Keepers

Chapter 5

Dax's point of view

I'm completely un-aware of what happened just now. Nothing hurts, so I must be okay. I get up and look at the dent in the car. How do I not feel pain? Was that from me? I shake my head, that doesn't matter. If I remember correctly the girl went that way. I bolt towards the sidewalk and make my way to the cemetery.

There, in the distance, is that her? I can faintly see the flowy white shirt she was wearing when I saw her crying in the road. I pick up my pace and run as fast as my legs are capable. Starting to catch up I scan my surroundings. I'm still passing the cemetery, no surprise, this cemetery is the biggest one in the country. On the other side of me I see colorful signs quickly passing. I try to point out a select few to mark where I'm going. The coffee shop, a book store, etc. Looking frontward once more I almost face plant from trying to stop so abruptly.

Standing in front of me is the little girl in the flowy white shirt. Having a better view from up close I notice her wavy red hair. It lengths to about her waist. Her still tear stricken face is covered in freckles a slightly lighter tint from her hair. I meet her emerald green eyes and ask, "What's the matter? Why were you crying in the middle of the road?"

Her voice reminds me of her age, which I forgot up until now. My guess is that she's around the age of 12. "I got lost. I wish I was in a nightmare."

Trying to make sense of her reply I say, "Where did you come from?"

Seeming to have remembered something the girl takes a step back in shock. "Wait, how can you see me?"

I start to realize that she may be a wanderer. But... Not all wanderers know that they're... Well... Dead.

"Do you remember how you got lost?" I ask disregarding her question.

Looking around at our surroundings, a public park, she spots a bench and makes her way there. Sitting down she looks as if she is recollecting her thoughts. I sit down on the other side of the bench and silently wait for her to speak first.

Red hair... Emerald green eyes... Ah! I knew she looked familiar. There was this news article about her I read recently. She was walking with her parents through town when a construction worker fixing the power lines above accidentally dropped something. It hit her head and resulted in a concosion and internal bleeding. She died on the way to the hospital... Which is why she's probably lost. But if this is the case... Does she know she's dead? She was confused that I could see her...

"I woke up and saw my body in this tiny room with lots of people surrounding me. They couldn't see me, I thought I was having a nightmare. I tried to run away and went through the door, I actually went through it. I was crying so hard and when I looked up tons of cars were passing me and going right through me. It was so scary. I couldn't move so I stayed there and cried until I saw you. I thought no one could see me so I ran from you." She starts to cry once more.

In attempt to comfort her I move her hair from in front of her face. Now that I have her attention I say, "So you became a wand... A ghost in an ambulance? That's what it sounds like to me."

She continues to cry, "I miss my mom... I miss my dad. And my room and my dog and... and.."

I'm really starting to run out of ideas here. "Hey.... Uh... What's your name?"

"M-my name is Evalyn."

I try to cheer her up by saying, "So Evalyn, how about we go for a walk?"

A public park seems to be the perfect place to do so. There's no people around considering how late it must be, so I'll probably make it through the night without anyone witnessing me talking to air (Evalyn is a wanderer so only keepers can see her). There are few street lights marking the way, down this sidewalk a little ways I see a water fountain. Evalyn follows my gaze and sees the fountain too.

Sighing she says, "Okay. I want to go swim!"

I try to stay at pace with her as she runs towards the fountain illuminated by the street lights. Fun fact, wanderers can have physical contact with keepers, but only minimal. They cannot however, do things such as "swim" or put on makeup. Wanderers cannot put another substance on their being. So, if a wanderer were to...

Interupting my train of thought Evalyn jumps into the 4 ft deep fountain. I rush over to see if she's okay and find... Just water?