Addie's heart skipped a beat. "'M sorry?"
"I'm sure you are, darling. And you were so young, too." Jorge said. It was just the two of them now, so Addie couldn't even turn to Kiera to confirm that she was hearing him right
"I'm not dead, though. Obviously. I'm still living, breathing, you know. All those things."
"I suppose you are, but you don't have to. Not any more." He gave her a look. "Take a seat, doll. Have some tea."
"You don't have any tea." She reminded him, taking a seat across the extinguished fireplace. Insane or not, Addie knew no one and had nowhere else to go. She would wait here until Kiera got back, perhaps then she would see how widespread this belief was. "What do you mean when y'say that I'm dead?"
"Exactly what it sounds like." His coyote eyes flashed lime green in the low light. " What's the last thing you remember? Before you came here?"
"There was a fish," Addie said. She took a pinch of the fireplace's soot in between her pointer finger and thumb. "I fell into a river. It was colder there. You trying to tell me I drowned?"
"Exactly!" Jorge clapped his hands together, "Now you're getting it!"
"I suppose that would explain a few things."
"Such as the animal heads?" Jorge said. Addie snorted.
"For one thing. There were some strange plants, too, by the water. Moved away from me whenever I got too close."
"You're new, that's why. You'll adapt to this world in due time, dear. Hard to predict what animal you'll be, but I'll bet it's something with sharp teeth." He said. Addie hummed in passive agreement. There was a soft chill in the air that cut straight to her bones. She slipped the jacket back on. It was still damp, but it was better than nothing. "Are you cold? I should to restart the fire, shouldn't I?"
"'M alright," Addie said. "'S just a surprise, that's all. You're sure 'm dead? I sure don't remember dying."
"I think that I would know, yes. Perhaps you repressed it," Jorge said, "You know, my father was a psychologist, back when I was alive. He would always talk about repressing trauma. Dying qualifies as trauma, I would think."
"I guess," Addie looked down at the ashes. She had so many questions, and no words to give them shape. "Where's Kiera gone to?"
"Out to get some more tea." He said.
YOU ARE READING
Songbirds After Dark
ParanormalNo one knows what happens after you die. Sure, everyone's got a theory, but who knows? Kiera Morris does, and quite frankly she's had quite enough of the afterlife. Everyone around her seems to be resigned to their fate, but she doesn't want to be r...
