Hopelessy Devoted

Chapter 19: Given

I told him. I told him all my sins. All my fears. All the feelings I have for him and how I would only ever love him the way true lovers do. Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice two teenagers find Zach and run to get help. They never notice Daryl and I sitting on the floor.
We watch as medics come in minutes later and start compressions on him. I sit in silence and pray that he comes back.

In a few minutes Daryl and I witness something so powerful and so profound that words cannot describe it. We literally see life comes back to Zach's body. But there was a moment, when I saw Zach in spirit form walking to his body. He stopped, looked at me, and bowed his head in thanks if giving him rejuvenating life.

I know Daryl's wondering why I would save my killer. The simple answer is, I am not a killer. I realized that I didn't want to take his life for my own benefit because it would never bring me back to who I was. As they carrying Zach off on a gurney to take him to the hospital, I sigh and lean against Daryl.

"You found your purpose. You saved someone."

"I ordered his death, Daryl. I don't think God's jumping out of his seat to raise me up to Heaven."

"Maybe not. But you still have yourself. Yer not someone else. Yer not bad." He says and kisses my temple. Closing my eyes, tears spring up.

"They will find us Daryl. And they will take my soul. Promise me...promise me you will stay strong and work hard to get into Heaven. Don't give up because I won't be any more." When I say this, his face drops and I can see the tears surfacing to his cheeks. But these aren't real tears. Just like we technically don't have real emotions. Nothing about us is real.

"I promise." Right as he says this, Mobus and the Dixons barge through the door.

"Give me your soul! I'm tire of these immature games." Mr. Dixon yells and Mobus storms over to me. Lifting me up in his decaying hand, he looks me over- about to take my soul.

"Stop!" I yell.

"Shut up!"

"Just listen....you can have my soul. I promised you it. But first...Mr. Dixon- Merle- you owe me that golden life force."

"You didn't give us that boys soul! Why would we pay you for a job you couldn't complete? Yer weak!"

"I am not weak! I am strong!" Mobus puts me down. I walk up to Mr. Dixon. Standing toe to toe with him, I don't hold back. "I am Bethany Anne Greene and I AM STRONG! I was killed at the age of 17 and I used to be a track star! I have a Sister named Maggie and a father named Hershel! The first person I ever loved so deeply is your son Daryl! I have over come so much and have wasted my life on materialistic things! I was going to have a baby. I fought like hell to be someone important and I believe I did. So I am strong. With my last bit of sanity, I curse your souls and pray you meet our Maker one day!" When he was distracted by my speech I reached in his pocket and stole the golden life force. Stepping back, I am beside Daryl and I hold his hand. "Go one then. Kill me!"

As I say it- the Fleshgaits and the Dixons charge at me and I pray for Heaven. I think of my favorite place to be. A place I always dreamt of going. When we open our eyes, we are in New York City at Central Park. It's night time and the stars glow around us.

"Haha! Beth! You did it! You teleported! Oh my gosh that was amazing this is beautiful!" He's gazing at the lights of the sky scrapers and when he turns around, he finds me weak and on my knees in the grass. "Beth? Beth no! No! Stay with me you'll be ok. You just need to rest."

"No...." I place my hand in his and he looks down at the glowing orb in my other hand. "It's my time to see the Lord...I'm ready now....take this."

"Wha...what? No. I'm not taking that. You need it. Take it..."

"It wasn't meant to be mine." I push it closer to him and finally he sees that this was in fact his soul. His memories of life pass before his eyes all the way up to seeing my aunt from the window before he died. It's so beautiful and profound. "You need to live your life this time...you need to go to college for art, meet a girl, get married...have babies....you need to be happy."

"How can I be happy without you? Beth I love you! You can't go! You're my life."

"And you were mine...promise me, you'll never forget me." Holding me against his body, his spiritual tears fall to my face and I can actually feel them.

"I promise.... please don't go."

"I have too. I can finally see my mother and my brother...they're so beautiful. The music...I love the music. Go...live your life. I have mine waiting for me in Heaven." Just as I look up to the Heavens above me, I see my baby. She's beautiful." "I get to meet my baby..."

"Beth...Beth I love you. Please...please!" As I feel the last bit of spirit disappear from my body, I push Daryl's life back into his body. There's a burst of golden light that blinds me and when I wake up- I'm already looking down at Daryl. I feel something heavy on my shoulders, it is God's hand. I smile at the Lord and he places in my arms my baby.