The Caravan of Hope

Chapter 9: The price of Death

I dedicate this chapter to my first follower that is not one of my friends, mrspajamas. Her book is really good!

Okay, just in case you don't get it, the next scene is pretty much the afterlife.

-------------------------------

Jarred opened his eyes and found himself in utter blackness.

Of course, he could see himself, but nothing else that was white or had color in it.

"Me!" Jarred saw mini Jarred coming up tio him.

"Are we dead?" Mini Jarred seemed to know the answer, but just wanted to ask anyways.

Jarred nods.

"So, what do we do now?" Mini Jarred didn't seem to be all that upset about being dead.

"How about we just talk? I have so much about my life that I've wanted to say, but never did."

---------------Meanwhile----------

They all stood over Jarred's body, crestfallen.

Then, Mary, clearly upset, ran over to Daiko. "Why? You said once that you could bring someone back to life with your magic. Why aren't you doing that now?"

Daiko looked away, not meeting Mary's eyes. "Just cause I can doesn't mean I wanna do it."

Mary clenched her fists. "Daiko, I don't want to say this because it's not nice, but Daiko, YOU'RE VERY SELFISH! Your friend is crying, and while you can help, you won't!"

"Mary, no comprendas! There's always a price!" Seeing Mary's confused face, she continues to explain. "One of the basic rules of magic is that to bring someone back to life, something has to be given up in return. For all I know, the price of bringing Jarred back to life is for one of us to die, or for this world to be destroyed! Do you really want that?"

Mary stood, crestfallen after hearing 's Daiko's words. Daiko mumbled, "I guess that I should be grateful that the last time I brought someone back to life, the price was bearable." Then, as part of her plan, she pretended to "realize" something.

"Wait a moment. That rule doesn't completely apply to Bella."

Everyone looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?" Bella was even most confused, since that statement was about her.

Daiko continues in. "You don't have to pay what others have to. While others have to pay one unknown big thing, you only have to pay three little known prices, which are that your magic seems very weak, you have to do something disgusting, and you have to know someone who knows how to revive people."

Bella nods. "Compared to you, Mary, or Alex, my magic doesn't seem pretty useful. And I know you, so I have fulfilled two of the prices. But what disgusting thing do I have to do?"

Daiko shifts her feet. "Err, you have to put your saliva into the dead person's mouth."

Everyone was grossed out. George and Hearthfell both put their pointer finger into their mouth and gagged, then liked at each other and said at the same time, "Don't copy me!"

Bella sighs. "Although it's quite disgusting, it's such a small price to pay compared to the cost of the world. I'll do it."

"Okay! Put some of your saliva into Jarred's mouth. When that is done, say, 'Fates, let me change it.' That would send you to the afterlife with only a strong leading you to life to take you back. Be careful and hold on to it at all times or else you'll be considered dead."

Bella nods, then moves to open Jarred's mouth. Then pausing, she changes her mind and kisses him instead.

George and Hearthfell gap at her, scared. Daiko knew that that was going to happen, and she smiled. Alex was indifferent. Mary was surprised.

Bella opened his lips with her tongue and says what she was supposed to say. Then everything goes black.

---------------Meanwhile---------

Jarred and mini Jarred were lying down, talking about their past.

" And do you remember the time we time we first learned how to sword fight? That teacher got made at us cause we used only one hand!" Mini Jarred laughed.

Jarred smiles, but then sighs. "Hey mini me, do you remember the first time we met Bella?"

"Of course I do!" Mini Jarred is smiling with a gleam in his eyes. "She was so cute! With her short red hair and beautiful dress, she looked exactly like an angel!"

Jarred smiles. "That's how I first thought of her too." He pauses for a moment. "Back then, and even still today, I would've done anything for her, even if the only rewards were her smiles, her laughs, those dances she does, or her sweet, innocent kisses on the cheek. Of course, the biggest reward was whenever I caught her sleeping; she was so cute whenever she slept! But those days are gone, never to return."

"Why can't we ever have them again?" Mini Jarred was confused.

Jarred just sighed. "We are dead. The dead can't come back to life, so we can't see Bella as a living person anymore. And as a dead person... Would anybody want me to have paradise knowing full well that someone was torturing people with my own two hands and I couldn't do anything to stop it? That after a week I gave up fighting and only started back up when I selfishly wanted something? I say no."

They lay there for a while, then Mini Jarred said, "But if we were living, would you want to be with Bella?"

Jarred smiles. "Of course! Do you remember the dream we had?"

Mini Jarred claps. "The one about flowers?"

"Yes!" Jarred relaxes, remembering his dream. The one where he somehow broke free of the shadowy figure and waited for Bella in Ikuyomi. When she finally came back, he would go in his knees and beg her to accept him. Of course, she always accepted him in his dreams. Then, sometime later, she would be dancing in a field of flowers, with him following her close behind. Then she would grab his hand that had a ring on it with her hand that had a similar looking ring on it. She would put his hand on her stomach, and he would feel a leap of joy when he feels something move inside it. Then, holding hands, they would walk together with an occasional kiss.

Jarred, for the first time in a long time, started to cry. He was, and still is, deeply in love with Bella, and couldn't stand it if he didn't spend at least a little more time with her. But that was too late.

"Err..Me?" Mini Jarred was confused and pointing at a....door?

Jarred quickly sat up. It was door; tall and wide enough to fit just him.

"I guess...that's the door to the afterlife." Jarred thought it had a nice ring to it; he was at death's door. He headed to the door and-

"JARRED RINIV, DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THAT DOOR!"

A voice came out of nowhere, making him stop and turn around. It was Bella.

-------------author's note---------

Whew...I wanted there to be more in this chapter, but I didn't realize that it was going to be so long, so I spit it into two.

Anyways, thank you for reading! I know that I've asked this before, but please, please, please! Vote, comment, or recommend this book to people you know.

And to those readers who stick with me, here is a bonus: next chapter will be called, "you can always be forgiven."