by David Gallie
Maybe if I find another with the same abilities as me I might have a better chance at enjoying what life has to offer.
‘Do you have any thoughts on who the hooded figure might be Lynk?’ It was Joe, this time, he had taken his seat on the floor too, his knees raised high so he was sitting like a small child.
I cast my mind back to the dream once again, and I’m back in the gymnasium, standing in front of the robed figure and trying to pick out anything from the shadows covering his face.
He speaks but this time there are no words to be heard. All I can see is a set of lips moving. Lips that look soft, thin and even delicate. Not the kind I would associate with a man.
It isn’t an he, it’s a she! The voice in my head cries out.
‘I don’t think it’s a man,’ I say, and everyone looks at me surprised.
‘But you said it was,’ I can see the confusion on Steven’s face.
‘Listen I’m still trying to get the hang of this so don’t chew me out okay. And now that I can see a little better under their hood, I think it’s a woman. The lips are too…’ I struggle to find the right words.
‘Kissable?’ Asks Joe, chortling to himself at first and then the rest share a giggle. Even I laugh.
‘I guess, if that’s how a guy sees’s it, I suppose,’ I say, and cast my mind back again, trying to look for more details.
This time, there is something new that I notice. The figures hands aren’t gloved. They’re exposed and on the right hand, I can see a wedding ring. It’s a beautiful gold piece with a large heavy set diamond. I wonder how much something like that must have cost.
‘She’s married,’ I say, trying to keep my focus on the figure in my mind, but it dissolves as my body succumbs to the tiredness.
‘A married woman trying to resurrect the party of shadows. Now there is a clue if ever there was one,’ says Derek, scratching at his beard as if the thought somehow irritated it.
I shrug my shoulders. The whole situation seems bizarre, to say the least, and yet I know that I should be very interested in everything because of that woman, whoever she is, put me in a lunatic asylum for over a year and killed all my classmates.
But my body feels incredibly heavy. I can’t understand why. My eyes are getting heavier by the second until I was watching the world with them half closed.
‘She could be trying to resurrect the shadows in the hope that they will help her bring back a loved one, possibly her husband,’ I hear Joe say, but my eyes are too heavy and I have no energy left to keep them open.
My body feels like the weight of the last year and a half has suddenly descended upon it and no matter how hard I try to fight the feeling it overtakes me until the darkness prevails once again. The last thing I feel is Slendy’s hand on my shoulder.
There are lit torches all around me but their light doesn’t pierce the darkness which threatens to engulf me. When I sit up I find myself sitting in a circle drawn with chalk.
‘Where the am I?’ I ask, noticing the neatly drawn lines leading to the center of the circle where I sit.
‘You’re in the land between the living and the dead my dear,’ comes a deep male voice and when I look up I see a man dressed in a fine white suit with matching shirt and a red tie. The flames dancing in his eyes make me feel nervous.
‘Who are you?’ I try to push myself back as he steps into the circle but my body refuses to move.
‘Oh I go by so many names, Satan, Lucifer, The Devil, every culture on Earth has invented a name for me,’ there is no hint of a lie in his voice.
From out of nowhere, he lights a cigarette and casually puffs on it, making it look elegant instead of the lethal habit it actually was. The disgusting smell of the smoke makes me wrinkle my nose and I want to push myself away from him even more.
‘So, I’m in hell then?’ I ask.
Satan shakes his head and looks at me with big sad eyes as if I’m just a simple soul, which I think I am to him.
‘No dear, this is purgatory. Your soul has never experienced it before so that’s why you see nothing but darkness. But for the others who have crossed the planes many times since their inception, purgatory is like a halfway house between heaven and hell. It is where me and my brother deem who shall enter hell and who shall enter heaven,’ he takes another puff of his cigarette, his eyes lolling in their sockets as he enjoys the intoxicating smoke.
‘So if you’re Satan, where is God?’ I ask, curious.
‘He’s watching. He always watches. Very rarely will he let anyone see him. I’ve never fully understood why myself, I don’t think he’s that ugly, but I’m family so I suppose I’m biased in that sense,’ I giggle as he says this thanks to his deadpan expression.
‘So you’re the famous Lynk I see,’ He says, looking me over like I’m some sort of item in a shop window he’s thinking of buying, ‘my you are young.’
‘I’m not that young, I’m seventeen!’ I cry, but not too loudly in case, he loses that famous temper of his.
‘You’re still just a baby then,’ he laughs and I pout at him, not like that will win me any points, it certainly never worked with the nurses in the dungeon.
‘Is this just a dream?’ I feel certain it is but I’ve found it’s always best to double check.
‘No, our mutual friend Death has helped bring you to me so we can have a discussion,’ he flicks ash from his cigarette and I don’t see where it lands.
I feel a little upset at Slendy for doing this to me without any kind of warning.
‘What kind of discussion?’
‘Consider it a discussion on the facts of life,’ he says and I roll my eyes.
‘Oh please, I know all about the birds and the bees and sex and stuff like that. I told you I’m not a baby.’
‘Let me rephrase that then. It’s a discussion on the facts of life as they pertain to you my dear,’ he breaths in one last lungful of smoke before flicking his butt away. The smell of the smoke makes me feel ill but I say nothing for fear of offending him.
‘I’m no different from any other girl,’ I know this isn’t one hundred percent true, after all, I’m here having a conversation with Satan, and I don’t think many girls my age do that.
‘Oh, Lynk you are very different. You are the guardian of the realms. Do you understand what that means?’ He asks, and as he does so a wall of flames erupts behind him. Among the flames I can see shadows, twisting in the fire as if their being burned alive all over again. Behind me I can sense a light and when I look I see a wall of blueish, heavenly light and amongst that I can see the silhouettes of winged angels both female and male.
When I turn back to face Satan with my eyes wide he has another freshly lit cigarette between his lips. That man would be heading to an early grave if he wasn’t already dead.
‘Not really, I can see things that other people can’t, and I have another group of people called the Ascendite’s who are telling me that I am the missing link between worlds,’ I shrug, not fully appreciating the gravity of the situation.
Satan looks bored but he carries on anyway, as the tortured souls continue to dance in the flames behind him.
‘Well, those people are almost right. You are indeed a link between worlds but your function, young lady, is to protect all three realms from elements that should not be there.’
‘Realms?’ I don’t understand.
‘Earth, Heaven and Hell. The three Realms,’ he takes another drag and I hope that he chokes on that nasty foul smelling smoke.
‘Why can’t the realms deal with these elements themselves?’
‘To make sure that every soul is treated fairly, me and my brother decided it was best to appoint a single soul to deal with them. This way neither one of us can be blamed for being too heavy handed with the others souls. We created a guardian, which is you,’ he seems way too pleased with himself for my liking.
‘Great. I was told my parents took part in some sort of ritual on the night I was conceived and that was
how I got my abilities,’ I’m hoping he might tell me which realm my parents are in. I have no memory of them. I’ve never seen a photograph of them because Aunt June never had any. But there was a part of me that wanted to know what they were like and if they missed me.
Satan shrugs his shoulders.
‘It wouldn’t have mattered if they took part in the ritual or not. It has been your destiny since your soul was created, Lynk. There is nothing you can do to change it. You were created for a very specific function and we expect you will fulfill that function with honor. Of course, I appreciate that it’s still early days, and you’re still trying to find your feet with the whole thing, so both me and my brother will be sending you two souls who can keep you on track. At least until you are ready to stand alone, which you will have to someday,’ he flicks his second butt away again and I see tendrils of smoke drift down from his nostrils like the way I imagine a dragon probably lets out smoke before it breaths fire.
‘How come you guys don’t stop your souls from leaving the realms you’re in charge of?’ It hits me as I watch him adjust his suit jacket.
‘Because both heaven and hell are infinite places. It’s impossible to keep track of every soul and their intentions. It also doesn’t help when humans decide to unlock doorways to the realms that they should leave well alone,’ he says, smiling at me and he looks wicked. I had thought the flames in his eyes were the reflection of the torches, but when he bends down further to stare at me I realize that those are real flames burning in his retinas.
‘So you know about the party of shadows then?’ I try my best to hold back my fear but it’s rising fast and my stomach is knotting again. I feel like I’m going to be sick but I’m able to hold it back.
‘I know they’re trying to escape from my realm. I know they caused problems for you. And I know with the help of the souls coming your way, you will make sure they never set foot on Earth again,’ he sounds very sure of my abilities and I wonder if he can see or even sense just how weak and lonely I feel inside.
‘Will there be more of these discussions in the future?’
‘Oh yes. The best form of communication is the one which is most direct,’ he says and starts walking away towards the flames, ‘We’ll speak soon Lynk,’ and then the flames engulf him before they disappear along with everything else and I’m left falling into the darkness again.
I gasp for breath as my eyes shoot open. I can hear the rain continue its drumming against the flat boards of the house and when my eyes focus I find myself looking into those lovely brown eyes of Stevens. He looks concerned as do the other three men behind him.
‘Are you okay? You just crashed out,’ I can hear the concern in Steven’s voice.
‘I had a meeting.’
CHAPTER 11
Outside, daylight was slowly giving way to the night. I guessed it wouldn’t be much longer until we had to move, but it seems these men, the Ascendite’s as they liked to call themselves, have more questions than I did.
‘Who did you have a meeting with?’ Asks Derek, a dark look crossing his lined face again and I feel there is something about the man I shouldn’t trust.
Who can I trust? I wonder as they all stare at me.
‘Satan. Slendy greased the wheels,’ I say nodding to the tall man behind me that no one can see.
‘Why on earth would you have a meeting with Satan?’ Asks Bill, he looks worried.
‘Well, according to him you guys are only half right about me,’ I say and I go through all the details Satan the chain smoker imparted before disappearing into the flames of his own realm.
Each of the men looks at the other slightly bewildered. I can tell they aren’t sure if they have rescued the Lynk they’re looking for or just another crazy girl. Maybe I am as crazy as Roland likes to tell me I am. Maybe I should be locked away in the dungeon.
One thing I do know for sure is that no matter what, I am the way I am and no amount of medication and shock therapy is ever going to change that. So I either have to accept my fate as Satan had laid it out or find some way to quit my job which doesn’t seem possible.
‘What about these two souls you mention. Do you know when they will arrive?’ The dark clouds have lifted from Derek’s face and again I’m left feeling unsure if he should be trusted or not.
‘He never said. And I have no idea what they will look like when they arrive. I don’t even know if it will only be me who can see them or if they will make themselves visible to all of you,’ I say.
‘Well, the light is almost gone so we should get ready to leave for the museum,’ says Derek, adjusting his jacket before he starts for the door.
Bill and Joe follow after him, they look like dogs obediently following their master and I wonder just how much control Derek has over their lives.
‘Don’t worry about Derek, he only means well,’ I hear Steven say as he offers me his hand to help me get up off the floor. My butt is numb again and even though it’s just me and him I don’t dare rub at it.
The warmth of his hand against mine sends tingles down my back and once again I can feel my body bristle with excitement. There was something about him that instantly made me feel at ease.
I know faith is what I need when dealing with these people. It was just hard to find it after being treated so badly over the last year and a half.
‘How old are you?’ I blurt and I feel myself blush with embarrassment. I hadn’t meant to speak the words aloud.
But I relax as his eyes come alive again and he laughs a little.
‘I’m twenty-one,’ he says, his beautiful eyes sparkling at me and I can’t help but smile.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to ask it just slipped out.’
‘No need to be sorry. If you don’t ask you’ll never know,’ he says and I follow him to the porch outside where the other men have gathered.
‘It’s going to look suspicious if we all travel together, especially now that night is drawing in, I suggest Bill and Joe go first and then we’ll start after them ten minutes later. At least that way it won’t be obvious to anyone that we’re traveling together,’ says Derek, glancing at everyone in turn before turning his attentions to the darkening sky.
I dash for the rear of the car parked beside the house and quickly climb inside to escape the rain. Derek and Steven are quick to follow after me and I’m surprised that it’s Steven who gets behind the wheel and not the older man.
I’m not sure why this setup surprises me. Maybe it is because I was thinking the car would be driven by the man in charge.
I stare out at the front of the house which is now nothing more than a vast green field since Joe and Bill took off in the minivan a few minutes ago. They both had cell phones and were instructed to inform Derek if there were any potential problems on the road ahead, such as police roadblocks.
I was a wanted crazy girl after all. Even though I’m beginning to understand that I wasn’t crazy at all. Everything I had seen, heard, and touched from the other realms was real and it’s only going to get more real as time moves on.
‘They’ve been on the road for ten minutes now, I think it’s safe for us to get moving,’ says Derek, his cell phone in his hand. Every so often he glances at the blank screen as if he is expecting a call. My distrust of him is still hanging in the balance.
Steven starts the car and we head back out onto the dirt track which will lead us to the main road and that, in turn, will lead us further into Orange.
‘Are you sure the museum is the only place where such an old relic would be kept in this town Lynk?’ Asks Derek, turning his attention away from his phone as he glances over his shoulder at me.
I’m not going to claim that I know every inch of Orange County because I don’t. I’ve never been one for exploring too far beyond the confines of my aunt’s house when I wasn’t in school. Every so often, Gillian, my friend from school, would invite me over to hers for a sleepover but those became less frequent as we both gradually grew apart, pretty m
uch making me a loner for the remaining days leading up to my incarceration.
‘There is nowhere else I can think of,’ I don’t return the older man’s gaze because he makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Instead, I watch as the fast food chains, car sales and other stores and houses pass us by.
‘Well, let’s hope we can get this one right before anyone gets hurt,’ says Derek, his eyes returning to the blank phone as he turns around in his seat.
I want to ask him what his real plan is. I want him to know that I know there is something not right about him. But instead, I keep looking out the window, watching the world whizz by as rain smears my vision making it all look like a depressing watercolor painting.
The museum is a small, colonial style building, located about a block away from the County Courthouse. I see the mini-van with Joe and Bill sitting in its front cab parked further up the street and I wonder why they have parked so far away.
But when I glance out my window and notice the museum carpark is empty it begins to make sense. If the museum is closed then it would be a massive red flag for any patrolling cop to spot a van and a car in its parking lot after closing time.
Rather than parking behind the van, Steven eases the car to a stop at the front. Probably to shield the car from immediate view.
‘How are we going to get in if the place is closed,’ Asks Derek, watching his side mirror.
‘There’s a fire exit at the rear of the building where the security guard likes to pop out for a cigarette. I know this because me and my friend from school once tried to sneak in because we thought the place was haunted and wanted to see for ourselves,’ I say, remembering that day the security guard grabbed us by the scruff of the neck and told us to beat it or he would be calling the cops. Needless to say, we never went back for another try.
‘I’ll get the tire iron,’ says Steven as he climbs out of the car, leaving me with Derek.