Whispers of Death

by Alicia Rivoli

  "Ma'am?"

  I jumped again. "Oh I'm sorry, what?" I said.

  "I said we need you to leave the room now," a tall nurse said, trying to hurry me from the room.

  "Yes! I'm so sorry." I apologized again before hurrying through the door.

  As I exited, I noticed the woman's husband on the floor near the door, kneeling and praying for his wife. He sobbed loudly, not caring if anyone around him heard. Standing just in front of him was Death, holding the woman's spirit who seemed to also be crying. Her face was one of agony and pain. Death stroked the back of her head, trying his best to calm the new spirit in his care. My heart broke as I watched the two struggling souls, one human and one spirit.

  "Can't you do anything?" I asked Death.

  He shook his head. "Her life was just cut short by Fear. I can't even ease her pain."

  The door of the hospital room opened, and the man on the floor stood up. The doctor dropped his head. The man collapsed to the floor, his sobs louder now, mixed with sounds of "why her?" and "why us?"

  "What happened?" I asked.

  "She was diagnosed with cancer two weeks ago. It spread so quickly that the doctors knew they couldn't stop it. They gave her six months at the most, but this morning she collapsed while taking a shower. There were no signs of trauma, so the doctors told him to just let her rest, and they could go home in a few hours." Death explained. "That is when Fear took over, and you watched the rest."

  I shivered at the memory of his black mist wrapping itself around her. "Couldn't you have saved her?"

  "No. Fear has stolen my only way to ease her pain and the pain of others in hospitals and homes all over this world," he explained. "Without my Scythe, I can only accept them. I can't ease their discomfort before or after they die. That is why I brought you here, so you could see for yourself what is happening."

  "Wait, you brought me here? The pull I felt was you?"

  "Yes," he explained.

  Understanding rushed through my mind. "Did you have something to do with Hunter's accident?" I said through clenched teeth.

  He nodded. "It was the only way to get you here. I knew that you would do anything for your children."

  "You could have killed him!" I screamed. My stomach was in knots. I was sure I was going to throw up.

  "Hunter was never in any danger. I would not harm you or your family. After all, you are the only one who can help me save these people," Death said calmly.

  "You made him fall off a swing and nearly break his neck!" My whole body was shaking with anger and fear.

  "No, I put Hunter in a deep sleep and then made it look like he fell off the swing. Like I said, he was never in any danger."

  A dark shadow began growing on the floor in front of me; it quickly formed into a figure of a man.

  "Amelia, you need to control yourself! You have become so full of fear that you have summoned him back. He will take more lives," Death said calmly but with a hint of urgency.

  Fear stood in front of me, his face full of hatred and humor. The dark mist snaked through his fingertips and began slithering toward me. It wrapped around my ankles, and I felt the pure panic and fear rise through my body. More mist etched its way under a few more doors, and I could feel the pain of the patients on the other side of the wall. I tried to clear my mind and picture something that made me happy. I could see Mark, standing a few feet in front of me, his arms outstretched as Abby ran to him. Her little arms wrapped around his neck as she squealed with delight. Hunter threw himself into his father and intertwined himself onto his daddy's legs. Mark stomped around the house with Hunter and Abby giggling.

  My heart filled with warmth at the sight of my family. I felt the darkness slipping from around my leg, so I kept going. I thought of Olive and Peter on their wedding day and how beautiful she’d looked in her long white gown. The lace from her veil laid gently down her back, and she smiled as Peter kissed her as his new bride. Her cheeks were flushed, and she beamed as they took the floor for their first dance as husband and wife. The joy rushed through my body, and the darkness retreated from the happy thoughts. I could still sense the fear on the other side of the walls, but Fear was kept at a safe distance from me for now.

  Death watched as I controlled my emotions and push Fear further away from me. A dark smile formed on his lips. He knew at that moment that he had found the right person, the person to defeat Fear and get back what had been stolen from him.

  Nine

  I sighed as Fear finally retreated and I could no longer feel the agonizing pain of the people around me. It was a horrible feeling knowing that my emotions had almost taken the lives of the people in this hospital.

  "It isn't your fault."

  I looked up. Death watched me with understanding. "I know, it's yours," I said angrily. "If you wouldn't have done what you did to my son, this never would have happened."

  I stormed away from him down the hall and back toward my son’s room. Fear wasn't what I felt anymore; it was anger. My son was sitting in the hospital because Death had decided to put him here. As I came closer to Hunter's room, my breathing became labored, and I knew I was about to have a panic attack. I found the nearest chair and dropped into it. I pulled my legs up and rocked myself back and forth. I knew that I had to control myself before I went back into Hunter's room. I had to get my emotions under control so Fear didn't come take my son's life.

  "Miss, are you okay?"

  I looked up; a woman stood in front of me dressed in black scrubs with a stethoscope stretched around her neck. "Yes. Just out of breath." I tried to reassure the nurse.

  She raised an eyebrow at me, shrugged, and walked back toward the nurses’ station down the hall. I wiped at my eyes. I didn't know when I had started crying, but it was no surprise; it was one of my biggest flaws. I took a few more deep breaths, combed through my hair, and walked back to my son's room.

  Mark stood as I walked in. He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around me. "Are you okay?" he asked.

  I instantly knew that I hadn't given myself enough time outside. "I'll be fine," I lied.

  "Lia, what happened? You can't lie to me."

  He had always been able to tell when I was lying. "Nothing, I just want to take Hunter and go home," I told him.

  He pulled my face back so he could look into my eyes. "Hunter is going to be okay."

  "I want to take him home." I pulled my face away from him and looked at my son. He was on the bed watching a show on the television, not a care in the world.

  "The doctors said he should stay the night," Mark said, pulling back to look at him. "He has a concussion."

  "No, he doesn't. There’s nothing at all wrong with him. It was some stupid game that Death decided I needed to play." My voice broke at the last sentence. Mark inhaled deeply.

  "What?" he said. Now the concern had turned to anger.

  "Death did this. He said he needed me to see the hospital, so he put Hunter to sleep and made it look like he’d been in an accident. Hunter is fine." I sobbed.

  Mark pulled me in tighter to hug me, then I heard something unexpected; he was laughing.

  "This isn't funny!" I said, walking away from him and sitting next to the window.

  Mark suppressed his smile and walked over to me; he took my hand in his and kissed it. "Sweet, sweet Amelia, my love, Hunter is going to be okay. I'm relieved that there is nothing wrong. I have been worried sick for the last several hours, and now I know that he will be okay. Don't you see?" he asked me.

  I looked back over at Hunter and watched; his breathing was slow and long. He was engulfed by the show, and from the peaceful look on his face, it was a good one.

  "Yes," I whispered. "I do see."

  I leaned down and kissed my son on the forehead and smiled. He was going to be okay. He didn't have a concussion or anything else. It really was a relief, one that I hadn't considered. I rubbed my hand down his sweet little face and smiled. Mark stood behind me, his chin resting on my shoulder. I sigh
ed deeply. He was going to be okay.

  "Mommy!"

  Abby ran up and threw herself into my arms. "Hi sweetie," I said, kissing her cheek.

  "Is Hunter okay?" she asked.

  "Yes, Hunter will be just fine," I whispered.

  She cocked her head sideways. "Why does Hunter have a sock on his head?

  Mark and I laughed. "Hunter got hurt at school, so they put that on him to help him feel better," Mark explained.

  She looked at me, and I began bracing myself for her next question.

  "Abby, do you want to go get some ice cream?" Peter asked her.

  "YES!" she squealed with delight and jumped down and ran to her uncle. I smiled at him appreciatively.

  "Any more information?" Olive asked when Abby and Peter were down the hall.

  "He will be completely fine," I told her.

  "Did the doctor tell you anything else while I was gone?" she asked, still concerned for her favorite nephew.

  "No, but Mark and I know for sure that he will be back to his normal self in no time," I said, smiling at Mark.

  Olive glared at me. "You have been hiding some big secret from me for way too long. What is going on?" she demanded.

  I looked at Mark, who shook his head. "Sorry Liv, this is going to be something I just can't explain right now."

  "That's not fair," she complained, "Wait, are you pregnant?" Her demeanor quickly changed from annoyance to excitement.

  I laughed. "No! I just can't tell you about it right now. I'm still trying to figure it out."

  "Are you sick?" she asked; now concern seeped from her voice.

  "Livie, I'm fine, and so is everyone else in this family," I explained.

  Olive glared at me but didn't push any further. "Abigail said she had a great day at school. She said that she played dress up with Mindy all day." She laughed. "I asked her if she did any school work, and she said she didn't have time."

  This time we all laughed. It was good to have Olive here. She kept me from going completely crazy.

  "Thank you Olive," I said gratefully.

  She looked at me, and understanding washed across her face. She smiled. "It’s what I do," she said with a low bow.

  "Daddy, look what Uncle Peter got me!" Abby said, running into Hunters room.

  Mark quickly swept her up into his arms. "Did you bring some ice cream for me?" he teased.

  She looked from her ice cream cone to her dad. "Yes," she said. "You can share mine."

  "Thank you for sharing, but I'll let you have this one all to yourself," he said.

  She smiled even bigger, knowing that she had a big ice cream cone all to herself. He put her down in the chair near the window, and she quickly began devouring her treat.

  "Well you have certainly made her day," Mark told Peter.

  "Where's mine?"

  We all turned quickly, and Hunter stared at us, bright-eyed.

  I grabbed his hand. "Oh sweetie, how are you feeling?" I asked, rubbing my hand along his forehead and feeling his cheeks with the back of my hand.

  "I'm fine," he said.

  "Are you sure? Do you want anything?" Mark asked.

  "I'm sure. Can I have ice cream?" he said, looking at Abigail's.

  "I don't see why not," I told him. "I'll be right back." I kissed him on the forehead, grabbed my purse from the table, and walked out into the hall.

  "Hold up," Olive said, running after me.

  I turned toward her. "You coming to keep me company?"

  "Are you ever going to tell me what is going on?" she said, staring at me. "Peter and I are really getting worried. First you tell me you have a headache, and then you scream and faint in your living room. Now you are almost always white as a sheet and this thing with Hunter. Amelia, what is going on?"

  I looked at my sister; I could see that she wasn't going to let this go. I took a deep breath and focused down the hall. I had no idea how she would react to my newfound "talent" of being able to converse with Death and my battle with Fear, or the fact that I constantly see spirits everywhere I go, who plead with me for my help.

  I took Olive's hand in mine. "I want to tell you, but I can't right now. I haven't even figured out everything yet."

  She looked me in the eye and glared. "Does this have anything to do with Hunter's drawing?"

  My heart stopped, and I held my breath. "What drawing?" I asked, trying to act calm.

  "You can't fool me. Hunter told me about your reaction to his drawing. He said that he saw some guy dressed in black that asked him to draw his picture and give it to you."

  Olive's voice was cracking. She was at her breaking point, and I knew I had to keep her calm. I didn't want Fear coming back here. I already knew that a couple more people had died in the short time I had left Death standing in the Oncology hallway. I’d felt their pain as they’d entered the Spirit World and could still feel the pull of Death. He wasn't far away. I looked around and led my sister to a group of chairs. I urged her to sit down.

  "The man in the drawing, the one in black that asked Hunter to give it to me, well his name is Death." I watched as her expression turned fearful. I could already feel the darkness lurking toward the hall where we were. "He has been talking to me."

  She inhaled sharply. "You have been talking to the Devil?" she nearly screamed.

  I looked around, grateful that no one was around. "No, I talk to Death, you know, the Grim Reaper," I whispered.

  Her eyes grew big, and her mouth dropped open. She was quiet for what felt like forever. I could see the darkness moving toward the closed doors and inching their way inside. The patient on the other side would soon be in danger.

  "Olive, listen to me. You need to stay calm. You need to think of something happy. Hurry!" I urged.

  "How can I stay calm? My sister just told me that she talks to the Grim Reaper!" she erupted in a loud voice.

  "Olive please, you need to calm down. There is more going on, and right now your fear is going to cause a lot of pain."

  She sensed the urgency in my tone and began to take a few quick breaths. She closed her eyes and drummed her fingers on her knee. I could see Fear starting to take shape. I tried to remember a happy thought. I could hear the beeping of the heart monitor in the next room as it started to quicken. I pictured Mark again and Abby as she ran into the room with her ice cream. I remembered Hunter’s face as he asked for ice cream.

  "Come on Olive, think of Peter and how happy he made you on your wedding day. Think of the fun things you did with Abby and Hunter this last weekend; concentrate on something that makes you happy," I pleaded with her.

  I could feel the shape starting to disappear. "Keep going Olive, keep yourself calm. You have nothing to fear, everything is going to be okay." I urged. I pushed my own thoughts toward the shrinking figure. The monitors slowed, and the air around us felt calm again. I turned toward Olive; she was staring at me, a look of awe on her face.

  "What just happened?" she said at almost a whisper.

  I looked into her eyes; she was confused but also still very fearful of my news. "All I can tell you is that Death needs my help," I explained, knowing that she wanted an explanation of why she needed to calm down.

  "The Grim Reaper needs your help? Doing what?" she said, almost sarcastically.

  I thought for a moment, looking through my memories of everything that Death had told me. "I think I need to get his Scythe back from someone who stole it."

  Olive's mouth dropped open. "You have got to be kidding. Who would steal from the Grim Reaper?"

  I was surprised at her reaction; she wasn't questioning my talking to the Grim Reaper. She was more curious about why he would need my help.

  "Fear," I said, unsure of what else to tell her.

  She looked at me. I could feel her curiosity as she considered what I had said. Her mouth opened and then closed again. She stared at the ground for a second, then out the window.

  "I don't know what you are doing," she finally said, "but if you need
my help, all you need to do is ask."

  She stared at me intently. Her face was full of concern and love for me. "Thank you," I said, standing up.

  She stood up and put her arm in mine. "I always knew you were weird." She teased.

  I laughed. "Yeah, but who would have thought I would someday help the Grim Reaper?"

  "My sister is going to be Death's right hand man," Olive said giggling.

  "Woman," I corrected her.

  "Right," she said, "woman."

  We walked arm-in-arm to the cafeteria and ordered a large cup of ice cream for Hunter. Olive insisted on stopping at a vending machine and buying a bag of candy to add crunch on top. We returned to the room, and Hunter's face lit up at the sight of the giant cup full of candy and ice cream.

  "Whoa!" he said, taking a large bite.

  Olive and I smiled.

  "Did you like your ice cream little squirt?" Olive asked Abby.

  "It was yummy," she said, returning to her toy that Peter had bought for her in the gift shop.

  "What took you ladies so long? The cafeteria isn't that far," Peter said smiling. "Did you get lost?"

  Olive laughed. "No. We just stopped to chat for a minute, you know, girl talk." She joked.

  Both men laughed. "Figures," they said in unison.

  I looked at Mark and nodded. Understanding crossed his face immediately, and he nodded back.

  "How are you feeling?" a deep voice said from behind me.

  Hunter's doctor walked in and smiled at us. "It's nice to see that you are awake and eating," he said.

  "I'm fine," Hunter said quietly. "Can I go home now?"

  He looked at us and then back at Hunter. "Well let’s have a look at you, shall we?" he said politely.

  The doctor listened to Hunter breathe with his stethoscope, took his blood pressure, shined a light in his eyes, and looked inside his ears.