Free Insanity by Susan Vaught Page A

I knew I needed to be.
    Leslie Hyatt was now in the room where Miss Sally Greenway had lived and died. I wondered if Leslie had asked for it. She seemed so tiny now, with hair thicker and whiter than Miss Sally’s had ever been. I gently bathed Leslie and picked her out a gown of spring purple. Then I changed her sheets and made sure her room was spotless. Later that day, when I held the straw for her to drink a chocolate shake, the confusion left her eyes for a moment, and she stared at me and took my hand and whispered, “I always knew I’d see you again. You’re one of those old souls, girl. I know you are.”
    I hugged her and kissed her cheek and took care of her until she didn’t need me anymore.
    Most people who die, they don’t linger. It’s a good thing.

    He came to me the day after Leslie died, or maybe it was the next year. Time didn’t matter much anymore, or at least, I didn’t think it did.
    I was sitting with the bells in Tower Cottage again, gazing out at the riot of fall colors spreading through Never.
    Levi sat beside me, careful not to touch me, but so close his jeans brushed mine every time he took a breath. He was handsome as ever, and I wanted to slap him, and I wanted to kiss him, and that was okay for now. I was glad to see him.
    And I was ready.
    “At least we know for sure you’re like Imogene and me,” he said. “Otherwise you couldn’t have gone to the other side and come back.”
    “So I’m ... unforgiven,” I muttered.
    He snorted. “I guess, yeah. You’re one of us.”
    One of us. That was a new one. I’d never really been part of group before. Now I was officially ... what? A granny-woman?
    Yay?
    “What does it mean?” I asked him. “‘Unforgiven.’ What did we do to need forgiving?”
    Levi shrugged. “Nothing. Our great-greats must have been real pains, though. According to Imogene, until the good Lord decides to give us a pass and let us get old and die like normal folks, we have work to do to make up for their evils.”
    “Nice to know.” And not something I really wanted to think about. I glanced at Levi, enjoying the way the light kissed the teardrop tattoos on his cheek. “If I take the bracelet off, can I touch you without burning you?”
    “Probably. But don’t.” His hand twitched like he wanted to rest his fingers on my knee. I wished that he would, but I knew he couldn’t. “You might need it someday, and I’d rather you be safe than sorry.”
    “When can I go back to the other side?”
    He laughed. “Someday.”
    I leaned back, letting my head loll against one of the big bells. “Man, when someday does show up, I’m going to keep it busy.”
    Levi laughed again. I really enjoyed that sound.
    “Imogene’s waiting,” he said. “She’s got a bunch of lessons foryou, about Madoc bloodlines and haunts and haints and shades and spooks and stuff. She’s been writing definitions of every spirit she’s seen at Lincoln for most of her life, and she’ll teach it all to you whether you want to learn it or not.”
    “Tons of fun,” I muttered. “Can’t wait. I’m still planning to go to college, too, just so you know.”
    “Fine with me.” Levi stood. “I like hanging around with smart girls.”
    I could tell he wanted to offer me his hand, but he refrained.
    I pushed myself up and stood with my lips perilously close to one of his bright-red teardrops and whispered, “Have you seen Decker and Sally since they crossed over?”
    He hesitated, just for a heartbeat. Then, “Yeah. I have.”
    I grinned. “Are they together?”
    “They’re together.”
    “And happy?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’m waiting.”
    Levi rolled his eyes. Then he cleared his throat and said, “You were right, and I was wrong.”
    “See? I’m not the only one who can learn lessons.”
    “And rabbits aren’t the only things I can feed my hounds.”
    I wiggled my fingers right in front of his nose. “Ooh. Scary. Why do you act like such a bad guy?”
    His grin was