Tuesday {The Manhattan Trilogy #1}

Oklahoma (J)

Above: Davis family home in Bixby, OK

When my two daughters appear at our apartment door for the second time tonight, I am not shocked in the slightest, since they already told me everything spirits can do. What surprises me is the family they bring along with them. A dirty-blond-haired and brown-eyed man and woman who I think are fraternal twins huddle close together, still shaking from what happened today. A taller woman with brown eyes and hair is standing next to them, texting someone as rapidly as she can on her Nokia.

My girls inform me that the brunette woman's name is Nicole. The younger woman and man are her twin sister and brother, Julia and Trevor. The sisters work at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Their brother worked at what used to be 7 World Trade Center.

The weird thing about these siblings? Julia died when part of the Pentagon collapsed this afternoon. She's a spirit from the Kingdom, just like my twin daughters.

"Dad, this is important," North Tower looks up at me. "We are going to the state of Oklahoma to bring these three siblings to visit their worried parents."

"How in the world will we get there, honey?" I ask in surprise. "It's too late to go anywhere, and you can't book a flight that fast. Plus, no planes are allowed to fly for a few days."

"We are spirits, Father," South Tower sighs. "We can teleport anywhere in the United States."

"Helena!" I call to my wife. "It is time for a quick little trip!"

My wife runs to the doorway in response to my shout. I quickly explain the details of what we are about to do to her. Helena is very intelligent, so she understands immediately, and soon, she has agreed to take a short trip to Bixby, Oklahoma.

"Okay," Julia raises her voice. "Everyone grab hands. This might feel a bit weird, living people!"

I clutch Helena's hand tightly. She holds North Tower's, and North Tower holds South Tower's. After this sequence of hand-grabbing goes on for a little while, everyone has another person's hand in theirs. Julia closes her eyes, and we are off to Oklahoma.

Suddenly, I feel a hard jolt. I am traveling at what feels like the speed of sound. I can see the United States below me. I cry out, trying to keep my hold on my wife's hand, not wanting to let go of her while soaring over the city of Independence, Missouri. I shut my eyes so hard that tears come out of them.

Then it's over.

We all land in someone's backyard. Their house is still brightly lit, which means the residents are awake. I discover that in Oklahoma, September is a very hot month. This Bixby place isn't a big city, either. It's quiet outside for the first time in my life. I can hear the chirping of crickets, which is something I never heard, having loved my whole life in large cities.

"That was a crazy thing you just did!" Helena pants, massaging her head. "I never imagined teleportation to be like that."

"Where are we again?" I ask the Davis family.

"Bixby, Oklahoma," Nicole replies. "It's part of the city, but this particular place is suburban and kind of rural as well."

"Nicky, Julie, and I grew up here," Trevor adds. "We didn't grow up with city noises, skyscrapers, and lights, like you Statens did."

"This is our parents' backyard," Julia finishes.

"This is the Davis household," my twin girls chime in together.

"Yes it is, girls," Trevor mumbles. He leads the rest of us up to the little wooden front door, where he slowly raises one fist and knocks hard three times.

"The kids! That's their knock!" A woman calls out joyously from inside.

The lady who shouted opens the door for us. She's a plump woman of about fifty years of age. Her husband, who looks to be around the same age as his wife, is standing close behind her.

"Trevor, Nicole, and Julia! How nice to see you three lovelies again!" She smiles at her grown children. "And who are your four visitors?"

"Hello, Mrs. Davis. My name is James," I say politely.

"I am Helena, his wife," Helena continues.

"I'm North Tower, the soul of what used to be the One World Trade Center," my first twin says. "I'm actually dead, you know. I am a spirit."

"So am I," my second twin adds. "And I am South Tower, her identical twin sister."

"Mom and Dad, I have something very important to tell you two," Julia speaks up.

"What is it, Jules, my dear daughter?" Older Mr. Davis inquires.

"I died in the Pentagon when part of it collapsed," Julia sighs. "I'm a spirit too, just like the Towers."

"Really? You are dead?" Mrs. Davis cries out. "Oh, my poor baby!"

"It's okay, Mom," Julia hugs her mother. "Honestly, it's fine. There's nothing super terrible about being dead."

"Sorry to interrupt, Julia, but how did y'all get here so fast?" Older Mr. Davis questions nervously. "All planes were forced to do an emergency landing earlier today."

"Spirit teleportation," Julia shrugs. "It's a thing we can do, but weirdly enough, it's not international."

"Oh," both of her parents respond.

"Anyway, it's very nice to see you, my children," Mrs. Davis beams.

"And your four kind visitors," Older Mr. Davis puts a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Goodbye," we all say in unison.

We prepare to teleport again. This time, I am prepared for the odd sensation. I feel the cool September breeze on my face as we travel across several states every second. I'm glad we visited the Davis parents in Bixby, Oklahoma. It was definitely an interesting time.

My family and Trevor land back in southern Manhattan. Nicole and Julia must have arrived in Arlington, Virginia, where they work and live. Trevor bids goodbye to us and walks back towards his apartment. The Towers, Helena, and I walk back to ours.

We're finally headed home for good.