Reclaiming Souls (8 page)

“How did that go?”

“He said he doesn’t want to make me pick between them so he walked away from it. He said he loved me, Lex.”

“And you just let him walk away!? What the hell is wrong with you, Devalynn Rose!?” She threw her hands up as she flew back on my bed.

“He said it was Kale before him. He didn’t want to come between us trying to figure out if Kale and I still have something or not.”

“I’m going to go with NOT. You have so much right with Kellin. UGH!” She stood from the bed. “Come on. I’m not going to say another word about it. You’re getting my blood pressure up.”

I giggled, “You don’t have blood pressure.”

“If I did, it would be up right now because of you, I’m just saying!” She stormed out of my room and waited on the front porch for me.

I shook my head as I got dressed and brushed out my hair. I decided to wear it down that day. Don’t know why. I always wore it up for work.

“Knock, knock,” a male voice called out.

“I’m coming!” I bolted out of the front door and Kale was smiling at me. I smiled politely back at him. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Just thought it’d be nice if I walked with you today. I didn’t get to see you after you dropped me off with Jackson. Kind of felt like a little kid,” he laughed.

“Yeah, you’re going to be busy while you’re training so we won’t see much of each other for a while.” I glanced around and Lexie was nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Lexie?”

“She wasn’t here when I got here but walked off,” he shrugged.

I put my hands in my pockets as we walked to get our lists for the day. “Hey, I’m sorry if I’ve seemed kind of off since you got here. I’ve just got a lot on mind and I’m still trying to figure you out. Most of my memories haven’t come back and I honestly don’t know if they ever will which means...I don’t know if my feelings will either,” I whispered, looking at the ground.

“I understand. It sucks, but I understand. I don’t want to force you into anything you’re not comfortable or ready for.” He grabbed my arm and pulled it out of my pocket, lacing his fingers with mine. “This was your favorite thing to do; to walk down the road and make everyone jealous of the perfect couple. They all wanted to be us.”

My eyes floated down to our joined hands and it made me smile to think about what he said. “I do like this,” I replied shyly.

We walked in silence with our hands clasped together until we were at the doors where I snatched mine back without thinking. I didn’t want Kellin to see and rub salt in the wound. We waited in two different lines for our lists.

Kellin saw me and smirked a little. “Good morning, Devalynn. Here’s your list. You’ve got a load today. Seven total. Don’t wear yourself out.”

I got lost in his eyes and couldn’t move. “Morning, Kellin. Glad to see you’re well today. Seven, pffft, I won’t even break a sweat with that,” I grinned.

He leaned in, “I know I said I would give you space, but can we talk later after you’re done?”

I smiled, like freakishly big, at his request. “Sure. Are you okay?”

“I will be after I see you,” he winked.

My heart fluttered...wait, no it didn’t, that was me wishing it did. I sighed. “See you later.” I took the list from him and walked out to where Kale was waiting on me.

“You seem like you’re in a better mood.”

“I like having a lot of work to do. It makes the day go quicker.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Dev.” He dipped his head and stuffed his hands in his back pockets.

“What do you mean? Lie to you about what?”

“I see how you look at him. I already told you, I understand.”

My heart sank- if it could’ve- to the floor. “I’m sorry, Kale. I was kind of starting to see him before, well, before you came back into my life. I mean my afterlife now. We aren’t going anywhere with exploring a relationship. He’s just a friend now. You and I on the other hand, need to figure out if we have a spark because if not, we don’t need to waste the other’s time.”

“I’m not worried at all. I’m not trying to say you’re sneaking around.” He took my hand again. “I want to try and get back in your heart. You loved me at one point. And I love you still.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry I lied,” I looked away.

“Hey, I’m not some uptight guy and I’ll get you to remember that. I don’t want to force you into something you don’t want. I want you to fall back in love with me on your own.”

“Well, how about before work tomorrow, you come over and tell me about the memories you have of us. Maybe it will trigger some to come to mind for me.”

His face lit up with a smile from ear to ear. “Sounds good.”

“Kale! Come on! It’s day one and you have a lot to learn, bro,” Jackson waved for Kale to go to him.

“Guess I better go. See you tomorrow, Dev.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek really quick.

I waved as he walked off. “See you tomorrow. Hope today doesn’t whoop your ass too bad!” I laughed.

Jackson and Kale disappeared through the portal. I looked down at my list and shook my head.

“Guess who got assigned with you for the day!?” Lexie bounced down next to me and draped an arm around my shoulder.

“So now I need a chaperone, huh?” I teased her.

“Guess so. Last time you went bat shit crazy down there,” She squeezed me.

“Let’s go get some souls then! We’ll have these knocked out in no time. I only have seven today.”

“What are the crimes?”

“The usual- murder, abductions, theft.”

“Sounds like a rather boring day. At least we should be finished by what, lunch time? What do you think?”

“I think we should just go and see what happens.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” We went through the portal and landed in the middle of a snow storm somewhere north; very, very north. “So, you’re meeting Kellin tonight after work, are you?”

“He told you!?” I shot her a look of amazement.

“No! I was standing in line behind you but you were too head over heels talking to him you never even heard me or felt me flick your hair or felt me try to trip you.”

“Wow, you’re cold. Really, were you behind me?”

She rolled her eyes, “Yes, I was there, I heard the conversation and saw the way you looked at each other. You should just drop Kale while you’re ahead.” We began to walk as the irregular heartbeat became clearer to our ears.

“I feel bad for him. It’s not his fault I lost all my memories and I’m sitting here like a moron trying to figure out my feelings. I did tell him about Kellin. More like he knew. He said he could just tell.”

“If he can tell, trust me, you’re done. Don’t drag it out and make it worse for the poor boy. Give him a chance to find someone else and not be all hung up on you while you’re hung up on Kellin.”

“I thought you weren’t getting in the middle of this?” I eyed her teasingly.

“I never seem to be able to mind my business especially when it comes to what I know is right for you,” she laughed.

“I don’t know. I need some time to figure it out,” I shrugged.

“You don’t have time. If you’re going to break it off with Kale, just do it. Don’t drag it out and make him think he has a chance when we both know he doesn’t,” she said a little more seriously, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You don’t know that,” I retorted. The thumping of the heart beat got louder. I raised a finger over my lips to silence her. We both listened to the lub lub sound and walked around the corner of a building. A man was pulling the knife out of another man, letting his body fall to the ground in a heap. “Wow, a stabbing? Really? You’re going to spend the rest of your eternity in confinement over this?” I glared at the middle aged man staring back at me with his eyes wide and mouth dropped open to the floor.

“It’s not what it looks like! He robbed me at gun point and I think he was going to kill me when he was done,” the man sobbed into his hands.

“The Creator doesn’t send us after souls that were protecting themselves. You honestly think we believe that?” Lexie tapped her foot with her hands on her hips.

“I swear it. I’ve been staying out of trouble and being good for the past three years since my second chance,” he replied, feebly with his head down.

“Well, you finally messed up, haven’t you?” Lexie retorted.

“Lexie, stop!” I hissed at her.

She glared at me with ice cold eyes. “Stop what? We’re here to do a job, Dev! Now, reclaim him!”

“He was defending himself! How is this justified! He was just supposed to die and not protect his own life!?” I yelled at her.

“How do you know he’s not lying?” She got in my face and wouldn’t back down.

“How do you know he is?” I said without raising my voice as the tears fell again.

She sighed, “I’m not serving his punishment. If you want to, go ahead; reject the reclamation of his soul.” The portal opened and she disappeared right through it.

I was left shaking, my fists balled up tight as the anxiety soared to new heights within me. I was done. Done feeling like shit because I had to take souls back that, in all honesty, didn’t deserve to be taken. I felt like I had become a murderer and I just couldn’t live with myself doing it.

I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before I looked up at the man who was shedding tears while on his knees in front of me. “I won’t do it.”

He glanced up at me, “Ma’am, I can’t ask you to serve a punishment you don’t need to.”

“Neither can I. Someone else might come for you, but it won’t be me. I’m done playing this game of His. If I were you, I’d run to a church and beg a priest for a cleansing or something. I doubt anything will help but it’s worth a shot.” The portal sucked me up and I sped back, skyward.

“Devalynn Rose!” the voice boomed out, louder than I had ever heard it. I had to cover my ears as my head felt like it would explode.

“I’m coming. No need to yell like that, jeez,” I muttered beneath my breath. I walked into the building his voice came from and stood in front of a great chair that was adorned with gold and silver. The Creator walked out and sat in it, staring down at me.

He shook his head, “What am I supposed to do with you?”

“Am I allowed to speak freely or do I have to censor myself?” I asked.

“Speak your mind,” he replied waving his hand at me.

“I think it’s bull-” He raised an eyebrow, interrupting me. “Umm, I think it’s crap what’s going on with the soul collecting side of things here.”

“Meaning...”

“Meaning, I think the rules are a little outdated and unfair. You give everyone individual judgments once they get here but one little error, and they’re in misery, forever alone. For example, the guy I was sent after today; he was defending himself from an attacker! How is it fair that he is punished for trying to survive!?” My voice raised a few octaves as I squinted my eyes at him, putting him on the spot; giving him his own judgment.

He sat in silence, clasped his hands and rested his chin on them. Minutes passed…a lot of minutes. I was starting to get nervous I had overstepped my boundaries.

Finally, he spoke. “I can see how you’d be upset with that.”

“It’s not so much that I’m upset but rather, I’m sick of myself. I literally hate myself for having to take people who shouldn’t be coming back yet. I’d rather serve someone’s punishment and be forever in solitude than take back innocent souls.” I looked him in the eyes, never taking them off of him.

“I see.” He grew silent again before standing to his feet. “Follow me.” His voice was even and steady.

I swallowed the lump that had formed and followed without a word.

We walked through the great halls and down to the Tombs of the Forsaken. The sealed ones caught my attention.

“You see these, the ones glowing; they belong to the Collectors who refused their jobs.” I stared nervously at them then let my eyes flutter down to the ground in shame and fear. I knew what was coming. “They fought against the rules I have set in place. There is a difference between you and them.”

“What’s that, sir?” I mustered enough courage to look up at him again.

“You’re so much stronger and I see so much potential in your inner light. You could make the changes you want, if you want it bad enough.”

“I don’t think I understand.” I was confused. Why wasn’t he throwing me in one and sealing it shut forever?

He laughed gently, “I’m saying there is a need for some modifications to the system and you should do them. It’s not going to be an easy job, so get that out of your mind right now. I need an updated system put in place that would make it run more smoothly.”

I was stunned. Why me? “I have a question that has been eating at me that I’d like to ask you.”

“Okay.”

“Why do you even give people a second chance when so many are taken back here?”

“Because I decided long ago to serve mercy. Sending them back will awaken the so called monsters that you all have labeled them but no one knows who’s is going to be awakened before they get back. Something triggers it in them once they cross back over. You are right, there needs to be changes.”