Sub Zero

Chapter Thirty Three

My heart stops beating. "She what?" I whisper, barely audible to even myself. Bile begins to rise in the back of my throat.

"Is this a prank? A stupid ass Bill Collector? Whoever you are this is a bad time to call and I suggest you hang up. Now."  He says through clenched teeth. Something inside me snaps.

"No!" I say, my whole body numb. All I can feel is anger. "Who the hell are you anyways?" I spit, my voice cracking as grief starts to consume me. "I'm her daughter! I'm her daughter and I'm the only family she has left, so I don't know who you are, but you don't even have the right to touch her phone."  I hang up before he responds. The phone falls out of my hand as my arm seems to become numb.

"Are you alright?" I hear Finn ask cautiously. I turn to him, my eyes wide with disbelief and overflowing with tears. "She's dead." I whisper, my knees hitting the sand. "My mom's dead. Just like my dad."

His expression morphs into something I don't quite understand. It's so understanding, and full of care. I think what soothes me the most about it is the lack of pity it shows. There's none at all in his eyes.

He drops down beside me and doesn't utter a word, but wraps his arms around me and pulls me to his chest. I instinctively cling to him, but my expression is blank. "I didn't even get to say goodbye." I choke out. "I didn't get to tell her that I forgive her."

He doesn't tell me it's alright. He doesn't say, "I'm sorry for your loss". Instead I feel his lips on my forehead. "Terrible things tend to happen in this world. In every world. Please don't take it personally." He murmurs against my hair.

My emotions seem to melt away at the contact of his touch, so caring and gentle. I can't feel the pain and regret squeezing at my heart. I can only feel him.

When he finally lets me go my grief still comes back, but this time it's only a dull ache. I take deep, desperate breaths and blink away my tears. I choke back a sob as my throat once again closes up and my eyes begin to sting. I can still feel the warmth and distinct tingling sensation of his powers. He's trying to heal my emotional pain.

When did she die? How did she die? Who was it that answered her phone? I just wish I knew. I want to know what her last words and thoughts were.

I hear Finn's phone ring. I want to know. I blink and finally snap out of my stupor. I wipe my puffy eyes with the back of my hand and begin to desperately search for his phone. My vision is blurry from the constant flow of tears. "Where is it?" I sob, frantically searching on my hands and knees.

I  feel someone gently touch my shoulder. "Here." Finn utters softly. I look up at his blurry figure. My mascara is stinging my eyes.

He takes my hand, opens my clenched fist, and places the phone on my palm. "Thank you." I choke out before blindly flipping the screen open and pressing the answer button.

"H-hello?" I answer, my voice cracking. "Hey, um, it's me." It's the man from earlier.

"Listen, that was a pretty crappy thing  I pulled before. I didn't know Ellie had any kids. It was just a joke, you know?Well, actually it more of a technique. For chasing away telemarketers." My heart rate speeds up. I sigh loudly. "She's not dead?" I ask, my voice ringing with desperation. "Ellie Smith isn't dead?"

There's a pause on the other end of the line. I hear a faint blowing noise. He must be smoking right now.

"Nope. She's as lively as they come." He says. It's only now that I notice he has some kind of odd accent. I stand up.