Chapter 12

"For crying out loud Tim! mind the pilot he is meant to be flying this plane! Just because you not could fly in life does not mean you can sit on his instruments now!" Tess could see he was just ignoring her and tried the other tactic – reason and carried on quieter. "Have you thought what might happen if our energy sets something off!"

He looked at her and knowing they both felt it odd actually sitting in someone, hence Tim on the console rather than in the Captain or Co-pilot she added encouragingly. "Come on, let's go back to first class, empty seats and coffee going by!" To make her point she swung round away from Tim through the engineer, who was checking his dials, intending to go through the door hoping as Tim lost his audience he would follow but stopped amazed by the view and exclaimed "Hey! look at the mountains Tim." and wondered what it was like down there.

She felt a sudden rush of something cold as she descended fast then landing on the top of the nearest snow covered mountain. Once she stopped, caught her breath and found she wasn't hurt she got her thoughts together she looked up at the sky and screamed into the air and through her mind and heart. "Tim!"

With a flash of black and pressure all around her she was suddenly back in the plane but not in the cockpit. Tim had his feet across the seats in the first class cabin with a smile and a shake of his head and she knew he was either thinking 'I told you so' or 'you never learn do you' and then she heard his gentle tease. "Fancied a walk?"

She pouted then giggled with relief then exclaimed. "Hell! It's cold down there, and for your information I said look at, not go down and see."

Tim couldn't resist it and said. "Thinking and saying are two different things."

She cut back at him sharply. "Oh shut up! Who smacked up against a tunnel then!" and added remembering his experiences. "It's not as bad as you made it out to be when you visited Ben. So are we in Canada yet?"

Tim sat up properly and gave a short sharp laugh and told the truth. "Well you didn't have someone else's pain in your system."

Tess realised she'd hit a nerve and Tim saw the change in her aura and went on quickly, he wanted a good day not one of fights. "Okay you have a choice of two - soon if you want the quick way, through the airwaves or we could wait for the plane to land and think of the lounge area."

She suddenly felt good even cocky and said happily. "Oh the quick way … it was good fun now I know how it's done and you don't go splat at the end every time. So back to pilot and listen to the radio call, yes?"

Tim smiled and could not resist it as he reminded her they were both new to this. "Yes, but just remember we might have to catch a plane back I'm not sure if there is a distance restriction. Of course you could try wing walking if you like!"

She playfully hit him as he got up and made his way into the walkway and as she followed him teased back. "Gee whiz why should I have all the fun, I'll watch you try." then added as they walked through an airhostess who was in their way. "If there is a restriction I expect we will be zapped back to base quickly enough."

Tim felt a shiver run through him and walked through the cockpit door Tess followed as he answered. "All I can say is I don't want to be zapped back like I was with Ben that was way to fast come on they are calling our City!"

They heard "Vancouver" over the airwaves smiled held hands and felt the darkness engulf them.

They materialised in the air traffic control centre Tim looked around him "Ok find the bus that says city centre or a phone call … oh perhaps not." added hastily realising the dangers.

Tess laughed and pointed and they were on the move again.

oxoxo

With Maria's warning ringing in his ears Benjy watched where he put his hands as he looked and walked around the tables of bric-a-brac, glass and china ornaments. Maria looked around the tables then found some shelves of books, and because she didn't quite know what she was looking for she was feeling more and more frustrated. She had half hoped the book or whatever would jump up and down on the shelf calling out "look at me" she smiled at the thought, nothing would surprise her now. Instead the books stayed still just her skin tingled with embarrassment as her mind kept drifting back to Ben mentioning the ghost in the cave watching her and him together over the years.

The man got up and walked towards Maria, he had been quietly watching them since they came in and decided she could do with some help. "Excuse me. Can I help you at all?" His voice was gentle not at all threatening but it still sent a shiver down her spine.

Maria looked away from the shelves of books, sighed and smiled thinking 'he's nice'.

The man who had spoken to her was about her age, good looking with short dark brown hair with kind dark brown eyes. She knew her request was going to sound mad but then everything was mad at the moment, so what the heck and said. "I am looking for information about an old sailing schooner coming to grief just off shore in a storm not sure of the date though. Many of her crew could have been lost over board but there is one in particular but I do not know his name. He was the captain. I want a memento of that time something like a ship in a bottle or something to be put in a niche in a chapel. So it's got to be genuine. Benjy careful with that please!"

The man smiled reassurance as he saw the boy take extra care of the ornament he had picked up so he could have a better look at it. He knew it would be all right and said. "You're lucky I got books about ships, wrecks and their crews in the back room. There were several off the coast only one with a crew member missing, most were rescued because they were close to the shore and the local fishermen were quick off the mark.

Not only because they could selvage the cargo but a lot of them had family on the ships. There was one which affected a lot of people around here, because the Captain was drowned while trying to help one of his young lads. The young lad was saved but unfortunately they never found the Captain's body and a lot of people believed his soul or ghost is still looking for the lad. He was one of the better captains, treated his men and their families properly but didn't have a family of his own or one that they knew of.

Look, bring your son through to the back there's a table of things he can handle. I let my daughter play there when she's home from school there's nothing valuable on it and most things just bounce." He gave a smile seeing her expression and explained. "Actually I've put some foam under carpet to stop the breakages. I'm Ross English by the way; I've just taken over from my father-in-law who is very keen on ships and history of the area."

"Thank you. Come on Benjy, I am Maria Evans by the way." Watched Benjy put the ornament down and followed him through to the back.

"Oh?" Ross said as he got the books down off the shelves, remembering the news but not wanting to assume.

Maria noticed the question in the statement and smiled. "Yes the one in the papers and on the news this morning Ben's my husband. He's recovering the bit they did not publish was about the ghosts who helped him?" She laughed at Ross' expression then realised she saw surprise but not the 'she must be mad' expression, she had expected and suddenly felt strangely at ease with him and wondered if his wife was around.

She realised he needed more information and carried on. "We wanted the information so we can hold a service and inform any relatives if there were any alive and place something in the Mission to remember him by. We got things that belong to the other ghosts it's really very odd and too long to explain at the moment. Does your wife help you out with the shop?"

Ross's expression showed a flash of sadness as he replied. "No she died just over a year ago... My daughter seems to be more settled here and around her grandparents she says can feel her mother more here than in our old house so I can understand about ghosts. I tried carrying on my own business but she was too unhappy, now I can take over here and possibly open up the back rooms into galleries of some kind. This arrangement comes with family, home and help, which is useful." He found the book he was looking for and handed it over realising for the first time he'd not felt guilty as he spoke about his family and feelings. "Anyway here is the history of the wrecks and we have a bottle with a ship of about that time. There's nothing to say it was from the wreck but it might do as it was made by a sailor."

Maria looked through the book while saying, "I'm sorry for your loss I hope things will be better for you now have family around you. If I can copy this information and buy the ship ... I think Benjy had his eye on a couple of things as well. I used to paint … perhaps after things have settled I might get back to it."

As she made notes Ross took Benjy out into the front of the shop to get the things he wanted. Then with Maria's approval Ross sorted the goods and wrapped them carefully and carried on their previous conversation not wanting to finish their connection with this sale. "If you do any painting I would be happy to hang them I was thinking of local artists of various types as well as the history of wrecks and ships. Come in anytime to browse or check how things are progressing. I expect my daughter will be in Benjy's class or year at least. She starts school next week, she's still at the other school finishing a project, she was so determined to stay and finish it."

Maria took her parcel after giving him a cheque and liking the idea. "Thank you perhaps I'll see you when you bring or collect your daughter to school next week. Come on Benjy only a couple more places then a treat at the Shock Wave before seeing Carmen. Oh we must tell Meg … perhaps we will go to Sunset Sisters first."

Benjy nodded really wishing he could go home and tear off the million of sheets of paper the man had put on his new thing. He picked his parcel up carefully knowing it was heavier than before and followed his mother out giving the door a careful look remembering it swung a bit when he came in.