Page 27 of Cast in Atonement

Mrs. Erickson’s voice was low and gentle. “But you could leave your room. You did. You aren’t in your room now. If you don’t want to stay in your room, you can join me—I don’t stay in mine. But you have to learn to be a bit careful here. There are other people living in this house, and your presence can affect them.

“Your presence seems to have affected the house itself—which won’t harm you now, but can harm the others, because they aren’t like you.” Mrs. Erickson’s voice was soothing, gentle. Always had been. “I will come visit you. You can come visit me.”

“Mrs. Erickson—can the ghosts even see the other tenants?”

“They can see me,” she said. “And they’re aware of the others, but...not the way they are of me. I believe they’re aware of you right now as well.”

“Do they see me the way they see you?”

“I don’t think so. It’s difficult to understand what they’re saying. I do understand the words, but not the way they’re using them, and sometimes the words they speak are indistinct, too soft or too broken to hear properly.

“But they don’t mean any harm,” she added quickly. “They’re confused and they’re lost—and I think they’re cold. They can’t get warm.”

“Can you lead them back to their rooms?”

There was a long pause. “I’m not sure I can. I can’t see their rooms. I can’t see the hall anymore.”

“Do you see a small moon in the hallway?”

“Yes.”

It was what Kaylin saw. She could hear Mrs. Erickson clearly, but couldn’t see her. The only thing she could see was the miniature moon—and Terrano.

“Can you see me clearly, Terrano?”

“More or less.”

Kaylin exhaled. “I really, really want you to get out of here.” She held out her hand, palm up.

Terrano placed his palm across hers, and she tightened her fingers. She then dragged him toward her, until he was practically standing on her feet.

“Teela’s not sure this is smart.”

“Teela’s certain that everything you’ve done until now has been reckless and foolish,” Kaylin countered. “Being uncertain is a big improvement.”

“Fair enough.”

“Can you let go of Fallessian?”

“I’m not holding on to him. Fallessian’s willing to let go; Sedarias isn’t willing to have him let go. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find Mrs. Erickson. I think there must be some overlap in the space.”

“Helen doesn’t think so.”

“I can hear her.”

“Helen thinks that’s a function of her voice—you can hear what the dead hear. Mrs. Erickson is standing in the hall beside Helen’s Avatar. She hasn’t phased into a different plane of existence. What she sees is normal, everyday house—with a giant orb in the way. And the dead.”

“You’re saying that it’s her eyes and her voice that are perceiving different planes of existence, not the rest of her?”

“Seems like it to me. Helen won’t let me study her eyes—she thinks it’s rude.”

“Wherever we are isn’t where she is. I’m trying to move to where she is.”

“How did you even get here?”

“I closed my eyes, okay? I closed my eyes and I could see the marks of the Chosen clearly. When I opened my eyes, I was here, in the dark.”

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