A Soul For A Soul

Chapter 9

  "Ok,I think this was a bad idea let's turn back". Annabel said pacing back and forth my front door. I laughed

"It's okay, you don't have to do it if you can't" I assured her. I didn't want her feeling pressured to do anything. Not if I could help it.

"No, it's fine I'll do it" she rubbed her sweaty palm on her clothes and knocked on the door. Few minutes later, my uncle Tim opened the door.

"Yes,young lady can I help you?" He asked Annabel. She turned as white as a ghost. I was starting to think she was dying.

"Uhh, yes sir, My name is Annabel. I'm a friend of Rebi and I heard what happened to her and I  came to pay my respects." She said stammering damn, she really looked intimidated. Couldn't blame her though my uncle Tim looked buffed up. He had muscles everywhere and was really huge.

"Hold on a sec" he told Annabel then looked over his shoulders and shouted,

"hey there's some girl here who says she's a friend of Rebi". At the background, I heard shuffling and murmurs along the lines of "Rebi','her friend, I thought her only friend was Eliza', 'let her in' that was my mom's voice, as if on cue, she opened the door. 'Mom..'i choked,she looked more miserable like she had been crying again.
  She opened the door wide and ushered us to come in or rather ushered Annabel in. "Any friend of Rebi is welcome here". She said with a smile on her face.

Annabel was asked to sit which she did and was offered a drink. She took it sheepishly and she was getting bombarded with questions from my uncle Tim. She looked red, I even laughed a little bit. She was again saved but this time from my Aunt Deza, she's uncle Tims wife. A very petite beautiful brunette haired woman with olive skin. She shued him away and apologized.

After a few more minutes when everyone was quiet, Annabel looked at me a look that went along the lines of it was time. She stood up and I stood up with her, stayed by side and encouraged her. She cleared her throat. When she got everyone's attention, she began.

"Good afternoon everyone, as you already know I'm Rebi's friend but what you don't know is she sent me here today" there were gasps from all my family members.

Annabel still continued irrespective "Rebi isn't alive physically, but her spirit is here with us. She's right here in this room, right now!"

My sister Tinas voice cut her off " How can you lie like this? We let you into our homes and this is how you repay us by rubbing salt in our wounds? How can you say she sent you and that she's right here? She's dead, dead!"

"Yes, she's dead I agree but"..she didn't get to complete that sentence as my dad's voice cut her off again

" Now look little girl, What's your name?" He asked.
Annabel answered "my name is Annabel Van Sanchez sir".

My dad cleared his throat and continued "Annabel,look we're not here for games". He gave her one of his scary intimidating looks that he would always give us if we were in trouble.

"No sir she really is here and I can prove it" she looked at me desperately pleading. I'm pretty sure she was saying something like "help me out of this mess you put me in Rebi!'
Okay, okay you've got this Rebi, I gave myself a pep talk. How can you help Annabel? Then I got it! On seeing that I finally got an idea, Annabel instantly, felt relieved. I signed and mouthed for her to follow my lead.

I began talking and she followed me not taking her eyes off me for once relaying my little message." mom, dad it's me Rebi, your little girl. You remember dad, you always called me Rebi the great. Mom you always called me your little miracle. You recently gave me story of my birth I'll tell it to you now only you,dad and I know.

I was called a miracle in fact thats the meaning of my name. You fell off a stair case and that pushed you into emergency labour. Funny enough, the doctors were supposed to go on a strike the next day for what exactly, I really do not know.

You said you had forgotten but either way, little me was born. 1.65kg you said I was just as small as your palm. All my clothes were too big, every diaper was also too big also that you had to give up on that.

I usually tried to strangle myself occasionally but not intentional though so every hour I had to be checked on.
Every hour my grandma would look through the window and have a peek. then you would ask " is she still alive?" Grandma would nod and that was how your communication about me worked.

My mom gasped and broke down in tears. She hugged Annabel "my little girl, how have you been?" She asked as she released me .

" I'm sorry for dying Ma,Pa,Jade, Tina I'm really sorry,for running back into the fire. I'm trying to make things right please don't bury me yet. I'm coming back".

I looked at Jade so did Annabel, and I began
"Jade, you remember you asked Tina when I was coming back right? Well Sanhedrin I just have something to do then I'll come back".

Sanhedrin was a name I called her because one time at devotion, she asked about it and I made fun of her and started calling her Sanhedrin.

She absolutely hated that name and asked my parents to get me to stopped but being me, I refused. I called her that because I wanted she and Tina to also believe I really was here it worked. I really hoped they wouldn't do anything.

Annabel had already started crying gently. My mom hugged her again.
" Don't ever apologize for dying, you didn't take your life. God took you back into his loving arms where you belong my little miracle,we won't bury you yet. I've missed you, we all have". She said .

My dad walked up to my mom and hugged her,Annabel in the hug. Jade and Tina joined in the hug too. They all broke down in tears.

My grandparents and other relatives present looked at us. Some were shocked some were neutral. Hard to read. I looked back at Annabel and in that moment, I wished I could join in the hug,but I couldn't.

I tried tho but my body just passed through again. I sat down on the floor and I cried too. I really was sorry. And if I could take back what I did, I would in a heartbeat. No amount of darkness and inability to see could be enough reason to justify going back into a fire.

When they all broke apart, they were all sniffing, Annabel took a step back, looked at them and looked back at me. I mouthed a "thank you" and she shook her head and whispered.

"No,you have a really beautiful family, thank you for letting me experience this". I nodded because I was at loss for words.

She turned back to my family and told them she had to go. They all tried to persuade her to spend the night but she politely refused saying she had a funeral she herself had to prepare for.

When they asked who she told them her mother and they all gasped,gave their condolence and promised to be there. She gave them the location. Thanked them and left.

We walked out of the house we exchanged a look of gratitude and fulfillment. We both were full with emotions and another breakdown was what we didn't need so we walked back in silence.