Erasing: Shadows (The Erasing Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

was a fairly mild and easy type of masking.
    Someone who could concentrate enough to hold an area of safety—another advanced skill—might see strange things. People sometimes appeared half-formed. It was one of three possibilities: someone trying to travel but not able to bring a good representation of his or her body; someone trying to travel who had not developed a fully mature core self; or someone trying to mask and just doing it poorly from not having practiced. Jonathan wasn’t even sure if half the gang knew what masking actually was.
    “Actually,” Jonathan declared, “I learned.”
    “Really.” Michael’s voice lowered. “I can guess how.” Just how much time had Jonathan been spending with Mr. advanced skills guy?
    Lu and the others turned sharply to the two brothers. “Problem?” asked Trina.
    “No problem,” said Michael, letting it go. “I’ll be running into Mira tomorrow morning, here in the astral. Everyone, stay on your toes.”
    The group split up, off to their separate dwellings in the real world while Michael stayed to go find his future wife once again, hoping that maybe this time she would remember more. If she’s been in the astral awhile now, it’s possible that she’s gotten comfortable and aged some. If that were the case, he hoped that she would recall her former life and abilities.
    ***
    Mira ran down to the creek and over to the hay bales. Her favorite thing to do was climb on top of the bales and look up at the sky. Her chores were done until later, so she had plenty of time to daydream.
    While she was daydreaming on top of a hay bale, she saw something move to her left side. She sat up awkwardly. Of course it had to be a boy. A cute one too. Flustered, she didn’t try to get off the hay bale; it might create more dirt. Here she was in a dirty dress from playing all morning, and she felt her hair flying all over her face. Probably had smudges on her face too, but she didn’t have a way to look and didn’t want to draw attention anyway. She had forgotten about her previous dream with twelve-year-old Michael.
    Oh well , I am what I am. The boy was stocky with brown hair cut short.
    “Hey,” said the boy. “Do you live around here?”
    “Yeah,” she answered, “I live over the hill. Who are you?”
    “My name is Michael. We just moved in the old McArthur house down the road.”
    ***
    He could tell Mira had changed somewhat, but still didn’t remember anything, from the way she was talking. Perhaps her unconscious had remembered something, because she appeared about twelve today, instead of nine. Not that she seemed to notice.
    “Oh, that old place!” said Mira, excited. “I’ve been in there! It’s spooky!” Her voice dropped. “Not that I was trespassing or anything—they showed the house to everyone when they were trying to sell it.”
    “Oh, I wouldn’t care,” said Michael with a smile. “I like exploring. Don’t tell anyone, but I might have trespassed in a few places in my day.”
    “Really? So you’re an adventurer like me! Or like I like to think I am.” Mira smiled self-consciously. “I love to explore.”
    Michael remembered the first time they met. Just like this. Only Mira looked older this morning than she had last night. She must have considered last night a dream, though it was really her astral self, moving about. Mira looked like she might be twelve finally, but she was still acting out of it. He had expected her memory to return at twelve. He was flummoxed. His whole plan flushed down the drain. He realized also that it didn’t help that people could be any age bodily in the astral and it might or might not coincide with their maturity of emotions or mind.
    “Mi—” he caught himself before he said her name. “Um, maybe we can explore together sometime then. I like to find unknown places, and I like to learn new things. What is your name, by the way?”
    “I’m sorry! Oh, my manners. I’m Mira.” She held out a grubby hand to