By Paula Bianchi –

“I don’t know what she’s talking about.” Dobson said, in confusion.

As the four ghostly roommates sat in the living room, Lucy could tell, by the expression on Dobson’s face, that he had no clue what Sondra meant about him being able to teach her, or anyone else, how to give signs to the living.

“Sondra must feel you know something useful for me to learn, so let’s think for a moment about what she may be referring to.” Lucy tried to sound as comforting as she could hoping it would help to calm Dobson. “Have you ever given a sign to someone?” She decided to start with the obvious.

“Nope.” Dobson answered.

Lucy thought for a moment. There must be something she’s missing. Within an instant, the answer blazed through her mind.

“On the day I died, when we first met, you apologized to me. Do you remember why?” Lucy asked, as she began to formulate her hypothesis.

“Sure. I said I was sorry for taking your stuff and for moving the glass of water, you know, the one you’d put on your night table before you went to bed, so you’d knock it over when the alarm went off.” Dobson answered, with a chuckle, because the memory of this prank, still amused him.

“Will you show me where you put all of the stuff you took?” Lucy asked, with much reverence.

“Only if you promise not to be mad.” Dobson looked coyly at her.

“I could never be mad at you, Dobson.” Lucy smiled as she stood up and reached out for her young roommate’s hand.

Happy with that answer, Dobson jumped up and took Lucy’s hand. Together they apparated into the attic, which came as a surprise to him because he forgot he told Lucy where he was hiding her stuff.

It took a moment or two for Lucy’s eyes to adjust to the darkened, A-framed room. She could see, at one end of the room, beams of moonlight shining through a large circle sized window, causing the particles of dust within this beam, to sparkle like diamonds.

The room was full of boxes that were all stacked neatly along the walls, and with the neatly covered furniture, Lucy had inherited from her grandmother.

“After I take something, I hide it over here.” Dobson guided Lucy to the dark opposite end of the attic, where most of the furniture was, until they were standing behind a tall cherry wood hutch that was covered with a mover’s quilt.

Lucy was genuinely taken aback by the site before her. It seemed that Dobson liked things in order too because all of their missing items were lined up perfectly in a row. The first objects to catch her attention were a few of the kid’s favorite toys from when they were much younger.

There were pieces of jewelry that Lucy had given up looking for. She could see the remote that went to Justin’s TV, and a figurine her grandmother had given her on her wedding day.

As she scanned the missing items, Lucy had flashbacks of searching for these things when they were lost, but there was one item that jumped out at her.

“There’s my periwinkle yarn! I searched the whole house when I lost it. I had found it in a large bag of yarn my Aunt gave me, but it just disappeared.” Lucy’s voice dripped with frustration.

The sound of what he thought was Lucy’s ire, suddenly made Dobson feel quite contrite. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jean coveralls and hung his head low.

Immediately, Lucy caught herself. She realized she was letting her frustration get the best of her, after she had told him she wouldn’t be mad, so she quickly changed her tone.

“It’s okay, Dobson. I’m sorry if I sounded like I was scolding you.” Lucy wrapped her arm around him and pulled him into a hug.

Right away, Lucy could sense Dobson was feeling better, then, when he lifted his head, he was smiling.

“This is pretty impressive.” Lucy gave him a squeeze. “Can you show me how to take something and bring it up here?” She smiled, knowing without a doubt that this was what he’s supposed to teach her.

“Sure. I can show you, if you want. Come with me.” Dobson grabbed Lucy’s arm and pulled her down through the floor into Justin’s room.

“Why did you bring me here? Maybe we should start by taking something from Michael.” Lucy suggested.

“Once I show you this, you’ll want to take it too.” Dobson grinned mischievously as he pointed to a small wooden box sitting on Justin’s nightstand.

“What’s inside of that?” Lucy asked, as he successfully piqued her curiousity.

“A small closeable baggy with white powder in it, and a short metal straw like tube his new girlfriend gave to him. He sniffs up the powder with it.” Dobson shared with a tone of sadness in his voice.

“So, that’s his paraphernalia box.” Lucy said, with disgust. “You’re right, Dobson. I really want to make that box disappear. It would be a wonderful feeling to take that away from him.” She felt elated. Finally, something she could do to help her son, but Lucy knew her son won’t be too pleased to find it gone in the morning. It was the first time she had felt useful since she joined the afterlife.

Out of nowhere, Lucy felt a charge of energy start to course through her, then, she realized it wasn’t coming from her. It was coming from Dobson.

“What are you doing?” Lucy placed her hand on top of Dobson’s shoulder. The instant she touched him; the feeling became amplified.

“Just copy what I do.” Dobson instructed.

“But I’m not sure what it is that you’re doing!” Lucy exclaimed.

“Your energy. You have to build it up, so you can help me take that box straight up into the attic.” Dobson said, as he looked deeply into Lucy’s blue eyes.

“That box won’t go through the ceiling. It’s impossible.” Lucy declared.

“I thought so too, until I finally picked something up.” Dobson shared. “Now, concentrate on picking up the box. That’s how you charge yourself.”

Lucy did as she was told, and to her amazement, she could feel an electrifying energy course through her spirit body, then, when the energy traveled down her arms and into her hands, Dobson yelled, “Now!”

Together they both reached down and scooped the box up off the nightstand. When they did, the box changed from its solid form into pure energy.

“Quick! Go up into the attic before we lose our grip.” Dobson sounded stern with his instructions.

Up they bolted, through the ceiling and into the attic, to where Dobson hides his loot.

“Hurry! Set it down right there.” Dobson gestured to the next empty spot in his organized line of stolen items.

Lucy did as she was told, and the moment they let go of the box, it became solid again.

“We did it!” Lucy jumped up and down with joy clapping her hands. She swooped Dobson up and spun him around the room. This was truly her happiest moment in the afterlife. “Thank you, Dobson.” After she set him down, she tucked both sides of her short, auburn, hair behind her ears. “I think I know how to use what you just taught me to leave signs for my family to let them know that I’m still here.” She gave him one last bear hug.

“No problem. I’m happy to help.” Dobson blushed with modesty.

“So, what happens now.” Lucy stared at the little wooden box believing she just saved Justin from himself.

“We wait until he notices that his box is gone. That’s the fun part. Watching as he hunts all over for his lost box.” Dobson giggled.

“Well, then we won’t have to wait too long because the sun is starting to come up now.” Lucy was feeling excited, and she could also feel the pleasure Dobson felt from playing his pranks.

“Shall we go wait in Justin’s room?” Lucy wanted to be there when he woke up to see his reaction.

“Sure.” Dobson let himself sink down through the floor, and Lucy followed him.

They hovered close to the ceiling in the far corner of the room and waited as the morning’s first rays of sunlight began to shine through the window blinds.

Before long, Justin’s alarm went off startling him awake and causing him to quickly sit up to turn it off. He stretched and yawned before he got out of bed. After throwing his covers across the mattress, in his half ass way to make his bed, he grabbed a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt from his closet and put them on. Then, he picked up his bright orange tennis shoes and went to his dresser to get a pair of socks.

When he sat down on the edge of his bed to put his shoes on, Justin’s gaze fell upon his nightstand, and he suddenly realized his paraphernalia box was gone. He fell to the floor to search under his bed and around his night table. He searched the pockets of his dirty clothes. He dumped the contents of his backpack on his bed and frantically looked through it all.

Lucy smiled when she felt the sinking feeling in Justin’s gut because he knew the box was no longer in his room. She felt quite proud of herself.

Without warning, Justin sprinted to Emma’s room and burst through her door. Lucy and Dobson quickly followed him to see what he was going to do.

“Hey! Get out of here! I’m getting dressed!” Emma yelled. She was dressed except for her shirt, which she was holding in front of her to cover her bra. She turned her back for a moment, so she could put it on.

“Where is it!” Justin growled in a low throaty tone.

“Where is what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Emma tried to move past Justin, but he blocked her way.

Lucy was stunned by this turn of events. She never would have taken his box if she knew he was going to blame Emma.

“You know what I’m talking about.” He sneered.  “My wooden box. I left it on my nightstand.” Justin was showing a side of himself that was completely foreign to his sister.

“I would never want to touch your box! I want nothing to do with it!” Emma’s ire was beginning to build.

“You took it, so you could give it to dad.” Justin pointed his finger at her.

“Maybe dad took it.” Emma said smugly.

While Lucy and Dobson watched them argue, they suddenly noticed the misty gray cloud as it came drifting in through the doorway to hover above Justin and Emma, and it started to swirl as it grew bigger and darker.

“If you ever tell dad anything, I’m gonna tell him what you and Stacy did when you were supposed to be sleeping over her house.” Justin threatened. “Now, hand it over!”

Emma’s cheeks began to flush red as she clenched her fists to her sides. “I told you that I don’t have your precious little box. The one you can’t live without. What are you going to do when dad wants to take you to buy your car, Justin?!” She got up in his face. “Don’t you come in here and threaten me because your secret is much bigger than mine.” She said, through her teeth.

All of a sudden, Lucy could hear a crackling sound coming from the gray cloud and with its loudest pop, a bolt of electricity reached out slamming Emma’s bedroom door shut. The force of it reverberated throughout the whole house.

“Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to take his box.” Dobson sadly observed.

Come back next Tuesday for Manifesting Signs (Part 2) in my series: Lucy in the Afterlife. Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you again. Bye for now.

Email: Remyel@hotmail.com

To read Lucy’s story from the beginning, click on this link: Lucy in the Afterlife: The Beginning. Stay safe everyone.

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