Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave

Chapter 4

“Our past lives,” Kenji said. “The book is unique for each person, detailing our history, both in the Afterlife and the Livingworld.”

That was a bit of a surprise. I would very much like to know who I was in my past lives.

Liz led us into what appeared to be a central point in the city. The buildings here were even closer together and much older. What few streetlamps functioned were flickering, making it rather dim. And she kept taking us through dark alleys with very little room to maneuver.

“I suggest,” she said, “that you read your books as soon as you get back. Just like in the Livingworld, we each have a purpose here.”

“Aren’t we a little young to be working?” I asked. I wasn’t sure I was fit for anything that involved heavy lifting.

“You’ll understand when you read the book,” she said. “Just because you died as a child in the Livingworld, it doesn’t mean you’re one in the Afterlife.”

We spilled out into an old market square where we found all kinds of wares for sale, but mostly things you’d find at Hallowe’en. The merchants were kind of a shady lot — crooked and bent, warty noses, and more hair than would be considered normal. Some appeared more dead than they probably should have been. They were selling cauldrons, bones, jars of substances that didn’t look proper, and black cats — some of which weren’t alive.

“Wait here,” she said, and walked over to chat with one of the merchants — an old crone selling some herbs and potions.

Kenji and Miesha waited on the spot while Goliath chased off a couple of feral cats that slunk in our direction. I took a moment to examine the place a little. I didn’t even get past two old men selling creepy looking clowns, when a woman called me over. She had long hair that covered half her face.

“You,” she said, motioning me over with a heavily ringed finger. “Over here.”

I looked back to the others. Liz bartered with the old crone while the other two waited patiently for her.

I walked over.

“That hand in your pocket,” the woman said. “I can help you.”

My eyes opened pretty wide when she said it.

“How did you know?” I asked. I probably should have played dumb, but the words had already fallen out of my mouth.

She didn’t answer my question. Instead she pointed to her own fist and tickled the lower part of her palm. Then she opened her fist and cupped her hand.

I reached into my pocket to try it, but she grabbed me. Her touch was cold.

“Not here,” she said. “Too many eyes. Remember, it’s to be kept a secret.”

“What is it?” I asked. All this secret stuff was a little cryptic and getting kind of annoying. I wanted to know what the heck was in my pocket.

She leaned over to whisper with breath that was as icy as her touch, but Goliath came around the corner. Upon seeing him, the woman twirled on her heel.

“I hate dogs,” she muttered, and slipped into the market.

Goliath sauntered over and sniffed my pants.

“Thanks, dog,” I muttered. “I was about to find out something useful, and you scared her off.”

He looked to where she had disappeared and then nudged me back to where Miesha and Kenji still waited like statues.

I joined them, but said nothing.

We waited for some time for Liz. She would leave the shop, pace, and then re-enter. At times she’d come out, put her hands on her hips and look about the market. It was as if she was waiting for something. Then she’d pace and re-enter the shop once more. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, she approached.

“What’d you get?” I asked.

From this obscenely floral carpet bag, she pulled out a couple of vials and some herbs. They stunk.

“Protection,” she said. She looked about once more and shook her frizzy head.

“Protection from what?” Miesha asked. “We’re already dead.”

“Read your book,” Liz said, and then started to make her way back through the market.

We followed pretty close on her heels when there was wailing and screaming behind us.

“Phantoms,” Liz said. “We should hurry. Lexis is on the loose. We don’t want to run into her, or her phantoms.”

Her already speedy pace quickened, and we jogged to keep up. Goliath trotted beside me.

“Wait, who’s Lexis?” I asked.

“Someone you don’t want to meet,” was all she said, and then plodded ahead.

When we finally got back to Barclay Mansion, we all dropped onto the couches that waited in the front room.

Jeeves was there, his hands fidgeting. He mumbled to himself.

He looked at Liz apologetically. “We seem to have had some problems while you were away, ma’am,” he said.

Liz put her hands on her hips. “What problems, Jeeves?”

He stuttered, trying to get the words out. “T-T-There was a break-in. Some things were stolen.”

Liz’s lips pressed together pretty tight. “What was stolen, Jeeves?”

“The Lexicon,” he said.

“Whose?” she asked.

He pointed at Miesha, then Kenji, and finally me.

“Theirs.”