Living with Spirit Girl: Cp34

Living with Spirit Girl
Chapter Thirty-Four

Mother spoke of not going to work until close to lunchtime as she made breakfast. Of course that meant she would not be in until late, but I liked those mornings when she actually had the time to cook. It was Wendy that went to the door when the chimes sounded, although she quickly called for our mother.

I moved to the door hearing a voice I recognized, “Mrs. Manwell, I would like to take Blake with me for the day. This is Father David Adhouer. He is a Lutheran minister, and should be trusted with the care of your son.”

Mother held out a hand while saying, “Fernando Freight Train.”

“Fernando Conuhouge, Mrs. Manwell. I have an interest with Arraelly. How this issue with Arraelly is resolved will affect me as well. I would like to be there when anything happens, and Blake will need to be there. I am therefore offering to have Blake go with me. I should be more fun than the police or FBI.”

Wendy asked, “You like Arraelly?”

“She’s fun to be around, and actually has shown a desire to be around me. She’s not like other women.” I saw Fernando look to me, then he said, “I see you have a large family, Blake. That is good. I have a lot of half-brothers and sisters, but we are not a family. My background just was not like this.”

Mother asked, “You had a hard life, Freight Train – Mr. Conhouge?”

“Freight Train will work, Mrs. Manwell. Yes, I had a hard life. It taught me to fight, but in winning I can see a way from the fighting. I will need to fight some more, but Arraelly and I have had some conversations on that. I would really like to speak with her some more.”

“She has spoken well of you, Freight Train. Come on inside. Would you like some breakfast?”

“I would, but I eat a whole lot, Mrs. Manwell. I will simply wait for Blake to finish eating. I will then take him to eat, but a growing boy can probably eat a lot as well.”

Mother had him and Father David come to the table and have a serving of food. She mentioned that while she might not provide enough to fill them up, what they ate would help them start the day. Fernando agreed he did plan on stopping by and checking on Arraelly first, so it would be a while before finally stopping for a meal. I noticed something in mother as she served the men, so was not surprised when she said something as they began to eat.

“I’m going with you.”

I wished I had Arraelly with me, but it seemed that she had given some instructions to Fernando. “We know nothing of the timing, but with Honnider present everyone is expecting things to be completed. Oh, Blake, I was told to have you bring Arraelly’s original outfit.”

I had to ask, “The stage outfit?”

“Yes, the Melanie Morcock thing. She says that was what she was wearing, so should be part of the original wave signal. It would best if everything was present.”

Wendy rushed to get it. She did not eat that much anyway. I also felt she would know more about the female things than I would. As expected, Wendy soon showed back up with the outfit, although asked a question I did not expect.

“Blake, here’s the outfit, but what about underwear?”

I did not know. I guess that mother understood my body language, as she rose to take the outfit from Wendy. After looking them over, she made a reasonable statement.

“I will ask Arraelly, Wendy. Now, I believe you and Felix need to be going to school.”

Mother drank coffee with the two men while speaking with Fernando about his career. He mentioned where the next grand cage fight was to be held. While he spoke his understanding of Arraelly wanting to go back home, he also admitted that he appreciated the benefit of having her spar with him. He spoke of not being certain about anything more being possible between him and Arraelly, but Fernando sipped his coffee between statements of how much he had come to like her.

I had to say, “She was pretty, Fernando. I mean in her original body. It was not like us, but there was color in it. She said the color spoke of her being healthy, but I thought she was pretty.”

The adults had me speak of my visions of the natural form of Arraelly. Fernando admitted that what I tried to describe fit the things she said about herself. Mother however began to glare at me, and after I finished some more description she seemed to finally admit something we had been saying.

“She was not human at all.”

I replied, “No, mother, but she was an alien.”

“I found her polite, but confident.”

Fernando said, “Yes, that was Arraelly.”

The adults somehow came to the agreement that it was time to go. They gathered their things, then left the house. Mother had me ride with her. I however saw her follow Father David, and soon was getting out with the adults really wishing that Arraelly did not need to go.

I saw the police and FBI around. Captain Richardson asked me about my badge. Father David had mentioned that I get it before we left, so I was able to show what I had been given. I remembered my father telling me that the badge was real, so only smiled when the police captain told me, calling me Officer Manwell, to escort the others into the shed.

Arraelly was there talking to Mrs. Pritchard and her lawyer as a man worked on some equipment, but she broke from them to come hug me. “Honnider is not certain of things, and those back on my planet are not either. Honnider is too afraid to go first. I however know that our connection needs to end, so I am letting us be the guinea pigs.”

I had to say, “I don’t want to lose you, Arraelly.”

“You’re a good kid, Blake. I’m not dying, and with our worlds knowing about each other we could meet, or at least speak, again. Now, did you bring the outfit?”

I let her know that we did. After mother handed it to Arraelly, she spoke of going into the house and changing back into it. Mother asked about underwear, and Arraelly simply said that was all she had after the transformation.”

As she left, the man turned to me to say, “Officer Arraelly did not really explain your presence, Blake. Knowing her, she probably can’t. Officer Arraelly is very smart, but she thinks in her own way. Anyway, I only had the gorilla with me that night. It was actually meant for some idiot who stumbled into the lab. I got sent here by accident, which means that I really did not intend to get sent even though I was playing with the device. I knew the lab could be found by someone following the path I had cleared, so thought it funny if they would end up as a gorilla. As you know, it ended up being used by Lorither, and putting that man in a gorilla’s body actually suited him. There was nothing for Arraelly, so the device must have found some youngster nearby.”

Mother surprised me by replying, “That matches the story I heard. Can you reverse things?”

“We are uncertain. This device was actually simply to be a receiver. It is the simpler device, so I am assuming that the original designer expected to come here and build another transmitter. There is a lot we don’t know about this however, and the circuitry on this side is infused in that crystal ball. There is no way to change that. Not having years for those on the other side to study this technology and send me the schematics, I have done something that should enable the transmission, as all receivers actually have the capabilities to transmit as well.”

“Worst case scenario?”

“I cannot believe there is one. The worst case is, of course, Blake becomes Officer Arraelly or she becomes him. Basically, what happened to me and Mr. Pritchard. I however agree with Officer Arraelly that the connection between your son and Officer Arraelly gives a conduit that enables the separation. Best case is that Officer Arraelly gets taken home and your son is left as he was. Worst case is actually anything other than that, but I highly doubt that there will be a complete possession.”

I turned seeing Arraelly when Agent Wilson said, “You do look like Melanie Morcock.”

Fernando commented, “You look fine, Arraelly.”

She replied, “After wearing regular clothes for this world, these feel strange. Still, there should be no problems to undoing what was done.”

Hearing Honnider agree had everyone saying good-bye to Arraelly. I watched as she shook hands or kissed the various people. It did not bother me when there was a long scene between her and Fernando, as I knew the two liked each other a lot. I also did not feel left out, as I knew Arraelly would be coming to me.

As expected, she finally came to hug me. She even kissed me. While I felt a little embarrassed at the sign of affection, I also found myself not wanting her to leave my life. I felt her have to adjust her body as it seemed she did not expect me to suddenly embrace her.

She said, “I did not do you wrong, Blake. You are now recognized by a number of people, good people. Grow up to become an influential man, Blake. Also, you have Dorothy. When you see her this afternoon, you hug her.”

I had to say, “I will still miss you, Arraelly.”

“The shed and device will still be here. You should be able to send me a message. I will probably have one for you.”

We broke to the sound of Honnider giving us instructions. The brooch was placed on top of what had been a crystal ball. We then had our fingers touch the opposite sides of the ornament. Honnider made certain that our fingers did not touch, because he said it would assure that the two of us would not merge.

When the button was pressed I felt my body stiffen. A surge as if of electricity came through me. While the original beam that struck me did not hurt, there was some pain. Agent Wilson and my mother came around me as I felt my body collapse.

Trying to stay conscious, I heard others speak of Arraelly still being present. I however heard them speaking of her as being physically present. While she could appear substantial, I knew from some things she did that she really was not like we were. The others however spoke of her as being in an actual body, and I heard her say something that had not been true up to now.

“Gad, I believe I am hungry.”

I went unconscious as Fernando replied, “I’m hungry as well, Arraelly. Let’s go get something to eat.”

I hope you are not mad at me for this ending. I felt it was best considering the future of another story of Officer Arraelly. Sending her home and completely removing her connection to Blake would only force some story elements next time that would be very mechanical in nature. There is also the fact of Honnider still being active. I could not help but feel that this ending would be the best.

Let me say that I have no notes for a future story, but I completely enjoyed writing this. Having another story come should be a definite possibility. If anyone doubts my return to Arraelly, let me say that next I will again start posting stories of TimeSaga. I do not forget projects, so a future story of Spirit Girl should happen.