A Fresh Start Book 1

(Chapter Eight) - Insightful

     Insightful

Renee came awake at the sounds she heard from her open bedroom window. Tapping the button on the alarm clock her parents gave her to make it speak the time, she had already figured out it was dark from the lack of the normal daytime sounds outside of their apartment complex.

She covered her baby doll pj's with her ankle length fuzzy bathrobe, grabbed her cane from beside the twin bed she slept in, and quietly walked to the front door of the apartment. Unlocking the door, she stepped into the hallway, and quietly went down the hall to the fire escape. This is where she usually sat during daylight hours to listen to the sounds of the city.

No one had ever bothered Renee while she was there so she felt secure in her emboldened actions. When the door closed behind her, she put forward her cane and tapped to make certain the area was clear. Once assured, she raised her head, noticing the spirit of a young girl with a tortured expression, and a creature which appeared to be made of more of undefinable mist.

True she had been blind from birth, but that only applied to the physical world. Ever since she could remember the one thing she had been able to detect was ghostly figures only she could see in her world of blackness. Renee also learned normally sighted people around her couldn't perceive them at all. She had the talent of second sight of the departed.

There was another figure nearby, although she couldn't discern it's features since it was more like a blank spot or more aptly described as a void in the darkness. There were others at the mouth of the alley she could hear but not see at all, which meant they were flesh and blood people. Renee gathered they were cornering the young girl's spirit in preparation of capture or doing harm to the spirit. Being blind came with its own life teachings, usually lessons which had been emotionally painful, and at an early age. Because of this, Renee was a very smart and compassionate little girl for her age.

From the moment she had stepped outside the fire door, all had gone quiet. Looking back to the young girl's spirit, Renee could see the pain behind the anger written clearly on the ghostly face. A quiet voice inside Renee told her to reach out to appeal to the young girl's heart before further tragedy could happen.

Extending her free hand out she located and released the fire escape ladder, which sped down and hit the pavement with the clang of metal on concrete. Carefully Renee folded her cane, tucked it under her arm, and climbed down the ladder. Her slippered feet easily slipped into and out of the iron rungs, until she stood at the bottom, and both of her feet were planted firmly on the ground.

Walking towards the spirit girl, while those by the street were holding their collective breath, Renee boldly tapped ahead of her progression, coming to a halt just three foot away from the young spectre. A look of surprise overtook the ghost's original expression.

Tilting her head to the right she asked, “Hello, I'm Renee. What's your name?”

The ghostly girl was astounded at how clearly she could understand what this girl was saying, as she was no longer under the influence of her autistic encumberment, and how empowered she felt now that she was in spirit form.

Rosie carefully took in how close this girl was to her, and how easily it would be to tear this person apart, but her curiosity held her back since no one else except the some of the people outside the alley could see her. She gave the little girl her full attention, deciding to answer he back.