Author’s Note: For trishthewriter. Thank you for coming back and reading my story. Thank you for the helpful comments you’ve given me. Thank you for supporting me in your lunch break. Thank you and I hope you enjoy this.
“Stubborn child.” Came a voice from behind me. I spun around to see the old man and I took one step backwards. “Do you want to do this the hard way? Do you want me to hurt him, your friend?”
“No!” I shouted and then more quietly “no. I...tell me why you’re doing this.”
“I already did, did I not? I want a special soul.” He smiled “I see you looking at me like that, in that suspicious way but, I guarantee, that is true.” He snorted “maybe I don’t want to help others, maybe I did lie about that. But I want a special soul and I will have one. I will get revenge...”
“Revenge on whom?” I asked, curious.
“Revenge on them, of course.” The man pointed up with a long finger “those who sit above us, who decide everything. Where we will live and where we will die and what sort of soul we have. I will have revenge on them for making me live such a miserable life by giving me a dull soul. I will have a special one and then I will get my revenge. I will rule life after death and death before life.”
“But-“
“No buts. Nothing you can say will change my mind so stop trying. There really is no point.”
“Well...fine then. But...what have you done to Lewis? Why are you taking over him?”
“Lewis...” The man frowned, in thought “Oh! You mean one of my soul stealers? Oh, well, I have lots of those. My soul is now entangled with theirs so I can use them to get to my victims. They’ll be disposed of once I have your soul...they’ll no longer be needed.”
“I...how can you do that? How can you be so cruel?”
“I’m not cruel. I’m not evil. I’m just a man who wants to get what he’s always desired...that’s all. And all go to any means to get it.”
“What’s your name?”
“Sorry?” The old man’s eyes widened in shock.
“Your name. What is it?”
“Names are powerful things, child. I won’t give you mine.” With those last words the old man disappeared and the world seemed to shift around me and I found myself in my cell with Charlie.
There was a glow coming from the corner of the room and I squinted against the light. “Have they moved your body?” I said, thinking it was only Charlie’s soul sitting there in the corner.
“No.” Said Charlie, reaching out a hand “I’m all here.” He closed his hand around mine “why?”
“Oh, um, no reason.” I said quickly, moving to sit next to him. The warm heat of his body was comforting...comforting to know I wasn’t the only living one. After so much cold and so much dead...I was glad to have someone living and breathing next to me. Someone with a heartbeat and a...I almost gasped as realization dawned upon me but I masked it with a cough. A soul attached to their body was what I was going to say but...I realized something else instead. Charlie never saw his own soul but I now...I saw his soul. I saw it for all it was in all its brightness.
A special soul.
That’s what it was. I hadn’t seen a special soul yet but I just knew it had to be. It wasn’t dull and dead like the once special souls...the Lost. But it wasn’t like Lewis’s either. It was warm and bright, could make you forget about your problems and it was kind. I rested my head against Charlie’s shoulder and he said “what?”
“Nothing.” I replied, not wanting to try out my theory. Not wanting other people to realize Charlie had a special soul. “Did you know they separate people’s souls from their bodies here? It’s horrible.”
“It’s how this place works...the bodies are kept, mindless and blundering. Enough consciousness is left for the soul to suffer. And, of course, the soul suffers without its body. Lily, I don’t know how we’re going to fix this.”
A sudden thought occurred to me “Charlie, you know how you said you shouldn’t make deals with the dead because they have nothing to lose? Well, is there anything you can do to ensure they’ll stick to their part of the bargain?”
“Well...” Charlie thought a while and I waited, basking in the glow of his soul. I don’t think I’d ever realized how nice he was. Alright, I always knew Charlie was nice, always thought he was my best friend but...I don’t think I appreciated him enough. From now on, I thought to myself, I’m never taking you for granted, Charlie. “The only thing I can think of,” said Charlie “is making them swear on their soul. But who do you want to make a deal with?”
“The old man...the one behind all of this. Him.”
“But he’s not dead is he?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what he is...I think he’s suspended himself in time or something.”
“Don’t go making a deal with him...please. I know what you’re like, you’ll end up doing something stupid.”
“If I don’t do something stupid then I won’t do anything and if I don’t do anything...” I swallowed, not wanting to tell Charlie about him being used against me. Then it would be him doing the stupid thing, not me. It would be worse if he knew he had a special soul. No. I couldn’t tell him. “If I don’t do anything something awful will happen and you know it. I need to take the risk.”
“Take it. Take it, then. But, remember, I’m always here by your side...in life or in death.”
A tear ran down my cheek. “I need you as my friend, you know. I need someone to keep my hopes up.” I sniffed “friendship can be the answer to all your problems, you know. But I think I’m going to need a little more than that to help me here.”
Author’s Note: Closer and closer still :) Oh, I do enjoy your guesses about what will happen next. I hope you liked this unveiling of the truth behind the old man and the little sentimental thing between Charlie and Lily. Thanks for reading – I really appreciate it :)
YOU ARE READING
My Nightmare Just Became Real
Fantasy15 year old Lily has a normal life, a best friend and doesn't do too badly at school. She's never had any trouble sleeping before until...the nightmare. A recurring nightmare that refuses to leave her alone and taints her sleep. She's not sure what...
