Souls Apart (Book 1 in the Lost Souls Trilogy)

by Anna Pescardot

  “How could you have? Even if you had I wouldn’t have believed you. Oh my god. What are we going to do?”

  “We have to tell the police.”

  “And tell them what? That the first time you met him you got a vision of him wearing a hooded cloak stabbing a bundle. You’re not Alison Dubois!”

  “I know that but we can give them a lead or something. Tell him he’s been too possessive over you or something.”

  “I can’t see him again now, can I? But I can’t let him know I know what he’s done either.”

  “Go to see him tomorrow as normal and if things get out of hand phone me and I’ll send the police.”

  “You don’t even know where he lives and neither do I. I can’t get there on my own. I get lost.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ve got all night to figure something out.”

  She put her arms around me and we both snuggled up. Both of us scared that we’d gotten into something way beyond our control. I was scared for my life now.

  -19-

  I needed to be brave. I was going to college in just over five weeks to study criminal justice. How ironic that my first case was getting justice for my mom. Amber and I had spent most of last night coming up with a plan and I was happy with it; although I was still scared. Eddie was capable of murder; not just in past lives but in this one too.

  I walked towards the bottom of the hill and he was already waiting for me. He held out his hands and I cringed as he kissed me. “What’s up?” he asked.

  “Nothing. I guess I’m still a little upset about Mom. The police have got a suspect.”

  He put his hands in his pockets and walked slightly ahead of me. “So who do they think it is then?”

  “Some homeless guy.”

  “That sounds about right. He probably had mental problems. A lot of people like that end up on the streets you know.”

  “I know.”

  “So when will you find out?”

  “I don’t really want to talk about it,” I said, following behind him. I knew he’d done it. He was only asking so many questions because he wanted to make sure he was off the hook.

  “You can’t keep stuff like that hidden inside. You need to talk about stuff like that.”

  “It makes me feel worse if I talk about it. Can’t we talk about something else instead?”

  He stopped still while I caught up with him and he took hold of my hand. “We can talk about whatever you want,” he said.

  “To be honest I’d rather just walk in silence, if that’s ok?”

  “Sure.”

  It was a lovely, warm summer’s evening and I enjoyed looking at the scenery as we walked to Eddie’s hut. I could smell fresh cut grass and barbeque and the birds were singing too. It was little things like this that helped me to stay sane. We walked through the cemetery and I saw Emily’s headstone again. “How do you know so much about our past lives? Have you had hypnotherapy or something?” I asked, curious to find out how he knew.

  He led me over to the headstone and we both linked arms. “My gran told me about it. She was a psychic and she could tell anyone she met who they were in a past life. She was very gifted. She didn’t charge money for it either.”

  “I wish I could have met her,” I said.

  “You did.”

  “What?”

  “You’ve met her before in some of our past lives.”

  I stroked his arm. “So we’ve been together in all of our past lives, right?”

  “Not all. In some of them I couldn’t find you.”

  “How did you find me this time?”

  “I didn’t. You found me. That’s why I think we’re finally going to get this thing sorted.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You must feel that there’s something special between us?”

  “I guess.”

  “It’s such a powerful force but in the past I think we didn’t know how to control it. We let it control us. We can’t live without each other but we found it hard to live with each other too.”

  “Why did Emily leave you?”

  He looked directly at me and I felt a sharp pain in between my eyes. I felt numb. “Don’t you remember? Don’t you remember her at all?”

  “No.”

  “You’re so lucky. I have flashbacks all the time. You, Emily, running so fast towards the lake and trying to swim across…”

  “Why was she so scared of you?”

  “So you do remember?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You said she was scared. I didn’t say she was scared.”

  “Was she scared?”

  He raised his voice “Too right she was scared! I’d just found out she’d cheated on me. She said the baby was mine but how could I believe her after finding out she was nothing but a cheating whore!” I swore his eyes looked red again and I felt scared. He hated Emily and if she was me then he must have hated me too.

  “Why don’t you let it all go now, Eddie. That was all in the past. Let her rest in peace.”

  He seemed to calm down a little. “I know it’s all in the past. Like I said, this is our chance to do it right this time. You found me so you must be ready to make up for your past mistakes.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He thought cheating was worse than murder! “Maybe you’re right,” I lied. “Why don’t we go into your hut, get something to drink?”

  He smiled. “Ok.”

  Once inside I relaxed a little, knowing that Amber wouldn’t let me down with our plan. I just had to keep him happy for a little while longer. He switched on the battery operated radio and we listened to some classical music; it seemed to relax him. “I love this music,” he said. “It’s been around for so long that I remember hearing it in other lives too.”

  “I never thought of that,” I said, stroking his hair. It felt strange, being here with him, knowing what he’d done to Mom; knowing what he’d done to Emily (albeit in a past life but it was still him; his soul). I still loved him; maybe that was something I couldn’t control; part of our souls’ history, but at the same time I hated him. Little did he know that after tonight I’d be free of him. I just had to pluck up the courage to tell him how I really felt. My heart started to beat quicker. He sat up and moved his face closer to mine. I had to go along with it for just a little while longer. His lips were on mine and it felt so good; I couldn’t let him know. His hands started to move across my body and I didn’t want him that way. I pushed his hands away and he jumped up. “What’s wrong?” he said.

  “Can’t we just snuggle tonight? I’m still a little upset about Mom and everything.”

  He shook his head. “How long are you going to keep using that as an excuse? You just won’t admit you don’t love me anymore, will you?”

  “What’s with you? “

  “I know all about you, Charlotte Perry.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I know you’ve been seeing other men.”

  “What?”

  He sat back down and grabbed hold of my shoulders. “You must be seeing someone else. You’ve gone all cold and distant. You’re spending too much time with that tart, Amber!”

  “Leave Amber out of this!”

  “Just the two of you in that house! I bet you have all sorts of men coming in.”

  “What’s got into you? I’m not Emily, Eddie. I don’t cheat!”

  “All women are the same. A bunch of lying cheats.”

  He picked up his jacket and walked outside, where it had now gone dark and a little chilly. I had to keep him with me just a while longer. I walked out and put my arms around his waist. “Eddie, don’t do this. My mom’s just died and I need you.”

  He turned around. “I need you too.”

  “I love you,” I said, wondering why I still did after all he’d done.

  “I know. So why are you leaving me?”

  I didn’t know what to say. I felt, sometimes, that it was him who was psychic not his gran. He seeme
d to pick up on my thoughts somehow and it unnerved me.

  “I told you. I’ll come back at the weekends. We’ll sort something out.”

  “I don’t mean that.”

  “What do you mean?” I was starting to get nervous.

  “Why do I get the feeling this is the last time I’ll ever see you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I looked at him and he remained still; gazing into my eyes. And then I felt it; a wave of shivers engulfing my body. I saw an image in my head; like a movie on a big screen. It was Eddie. He looked so gorgeous and he was on his knees, begging me not to go. I wasn’t Emily. I don’t know who I was. I sat down next to him and we hugged and I felt such raw emotion it made tears start to form in my eyes. It was pure love. I think this must have been the first time I left him. When Eddie was good; before he started to murder. There was innocence and trust in his eyes. Eddie had been good once and I’d destroyed that.

  “I’m so sorry, Eddie,” I said, apologizing for everything I’d done in all of my lives with him.

  “I’m tired, Charls. I’m tired of all of this. It ends now. I don’t want anything to do with you in this life or in any others. It ends now.”

  “How does it end?”

  “By me walking you home and leaving your life forever. You keep on hurting me. I need a new soul mate; someone who actually wants me.”

  He held out his hand and I took it. This had been much easier than I’d thought. As long as Amber was sticking to the timings everything would already be in place. I felt a sense of calm as we walked through the cemetery. I couldn’t believe it was this easy. I really thought he’d go mad and try to attack me or something.

  “Can we go to Emily’s grave one last time?” he asked.

  “Why?”

  “So we can both say goodbye; put the past behind us once and for all.”

  “That sounds good.”

  It was difficult to find it in the dark but he knew where it was from memory.

  As we stood gazing at it, Eddie spoke. “I’m sorry for being so obsessed with you,” he said to the headstone, “it’s time to say goodbye once and for all.” Suddenly he darted towards me and grabbed my shoulders. He pushed me face down onto the ground; I was lying on Emily’s grave. I’d fallen so hard that some soil had gotten into my mouth. I noticed I was still wearing that cursed ring. Worms were wriggling near my fingers and then I felt something hard on my back. It was Eddie’s foot. “You’ll never leave me you cheating whore!” he shouted. I remembered the vision and I knew he was going to hit me on the head with something. I tried to turn around but I couldn’t move, his foot was too heavy. Too late. I felt it. Pain shot through me for a split second - and then darkness…

  -20-

  I felt so light; it was as though I’d lost three stones in weight. Where was I? It was misty. I could see two shadowy figures coming towards me, yet I wasn’t scared. Was it Amber and the police? Had they arrested Eddie?

  One of the figures stopped but the other carried on walking towards me. As it got nearer I could see it was a woman. “Charls,” she said. Oh my god, it was mom.

  “Mom?”

  “Oh, Charls. It’s not time for you yet, sugar. You’ve got to get back.”

  “Back where? Where am I?”

  The other figure approached. It was a man. He came behind Mom and placed his arms around her shoulders. She looked up at him and stroked his cheek.

  “Dad?”

  “Charlie. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

  “Oh my god, Dad!” I ran over to him and gave him the biggest hug I could manage. Then I suddenly remembered they were both dead. “I’m dead, aren’t I?” I asked. “Eddie’s done it again.”

  “You need to go back and finish it this time. He hasn’t won yet. You can still beat him, once and for all,” Mom said, holding onto Dad’s hand.

  “It’s payback time,” Dad said smiling.

  I was happier than I’d been in ages and I wanted to stay with my parents but I saw them starting to fade and there was a loud buzzing noise in my ears and head and I wanted to cry out with pain. I closed my eyes and when I opened them it was as though I was overcome by noise and commotion. I saw flashing lights and I recognized Amber’s voice. “I think she’s coming round,” I heard her say. “I’ll go with her in the ambulance.”

  I was on a stretcher. I could make out the shapes of people carrying me and then I saw a flash of red hair; Amber.

  “Amber,” I mumbled.

  “Charls, I’m so glad you’re ok. We got here just in time. He was just about to bury you.”

  I started to cry. “Where is he? Did they arrest him?”

  “We’ll talk about that later. You need to rest.”

  We held hands as the ambulance drove me as fast as they could to the emergency room. I heard the sirens as we travelled. So much had happened in the last few weeks. All I knew was that things had to change once and for all. It was payback time.

  -21-

  It feels good to be someplace different. I have my own room and it has a much better view than my old house. I can see out onto the football pitch and so I get to eye up the hunky guys. Not that I’m interested in having a relationship at the moment. I’m going to find it hard to trust another guy after my recent experiences.

  I’m looking forward to learning about the criminal justice system and preparing for the time when I can finally become a lawyer and help victims of crime to get the justice they deserve. I want to get justice for Emily Gray and for Mom.

  That night when I almost died, Amber and the police had come looking for me just as we’d planned and when they got there they saw Eddie digging up the soil and they saw me slumped next to the plot. When the police shouted to him to put his hands up they saw a huge flash of lightening and then he was gone. Amber said it was the weirdest thing she’d ever seen. The police think he had some sort of flash grenade or something but Amber and I think it’s something much more sinister. The police found his hut but it was empty. There was no trace Eddie ever existed. I know he did and I want to know who or what he really is. That’s what I’m going to find out. Amber has said I can go to her house at weekends and we’re going to do some investigating of our own. The whole experience has made Amber reconsider her career options and now instead of going to college to study journalism, Amber has taken the police entrance exams and she is about to start training.

  I believe things happen for a reason. Maybe it was Mom’s time to go. She seemed happy to be back with dad again. She waited until I could look after myself, I guess and I know she’ll be watching out for me up in heaven, along with dad. I’ve seen a lot more than some people will ever see and I know there is a heaven and I know there is something evil too. I’ve come face to face with it and survived. I’ve got so much strength now. Eddie thinks he’s seen the last of me. Well, the next time he sees me he’ll be begging me to leave. Only I have other plans.

  End of Part One

  Find out what happens when Charlie and Amber start delving deeper into Eddie’s past. Will they meet Eddie again? Find out who or what Eddie really is.

  Will Charlie be able to destroy Eddie without being destroyed herself?

  Book 2 in the Lost Souls Trilogy – “Demonized” out soon. For a chance to win giveaways and to be informed of future releases then email me: Annapescardot@yahoo.co.uk

  Other books by Anna Pescardot…

  Always the Bridesmaid - a romantic comedy. Nicole is fed up of dating losers who don’t want to marry her, so she enlists the help of her zany best friend, Patsy and together they use cosmic ordering to conjure up a husband for Nicole. When Nicole’s love life suddenly gets complicated she starts to think it may not have been such a good idea after all.

  Old-Fashioned Romance – a short romantic story about Becky, a girl who wants an old-fashioned gentleman who will stare into her eyes during a date and not at his mobile phone. She starts writing to a man in Ireland and they arrange to
meet up; but does it go to plan?

  Getting Him Back – Terri, angry at being dumped two weeks before her wedding, vows to find out more about the girl she was dumped for so she can compete against her rival and win her fiancé back. They say life happens when you’re busy making plans. Will Terri realize she has the chance for something better? A feel-good novella about love, revenge and the twists and turns of fate.

  Callie’s World – extracts from Anna’s blog; chicklitsoap.blogspot.com, Callie is a 23 year old journalist who works for her local paper, tracking down weird and wonderful stories – the weirder the better. It deals with her real-life experiences from her dating dilemmas to her family, friends and career.

  Demonized – Part 2 in the Lost Souls trilogy. A paranormal mystery thriller, following on from the paranormal romance, “Souls Apart”.

  Coming soon…Part 3 in the Lost Souls trilogy “Final Cut” and another romantic comedy “I.T. Girl”.

  Follow Anna on Facebook, Twitter or her blog – Annapescardot.blogspot.com

  Thanks for reading,

  Anna x