Free Spirits of Ash and Foam by Greg Weisman

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    â€œWell, then put it down,” Charlie said. “Maybe it’ll follow him if you’re not holding it.”
    She was impressed. “You’re just full of good ideas tonight.”
    Feeling the heat in his cheeks, Charlie looked away and shrugged.
    Rain placed the snake charm on the floor, then turned to ’Bastian. “Try to go down the hall. We’ll see if it slides across the floor after you.”
    â€™Bastian nodded and vanished through Rain’s door again. Seconds passed. The kids watched the zemi , as it did … absolutely nothing.
    Soon ’Bastian was back, looking and feeling quite frustrated. “It’s no good. I tried walking; I tried concentrating. But it’s like being tied to an invisible chain attached to a stake!” Rain shook her head. She couldn’t hear him. Increasingly aggravated, he kicked at the charm, remembering in the instant before impact that his foot would simply pass right through it.
    Except that it didn’t. His foot made contact—contact he could feel —and the zemi skittered across the floor and under Rain’s bed.
    Charlie leaped to his feet. “I saw that! What happened?”
    Rain was still sitting on her bed, stunned. “He kicked it. He just kicked it, and it moved.”
    Belatedly, she dropped off her bed to reach beneath it, but ’Bastian held out a hand to stop her. “Wait!” he said. “Let me try.”
    She heard nothing, but his hand was enough, and she stepped away to watch. ’Bastian allowed himself to sink beneath the floor up to his neck. Then he walked forward—acutely aware at this point that he wasn’t actually walking on anything. He passed from Rain’s sight under the bed. All she could see now was his faint ghostly glow. Then he emerged and rose … zemi in hand.
    â€œWhoa,” Charlie said as he watched the snake charm float and bob through the air. He glanced over at the full-length mirror on the back of Rain’s open closet door. It was the same deal in the glass: floating zemi , but no ’Bastian.
    Rain whispered excitedly, “Try putting it on.”
    â€™Bastian slipped it onto his right wrist. It felt comfortable there, as it had for the last sixty-nine years of his life. He waved his arm around. The charm stayed in place.
    â€œTry walking with it now,” Charlie said.
    â€™Bastian nodded enthusiastically. Leading with his left foot, he walked toward and through the door. But the zemi was still solid enough, and he couldn’t get his right wrist through.
    All Charlie saw was the snake charm bumping up against the door multiple times. He ran over and called out to ’Bastian, “Come back in. I’ll open it.” Charlie saw the armband move backward from the door. He opened it and peeked both ways down the hall to see if anyone was coming. “No one’s there. Try walking with it now.” Charlie watched the armband float around the door and down the hallway.
    Rain crossed to see, but Charlie held his arm out. “No, wait there. Let’s see if it’s just the snake thing he’s tied to or if it’s you too.”
    It was just the snake thing. ’Bastian walked with the zemi on his wrist all the way to the far end of the hall, an easy thirty feet from Rain’s door. He came back and reentered—just as the door to Room Three opened and a tall Caucasian woman with long dark hair came out. While locking her door, she glanced over at Charlie and smiled. He panicked and ducked back inside, slamming the door shut behind him.
    Both ’Bastian and Rain stared at Charlie. “What?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œNothing. We just … He needs to be more careful.”
    â€œ I need to be more careful. Young man, I was following your instructions!”
    Neither teen could hear him. Charlie said, “A lady came out of one of the guest rooms and nearly