Erasing: Shadows (The Erasing Series) by K.D. Rose Page A

real world?” suggested Stu.
    “Exactly,” said Mrs. Ross. Her eyes were still troubled.
    “Anyway,” she continued ominously, “there are two things I want you to take to heart.”
    “Okay,” said Stu. He really didn’t know what else to say.
    “First, I need you to listen to me when the time is right about Mira and Michael. I know you think you know everything, and I don’t mean that in a bad way, but I understand a bigger picture. One day you will too, but I need you to trust me and when the time comes, do what I say, regardless of what it seems like. It is no time soon, but we need to achieve this mutual understanding. Can you do what I ask?”
    Stu squinted his eyes and furrowed his brow. What was she going to ask him to do?
    “I can assure you,” said Mrs. Ross, “that it will be the right thing to do for everyone involved and will work out to a good end, whatever it seems like at the time. That is the problem with understanding the big picture.”. “Sometimes, to help people the most, we mustn’t stop them from making mistakes,” she said, mystery in her voice. “Like I said, it won’t be anytime soon, if that makes you feel any better.”
    Stu stepped back and considered the implications for a moment. “All right,” he said with hesitation. “But only because I understand a little of what you mean from my own experience. Sometimes I have to say one thing and mean another, because it would mess the other person up to do otherwise.”
    “I knew you would understand,” said Mrs. Ross, “but I still need your word.”
    “You have my word,” said Stu, who didn’t know what he was promising, but he did know that Mrs. Ross loved her family more than anything else, so what else was there to do?
    “Good. Now that’s settled, the second thing is Madison.” Mrs. Ross pointed a bony finger at Stu, for she had not appeared younger this time. She looked like her regular grandmotherly, somewhat wizened, self. “I want you to be good to her, young man!”
    Stu was taken aback and instantly retorted, “Wait, I don’t have time for girlfriends or dates or anything like that. I just don’t—”
    Mrs. Ross laughed. “Good! Because that’s not what she needs. She has plenty of those!”
    “Wait a minute,” Stu paused. He was picturing Madison with other guys and his face turned red. He went silent and squirmed in his uncomfortable chair.
    Mrs. Ross spoke with a real seriousness. Stu suspected she had been feeling him out. Wily old gal . “Stu, there will come a time when Madison will be in trouble. Not like Mira is now. No, Madison is more like me and like you, but she’s not a Watcher. She’s like fire. She is going to learn things on her own and, at some point, she’s going to take on too much and end up in hot water. I want you to help her when that happens.”
    Stu felt better after hearing that. He stopped squirming, but Mrs. Ross wasn’t finished. “Michael will want to help her and Mira too, and Jonathan won’t be around to stick up for you then. But I want you to step in anyway. Do you understand? Michael has devoted his life to his family. You have devoted yours, and will continue to do so, to learning, to the other world—the astral. Madison will need you there, and, as much as Michael loves her, it’s you that can help her. Understand?”
    “Yes,” said Stu. And he did. He didn’t look forward to it, but he understood.
    “Good. Madison will not be easy—” She stopped again, this time a stricken look on her face.
    “There are so many questions,” started Stu.
    “Quick!” Mrs. Ross said so loud that Stu jumped. “We have to go!” She didn’t wait for Stu to follow, just grabbed him by the sleeve, and took them both.
    They landed a block away from the Ross house, behind trees. Stu started to run toward the house—something terrible must be happening—Mrs. Ross had scared him, but she grabbed him again. She wiped away tears. Now Stu’s heart was pounding and not from