The Gateway to the Afterlife

Part 8

"Tell me more about the were-gators that you think are behind my attack?" Amelia asked quietly.

"I don't think it is the were-gators that are behind the attack, I think it is an extremist group of Hybrids, mixed of all were-races, that chose you for a specific reason." Josephine answered honestly, looking over at the young girl with sincere sadness in her face.

"Why do you think they chose me for a specific reason?" Amelia asked, scared.

"You see dear, there was a prophecy made today and the Elders think that you may be the one the prophecy is about. I tried to find a way for you not to be born of this extremist blood and instead reincarnated as a witch possibly, but it is prophecy. Long ago, in the time of the Gods, it was once said that if a bunch of sacrifices were preformed in the correct order, the branch of Hybrids that completed the ceremony would become the strongest. They would be unable to be killed, unstoppable, and the most dangerous beings on the planet. Every year, on the same, in the same way, for twelve years straight, a child born on that date has been killed.

"The legend of the ceremony states that when the thirteenth to dies, the cycle will be completed. We need to use the information that we will get from your death to stop this. If we allow this to continue, we doom all those on the planet and not just the humans, the witches, the were-races, the vampires and the Hybrids not of that line."

"Why were the third of September chosen? What was so good about that date that made it the day people had to die on? The date I had to die? Did my family have to watch me be murdered?" Amelia yelled, suddenly angry.

Again, this was just a normal reaction that most spirits would go through, the only difference being that Amelia was killed for a specific reason and most were not. Josephine sighed as she went to the young girl. She wrapped the young girl in her arms and swayed side to side in a calming manner.

"I am so sorry, my dear. I cannot give reason to why the third of September nor why it is a good date for so many to die on in such tragic ways. We will find the answers you seek in good time. Tell me a happy memory before we try to explore such a dark moment of your history." Josephine said in a gentle tone as not to upset the young girl any more.

Amelia relaxed slightly in Josephine's arms and sighed. She wiped the tears away that had fallen on her face. She nodded and looked deep in thought. Maybe the girl has too many happy memories that it is hard for you to choose one to tell me, thought Josephine. She hoped that the ruse to bring the girl to think of other things rather than her death worked in her best favor. It was often easier to see if the spirit was really ready to see and understand their death when there was less stress on their mind. A method she had taught herself early on, once she started understanding the honor she was bestowed.

"One of my best memories is from the year I turned fourteen. Mama and Papa, both woke me up with my favorite breakfast, Eggs Benedict, smashed potatoes, and sausage. It was on the table with a small hand-picked bouquet of wild flowers. My brother, Jimmy, was nice to me that morning, too. We actually ate breakfast as a family for the first time in years before school.

"Mama gave me one of my presents early before school. It was a cherry sundress, fit me perfectly and I hated it! I wore it for Mama just because she had probably spent so much time looking for it. I had wanted one when I was ten years old and was still into wearing dresses. Mama styled my hair and it stayed in all day for once!