I couldn’t find the energy to talk any more so I just nodded. I knew Michael could see me. “I’m going to rest now. I’ll see you both tomorrow?”
“Sure Sharon,” Michael replied. “See you tomorrow.”
“Take it easy, Sharon.” Steve added.
I smiled and relaxed to rest. My form faded slightly and I closed my eyes. Do ghosts dream? I suddenly wondered.
******
Opening my eyes slowly, I took in my surroundings. I blinked, my brow furrowed in confusion. What the? Where am I?
I was clearly no longer in the living room. There were no sofas, no TV, no laptop, no walls or ceiling. There was just a bleak expanse of countryside around me. Still in England then! I joked to myself. I stood up and started walking. Am I dreaming? I thought. Is this the dream of dead people? If it is, it seriously needs some colour in here. I searched about, looking for some sort of landmark. None presented itself, although I did appear to be on a dirt path. Where it was leading though, I could not tell. Follow the yellow brick road? I thought. I loved the Wizard of Oz movie. So to brighten my spirits, I hummed along to the theme tune as I made my way along the path. It may not be yellow, or made of brick, but I can imagine.
The path seemed to go on forever. Finally though, a building appeared in the distance. It was tall, slim, and black. Not just any black, but so black it felt like it was sucking you in. From this distance, it also appeared to be shiny. I’ve never seen a building like this before. Must be a dream. I tried convincing myself I was dreaming, but I had never dreamt this place before. It all felt too real as well. Oddly, even though I was not flesh, I could feel the path under my feet. It’s firmness, solid. I could feel the wind on my face. Maybe I was imagining it from when I was alive. Something told me it wasn’t and a chill went up my spine. I felt like I was being watched.
The tower grew closer and larger, looming above as I walked towards it. The closer I got, the more my eyes tried to adjust to what I was seeing. The tower was not just black, but it was sparkling, as though it had been covered in glitter. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get any closer to this place, but there was literally nothing else around. Turning on the spot, I saw the path vanish into the distance where I had walked from. There were no trees, just hills, grey hills covered in grey grass. No flowers to speak of either. The sky was dark, yet somewhere a light source was helping me to see. I could see no moon or sun or stars. This is the weirdest dream ever. Turning back to the tower, I continued my slow walk to the base.
It didn’t seem to take as long to reach the tower as I thought. It was maybe forty feet tall, give or take, but what struck me was the towers glittering outer layer. They were stars. It was like looking at space that had been moulded into the form of a building. Now this is too weird. I knocked on the door, and it swung inwards. Looking inside, I stepped over the threshold, the door slamming shut behind me.
“Geez! Scare me to death why don’t you. Oh wait, you’re too late for that, hah!”
I had a habit of making jokes to myself when I was nervous, it seemed I hadn’t grown out of it, even after death.
The room before me, was large. It felt too large to be accommodated by the tower itself, yet although it was an open expanse, it still felt enclosed. There were seats arranged in small groups, dotted about here and there, some had occupants in them, other people were wondering around the room. I wonder who these people are? What are they doing here? I thought. As I drew closer to a set of chairs, one occupied by a small female, I noticed a strange vibe to her as I approached. Sitting down, she looked up at me, her eyes wide and frightened.
“Hello” I said. “Could you tell me where I am please?”
The woman continued to stare at me, and her head moved ever so slightly to one side. “I’m sorry, we mustn’t be seen talking.”
I frowned. “Sorry, I’m new here. I don’t understand.”
Her eyes glanced at me, her head fixed to a point to one side of me. “I’m sorry. We will get in trouble if he hears us.” It was barely a whisper, but I could tell she was frightened of me asking questions. I looked about the room. Other people were staring at me, as though I had done something terrible. Standing, I walked over to a set of stairs that appeared to run up the inner edge of the outer wall. I started to head up them.
“You mustn’t go up there!” a man tried to grab my attention. Turning to him, I spoke normally.
“Look, I don’t know where I am, what I am doing, why I’m here. You all seem too afraid to speak to me about it so I’m going to check the place out myself.” With that, I twirled on the stairs and continued my way upwards.
There were many stairs, but I eventually reached the first floor. On my way up, I realised I hadn’t seen a single window to this place. There was no view to speak of, just what was inside as I worked my way upwards. The walls appeared to be filled with stars, which had a very disconcerting feel to it. The inside architecture though, was solid. I was glad for that. Walking on stars would make my head hurt even more I decided.
The first floor landing was filled with an array of bookshelves, with small armchairs between each one. The hallway curved the outer edge of the tower, and the inner edge held another wall, blank of windows and doors as far as I could tell. I walked around the corridor, curious. Eventually, I came upon a door, slightly ajar. I peeked in, and spied people sitting at desks, writing. Another person stood at the front of the room, quietly, watching. They looked up in my direction and spotted me. I ducked back into the corridor and hastily continued my way onwards. Two more doors, but closed this time, I passed, with still bookshelves and chairs dotted along the route, until I came upon yet more stairs heading upwards.
I debated continuing for a moment. Why not, I’m here now aren’t I? I let my feet lead the way on up yet more flights of stairs until I reached the second floor. The corridor here was empty, save for a few benches. I walked past them and noticed something on the wall, shining, that wasn’t a star. I realised then, that it was a mirror. I moved closer to it, wondering what I must look like, but as I drew closer, the face looking back was not me. I looked behind me, seeing no one, and looked back at the mirror. It was a man, shaggy haired, with a scar on his nose. I realised then who I was looking at; one of the men had who raped and murdered me.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
As I stared into the mirror, I wondered if he could see me. I waved my hand at him; something behind me laughed. I spun around, but no one was there. Confused I turned to face the mirror again, but instead of my murderer there, there was a dark shape. It was pitch black, the same as the surrounding tower walls, but within that blackness, was nothing; no stars, no inconsistency, just black. A deep chuckle came from within the mirror and I took a step backwards, my eyes fixed on it.
“Why so afraid, Sharon?” a voice sounded. I couldn’t pinpoint its position. It felt like it was all around me, inside me.
I looked around, making sure there was no one nearby and took a step closer to the mirror. “This is the strangest dream ever.” I spoke aloud. I reached out to the mirror and my fingers brushed the glass. It was solid. The laugh sounded again.
“A dream? Oh no, Sharon, this is no dream.”
“Surely that’s what all dreams say if you ask?” I pointed out, raising an eyebrow in question.
The laugh sounded again, deep and echoing. “Amusing. You have much to learn, Sharon. Head to the next door on the right, and enter the class. Learn about yourself.” The image in the mirror disappeared, to show myself. I used my fingers to untangle my hair out of habit. Satisfied that was the best I could do, I headed down the corridor, keeping an eye out for the next door. It was quite a long way around, almost to the next flight of steps upwards. It was shut, so I knocked.
“Enter,” a voice inside sounded.
Opening the door, I was met with a room filled with desks. It was empty, save for two people. Another woman was sat at one desk, and a man stood at the front. “Sit, please Sharon.”
Choosing a
seat, I sat at a desk, two away from the other lady.
“Why are you here?” the man asked me.
“I’m not sure.”
“That is not the correct answer. Why are you here?” he asked again.
I thought a moment. “The voice told me to come here.”
Apparently satisfied this time, he nodded. “Then welcome to your first lesson. My name is Robert, and I will be giving you a fantastic insight into who you are and why you are here.” His arms gestured with a flourish to a map hanging on the wall.
The map was old looking, worn, slightly wrinkled in places, with a musty feel about it. The drawing upon it however, was strange. I didn’t recognise the world it showed. It certainly wasn’t Earth.
“This ladies, is where we are now. Do either of you know the name of this land?”
I shook my head. The other lady however spoke. “It is Neter-khertet.”
The man seemed impressed. “Well done Myra. However, we need to clarify for Sharon what this place is. Do you know what Neter-khertet is?” He was looking at me now, and I shook my head.
“Neter-khertet is the Egyptian name for the Land of the Dead. You may know it from other names, such as The Underworld, Hades or the most common, Limbo.”
I stayed quiet, thoughts rushing through my head. Limbo right, more like a bizarre dream.
“No Sharon, it is not a bizarre dream.” My face must have looked shocked, as he continued. “You would be surprised what certain types of dead can do here and out in the land of the living. But you know some of that already don’t you.” It wasn’t a question, more of a statement. I stared at him, not giving an answer.
Robert continued. “So, now we know where we are it is time to understand why you are here.” He clicked his fingers and a board dropped down from the ceiling. Words were scrawled over it, some I recognised, and one clearly drew my attention. “Now then, I’m assuming both of you know most of these words, but there is one in particular here which is not often seen. Myra do you know what you are?”
“Yes. I am a Daemon, and I would appreciate it if this ridiculous lesson is over and done with as soon as possible. I have charges to attend to.”
Robert raised a finger. “I understand Myra, but all newly dead must go through the basics first.”
I piped up. “All newly dead? You mean everyone who dies or ever dies comes to this place?”
Robert turned to me. “Yes, everyone, although depending on your faith, what you see may be different to what you see here. Also, not everyone actually comes to the Tower itself. Only those with the specialties arrive here. Most newly dead cannot even see this building.” I raised my eyebrows. “So both of you have a special purpose after your living form.”
“But why me?” I protested.
Robert smiled. “Why you? Well that will be answered in a moment.” Myra sighed.
“Please can I just go, I know what I’m doing!” she moaned.
Robert waved a hand. “Fine. Just realise that what you miss here could be your undoing.”
“I know where I am, and what I am. It can’t be that hard.” Myra got up and waltzed out the door, glancing at me on her way out.
As the door closed behind her, Robert turned back to me. “Well, I hope she does ok, but I have a feeling she will be back begging forgiveness one day.”
I raised an eyebrow. “This class is that important?”
“Oh yes. Especially for types like her, and even more for you.”
“You mean, I’m a Daemon type? There are more?” I asked, curious now.
Robert nodded. “There are many types of dead. You are known as the Daemon type; but there are many Daemon types. Holy, Mischievous, Vengeful, Helpful, Truth, and many more. However there is one Daemon which is rare. The Ultima Daemon.”
Looking at him, he was staring intently at me. “And this is supposed to be a hint to what? Me? You can’t mean I’m an Ultima Daemon surely.”
He smiled. “Actually, no. I cannot place you, it is very strange. It is as though you exist, but don’t at the same time. There is only one who can figure you out, but I am loath to send you to him.”
“Why not? If he can help what is the problem?”
Robert scratched his chin, assessing me. “The one I speak of is All, and Nothing. He could consume you whole if he feels you are a threat, which I believe you could be. He is locked here in this world, this is his prison. If he got to you, and you set him free, then we are all in trouble, and so is the living world. What he touches, he corrupts.”
A shiver went through my spine. I recalled the barren landscape outside.
“Exactly, Sharon. He damaged our lands, and is only just starting to regrow from his corruption. I dare not send you to him, but maybe I can still help you.”
I waited for him to elaborate.
“If I could work with you here, for I am unable to visit the living realm for long periods, I could help you with your gifts, and anything you feel is troubling you, you can come to me, and know that I will do my best. I have other contacts here that may be able to help as well if I am unable to answer you. What do you think?”
My mind spun. What am I? And would he be some sort of mentor? And how the hell can he read my mind?” I realised he was smiling at me, then laughed. “If you wish to think of me as a mentor that would be easier. Much better than Teacher in my opinion. And I can read your mind, and everyone’s minds because of what I am.”
“So what sort of dead are you then?” I asked.
“Well, I am a Menticial Spirit.” He saw me look blank. “Basically, I can read thoughts, I can place thoughts, destroy thoughts. I guess you would call it Menticide; which basically means I can undermine and destroy someone’s values, beliefs, torture someone, push someone to think differently to how they normally would.”
I thought back to Myra, who was insistent to leave. “Did you make that other woman leave?”
Robert laughed aloud. “You are very perceptive, Sharon.”
I frowned. “Would you use your powers on me?”
He grinned. “As much as I would love to, I cannot. For whatever you are, you also have this ability. I think you know that already for you’ve used it before. All I can do is read your thoughts, that’s it. I cannot manipulate you, and hopefully you can’t me either.”
Pondering, I suggested, “Well how about we try it? See if I can get you to leave the room.”
Robert thought a moment then nodded. “Ok, give it your best shot. I don’t normally do practical sessions with pupils but this should be interesting. Oh, and be careful with me please.”
I took a deep breath, then focused on his eyes, as if I was trying to bore into his mind through them. My brow furrowed as I concentrated harder, but to no avail. How had I done this before? I thought. I tried to remember who I had used my powers on over the past week or so, and recalled one where I had plunged my hands into their head. Roberts’s eyes grew large as he read the images in my head.
Walking over to him, I placed my hands on his head. I couldn’t delve into his brain like I could in the living realm. Everything was solid here, real. I concentrated, telling him to leave the room, then re-enter a minute later.
A few moments later, after some intense thinking, Robert moved, leaving my hands to fall to my sides, and he walked to the door, opened it, and left. Shocked, I went back to a desk and sat down, waiting. Exactly a minute later, Robert came back in the room, looking confused.
“What just happened? Why was I in the corridor?” He spoke to himself, then saw me sitting at the desk. He looked warily at me. “Who are you?” he asked.
I thought, I’m Sharon. Don’t you remember?
“No I don’t. What did you do?”
“Er, I pushed a thought into your head to leave the room for a minute then come back in. We were testing my abilities. You said I shouldn’t have been able to push you.”
“Interesting.” He sat at his desk, and drummed his fingers against the polished wood. “This means th
at you are a lot stronger than I had initially thought. So some ground rules, no doubt which will grow as we, er, do more tests on you. 1) Don’t manipulate me again, unless I specifically ask you too and make sure I write it down first and sign it. It appears that whatever power you used, also has some short term memory loss as a side effect. Handy in some cases, though not for me.”
I nodded. “Sure. Do you remember me yet?”
“Sharon, yes I do. There was another lady here though wasn’t there?”
I nodded. “There was. A lady named Myra. You made her leave.”
He laughed. “Of course. You need to be taught one on one. You are, intriguing.”
“So, what now?” I asked.
Robert thought for a moment. I couldn’t read him. So I can manipulate you, but not read your thoughts, yet you can read my thoughts but not manipulate me. Strange.
“Very strange, I agree. Must be because of what you are. I have never felt anything like you. You emit power, yet it is chaotic, uncontrolled. You need training, guidance. It seems you have a good grasp on some of your powers already, from what we have seen you do already in the living realm.”
I gasped. “You have been watching me?”
“Of course. You appeared on everyone’s radar as soon as you died. In relation to the lady, Myra earlier. I just pushed the thought that was already in her head. She was uncomfortable being near you, she wanted to leave anyway. I just helped her make the excuse. You are quite unique, frightening even.”
All Hope Lost Page 9
