“Well, none of them have ever been wrong before.”
“She said dark spirits are coming for you, that it’s a done deal and I shouldn’t be around you when it happens,” I whispered, looking at the ground since I couldn’t look her in the eyes.
“Figures,” she muttered.
“What was she talking about? What dark spirits?”
“They’re like...demons, but they’re just like us. They’re the dead who were sent to hell and became killers of us. They don’t do it often because they never know where we’ll be but every now and then, they catch us at the right time and well, kill our souls. There have been a few incidents where they lost and we won but they’re much more skilled. They’re trained to kill us. I will fight as hard as I can to not get caught by one but she is right. You don’t want to even be in the same city as me when it happens.”
“Can you talk to the Creator? There has to be something you can do.”
She shook her head, “There’s nothing he can do. There is no magic spell, no charm to protect us.”
“What about assigning you a different job? You know they’re coming, so fight for reassignment,” I pleaded with her.
“Dev, I can’t. I bring in a lot of souls. He’s not going to put me on a desk job. Look, let’s finish the day and go back to helping those that really need you; the souls that shouldn’t be reclaimed.”
“Okay,” I frowned. She wasn’t going to talk anymore. Not there at least. The portal opened up and took us to our next destination- Budapest.
***
When we landed, I instantly heard the drumming of the heart. We ran towards it and the whole time I kept wondering to myself if the dark spirits were going to come for her then.
“Okay, we’re here for Hajna. She killed her lover when he found out she was married,” Lexie shook her head, “What the hell is wrong with some of these people?”
There was snow all over the ground but it didn’t slow us. We ended up at an old, rundown building and slowly made our way inside so we didn’t startle her and make her run. We went to the third floor and waited outside an apartment. The lights were flickering in the hallway and everything was dirty.
At that particular moment, I was happy I was already dead. I wouldn’t have wanted to be there alive. There was a woman sobbing on the phone.
“I killed him. My God, what have I done,” she wailed. There was a pause. “No! I can’t do that. I can’t do that to his body. It was an accident. He found out about my marriage and I freaked out. I don’t know what to do.”
We walked in and when she saw us, she hung up the phone. “What happened, Hajna?” Lexie asked her.
“I swear, I didn’t mean to kill him! You have to believe me. It was an accident!” She got on her knees, begging us.
I felt the tears filling my eyes. She was a reason I needed to get back to work. “Was it really an accident?” I choked out.
“I swear on my life it was. He was coming after me with a knife,” she nodded in the direction of his body on the floor, “see, it’s still in his hand. I grabbed the scissors and--and--stabbed him,” she put her head in her hands as her sobbing caused her to start heaving violently.
I looked at Lexie then back at Hajna. “I have to reclaim your soul, but for what it’s worth, we’re working on changing the standards of the program. If you are truly innocent, the Creator will pardon you.”
“I understand. I can’t run from this. I have to face what I’ve done,” she laid down on the floor and spun the wedding ring on her finger. “Does it hurt?”
I shook my head, “I don’t think so. It’s time to go.” I reached down and into her chest, trying to be as gentle as I could, and wrapped my hand firmly around her heart, pulling her soul from her body. Her body went limp, eyes still open. After handing the soul to Lexie, I closed Hajnas’ eyes.
“I hate this,” she sighed, “but it’s not for us to decide who gets reclaimed and who doesn’t; not yet anyways. I guess we’ll go ahead and bring these two back and you can stay there and do some work to help them.”
“I think that would be best. I feel kind of like a distraction to you.”
“You’re not. If anything, you’ve outshined me, that’s for sure,” she smiled.
“I don’t see how.”
“Just trust me, you’re really good at this job,” she replied, looking up for the portal.
“When you come back, please be careful. I can’t lose you. You’re the closest thing I have to family up there. You’re like a long lost sister I’ve just found and I don’t want to lose that.”
“Don’t worry, little sis, I’ll be just fine,” she smiled then hugged me tightly.
“Okay.”
The portal opened and took us back to the In-Between.
***
I was sitting in the little office, going through more of the laws when the horn blew loud and obnoxiously again. I dropped my pen to cover my ears. It rang out again and a third time after that. There was a lot of commotion outside so I ran to the door and swung it open. Collectors were in the streets covering their mouths with their hands, eyes wide with horror. I didn’t understand what was going on. Everyone began running to the judgment hall so I followed them. Once I pushed through the crowd and took a seat up front, the Creator came out. Everyone grew quiet when he raised his hands to speak.
“I’m sure none of you have any idea what is going on right now, do you?” he asked with a sad expression. No one said a word so he continued. “A fellow Collector has been the victim of a dark spirit. They are battling right now and I wish I could stop it, but, I cannot. There will be no more reclaiming today. I ask everyone to stay in here and wait for me to return.”
Oh shit. No-no-no-no-no. I started freaking out because I knew who it was and she was alone with no one to help her. “Excuse me!” I raised my hand and jumped to my feet. Everyone turned to stare at me.
“Not now, Devalynn,” he replied.
“It’s Lexie, isn’t it?” I didn’t back down; not when it had to do with my best friend.
He sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead with a hand before looking at me. “Yes.”
“Why can’t you do anything? You’re the Creator of life, death, and everything else! WHY can’t you save her!? She’s one of the best we have here and you’re just going to let her die; let her soul be crushed!?” I yelled...probably louder than I should have but my anger was about to boil over.
“Do not cross me! I told you, there is nothing I can do. If she can out-battle it, then she will be here soon. If not, I am so sorry.” He walked out of the room. I sat down in defeat and began picking at my fingernails and bouncing my legs like I was shivering. I felt completely sick to my stomach.
“Hey, can I sit by you?” Jackson looked down at me, despair in his voice.
“Sure.”
He scooted in next to me. “How did you know it was her? I’ve been asking questions and no one knew anything so how did you?”
“I-uh-I was with her when she found out from a voodoo woman in New Orleans that the dark spirits were coming for her. She made me come back so I wouldn’t be around when...” I let my voice trail off.
“You just didn’t feel the need to tell anyone?” he snarled at me. His eyes pinched down with disgust at me.
“I had no idea it would be today! I honestly didn’t. Please, Jackson, you have to understand!”
“Understand? What, that my Lexie is down there, about to die and have never existed? I’m about to lose everything I have in the afterlife. SHE is my everything and you did NOTHING to stop her or tell anyone so please, tell me what I should be understanding right now!?” He yelled so loud his voice echoed off the walls. Jumping to his feet he walked towards the doors to leave.
I wanted to cry. I felt like her ultimate death was going to be my fault because I didn’t warn anyone. If I knew what death felt like; if I remembered how it was...I could only imagine that the feelings rushing through my body at that moment were worse than
it. The loud whispering of everyone became silent again. I looked up and watched as the Creator came back in the room with his hands clasped behind his back.
“It is with utmost sadness that I report that Lexie has lost the battle.” There were a lot of gasps. “Please, everyone, respect your boundaries and go home to mourn in peace. Do not go to her house or talk to Jackson. He has some things to work through. Anyone caught disobeying will be entombed at once, no questions asked. Do I make myself clear? I will be in my office but not seeing anyone until at least tomorrow. You are all dismissed.” No one moved. We all sat there like stone statues. He had left but we didn’t.
I could feel the eyes of every collector boring into me, knowing what happened could have possibly been prevented. I felt like complete shit for letting my best friend, my sister die. Without looking at a single person, I ran through the hall and back to my house where I locked myself away in my bedroom and screamed into pillows until I passed out from exhaustion.
Chapter Ten
I woke up in the middle of the night and shot up out of bed. I ran to Lexie and Jackson’s house, collapsing on the ground in front of it. There were cards on the front porch, pictures of Lexie, and different memorabilia for her.
“Devalynn? What are you doing out here?” Jackson stood at the front door with his arms crossed, leaning on the doorframe with only a candle lit behind him.
I shook my head, “I don’t know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.” I stood to my feet and began to walk off.
“Hey, come here for a minute,” he called after me.
“I can’t take being yelled at anymore, I really can’t,” my voice cracked, unsteady and giving away the fact I was scared to death.
“I’m not going to yell at you. I just want you to come in and let’s talk, okay?” He unfolded his arms and held the door open for me.
“I can do that,” I responded. Slowly I made my way up the stairs leading to him. I was scared. I was hurt. I was angry. I didn’t know what to feel because they all ran into each other and blended.
He sat on a chair in the living room and relaxed, watching me fumble around nervously. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“For what? You have nothing to be sorry about.” I crossed the room and sat on the couch across from him.
“I do. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. That’s the kind of person Lexie was. She would have preferred to be alone and be killed than risk someone else’s life. If she already knew the dark spirits were coming for her than she knew she couldn’t escape them. I’m sorry I took out my anger on you. It’s not your fault. I have to work through this all alone and I don’t know how to deal with her not walking through that door ever again or never hearing her beautiful voice, and the thing that is going to eat at me forever no matter what is that fact she died alone. No one was there with her. I was supposed to protect her!” He stood and threw the vase from the little table next to the chair against a wall. He flipped the table over and screamed as he collapsed to his knees and put his face in his hands.
I instantly fell from the couch and wrapped my arms around him. “Please, don’t do this to yourself. You know just as well that she wouldn’t have put you in danger, too. She loved you so much. I could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. You can’t fall apart like this,” I choked out. If tears could fall down my face, that room would have been flooded.
“Then what am I supposed to do?” He looked up at me with defeat in his eyes that had lost their sparkle. His smile was gone and replaced with a hard line.
“Get through this. I am still around. You are not alone.”
“No offense, but you don’t even remember me from before the Creator zapped your damn memory so yeah, I am alone. You just don’t understand,” he sneered at me.
I sat back and blinked my eyes a few times. “What do you mean before the Creator zapped my memory?”
“Oh shit,” he ran his hands through his hair and covered his mouth with them, “you didn’t know, yet, did you?”
“Hell no I didn’t know anything! What do you mean zapped my memory!?” I raised my voice.
“You had your memory wiped so you could do this job and be unbiased and whatever. I don’t know all the details. Lexie, Kellin, me, and you...we went almost everywhere together. Your memory is gone, Lexie is gone, and Kellin is being put on trial,” he sighed and sank to the floor and rested his head on it.
“Wait! What!? Kellin is on trial for what!?” My unbeating heart lifted into my throat.
“Last night, they came for him. You didn’t know?”
“Why did who come for him!?”
“He has been called a traitor for killing another Collector. Michael came for him.”
“There has to be a mistake. Kellin isn’t capable of doing that,” I shook my head with astonishment.
“There was a witness.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. The Creator is being all quiet about the whole thing.”
“Who was the Collector?”
“Dev, I don’t know any other details. They haven’t said who was killed. Some newbie I’m sure since no one has noticed they’re missing. We can go to the start of his trial tomorrow morning.” He yawned really loud. “Okay, I think it’s time to get some sleep. You should be getting back home. Thanks for coming by. I haven’t talked to anyone else about anything.”
“I honestly wasn’t expecting you to be awake. That’s why I came,” I replied, sheepishly.
“It’s okay.” He stood and walked me to the door.
“I’ll see you in the morning. If you need anything, you know where to find me,” I hugged him tight. “I’m so sorry.”
“Get some sleep and thanks.” He kissed my forehead and went back inside.
I walked casually back to my house but there was no way I could sleep. There was too much on my mind. Kellin’s very existence was on the line and I didn’t believe the crime he was accused of. Someone had to know something. I just had to find the one willing to talk.
***
I laid in bed wide awake for the last few hours before morning. I tried sleeping but I just tossed and turned. I couldn’t get him off my mind and I couldn’t stop the flipping of my stomach. I finally got up and got dressed. I made my way to the judgment hall before anyone else was even awake. The door squeaked open when I pulled on it and slammed shut behind me. I walked over to the front row and sat down, waiting. My body was shaking despite the fact I wasn’t cold.
The door at the front where the Creator walks in opened and Kellin walked in, shackled, with Michael behind him. His magnificent wings left me speechless. Kellin looked up and saw me and mouthed, I didn’t do it.
I know, I mouthed back to him. He sat on the chair that was by itself in the middle of the large room and hung his head. Michael chained his shackles to the bottom of the chair then went and stood like a statue next to the Creators’ chair, unmoving.
“You’re here early,” a voice next to me whispered; startling me and making jump into the seat on the other side of me.
“Hey, Kale. I see I’m not the only one who’s early.”
“Crazy isn’t it,” he laughed, “Never took him for a cold-blooded killer.” He sat back and crossed his arms.
“You’re an ass. How do you know he did it!?” I snarled.
He sat up and leaned into my ear, “Because I’m the one who saw him do it.”
My eyes went wide with horror. “You’re lying. He didn’t do it.”
“I would never lie about something like that! That hurts, Dev, really it does,” he smirked.
“How could you do this to him?” I stared at him with disbelief.
“We’ll talk after the trial is over.” He stood and casually walked over to Michael.
How did someone like him turn into something so...so evil? Even more importantly, how was he allowed to stay as a Collector? The doors opened and throngs of Collectors flocked to the seats around me. Silently they shuffled their feet
, looking at the ground and not at Kellin.
After everyone was inside and no more were filtering in, the Creator walked in through his own set of doors and took a seat. “Kellin, you are accused of murdering one of your own, Likkne. How do you plead?” His face was very solemn and sad but his voice was dangerous and cutting.
“Not guilty. I was set up, framed. I didn’t do this!”
Creator held up a hand to silence him, “Now what a lot of Collectors in here are wondering is how did I not see it and how could I not know who did it so here it is. With the help of dark spirits, a cloak was put over the murder so I couldn’t see what was happening. You will be judged by a jury of your peers but I will have the ultimate sentencing.”
“I swear to you, I am innocent,” Kellin pleaded.
“Where’s the witness?” He looked down at Michael who ushered Kale to the front.
I shook my head as anger boiled through my body. I clenched my fists and bit the inside of my cheek to stop from saying something out of line and possibly ruining any chances for Kellin.
“Do you hereby swear that what you are telling the court is your true statement and that you are a witness to a heinous crime?” Michael’s voice boomed out.
“I do.” His smirk was gone and replaced with a stern look and an emotionless expression. Michael went back to the side of the Creator.
“What did you see, Kale?”
“I was finishing up my list and walked by an alley. I stopped and watched what was happening. Kellin was in front of Likkne and shoved a device into his chest. There were black figures all around him...like shadows, really.”
“Is this the device you saw in Likkne?” The Creator motioned for Michael to hold it up. It looked like a silver stake with gold vines wrapped around it and on the top was a rose emblem. When he held it up, it began to glow a bright red.
Kale nodded, “Yes, that’s it.”
I shook my head and dipped it down into my hands, wanting to cry my eyes out but instead I got the burning sensation like I had been crying for hours.
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