you an appointment for then.’
My heart sank and tears sprang into my eyes. I couldn’t help it. ‘Please,’ I said, my voice shaking. ‘This is an emergency. Dr Cahill said this might be the answer to some… headaches I’ve been having. They’re getting worse and I can’t sleep. Please help me,’ I begged, no longer caring if I sounded desperate.
‘OK, dear, just calm down. Do you think you can get here in the next ten minutes? He’s just had a cancellation. If you can, then I’ll ask if he can see you.
‘Yes, that’s fine. I’ll be there.’
‘OK, now, can you give me some details.’
I gave her my name, address and date of birth, then rooted around in my bag for a piece of paper and scribbled the directions on the back of my Cupcake Cafe receipt.
Ger Rapple’s house was on the side of a mountain, about a twenty-minute walk from the mines. To make it I’d have to run the whole way there. I didn’t hesitate. It was uphill all the way, but I kept running. My stomach churned and my head thumped with every heavy step, but I had to keep on going, I had no choice. The sun blasted down on the road and I squinted, searching for Ger Rapple’s house in the distance. I wasn’t familiar with this part of Avarna; the scenery was all new to me. To my right was a narrow field covered with overgrown grass and chunks of rotting bark and on the far side of this field stood a forest of tall conifers, their tips piercing the pale blue sky. To my left the view was breathtaking. A huge green expanse led down to a vast lake, its surface glittering in the sunlight. On the lake’s shore stood the majestic ruins of a castle, its outer walls still intact and dotted with glassless arched windows. This part of Avarna was incredibly beautiful. I could see the healer’s house not too far away, so I picked up my pace and kept going.
I tried not to think about Nick. But I just couldn’t stop myself picturing him. Last night had been so perfect and I had completely messed it up. I wanted to rewind to yesterday. When it comes to love sometimes I think the lead-up is the best part. Yes, it’s erratic and uncertain, but at least there is nothing to lose. Once you finally get the person you want, then comes the horrible possibility of losing them. I had won Nick and lost him all in one night. I really couldn’t dwell on that now though. Besides the fact that it made me ache inside, I had something much more urgent to worry about.
The two-storey stone house had a red front door and a balcony that looked out on the magnificent view. To the right, beyond a colourful garden, stood a wooden log cabin, a wind chime on its porch tinkling in the light breeze. For a split second I thought about turning round. I thought about running back down the mountain and going back into the caravan, and getting back into bed, and forgetting any of this had ever happened. Part of me was tempted to do this. But another part of me knew that if I kept on ignoring whatever this was… something even worse might happen. And I didn’t want to imagine what could be worse than last night. So I knocked on the door of the house and a man whom I assumed was Ger Rapple opened it. He was not at all as I’d expected. I had imagined he might look a bit strange, a touch wacky, but he was really normal. He wore a blue striped shirt and beige cords. He had broad shoulders, tanned skin and a short grey beard. I guessed he was about fifty, and he had a warm smile that was very welcoming. I instantly felt calmer.
‘You must be Jacki,’ he said. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Hi,’ I said as I shook his hand. He had a calm air about him, completely relaxed and untroubled. I was starting to think that maybe everything was going to be OK after all. Ger would figure out what was wrong and my life would go back to the way it used to be.
‘Is there anyone here with you?’ he asked, looking down the driveway. ‘When people are under eighteen I prefer that they have somebody with them.’
‘No, there isn’t… but I really need to see you. Today,’ I insisted as politely as possible. I couldn’t miss out on this, the possibility to switch my life back. There was no way I could explain this to Mum. I needed Ger to see me. I looked at him pleadingly.
He hesitated, but to my relief, said ‘OK then, this way,’ and I followed him over to the log cabin. It was really bright inside, the sunlight beaming in through the back window. A soothing violin concerto played on the stereo in the corner. ‘OK, Jacki,’ he said. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘Something very weird is happening to me,’ I said. ‘I need to know what’s going on.’
The details came gushing out of me all at once. The nightmares, the visions, the headaches, the bruises and the mysterious attack. I told him about the girl I’d seen in the forest and in the cafe and about the dream I’d had last night. I didn’t care if he thought I was crazy, I just needed to tell someone the whole story.
He didn’t seem shocked by any of it. He simply looked at me for a few moments, as if deciding the best way to explain.
‘OK,’ he said. ‘It seems to me that someone is trying to contact you.’
I had an idea what he was hinting at. But I needed to find out more.
‘Who…?’ I said.
‘When I say “someone”… I mean… someone from the other side.’
That’s what I’d been afraid of.
‘Like a… a ghost?’ When I said it out loud I realized how utterly ridiculous it sounded.
‘Yes, a spirit, perhaps. The headaches you described are a common side-effect of spirit contact.’
This was getting too much for me. After being so eager for answers, I wasn’t prepared for it. I had to get out.
‘I’d better go,’ I said. ‘I don’t feel comfortable with all this.’ I wasn’t ready to hear it. I had let fear get the better of me. I’d been so frightened that I’d allowed myself to go beyond desperate. I should never have come here.
‘I’m sorry,’ I mumbled as I pushed the door open.
‘Jacki?’ he said.
I just wanted to leave. ‘Yes?’ I replied without looking back.
‘Can I ask you a question?’
I hesitated, but turned round and nodded anyway, preparing to take off as soon as I had answered. Ger spoke quietly, so that I had to listen really closely to hear him. ‘Your dad wants to know… why are you wearing his socks?’
I was suddenly aware of the feel of the thick grey cotton socks on my feet. They were my lucky socks. The ones that I wore when I had to do something I was nervous about. The ones I had taken from one of the plastic bin bags at the foot of Mum’s bed before she gave them away. That morning I’d put them on to try to make myself feel a bit better. Nobody knew I had them. Not even Mum. And there was absolutely no way Ger could have known or even guessed. I was wearing Doc Martens: my socks couldn’t be seen. Besides, I hadn’t even told him that my father was dead. I stood stuck to that spot for several moments.
‘How did you… how did you know…?’ My voice trailed off into nothing.
‘Are you OK?’ asked Ger.
‘Yes. Yes, I’m fine.’ I was desperately trying to hold back my tears, but failing miserably.
‘Why don’t you sit down.’
I walked back across the room and sat on one of the chairs. I felt like I was in a sort of trance. I couldn’t feel my feet move; I was completely in shock.
‘Here.’ Ger gave me a tissue and I wiped my eyes.
‘Are you… are you, like… talking to my dad?’
‘We were only able to communicate for a few seconds. He’s moved on, you see. He’s at peace. Not like the spirit who’s been trying to get in touch with you. She’s not at peace. She needs your help to move on.’
I was so glad to hear that my dad’s spirit was at peace, but disappointed that Ger couldn’t talk to him for longer. I couldn’t explain how he knew about the socks without accepting that what he was saying was true. Something or someone was trying to contact me. From the other side. I had no idea why they’d chosen me. I was a fifteen-year-old sceptic. Maybe Ger would know why.
‘But why me?’ I asked. ‘Why is she contacting me? I’ve just moved here.’
‘There must be a reason why she chose you,’ said Ger. ‘I’m not getting very many details about her… but I do think she had a violent death.’
‘Was she… murdered?’ I whispered.
‘Perhaps.’ Ger’s voice was gentle. ‘Jacki, some people are more in touch with the other side. I am, and so are
