Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 Read Online Free PDF Page A

Naomi’s brownies and a big glass of milk.
Followed by a seriously long nap.”
    “Totally.” Henry felt his eyes starting to close.
    “Hello, you two,” Martha said. “Please, stay with me for
a few minutes.”
    They straightened up to pay attention.
    “Still with you,” Nikki said.
    “I just wanted you to know that there’s another reason Lysrus
asked you to try helping Rose. I did tell him that if anyone had a chance, it
was probably the two of you. Partly, because of what you’ve done before. But
it’s also because you’re still teenagers, like her. For different reasons
entirely, of course. It’s impossible to say how Rose will perceive you. It’s
her dream, after all. But we suspect she’s more likely to open up to people she
senses to be of a similar age.”
    Nikki perched forward. “What happened when you tried?”
    “I couldn’t manage to get close enough,” Martha said.
“The world Rose has created around herself is very small, with just a few who
she views as trusted souls. Like all wounded creatures, her self-preservation
instincts are keen. In this case, by self-preservation I mean her desperate need
to stay locked inside her fantasy.”
    “But the same thing that might make us successful might
also get us trapped alongside her,” Henry said. “Do I understand that part
right?”
    “That’s right,” Martha said. “You’ll have to become a
trusted part of her dream. However, if you succeed at that, you’ll also be
at the risk of being influenced by others helping to ensure that the dream
remains a trap.”
    “But you could just come get us out again, right?” Nikki
said. “I mean, if it goes wrong?”
    Martha hesitated. “I could try. The fact is, you might
not recognize me. Not if you got sucked in far enough.”
    “But we don’t have to do this,” Henry said. “Lysrus made
a point of saying that.”
    “Absolutely, and that’s important to keep in mind. This
is truly a dark world you’d be entering. These entities around Rose are
basically parasites, feeding off her misery. They’d gladly welcome more of the
same. Please take your time to think about the risks involved. I realize it’s
not an easy decision to make.”
    Martha rose from the sofa, signaling that their time with
her was over for now. Henry wondered if she had some task to carry out related
to Service. He couldn’t be sure, of course, but clearly she wanted to give them
some time to discuss what they’d been told and to weigh their decision.
    When they got to the door, Henry turned to her. “I
understand what you said about Rose possibly trusting us—that we might be able
to get through to her. But you’ve also spent all this time making sure we’re
okay. After all that, why would you suggest to Lysrus that we face this kind of
danger?”
     In Martha’s expression, Henry saw warmth and
concern, as always. But he saw even more this time, an emotion she’d never
displayed before. Fear.
    Martha’s eyes glistened. “Because I think the two of you
are ready,” she said.
    She didn’t explain more.
    ~~~
    One thing that had always been comforting about Halfway
House was that usually everyone kept to a similar schedule. They got up at
roughly the same time, they shared meals and typically they did something as a
group at least once each day. At times, of course, they split off from one
another but they always ended up together again. And, usually, they all went to
bed at around the same time each night. The fact was, they cared about each
other and enjoyed being together most of the time. All of this meant the world
to Henry. After all, in order for him to let his own family on Earth get on
with their lives, he’d created a new one for himself here.
    Tonight, though, he needed some time alone to think. Once
everyone had gone back to their rooms, Henry descended the stairs quietly,
hoping not to draw attention. The irony wasn’t lost on him that, while in the
physical realm, he could have simply floated