Resurrection - Episode 1 (Lost Souls)

by Laurel O'Donnell

  “But I thought you said –”

  “The Changed will do anything to get to you, to get any of us. Anything. If they know you won’t let go of your daughter, then they will try to use her to get to you.”

  Christian stood silent.

  “Sam is our best. Convince her to help you.” Daniel placed a hand on his shoulder. “In the meantime, get to know the Complex. I’ll have Brett show you around.”

  ~~~

  Christian followed Brett through the Complex, which had turned out to be rather large. Built underground, it was a myriad of tunnels and rooms. There were what looked like sleeping quarters with what appeared to be unused beds, which made him wonder if he was ever going to sleep again. There were rooms that looked like war-rooms with maps splayed out on tables, pinned to the walls, with numerous areas circled or marked in some fashion. There were plenty of rooms with computers, and books.

  Brett himself was a young Soul, only fifty years dead. He certainly seemed to enjoy himself at Christian’s expense. He would disappear in the middle of an explanation only to reappear right next to him to finish the sentence. It was incredibly disconcerting and very annoying. Each time Brett did it, he would just grin stupidly at Christian, and then do it again.

  Finally, Christian went to grab his arm, but his hand passed through Brett.

  Brett’s smile widened. “Ah ah,” he admonished. “You haven’t learned that yet.”

  “Teach me the disappearing thing,” Christian ordered.

  “Fazing?” Brett asked and then shrugged. “Well, to start you have to concentrate. You’ll learn that almost everything we do is mind over matter.” And then, he was gone.

  Christian felt a tapping on his shoulder from behind him. “I’m over here,” he heard Brett mutter condescendingly. Christian clenched his teeth, closed his eyes and prayed to get through this quickly.

  ~~~

  Christian passed through the front door of his house. Aurora sat on the couch watching television. He recognized the show instantly, one of her favorites, Dora. She held a cup of water between her crossed legs and a doll in her hands. Diana was nowhere to be found. She probably left the child alone and had gone out partying.

  His soul lurched and guilt settled heavily about his shoulders. He had left Aurora alone. He had no choice but to flee and draw the ghost girl away from her. Even knowing what he had done had been the right thing didn’t make his decision any easier. His daughter was alone. And there was nothing he could do about it.

  Aurora stared at the television. A commercial came on for some sort of magic sand you could use underwater.

  Christian walked behind her. She was so innocent. He hated the feeling of abandonment sweeping over him. He lifted his gaze from her golden curls to the television screen.

  Something shimmered on the television screen, something that wasn’t part of the commercial. A white ghostly image was visible in the screen, some kind of reflection appearing to come from where he was standing. For a split second, he thought it was his own reflection. He quickly realized it wasn’t and whirled to see the menacing ghost woman who had attacked him earlier. She reached out to him, but Christian took two steps away from her.

  For a long moment, she stood unmoving with her pale white hand stretched out to him. Then, those dead black eyes shifted to Aurora.

  Chills shot down Christian’s spine and he lunged at the specter, but dove right through her, falling to the ground.

  The ghost girl’s blue-black lips turned up slightly as she reached out to Aurora with her deadly fingers.

  “No!” Christian roared. “Don’t touch her!”

  Aurora sat up straight and looked over her shoulder. “Daddy?”

  She heard him! “Run!” Christian screamed. “Run!”

  Aurora scowled and sat back against the couch, inches from the ghost woman’s fingertips.

  Christian snarled at the ghost’s victorious smile. “No, no no,” he said and again desperately dove at the ghost woman. His arms wrapped around air. He couldn’t touch her. He couldn’t stop her from hurting Aurora. He went to grab a lamp on an end table beside the couch, but his hand moved through it. Desperation gripped him in a hand of despondency. He tried to grab Aurora’s hand to pull her away, but his hand brushed through her flesh.

  The ghost’s fingers entered Aurora’s head. Aurora went limp immediately, her doll tumbling from her hold onto the floor.

  “You bitch!” Christian hollered. “Get away from her!” He stepped up to the ghost woman and shoved. The ghost was wrenched away from Aurora and stumbled back. He did it. He had moved her!

  Her black eyes widened. She fazed and suddenly stood right before him. She touched his chest. Sudden, intense pain pierced through him. He clutched his chest and dropped to his knees. Agony flared inside him like firecrackers going off in his veins, and blackness closed in around him.

  ~~~

  “Damn, boy. Just faze before she touches you. What’s wrong with you?”

  Christian opened his eyes to see Brett standing over him. He whipped his head around as he scanned the room for the ghost. “Where is she?”

  “She disappeared.” Brett grabbed Christian’s arm and hauled him to his feet.

  Throbbing pain pulsated deep in Christian’s chest. He looked at Aurora, but she hadn’t moved.

  Brett followed his gaze. “Ahhh,” he said. “Your human. Guess I should have showed you how to grab things, first. Although it probably would have freaked the hell out of the girl.”

  Christian stared down at his daughter. Her tiny hand was open, palm up on the couch. Her head slumped to the side. She hadn’t moved from when the ghost woman touched her. “Is she all right?”

  “Looks like she’s sleeping to me.”

  Christian jerked away from Brett, but the pain that speared his chest – damn it was like a heart attack – made him grimace. It took a second for the pain to subside, but anger took its place. “You guys told me she was in no danger. That these Changed wouldn’t come after her.”

  “She’s not sleeping?”

  “That damn ghost girl or Changed or whatever it was attacked her! It poked its fingers into her head and she passed out!”

  Brett scowled and then shrugged. “Well, whatever energy the Changed needed, looks like she got enough from you. She disappeared when I got here.”

  “That’s bullshit. How do I know she won’t be back for Aurora?”

  The frown never fully left Brett’s forehead. “You don’t.”

  Christian cursed and hobbled over to Aurora, dropping to his knees before her.

  “Look, Christian, if it’s any consolation, they don’t usually go after the humans.”

  “It’s not,” Christian growled. He stared at Aurora’s peaceful face. God, he would do anything to take this away from her. The last thing he ever wanted to do was put her in danger. “Is she all right?”

  Brett nodded. “They can’t kill humans. She’ll wake up tomorrow with a horrible headache, but nothing else.”

  “What are you doing here, anyway?”

  “You ditched me. Did you think I wouldn’t find you? You learn quick, I’ll give you that much. Never seen anybody pick up fazing as fast you.”

  Christian frowned at him. “It took you long enough.”

  Brett shook his head in disbelief. “I thought I’d at least get a thank you for being such a good teacher.”

  ~~~

  Christian waited until morning and Aurora was at the day care center before he confronted Daniel. The old soul sat behind his desk. “You told me they wouldn’t bother my daughter,” he accused. “You told me they wanted me.”

  Daniel calmly placed the book he had been reading on the desk and lifted his eyes to Christian, concern etched in his gray brow. “They attacked her to get to you.”

  “Damn it.” Christian wanted to punch something. He wanted to tear everything apart. He had died to save Aurora and even that wasn’t enough! “So what do I do now? I can’t watch her all the t
ime.” And Christian was very aware that even when he was watching her, he couldn’t protect her.

  “Have you spoken with Sam?”

  “You know she won’t do it! You’ve got to give me someone else. I have to be able to protect my daughter!”

  “Sam is our best. Convince her to train you.”

  “Damn it! You’re not hearing me! I need someone to train me now. My daughter is in danger.”

  “Talk to her brother, Ben. Maybe he’ll train you. Otherwise, I have Brett –”

  Christian backed up with his hands raised. “No. I’ll figure it out on my own before I ask him.” He sighed and grit his teeth. “Damn it,” he growled. “What’s Sam’s deal, anyway? Why won’t she train me?”

  Daniel leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “She likes to work alone. The only other partner she ever had was her brother, Ben.”

  “Where is he?”

  “He’s around here somewhere. Probably in the training room. He just got back from looking for their sister, Cora. Sam said she had turned.”

  “Into a Changed?”

  Daniel nodded. “I told you it could happen to any Soul. We must always be on guard against it.”

  “Why doesn’t Sam look for her?”

  “Sam doesn’t want to fight her. Cora is her family.”

  “What is Ben going to do if he finds Cora?”

  Daniel sighed; his shoulders drooped and he shook his head. “Ben is one of our oldest and best fighters. I hope he can do what he needs to do.”

  Christian was quiet for a moment. “Can the Changed be killed?”

  Daniel took a deep breath. “Yes. They can be killed. But Cora is Ben’s sister. He, Sam and Cora were very close. I can’t imagine what Ben is going through. What they are both going through. These are dangerous times for both of them. Their emotions can take them down a dark and treacherous road.”

  “You mean they could turn into one of these Changed monsters?”

  Daniel nodded. “That is one of the reasons why we all try to keep busy, keep our minds on other matters besides our own personal miseries.”

  “If they are so close and Ben changes, what will happen to Sam?”

  “I’m afraid we would lose her, too.”

  ~~~

  It shouldn’t matter to Christian what happened to Samantha. But it did. She was the first Soul he came into contact with. She saved his life – well, his energy. His life force. Whatever they wanted to call it. And he liked her. He liked her defiant attitude. And the leather outfit she wore. So, when he passed a room with an open door and saw her training with her sword, he couldn’t help but pause and watch. She was just a slip of a girl; she couldn’t have been more than twenty years old in human years. And damn if she wasn’t the hottest woman he had ever seen. Those leathers fit her like a second skin, accenting her every move. When he was alive, she was the type of woman he would never be able to get close to because of all the other men gawking at her.

  Her movements were sleek and fluid. She was pure motion with a deadly edge. It was as if the sword were an extension of her body. And what a body she had. That leather encasing her shapely body was something to look at. It accentuated every lush rounded portion. He couldn’t stop… gawking.

  “She doesn’t like being watched.”

  Christian whirled to see a tall man standing behind him. Christian was six foot, but this man was even taller than he was. He had warm brown eyes that were not threatening in the least.

  “You’re the freshie, aren’t you?” the man wondered. “I’m Ben. Sam’s brother.”

  Christian held out his hand. “Christian.”

  Ben grinned and shook his hand. Christian wasn’t quite sure if he was the one squeezing Ben’s hand, or if it was Ben squeezing his. It didn’t matter. The simple gesture of a handshake between two spirits was genuinely comforting.

  “No offense meant,” Christian said.

  “None taken,” Ben answered. “You’re not the first to watch her.” He looked at Samantha and there was pride in his eyes. “I guess I’m a little overprotective of my younger sister.”

  “You should be.” Christian couldn’t stop his gaze from returning to Samantha. “She really is something else.”

  “You have no idea.” Ben turned to Christian, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. “So, have you found someone to train you?”

  Christian shook his head. “I would really like Samantha to train me. But she’s refused.”

  “I know. Keep at it. You might change her mind.”

  They watched Samantha practice with her sword for a long moment, twisting her body, spinning to intercept an invisible adversary.

  “Damn, she’s good.”

  Ben nodded. “If you’re looking for help, I can give you some pointers.”

  “That’d be great.”

  ~~~

  Samantha stood in the doorway long enough to see Ben take down Christian three times. She actually felt sorry for the freshie. The final time, Ben flipped Christian over his shoulder, slamming him to the ground. She grimaced with the impact. That hurt!

  Ben straightened. “You’re not concentrating. When you come at the Changed, it has to be instinctual to you.”

  Christian shook his head and stood.

  “That’s not fair, Ben,” Samantha called, walking into the room. “You have your armor on.”

  Christian’s eyes widened as his gaze snapped to Ben. He scanned his body and scowled. “What armor?”

  “This.” Samantha indicated her leather outfit. “And his flannel shirt and jeans.” When Christian looked at her, Samantha smiled. “You didn’t think I wore this for looks, did you?”

  Christian opened his mouth to answer, but closed it quickly and looked away.

  “They can incorporate the iron into any clothing. I like to be comfortable.” Ben shrugged. “Sam is a little more showy than I am.”

  “You’ve always been jealous of my car,” Samantha commented.

  “Our armor is made with iron chemicals and fibers,” Ben explained patiently. “That way during a fight we don’t have to concentrate so hard about touching something. Just about staying alive.”

  “So when you’re wearing your armor, you can’t walk through walls?”

  “We can walk through walls,” Samantha explained. “It has something to do with the ratio of iron in an object. It’s the same reason my car can pass through other cars.”

  “Where do I get some of that armor?”

  “When you’re ready, they’ll ask you what you want,” Ben said.

  “Who? Who makes it? What do you mean what I want?”

  Samantha held up a hand. “Too many questions. Concentrate on training, first.”

  “You have to get the technique down before they’ll consider giving you armor,” Ben explained. “Swing at me,” he said to Christian. “I’ll show you what happens when I don’t concentrate.”

  Christian threw a punch at Ben.

  Ben stepped back and put his arm up to block. Christian’s fist moved through Ben’s as though it wasn’t there.

  “Now, I’ll concentrate.” Ben signaled with a jerk of his fingers to come at him again.

  Christian swung at him again. This time, his fist connected with Ben’s forearm.

  “There’s the difference,” Ben said. “I think you should start by trying to pick things up and move them. Baby steps.”

  “It’s getting late. I should get back to Aurora,” Christian said.

  Samantha exchanged an uneasy glance with Ben.

  Ben nodded at Christian. “You can do your practicing while you are there.”

  “Word of advice,” Samantha said. “Practice while your daughter sleeps. She might freak out if she sees things floating around the room.”

  “And make sure you put them back in the same place,” Ben advised.

  Samantha grinned, remembering how it used to drive their mother crazy when they would move items to different spots.

  “Thanks for helping me
,” Christian said to Ben. He cast a scathing look at Samantha. “It’s more than some people would do.”

  Samantha smiled. “Don’t hide your true feelings.”

  Christian walked past Ben.

  “Faze!” Samantha advised. “Get used to using your abilities.”

  Christian paused in the doorway to nod his head in gratitude. He stood motionless, and then his body flickered and in moments he was gone.

  The smile eased from Samantha’s face. “They didn’t tell him.”

  “Doesn’t seem like it,” Ben agreed.

  “You going to be around long enough to help out?”

  Ben glanced at Samantha. “You’re going to help him?”

  Samantha nodded. “I guess I have to. You know how I like to buck the system. Besides, there’s a reason Daniel kept it from him. I want to be there when he tells him why.” She looked at her brother. “You coming?”

  ~~~

  Christian fazed to the street before his house and looked up at Aurora’s window. Her room was dark. They weren’t home yet. He was getting used to this fazing thing. It sure made things easier to get around. He fazed into Aurora’s room.

  He moved over to the bed where Aurora’s doll lay exactly where she had put it that morning. Christian leaned closer to the bed. He concentrated on the doll. Slowly, he reached out. Concentrate. Focus. Doll. His fingers opened over the doll’s arm. Focus. And closed over the thin plastic. He could feel the smooth texture between his fingers. “I got it,” he whispered and stood, holding the doll victoriously in his fingers. “I got it!” He held it up in the air like a trophy.

  The light turned on in the kitchen and Christian whirled; the doll fell through his hand to the floor. He walked out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.