by Aron Lewes
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Author's Notes
SCHOOL FOR SPIRITS
A Dead Girl and a Samurai
Aron Lewes
Copyright © 2018 Aron Lewes
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author.
My name is Leigh Riley. I'm seventeen years old. I'm standing in front of a church at half past midnight, looking at my corpse.
Yeah, that's right. I'm dead. At least, I think I'm dead. If I'm not dead, I'm having the weirdest out of body experience anyone's ever had. I can't really think of another reason why I would be staring at my broken, twisted, bloody body.
Death has terrible timing. In three weeks, I was going to be a high school graduate. Everyone always said I had a bright future ahead of me. I busted my ass to get into Yale, but none of that matters now. As soon as I was hit by the truck, everything I've ever done was for nothing.
I turn my attention to the idiots who hit me: Aidan and Geoff. They're both drunk—not that it makes a difference. With or without alcohol, they're awful human beings, and there's no excuse for what they did to me.
“Shit, man... do you think she's dead?” Geoff squawks. The sound of my bones crunching under his truck's monstrous tires seems to have sobered him up a bit. He moves a bit closer to my motionless body and leans over my face. “Oh shit. I think she is!”
“Do you think we should call someone?” Aidan asks. He looks a little less panicked than Geoff, but he's no less pale. He probably thinks he's less culpable because he wasn't the driver, but I blame them both.
“Are you kidding me, man? Hell no!” Geoff shoves him in the direction of the truck. “We've got to get out of here!”
“Seriously?”
“Uh... yeah. Or do you want everyone to find out we killed a girl?”
“You killed a girl,” Aidan corrects him—but like I said, he's responsible too. Aidan was the one who started pestering me, and Geoff joined in.
Long story short: my best friend wouldn't give me a ride home, so I left her party at midnight. My parents would have been livid if I got home much later than that, but walking alone in the middle of the night was a huge mistake. Geoff pulled up to me, Aidan begged me to get into the truck, and I refused. When I heard the vehicle revving up, I ran into the church parking lot, hoping to escape.
But I didn't escape. Obviously. When I swerved, they swerved, and before I knew it, I was standing over my lifeless body. I was killed by two of the biggest jerks in high school.
“Dude, just go!” Geoff insists as he gives his idiot friend another push. “We need to leave. I'm serious. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison, bro!”
As I watch them climb into Geoff's truck, I can feel my nose puckering. In my opinion, he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. Being dead hasn't really cooled my rage. I thought it would make me more forgiving or loving—or something—but it hasn't. Now, more than ever, I'd like to punch those douchebags in the face.
“What now?” I whisper to myself as the truck pulls away. I don't see any white light and I don't hear a choir of angels. There's no pearly gate, god, or friendly family member to greet me. I'm not surprised by the last one, because I'm actually the first in my immediate family to die. Believe it or not, all of my grandparents outlived me. I even have a great-grandmother who's still alive. I genuinely don't know any dead people. None. Does that make me lucky or unlucky right now?
“Leigh?”
When I hear someone say my name, I heave a lengthy sigh of relief. I don't care who it is, I'm just glad I'm not alone right now.
“Leigh Riley,” the female voice repeats my name. When I turn around, I'm staring into the golden brown eyes of the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She looks about thirty, give or take a few years. Her skin is deep mahogany, her smile is warm and welcoming, and her hair is a chaos of delightful black coils. She even smells lovely, like vanilla and lavender, but sweeter. No pun intended, but I'm dying to know her.
“Yeah. I'm Leigh,” I introduce myself, then I ask a question with an obvious answer. “Am I... dead?”
“I don't like the word dead. It suggests an end to your existence, but the fact is... you're still very much alive,” the woman tells me. “You've taken on a new form. A new frequency. You're existing in a different dimension. It's nothing to be afraid of, and it's nothing to mourn. I promise.”
“O... kay.” I know I sound doubtful. If she wants to convince me, she'll have to try harder, because I'm feeling pretty bummed about this. I don't want to leave my friends and family behind! This is terrible!
“I suppose I should introduce myself.” The woman suddenly thrusts out a hand. “I'm Amber. The angel, Amber.”
As I shake her hand, my mind is stuck on a single word. “Angel?”
“Yes, dear. I'm an angel.” Amber's smile broadens, suggesting a pride in her role.
“But don't angels have... wings?” I ask.
“Indeed. I do have wings,” Amber assures me. “But most of the time, I don't have them out. They're a bit of a burden, if I'm being honest. They're large and cumbersome, and I rarely need them.”
“Really?” My forehead crinkles at the thought. “But... I always thought it would be pretty awesome to have wings?”
“Oh, it is. For the first ten minutes,” Amber laughs. Her laughter is one of the most pleasant sounds I've ever heard. It's gentle and smoky. It's exactly the sort of laugh I'd expect from an angel. “You'll eventually have a chance to earn your own wings, and when you do, you'll see what I mean. The novelty wears off.”
“I can become an angel?”
“Of course. But you shouldn't get too far ahead of yourself. First, you'll have to become a spirit guide... which, naturally, you'll want to do. Oh!” Amber suddenly points over my shoulder. For the first time, I notice the bald, middle-aged guy sitting on the church steps. For some reason, he's crying. “You should meet your spirit guide, George.”
“Nooo!” George wails. “She shouldn't meet me! I don't deserve it! I failed!”
“Umm...” Amber nervously nibbles her lip. “That's George. You're not seeing him at his best right now, I'm afraid.”
“Uh huh.” I scratch my head as I watch him sob. “Why's he having a meltdown?”
“I think he believes he's let you down,” Amber explains. “It was his job to protect you and... well...”
“I failed!” the bellowing George repeats. “I failed, I failed, I failed! I'm a complete and total failure! I hate myself!”
“He, uh...” Amber's teeth clench as she struggles to explain my sp
irit guide's self-loathing. “George hasn't been on his own for very long. In fact, you were his first solo mission, so... I think he's feeling pretty bad about your death.”
“Bad? I feel awful!” George attempts to clear his blocked nose with a tremendous snort. “I'm so sorry, Leigh! I'm so sorry!”
I don't want to make George feel worse, so I decide to change the subject. Lowering my voice to a whisper, I ask, “So... those guys who killed me... will they ever be punished for that, or will they get away with it?”
“On earth or in the afterlife?” Amber asks.
“Umm... both?”
“I'm afraid I can't answer that.” Sensing my disappointment, Amber gives me a pat on the shoulder. “But you shouldn't worry about them. Not yet.”
“How can I not worry about them?” I'm wrestling with a strong need to gouge out their eyes. They've taken away everything. They stole my future. Thanks to them, I'm a sad, dead virgin who never had a boyfriend. Is there anything more pathetic than that?
“Oh, I don't know. Just... try not to be too upset.”
My eyes roll at Amber's remark. “Seriously, how can I not be upset? What about my family? Will I ever get to see them again?” My little sister is going to be wrecked by this. I'm her best friend. She doesn't really have anyone else.
“Yes. You'll see them again... but you'll have to wait. I know how it feels. Trust me. When I died, I had to leave my husband and child behind. It devastated me. But... now I'm with them all the time.”
“I guess that makes me feel a little bit better.” My shoulders pop into a slight shrug as I try to accept my fate. Behind me, I can still hear George's sobs. I think my spirit guide is taking this way harder than I am.
“Well then...” Amber begins, “if you have no more pressing questions, it's time to take you away.”
I try to guess our destination. “To... Heaven?”
“Indeed. That's one name for it. If Heaven is what you call it, that's perfectly acceptable.” Amber smiles at me. “Our destination has many names. Heaven, Nirvana, Elysium, Paradise. The Other Side. We usually refer to it by whatever name makes people comfortable.”
“What do you call it?” I ask, hoping for some insight.
“What do I call it?” As she repeats my question, Amber's smile morphs into a cheeky grin. “My dear... I call it Home.”
As soon as Amber touches my arm, we shoot into the sky. You know that feeling you get when you go down a roller coaster, and your stomach does a little tumble? That's exactly how I feel right now, but we're going up instead of down.
At the beginning of our ascent, we're engulfed in a blur of white, warm light. The light gradually changes color, from white to gold.
“Amber!” I gasp. “Amber, where are we going?”
“You'll see. Just try to stay calm, Leigh.” Amber gently squeezes my shoulders. To be honest, I wish she'd squeeze me the entire time. I keep thinking I'm going to slip through her fingers and fall to my death—which is a silly thought, since I'm dead already.
A few seconds later, we're drifting up a golden elevator shaft, where we pass some of the most enormous quartz crystals I've ever seen in my life. The crystals make a high-pitched, reverberating sound as we glide up the shaft.
When the elevator shaft ends, we're suddenly soaring through space. Everywhere I look, I'm surrounded by endless oceans of stars. In the distance, I can see smoky nebulas in every imaginable color. It's a beautiful sight, but I'm more scared than awed.
Amber must sense my fear, because she suddenly says, “Don't be afraid. Just relax. We're nearly there.”
At the end of our journey through space, I find myself in Heaven. Literal Heaven. Seriously, this is exactly how I've always imagined it. It's storybook Heaven. When Amber and I finally stop flying, our feet touch down on a blanket of woolly white clouds. Flocks of doves are swirling around us. I'm surrounded by towering gold pillars, and at the top of each pillar, there's a meditating angel. Unlike Amber, these angels have wings. I feel a little dizzy when I look up at them, so I grab Amber's arm to steady myself.
“Are you alright?” she asks.
“Uh-huh. I'm just feeling a little woozy, I guess.”
“That's alright. That happens to many people when they reach Home for the first time,” Amber tells me. “The flight can be overwhelming to one's senses.”
“Uh... yeah. I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed.” Not too far in the distance, I see a silver-white castle with massive, soaring spires. It looks kind of like the castle in Disneyland, which is probably a lame way to describe it, but that's the best comparison my muddled mind can make. Or maybe it looks a little bit like Valhalla from the Thor movies? Either way, it's a pretty awesome sight.
“You're looking at your new dormitory,” Amber calmly informs me.
Unlike her, I'm anything but calm. “The castle? Seriously?”
“Indeed. I'm sure you'll find it quite agreeable.” Amber gently caresses my shoulder as she steers me in the direction of the fairytale castle. “You've arrived at a good time, by the way. School begins tomorrow.”
“Wait, what? School?” I shriek. Amber's news hits me like a punch in the gut. Not having to go to school was going to be one of death's best perks.
“Indeed. But it's nothing like school as you know it.” When we reach the castle's towering gate, it opens automatically for us. “There won't be endless notes and pop quizzes, but you will be tested.”
“Great...” I groan. “I love tests.”
“It's fun, I promise! Well... most of the time, it's fun.” A tiny giggle slips from Amber's lips as she escorts me down the castle's violet hallways.
“This is... really weird,” I murmur.
“You'll get used to it.”
“Yeah... I'm not sure I will,” I politely object. “Does everyone have an experience like this when they get to Heaven, or is mine unique?”
“Oh, yes. Everyone has a similar experience... although... most souls aren't quite so lonely.” Amber's plum-colored lips dip into a pout. “Most are greeted by their departed loved ones, which, as you might guess, is quite comforting. When I passed away, my mother came to greet me, and it was a beautiful reunion. Unfortunately—or fortunately, perhaps—you never lost anyone. There was a great-great-grandfather who expressed an interest in meeting you. I should warn you, though... he's nearly the same age as you, so it might be strange.”
“My great-great-grandfather died young?”
“Oh, yes. He was only eighteen,” Amber shares the information with a pitying sigh. “A young soul coming Home is always an unfortunate thing. You have so much more to learn, and you often require more guidance than most.”
I shake my head at her remark. “I don't think I'll need that much guidance. A lot of people said I was pretty wise for my age.”
“Good. I hope they're correct.” When we reach our destination, Amber throws out an arm, halting my advance. “We're here.”
“Where's here?” I ask.
Amber directs my attention a plain, white door. “This is it. This is your new room. If it's not to your liking, you're welcome to tell me. You'll have a roommate, of course. We've been looking for an appropriate roommate for Alyx for the last three days, and I think you'll be perfect. We usually try to pair up spirits of a similar age.”
Before I can ask any questions about my new roommate, Amber throws open the door. When I peek inside, I see a young girl with earbuds. It takes me a few seconds to process that. How does she have earbuds in Heaven? Her hair is short, blue and shaved on the sides, and she's got tons of tattoos and piercings. In other words, she looks much cooler than me.
“Alyx!” Amber calls to her in a singsong voice. “Alyx Keating, we finally found a roommate for you!”
Alyx pops the buds from her ears and takes a few seconds to assess me. After a long pause, she eventually says, “Cool.”
“Her name's Leigh.” Amber gives me a gentle push through the doorway. “You girls are the same age, so I'm sure y
ou'll get along great!”
Oh, Amber. Really? For an angel, she seems pretty naive. Being the same age as someone doesn't make you instant friends. Alyx is probably going to think I'm a huge geek.
“I'm very busy,” Amber tells me as I saunter into my new room, “but I'll be back later to tell you more. You and Alyx should get to know each other. Remember... always be kind!” Amber's smile stretches as her gaze snaps back and forth between me and my new roommate. “Goodbye, girls!”
When the door closes, my stomach drops. Now we have the awkward responsibility of trying to get to know each other.
“So, uh... what are you listening to?” I try to make conversation with her. She's listening to her music on some kind of divine iPad. It looks like she's holding a piece of square, white light.
“My favorite band. Regal Crimson,” Alyx says.
I've never heard of them, but I don't tell her that. They're probably popular, so I don't want to look like an idiot. I just nod and say, “Cool.” After a short pause, I ask a question that's been gnawing at me since I entered this room. “So, like... you can listen to music in the afterlife?”
“Oh, yeah. Totally. You can even watch tv and shit.” Alyx points to a big, white screen in the corner of the room. “I've been catching up on all my favorite shows for a few days now. It's been an epic binge. I have zero responsibilities. It's awesome.”
“Yeah. It sounds awesome,” I agree.
“I don't know if you'll have as much time to kill, though. We have school tomorrow.”
“Yeah...” I sigh. “That's what I've heard.” I decide to ask another question, and I don't know if this one's appropriate or not. “So, um... how did you die?”
“Suicide.” Alyx answers my question with a shrug, as if it's not a big deal. “I shot myself in the head with my dad's gun.”
“Uh... wow.” My reaction makes me cringe, but what else was I supposed to say? “Do you regret it?”
“No. Not really. My dad was an ass, so I'm glad to get away. Besides, it's not so bad here.” Alyx sticks one bud in her ear, as if to suggest our conversation is nearing its end. “How did you die?”
