“I was searching for someone close to me that may have died there. I lived a good life mostly. Please, I beg you for another chance,” he whispered as he hung his head and closed his big, beautiful eyes.
“Kale...it’s like I know that name from somewhere,” I leaned over and whispered to Lexie.
“Maybe you knew one in your life...in the memories that didn’t make it to the afterlife.”
I sighed, “Maybe.”
The Informer looked down at him after talking with the Creator who sat further behind him. “Second chance granted. Be careful. If you upset the balance of nature, a Soul Collector will come for you and you will spend the rest of your eternity alone and confined. Do you understand the terms to this agreement?”
“Yes sir, I do. Thank you so much.” His face lit up and as he turned around to walk back out. He began to walk past me and our eyes locked on each other. For a moment, we connected somehow. His smile went away and his face drained of all color. “Dev? Is that you?”
I froze. My unbeating heart would’ve stopped if it wasn’t already gone forever. My eyes went wide as my stomach filled with a flipping sensation. “I’m sorry but do I know you?”
“Oh my God. I’ve been searching everywhere for you!” He started to approach me but a few guards stepped in front of him, refusing to let him get close to me.
“Searching for me? I’m sorry, you must have me confused with someone else,” I shook my head.
“No, you’re Devalynn Rose from Mount Vernon, Washington. Why don’t you know me? I died searching for you!”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and shook my head, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know who that girl is and I’m afraid I don’t know you, either. I think it’s a coincidence that we have the same name but I can’t possibly be who you’re looking for.”
The guards led him out of the room. He turned around and we stared at each other again. His face was contorted in pain; his smile was flipped over in a sad frown. I watched him until the doors closed.
“That was totally creepy...just saying,” Lexie leaned over and shook her head.
I forced a smile on my face, “Yeah, totally creepy. I have to go. I’m meeting Kellin for a talk. I’ll see you later. Stop by for breakfast tomorrow before we get out lists.” I jumped up and ran out of the room.
Once outside, I put my hand over my chest and tried to remember him; to remember Kale and his beautiful eyes that devoured my inner being. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried forcing my way back into the depths of my memory...nothing came from it.
I sighed heavily as my arms fell to my sides and it felt like I was carrying stacks of bricks in my hands. Surely he had me mixed up with someone else. I would remember someone that shook my world like that...wouldn’t I?
Chapter Two
“What do you dream of?” Kellin asked me as we walked around some stars and jumped from one to another.
“Life, what I’m missing out on, what my family thinks happens to me, the children I will never have.” I twirled on a star until I was dizzy then sat down and crossed my legs. I watched as Kellin hopped over them until he sat across from me. His grey eyes and short, wavy brown hair were heart melting...just not mine...mine was already gone. “What do you dream of?”
“The wife I never got to meet, the children I’ll never get to hold, walking my daughter down the aisle. You know, the usual,” he shrugged.
“I dream of going back and living again. I don’t remember my death. I know it was horrible though. I remember I showed up here screaming and soaking wet but that’s all I know. I wish all of my memories crossed over so I could just know...you know?” I asked him as I wrapped my arms around my legs.
“I remember how I died- car accident. Mother, brother, and uncle died with me. We all suffered. I wish I could’ve taken their pain away and carried it all myself. See, the way I look at it is, you’re lucky.”
“How am I lucky?” I wrinkled my nose at him.
“You don’t have to relive the pain and suffering every day and every night for eternity like I do. I wish I could have no memories like you.” His eyes searched mine.
“When you put it like that, yeah, it’s not so bad, I guess. I’m sorry you have to go through that. It must feel more like a nightmare every day,” I whispered.
He shrugged, “It’s not so bad now. I’m getting used to it. They’ve all gone to heaven and are no longer in pain. I was held back to be a helper...but you know that already.”
“We really haven’t talked like this...ever. Never had a deep conversation like this,” I stood and jumped over to where he was sitting and held my hand out for his. He grabbed onto it as he stood to his feet.
“It’s nice to have someone to talk to about it. No one else really understands. They’ve been here too long and have forgotten. Don’t ever let go of the memories you do have Dev,” he squeezed me in a hug.
“I won’t...at least I’ll try my damndest to not, anyways.”
“Why don’t we go have dinner at my house? I’ll cook. You clean.”
“Don’t you find it weird that we eat up here?” I laughed as he held my hand and we jumped from star to star headed back to the edge of the pavement.
“At first...but then I ate some of the food and it was heavenly. No wonder this stuff wasn’t on earth,” he laughed.
“Okay, let’s go eat. I burned up all my energy catching that damn Alex today.”
“Yeah we watched it from up here; nicely done. You’ll catch up on all the little shortcuts and ways around situations like that once you’re here longer.”
“I hope so. He had my anger boiling today.”
We jumped off the last star where the road began and landed on the pavement. “I’m still trying to get use to everything up here. It’s so different. Nothing makes sense. There are roads up here but no cars, silly things like that,” I laughed.
“He wants us to feel at home and comfortable here. This world was created specifically for us so we would never feel like we were slaves to the job, so to speak. Tomorrow it could be different. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, just remember that.”
“I know. I don’t even know how long I’ve been up here but it doesn’t feel like very long at all.”
“You’ve only been here about three or four months and you’ve out-performed all the other Soul Collectors. I’m glad He brought you here with us,” he flashed his teeth in a big smile while still holding my hand.
“Me too,” I responded.
We wandered the streets until we were in front of his house. He held the door open and let me in first. His home was about the same size as mine. It was messier though...I couldn’t imagine being a man.
“Ummm, I might need to clean up the kitchen first,” he said, sheepishly.
I rolled my eyes, “I’ll clean the kitchen, and you prep whatever you’re cooking. Why can’t we have superpowers...like snap our fingers and everything is clean?”
“Because we’re not super beings...we’re still humans...just dead...and we still eat....and teleport with portals...and stuff souls into jewelry. Yeah, doesn’t make much sense when you break it down like that. Oh well! Let’s get dinner going.”
“It would be so amazing if we could have even just one kind of power.”
He came up behind me and slipped a hand around my waist, pulling me towards his chest and whispered; his deliciously sweet breath tickling the tiny hairs on my neck. “You do have a power.”
“What’s that?” I asked, breathlessly.
“You have eyes that can hold any man hostage. Your lips make me want to drop to my knees. With just the quickest glance at you, every man would beg to have you look into their eyes the way you do with me,” he whispered against my neck.
“You have a power too, then,” I replied; intoxicated by his words.
“And what would that be?” he chuckled.
“You can woo any woman with your charm and wit. All you have to do is wink at a woman an
d bam! Her clothes come off,” I laughed.
“You are quite ridiculous. I would only do that with you.” He kissed my neck.
I cleared my throat as I tried to get the lust that was building to go away. “Okay, let’s get dinner cooking. I’m starving.” I turned around in his embrace and kissed his cheek before ducking out of his arms to try and get myself collected.
I cleaned up the dishes and put them away as he chopped up some foods I had never seen before. I shrugged it off. Nothing here was horrible so why not try it? After I got done setting the table, we went and sat on the porch and watched the sun set on one side of the earth and rise on the other while dinner was cooking.
“This is so beautiful. Looking at earth from here, it’s like looking at perfection but we know it’s not. The Creator gives so many people a second chance and most of them screw it away. Why can’t they enjoy it and do it right? Why do they mess up so much? I’d give anything to go back and have my life again.” I leaned my head on his shoulder as the swing gently swayed back and forth.
“We all have a monster that lives inside of us. When they die the first time, no one knows whose is going to awaken once they cross back over. After they get back down there, something will usually trigger the monster to awaken and we have to fix it. We’re the janitors of the second chancers, basically.”
“Oh. Why didn’t I have a choice to turn this down or take my judgment?” Kellin wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Because He knew; he knew you would be amazing and one of the best Soul Collectors of all time.”
I sat up and shoved him, “You’re so full of shit,” I laughed, “Let’s go check on dinner before you burn it.”
He laughed heartily as he stood and held the door open for me. Dinner in fact, did not burn, but smelled amazing. I took a deep breath and inhaled the mouthwatering scent. “Everything really is perfect here. I won’t be able to burn food and I was really good at that...hey! I remembered something!” I squealed with excitement.
“For a few months, the memories will come and go and then what’s meant to stay, will and what’s not, well...you won’t remember you lost them.” He fixed me a plate and handed it to me on the couch. We sat and ate in silence. Afterwards, I cleaned up the kitchen for him and we sat on the couch. I laid across his lap and fell asleep.
***
There was a knocking at the door. “Kellin, are you going to answer your door?” I mumbled groggily.
“Devalynn! You’re the one who invited me over for breakfast! Open up!” Lexie was banging on the door.
I shot up and looked around. Kellin must have carried me home in a dead sleep. I was in my bed curled up under the blanket. I threw it off of me and ran to the door. “Sorry, Lexie! I didn’t realize I overslept so late.”
She walked in past me and smiled, “You were with Kellin again, weren’t you?”
“We had dinner and I crashed on his couch then woke up here. Nothing is going on, if that’s what you’re trying to get at!” I nudged her playfully with my hand.
“Hey, if you want to deny it, that’s all on you, but everyone can see what’s going on,” she laughed.
I walked into the small kitchen and got out some food to cook for a quick breakfast. “What did you do last night?” I asked her.
“Just hung around with Jackson for a little bit and then had dinner, read a book and went to bed.”
“My night definitely sounds much better than yours was,” I laughed. “How about tonight you and I do something?”
Her face lit up as she smiled, “That sounds like a wonderful idea but don’t think I’m going to be dancing on stars with you,” she fell over laughing on the couch as my face became hot and bright red.
“How did you know that? I didn’t tell you!”
“I watched...I like to people watch and last night you and Kellin were my victims,” she grabbed onto her stomach as she laughed harder and began to cry from it.
“You’re so wrong, you freakin creeper!” I shook my head and grinned.
“Are you going to cook my breakfast or not?”
“Not if you’re going to talk to me like that!” I put the food on the counter and began cutting the strange purple things in my hands. I wrapped them in tortilla type rolls and handed her a plate as I sat down beside her on the couch.
“What did you guys talk about last night?” she asked me between bites.
“What we dream of,” I responded.
“Yeah, that doesn’t sound like you’re interested in each other at all,” she rolled her eyes.
“Shut up. What about you and Jackson?” I bit into the roll and tasted heaven...if you could taste it, that is.
“We talked about different ways to make it easier to collect and about the ones we had to chase down and had to fight for their souls.”
“You two are a perfect match, you freaks,” I choked out as I laughed.
“Har har har, you’re so funny.” She looked down at her watch, “Oh shit! We need to hurry! The Reclamation Lists coming out in fifteen minutes.” She shoveled the food in her mouth.
We finished and I put our plates in the sink and we ran out to go meet the other Soul Collectors to get our missions for the day. I was praying it was going to be as easy as the day before, but I highly doubted it would happen.
***
We got in line. There were more Collectors that day than normal...the lists must have been extremely long. I just shook my head. Lexie got hers first.
“Well damn, I was hoping for a shorter one today,” she spoke as she shook her head with disappointment.
I walked up to Kellin, who winked at me. “Good morning, Devalynn Rose,” he spoke as he handed me my list.
I grinned with my reply, “Good morning, Kellin Banks. Thank you for...ya know,” I darted my eyes around to see if anyone had heard me.
“No problem at all. Figured it wouldn’t look right if you woke up and...ya know,” he whispered. “So what are you up to tonight?”
“Lexie and I are going to hang out. We have some catching up to do. It seems that way with a few people here lately. Well, I better get my day started. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” I backed away from the table with a small, quick wave.
Once I was outside, I glance at my list and the first name had me floored. I felt like I could stop breathing. My chest tightened and a sinking feeling rushed over me.
“What’s wrong?” Lexie walked over and took the list from my hands. “Oh. My. Gosh. Is that who I think it is? Already!?” she exclaimed.
I snatched it back from her. “Hush. I don’t understand how he could’ve messed up so bad, so soon.” I glanced down and read over his charges:
Kale Evans: 2nd chance age: 27. Crime: Declaring life after life; proclaiming he’s been to the other side; drawing attention to who Soul Collectors are.
“That really doesn’t seem that bad at all to me,” I shook my head.
“It’s one of the worst,” she snorted, “We can’t be known to the living down there. If they find out about us, they’ll live recklessly because they’ll take their chances of getting a second chance or not. He’s lost his mind. He’s not a monster...he’s just gone off the deep end- lost his mind,”
I sighed, “Here’s to another wonderful day in the life of a Collector.”
“Well, let’s get a move on it. I’ve got about fifteen to do. This is going to be a long ass day. Don’t count on me doing anything tonight afterwards. I’ll see you later.” She stepped through the portal and off she went.
I was next in line but let a few go ahead of me. I wasn’t ready for this one. Something about him...I felt like I knew him, like I couldn’t reclaim him. A few more skipped around me. I decided to run back and talk to Kellin for a minute. He was sitting at the desk like always, making the list for the next day as names came to him.
“Hey, Kellin, I have a question.” I sat on his desk next to him.
He looked up at me and creased his eyebrows, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay, it’s just...” I sighed, “Do we really serve someone else’s eternity if we don’t reclaim them?”
He lifted an eyebrow, “Umm, yes. I haven’t seen it happen since I’ve been here but the Creator himself comes out and does it. He reaches in the Collector, takes out their soul, and stuffs them in a room that gets sealed shut with His powers so no one can ever open it. If you go look at the wall, you’ll see some with glowing gold outlines...those are the ones who wouldn’t reclaim a soul for one reason or another.”
“Oh,” I replied with sadness as my unbeating heart sank lower into my chest.
“Why are you asking this?”
“I’ve been given someone to reclaim...and I don’t think I can do it,” I whispered and glanced around the room, making sure I wasn’t heard.
“Well, there’s a small loophole. It’s not much leeway, but it’s a little something. As long as you’re only down there for a couple of days, you can push reclaiming someone...but they have to be taken and brought back here within those first few days; probably no more than three or four, max.”
“And if I don’t come back?”
“He’ll send Michael after you and you’ll truly regret ever being chosen for a Soul Collector.”
“I see. Please don’t tell anyone I was here and talked to you,” I begged him as I placed my hand over his and squeezed.
“I’d love to Dev, but if they ask- if He asks...I can’t lie...you know that.”
“I know. I’m not asking you to lie. I’m asking you to not go and run your mouth to random Collectors.”
“That, I can do. Go figure out what you want to do. Go observe the person, sit and chat with them, whatever...but make sure you bring them back with you,” he told me in a stern voice.
“Okay, thanks for the chat.” I leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re awesome.” I jumped off the table and walked back out the portal. The line was gone. The Collectors were out doing what they did best. I stood there and stared at the swirling mass that would take me to Kale but my feet were stuck to the ground. I couldn’t get myself to go anywhere. I took a deep breath after several minutes, with the Reclamation List held tightly to my chest, and shuffled my feet through it.
Reclaiming Souls Page 2