The Departed (Working Title)

Chapter Eleven

It started with the faint click clack of footprints and light whispers. I was still shrouded in darkness when I first heard his voice, asking for progress on how I was. Jax? He was here? But where was here? I used every ounce of will I had in me to open my eyes but they were too heavy still.

"She needs rest," a stern voice scolded him.

"I'm not leaving," he retorted, a harsh sting in his voice.

I fell back into a reluctant deep, dreamless sleep. I was almost dizzy, the darkness swimming and making my head spin. It was weird sinking into this kind of oblivion. It was peaceful, yet eery. I couldn't place my finger on it, but there was just something unsettling the deeper I sank.

I didn't know how much time had passed once I came around. Everything felt like led, I could barely open my eyelids, but this time they finally obeyed. I couldn't distinguish everything around me because my vision was so blurred, but I didn't need to when I heard a husky, "Hey," and a rough calloused hand squeeze my own. I blinked heavily multiple times to try and get my vision to focus. All I could see was blur of flaming hair and lapis lazuli.

"What happened?" I almost choked, my throat was so dry I could barely talk.

"You were attacked by one of the scorpions," he said in almost whispered tones.

I attempted to sit up, Jax's hand supported my back and he fluffed up my pillows. Everything was starting to come into focus. The room I was in was a lot bigger than I initially thought, it was more like the size of a gymnasium with cots scattered along the floor housing other ailing creatures. Maybe sitting up wasn't such a great idea, because I could feel the blood struggling to rush to my head creating a swirl of pain that settled behind my eyes and temple. "Water," was all I said.

Jax didn't even need to leave my side as a small cup appeared before my very eyes, just poised perfectly in his hand. I took the cup gingerly from his hands, and settled it at the base of my lips. Small droplets fell into my mouth, and I savored the sensation. It was like I was dried out like a dessert and I was reduced to sand and ash. The water resurrected me, and brought me back to life. "Where are we?" I finally asked after a beat.

There was no answer. I looked up at Jax and found him biting his lip, hesitant to answer my question. It couldn't have been that bad.... Could it have? I mean, I remember our cabins burning to dust on the ground. So what? We didn't have a place to stay, but I'm sure they could whip up a new set of cabins in a snap.

"Shawn," was all Jax could say, his brows were furrowed and his eyes were glistening.

"Just spill it out already," I commanded him as I set my water down on a side table.

He pinched his shoulders up to his ears, then released them with a reluctant sigh. "We are... in purgatory."

"Purgawhat?" I asked even though I knew exactly what he had said.

"Purgatory - it's where creatures go when they... when they... die."

Die? Wait, I had just died only moments ago hadn't I? Was it even possible for us to die again? What did it mean now that I was in purgatory? And how was Jax able to be here? Did he die too? Almost as if he could read my thoughts, he began to answer my questions, not pausing for a single second for me to interject.

"You, Kyle, and Reach were both stabbed by the scorpion stingers, which released a toxin that depletes your bodies of all magic. Without that magic your body dies, and you're brought here to purgatory. Everyone else made it - sort of."

Sort of?

Jax took another deep breath. "During the attack, the counsel came. They were supposed to be doing their visit to see how we were holding up. I'll admit we weren't doing too well, you guys weren't trained nearly enough. The council wasn't impressed, and they made their minds right then and there. They put everyone else in limbo - Les, Wren, and Miles. And now the council has a new plan. They want to start a competition."

I slid my knees up to my chest and hugged them tightly. The others were in limbo, and yet, we were here. And the council wanted us to enter into some sort of competition.

"The council didn't want to risk losing reapers in big groups. They're going to post you guys against one another in a competition to see who can rise as the next reaper. They have enough magic to bring one of you back from purgatory, and they'll keep holding the competitions as they build up their magic reserve to raise more of you from purgatory. That's why I'm here, except I'm not here."

What did he mean he wasn't here? I felt him. I felt his hand squeeze my own. He was here as much as I was. And what about the water?

"You can only see me in your head, and I can only extend my powers so much - my touch, the water, the small things," He explained to me. I must have looked overwhelmed because he stopped talking for a long moment, pressing his palms into his eye sockets and holding them there firmly.

I leaned my head into my knees and closed my eyes. I had to wrap my head around everything Jax just told me, so I made a list.

I died a second time from a scorpion attack.

I was in purgatory.

Jax wasn't really here, and was only appearing in my head.

I was entering into a competition with other reapers.

If I won, the council would bring me back to the neutral plane.

Yup, my head hurt after just thinking about everything that happened. This new reality seemed just as unreal as the last one. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream all over again. I couldn't help it, in that moment, I was going to explode. I busted out laughing in front of Jax's very eyes. I must have seemed like a lunatic. My stomach was starting to cramp, I was laughing so hard.

"What?" He asked with his eyes wide open, seemingly shocked at my response.

"It's just... I died again... and all this... other stuff that is h-h-happening. It just all seems s-s-so made up," I tried to get out through fits of laughter, "A-and now I see you... but... only... in my h-h-head!"

I was lucky that the other in the room around me were so out of it, because otherwise they would be trying to run out of the building with the realization of how crazy I was. And trust me, I felt it. I felt as if all of this was a dream and I was actually in some sort of looney bin, because that's the only place where any of this could at least be considered a reality. I glanced over at Jax, and the look on his face sobered me up a bit.

"Shawn," he said sternly, "This is serious. If you don't want to be on an endless loop of competing to get back to the neutral plane, I suggest you listen closely - the council is allowing for me to train you guys up until the competition. So each and every day we are going to train - hard. And I will make sure one of you gets to the neutral plane."

His eyes were staring holes into me, and I could tell he wanted to say more. I tilt my head to the side, expressing my curiosity. "Just say it," I blurted out.

He bites his lip again with hesitation. If I'm being honest, in that moment, I wish I could be the one to bite that lip. Just the knowledge of knowing he was here, but he wasn't here made me long for his presence, for his company, for his touch. How had it taken me until now to realize it?

"If I'm being honest.... I want you to be the one to win. I need you to win," He said as he tucked a strand of loose silvery blonde hair behind my ear. His hand slid down to the back of my neck, and he pressed his lips firmly against my forehead. His lips were soft and pleading. When I pulled away from his comforting warmth, I glanced up at him again. He seemed almost tortured to admit that out of the three of us - Kyle, Reach, and myself - he was rooting for me.

And I would be damned if I wasn't going to be the one to win.