A Soul For A Soul

Chapter 6

I went outside and seated was a man who looked like he was in his late 50s. I got scared for a second but something about that man made me feel like he was different almost not human.

  I cautiously moved closer to him and on hearing my footsteps he turned his head around to look at me.

He had pure white hair which was weird. He was actually a handsome man.

He looked vaguely familiar, like I have seen the face before. Then it finally clicked. He looked exactly like the man I had seen in Annabel's photograph. That must be her father.

"Come sit child,"he motioned for me to sit down. I sat down next to him and he began.
"What's your name?" He asked.

"Rebi sir,".

He smiled at me "what a beautiful name dear".

I also smiled "you must be Annabel's father" I said.

"Yes I am I know you're here to help my daughter. I've been watching her ever since I died. I couldn't move to the after life without knowing that she was fine and okay. My poor baby, she blames herself for my death and doesn't want to let it go." He said with so much pain in his eyes.

"Where's her mother? If you don't mind me asking". That's a question that I've been wanting to ask for a while now but I just couldn't bring myself to.

Annabel's dad smiled.
"I don't know who Annabel's real mom is" he replied "she's adopted. You see I found her at my doorstep one morning and I didn't know who left here there.

I wanted taking her to an orphanage but as I held her little hands and she laughed, I knew I had to keep her.

  I just couldn't bring myself to abandon a poor child who had already been abandoned by her real parents.

So, I decided that I was going to raise her on my own. Of course, non of my parents nor relatives stood by me or supported me they all kicked against the idea of me raising a baby on my own.

I was so young I was 20. I had no one not even a girlfriend talk more of a wife to help me raise her. That didn't discourage me, I raised her my own and swore to protect her.

Later on, I knew she would need a mother figure in her life so I married Maria.

She was an excellent mother to my dear Bel, but she's also going to die very soon and my Bel will be left all alone". He said with a heavy sigh.

If I didn't know better, I'd say he was about to cry. Poor Bel she was about to loose two parents. How could she cope?

"That's why I'm here" he continued  "I want you to help my daughter, she's going to try and commit suicide. I just know it, please help me!" he clung onto me and looked at me pleadingly.

"Sir, I was sent here to help your daughter so anything you need I'm going to help you" I told him reassuringly.

He nodded "Please tell her to bury her mother beside me, That's my final wish" and with that, he disappeared.

Lord give me strength! I don't know what to do. I went back in and I found Annabel sleeping soundly.

I sat down on the seat next to her. She stirred from her sleep and asked me in a little voice."are you really here to help me?"

"Yes I am" I replied.

"Is it my dad who sent you?"she asked again and this time she looked at me.

"Yes and no" I replied. Before I could explain further, Annabel's phone rang.

  She received a call that her mother had just been involved in a car accident and was being rushed to the hospital.

All I could hear was just screams. Heart wrenching, screams.

Annabel rushed out of the house and I right behind her. She ran and I ran, till we got to the city hospital.

Annabel ran to the counter breathing heavily and crying, as she asked for her mother.
"Where's my mother? Maria Sanchez".

The nurse tried to calm her down but told her the room regardless "Accident and Emergency room 202."

Annabel picked off and ran down to the room. On opening the door, Annabel crumbled, as she saw the doctor and nurses over her mother as they raised the white sheet to cover her face and recorded the time of death "10:00pm". The same time I died.

Annabel cried like her heart out. Begging and asking her mother not to leave her " please mom I already lost dad last week, please stay with me, how would I cope, I have no one. Mom, please.."

She pleaded and pleaded with her mother to wake up and just say it was a prank on her. She wouldn't get mad but all that was just wishful thinking.

  I for one, didn't know what I was doing. I just stood there without the ability to hold her. Once again, I felt useless. Just like the way I couldn't hold my mother when she was grieving, was the same way I couldn't hold Annabel when she was grieving.

There truly was no pleasure in being a ghost when you do not have the ability to comfort others when they truly need it.

I watched as Maria's spirit left her body. She looked at her daughter with so much affection and turned to look at me as if pleading with me to help her daughter out too.

She looked like she loved Annabel so much that in that moment, I realized Annabel didn't know who her real parents were, but she had parents who loved her more than the world; and she just lost her entire world.

That thought kicked me right in my gut. She looked at Annabel one last time, looked at me, then she disappeared.

I sat on the floor with her and did the only thing I could do, watch her as she suffered silently in hopes that she falls asleep and I would be able to help her when she was calm. Day one gone and I failed to do anything productive.  

I have two days left and I already felt like I couldn't do it. I have to find ways to help Annabel so I can help my parents.