Whispers of the Dead (Completed)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

We were out of the coffee shop and in the warm air of the Main Street. It was nice but I didn't feel like it was what I needed. Ali was walking beside me, quietly licking a chocolate ice cream I brought for her and I was gradually eating a mango sorbet ice cream. Along the street there were little boutique shops and restaurants but none of them caught our eyes.

We were heading back to the house where I planned to introduced Ali to Alison, even though Ali could not see her. Or maybe she could, I didn't know. They were the same person and so maybe Ali could see her.

"How is your ice-cream Destyni?" Ali asked hesitantly. I shrugged my shoulders but I didn't reply, not wanting to make conversation if there was nothing to talk about. I could tell the silence seemed awkward to Ali but to me, it was like peace when you were fighting a war. And that was probably the worst description of what I was feeling. I felt peaceful, while I was the one that was helping to stop a war.

Stop a war. Now there was a point. I had been prophesied to stop a war but does that mean I am forced to do it? Is my future set in stone because of a prophecy my best friend made? "Can you tell me anything more about what I am supposed to do, according to this prophecy?" I asked, wanting to know more about my so called destiny.

"Well, I know you were thinking that your friend created the prophecy but in actual fact it technically was not her. It technically was the first Oracle of Delphi, the spirit that inhabits a section of Delphi's consciousness, on record. Each Oracle has repeated the prophecy many times, in the hope that someone who knew enough about what she was saying would take down the words, remember them and guide the subject when the time was right."

"What do you mean by 'when the time was right'?"

"I meant that someone who has the knowledge of your gifts and abilities as well as the prophecy could guide you in training and preparation to confront your destiny. It was what was meant to happen but it sort of never did."

"So what? What importance would that someone have?"

"So much you can't even imagine. That person would guide you to master your abilities as a necromancer and help assist you in saving the world. They would have all the impact on the final outcome."

"Did it ever occur to you that this person might be you?" I blurted out impulsively. Her expression changed dramatically into one of shock but I surprisingly did not regret the statement. It was obviously true, as both her past and future selves have helped me through so much.

"Are you serious? My prophecy said nothing of the sort. It only said that my life would be a great help to many others..." She spoke with a nervous sort of stutter that I quickly cut off to avoid her being embarrassed. She needed to realise the impact she is having on society, even if I have to yell.

"And that's what I mean. The prophecy is being vague. You have been a great help to many others, by helping me. You are saving the world by helping me, and that is helping others." Her mouth was open by the time I had finished and I smirked. She was starting to realise the impact she has on society.

"It can't be me. It just can't. I am too ordinary, too unimportant, to... to play a role in the most influential aspect of the life in the world of the gods. It just doesn't work like that. I can't be it. I just can't. I'm going to let you down, let the world down, let those 7 billion people down. I'm going to be responsible for their deaths because I am not competent enough in the studied of necromancy and people like you to deal with what is ahead and..." I cut her off.

"But you are. You are competent enough to deal with it and I know that because of how far you have come already. You have dealt with me, with the looming problem that the Cause causes and how much you have done, both for me and for others. You, and future you, are the strongest person I have ever met, but the one with the most worries and problems. When they become bottled up for too long, you let them out like you have just done, in the form of nervous worries about all the ways you can fail. Haven't you though about the destiny aspect of this. Fate controls it all, and so we met for a reason. You are the one who is going to help me deal with all this, and I couldn't wish for anyone better to have at my side for all of this ride."

Ali was crying by now and I couldn't help but let a tear slide down my cheeks. She was really insecure about everything and I just sort of wanted to comfort her and tell her that. She put her arms out and I accepted immediately. We must have looked really strange to the people who were walking past us, two people in the middle of a really busy street, hugging and being a serious roadblock to the impending sea of people.

Letting go from our hug, I noticed that Ali had tear stains all down her cheeks and her eyes were puffy and red. "Did you mean that? Everything you said?" She said hesitantly and I nodded.

"I have never ever in the entirety of my life ever said something that I haven't meant. So yes, I meant every word I said." She smiled weakly and I grinned. Making someone happy was a joy, but making someone special happy, that just made both your day and the other persons.

"Shall we go home? There is someone I want you to meet?"

"Ooh! Who? Is it your mum? Is it a boy?" Ali's mood changed instantly, from a sad and emotional girl to a bright and bubbly one.

"Not telling!" I singsonged and she groaned.

"Why can't you?" She whined and I laughed.

"Because I want to keep you in the dark, keep the tension and the suspense there." She punched my arm and I laughed.

"Violence will get you nowhere in life, especially not here," I smirked and she scowled at me.

We had been walking for a bit when a cheeky grin broke across Ali's face, signalling that she had a devious plan she was about to put into action. "What are you planning Ali? I know that grin..."

She just widened her smile and before I knew it, she was running way ahead of me. "ALI GET BACK HERE!" I yelled jokingly at the figure that was getting smaller in the distance. I set off at a sprint in my feeble attempt to catch her but I knew that she was too fast for me.

***

We had been running for about fifteen minutes when Ali turned another corner and into a street I recognised. It would be disappointing if I didn't, I grew up in this street. My house was coming into view quickly and I could see my mother out the front checking the mailbox. She looked to her right and stared right at me. As I ran closer, she examined me closely and her face changed as she recognised me.

"Destyni? Is that you?"

"Yeah! Hey mum." She grinned and looked very pleased with herself.

"Your new friend is back. It's good to see you are moving on from Delphi's disappearance and accepting the fact she may not be coming back," she said dreamily and I scowled.

"Are you implying that you have given up? For your information, I am still looking for Delphi and Ali is helping me. So thanks for your support, mother," I spat vigorously at her before storming inside, Ali in tow. My mother looked bewildered and shocked at my determination but she didn't say anything.

We were marching up to my room when Ali gasped. She had obviously seen something but I didn't know what. When we got into my room, I could see Alison but Ali was obviously oblivious to the ghost as she sat right where Alison was. The ghost laughed and I let out a small giggle. Ali looked at me strangely but I still laughed and winked at Alison.

"What are you laughing at Destyni?" She said inquisitively and I laughed even harder.

"Nothing. Nothing at all!" I said as she gave me a curious look. Alison poked her head through Ali and it seemed that I was still the only one that could see her. And suddenly, Ali let out an ear-piercing shriek.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"