Max liked Coach’s family. His wife was kind, and quite funny, as were the boys. As he lay in bed, a feeling slowly crept through him. An emotion he hadn’t experienced since he came to help JD.
Hope.
Max turned on his side, letting hope infuse every bone in JD’s body as, for the first time in a very long time, he fell into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter 30
“Wake up, sleepy head.” A hand brushed Max’s hair back from his forehead. Still groggy, he turned on his side, hoping Mel would go away and let him sleep just a little bit longer. He heard her chuckling and tugged the sheet up under his chin against the chill nipping at him.
“Great job down there, slugger. You hit a home run,” said the deep male voice of . . .
“Dad!” Max spun around, ripping his eyes open.
“Mom!” He flew into his parent’s arms. His parents. He ran a hand over his mother’s hair as tears welled in her eyes. “I should have told you before how wonderful you both are. I’m so grateful to have you as my parents. I’ve never told you that. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. We’ve missed you, too.” His mother smiled. “We’re proud of you. You worked hard to help JD. No matter the odds, you didn’t give up on him.”
“Even at the canal’s edge.” His dad sat down on the bed next to him. “Not even Gabriel thought you could stop him. Very impressive work, Max.” His dad beamed proudly.
“It was a team effort. If Em and Jeff hadn’t befriended him, and if Coach hadn’t stepped in at the end, I don’t think I could have stopped him.” Max looked at his mom. “Do you think he’ll be alright now?”
“Gabriel believes so. JD hasn’t had hope in many years, son. You gave him that.”
“We all gave him that,” Max corrected. “But I failed Izzy.” Max closed his eyes to the memory of her.
“No, sweetheart. You didn’t fail her. Remember before you left, Gabriel warned that you can’t force someone into taking the help that’s offered? That poor child. She was so disheartened.” His mom teared up again. “But she’s here now, and they’re helping her.”
“She’s here? Can I see her?” Max jumped up, heading for the door of the white room.
“Not now. Remember, son. You’re not JD anymore. She knows you only as Max. She thinks of you as one of the . . .” His father didn’t say it, but Max knew. Izzy thought of Max Sánchez as another mean kid at school. Someone who referred to her and JD as The Ten. A bully.
“I was such an idiot. Why did I have to be so stupid?” Max hung his head in shame.
His mother gave him a hug. “Come. We want to show you something.”
As he walked toward the door, he remembered something Gabe told him. “Dad, Gabriel said I wasn’t allowed to see you guys. Something about the living not being able to leave the holding cells. So why are you here?”
“You’re time on earth is up. It was actually up two weeks ago, but you were doing so well with JD, Gabe asked if we thought you’d mind staying a little longer to keep working with him,” his dad explained. “We told him we didn’t think you’d mind. Were we wrong?”
“No. Not at all,” Max assured them. “So I’m . . . dead?”
“We call it crossed over here. As you can see, you are very much alive.” His mother playfully pinched his cheek.
“How did I . . . crossover?” Max looked down at his body. It seemed the same to him.
“Originally, you were supposed to be in a coma from the accident for six weeks before crossing over,” his mother said.
Max grimaced. Six weeks in a coma? Yuck. His dad reached for the doorknob and pulled it open.
Max’s jaw fell. He stepped out onto the rich green grass, eyeing the vivid colors of the vegetation all around. The lush, thick trees filled with not only leaves, but flowers of every kind and color. Bold red and orange birds flew in and out of the branches. There was so much to see, Max could scarcely take it all in. Every turn of his head brought a new image, each more beautiful than the last. Billowy white clouds, crystal clear waterfalls, and animals. So many animals. Some he recognized , some not so much.
“This is . . .” Max stalled, searching his mind for the right word to describe all he could barely take in.
“Paradise,” his dad finished, leading him to a lake of crystal blue water. Max drank in the fresh, clean air, heavily scented with roses from a nearby bush. Max slipped off his shoes and dipped his feet in the refreshing water. His parents joined him, and they spent the afternoon at the shore’s edge sharing memories of a life that seemed forever ago.
“Max. Good to see you.” Gabe stood next to him, clipboard in hand. “I’d like to speak to you alone, if I may.”
“No problem,” said his father as they all stood. “Sofia’s wanted to pet the lions again anyway. We’ll see you in a bit, son.”
Pet the lions? I’m definitely going to like it here.
“Well done with Jayden, Max. He’s coming along. Carl and his family are working miracles with him.” Gabe smiled.
Max wiggled his toes, impressed with the velvety texture of the grass under his feet. “Already? He just got there yesterday afternoon.”
“Max, you’ve been here almost two weeks now, earth time,” Gabe informed him.
“But if feels like only a few hours.”
“Time has no relevance here.”
“I guess not.” Max shook his head in amazement.
“You did such a superb job with JD, we’d like to offer you an opportunity to join the Souls in Peril team,” Gabe said. “Not all the assignments will be as difficult as JD’s, but some will.”
“What kind of assignments? What would I be doing?” He scooped up his shoes, not wanting to put them back on yet. The grass felt too good.
“You’d be helping others as difficult choices are put before them. Choices that could be devastating if they choose unwisely. Again, we can’t force, we can only guide. And beg,” he said with a wink. Gabe led him toward an astonishingly beautiful building up on a hill. “You worked a miracle with JD. We didn’t expect you to succeed. We hoped you would, but truly, you were his last hope. You have a gift, Max.”
“I think I learned more about myself than anything,” Max admitted.
“As is often the case when we help others,” Gabe said with a nod. “That’s the beauty of it. In the end it is often yourself that grows the most. So I’m assuming that this is something you might enjoy doing?”
Max thought for a moment. As hard as it had been to help JD, there was no mistaking the feeling of joy he felt seeing JD grow stronger.
“Yes. I’d like to join the team.” Max grinned.
“I knew you’d say that. I’ll introduce you to everyone.” Gabe held a hand out to the building they’d been walking toward.
Max stepped on the stone path in front of the building, passing a lilac bush. The scent drew him in, flooding him with memories of Em. They were her favorite flower.
Max stopped. “I didn’t get to say goodbye to Em.” He fingered the deep purple blooms. “I know not everyone gets to say goodbye to their loved ones. I just kinda hoped . . .” He rubbed the pain in his chest, and buried his face in the flower, inhaling deeply.
Gabe glanced around before taking him by the arm. “This is between you and me. Understand? You can’t tell anyone I let you see her again.”
“Yes.” Max tried not to get excited, but the effort was in vain. He was over-the-top excited.
Gabe led him to the side of the building. “Hold my hand.” Max laid his hand in Gabe’s. Gabe raised his other hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly, they were back on earth. But Max had no idea where. “You really need to teach me that snapping trick,” he said, looking around.
A huge tree, the largest one Max had ever seen, stood boldly, majestically, in front of him with its green lobed leaves and mammoth branches shooting out from the rotund trunk. Some of the limbs swooped down to rest on the ground as if they were too heavy to stay aloft.
The Angel Oak.
And sitting under the heavenly tree? A beautiful blond angel. Em. It must be spring break. She finally made her trip to the Angel Oak. Max ran to her, dropping down beside her on his knees. She was asleep. Dried tears stained her soft cheeks, and in her arms she held a picture of him. Max leaned in to kiss her lips one last time but felt nothing.
“You no longer have a body, Max,” Gabe said gently.” You can no longer touch the living.” Max nodded and sat back on his feet.
“Max,” she cried out softly in her sleep, pain twisted on her face.
“Gabe, she’s hurting.”
“I know.” He put his hand on Max’s shoulder. “Talk to her. She’ll think it’s a dream.”
“I love you, Em.”
Her sky-blue eyes popped open and she soared into his arms. Thanks to Gabe’s hand on his shoulder he could actually feel her. “Oh, Max. I’ve missed you so badly.” Max wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
“I’ve missed you too, Em.” He ran his hand over her silky hair, twisting a few strands around his fingers.
“Please, don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.” Her plea cut Max to his core.
“You have to let me go, Em. You have to move on. Dwelling on the past is not a good thing.” Each word killed him a little, but it had to be said. She had to let him go. “You’re so much stronger than you think. You’re like this tree, Em. Powerful. Strong.” He touched her hair again. “Beautiful.”
She shook her head and tightened her grip.
“Em, you have to live our dreams now. Remember all our plans? We wanted to go to college, start a family. We were going to hike Kilimanjaro together.” She shook her head. “You once told me you wanted to write things that will make a difference in people’s lives. You wanted to be like this tree. ” He picked up an acorn, placing it in her hand. “Here, plant this. When you see it growing in your yard, think of me. When you enjoy its shade on a hot summer’s day, remember me. When your grandchildren are climbing in its branches, see me there. This way we can still grow old together, Em, with our very own Angel Oak.
“It’s so hard.” Her voice chocked as she gazed into his eyes. “I’m afraid I’ll forget you. I don’t want to forget you.”
“Em, that won’t happen. If you even try, I’ll haunt you until you remember me again.” She laughed. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “Pack up the pictures, Em, except for maybe the one with you in the pink spotted swimming suit when our families went to Ocean City last summer. I like that picture.”
“Polka dot bikini,” she corrected. “I see heaven hasn’t worn off those rough edges yet.” She playfully punched his arm as another tear escaped her eyes.
“How do you know I made it to heaven? Maybe I’m in the other place. Did you ever think of that?”
“No, you’re in heaven,” she said with confidence.
“Em, will you help Leo? I’m worried for him. He’s really struggling.” She nodded. “And, please keep friending JD. He needs good friends.” Max said.
“I will. He’s really sweet. You’d like him.” She touched his face, as if to see if he was real. “He’s doing better every day. Monday they arrested that horrible man who beat him all the time. He was trying to steal a car. My dad said that should keep him in jail for a while.”
“We need to get back, Max.” Gabe gave his shoulder a little squeeze.
“I have to go. Promise me you’ll let me go. Promise you’ll live, Em. Live for the both of us.”
She jumped in his arms, kissing him with all she had. Max kissed her back with the same zeal. He pulled away first. It was the hardest thing he ever did.
“I promise,” she whispered.
“I’ll love you forever, Em.”
“Times ten,” she replied.
“Times a million.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
She sank back against the tree and closed her eyes, tears again caressing her cheek. Gabe let go of him.
“She’s going to be okay, Max. She has a great support system around her, and she’s a strong young woman.”
Max scrunched his eyes shut. “Get me out of here.”
With a snap they were back next to the building. “I need an assignment. Now. Right away.” Max paced back and forth in front of Gabe.
“I don’t have any at the moment. Well, I have one but . . . “
“I’ll take it. Please, Gabe. I can’t just sit around thinking about her. I’ll go crazy.”
“Max, this isn’t the right assignment. If you wait a few days, I can find one that—”
“Please.” Max blinked back the tears as he begged.
“It’s a short assignment. Only a day or two.”
“I’ll take it.” He doubted it would be long enough, but hopefully when he got back a longer one would be available.
Gabe nodded. “Okay. We don’t usually like to do this, but if you promise to behave yourself.” He gave Max a stern look.
“Yes. Scouts honor.” Technically, he was never a scout, but figured it would still hold. Em under the Angel Oak flashed into his mind again.
“Alright. But you have to go now. We only have a small window here. There’s no time to brief you, so stay in the bedroom until I can get there to explain the situation. Give me thirty minutes.”
Max nodded. “Thanks, Gabe,” he said humbly. “Let my parents know.”
“Okay. On three. One. Two.” Snap.
Max sat up straight. Whomever he was here to help had been asleep at a desk. He squirmed as he stood. Something bound him, and he didn’t like it. The room was decorated in retro 1960’s décor. From tie-dyed curtains and a bedspread, to beads hanging from the window as curtains. A lava lamp sat in the upper right corner of the desk and a full-length mirror with peace sign stickers along the frame hung on the back of the bedroom door. Max laughed to himself. Again the binding dug into his sides.
What the heck? He reached under his arm pit, stopping dead. He looked down at his stomach, or tried to. But there was something in the way. He ran over to the mirror, turning sideways. He had breasts! He glanced up at his face. He had breasts and he was hot! This is going to be a great assignment! He turned around, admiring his new profile from the other side. Not even the sweats and ratty t-shirt hid the fact that he was a smoking hot girl. He stood admiring his new figure in the mirror for a good minute until the thought hit him.
“Wait a minute.” His hand jumped to his throat and the soprano sound coming out of it. Not a good thing. “If I have these,” he tugged on the bra strap near his shoulders, “does that mean I don’t have a . . . ?”
Max swallowed hard. Squeezing his eyes shut, he looped his thumbs around the waistband of his sweats, tugging them about five inches out from his body before dipping his head down. Max sucked in a deep breath and pried his eyes open.
“GAAAAAAAABE!”
The End
Letter to the readers of Souls in Peril:
Spoiler alert! If you have not read Souls in Peril, do not read this letter yet!!
While JD and Izzy both come from challenging homes, this in no way implies that all those who are bullied have dysfunctional homes. This is just not true. Souls in Peril is a work of fiction and examines the fictional lives of its characters.
Sadly, those who are bullied come from all walks of life. Good homes, struggling homes, rich homes, financially challenged homes, homes with one, two, or no parents. There is no mold for those who are bullied. The reasons are as vast as the human race itself. The same can be said for those who choose to bully, and it is a choice.
To the bully: Stop it! Enough said.
To everyone else: Let’s look around for these souls in peril. Unfortunately they are everywhere. I truly believe it is our responsibility to reach out and help our fellow mankind. We don’t need to be the most popular person on the planet to reach out and help someone, to offer friendship, a kind word, and to be accepting of someone who lives differently than us.
Bullying in all its form has to stop. From cyber-bullying clear down to the playground bully. My hope is that not another soul will perish at the hand of a bully, either directly or indirectly.
To the bullied: Never give up. I can’t stress this enough! It will get better. Keep reaching out until someone reaches back. Just hang in there. You are not alone. Many great people were bullied: Sandra Bullock, Steven Jobs, and Michael Phelps to name a few. Take all the negative energy and use it to win. Be your own hero! Never, ever give up!
Sherry Gammon
Other novels by Sherry Gammon
Unlovable: Book One on the Port Fare Series
Pete & Tink A novella
Read more about Sherry and her work at www.WordpaintingsUnlimited.com
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Souls in Peril Page 28