Dead, Actually Part 5

'Not for long. She slipped out of the closet and returned with a boutique bag. 'Same shop. Its very Twiggy and I knew it was you the minute I saw it. She held up one hand. 'And yes. I know before you say it that Twiggy had no b.o.o.bs, but she was streaky and hot! She could wear anything. Just like you! She pulled open the bag and dragged out this froth of gold. 'Quick, put it on!

'Why cant I just wear jeans?

'Not to this party, sweetheart. She leaned back against the shelving. 'Girl fans or not, these chicks are one acrylic-nail application away from being feral. Think of this as armour.

I knew from experience that it was useless arguing with Macey about fashion. Besides, the last thing I needed was to p.i.s.s her off and have her bail on me. With a sigh I slipped it over my head, feeling the weight of the fabric slide down over my body like melted chocolate, watching the frou-frou layers dance into place.

Macey nodded. 'Perfect. Very Mischa Barton. She c.o.c.ked her head to one side, her eyes far away. 'Very chic. Of course, youre so much hotter. More alive, you know? More golden.

Ten minutes later, I had to admit shed nailed it again. Id never have picked it, but she was right, the dress looked good. Probably better with the gold and brown eye shadow shed applied, the shimmery lip-gloss and the way shed somehow feathered my hair.

'So, you like?

Of course I 'liked, but before I could answer, I felt the change. That pervasive chill. Then I saw her; saw her sneer at Macey. Saw the whole fingergag thing. 'Excuse me? I cant believe you just did that!

JoJos answer was a cla.s.sic eye-roll but in my peripheral vision, Maceys head shot up, her eyes wary. 'Pardon?

Ignoring Macey, I focussed on JoJo. 'What are you doing in here, anyway? I demanded.

Beside me, Macey straightened. 'Again: Pardon? Did we just step through a portal into another dimension? I thought I was here saving your backside, but if you want to commit fashion suicide go right ahead!

I swivelled back to Macey. 'Im not talking to you!

'Well, fine! Macey answered with a shrug. 'Ill just leave then . . .

JoJo, meanwhile, had now chosen to ignore Macey completely. 'I need to know what youve done to find my phone. Her eyes narrowed. 'I dont need to remind you . . .

'Ive had enough of your threats. So back off or- 'Or what? Macey challenged. 'You wont let me come to this party? She folded her arms and one eyebrow rose in that way she has of making other human beings feel like theyve stumbled onto the wrong planet. 'Well, baby? Bring it on. Id love not to go to this party.

Maceys words finally penetrated, drowning my rage in a flood of mortification. I spun to her, my hands outstretched. 'No, wait! Please, Macey this isnt about you. Im not even talking to you! Honest! I turned back to JoJo. 'Just go, alright? I cant think while youre nagging at me!

As I pressed my fingers to my temple Macey took a tentative step closer. 'Um, Wills? Honey? If youre not talking to me, then who are you talking to? I cant see anyone else here but us.

She scanned the closet. I followed her line of vision, but amazingly JoJo had really done as Id asked! Shed gone back to the bedroom! Slack with relief I slumped against the mirror.

Wheeling back to me, Macey reached out and stroked my arm. 'Are you okay? I mean, youve been acting pretty weird since the funeral. So not "you".

Right . . . And the answer to that was . . .?

'Willow? Whats going on? Like, h.e.l.lo? You still havent explained why were ditching the Katherine Hepburn marathon at the Crystal for this party. The last time they hosted a retro marathon we blew off your grandmothers birthday party, for crying out loud! So this must be huge! I mean, were talking about ditching Kate and Spencer here! And for this? A party of people we dont even like? Are you, like, okay?

I heard her frustration and felt my own ratchet up a notch. 'Oh my G.o.d the marathon! My palm actually tingled with the need to smack myself on the forehead. 'Im really sorry Mace, forgot all about it.

'But we were just talking about it yesterday. Weve waited weeks for this!

'Yeah well, I ran my fingers across a row of ruffles, 'yesterday seems like a lifetime ago. And trust me, Id much rather be going to an all-night movie session.

'Okay, so now I really dont get anything. Folding her arms, she leaned back against the shelves. 'Why are we going to Teahnas? If you dont even want to go, then why are we torturing ourselves? And why are you talking to thin air? Are you sick or something?

'Thats a question Ive been asking myself . . . Stepping past her, I headed into my bathroom to grab a gla.s.s of water. I dont usually fall apart easily, so I was pretty rocked to see my hand shaking. But still I had to say it. I had to tell Macey and somehow make her believe me. 'Youre not going to like this answer, I called over my shoulder, 'but were going to try to find out whos got JoJos phone. Shes apparently got all this stuff stored in it. Information she reckons is important.

Her groan reached me just before she did. 'Tell me all this isnt about JoJo! Youre still on about that? Awww man, I thought youd have slept that off by now. I mean, I know some of the others have got vacant signs above their heads, but youre too smart for all this stuff! I cant believe people are sucked into believing shes communicating from the dead. Sighing, she slid her backside up onto the wide marble bench. 'Okay, tell me everything. Who told you about the missing phone?

I sipped the water, put the gla.s.s back on the bench and took a deep breath. There was about to be an explosion and I needed to be ready. 'JoJo.

It was a good thing I was prepared. 'JoJo!! JoJo??? Maceys voice bounced off the high ceilings, competing with the rifle-like crack of hands landing against the skin-tight sides of her dress, and her shoes. .h.i.tting the tiled floor. Stepping forward, she grabbed me by the shoulders. 'Willow, look at me; look into my eyes. JoJo doesnt exist anymore. Shes dead!

'You think I dont want to believe that? You think I dont wish she wasnt sitting in my bedroom? You think I dont wish she wasnt threatening to make my life a misery? I pushed her away and waved my hands in the direction of the hallway. 'You think I dont have enough to worry about around here with the two apostles setting themselves loose on the world? You think I dont have to worry about Saint Simon and being too freaked to stay in my own house in case I run into him? You think? On a roll, I quickly inhaled and took off again before Macey could get a word in. 'And why the h.e.l.l did JoJo pick me? Doesnt she have a home to go to? Parents to haunt?

'Theyre in Tahiti. They left this morning for an extended stay. To grieve.

'What?

Her eyes darted back and forth, as though trying to shake her brain into action; to catch up. 'Her parents. You asked- 'I know what I asked! Frustration burned, tangling my words. 'What . . . but . . . So why isnt she with them? Even as I uttered the question, I knew the answer. For G.o.ds sake, JoJo couldnt even get to the street below let alone float off to Tahiti.

Macey stepped back, frowning, her eyes concerned. 'Hey, down girl, she said softly. Her eyes searched my face. 'Are you serious? You cant really believe that b.i.t.c.h is still alive?

I shook my head, feeling the pressure of the last twenty-four hours squeeze in tighter. 'I know shes dead, Macey . . . My voice trailed off.

'But? Macey prompted. Her voice was lower, softer, but her eyes told me she was expecting something she may not want to hear. Yeah, well welcome to my world.

The breath I dragged in was supposed to help me, but somehow it felt like it was choking me instead. 'But I also know shes been in my bedroom since last night. Her spirit cant move over to the other side! For G.o.ds sake she didnt even know she was dead! I had to tell her.

What happened next was no surprise, really. I mean, what do you expect if you tell someone youre seeing dead people? They look at you like youre a loony, right?

Right.

And they dont say anything. For a l-o-n-g while.

It was only when Macey finally let out a really long, deep sigh that I realised shed been holding her breath for all of that time. When she spoke it was in her best a.n.a.lytical, journalistic voice; the one that one day would launch her into current affairs stardom. 'Willow, apart from myself, youre the sanest person I know. So . . . that means, she continued, pivoting on one spiky heel, 'that youve either been taken over by some random dark forces; that youve flipped out completely and Im about to be sucked into your insanity or that youre telling the truth. My problem is working out which it is.

In a weird way, it suddenly felt like I was pleading for my life. Maybe I was. 'Im telling the truth, Mace. The G.o.d-awful, horrible truth.

Finally Macey nodded, but as hard as I searched her face, for once I couldnt tell if she believed me. She nudged her head around the corner of the bathroom door. 'Okay . . . Right . . . So?

I shuddered. 'Shes sitting right there on the bed.

Macey looked again, harder. 'Really? Youre not kidding me? I nodded and her eyes widened. 'So how does she move? Communicate? Astral projection? Cerebral email?

'She kind of floats. I shrugged. 'And she just talks . . .

'And she can hear?

'I guess so. She can hear me.

Macey nodded and moved into the room. Curious, I followed, in time to see her take a stance right beside the bed. 'So, JoJo, she began. 'I hear youre giving my friend a bad time? I wish you wouldnt. Macey stopped and gave this really over-acted startle. 'Oh, whats that I hear? Like a crinkling noise . . . Could it be . . .? Yes! I think its the sound of decaying flesh. That would be your decaying flesh, JoJo, seeing as youre the only dead person in the room.

Rolling my eyes, I flopped onto the chaise. JoJos response was a death stare, which could have been very funny if it wasnt a real death stare. 'You dont believe me.

Macey went to protest, but I held up one hand as an idea formed. 'Go back into the closet, close the door and pick up a piece of clothing and hold it till I call you back out. Turning to JoJo, I continued my instructions. 'Youre going to do this, JoJo, no matter how far beneath you it is to help me. Youre going to do this because I need help; I cant do this on my own. Right?

Her answer was an eye-roll and a sigh that no words could have conveyed nearly as well.

Macey was looking at me again like I was crazy, but I was getting used to that look. Her head was c.o.c.ked to the side, her eyes narrowed. 'Will- 'Just do it, Mace. If youre really my friend, youll do it.

With a shrug she did as I asked. A second later a very reluctant JoJo followed her. And a minute later I called Macey back out.

'Black tank, I told her slowly. 'First you picked up the Broncos jersey, but you muttered something about not understanding how I could wear it, even to bed. So you put it down and went for the tank.

While JoJo stood smugly to the side, Maceys eyes did a three-sixty, and she marched back to the now-open door of the closet. 'Mirrors you did that with mirrors.

I shook my head.

'Hidden microphones. Nanny Cam!

This time I didnt even bother answering, just stared at her.

And she stared back. For a moment her mouth simply opened and closed, with no sound being uttered. Her eyes were wide and I knew the exact moment her brain finally accepted the truth. Because her face seemed to lose all colour and she swayed. I dived to catch her, but this was Macey; nothing fazed her for long. She pushed me away, squared her shoulders, let her eyes roam the room and then finally looked me straight in the eyes. 'Oh. My. Freaking . . .

There wasnt much I could add to that, really. I knew exactly how she felt. Thing was, though, she could never know how I felt at that moment; never know how good it felt to be able to share this stuff with someone. And have them believe me.

'Thanks, Mace. For everything. I shrugged, feeling grateful and awkward at the same time. I mean, what was the protocol for the first time you share a ghost with someone? I bet even Gran didnt have that social chestnut squirrelled away anywhere. 'So, I guess we should get going but I sooo wish we didnt have to. I can tell you, theres no way Id be doing this without you. These people are really freaking me out.

Still looking dazed, she shook her head. 'Sorry. Still getting my head around this. Talk about a spinout. Dragging in a breath she squeezed out a grin. 'Youd have done okay. Seths going to be there and hed look after you.

'What? Head. Hand. Smack. 'Seth! I totally forgot Seth would be there. I was pretty p.i.s.sed off with him yesterday.

'And? Hes my brother. For me, being p.i.s.sed with him is the habit du jour. She grabbed my arm. 'Lighten up, okay? I thought we were going to a party? Lets go! Im driving.

I sighed and followed. 'A wake. Were going to a wake.

She laughed as she skipped down the stairs. 'If its to celebrate JoJos death its a party.

I answered with a nervous laugh and darted a look over my shoulder. My glance confirmed what Id feared; coming back home was not going to be a happy experience.

Great.

Chapter Six.

As soon as we hit the night air, Macey was completely back to her old self, which meant she had to know everything. It was only when I was bringing her up to speed that I realised how many blanks there were in the story. Sure, thered been the whole shock factor, but really, I should have spotted them. Macey did. Immediately. Her rapid-fire questions were only missing a high-powered lamp and some sharpened bamboo sticks.

Why did JoJo need the phone?

She thinks she was murdered.

Why had JoJo been out at the hinterlands? Who had she been meeting?

Two blanks from me.

Why cant she leave the bedroom? Blank.

Why cant she remember anything? Blank.

Whats with the power-down? And blank . . .

This was why Macey was going to be the journalist and I was going to be the economist. It was a different world. Luckily, though, some of the answers were at hand, literally; my fingers danced across the keyboard on my phone. In exactly three seconds Google had coughed up 21,732 options. 'Okay, its only Wiki, but it says- 'Dont knock Wiki, she interrupted sharply. 'I have two entries in Wiki both comprehensively researched.

'The mere pleb apologises to the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses of Wiki. Rolling my eyes I continued. 'Okay, so its not unusual for a dead person not to know theyre dead especially if the death was sudden and violent. They need some time to adjust, apparently.

'Interesting . . . And?

'Okay, the movement. I paused and skimmed ahead. 'Well, it seems they have an energy source probably the first place they appeared. It mostly comes from a person, but it can also come from a place. Once theyre used to being here in spectral form, they can actually move, but theyll have to keep returning to the energy source. I glanced up. 'I guess they really are like rechargeable batteries.

Macey slowed for a Give Way sign. 'So why cant she remember?

'Apparently they can have blocks just like us. Especially if there are things that are unpleasant to remember. Again I glanced over at Macey, who was now moving us through the intersection. 'It says that if the death has been traumatic, the true memories might take a while to come to the fore.

'Great, she answered with a sigh.

'No, wait! Listen to this bit: "Therell be confusion, but the spectre might eventually respond to prompts."

She slid into a parking s.p.a.ce and pulled on the doorhandle. 'I guess thats hopeful, right?

Who knew? I climbed out of my side of the car and then stopped dead. So, yes, sure, JoJo was the reason we were even here at this place, but at that moment thoughts of her were pushed to the side. Way to the side. As Macey sauntered across the street ahead of me, I just stared. I was used to money; used to all the perks it brings but this was just plain ridiculous.

Teahnas father was a big-time film producer who liked to keep his family away from the limelight. It was a ca.n.a.l property with its own boat ramp, yacht and helipad. That much I knew, but seeing it was believing . . . The house was enormous; set over three blocks of land and three storeys tall. Even by Gold Coast standards it was huge, and I swear there was more lighting in the palm-lined driveway than the whole of Cavill Mall in Surfers. We walked into the mile-wide foyer and skipped past the elevator, opting for the curving marble stairs that took us down to the pool area. Everyone was gathered in a room overlooking the pool and ca.n.a.l; a room big enough to comfortably hold the entire senior year in one corner, and which had two fully stocked bars in case they were all very thirsty. Trust me, no one was going to die of dehydration. Alcohol poisoning maybe, but not dehydration.

About forty people were already there, most of them ignoring the rock band that was so amped up the neighbours were probably hiding out in their earthquake-proof underground bunkers. At a quick glance I saw all of the A-list and a lot of wannabe hangers. I figured those hangers would be looking at us like we were trying to crash the party as well. If only they knew. All I wanted was to get out!

And that feeling just kept growing. Just seconds after arriving I sensed something was very wrong, yet I couldnt quite figure why I felt that way.

On the surface it was probably like any low-key party. Macey strutted on ahead and it was really interesting to watch the ripples as she moved through the crowd. Girls looked at her and then turned away as if theyd just stepped in something nasty when in truth they oozed jealousy. The guys, on the other hand, all had this glazed look; like shed put some spell on them. That was Macey. Even when she was being outrageous she did it with style.

I flicked a glance around the room. Over on one wall was a huge framed photograph of JoJo, and in front of it sat dozens of tiny votive candles surrounding a couple of strategically placed larger scented candles, all intertwined with fragrant white flowers. Jasmine. My knowledge of flowers was almost zilch, but jasmine was my favourite and the heady scent wafting across the area curled around me. Crazy. Probably a good percentage of the most expensive designer perfumes in the world were represented at this party, but it was the cloying jasmine that stole the show.

Near the shrine, three girls stood crying softly and a few guys just stood and stared. Like they were in awe. And with that sight came the guilt. My guilt. Some of these people must have loved JoJo and there I was intruding on their s.p.a.ce. It was a time when friends should be together; supporting each other in their grief, remembering, consoling. Not a time to invite strangers.

Yet even as those thoughts were churning around, that same niggly feeling Id sensed when wed arrived was screaming, determined to take centre stage.

I let my eyes roam a bit more and then it hit me. These people werent together. They were here but they werent together. Oh sure, they were talking to each other, but they werent really talking. Weird. It was like they were islands and yes, as dramatic as that sounds, it got worse. They were like islands that were all determined not to let anyone set foot on their sand. Like they didnt trust each other.