Half Dead World: Book One from the Apocalypse Tales

by Adrienne Hargrove

  “The other watchers would become obsessed they would constantly find reasons to put us in each other’s paths.”

  I roll my eyes. “We certainly wouldn’t want that!”

  “They would assume things about us that are not so.”

  “So what! Why do you care what the other watchers say or do?”

  “I have a job to do. I will not become distracted. My mission is to gather the departed and bring them to the light. I was given this job over 2000 years ago and nothing will alter my path!”

  “Well, I’m here, so, mission complete. See you around, or not, I’d hate to distract you.”

  I stalk off toward the other people roaming around the light filled woods, making my way towards what I assume is a clearing. Vaguely aware that souls are parting in the wake of my fury like it contains a poison they don’t want to touch. I tromp through a manicured lawn with no idea where I’m going or what I’m doing but getting angrier with every step. That’s when I notice something familiar and I stop, stunned at the realization I am standing at the edge of Jackson’s garden. The moment I stop Lucius is by my side. “Haven, I did not mean to offend you.”

  “What the heck is going on here, why are we at Jackson’s house?”

  “This is one of the great assemblies. It is a place where the watchers can gather with little fear of the darkness intruding. It is a sanctuary for the rescued and the rescuers. There are many houses of light. The home of your parents was a house of light, however the watchers that were gathered there have since evacuated to other assemblies. Most have come here to wait for more suitable circumstances for relocation.”

  I sigh loudly as I struggle with an internal debate. I’m still pissed at Ares for acting like I have the ghost plague, but I really want to know how everything works in my new half-dead world. I look over at him, debating which has more value in this moment, my curiosity, or my pride. He gives me a thoughtful look back and I can’t help but think he’s a little too inside my head.

  “I am sorry to have offended you earlier, it was not my intention. I was only trying to avoid outside interference.”

  I decide to play indifferent. “Whatever, I really don’t care. On the other hand, I really do want some information. Do you guys have, like, a dead people’s welcome packet or something? Is there a pamphlet or a video I can watch?”

  He smiles at my sarcasm and I tell myself sternly that there is no reason to be happy. So, what if the gladiator’s ghost has a nice smile.

  “We have no pamphlet or video, but I would be happy to answer all your questions under one condition.”

  I cross my arms over my chest and notice the shimmer of a pale smoky purple come off my arms and torso like a tiny wave. Then I raise my eyebrows at his thoroughly amused expression.

  “What condition?”

  He leans a little closer like he is going to tell me a secret and smiles broadly. “Tell me, what was the name you were giving me just a moment ago?”

  “How do you know I was even doing that?”

  “I have been around for a very long time. One of the benefits is you get good at reading people. Are you trying to tell me I’m wrong?”

  I contemplate lying, but I have the feeling he would know my deceit in an instant.

  “I will know if you lie.”

  I give a huff of disgust.

  “I could see you contemplating it.”

  “UGH! Get out of my head!”

  He chuckles and raises one shoulder and lets it drop.

  “Sorry, but is it that bad?”

  “No, you’re just irritating me. I was naming you Ares.”

  He chuckles lightly. “The God of War…. Well, I was a warrior long ago but there was nothing Godly about me.”

  “You do not consider yourself a warrior anymore?”

  “There will likely come a time when we will all be made warriors, but currently I would claim the title, rescuer.”

  We stand for a moment in comfortable silence, and I look around at all the people. There are hundreds of them roaming around the garden. I can see some inside the house through the windows that are lit up in the night.

  “Should they be inside the house, isn’t that an invasion of the Armstrong’s privacy?”

  “We survive by their light. We must watch them in the privacy of their home, so that we can be certain they remain uncorrupted.”

  “But what about… you know, intimate moments?”

  He gives me a mocking look that makes me wish I hadn’t asked.

  “Aah, well, during “intimate moments” the light that surrounds them is so intensely bright you cannot see anything.”

  “Just what is the light and where does it come from?”

  “The light comes from the creator. He gives it to all who acknowledge His son as their savior, and thereby enter into the family as brothers and sisters of the son, and children of the Father.”

  “So, the light is like getting holy DNA?”

  He smiles at the analogy. “It is exactly like that.”

  “Why don’t you have the light, why do we have to rely on their light?” I ask as I point toward the Armstrong house.

  “The light is given to the living who except Christ. Those who don’t before their first death become the watchers or the lost. We are the watchers: we watch the keepers of the light and bask in the safety their light provides. The lost are in the darkness. They were either not marked for rescue, or were separated from the light in the afterlife, and must endure the darkness.”

  “What is the darkness? Is it like demons and hell?”

  He raises his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. “None of us know for sure, because no one has ever come back from the darkness.”

  “Do you have a hypothesis?”

  “Yes, but keep in mind it is just that, a hypothesis. I believe the souls in the darkness are experiencing all the hurt and pain their actions caused during their lifetimes, and the aftereffects of that hurt to future generations.”

  “So, a murderer would feel what they did to their victim.”

  “My guess is that they don’t experience the physical pain because they are like us and not physical beings. I believe they feel all the fear and anxiety and heartbreak that they have caused.”

  “Well, it seems like they are getting off easy.”

  “Do you think? I don’t know, think of the pain caused to the original victim, then think of the pain caused to the victim's family and friends and how that pain ripples like a wave from the original source, one pain causing another and another. The pain from an atrocity like murder can cascade through the spirits of humans for centuries. A lost soul who committed such an act would never be free from torment.”

  “Are all murderers lost in the darkness?”

  “No, there are many watchers who have taken lives or committed other cruel acts against mankind.”

  “Why are some marked to be watchers and others left to be lost?”

  “I do not know. It has never been our responsibility to judge, thank goodness.”

  I am so overwhelmed with questions; I do not know where to begin. That’s when I notice the sky has cleared and the sun is beginning to rise. “I don’t understand how the whole night has passed while we were standing here talking?” I mentally tabulate and decide it couldn’t have been more than a few hours since the car accident.

  “Time is not the same here. There is a different ebb and flow than in the natural world.”

  I growl in frustration. “Every sentence you speak just gives me more questions.”

  “Take heart Haven, you will likely have a very long time to get your answers.”

  I don’t know why that surprises me. I guess I just hadn’t thought about how long I would be stuck here not quite dead. The thought of not seeing my parents again hits me hard and I feel the strangeness of sadness when it doesn’t have a physical outlet. I want to cry but there are no tears.

  Lucius looks at me and I can see the concern and empathy in his expre
ssion. “Haven, I tell you the truth this will all end and one day we will be free.”

  “What about my parents, where did they go?”

  “I cannot say for certain what happens to the keepers of the light. There are two popular hypotheses. One is that they are waiting in heaven with the Father until the day of the Lord. The other is that they are at rest until the new earth is prepared and all is fully complete.”

  “Which do you believe?”

  “I lean toward them being at rest, but I am not certain.”

  He looks around and seems to focus on the rising sun then he looks back to me. “Haven I think it’s important that you recognize that we are not meant to have all the answers. I have been watching believers for more than two thousand years and many still make the same mistakes as the Pharisees did. They think things can only happen one way, and they think it’s going to happen the way they imagine it. They become so wrapped up in their personal dogma, that they estrange the neophyte believers. Many are blinded by the natural and think they have everything figured out. But God is supernatural he is not bound to the understanding or imaginations of man. It is not possible for man to figure out the mysteries of heaven and earth because God has not given us all the information.”

  “But why not, doesn’t he want us to understand?”

  “We are so lacking it wouldn’t be possible for us to understand even if we had all the information, we could not comprehend it. We will have to be healed and made complete to gain that type of understanding.”

  I am silent for a moment while I try to process my grief and confusion

  “Take heart Haven, wherever your parents are they are safe and filled with peace and joy.”

  “How do you know?”

  “They died as keepers of the light. Do you remember the feeling you had when you first walked into the assembly, the peace and joy?”

  “Yes”

  “You were feeling the light as it is reflected through imperfect beings, it is only a muted shadow of the light your parents are likely surrounded by. The son of man was there to personally escort them which is, truly astounding, but I wonder if it was not for your benefit.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It does happen, there are countless times that the Son, or a messenger has gone to ease fear and suffering. Often times we don’t hear of it because many of those he goes to are children and there are no small children here to recount the tale. Nor, do we usually see it because many times the cause of a child’s fear and suffering is so evil, we would become lost if near its presence. But there are times when the watchers are near a tragedy that is not surrounded by darkness and I tell you the truth, there is no earthly beauty that can compare to the sight of a child in the Lord’s presence. But you, he chose to ease your suffering knowing you were coming to the in between. It wouldn’t have been long. You were marked and, your death was imminent. Still, he chose to spare you a few moments of pain even though you were not yet his. It is proof of his great mercy and love for us all.”

  “How was I marked for death what does it look like?”

  “I will have to answer that later. I must go, the Armstrong’s are leaving to start their day, and Jackson is my assignment today.”

  “Wait I don’t want to be stuck here alone, why can’t I come with you?”

  “You will not be alone. There are more than a thousand souls at this assembly.”

  “A thousand souls that I don’t know, you are my…guide, you can’t just desert me.”

  “I was your rescuer; you may consider yourself rescued. You are safe now as long as you stay vigilant.”

  Chapter Six

  Back to School

  L ucius begins walking toward the garage where Jackson’s, car is parked.

  “You can’t stop me from coming you can’t even touch me.”

  He looks back at me his eyes so intense I almost question my own statement, but after a second, I press on and rush to keep up with his long strides. Then I make a mental note to ask why we are walking I would have assumed ghosts would do more levitating.

  “It would not be wise for you to come to your school today.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because within a couple of hours they are all going to find out about the deaths of you, and your family. Watching it would likely prove very traumatic for you.”

  I consider this for a moment. “I appreciate your concern, but I want to go anyway.”

  “Haven, it will be very distressing trust me you do not want to be there.”

  “I want to be there. What if they can feel my presence? What if I can bring them comfort, or give them a sense that I’m okay?”

  “It is very unlikely anyone would feel your presence.”

  “Unlikely, but it is still possible.”

  He sighs deeply. “It is an unlikely possibility.”

  I seize on to this tiny seed of hope and press my point. “Please Lucius, I know it will be difficult, but I want to see my friends.”

  He gives his head a slight shake as if he’s about to say no. “If I let you come, you must do everything I tell you to do without question. If I say we must run then there can be no arguments, and no delay. If you do not do as I say, you will put us both in danger. Is that understood?”

  I nod my head smiling. “Yes. Thank you, Lucius.”

  “Spare me your thanks, but remember, I warned you and tried to spare you the coming grief.”

  He walks through the wall of the garage and I am stunned for a moment before I follow suit. I walk through the wall and find him in the back seat of Jackson’s shiny blue jeep sitting perfectly straight, his feet planted wide and his hands on his muscular thighs. I walk through the jeep and sit next to him.

  “I’m stronger than people give me credit for; I will not fall apart at the sight of my friends. I know they probably won’t feel me, but I want to be there.”

  “Your strength is not the worry in my mind. I have been watching you for a long time. I know you are not weak. It is your headstrong and impetuous nature that I am concerned with.”

  My mind scrambles to come up with a retort that won’t just prove his point. But my train of thought is lost when Jackson climbs into the driver’s seat, throws his book bag on the passenger side, and starts the car. His mom rushes out the side door and he rolls the window down.

  “Jackson, you forgot your lunch, again. “

  “Thanks, mom, what would I do without you?”

  “Starve.”

  He gives her a big smile and a wave as he pulls out of the garage. He is still smiling as he drives down the crushed shell driveway past the giant live oaks and onto the highway. I wonder what he is thinking. Is he remembering our kiss the night before? Is he excited to see me at school?”

  Suddenly, I feel a knot in my throat as I think about how I will never get to talk to my friends again, I will never be kissed again, or hug my parents.

  “Are you okay, Haven?”

  I look at Lucius and realize I was about to lose it and we haven’t even made it to school yet. So, I shove my emotions down and concentrate on learning the rules of my half dead world.

  “I’m fine, but I do have questions.”

  “Naturally”

  “Why do we walk and sit, shouldn’t we float around like ghosts? And just now how is it that I could feel a lump in my throat? How can I feel things when I don’t have a body?”

  “Some of us do not levitate because we prefer to stay connected to the world of the living. However, there are some that feel more comfortable gliding around places of light. They used to congregate primarily in churches, but there are so few churches left now, that they are often seen at the assemblies as well. You could choose to levitate, if it was your preference, but the newly departed generally find the transition easier if they keep the familiar mannerisms of the living. As for the lump in your throat, it is a bit more of a mystery. We definitely do not feel pain in the same way that the living does. Nonetheless, pain is so intert
wined with emotion that some of it seems to find its way into the spirit world. Spirits may not have the nerve endings to feel physical pain. However, we are still capable of emotional feelings. You might say that the lump in your throat is comparable to the phantom pain that the living feels for a lost limb.”

  We are pulling into the school when I ask my next question. “You said you’ve been watching me for a long time. Why would you be watching me if I wasn’t a believer?

  “I suppose, technically, I was watching Jackson, but you and he were frequently in the same classes. Thus, I have come to know many of the people that surround Jackson and his family.”

  “I didn’t surround Jackson.”

  He arches one dark brown eyebrow as if to call bull. “Honestly, Haven, I have observed your blatant, adoration of him for years.”

  My mouth drops open in embarrassment and offense, but still, he continues on.

  “Truly, I never understood your attraction to him. “

  “You don’t like Jackson?” I ask in total confusion.

  “Of course, I like Jackson. He is a very decent and kind person. I have been watching believers for centuries. Some are easier to be around than others. He is not a difficult assignment. What I meant was the two of you are not at all suited for each other.”

  ‘What the…what is that supposed to mean? I am not suited for someone who is kind and decent? Gee thanks.” I walk toward the school’s front courtyard and notice how some people are surrounded by orbs of golden light and others seem engulfed in smoky blackness. About half of the students and a quarter of the faculty I see are not surrounded by anything. I realize these are the people like me: the unspoken for.

  “Haven, you are misconstruing my statement. I was not insulting you, merely pointing out the differences in your personalities. Jackson has a calm, unemotional and logical disposition. He has been gifted with ingenuity that is complemented by his analytical nature. You, on the other hand, are emotionally charged.” He holds up his hand to stop the protest ready to fly out of my mouth. “It is not an insult, Haven. You are a passionate fighter; you advocate strongly for what you believe in. You are gifted with an inquisitive nature that is complemented by your desire for truth and justice.” He stands in front of me and looks me in the eyes. “The two of you were not meant for each other. You would have frustrated him, and he would have bored you.”