The Gateway to the Afterlife

Part 9

"After school, we had pizza for my dinner. We were new to town, had just gotten settled that week so I didn't have many friends. Maybe that was why the day was so special because I didn't have any friends to distract me from my family. We just hung out as a family and watched movies all night. We talked about anything and everything. It was really nice." Amelia looked lost in the memory.

Josephine smiled at the look on the girl's face. It was quiet for a little while, Amelia reliving parts of the memory she did not share with Josephine. Josephine did not push for the parts that were not shared as it was not her memory and she asked to relax the girl before pushing her to remember what would be the worst memory of her lifetime. Well, at least she won't have to remember it into her next lifetime. Only when the time is right, Josephine thought.

After a half an hour, Josephine decided to interrupt the girl's thoughts, "Are you ready for the first try at seeing the night of the third?"

Amelia looked frightened, but nodded. Josephine also nodded and stood. She crossed across the length of the protection circle. On the east side, Josephine had a mixture of herbs. Dill, oregano, lavender, and parsley to be exact. While they did not smell the best together, if placed in the right direction created a protection spell. Josephine whispered, "Praesidium," as she placed each herb in their proper place in the circle.

After each herb was placed in its' proper section, Josephine drew a locket from her pocket. Amelia rose from her place near the edge of the pond when Josephine motioned for Amelia to join her on the bridge of the stream that fed into the pond. Amelia stood next to Josephine, frozen in place. Josephine placed her hands, the locket placed against Amelia's right temple, on each side on Amelia's face and closed her eyes. She concentrated and searched through Amelia's mind, bringing forth the last memory in Amelia's mind.

After each herb was placed in its' proper section, Josephine drew a locket from her pocket. Amelia rose from her place near the edge of the pond when Josephine motioned for Amelia to join her on the bridge of the stream that fed into the pond. Amelia stood next to Josephine, frozen in place. Josephine placed her hands, the locket placed against Amelia's right temple, on each side on Amelia's face and closed her eyes. She concentrated and searched through Amelia's mind, bringing forth the last memory in Amelia's mind.

Like a projector, the last memory flashed against the protection spell surrounding them. Resting between the lavender and parsley meaning that she may be from the town of Omena or near there. Josephine turned towards the scene while Amelia took a deep breath before facing the scene as well. The only thing that Amelia did not realize was that they were both apparitions that are only appearing to be solid figures in the flashbacks.

It started out just as Amelia had described, her family sitting around a table. It looked as if they had just gotten done eating a simple dinner of grilled fish, a noodle dish, and asparagus. Josephine recognized Amelia immediately, the others she did not. There was a smaller, slightly pudgier Amelia, that she assumed may be Amelia's little sister; an older man, possibly her father or even an uncle; and two young identical boys that Josephine could only guess to be Amelia's brothers who only shared Amelia's black hair.

Everyone was looking away from the area, to where Josephine imagined was the family's home. According to Amelia's story, her mother was bringing the cake. Before any of the family could react, Josephine could hear the low grunts of Hybrids. She would know those grunts anywhere; the only thing that concerned her the most was that it was not the grunts of Hybrid were-gators, but those of the Hybrid were-lions.