Awakening Sheeple

~ Chapter 5 ~

I had fallen asleep in her quiet moment of deep thought. It was blackness, you know when you can't see your own hand in front of your face kind of blackness. But even then, you can feel that something else is in the room. It was blacker then black, solid. I tried to focus...then I saw a faint glow coming from above, a thin beam of light streamed down to create a circle of light on the floor in front of me. Beyond that light, in the distant darkness, I could make out a faint white ring outlining the other energy in the room. It stepped toward me, I stepped back. What was it? Who was it? Harlee? Randal? Angel or Devil?

Shivers overcame my body, adrenaline coursed through my veins, fight or flight or .... I blinked and it was only a few feet away. Tall and definitely a man, I could see no features. One quick lung would close the gap and he would have me in his grasp. He stood motionless in the darkness. A slight stream of glowing thread seemed to creep out from the darkness, from the man, toward me. I was frozen in my tracks. It was mesmerizing as it twisted and floated almost sparkling. In my peripheral vision I noticed another identical tendril only it seemed to be coming from my body and wafted out to his. In moments the two cords twisted together sending shocks through each vertebrae of my spine. Just before the wave of electricity reached my brain the man stepped into the light holding out his arms. The realization stuck me at the same moment the shock penetrated my mind, "Kaysen," I whispered. Then I collapsed into his arms.

A flood of emotions had overcome me, he never spoke a word, but scooped me into his arms and walked into the muddy darkness. All I could see was the glow of his handsome face and his warmth blanketed me in safety through the murkiness.

Harlee burst into my mind, shattering my vision, "I need to get up and go to my room!"

"What the heck are you talking about!?" I shouted back fully annoyed at the interference.

"I am going to ask the nurse to take me to the room where my body is. That way I can see for myself if he is there....with me. I want to see if he is really concerned or just saying that."

I was shocked, "why would he just be saying that?"

She answered with some hesitation, "well... maybe he does know I am in your body and he is just trying to fool me, to get me out of you."

"That's ridiculous! Why on earth would he ever dream of that? Body hopping isn't a normal thing... is it?"

She replied, "there are things you don't know or don't remember I guess. Just trust me when I say he might know."

Trusting her was something I would never do, but I had to convince her he was serious. "You know Harlee, you control my body and my voice, I am barely even here. I don't think anyone could detect that there are two of us in this body."

She pondered that information, "you are probably right but still I want to be sure." With that she pushed the call button for the nurse. After explaining that her good friend was just down the hall and could she please take her down to visit, the nurse stepped out and returned with a wheel chair. My body was very weak but with much determination Harlee got into the chair. We began the journey down the long hallway.

I focused on talking to Kaysen, 'we are coming to see Harlee's body, I hope you are there!? She is suspicious.'

He replied instantly, 'it's all good, perfect actually, no worries Love, not long now.'

At the room Harlee asked the nurse to wait outside. I felt like a passenger going into an ambush. Inside the room Kaysen was sitting on one side of the bed and the old lady on the other. There in the bed was a stunningly beautiful woman. Even with all the tubes and wires keeping her alive her long black hair fell over her shoulder, she had perfect features and full lips and her slim figure was outlined under the blankets. It was Harlee's body, no wonder he liked her! "OMG Harlee you are so gorgeous! Why would you want to be in my body, you had it all?"

"I had everything except Kaysen and your body was available, all I have ever really wanted was Kaysen. If being in this body meant I would have him, then I was happy to make the change. Now be quiet," she barked in my mind.

Kaysen looked up with shock on his face and spoke allowed, "Avery, what are you doing in here?" I thought to myself, what an actor!

"I just wanted to see her. I didn't think you would be here still." She scrambled for an excuse.

He snapped back, "of course I would be here, this is where I am staying now, I thought you understood that."

"Oh, I know Kaysen...I ....just....I..."

He cut her off, "it's ok, come over here and meet her then." He pushed the chair closer to the bed. "Let's say a pray together shall we? Take her hand." Kaysen instructed as he took my hand and the grandmother took his other hand. 'The circuit was complete.' He whispered to my mind, 'push Angel, picture yourself expanding and shining, let the mud fall away. See our rope and come back to me.'

"What the fuck is happening?!" Harlee screamed in my mind for the last time. The room shone so bright in my minds eye I couldn't see anything for what seemed like minutes but was only a flash in time. Angels came into my vision, it was like they had stepped through me, blinding me, cleansing me, making me whole again. As they passed through me I could see them go into Harlee carrying her whisp of a soul back to its rightful place.

I slouched in the wheelchair, losing consciousness quickly I heard Kaysen whisper, 'it's done Angel, you are safe and wholly mine again.' He lifted me from the chair and carried my limp body back to my room. In sleep memories came in the form of dreams in wild floods washing through my mind, filling me up again. The water like memories were rising higher and higher, my ankles, my knees, my waist and it rose to my chest and the pressure squeezed the breath from my lungs, my neck. I flailed my arms and legs in desperation and gasped for a final gulp of air. Our invisible rope tugged hard and my eyes shot open in that moment. I panted with deep exhalations of relief as the terror fully left me. Kaysen was there, right there next to me, just as he had promised. I remembered everything, all of it from our first meeting at the theatre, to Hannah and Drew, our wedding and the angels passing through me. I threw my arms around his neck and sobbed, he held me tight to his chest and didn't let go. I was in control of my own body again, I squeezed him tighter just to be sure this was real.

After several minutes of clutching to Kaysen in with sobs, the tears began to cease finally, "what happened to her? Harlee I mean?" I was afraid she might come back, I needed to know.

"She is back in her own body....Permanently."

"Will she live?" I didn't want to sound harsh, but I was afraid of her.

"Harlee may live or crossover now that she's in her own ailing body. That is not for us to decide. The angels did erased her memory back to the accident and her crush on me. It's good to have friends in high places." He smiled and kissed my hand. "What is important is that you have come back to me. I can feel you Angel, I love you with all my heart and soul Mrs. McKeown." His eyes filled with tears and he slipped onto the bed beside me.

"Never let me go," I whispered softly as he curled me into his strong arms.

'Never,' He spoke to my mind with conviction and kissed the top of my head.

I sighed with relief, "Kaysen, how did you know... I wasn't me?"

"I knew immediately that something wasn't right." He began to explain.

I interjected, "she overshadowed my memories, I couldn't think clearly! I didn't know you but I could feel you. I didn't know what to think! She told me you dumped me and I tried to kill myself...."

Kaysen touched a finger to my lips, then he pulled my chin up and kissed me slowly and softly. My lips were entranced by his. "I never have left you and I never will. You are a part of me, I can feel your energy like it's my own. Rest now Love, I will be here when you wake."

His kiss seemed to sooth every doubt and fear in the very cells of my body. I fell into a peaceful, deep sleep, cocooned in his blanket of love.

'Wake up Angel, we need to go....now.' His voice was urgent in my mind.