Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Death Speaks
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
EPILOGUE
Simmering Darkness
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
EPILOGUE
Secrets of the mind
Prologue
Chapter 1- Kayla
Chapter 2- Kayla
Chapter 3- Chris
Chapter 4- Kayla
Chapter 5- Belinda
Chapter 6- Kayla
Chapter 7- Kayla
Chapter 8- Kayla
Chapter 9- Kayla
Chapter 10- Kayla
Chapter 11- Kayla
Chapter 12- Kayla
Chapter 13- Kayla
Chapter 14- Kayla
Chapter 15- Kayla
Chapter 16- Kayla
Chapter 17- Kayla
Chapter 18- Chris
Chapter 19- Chris
Chapter 20- Kayla
Chapter 21- Kayla
Chapter 22- Kayla
Chapter 23- Chris
More books b
About the author
You can follow E.J Bennett on Facebook at
Angels and
Magic
By E.J Bennett
Copyright © 2017 by E.J Bennett
All rights reserved.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher/author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is completely fictional and the places, situations and characters are made up from the author's imagination. Any similarities with any person living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Death Speaks
By E.J Bennett
PROLOGUE
The face that stared back at her seemed almost as alien as it was familiar. The ginger hair, now with a higher percentage of red than brown, seemed almost symbolic. After all, red had always signified danger, amongst a host of other, equally ominous things.
How more apt could it get though? Wasn't that what she was now? A macabre alarm of sorts. An isolated, first seat holder at the world's most grisly show. She'd been thrown front and centre into this nightmare, and waking up had not been left as an option.
She ran her fingers through her hair, and blinked. The motion seemed almost forced. Almost like she could have gone without blinking, but had to - needed to - if only to feel human.
She still was, wasn't she?
All was quiet now, and she had never been more grateful to be in an unoccupied bathroom. The silence, she welcomed with open arms. It was a million times better than the alternative. The ghastly alternative. One she had less than zero ideas what to do with, or how to go about even understanding its relevance.
What was she supposed to do? Prevent it? Hadn't she tried that? And failed miserably? Multiple times?
For a second, she could have sworn she heard a sound. She turned furtively, hoping that no one would walk in and see her. Not like this. Would they even recognise her? Leila Thompson. A bundle of nerves, furtively glancing over her shoulder and jumping at the slightest disturbance. They'd have a field day at the news room with that one.
Had it really come to this? Her amber colored eyes stared back at her from the mirror, the question clearly etched in their immense depths. No answer was forthcoming.
Suddenly, she was aware of the sound of running water. Cursing under her breath, she reached forward idly and let the water running from the open tap, run onto her palms and she splashed a little on her face. Still not satisfied with the way her face looked, she reached forward and turned off the tap.
It'd have to do.
Another sound. She stiffened. It was more distinct this time. Whoever had made it, was putting a lot of effort into remaining silent. The hair on the back of her neck stood.
Contrary to what she had thought, she was not alone...
CHAPTER ONE
"So, did you hear about Marie?" Beth asked, lowering her voice as it took on a conspiratorial edge. The other girls seemed to move closer as she asked this. Evidently, they had not heard about Marie.
Beth smiled as she realised she was the sole bearer of that knowledge in the group, although, if one were to keep count, she usually was. Her eyes reduced considerably as she smiled, but still looked large behind the glasses.
"Well? Are you gonna tell us?" Amber inquired getting antsy now. Easily the shortest in the group, she was also the most curious. Now, her grey eyes widened in anticipation as she watched her information bearing friend soak up the attention she was receiving.
"Well, the way I heard it. Last weekend, during the party at Matt's place. . ."
"Oh yeah, I saw her there. That party was total amaze-balls. I have never seen so many. . ." Hannah stopped short as she caught Beth's icy stare boring into her. She dropped her eyes, and the latter continued
"Like I was saying, before that rude interruption. Seems she finally put out with Lester at that party, and now. . ." she leaned forward, urging the others to imitate her, which they did.
"Now, I hear she's made three visits to the gynaecologist"
A dramatic gasp went through the three girls listening to her story and she nodded sagely.
"Did she catch something?" Amber asked, her palm still on her chest as her other arm clutched her books to her side.
"Either that, or she's got one in the oven" Beth said clicking her tongue to another satisfying gasp from her friends.
"And also. . ." she continued, but stopped as a flash of red caught her attention. She turned sharply and the three girls mirrored her action, turning at once in that direction.
Only one girl in school had hair so red.
***
Leila Thompson propped open her locker with her shoulder as she shoved her book bag inside, retrieving her purse. Quickly, and with flourish, she took one last look at herself in the mirror in her locker and shifted some locks of her shoulder length hair away from her face. With a wicked smile, she closed her locker. She was aware of all the eyes fixed on her, but she didn't care. She welcomed the quiet adoration, mixed with the occasional slight and not so slight hate. If no one hated you, then you were probably doing something wrong.
Her father always said that.
Moreover, she knew the love far outweighed the hate. A straight-A student and easily one of the most popular girls in school, she was a one time class president, and ran track for the school. Also, her 'party girl with brains to boot' reputation was envied by a lot of people.
Not that she cared though...
With one fluid movement, she turned round, flipping her hair back over her shoulder. The eyes followed her.
She walked towards the exit. School was over and she had to get home. She remembered that as it was her day off from work at the local bookstore, she'd volunteered to babysit her neighbour's kid. It was his parents' date night. She smiled as she saw the fawning look the boy usually gazed at her with. Cute kid.
"Hey Leila" someone hollered and she turned to see someone waving eagerly at her. The girl stood with three others.
"Oh, hey" She replied, smiling brightly and the girl smiled back, seemingly happy to have been acknowledged.
Without breaking her stride, Leila kept moving as the girls returned to their after school gossip.
Where's Emma? She wondered. Her childhood friend was usually the first out of class. She hadn't seen her in class though, which had struck her as odd. But then again, she'd been seen around a lot lately with the school quarterback and resident hunk, Jeff Bridges. Word around school, was that they were dating.
Leila scoffed at the idea. If something like that were happening, she'd be the first to know.
Fact remained though, Emma was currently nowhere in sight.
Oh well she shrugged, they'd just meet up later.
The weather was pleasant the kind that feels like a kiss from summer without the fiery heat. Leila paused a bit as she got outside, taking in a deep breath. Satisfied, she walked towards her car, fishing out her keys from her purse.
Her red Nissan versa glistened in the parking lot, and she smiled. She loved the car, it was her baby and one of the best gifts her parents had gotten her.
Settling inside, she put on her seat belt, started the car and pulled out.
The boy seemed to come out of nowhere, materialising behind her just as she glanced at her mirror.
She stepped on the brake sharply and turned round, breathing hard. She caught sight of him walking away briskly, not even turning once. His blue shirt bellowed around him as a slight wind picked up.
She stared after him for a while, slightly annoyed by his apparent disregard for his own safety. Then brushing it off as a petty annoyance, she finished pulling out and drove off.
***
Marty looked at his watch. This was so sudden. She wasn't supposed to be due for another week right?
His wife's sister-in-law's voice over the phone had been urgent and her message clear. His wife was in labour, and he needed to get his behind over to the hospital if he didn't want trouble.
He rolled his eyes in slight exasperation. Women. Always so dramatic. He was certain it was just one of those phantom birth pangs, what did the doctor call it the other time? False alarm things? Well, whatever the name, he hoped this wouldn't take too long.
Just like Julia to drag him out of the office on the single most important day of his working life. If he closed this deal, their lives would change forever. Didn't she see that?
He knew his team would handle the presentation well, but he wanted to be there still. They needed him, he just knew they did. Well, this wouldn't take too long, he hoped.
His phone had been silent for an odd length of time. He glanced at it and then glanced at his watch.
Twenty minutes since he'd left the office.
The slight traffic he'd encountered had added a whole fifteen minutes to his journey. He'd told Jerry at the office to call him with regular updates. So far, he hadn't called.
Was everything okay? He needed to wrap up this hospital thing quickly.
He increased pressure on the gas as he rounded a bend, and at the same time, reached for his phone.
His head snapped up at the loud screeching sound coming from the opposite direction. He caught sight of the red vehicle.
There was no stopping the collision.
***
Leila lay among the mangled heap that was her car. Her vision was slightly blurry, and her breathing came in brief gasps.
What just happened? She wondered as the disorientation intensified. Her ears were ringing painfully and she tasted blood. The banging in her head made her want to scream. But even without attempting, she knew that there was no way she could achieve such a feat.
She attempted to raise her head and a sharp pain running laterally through her body, convinced her to lay back down.
She could hear screams all around her, and if she squinted really hard, she could make out people milling around her. No one was attempting to come close.
Why are they standing there? Why has no one called the paramedics? She thought angrily.
Her blurry vision was gradually becoming worse and her breaths now came in painful, shallow gasps.
Am I dying? She thought, her mind flashing quickly to her parents. She couldn't die now! They'd be devastated. She still had so much she was yet to do.
She tried to get up again, this time, the pain was very definite in its request. Don't move.
Her eyes gazed at the clear sky up ahead, and she thought of school that morning. Her three classes had been amazing, she'd wowed the teachers, as per usual.
She remembered the girl in glasses who'd waved at her at school. What was her name again? She didn't think she'd ever known. Somberly, she thought how the school would take the news of her death.
Would the entire school be sad? Devastated? Relieved that no one was around any longer to make them feel inadequate?
She erupted in a coughing fit then.
She knew what was coming. She didn't know how, but she just knew. She laughed internally. Everyone spoke of 'the light'. That supernatural luminescence everyone saw and went into at the time of their deaths.
She couldn't see any light.
Slowly but surely, the blackness enveloped her vision and her heartbeat slowed. She lay there in growing despair as the cold grip of death tightened around her.
Then she felt nothing.
***
The crowd gazed at the terrible scene in petrified horror. From a single glance, it was clear that nothing could be done for the occupant of the red Nissan. The car was crushed beyond recognition and the girl was definitely past helping. The other man on the other hand had jumped out of his vehicle at the last minute, after swerving. He now sat in horror staring at the disaster he'd single handedly wrought.
He'd sustained light injuries his leg was twisted in a odd angle and the pain was sending him dizzy.
From afar, the sound of sirens signalled the impending arrival of the paramedics.
A small gasp erupted from the crowd. A lone fellow walked towards the damaged Nissan. The girl who lay in its mangled interior had not moved again in a short while. They watched in barely hidden fascination as he walked towards the car, and leaned over the girl.
What happened next would later be described by some as a good ol' fashioned miracle.
***
One second, there was darkness, and her heart had stopped beating. The next, she was being slowly dragged out of the car, and placed gently on the ground.
A slight tingling sensation ran through her body, permeating every nerve ending and crevice. She took her breath carefully, relishing the feel of air going through her lungs. Somewhere, she could hear the approach of sirens.
Her vision had not cleared and she could barely make out the face of the person standing over her. She, however, could make out the blue colour of the shirt he wore. She shook her head, trying to clear her vision and get a better look.
"Who. . .who. . ." she tried to speak, but her throat burned.
The mystery man raised his finger to his lips, asking her to be quiet. She obliged, straining her eyes to get a better look. She could almost make out some facial features.
Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.
She gazed after him, feeling the tingling sensation dying down and the weakness returning. This time though, she knew she was going to be fine. Something had changed, and it was connected to the mystery fellow who by now had vanished into the dumbstruck crowd.
The sirens were closer now and with a slight sigh, she let her eyes close once more.
CHAPTER TWO
The man leaned over her and suddenly, her body was alive with that familiar tingling sensation. She struggled to stand up, but she couldn't.
She was okay now.
He had done something. She didn't know how, but she knew that if not for him, she would be dead. He had saved her, and she needed to thank him.
Why then couldn't she see his face?
She reached up to touch his face, but he moved back and her fingers brushed against his green shirt.
Green? No, that wasn't right. It wasn't green she was seeing at all was it. It was blue.
Now that she thought about it, the shirt act
ually was blue. Funny she could have mistaken it for green before.
"What's your name?" she muttered, surprised that she could speak.
Without a word, he raised his finger to his lips in that all too familiar gesture, and then without a word, he turned and walked away. She stared at his retreating frame in despair. She needed to thank him. Why wouldn't he let her thank him?
Then, just as he had appeared, he was gone. She was alone once again.
There were no sirens.
Leila opened her eyes and immediately snapped them shut once more. Then slowly, she opened them again, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light pouring out through the curtains.
She turned on her side and caught sight of the tray of food beside her. Slowly she reached for the note beside it smiling as she recognised her mother's writing.
"Eat dear. You know you need your strength. Don't forget school starts again tomorrow. I'll be back early from work. Your father and I love you very much. Mom."
She smiled as she rolled back on her back. She was glad her mom had returned to work. The week after she came home from the hospital, she had stuck by her bedside, doting on her and seeing to her every need with precision. Both her parents were in real estate and had flexible hours, so her mom had freed her schedule for the week and stuck by her alongside Emma everyday after school.
She brushed the hair away from her face, and turned again, this time catching sight of the blue curtains her mother, no doubt, pulled back before she left.
Blue.
The dream came crashing back then. She'd been having the same one over and over again in the nights during her recovery. Each time it always featured something new about the mystery man.
When she'd woken up in the hospital flanked on both sides by her parents sporting worried looks, she'd instantly asked after 'the angel'. Her mother's eyes had welled up with fresh tears. Her daughter must have sounded like she'd taken a less than gentle hit to the head, talking about 'angels'. When they'd finally calmed down enough to actually listen to her, they realised what she was saying.
Angels and Magic Page 1
