Jackie raced upstairs quickly and happily. She stood in front of her mirror, waiting patiently and eagerly for her friend to come. Soon Jackie's friend appeared in the reflection, smiling happily. "Hi, Sarah, come on out, I have some wonderful news!"
Sarah stepped out of the mirror. "Good afternoon, Jackie, what is your news?"
"Well, "Jackie said happily. "According to Inez, your prayers are going to be answered at last." Sarah's face looked interested. "As a matter of fact, I think we only have about six more days to go..and then 10,000 prayers are said! You're going to Heaven in six days!"
Sarah's eyes brightened and a huge smile. "You...you mean to say...you did it? Heaven..I I'm really going?"
Jackie grinned. "Yeah, you're going to Heaven, all we have to do is pray for you for about six more days..and we're finished! You're going to go to Heaven!"
Sarah leaped from the bed happily. "Oh, God..oh God..all these years..I've prayed and I've waited and I've hoped...this.." tears then began to form in her eyes. She covered her mouth to try to stifle the sobs, but they were to no avail and the water rolled down her cheeks from sheer happiness.
"Hey, hey, it's OK, it's ok," Jackie said, hugging her as only she was able to hug her. "Yes..you're finally going to Heaven..you're gonna be with James again!"
"James..oh James.." Sarah whispered in total shock and joy. "Oh, God, I can't believe this! I can't believe I can..I am..I've been waiting for this for three hundred years!"
"Well..only six more days for you to wait, then you will!"
Sarah finally looked up and smiled. "Thank you, Jackie..and your friends..if it weren't for you..I might have never made it!"
Jackie's smile vanished quietly. "Yeah..but..I'm really gonna miss you, Sarah."
Sarah looked up at her. "I will miss you as well, Jackie. You're a wonderful person..and you've been such a sweet friend. I know that once I finally go to Heaven, I'll never ever forget you."She gentily laid her hand upon Jackie's own. "Remember, Jackie, treasure every moment you have here on earth..you never know when it might be taken away from you." Jackie nodded. Sarah sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was a human again. I would love to experience what it's like to feel alive..to be able to walk places again..to just know what the world is like and to actually live in it." She sighed again.
Jackie looked upon her own skin. "I wonder.." she began.
"Yes, Jackie?"
"Well..maybe I could help you with that!"
"How?"
Jackie stood up quickly. "Well...you said you'd want to experience what it's like to be human again? Sort of like have that one last adventure before you leave this earth?"
"Yes?"
"Well..I know you can float through walls, in the air, and you can turn invisible..can you maybe go into things?"
"Go into things?"
"Maybe..go into me? I mean..can you try to maybe enter my own body and we can share my body for today?"
Sarah looked interested. "Well..I mean..,I don't know..share your body? For the entire day?"
"Yeah! I mean, why not? You can experience being human one more time, have one last journey before you have to go to Heaven. You can think of this as sort of a goodbye gift from me."
Sarah stood up. "I..I've never tried this before. Are you sure you would like to do this?"
Jackie held up her hand. "I'd really like to, Sarah. You can feel what it's like to be a human for one more day. I'd love to help you."
Sarah took a deep breath. "Well..if you're sure..I'll try," she took a deep breath and stepped forward. She turned into a mist...and entered Jackie's body. Jackie felt a strange feeling as the mist entered her body. She slowly stood up and looked in the mirror..and Sarah stared back at her. Grinning, Jackie waved her arm..and saw Sarah do the exact same thing! Jackie put her hands behind her back as Sarah did the same. They smiled.
"So, Sarah..how do you feel?"
Sarah pulled her arms up over her head, and Jackie felt her arms go up and over her own. She stared at her hands, and turned around, causing Jackie to do the same. "Oh..my..Lord. this is marvelous! I..I haven't had this feeling in a long, long time! Oh.I feel..whole!"
Jackie smiled. "What do you say I show you around this place?"
"Oh, it would be a thrill!"
"OK, just follow my lead! Just let me do the walking, and enjoy the ride!"
"Oh, I can't wait to see this new world up close!"
"Well, you're gonna experience it, Sarah. For today, you're gonna be human again! Just follow me!" Jackie turned from the mirror and walked down the stairs as her father came through the door, home from work. "Hey, Dad!"
"Hey, Sweetheart," he reached down and kissed her on the cheek. But to the surprise of both of them, Jackie found herself sticking one leg behind her and curtseying demurely. Her Dad watched this, amused, and bowed back. "Well, hello, Mi Lady! What brought that about?"
"Oh..uh..just..being funny, Dad."
Her father laughed. "Well, it worked. How'd you know I needed a little game after a hard day?" He laughed and went into the other room. Jackie breathed a sigh of relief. She raced into the mirror and stared at her reflection, which of course was Sarah.
"OK, first of all, Sarah..I should have told you this before..but no one curtseys anymore."
"They don't?"
"No, see, if it's someone we know really well, we give them friendly hugs, if it;s just a casual friend we just say 'hi', or we give them what we call a high-five."
"What's this 'high-five'?"
"Just let me do it, and you'll see. I know you did that out of habit, but for the rest of the day, just let me be in control. Just sit back and enjoy the feeling of being human. I'll guide you in everything you need to know. Just trust me, K?"
"All right, I'm sorry, Jackie."
"It's alright. Luckily my Dad has a great sense of humor."
"I can see that."
Jackie smiled. "Well, let's go outside and take a walk around the block, I can show you everything." She went into the kitchen. "Hi, Mom? I'm gonna take a walk around the block."
"OK, Honey," her mother said. "Be home in time for supper."
"Ok, Mom." Jackie paused only to take a small hand mirror from her dresser and put it in her pocket. She opened the door and went outside and began to walk around the block..but she almost stumbled down the street. Quickly she took out the mirror and ducked into a dark ally. "What's the matter?"
"Could you please not walk to fast? I'm in a dress and I'm stumbling."
"Oh, sorry, Sarah." She slowly stepped out of the alley and walked in a slower pace. "Better?"
"Much better, thank you, Jackie."
"You're welcome, Sarah. Well..this is the block as if the year 2004. Here are the streets and these are the cars."
"Can I touch them?"
"Sure," Jackie walked over to the car, reached out her hand, and placed it upon the nearest parked car. She knew Sarah was now controlling her hand as it guided over the warm metal of the vehicle and took in every detail of the machine.
"Fabulous, and you ride in these?"
"Yep, we do." Jackie then looked out of the corner of her eye and saw someone coming. "Someone's coming, we have to go." Quickly she slipped the mirror into her pocket and took off down the street.
She was walking rather slowly as she let Sarah look all around her. "Fabulous," Sarah said breathlessly. "So, these are what shops look like now? Where are the merchants?"
"Merchants?"
"Yes, the merchants that sell their goods from the streets or their shops."
"Oh, you mean the salespeople?"
"Is that what they are called?"
"Yeah..see, all the shops, well we call them 'stores' now, are actually inside these buildings, and so are the salespeople."
"How impressive..you mean no one sells good from outdoors anymore?"
"Well..sometimes they do, but not to often." She them heared familiar voices from behind her.
"Hey, Jax..Jackie!" Jackie turned around.
"Hey, Matt, Inez, over here!"
"How's everything going?" Matt asked her, coming over to them.
"It's cool."
"Hey, Jax, you sure you're alright?" Inez asked.
"Sure I'm sure, why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, I mean, if you're feeling alright, why are you out here all by yourself..why are you carrying around a hand mirror...why is Sarah's face IN the mirror?" Inez asked with a small gasp.
Jackie glanced in the mirror. "Oh..heh..well, see guys..the reason is that..just for today..Sarah's part of me."
Matt have her a funny look. "Sarah's PART of you?"
"Yeah...I mean..she's IN me! Sarah's inside my body."
Inez looked confused. "But..how can that happen?" She just WENT in you?"
"Yeah! Guys, she's a ghost, remember? She's a mist. She just floated into me. It's kind of her last chance to feel human..you know...before she goes to Heaven."
"So, you finally told her?"
"Yes, she did," Sarah said from the reflection in the mirror.
"So, how do you feel, Sarah?"
"This is a most incredible feeling to have, Inez. I haven't felt like this in hundreds of years. It's so wonderful to feel solid again, like I have substance. Like I'm whole."
"How are you enjoying it so far?"
"I'm loving this!"
"Wanna help me give her the ultimate human experience?"
"Sure!"
"Yeah!"
The three of them continued walking until they found themselves at a fruit stand. They stopped and bought themselves apples. Jackie couldn't hide the delight that was in her as she ate hers. She knew it came from Sarah. As son as the three of them were away from the stand, Jackie took out the mirror and smiled at Sarah. "Do you like this?"
"Mmmm..I haven't had an apple in such a long time. Have you ever noticed how much fun they are to eat? So crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside."
"Yeah, I like eating them too." They threw the cores in the garbage and continued walking down the street. Jackie stopped in her tracks, knowing Sarah caused her to do that. Matt and Inez looked back.
"What does she want to see/" Inez asked.
Jackie pointed up as an airplane slowly flew over head. She pulled out her mirror and tried to look at Sarah who was gazing upwards, amazed. "Unbelieveable! How..how does that DO that? Just..fly..in the air? What IS.."
"That's an airplane, Sarah."
"An airplane? Is that the noise I hear sometimes overhead? All tis time I thought it was a thunderstorm or we were in another war."
"No..those are devices that were invented to fly in the air so people can get places quicker and faster than they did in your day!"
"How can they DO that?" Sarah asked.
"I think it has to do with how they're built and the gas they use."
"This is so amazing! To think that now people can fly in the air..like birds! It's so fascinating!"
"Yeah..comparing now and then," Inez said. "I guess it can be fascinating!"
Jackie..or rather Sarah...whopped her head as a car whipped on by. "My," Sarah said. "People come and go so quickly now." The kids had to nod at this. "So, is that how they all go? In those..what are they..cars?"
"Yep, they do, come on, Sarah..we can show you or library."
"Oh, I've always loved to go to libraries!"
"They're different from your day!"
"I imagine they are, but I'd love to see them!"
"Hey, let's REALLY give her a 21st century experience!" Matt cried. He stood on the curb. "Taxi! Taxi!"
"Taxi?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, taxi's are a lot of fun, they're cars that are driven by other people," Jackie explained. "We pay the drivers of the taxis to take us to anywhere we want to go."
"Ahh..just like coachmen."
"Yes, exactly," Inez said. "But, better brace yourself, Sarah, these go WAY faster than carriages!"
"Oh?" Sarah said, a bit nervously.
"Don't worry, Sarah, if you start to get sick I'll just ask the driver to let us off," Jackie said, just as a yellow taxi pulled up. Sarah looked impressed as Jackie slipped the mirror into her pocket and all three of then got into the taxi. Matt gave the driver the address to the library and they started off. Soon Jackie's face began to have a look of sheer glee as they guided along. She glanced out the window as the surroundings passed by her in a blue of blue and green and yellow. She stretched her arms up and a loud "Whoa!" Came from her lips, startling everyone around her. She smiled sheepishly and mouthed 'sorry' before the reached their destination at the front of the library. They got out and paid the driver. As he pulled away Jackie took out her mirror. "Are you alright, Sarah?"
Sarah got her breath and gave a huge smile. "Wow..that was FUN! A bit fast, but the most incredible journey I've ever had. Do you do this every day?"
"In our own cars, only once in a while in a taxi."
"That was so much fun! Are we there at the library?"
"Yep, we're here! Only, you've got to be quiet while you're in here, you can't make any noise at all. Which means you can look around all you want to, but you can't ask any questions until we're out, do you understand?"
"Yes," Sarah said quickly.
Jackie put the mirror back into her pocket and they all entered the library. Jackei walked around slowly, quietly demonstrated to Sarah how the computer card catalog worked and how they located books now. Once in a while she could feel her mouth drop open in shock or surprise which she immidiately closed. About an hour later they all came out of the library and Jackie got out her mirror. "So, Sarah. What did you think?"
"Most impressive! The library has definitely come a long way since it's humble beginnings when Dr. Franklin founded it. So many books there and all those..what do you call those?"
"Compact Disks, Sarah. We listen to music on them."
"Yes of course. Well, where shall we go now?"
"Hey, let's take her to the park, there's so many things to see there!"
"Great idea, Inez! Let's take another taxi there!"
"Oh, can we?" Sarah asked eagerly.
"Of course we can," Jackie said. "Come on, Sarah, let's go have some more fun!"
As soon as they reached the park and paid the driver, they slowly began to walk around. "So, this is a park?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, it is," Jackie said quickly. "See, the world today isn't all made up of streets and cars, there are lots of places where there are trees and ponds."
"Oh, it's so lovely," Sarah said. "I don't believe I've seen anything like this before..it looks like the woods. Oh, but wouldn;t you get lost?"
"No, we wouldn't because there's this nice smooth path down the middle of the park. As we walk
we just walk right down this path, and we don't wind up getting lost."
"How fascinating."
Matt, Inez, and Jackie then looked up as a sharp bell sounded. They smiled when they saw who it belonged to. "Sarah?" Mat asked as Jackie walked over to him holding the mirror, "Have you ever had ice cream?"
"Not for a very lo ng time," she answred. "Usually the ice cream we had was homemade and it
took quite a long time to make."
"Well, it doesn't take that long here, cause it's already made. See that man up there?" Jackie
turned her head so Sarah could see it. "He sells ice cream out of that container. It;s already
frozen, all he has to do is scoop it into cones."
"Cones? What are they?"
"Come on, we'll show you," they all went over to the ice cream man. "Three ice cream cones , please. Vinella."
They got their cones and went to an almost empty place in the park. Jackie took out her mirror. "See, Sarah? These are cones. They're kind of like an edible dish for ice cream."
"You mean, you can eat that?"
"Yes," Inez said. "See, the cones are kind of like sweetened waffles that are hardened up and the ice cream is put into it." The three of them started eating the ice cream. Matt and Inez could see Sarah's reaction to this treat reflected in Jackie's eyes as she ate. Her eyes began to twinkle happily and she started to giggle and twitter all over.
Jackie acted like she couldn't contain her excitement. Her voice whispered in sheer delight, "Oh..I just LOVE this!" Matt and Inez grinned, they knew it was Sarah saying these things. "This is soo good!"
"Glad you like it, Sarah." Matt said.
"Do you always eat it this way? Oh, I've forgotten how good this is!"
"Yeah, we do," Inez said happily.
They finished up their cones and tossed them into the trash cans. Jackie looked around and spied the nearby duck pond. "Hey, Matt, did you bring some bread today for the ducks?"
"Yep," he fished around in his backpack until he pulled out a huge loaf. "Here's some."
"Great," Jackie pulled out the mirror and looked in at Sarah. "Sarah, this is another thing we like to do in this park. See that pond over ther with those little duck swimming in it?"
"Yes."
"Well, we like to go over to that pond and throw little chunks of bread to them. It's great fun."
"Do they let you do that?"
"Oh, yes. In fact, we can even pet them sometimes, they don't bite."
"Really? Fascinating! May we do that?"
"Sure," Matt said happily. "Let's go." They all walked over to the pond and reached into the bag, pulling out some bread, ripping them to little chunks, and throwing them to the ducks. All three of them laughed and squeeled happily as the ducks eagerly swam up to the bread and lapped up the chunks. Soon more and more ducks came over to them. Finally some ducks actually came out of the pond and waddled over to the three children. They ripped up more bread and began to hand feed the ducks. Jackie felt her own hand being pushed forward as it stroked the fluffy, soft feathers and touched the bill delicately.
"Oh," she felt herself thinking as the hand slowly patted the feathers and felt the birds take the bread from her. "Oh, how precious! Oh my, oh wow! How beautiful!"
Jackie had to smile at Sarah's ways. A bit of pity developed in her heart. God, how long did this girl pet a duck or eat ice cream? Far too long. After quite a while Matt looked at his watch.
"We better get going," Matt said, standing up.
"Yeah, the sun's beginning to set, my parents are going to wonder where I am," Inez said.
"OK," Jackie said happily. "But, let's take a taxi one more time." she could feel Sarah's happiness within her at the very idea.
Once they reached the street near Jackie's home all three of them got out and paid the driver. Jackie beckoned for the two of them to follow her to her home. She stuck her head into the kitchen. "Hi, Mom, I'm back!"
"Hi, Honey," her Mom said, turning around. "Hi, Matt, Inez, how are you?"
"Hi, Mrs. Branch!"
"Hey, Mom, can Matt and Inez stay for dinner tonight?"
"Sure, Honey," her mother said. "Just let them call their parents and see if it's alright by them."
"OK, Mom" Matt and Inez walked over to the phone and took turns calling their parents, it was alright with them. They all went to Jackie's room. "I thought we should all spend as much time as we can with Sarah before she leaves us."
"Yeah, we should," Matt agreed. He, Jackie, and Inez pulled chairs all around the mirror in Jackie's room so they all faced Sarah. "Sarah, I bet you can't wait for this week to finally be over."
"I'm looking forward to seeing James again," Sarah confessed as she reached up to touch the small locket that hung around her neck, causing Jackie's hand to touch HER neck as well.
"You always touch that locket whenever we mention James," Inez pointed out. "Did James give you that?"
"Yes," Sarah confessed, "You see, this locket I wear..it's m most cherished possesion. You know how they told you that James's parents died in a fire? Well, the only thing he had left of his parents that was saved was a golden ring belonging to his mother. He wore it all the time and he treasured it. When I came to America, I was wearing a fancy locket my Father gave to my for a birthday present. When I landed in America, it was right in the middle of the Boston Tea Party.."
"Whoops!" Inez said.
"I know. Anyway, in the scuffle my locket was torn from my neck and was lost at the bottom of the ocean. When James found out how upset I was, he took his mother's ring..the only remainder of his parents, and he made me this very locket. I've been wearing it ever since. I cherish it more than I do anything else." Inez and Jackie were in tears when they heared this stor, so Sarah's eyes got teary as well..
"Wow," Jackie said.
"Now, THAT'S true love," Inez pointed out.
"Whenever I touch it, I'm reminded of my James."She took a deep breath, causing Jackie to do that same.
"Sarah, that's like the two hundreth deep breath you made me take!"
"I haven't breathed in such a long time..breathing actual air...it feel so wonderful to fill lungs like this!"
"Jackie! Matt! Inez!" Jackie's mother said from downstairs. "Time for dinner, we're having hot dogs!"
"All right!!" Matt cried out, standing up happily.
Sarah gave them a funny look. "Hot dogs? What are hot dogs?"
Inez smiled and tried to hold in her laughter. "Well..they're a brand new kind of food here..they're kind of hard to explain..you'll see."
"Uh..yeah..you'll see," Jackie said as they went down the stairs. The kids took their seats as they prepared to dig into the food. Jackie picked up her hot dog and slathered mustard and ketchup on it. As she took her first bite she felt her head snap back at the sharp taste. She knew it was Sarah who caused this to happen, so she quickly recovered. But she couldn't stop the 'Oh!' that escaped from her mouth at the third bite. She looked around as her parents, sister, and friends stared at this behavior. She cleared her throat. "Oh...uh..these are really great hot dogs, Mom. Uh..where did you get them?"
"Just picked them up from the store, Honey, you like them?"
"Oh, yeah! It's really good!" She exchanged looks with Matt and Inez, and they al polished off their dinner and went back upstairs. "So...Sarah," Jackie began, "How did you like your first hot dog?"
Sarah licked her lips, causing Jackie to do the same. Well..it definitely had..a unique taste..it's unlike anything I've ever had. Do you think that taste is WHY people eat those..what did you call them..hot dogs?"
"Yes, we do."
"But..oh..are they MADE from dogs?"
"Oh no..it's made from pork. They're called hot dogs because they're shaped like thin little dogs," Inez explained.
"Oh," Sarah said. Jackie reached over just then, causing Sarah to reach over, and Jackie turned on the radio. The song, 'Bring Me To Life' came out, causing Sarah..and Jackie...to jump. "What is THAT?!"
"Oh..that's music...I mean, music today! Care to listen?"
"All right," Sarah folded her arms and listened to the lyrics. Tears came to her eyes..and ti Jackie's. "That sort of..reminds me..of myself..in a very loud way..my God..is ALL music that loud how?"
"Oh no," Jackie explained. "You see, there's all kinds of music. Lots of people like amny different types. Some people like it fast....some people like it slow..some people like it in between. Different types of music for different people."
"Oh, wow," just then the clock in Jackie's room began to hit 7:30. Jackie sadly looked at it. "It's time," she said sadly.
"Is it?" Sarah asked.
Jackie stood up. "Yeah, you have to go to the Print Shop at night, don't you? It's almost night, now, come on," she raised her arm and held her hand out. "A deal is a deal, the day is over, come out of me."
Sarah looked at her sadly..but she knew Jackie was right. She floated right out of Jackie. Jackie felt a bit strange, not having Sarah in her. But after a few minutes she felt like herself again.
"Wow," Sarah said. "That was so amazing!"
"How was that adventure, Sarah?" Matt asked.
"Oh, I had such fun," Sarah said happily. "I haven't felt this way in SUCH a long time! Oh it was WONDERFUL! I could breath and eat and..so many things! I had apples and ice cream, listened to music.....rode in a taxi..oh, it was so wonderful! I had so much fun! Thank you so much for letting me have this experience." She reached over and gave her a hug.
"You're welcome," Jackie said, hugging her back tenderly before Sarah vanished. "Bye, Sarah! See you tomorrow!"
