Free Ascension: Invocation by Brian Rickman Page B

honey. Everything is okay. “
    “Are you in heaven?”
    “Yes, and you will see Mommy very soon!”
    “I'm going to die?”
    “No, sweetie, you aren't going to die.”
    An older man now came on the line with the boy, “What's going on?”
    “Hi, Phil.”
    “Who? Who is this?”
    “It's me, Phil.”
    “Marianne? My wife died last year. Who the hell is this? This isn't funny!”
    “Andy, are you still there?”
    “Yes,” the little boy answered.
    “Tonight when you go to bed, honey, say your prayers and kiss your blue rhino for me, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “I'll see you soon.”
    “Marianne?” the man said, his voice cracking.
    “Yes, Phil?”
    “I'm confused. What's happening? Where are you?”
    “Our worlds will soon join. Be patient and you will see me soon, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “I love you both”
     

CHAPTER THREE
     
    "It's kind of nice out here," Alicia said as the SUV sped down the winding, two lane road into the Alabama countryside.
    "Yeah," Brady agreed. "I've always wanted to live in a place like this. Out in the country, y'know?" The SUV engine whined into high gear as they made their way up an incline. The radio quietly provided a soundtrack as Alicia peered out the passenger side window, taking in the stone laden creek and pine trees. "Do a little fishing," Brady continued. "I bet they have good hunting out here. What do they hunt here? Deer? Oh, maybe wi- "
    "Holy shit! Fuck! Stop! Stop!!" Alicia screamed.
    Brady slammed on the brakes, and the SUV screeched to a halt. He and Alicia felt their seat belts tighten as random equipment flew forward from the backseat. Alicia's coffee landed on the floorboard and soaked her shoes. "Shit," she said and bent down to open the glove compartment to search for napkins. Brady stared through the windshield at the girl in front of them. She stood with right her arm outstretched indicating "stop" and now let it fall to her side. Her piercing, green eyes hardly acknowledged him. Her brown hair danced in the slight breeze as she took her eyes away from Brady to read something in left her hand. Alicia sat back up from cleaning her shoes with a handful of brown, coffee-soaked napkins. The girl's eyes met Alicia's and a cast of relief flashed across her face. She walked to the passenger side window with great purpose.
    "What... the... hell?" Alicia said to Brady between her teeth as she rolled down her window.
    "Alicia?" asked the girl, her green eyes aglow.
    "Yes."
    "We must speak."
    "I can see that. What the hell are you doing in the middle of the road?! We could have killed you..."
    "May I enter your vehicle?"
    Alicia looked at Brady. He was still dumbfounded from the near-accident. Alicia threw her hands up. "Yeah. Okay. Sure! Why not?"
    The girl got in the backseat as Alicia punched Brady in the arm and woke him from his stupor. "Ow! What?!"
    "You must keep driving," the girl said as she closed the door. Brady and Alicia sat motionless for a moment. "Now!"
    "Well," said Alicia. "Go... I guess."
    "Where am I going?" he asked.
    "Drive forward at top speed," said the girl. "Do not stop again and please do not panic."
    "Do what? What do you mean? Panic?"
    "Just go!" Brady threw the truck into gear and sped up to forty miles per hour. "Go faster," the girl demanded, not taking her eyes away from the electronic device she held in her hand. She punched the touch-screen and scrolled frantically as Alicia looked her over from the passenger seat.
    "Look, young lady...” Brady began to protest in the rear-view mirror.
    "Faster!" she shouted.
    Against his better judgment, Brady sped up now to eighty miles per hour. The landscape sped by them as he struggled to maintain control of the SUV in the winding turns. Alicia reattached her seat belt. Suddenly, they felt something slam into the front of their vehicle. The right side of the truck rose twice. They had hit something.
    "Shit! What was that?!" Alicia shouted.
    "I don't know! I didn't see anything!" he shouted back