"Well besides a little dry blood in your ears, you seem to be just fine."
"So I can go home now?" Hunter asked excitedly.
"I'm going to take your parents outside in the hall for a minute, okay?" he said to Hunter.
Hunter let out a deflated sigh, shrugged, and went back to his ice cream.
We followed the doctor out of the room and into the hall.
"I have checked over Hunter's x-rays and his CT scan at least a dozen times, and I can't seem to find anything that shows that he has or had a concussion, or that he went through any trauma. Usually when something like this happens, patients show confusion, memory loss, double vision, and several other factors that confirm a concussion. Hunter shows none of these. The fact that he is eating ice cream and is so wide awake is a mystery."
"If he doesn't have a concussion, can we take him home?" I asked. "I think he would do better where he is comfortable." I knew that there wasn't anything wrong with Hunter, but explaining that to a random doctor wouldn't be good. He would surely have me put under surveillance.
"Well, I really wanted to keep him overnight, but I think you may be right. With him showing no signs of any trauma and all his vitals are normal, I think he will be fine to go home," he said. "However, I want him to stay in bed and rest. He should also stay home from school tomorrow."
My heart leapt for joy. I couldn't wait to get out of this hospital. "When can we leave?" I asked; the excitement coming from my voice couldn't be hidden.
The doctor smiled. "I'll get his paperwork filled out right now, and he will be discharged within the hour."
Mark shook his hand. "Thank you for all you have done for our son."
"Not a problem. Just remember to have him rest. If he starts getting a headache, or showing signs of a concussion, I want you to take him to his regular doctor, or bring him back here," he explained.
"We will. Thank you," I said, shaking his hand.
As soon as the doctor left, I felt stress just melt away. It had been a very long day, and I just wanted to go home.
"Are you okay?" Mark asked.
I looked at him and smiled. "Yes, I am now," I said, giving him a hug.
He returned my hug and kissed me softly on the forehead. "I love you Mrs. Sable."
"I love you too," I said. "Let's go home."
Ten
An hour later we were all packed in the car and ready to leave. Hunter was smiling from ear to ear, and Abby was crying because she wanted to go with her aunt and uncle. Olive told her she would see her tonight but had to run a few errands first and that Uncle Peter had to drive daddy's car home. Abby wasn't happy about it, but let her go.
The house looked so peaceful as we pulled into the driveway. Hunter quickly opened his door and ran inside.
"Hunter!" I yelled after him. "Don’t run. The doctor already told you that."
"Sorry mom!" he yelled back at me.
I shook my head. Keeping him calm wasn't going to be easy; he was too excited about not being in that hospital anymore. He said it gave him the creeps. When I asked him what he meant by that, he just shrugged and said it just felt weird. I began to wonder how much Hunter wasn't telling me.
Was he still seeing and talking to Death? Did he know that he wasn't actually hurt? Did he see Spirits like me?
It scared me to think that he was. I didn't want him to experience that. It just felt like it would take away his innocence of being a child. Although, who was I kidding, that boy was more grownup than his dad and uncle sometimes.
"What are you thinking about?" Mark asked me, snapping me back to reality.
"Nothing." I lied. "Why?"
"Because I've asked you the same question three times, and you haven't answered me," he said, half smiling.
I grinned. "Sorry."
"Are you going to tell me what Olive said when you told her?" he asked for the fourth time.
I thought back to her reaction. "She was scared at first. I think she thought exactly what you and I were thinking. Once I explained it a little more, she seemed really calm about it and even started to tease me about being a ghost whisperer," I said, smiling at the last remark.
Mark didn't smile. "This isn't a joke Amelia. This is serious."
"You know Olive, she likes to joke when she's uncomfortable about something or when she can tell we are. I know this is serious, trust me. No one knows that more than me." I sighed deeply. My heart ached to be normal again.
Mark sensed my uneasiness and wrapped his fingers through mine. He gave me a quick half smile that melted away all my fears. I leaned into him, grateful to be home. We walked into the house, and Abby and Hunter were sitting at the table having another snack. I just shook my head and went to the living room. I hadn't told Mark or Olive the whole story. Neither of them knew what was really going on. They didn't know the extent of what I was truly seeing. Ever since I’d gone on my little journey with Death that morning, I’d been surrounded by Spirits. They followed me to the car, lined the streets as I drove to the hospital, stood outside in the hall at the hospital, and even came into the room every now and then.
The only time they weren't everywhere was when Fear was nearby. It was also a way that I knew that Fear was coming, because they would disappear. There were several Spirits in my living room and even some sitting at the kitchen table watching the kids eat their snack. I didn't recognize any of them but two, Vanessa, and the spirit whose life ended while I’d watched in the hospital. She had been following me for a while. Each Spirit that I saw all had the same look on their face, hope filled with pain. I knew they hoped that I could end the pain they were experiencing, but the truth was I had no idea what I was going to do to help them.
I lay on the couch and closed my eyes. I didn't want to see any more Spirits or have any more stressful things happen to me today. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and fall asleep. Mark sat at my feet and pulled my shoes off. He always gave me the best foot rubs when I wasn't feeling well. I rolled over to my side and listened to his breathing. I knew he wanted to talk to me more about what had happened at the hospital, but he was being patient until I was ready to tell him. I truly loved that man; he was my greatest treasure.
I could feel myself starting to relax as he rubbed my feet. I never really recognized how stressed I was until I could feel it melting away with his touch. Just having Mark close to me made me feel stronger, like I could accomplish so many things.
"Mom, can I go to school tomorrow?" Hunter asked through mouthfuls of whatever snack he had just devoured.
I rolled back over to look at him. I inhaled deeply as I recognized the Spirit standing close to him. I swallowed; Zoe stood watching me, her face sweet and innocent.
"I'm sorry about my brother."
The sound was like a whisper through the wind. It sent chills down my spine, and tears filled my eyes. Zoe's voice was full of heartfelt apology as she spoke. She knew what had happened at school with Hunter. She smiled at me before the pain overtook her, and she disappeared.
"Amelia, are you okay?" Mark asked, tucking my hair behind my ear.
I smiled. "Yes, sorry. I was light headed." I said, "Sorry Hunter, the doctor said you had to rest for a couple of days."
"Oh man, I wanted to go tomorrow.,” he complained.
"What is so important about tomorrow?" I asked.
"Remember the boy from school I was telling you about that took my money?" he asked.
"Yes," I answered, trying to quickly recover from the encounter.
"He came up to me today at recess just before everything happened and said he was really sorry about what happened. He handed me my five dollars and then asked if I wanted to hang out tomorrow at recess and play soccer."
Surprised at his quick change of heart, I smiled. "That's great, Hunter. I'm glad that you are going to be friends. You still have to rest tomorrow though. You can play with him another day," I told him.
Hunter's face deflated a little, but he shrugged and walked back in
to the kitchen, probably for more of whatever he had just eaten.
"Lia," Mark said after Hunter was out of earshot.
I knew what he was going to say, and I wasn't in the mood for it. I just wanted to return to him rubbing my feet and me forgetting all about everything that had been happening. "Hmm?" I said, rolling back over and stretching my feet back across his lap.
"Lia, what aren't you telling me?" he said, leaning down towards me and pushing my hair away from my face. "I want to know everything you’re going through. I need to know that you are okay."
I took a deep breath. I knew that if I explained everything to him, it would somehow make it seem more real. I just wanted it to be forgotten. I wanted my life to go back to the way that it was before the nightmares had started.
"It’s just been a long day. I don't have anything new to tell you," I lied.
He pushed me over so I was lying on my back. He looked at me sideways and cocked an eyebrow. "You have never been a very good liar," he said, half-teasing, half-annoyed.
"There really isn't anything new to tell you. I'm still talking to Death, I'm still seeing Spirits all over the place who are begging for me to help them, and I'm still just as unsure as to how I can help them," I said, more emotion coming through my tone than I’d anticipated.
A light knock, followed by Peter and Olive bursting in, paused our conversation, but I knew that he would ask me again. Sometimes his concern could be very overwhelming.
"Hey Lia. Peter and I grabbed dinner on our way over. I figured you would be hungry," Olive said as she placed several bags of hot greasy food on the table.
My stomach growled as I stood from the couch. I realized that I hadn't eaten anything substantial all day. The smell of french fries, hamburgers, and whatever else wafted through the house. Both Hunter and Abby rushed to find their meals.
"I thought you could use this," Peter said, handing me a large cup. "Olive said that root beer always made things better." He winked.
I laughed. "Yeah, that's true," I replied. "Thanks."
"I got you a cheeseburger, with everything, and some cheese fries," Olive said, handing me a wrapped burger and container of the most mouthwatering cheese fries.
"You know me so well," I told her, taking the burger and fries and plopping down on a chair.
The food was delicious. I didn't realize how hungry I’d actually been until I took the first bite of the burger. It was like butter as it slid down my throat. We all ate mostly in silence, except for Hunter and Abby discussing different ways to draw his hospital room, or what the kids at school were going to say about what had happened. Olive watched me closely, as did Mark. It would have been really annoying if not for the other eyes watching me from every room. Death had made an appearance shortly after Olive had arrived, but left. I figured he would return later in my nightmares. Vanessa's spirit never left my side while I ate; she watched the kids and me and would try and smile at something that one of them had said, but the smile wouldn't come. I nearly choked on my fries when one particular Spirit decided to stick his arm though Peter, who in turn shivered and made sure the window behind him was closed all the way.
After dinner the kids insisted on watching a movie, which of course was whatever movie Abigail chose. That girl was so spoiled. The movie was a great distraction, but it ended far to quickly. The night sky outside had turned dark, and I could see the moon peaking through the curtains. As we said our goodbyes to Olive and Peter, Olive gave me an extra long hug.
"We will figure this all out. Don't worry," she whispered as she pulled away from me.
I nodded and thanked her and Peter for everything they had done. As the door shut behind them and the kids were finally all snuggled and tucked into bed, Mark and I collapsed on the bed. He pulled me in close and just held me in silence. The day had been one that neither of us had hoped to ever go through again. It wasn't long before I felt him slip quietly into a peaceful sleep. I looked around the dark room and watched as the Spirits disappeared one by one, until all that remained was an empty room.
"Finally," I thought to myself. I closed my eyes and felt my mind slip into unconsciousness. My dreams were filled with images of the day’s activities, and I felt my mind begin to wander. I found myself back in the graveyard; the familiar breeze made my hair dance around in a swirling pattern around my head. I kneeled and wiped away the dirt and grime from the stone, finding a passage written there.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal...Love leaves a memory no one can steal."
I read the phrase over and over again. The phrase was unfamiliar to me, but it's meaning was not a mystery. The cold pulsed through my body, and the new tombstone was replaced by the one I had seen every other time I had been here. The cold deepened, causing me to shiver. Moments later, I heard the sound of someone behind me. I turned and again faced Death.
"Why am I back here?" I asked, pushing myself up from the ground.
"It is time."
I heard the sound of his voice all around me, like he was using surround sound. It resonated throughout my entire body, causing me to shiver. Goosebumps rose on my arms and neck.
I could feel the fear rising in my chest. "Time for what?" I asked, afraid of what the answer might be.
"Time to save the human race. It is time for you to accept your destiny and learn to fight Fear. It is time for you to come with me," he said, the sound again sending chills throughout my body.
"I'm not ready to leave my family," I cried. "I don't want to die."
"Death isn't what will come for you, but I also can't promise that you will return from your adventure," he said cryptically.
I was confused. "I don't have to die to help you?"
"No," he said. "Not in the sense that you are used to. Your body will be useless while you are with me in Limbo. You will not be able to enter Heaven, and you won't be able to return to your family until Fear is defeated and the Scythe of Peace has been returned to me." His voice began to taper off into more of a whisper. "If Fear wins and you fail to defeat him, you will never return to your family and will be permanently stuck in between space and time. Limbo will become your prison."
I inhaled sharply. His words pushed their way into my mind, and I dropped to my knees again. I realized that my journey had already begun. I wouldn't be able to say goodbye to my children, or kiss my husband and tell him I loved him. I had been taken from my bed, my life snatched away without me knowing what was happening.
"Why now?" I sobbed. "I need to say goodbye." I looked up into the face of Death. His eyes were dark, but I saw the look of sympathy as he stared back at me.
"Your destiny has already been decided," he said sadly. "Fear has become too powerful; you can't go back, but you can say one last goodbye."
The scene around me changed. I looked around. I could see myself lying on the bed wrapped in the arms of my husband. He slept soundly, unaware that my soul was no longer attached to the body he was holding. I walked to his side and reached for him, swiping my hand down his cheek. "I'm sorry," I whispered. My heart ached as I watched him shiver at my touch. I turned and left his side and walked down the hall to Abby's room. My sweet angel snored slightly as I entered the room, and she smiled as I combed her hair with my fingers. "I will return to you my sweet angel." I bent low to kiss her cheek and then left. When I entered Hunter's room, he was sitting up in his bed, his eyes peering through the darkness.
"Mom?" he asked, staring straight through me to the door.
Curiously I walked to him and sat at the edge of his bed. "Can you see me?" I asked.
He looked toward the sound of my voice, "I can hear you, where are you?" he asked.
My heart skipped in my chest. "You can hear me?" I was excited that I might get to say goodbye after all.
He looked around the room again. "Where are you?" he asked again.
"Honey, listen to me," I pleaded, unsure of how long the connection would last. "I have to go help Death. Please tell your dad that I'm sor
ry and tell your sister that I love her. I'll be back as soon as I can." I rushed through the words, afraid that I might lose his attention.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"With Death," I explained.
"Are you dead?" His voice faltered a little as he spoke, and a tear dropped down his cheek.
"It will seem that way, but I'm not dead. I'm just with Death in his world." I tried to explain it so he could understand, but I didn't know if it was working. I watched as more tears built up and trickled down his face.
"I don't want you to go!" he cried.
I tried to wrap my arms around my son, but I couldn't. I pulled back. "Sweetie, I need you to tell your dad where I've gone. I need you to be strong for your sister. Can you do that?" I pleaded.
He nodded. "Okay." He reached into the darkness, and I touched his hand. I watched him shiver. "Mom?"
"Yes?" I whispered.
"Don't forget to come home," he said. "Please don't forget us."
"I could never forget you," I promised.
I could feel the connection weakening. "Goodbye Hunter. Go tell your dad what I've told you. I love you."
"I love you too.,” he whispered.
I followed him down the hall and watched as he shook his dad awake.
"Dad, mom said she had to go help Death, but she loves us. She promised she would be back as soon as she could," Hunter explained.
Mark’s face went white. He rolled my body over, and realization crossed his face. His eyes filled with tears as he stroked my face, and he pleaded for me not to go. He pulled my body into his and rocked back and forth. Hunter touched his arm, and Mark pulled him closer into a tight hug.
"Mom's not dead; she told me so," he said.
"When did she say that?" Mark's voice was quiet and full of pain.
"She came to my room. I couldn't see her, but I could hear her. She told me that she had to help Death, but she would come back as soon as she could," he said. "Dad, why does Death need Mom's help?"
"I don't know," he said through the tears that streamed down his face. "I don't know."
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