You Can Find Me In The Space Between

Chapter Nineteen

~~~Flashback~~~

(Kind of... more like a "oh hey, didn't see you there, why don't I fill you in on what's been going on with me" kind of situation)

Willie awoke in an unfamiliar room. If it was a room, he couldn't be sure. There didn't appear to be any ceiling, or walls, or a door. He was in... a space? And while waking up in a foreign place would be upsetting to begin with, it was the least of Willie's concerns. Alex wasn't there. Neither were Luke or Reggie. They had just been in Caleb's New York City club, and... Caleb had been defeated. And that Michael guy said that the boys could cross over. He was going to guide them there. And yet, here he was, alone, literally in the middle of nowhere.

Poofing didn't do anything. Or at least that's what he figured. In a blank void, it's hard to tell if you're actually poofing from one spot to another. But even if he could poof, he wouldn't know where to go. Surely this wasn't what happened when you crossed over. No one knew for certain what happened when you crossed over, but if this was it, Willie was glad he had held off.

Willie wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he couldn't sit still anymore, stand still? Either way, he began to yell out for Michael. When no response came, Willie began to feel like he might have not actually crossed over, but rather, this was some trick of Caleb's. Make him feel as if he was finally free, but then it's all 'jokes-on-you' because this was some circle of hell.

Feeling defeated, Willie laid down. He tried to remember some of the things Alex mentioned when he was trying to calm his anxiety. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Willie never cared about how his ghost body worked, but either way, he measured his breaths and felt better knowing there was something in his control. He fell into the rhythm of a steady beat, breathing in and out. Slowly, the beat changed. It was louder now than it just had been, and Willie looked up to see Michael approach him. Though Willie was grateful to know he wasn't alone in this place, he was apprehensive towards Michael. It looked as if he had gone back on his word, and not only had they not crossed over, but they weren't even together.

Michael stood a short distance from Willie, but did not break his stare. Even though Willie was unsure, he stood and addressed Michael. "Where are we?"

"I suppose you could think of it as a meeting space of sorts."

That one answer was enough to set Willie off on a barrage of questions; "Where is Alex? Where are the guys? Are we all still dead? Is this crossing over? Why can I breathe? Where were you? How long have I been here? And what do you mean it's a meeting space. What kind of a meeting space is this? What happened back there?"

A small smile passed Michael's lips. "I apologize for not being here sooner. There were some... matters I had to attend to. As for your other questions, I imagine you will get the answers in due time. Due to the... circumstances of your friends' demises," Willie shuddered at that word. "I conferred with my colleagues, and they settled upon a new conclusion."

"And what does that mean?" Willie had a million more questions, but once Alex was mentioned, he knew the other questions could wait.

"They were given another chance, I suppose you could say. My colleagues agreed that their lines were cut shorter than intended, and as such, created an opportunity for them to extend it."

"So they're back? Great! Are they at the Ghost Club? When can I go see them?"

"I'm afraid it's not quite as simple as that. They have not returned to their original paths, and you, well your's is a different story."

Willie was taken aback. He had just assumed that he would be wherever the guys were. When he didn't reply, Michael continued speaking.

"William, I believe some more information may be of help. When I had originally made my agreement with Caleb, the intention was for him to help new souls find their way to pass over."

Willie was shocked! When they had been in New York, Carlos had told him all about how Caleb and Michael had met. Michael sounded like a villain, not someone trying to help new ghosts.

"Ah, yes. I imagine Caleb made his arrangement sound quite nefarious. He believed we collected souls for harm, when in reality, we escort the ones who are ready to pass on. He was intended to act as our proxy, which is not an easy task. As well as being physically demanding, venturing around the world, it can be emotionally damaging, hearing the anger and sadness of others. We gave Caleb what he had asked for, though it was a short-sighted desire. Still, we believed he would succeed in this role. Do to our initial contract, I was unable to remove him from his post. Though, on occasion, I would meet with him to remind him of what he had agreed to. I believe when he met young Miss Molina, he recognized an opportunity. This job requires some form of connectivity with the other side, and as Miss Molina was able to not only see, but show others three new ghosts, Caleb hoped that he could renegotiate, or perhaps force the young girl into a secondary contract, whereby he would continue to benefit. Though it cannot be confirmed, I believe Caleb was hoping to gather enough souls for himself such that he could end our contract, and if necessary, have ample physical support."

"That's why he would stamp everyone." Willie said in disbelief. This was a lot to take in, though everything Michael was saying made some sort of sense. "So, what happens now that Caleb is gone?"

"Well, as I said before, this is not an easy job, and after Caleb's debacle, we decided to look for alternative strengths, ones that would not be so easily tainted." Michael hadn't been focusing on Willie while he had spoken, but now he locked eyes on Willie. "William, you had known what you needed to do in order to pass over, and yet you chose to stay. Why was that?"

Willie looked down at his shoes and suddenly felt embarrassed. Why did he stay? Sure, he cared about Alex, but it was more than that. "I suppose it's because I liked being around people. I could be myself, and be free. I had to deal with Caleb, but I met some really cool people who made it all worth it."

"And yet, you were willing to give that up. You offered up yourself to help your friends. And that William, is an honourable trait that Caleb never possessed. I imagine that you may be able to see what I am about to ask of you. You may turn it down if you wish, and pass on, there will be no repercussions. However, it is my hope, my colleagues' hope, that you would consider taking the role that Caleb should have honoured."

"But... but I can't do that! Don't get me wrong, I think it's cool that you want me to do it. Sir. But, you've got the wrong guy." Willie spat out quickly. Michael's cool gaze didn't leave Willie's. Willie took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. "Let's say, just for laughs, that I considered taking the job. What would that mean?"

"Well, you asked earlier what happened to Alexander, Lucas, and Reginald; they are going to begin new lives, with new identities. We could benefit from your knowledge on how to set them up for success, within reason. We cannot suddenly have three new billionaires who can get away with whatever they want. These need to be small, but meaningful things. We can call that your introductory period. After which, you can see how one cares for individual souls by watching their transformations. Then, when the time comes, you will meet with them, and ready their souls. They will be the first three souls you help."

And now some A+ life advice from The Lion King.

"Your past experiences are valuable lessons to you now, learn from them."