason. She had seen through the facade and it wasn't the same town that had sheltered Alice and herself for so long...Somehow she felt safer heading out of that whole wretched miasma.
She knew that her new life was calling her. And this was the only road for her to take. She would be free to be herself at last!
How grateful she was to Marta for offering her this honest, healthy work to do! That was all she had ever wanted in her life. To be free to live simply, as she wished, and not have to play so many roles that went against her better judgment....gods to be free of all that! As dear as Jack was to her, she feared his need of her. He had always been a free man. Few woman of her time could live as free. Having not walked in her moccasins, he couldn't know how important it is for her, to live free. To be herself. To have her own time, and space, just to breathe...
Emmeline took a deep breath of cold night air, tinged with eucalyptus and sage.  It smelled like freedom.
That's all she had ever asked for.
The turn of the century come next year, thought Emmeline. Time for a change.
                              . . .. .

Turn of the Century
There'll be flying boats, and condos with moats;
cultivated oceans, floating cities in the sky.
living underneath a bubble;
no more toil and trouble
Singin' 'bout that sweet ole by and by.
We'll all have lots of money
That we won't have to spend;
You'll be given everything
When everyone's your friend
Hanging out together
in picture perfect weather -
This time 'round the party never ends.
Hallelujah, I can't wait to see it
Hallelujah, come on and go with me
Let me show you the way it's gonna be
at the turn,
the turn of the century.
We won't need no TV preachers
to ask how much we gave
we won't need no TV preachers,
there's no need to be saved
no more fighting for a country
no child will go hungry
We'll be smiling from the cradle to the grave.
Hallelujah, I can't wait to see it
Hallelujah, come on and go with me
Let me show you the way it's gonna be
at the turn,
the turn of the century.