After-Life

Chapter 25. Revelations & Assurances

The news anchor on the small television screen in the waiting room smiled happily as he reported on a series of amusing local news stories. The joy and laughter being shared between the reporter and his colleagues, however, was in stark contrast to the intense worry that each of the Dark Omens band members were experiencing. The four men sat uncomfortably on the hard benches in the sterile hospital waiting room, staring listlessly into space.

Kristoph was furious. Once again, he was in an American hospital due to the actions of the same deranged culprit. This time however, it wasn't him lying bandaged up and scared in a hospital bed but the woman who had been his soul source of optimism, hope, and support. The journey to the emergency room had been one of tense silence. Not one of his fellow band mates had known what to say to him as they followed the ambulance. Mabel had impacted on each of their lives in some small way, but not as much as she had to him.

While the rest of the group had taken their seats, Kristoph had started to pace, impatiently. With every step, every tick of the clock in the room, every grin from the news anchor, the rage inside him grew. No sooner had Mabel been carried out of the hotel on a stretcher, unconscious; Thet and Asmodeus had slipped off into a different void altogether. They claimed that they were going to monitor Mabel's progression, however they'd refused to take him or Eric with them.

As the seconds turned to minutes, then hours, Kristoph's minimal patience finally snapped.
"I don't get it! Thet can stop time at the drop of a hat, but this one time, this one bloody time, he can't?" He spat out loudly.
Eric blanched, "um, Kris? Mate..." Cautiously he glanced over at the rest of the group who had looked up, pale with worry, at their friend's outburst.
"I mean it's not even like Valentine's a hitman! He's just a deranged fan! Why the hell would he target Mab!? I swear, if Asmodeus doesn't come up with a solid explanation for this, I'm demanding I be taken to wherever Mab's being held and I'm bringing her back here myself! This whole deal of clearing out Limbo? It's off! No more!" Kristoph was blind with rage.
"Kris? Mate... time and place, n' all that" Eric tried to calm his friend down, while the rest of the band watched on with growing confusion.
Kristoph scoffed, ignoring Eric's caution. "I mean come on, Thet is a reaper, if anyone has any sway or control over how things go, it's him. Instead, he just stood by as Valentine paraded into a show with a firearm and just stared on gormless as that Röv shot down the one person, we both care about. That's it!"

Kristoph stopped his pacing suddenly and his eyes widened with horror, "he loves Mab! He allowed her to be shot in the hope that she would enter the afterlife and be with him for all eternity! I bet you anything that's got to be the reason why he didn't intervene. Y'know, I never trusted the guy! Sure, he might have helped with the reincarnation processes... but the only time he ever made any contribution to any of those past lives, was to ensure that I was being a good boy. Now that Mab's joined my current life cycle, he can barely go one day without popping in to gush over her and glower at me. Reapers Eric, they've got hidden agendas, never trust 'em!"
"Sorry to interrupt this torrent," Adrian's soft voice caused Kristoph to freeze in horror, he'd all but forgotten about the rest of the band.

Kristoph hesitantly glanced over at Eric, who simply groaned and lowered his head into his hands. Slowly, Kristoph turned around and registered for the first time that Adrian, Pete, and Jésús were all staring at him with a mix of concern, bewilderment, and confusion.
"Ade..." Kristoph croaked.
Adrian held up a hand, "I want you to be completely honest with me now, Kris. Are you under the influence of anything, right now?"
Kristoph couldn't breathe, slowly he shook his head.
"Okay..." Adrian paused, before reaffirming; "you're sure?"
Kristoph nodded his head, his face was white as a sheet.
"Right," Adrian turned to Pete and Jésús who both shrugged, "it's just, well. With everything you've just said..." Adrian smiled weakly and appraised Kristoph with an unreadable look for what seemed to be an eternity.
Finally, the lead singer of Dark Omens breathed out a long and steady breath, "it just seemed to suggest that you were referring to the grim reaper and a demon, like you're on first name terms..."
Adrian watched as Eric stood up and moved to Kristoph's side, forcing his friend to sit down.
"I think we need to tell them, mate;" Eric advised softly.
Kristoph looked up at Adrian and across to the rest of his band mates and nodded sadly. The jig was up.