Echo of an Earth Angel (The Earth Angel Trilogy: #1)

by Sarah M. Ross

Cassie nodded, which reassured me momentarily. “Your friend is fine. You were in a car accident. A drunk driver sideswiped your driver side door. Janice survived the accident.”

  I narrowed my eyes and thought about what she didn’t say with that sentence. “Don’t you mean we survived the accident?”

  “No, Lucy,” Cassie shook her head hesitantly. “I don’t mean that. You didn’t physically survive the accident. Your body was killed instantly.”

  This woman was a few fries short of a happy meal. “What are you talking about? I’m right here! I’m not dead!”

  “That’s what I’m trying to explain, Lucy. Your body died. But before your spirit went to its destination, you were chosen. It’s quite an honor actually; there are only a few of us.”

  None of her answers made sense, and they were not making me feel any better about allowing her to help me. I was getting tired of her purposely vague answers and was quickly growing irritated. It must have shown on my face because she kept talking.

  “We are the Patronus. We help protect the spirits of the departed until a decision has been made about their ultimate destination. You were chosen to join us when you died. We’ve been waiting for you to make the transition and now that you’ve finally woken up, we’re here to train you for your assignment. Personally, I am super excited you’re finally ready. I’m tired of being the only girl on the team and I could really use some girls only time!”

  I expected her to smile because this had to be a joke. I was sitting right here, alive. I wasn’t a Patronus or whatever she called it. I glanced around for the hidden cameras, certain a microphone was hiding behind an IV pole or cameras were in the large “Exit” sign by the door.

  “Ha! Good one. You really had me going for a minute. Now seriously, where is my family? My mom and dad must be freaking out by now. I’ve gotta let them know I’m okay.” I tried to stand up on my own but she placed her hand on my shoulder and firmly pushed me back in the bed.

  “I know this is hard for you to believe Lucy. Nowadays humans are taught that anything supernatural is a fairytale and make believe. You need to understand that I’m speaking the truth. The sooner you accept this, the easier it’ll be. There are things in this universe that exist even if you don’t believe in them. Your life as you knew it is over, but you’re still moving forward. Consider yourself blessed; only a few get this opportunity. Would you have rather moved on with no memories at all?”

  Her face conveyed no smile, and her tone projected her earnestness. I could see she was taking this seriously, and I stopped for a moment to consider what she was saying. Even as I did, I thought I must be losing it for even considering the possibility that it was true. She stood up and crossed her arms over her chest and took a few steps away from me.

  “Lucy, where do you think fairytales come from? Or all of the stories about mythological creatures for that matter? The stories are as old as civilization itself. Many of the things people think of myths today are real, but human understanding is limited.” She sighed and adjusted so she was facing me when she spoke. “Humans couldn’t believe that we existed, so throughout history humans have made new names for what they couldn’t explain. The ancient Greeks thought of us as gods like Hecate, Thanatos, and Iapetos. The Puritans thought of us as witches and many innocent women were burned because of the townspeople who refused to expand their beliefs. Still others thought of us as angels and demons. Today, most people think of us as pretend. But where do you think the idea for all of these creatures, myths, gods, and legends came from? No one’s muse is that creative. The Patronus have always been here, guarding over humankind.”

  Even though I was skeptical, I spoke to her in my most serious tone. “So what you’re saying is that angels, witches, and demons all exist? And now I’m one of them?”

  “There are things that exist that you’ve never known. No, you’re not an angel or demon. We’re a different type of being, for lack of a better word. We are the Patronus. We exist in a separate realm than everything else and are a neutral party. When a person dies their spirit is in peril. There are many factions vying for the right to that spirit. For some, it’s an easy choice. If someone has lived a terrible life full of hatred and evil, the decision to send them to the Omega is an easy one. There are some who have lead pure lives, selfless and honorable. The decision for them to go to the Alpha is even easier, but they are the minority. The majority of people are in the muddled middle. They weren’t evil, but they made mistakes in their life. They weren’t pure, but they tried to do right. For those spirits, there is a fight.”

  My face must have betrayed my bewilderment because she followed by saying, “Think of it this way: One of these fights is like a battle between two CEOs for the rights to own a new stock that has come on the market. Until a decision has been made, that stock is volatile and needs protection. That’s our job. We protect it until an outcome has been reached and the spirit can move on safely.”

  “And now I’m a Patronus?” She nodded once so I continued, “Why me?”

  Cassie didn’t answer for a few seconds. Instead, she stared at me as though she was trying to decide how to answer. “When your body died, your spirit was given to us to protect. James, the leader of our division, saw that your spirit was different–special. You had the essence we look for when selecting new members. We then evaluated the short life you led. You helped those who were less fortunate and in need at the local hospital. You showed great leadership as the captain of your swimming team, and you were strong when family needed you in a tough time and selflessly helped them.” I glanced down sheepishly and began to blush, but Cassie continued, “You were perfect for this role! James petitioned the Alpha and Omega to give your spirit to us so we could add you to our ranks. They agreed and here you are. We brought you to our facility to transition into your new life.”

  I studied my body. It still looked as I remembered. I still had the same long, wavy, dark honey colored hair that I’d always had. I still had my long legs and lean frame. I didn’t seem any different. “But I’m still me. What transitioned? And what’s up with the arm and leg machines?”

  “We’ve given you your body back. When a new Patronus joins us, we’ve found it helps them feel better about what’s happening if they have a sense of familiarity. But since that original body had been dead, we needed to revive it. That’s why you’re here. It takes a while for the physical transition and since your body was battered in the accident, it took a little longer. The machines keep your body moving and keep the muscles from atrophying while the rest heals. That process is over now and it’s time for your training to begin.”

  “Ew! You dug up my body? That’s so gross!” I scanned the room for a mirror, expecting to see something out of Night of the Living Dead. Snickers came from outside the door.

  “I thought you said you were going to give us some time? Go back to the Commons. We’ll meet you there in a little bit!” Cassie yelled to Max, who was apparently standing just outside the doorway.

  “Cass, you know I’ve been waiting for this.” Max’s voice was so soft I almost missed it.

  “I know, but you know rushing things is only going to make it more difficult. Now go!” Cassie ordered, and there was a deep sigh, then footsteps begrudgingly strode away.

  “Um, Cassie, what did he mean when he said ‘been waiting for this’?” I asked. Maybe I hadn’t heard right or he was talking about something else.

  “Don’t worry about that now. First things first, we need to get you dressed and walking.” She hooked her hands under my armpits and pulled me to a standing position, and this time I didn’t fight her. I still didn’t allow myself to take what she said one hundred percent seriously, but I wasn’t afraid she would hurt me either. This was all happening so fast. My head was spinning. I couldn’t deal with the idea that I’d died, so I decided to just deal with one thing at a time. My legs felt like I ran a marathon, and I almost fell to the floor. Thankfully, Cassie was still holding on to me so I staye
d standing. Well, more like leaning.

  “Take it slow; it’s been five months since you’ve last used these legs. It’s going to be a while till you’ve recovered completely.” Cassie slowly lowered me back down onto the bed to a sitting position.

  My eyes bugged out of my head as I took in what she had said. “Five months?! Are you kidding me?” The shock of it made me glad I was sitting down. Had I really been dead for five months? Lying in this room? Had my parents and friends and family really been mourning me all this time?

  “My parents! I have to let them know I’m okay!” I tried to jump up again but was stopped by Cassie.

  “No, Lucy, I’m sorry. You’re parents can’t know about this. They think you’re dead and have already mourned your death. It would be cruel to tell them otherwise. Besides, you’re not even on earth anymore. You’re in our realm now and couldn’t see them even if you tried.”

  I thought about what she said as tears silently streamed down my cheeks. My parents thought I was dead. They had a funeral for me. They must be hurting so badly. And then the realization hit me–I’m never going to see them again. More tears slid down my cheeks but Cassie didn’t say anything. She just handed me a tissue and let me cry.

  I stayed like that for a good ten minutes, silently crying over my own death. It was a lot to digest. I had a lot of life changing news in the last hour or so. I would never graduate, get married, or have kids. I’d never grow old with the love of my life. I’d never fall in love. I wiped the last of my tears and took a deep breath. Cassie put her arms around me again and helped me into a standing position.

  “I know it’s a lot to take in, but we’re all here to help you. You’re one of us now and we’re not going to let you deal with this alone.” Cassie vowed softly as she helped me into a pair of black yoga pants and a tee shirt.

  “I don’t get it. If we’re in another realm and I’m not even alive, then why do I still feel exactly the same? Why do I feel emotions like pain or excitement?” I thought back to Max running his fingers through my hair and my heart did a little happy dance. Yeah, I was definitely feeling lots of emotions, though normally they weren’t this out of control. Maybe it was a side effect of my transition? “Shouldn’t I be different somehow?”

  She smiled. “But you are different, Lucy. Just not in the ways you’re thinking of. We’ll explain more later. Some of the changes you’ll realize on your own, but for right now we want to take you back to the Dwelling.” She opened a drawer and pulled out socks and sneakers. I sat back down to put them on and stood up to face her.

  “Okay, now what?”

  “Now, we get out of here! I know you don’t remember, but I’ve been here watching you for the last five months and I am thoroughly sick of this place. Let’s go home.”

  As she spoke, a thousand more questions popped into my head. “Home? Dwelling?” I asked, trying to ask the biggest questions first.

  “Yes, you’ll live with us now. More specifically, with me, as my roommate. But don’t worry, most of the time you’ll have the place to yourself.” She winked at me and gave me a sly look. I remembered her saying she was with Adam, one of the other guys who was in my room when I woke up. Not knowing what to say to that, I just smiled and we stepped out to face my new world.Show More Show Less