Book One:The Happier Land is Beyond Us

Chapter 6

Sheline looked down sadly, "Did you not think I had a reason?" Her tears were true, "Did you not think that I wouldn't have! Couldn't have!"Julia glared at her, "What is your reason then!?"Sheline clasped her hands together and whispered, "A man...his name was Garfield, he went inside of me and..." Julia threw her hands up in the air, she was lying, to her face! "You've gone mad! Go live in a hole!" "I know its hard to believe, but he was a dead man and he went into my soul and did it" Sheline gulped, "Killed my granddaughter." Julia remembered, Garfield, better known as Anaville. You couldn't expect more than less from a worthless-homeless ghost. She kicked the bars for one last time as Sheline was praying to God for forgiveness.Julia's eyes made a river as checked out of the station and she was driven away. Home was where she needed to be, with Ricky."Sheline is a monster-I mean Anaville is." Julia thought to herself. Her front door was unlocked, she so desperately needed a hug or even a kiss for matter of fact. "Honey!" No answer."Babe!" Again, no answer."Ricky!" Nothing. Julia screamed his name, it must have been hundreds of times, walking throughout their house. Then, she stopped. The last time she had saw him was in the back room. Ever so carefully, she walked into the room and saw something she never wanted to see again. Ricky was dead and there was a note.Dearest Julia,I love you so much but it became too hard for me. I hope you will understand the pain. In fact, you share that pain with me but......you can live through it, you are tough. I love you. I love you so much. Don't bring me back, don't let me live through this.Julia tried to hold back her tears as she read his note.Humans were made to live once. I have lived much too long. Don't save my soul. Tell the kids that I love them, I will love them forever. Just remember-if I would have lived, I would have died trying to live. Remember the moments we had and go ahead....find a new husband because I'm gone. Love you forever and always,Ricky (the love of your life)

Julia rolled her eyes, of course she would bring the love of her life back to life. She looked at his lifeless body, "You knew that I would bring you back."Julia walked over to him and grabbed his hand, rubbing her knuckle through his palm. "To death may the weak go, life goes into the strong."Ricky sprung up and looked down at himself, good as new. "What!?" he then calmed his voice and spoke once more, "Honey, I told you not to bring me back, I needed to go away.""You are my husband, to the underworld may the "rules" go but I needed you."Ricky brushed off his hands, grabbed his note and walked out of that room. As soon as Julia brought him back, there was no sign of a struggle, no blood and no evidence that he had committed the ultimate sin, killed himself. Ricky laughed, "So, you want me to make you a sandwich?""Don't get smart on me now, you-" Julia lowered her head, "Tried to leave me."Ricky patted her back and smiled lightly, "We have to go get the kids." He was trying to make her feel not-so-alone and little was it working."Whatever, you go get them, I'm too depressed that I have lost-" Julia sprung up and smiled wide, on the same day her daughter was murdered."What?" Ricky edged on."How could I have been so foolish to be sad and not think! I could bring her back!""I know it's hard but people would draw to conclusions..."Julia laughed in his face."Our daughter you don't want her back!?" Julia mumbled, "I need to see her, you go get the other kids and I will come back with Vivian." Ricky nodded sadly, grabbed the car keys and left. Julia thought she came up with a great idea and indeed did she.

Julia faked loud sobs and called the cemetery. "This is Mrs. Frankton" Julia paused, "I need to see my daughter now."She could hear a long pause of silence and some coughing through the phone."Ma'm your daughter was mutilated, you wouldn't want to see her now after these terrible events have occurred." The man in charge said sadly. Julia thought of what her daughter could look like right now, it was too terrible. "She is my daughter and I demand to see her, I love her."Again, another long pause of silence. Julia cleared her throat. "Ok, I will let you in, when will you be coming?.""Fifteen minutes.""Ok and-" the man sniffled, "God bless you.""Yeah, you too." Julia said with no sympathy.Finally. Julia grabbed a pair of Vivian's clothes and a nice, sparkly headband for her to wear. But still on her mind, Garfield (otherwise known as Anaville) was after her children and who knows else. When she arrived at the cemetery, she noticed that the man who lived next door had tried to make the yard look happy. All around, roses and flowers of all kinds. As she looked up at the cemetery building itself, it was terrible. The bricks were falling apart and graphite covered the building, the words"Till death do us part, she said" spray painted across the door tore at Julia's everlasting soul and she wanted to turn back but she couldn't. Suddenly, the door opened and a short man with a tie and a brittle smile gestured towards her."Mrs. Frankton, you may see her.""Sir, when I see her...will you let me stay alone with her..so I can say goodbye?""I don't see why you would want to stay alone with a dead body."Julia looked at him with a cold blooded stare as he chuckled."I'm sorry, its been too many years here, life is better when I'm not staring death in the face." The man laughed at his own joke. "Sir, before I see her..what is your name so I can know...if I must ever come back?""My name is Leonardo and I am waiting for you to come in." Once again he laughed. Wait a second, that didn't seem right. Leonardo? Ashley had told Julia all about a man that went by the name Leonardo back twenty years."Excuse me, what was it?""Leonardo."Julia looked at him and shook her head. He couldn't be, but he fit the description. Julia walked up to the door and shook Leonardo's hand and was led in. "Your daughter is back here." Leonardo pointed his finger to a yellow door, "I will be in the basement, if you need me, you can leave whenever you want." Julia nodded as they walked in separate directions. Julia ran into the room and saw her daughter. She tried not to focus on her details. "To death may the weak go, life goes into the strong" Julia said rubbing circles into Vivian's palm. Vivian opened her eyes and took her palm out of her mother's hand. "Ugh mom!""Do you remember?""Yeah." Vivian's voice got softer, "What should I remember?""How you got here."Vivian sat up and gasped. She had no idea how she had gotten there."I don't even want to know, let's get home..now.""Okay but we have to be careful."Vivian nodded and picked up little Vivian. Vivian mumbled words Julia couldn't understand as they scrambled to get out of the building. "Get in the car! Put your seatbelt on! We have to get home!""Okay mom." Vivian moaned.As soon as they got home, the other kids were there. "Ohh! Come give mommy a hug!" Julia said lightly. Vivian stood behind her smiling sheepishly. "Mom..why is Vivian here?" Willy asked backing away, obviously scared."Mom! Vivian! This is crazy." Aundi shook her head. Aundi was Vivian's best friend along with sister, it was very hard for a young girl like her to understand. Somehow, Aundi had figured it out. "Mom..you brought her back." Aundi said sternly. "I don't know what you are talking about.""I read the note that you wrote talking about how you can bring people back to life. Mom...it's okay...don't be afraid""And you weren't scared?" Julia cried."I couldn't be scared of my mother."Julia was very scared, though. Everybody could find out her little secret. Julia's other personality came to life."Aundi! Get in the back room!""Mom, did I make you angry?" Aundi said backing away. Ricky slapped his hands together and pleaded for the real Julia to come back then, he remembered something he had learned when they first got married. He walked up to her and whispered into her ear, "I love you."The words shocked Julia. Her second personality, the most dangerous, was taken away from her and all she had was herself. The real, true Julia. Julia fell backwards, right into Ricky's arms. "What happened?" Julia breathed, "What was I doing or going to do?" Julia grabbed her chest and took a nice breath in. Aundi raised her pointer finger and was going to tell her but Ricky shook his head."You were about to get Aundi some orange juice but you-" Ricky strived to think of something, "tripped over my foot, I am deeply sorry." Ricky continued by making a pouty face and mouthing, "I'm sorry." Like a foolish child. Julia playfully smacked him on the right arm and smiled, "That's okay."