Garda - Welcome to the Realm

by Stacy Eaton

  She stood silently beside the hole in the Earth, staring down into the depths. Anguish tore through me as I saw her knees tremble.

  “Go to her, Brock,” Montgomery said quietly beside me.

  “I can’t, not here, not now.”

  “She needs your strength.” I saw the stern glare he gave me from the corner of my eye.

  “I can’t give her that right now,” I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  “You fool,” he muttered and walked to her, resting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his chest.

  “I can’t believe my body goes into that.” She didn’t need to explain anything else. The grimness of her face explained it all.

  He squeezed her gently, “Don’t think about that. It is just a body, your soul is what is important and it is right here.”

  She nodded as the first of the procession pulled into the cemetery. When she moved away from the edge, I walked to stand near her.

  Hundreds of cars pulled in and wound around. People walked from all sides of the cemetery. They would sneak glances at the grave, but quickly turn away.

  A sea of dark blue filed around three sides of the grave, the fourth side left for the people not in law enforcement. The bagpipes continued to play an eerie tune while everyone lined up and prepared to say the final goodbye.

  Mitch and the others carried her slowly over the soft ground. The pounding of the drums vibrated in my ears, every face somber, every face but Joe’s. He stared at Coralenna, almost salivating at her presence. David put his hand on my shoulder as a low growl vibrated in my chest.

  Coralenna took it all in. She scanned around the vast group of people but always went back to Mitch or her parents.

  As the ceremony started, the bagpipes grew quiet, the drums went silent, and only the muted sound of the breeze and the voice of the pastor filled the air.

  Coralenna focused on me, and her sorrow stuck me like a physical blow. My hands and arms hummed at the need to pull her to me and support her as these final moments moved forward. I crossed my arms over my chest, hands fisted close to my body.

  The shots were fired, and I could almost feel the whip of the wind around me as the helicopters flew overhead. As the last words were said, I watched her face, watched the emotion roll over her. Unshed tears filled her eyes as her call number was called and put out of service.

  She stood in front of him, and I found myself coiled tighter than a snake ready to strike. David stood beside as if guarding me, and we watched her hand reach out to him. He knew she was there, he could feel her. The love the two of them shared crossed over the boundaries of the two worlds. I didn’t have a chance in hell, I thought as I tried to breathe calmly.

  We all felt her summons, yet she was so connected to Mitch that she didn’t realize it. Once we interrupted her, she was pulled to the Maker. David and Montgomery phased back, and I stood and watched Mitch leave the cemetery.

  I followed him home and then rode with him to the bar where he met up with Joe. Joe and I stared at each other over the dark bar where they sat. When Mitch got up to use the bathroom, Joe turned to me.

  “Why are you here?”

  I spoke to him from where I stood on the other side, “None of your damn business.”

  “It is my business, especially if it’s damned. You might have gotten her, but he’s coming to our side.”

  “Don’t be so sure about that, Joe. If you think she’s going to allow that, you’re very wrong.”

  He threw his head back and laughed, “She’s a young one, and there is nothing she can do to stop it. It will be years before she has the strength to fight my power, by then I will own his willpower.”

  I smiled, and his face lost some of its humor. “If that’s what you think,” I mocked. “In my opinion, I think you are about to have a run for your money.”

  ~ Corey ~

  The vibration was like nothing else I had ever felt and instantaneously I had the urge to follow it. I phased without trying and found myself in a bright area, not a room but more of an open space. Whiteness surrounded me so brightly that I blinked a few times to adjust to the light.

  I explored the area visually, but I saw nothing but light. Peace floated around me, and I embraced the feeling after the emotions of the funeral.

  A voice neither male nor female filled the area around me: “Welcome, my dear child.”

  “Thank you,” I spoke softly even though I knew I would be heard without words.

  “Normally, the Gardaí are not allowed the rein that you have been allowed. I am finding it interesting to see what you are already capable of.”

  “Why is that? Is that because of what everyone believes I am, special?”

  A sound similar to a laugh bounced around me, making me glance over my shoulder. “You could say that. You appear to have abilities that many do not, but you must now focus on them and learn to use them to the best advantage. You will not be allowed to move down to the living arena again until you are ready. Then you will be assigned to your chosen ones.”

  “I thought I had already been assigned,” I said, momentarily confused.

  “There will be no more questions. For now, you will stay within the Realm and finish your training.”

  I nodded, not sure how to respond. Suddenly, anxiety washed through me at not being able to see Mitch. A rushing sensation flowed over me, and I was standing in my quarters alone.

  The peace that I had absorbed only moments ago dissipated, and I found myself agitated. My feet paced the room restlessly. I felt like a cornered animal and wrung my hands in front of me.

  If I couldn’t leave the Realm, how was I going to see Mitch? Was he my charge? Maybe he wasn’t the one I would be assigned to guide and protect. What if he wasn’t and I never got to see him again?

  ~ Mitchell ~

  I went back to work two days later. I had tied one on after the funeral and spent a major part of the next day sleeping it off.

  Back in the car after several days off, I felt like my life might get back to normal. If I could keep any thoughts of her out of my mind, then I might just make it through the day.

  Driving around answering my calls one after another became habit for me. I stayed to myself and just did my time. I wasn’t interested in the normal banter and gossip that the other guys on the squad did on break times or between calls. I forced myself to focus on my job and tried to block everything else out.

  Four weeks after the funeral, I found myself driving my motorcycle. I had no destination in mind and was surprised when I rolled up to the gates of the cemetery.

  I stared up at the tall black metal doors standing open and welcoming on each side of the road for a long time. With both my feet planted on the ground, I gazed beyond the gates and tried to gather the strength to enter. Many times over the last month I had wanted to visit her grave, but I just couldn’t find the willpower to do so.

  With a deep cleansing breath, I lifted one foot off the ground to the foot peg and started to move through.

  I had no problem finding her plot. The location would forever be ingrained in my head. I slowed and came to a stop at the closest location.

  After turning the key off, the silence that met my eardrums was deafening. I sat staring up the hill. My glance fell on her small piece of land. Her gravestone had been delivered.

  With a shake in my knees, I made the walk to her final resting place. I focused on the large gray marble marker. An angel statue was carved into the top of the stone, very fitting. The sod was now knitting itself back together.

  “I never knew your name was Coralenna,” I said softly. “I guess there were a lot of things I didn’t know about you.”

  I gently placed my hand on the cold marble. The chill traveled through my fingertips, up my arm, and right to my heart.

  I sank down to the ground, pulling my knees up slightly and resting my arms over them.

  “You have a nice view from here.” Her plot stood near the top of a hill and looked out
over the vast area where marker after marker popped up from the land. Tall trees ran around the area, protecting the souls from the outside world.

  “I miss you, Corey. Every day, I miss you so much. I can’t seem to move on. I feel like I am frozen inside, like life has no meaning anymore.” I turned back to the gravestone.

  “No one seems to understand, especially Beth. She pesters me on a daily basis to talk to her, to open up and let out the emotions. She even suggested I go talk to a shrink.” A blunt burst of laughter left my lips.

  “She has no idea that no matter how much talking I do, I’ll never get over you. I don’t even know if I can stay with her, not after everything, not after you.” I bowed my head.

  “Why you, Corey? Why couldn’t it have been me?” I whispered.

  There was no answer, no feelings of her presence like there had been at her funeral. There was only silence, the soul-jarring echo of my own pain that I now lived with every day.

  ~ Corey ~

  Tension spread through me so tightly that I felt I would explode. I phased down to the martial arts locker room. Inside my locker, I pulled out my dobok and dressed quickly. I needed something to focus on, some way to let out the frustration that filled me.

  Walking into the dojang, I bowed at the flags before I stepped onto the floor and started to stretch. Images from the funeral plagued my mind with painful pictures. The expression on Mitch’s face, the pain he felt, the tears he shed, and the words we spoke rattled around in my mind as I bent over and tried to loosen my legs.

  I worked through my routines as soon as I felt limber enough and forced all thoughts out of my mind as I concentrated with all my energy on my forms. Over and over again I did them, moving slowly then faster, keeping my movements precise each time, holding the position longer than normal just to feel it deep within—but the memories kept barging through.

  I moved on to work with the weight bag. Kick after kick landed on the bag. If I were still on Earth, my feet would have been swollen and red from the abuse they took. I punched hard, spun and landed one kick, then slid back and jumped forward to deliver another combination, one after another into the large black bag until my energy was depleted, and I could barely stand.

  With my hands resting on my knees, I gasped for breath and wiped the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve.

  “Feel better?”

  I wasn’t surprised that Brock was here. I had felt his presence a while ago and had ignored him. It had felt good to ignore him.

  “Not really.” I stood and put my hands on my hips, still trying to get my breathing under control.

  “Let’s take a walk on the beach,” his voice was soft, and I studied him as he leaned back against the muted white wall as if he had no cares in the world.

  I shook my head and turned away from him, “Not in the mood.” I started toward the locker room.

  “I’m not giving you an invitation, Coralenna,” his voice deepened. I spun around to face him, immediately phasing to stand in front of him. His eyes enlarged, and his shoulders shifted back in surprise at my movement. His jaw clenched, and I realized he didn’t like to be surprised. Score one for me.

  “Stop calling me Coralenna. My name is Corey, and I don’t want to go for a walk with you.” I stared him down, anger blazing on my face. I wanted to take my frustration out on someone, and he had showed up just in time to take the brunt of it whether he liked it or not.

  The chuckle that escaped his chest infuriated me, and I was tempted to push him. With his arms crossed over his chest, he leaned in close to me. My line of sight was automatically drawn to his mouth, and I watched as his soft full lips parted the closer they got to me.

  Four inches separated our mouths, the soft grazing of his breath flowed over my face as he spoke, “I don’t care what you want right now, Corey.” The way he said my name was a caress similar to the way his soft breath washed over my heated skin.

  He glanced down at my lips. I felt his body responding to mine like they were talking to one another, and my mind began to war with my body.

  I swayed slightly toward him, and he jerked back suddenly, realizing how close we were. He turned and started to walk towards the hallway while my body felt as if it had been denied something. I mentally chastised it for the feeling.

  “Take a shower. Meet me at the beach. Your training starts now.” He didn’t turn as he walked out the door, the sound of his feet echoed on the wood floor as he walked down the hallway.

  I wanted to stomp my foot and ignore him, but at the same time, I wanted to start my training. The faster I did that, the sooner I could go down again and see Mitch. With a deep sigh, I phased back to my quarters.

  Standing under the hot water, I pictured Brock before me again. His full lips had been so close it would have taken only the smallest movement to touch them. What would it be like?

  I turned around and lowered the temperature of the water when my body grew warm. Cold shower, I needed a cold shower to wash that thought out of my head.

  I didn’t rush to finish my shower. I might not have a choice in meeting up with him, but I did have a choice in how long it took me to get ready.

  After my shower, I took my time drying my long hair completely, then adding extra brush strokes to make it shine even more. I rubbed citrus lotion over my entire body, even getting in between my little toes. The thought of Brock putting the lotion here gave me goosebumps that I tried to rub away.

  I pulled open the little closet in the bathroom, searching for nail polish. I smiled to myself as I realized that I now had an excuse for another thirty minutes or so. A girl needed to pamper herself once in a while, right?

  After very cautiously painting my dainty toes a vibrant pink, I trimmed my cuticles and filed my fingernails, also adding the warm color to the nails there.

  I sat back on the bed, leaning on the pillow to better allow my fingers and toes to dry. Funny, when I was alive, I never took the time to do this. I had never really cared about primping.

  I told myself that I was only doing this to annoy Brock, not to make myself look better. After pulling on a pair of soft light blue Capri pants and a sleeveless pink silk blouse, I checked the mirror and decided I couldn’t put it off any longer. Forgoing shoes, I left my quarters by way of the door, deciding that a walk would do me good and would kill some more time before I had to meet up with Brock.

  I inhaled deeply when I stepped outside, filling my lungs with the sweet scents of the evening flowers. The soft colors of a glorious sunset filled the sky and a part of my essence at the same time. I made my way slowly to the beach, never taking my focus off the horizon and the sun slowly setting there.

  I didn’t need to search for Brock. I could feel his presence pass over me like a warm blanket on a cold day. I smiled to myself as I realized he was not exactly happy at my delay tactics.

  I walked to stand beside him, his shoulders and back rigid. His arms were crossed over this chest, and the fists of his hands peeked out from under the heavy biceps.

  As I stopped, I saw his nose flare slightly and he blinked rapidly for a moment. His hands clenched even more tightly, if that were possible.

  “So what are we working on?” I stepped in front of him.

  He glared at me, hot fire in the depths of his eyes. I fought to keep still as they took in my face and traveled slowly down the length of my body, burning me as they moved.

  Did he just shiver? He turned his head back to the sunset after taking in my polished toes. I watched him shake his head.

  “Can you feel my presence?” his voice was stilted as he spoke.

  “What do you mean?” Did he want to know if I knew where he was or if I could feel the desire flowing from him towards me? I’d be honest with one, but there was no way I would admit the other.

  “Did you know I was in the gym watching you?” he scowled at me for a moment before I answered him.

  “Yes.” I walked past him, nervous as he kept frowning at me. Maybe the desire
wasn’t him, maybe it came from me. Maybe he was like living guys and just lusted for a pretty face.

  “How long was I there?” He stepped beside me and we started to walk in the sand.

  I thought about it briefly, “I was working on the spinning back kicks and reverse punches when you came in.”

  I saw him nod in my peripheral vision. “Good. You know when I am in the room, now do you think you could follow me?”

  I was confused, “What do you mean?”

  “I mean when I phase. Do you think you might be able to follow my energy pattern?” he raised his eyebrows as he asked.

  I thought about it for a minute, “Maybe. Let’s see.”

  “Concentrate on me.” He stopped and turned. I stared into his face. How could I not concentrate on him? The light of the sunset highlighted the dark colors in his hair and made his skin glow a golden brown.

  He stepped back, and I realized that I had been staring hard. “What?” I feigned innocence. “I’m concentrating on your energy.” Really, I’m not staring at you and seeing just how beautiful you are in the fading light. I’m losing my freaking mind, I thought to myself.

  “Coralenna, I’m going to phase someplace, someplace simple for you. A place that you have been to before and I want you to see if you can follow.”

  “Sounds easy enough,” I smiled, ready to get started.

  He grunted, “Yeah, maybe for you, but not for most people.” With the words just out of his mouth he disappeared from view. I focused on what I had felt coming from him. My body tingled, and I allowed the tingling to grow and pull me. I opened my eyes to see Brock standing in the large living room where I had visited when I first arrived.

  I giggled happily, “I did it!”

  He returned my amusement and said, “Good, let’s try it again.”

  He disappeared from view, and I again allowed the tingling inside my body to pull me to him. This time he was standing in the dojang in the center of the mats.

  “Hey, you’re not supposed to step on them with shoes on,” I said when I found him.

  “My bad, again,” and he was gone.