Redwood Nine: Season 02 Ch. 05

JT suddenly took a similar look to Moon's, his face serious and focused looking. Piney could only guess at that point, that a connection had been made and despite his curiosity, closed his eyes and focused on the group connection. JT began smiling sadly, the bittersweet connection touching two sides of him at once. Clay watched him openly, speculating to himself on the validity of it. JT's face showed expression after expression, clearly in response to something. After a few minutes, tears streamed down his cheeks, sadness and pain sweeping over him.

Clay had no idea what to make of what his eyes beheld. Obviously, there was something happening to JT, but what, was left to his imagination. He felt Poppy's hand tighten on his and made him look at her. She silently bade him to concentrate again, making him wonder if she felt him not concentrating. He ceded to her request and closed his eyes again, but his focus was on what played out in his mind, instead of focusing on the group.

After three continuous minutes of communicating, JT was exhausted and slumped forward. He no longer had any sort of expression on his face, as he took several deep breaths. He raised his head, but kept his eyes closed, basking in whatever he was feeling inside. A smile grew on his face, easing into a broader one and eventually and small chuckle.

"Piney, you're next. Listen closely and don't think of anything."

Piney looked shocked, his eyes springing open and looking about for Jake. He closed them again and took a seriousness to listening. JT peeked at him, wanting to know if he could hear Jake, as he had. Piney's face was in a serious set and instantly went to one of surprise. JT almost laughed out loud, knowing he had made a connection. Piney's emotions were just as pronounced as JT's, changing from one to another and expressed on his face. Mary felt it in her hand, as Piney clenched it repeatedly. She wanted to know what was happening, but stayed her ground and focused.

Slowly, but eventually, everyone felt Jake's presence, except Clay. For whatever reason he had, he refused to allow the connection to happen. JT was contacted once again and voiced Jake's desire to talk to Clay.

"No. I'm not doing it."

"Clay, Jake has some final words he wants to say to you."

"I don't want to hear them."

JT knew it was useless to try and force him and gave in. Despite Jake's request to speak to Clay, he was given the message himself. Clay watched him intently, wondering if Jake was saying something to him. JT nodded and finished the connection, opening his eyes and looking with new eyes. Clay knew JT had learned something about him, but what, he had no clue. His suspicions began to rise, as JT turned his eyes and looked at him.

There was an accusatory glare, one that meant JT knew something that had been secretive in nature before.

"What? What did Jake say?"

"Never mind. It was for me to know, anyway."

Clay became nervous, his head reeling with thoughts of what it could be that Jake told JT about. He told himself it was all make believe and nothing was based in reality, that no way a spirit could say anything to JT about him, but that tiny piece of his conscious reasoning, said there might be something to it still.

Everyone saw the sudden brightness around them, then it was gone.

"I think Jake has left us and is now on his journey to his next life. I don't feel his presence anymore, do you Spirit?"

Moon turned to Spirit, who was still in a deep meditative state, then suddenly came out of it, a look of dread written on her face. Her eyes immediately went to Clay and then JT, presenting the point of her worry to the others. They all turned to look at the both of them, wondering what she knew. JT was still pursuing his last message from Jake in his mind, as Clay shrugged it all off, as if it was nothing, while Spirit looked once more at Clay, her eyes searching for the truth in his soul, if what she knew, could be correct.

Her eyes changed from a look of worry, to one of fear, as she turned to JT. He looked at her with unknowing eyes, wondering why she was feeling the way she did. Once she spoke, his heart felt like it was stopped by a fist squeezing it tightly.

"Death will come too soon for you, John Teller."