SHEOL

16

The Healer eventually hung up the phone. "Kingston says that he's headed toward the station. He also mentioned that he's going to be on the midnight train whether you two are with him or not. He says that his foster dad's been drinking again, and the quicker he returns, the better."

The Window Killer shook his head. "Why do you let the boy live with that man? I know that he's not actually your grandson, but why don't you just let him become your apprentice out here?"

The Healer responded in a melancholy fashion. "He needs to finish his schooling in Queens. Once he's 18, if we're still around, I'll bring him out here. But that's me being optimistic. With how the war is going, it'll be a blessing for him to live another year."

"Healer, does Kingston have any special abilities that are related to Sheol?" I asked curiously.

"He's got the eyes, but that's all that I know of."

Before I was able to ask what "the eyes" were, The Window Killer explained that Kingston was able to see spirits of Sheol that manifested in the Realm of the Living. A skill that I had only recently acquired.

The Healer then walked away from the phone and disappeared into a far room down the hall. The Window Killer followed. After a moment of hesitation, I decided that it would be in my best interest to follow them too.

As I approached the room and walked in, something struck me as "not right". An odd, dark feeling cloaked the atmosphere. The Healer and The Window Killer stood inside, the Healer rummaging through some ancient drawers and The Window Killer leaning lazily against the wall.

The room was small, filled with stacks of yellowing paper and mahogany chests. On top of the chests sat rusted medical instruments and primitive apparatuses, neighboring large glass jars filled with repulsive bodily items. On the walls hung newspaper clippings and medical articles, as well as ancient symbols and relics that I had never seen.

The Healer rushed around, pulling out papers and trinkets and throwing them into a box in the center of the floor.

"One would think that you'd have such objects ready since you knew that I'd be coming." The Window Killer sighed sarcastically.

The Healer shot him an annoyed glare. "It's been 200 years, Killer. Maybe if you payed a visit sooner, there wouldn't be so many items to deliver."

The Window Killer huffed. "You know how hard it is to escape Sheol, you're lucky I'm even here." He clenched his teeth. "And don't call me 'Killer'!"

Their bickering made me laugh.

The Window Killer gave me a poisonous look. "It's not funny!"

The Healer finally finished gathering his objects and carelessly shoved the full box into The Window Killer's chest. "Here, deliver. You know who each item goes to."

The Window Killer rolled his eyes. "The least you could do is say please."

The Healer ignored his comment and exited the room, eventually yelling a distant "Get in the truck, we have to leave!".

We looked at each other for a moment and left the room, The Window Killer grabbing the half finished bag of barbecue chips as we left the trailer.