In the middle of my sight, I spy a park ranger. I move nearer and get a thorough look.
The man looks like he's in his mid 30s. His face is chiseled down to the bone. His hair is a short matte of brown with dark lines in the underside. Year of experience is apparent from his looks. His biceps is carved by the years of carrying things. His legs, thick from climbing the reserve. His hands however, showed scars from the dangers met in the forest. It's probably why he's carrying a rifle behind his back.
I look at Henry and realized my intent.
"That's Ranger Mavis." He said before nodding towards his direction.
That wasy cue. My whole being merged with Mavis. The entire process was quicker this time. In an instant, the world filled with color. Every sensation was back to their former glory. I pat my beefy arms and feel how heavy they are. I expected that I would have a hard time lifting them but my strength was enough to overcome that.
I had no time to refresh my returned senses. Henry pulled me towards a different room. He approached an older figure who looks he's having difficulty with a computer.
"Uncle Matthew!" Henry sensed. He rushed at the man and jumped at his arms.
"I was expecting you champ." Matthew said.
"Expecting me?"
"I know you'd go here after the ruckus in the station."
"So are you going to tell me about it?"
"I'm sorry but I can't tell you champ. Confidential stuff." Matthew leaned over Henry's ear and whispered in increased volume. "But I can tell you that it involved a missing Marauder camp near Star Creek and white mist that appears before people go missing. Oh my! I said a lot didn't I?"
Henry nooded with a sheepish grin in his face.
"Thank you uncle." Henry smiled.
"I know what you're thinking Herriam! Don't do it. Your mom and I are going to have another session." Matthew eyed me. "Mavis, would you be so kind and escort Henry back to his home. Make sure he goes back."
I grabbed Henry's hand and lead him outside. He was trying to remove his grasp but my strength is incomparable to his. Although, I know he's doing it to fool his uncle.
Once outside, I let go of him.
"Herriam huh?" I said. We've known each other for months and I only found that right now.
"What about it?"
"Nothing."
Henry approached me and dug his hands in my pocket. A metallic cling jingle inside. Henry pulled out a set of car keys. He pressed the beeper and a sound rang in the distance. We followed it to a black SUV at the back of the parking lot.
"We're going to the North Western Gate. It's a bit far." Henry said.
"Do you expect me to drive that? I haven't driven a single vehicle my entire ghostly life." I said.
Henry ignored me and went inside the vehicle. He sat by the passenger seat and pat the driver's seat. "You're going to be fine. I'll teach you."
"You're fifteen!" I retorted.
"And I played hundreds of racing games. Get in."
When I climbed aboard, I felt a weird familiarity fall upon me. By instinct, my hands closed the door and grabbed the keys. I started the engine and left the parking lot like I've done this a thousand times before.
"I thought you don't know how to drive? You're doing fantastic."
"I thought the same too. I just feel like I've done this before. It's weird."
"That's called muscle memory."
Henry explained that muscle memory is the way your body is accustomed to certain tasks. Like a tennis player's eyes are accustomed to seeing fast objects and react to them. That is how their body is built. Doing the same thing a hundred times and you're body can do the same tasks with unconscious autonomy.
By the time he finished his lesson, I somehow reached the North Western Gate. From a distance, I could already see the gigantic wooden gate that separated the wild from civilization. I could also feel the same energy that stung me earlier.
When I left my vehicle, a park ranger approached me. He's a trainee from the looks of it. He has that wiry frame and fresh freckles strewn across his cheeks.
"Senior Mavis." The scout saluted. "We did not receive any messages about your arrival."
"Uh..." I said with a gruff voice. Thousands of excuses are swirling my mind. "I am reassigned in here. It was an ummm... Emergency?"
"It is noted and appreciated. Would you like the day report?"
What ever that is, I approved.
"We were tracking the white mist up until 800 hours. It dissipated soon after. And we found another abandoned camp site South West of Star Creek. 2 rangers has been dispatched."
"Good." I tried sounding assertive. "So who's the man in charge in here?"
The scout looked at me in confusion. It was clear that he was arguing inside. But he decided to go against his opinion in preferance to formality.
"Head Ranger Emelita Fury has been leading this place since last month sir. She's at the gate monitoring the uplink of the rangers sir."
I bid my thanks to the lad and headed to the gate. In there, I saw a striking figure in the distance. Her hair is as dark as her skin. She stands like an Amazon woman standing guard in front of her domain. In front of her is a barrier unlike any I've ever seen. It's not made of stone nor metal nor wood. It's a bright blue sheet of blue crackling energy. It's making my skin crawl just by looking at it.
"Mavis?" She said through the barrier. "no one mentioned you'd be coming. What brings you here?"
"I need to go into the forest."
"No can do. I have a strict order from the top not to let anyone in. Unless you're authorized by Matt. Didn't you get the same instructions?"
"Uhh... I forgot."
"You never stroked me as a man who forget things. Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine. Just a little under the weather."
"I know. This whole thing about missing people is stressing everyone."
I returned back to Henry and told him the scope of the land. I could try passing through that barrier. But an energy that intense would fry creatures more than ghost. They are meticulous in their guardianship of the gate.
"Can you float over the gate?"
So far, I can float a few meters above the ground. Nothing more, nothing less. Floating higher means exerting more effort than I can currently do.
"No."
Henry looked around. He pointed at the largest redwood tree bordering the barrier. At the roots are three park rangers guarding the perimeter with pistols in their hips.
"I could climb that."
"And do what?"
"Pass through the barrier and open the gate from the other side."
That was easier said than done. "I propose another way. How about I distract the woman from the gate so that she would be forced to go back here. Then you sneak inside."
Henry was adamant by your suggestion. Irregardless of what he likes, you're the one that can initiate which choice you're going to do.