Scattered Souls

Chapter 29 - Tongue Locking

Xypher was still entranced by the locket I was holding up a good few minutes after I'd found it. I was beginning to get a bit worried about him since he wasn't even blinking, just staring at the locket in my hand .

"Earth to Xypher." I called out, waving my hand in front of his face to bring him out of his trance like state.

This caused him to finally blink, snapping back to reality.

"Are you alright?" I asked with genuine concern.

"Yeah, I just never thought I'd see this again." his voice broke, sounding like the waterworks were about to explode from his eyes.

"Wow. This is really that important." I realized.

"This locket is everything. This is my key to finally finding freedom." he still sounded emotional. "Do you have any idea how long my soul's been trapped? This locket can finally give me the freedom I desire."

"When you say freedom... " I started off, placing the locket on the dresser, finding the best way to word what I was about to ask. "Does that mean that your soul is going to be released into the afterlife?" it was the only logical explanation in my mind, but I had to ask to be sure.

"Well in essence, I suppose that's what it means." he said, looking as if he were deep in thought.

"So then you'll just disappear?" I questioned, surprising both of us with how disheartened I sounded.

I sounded like a little kid that was told she couldn't have anymore candy. Was it possible, that in such a short space of time, I'd become so accustomed to having Xypher around that I wouldn't want him to leave. Surely I'd known he'd have to leave at some point, right? I should have been prepared for it. 

I also should have kept some distance between us, instead of tongue locking him every opportunity I got. How stupid of me I thought to myself.

"I guess that would mean I'll disappear into the afterlife." he said. "It's just that I haven't given the logistics of it much thought." he admitted.

"So you don't exactly know what's going to happen now that you've found the locket?" I looked at him with a mixture of amazement and confusion.

"It's just that I was so caught up in my pursuit of actually finding the locket." he explained. "And after searching for so long and receiving dead end after dead end, I just didn't want to get my hopes up."

"But finding the locket changes things." I had no idea whether I was saying this more for myself or for him.

"It does." he agreed.

"So are the powerful connections you have going to help you reach the afterlife?" I asked.

Geez, it's like I was hell bent on probing him for information today. I suppose asking him all these questions was merely a way to distract myself from the pain that the thought of his absence was causing me at the moment. I didn't want to have to deal with it, so I figured the more questions I asked, the safer I was from having an emotional breakdown that neither of us were ready for.

"Actually, I'd still have to find my body before they can help with anything."

"Your body?" I questioned, this immediately got my attention. The perfect distraction indeed.

"My remains, to be precise. I do have a rough idea of where my body may have been hidden after I'd been murdered. However, one can never be too sure." 

Now I felt like I needed a few minutes to process this overload of information my brain was receiving.

"Your body? You were murdered?" I asked, literally feeling my eyes popping out of their sockets due to the utter shock I was in.

He was murdered.  Those words were on replay in my mind. He hadn't mentioned this earlier. Why was he killed and by who? What had he done? My initial question of 'why his soul was trapped' just became a whole lot more relevant. Why was he murdered and why was his soul trapped? Had he done something to cause that? Or was he merely a victim. However, no one could possibly murder someone and have their soul trapped for no good reason. Could they?

"My goodness, you look pale." he said, with his arms reaching out to steady me.

My mind was so consumed by all these thoughts, that I hadn't even realized how the color drained from my skin and how weak I'd suddenly become. Almost as if I were about to pass out again.

"I think you should sit down." he gently lead me towards the bed. He grabbed a chair and sat down right in front of me.

He was gently caressing my hair and looking lovingly into my eyes,  however, even that couldn't quell my wandering and rampant thoughts at the moment.

"Are you okay, love?" I could hear and feel the concern radiating off of him.

"It's just a bit too much for my mind to handle." I explained. "I mean the thought of you being murdered and your soul being trapped. That's way too much, that's a special kind of twisted."

"I know, love. Just take your time to process all of it. Take as much time as you need." he said, gently squeezing my hand.

"Also, the thought of you having to leave when we literally just met. That's a bit scary for me too. " I admitted, shocked at how easily I was able to confess that.

He was stunned in place, now he was the one looking pale like he'd seen a ghost.

"I won't leave unless you want me to." he gave me a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I was surprised at how gentle he was with me.

"I promise you." he added, pulling me into his arms and giving me one of the most comforting hugs I'd received in a really long time.

I sighed with contentment. Wishing that feeling could last forever.