Chapter 2 (Trade of a Soul)

A deal? What does it mean...a soul for a deal? Shivers crawl up my spine as I cower in the corner, waiting, wanting to desperately know who spoke those horror-filled words.  Time seemed to flow slowly, freezing, turning minutes into what felt like hours. With fearful eyes, I watch as shadows move, collecting into the corner in front of me. The area darkens as more shadows gather near it, creating a distinct appearance between the two sides of the operating room. They grew and moved into what appeared to be limbs. What in the world is that? Is it supposed to be a person? It wasn't long until the form was complete, appearing as the figure of a man.

As the figure finished forming, a chilly breeze appeared out of nowhere brushing pass me. He spoke only to himself, at first, but still loud enough that I could hear, "My, I've found one, a soul that follows the rules."  He was quiet for a moment before exclaiming, in a voice that appeared to be missing something, "Hello," His voice was dead flat along with the tone. He began to move closer, but as he did, he passed through the others within the room. How is he able to go through people?! That's solid, solid matter!  The weird man took a deep breath, but before a word could be spoken, the questions started flowing out my mouth, "Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you do that? What's goi..." My words got lost within my throat as I realize the man was right in front of me. He was pale, extremely skinny, and looked as if he was bored by just being here.  The man cleared his throat, silently signaling for me to stop, "Is your name Ethan? Ethan Carter?  Ehh how does this guy know my name?! "Hello? Is your name Ethan Carter?" The guy questioned me again. "Yeah, and who are you?" The panic in my voice layered thick as I speak to him. He smiled a bit as if the show of internal panic I felt amused him. I could have sworn he laughed at my fear. "I'm called Drake and let's just say that I'm a giver of some sorts and I'm here to grant you an opportunity." This isn't creepy at all; a random human, if he's even human, showing up out of blue with an "opportunity." Sounds kind of fishy to me. "Well, it's a choice. As you know, you are dead, and due to this, I can gift you a chance to escape death."

Escape death? How? What does this guy mean...he's probably pulling my leg. He's just a weird figment of my imagination. Yep, if I close my eyes he will be gone, I'll be in my room and very well, alive at least. I slam shut my eyes hoping, praying, that this is some cruel joke. A moment flew and I open them, but I was still in the room. That guy was still there, right in front of me, waiting with a look of boredom. "I'm not leaving anytime soon; will you stop, so that I can get to the explaining part. It will only go quicker." What? "Yeah?" Drake, I think that was his name, let out a sigh of relief, which kind of makes me nervous, and starts his explanation.  "To start, this choice is able to let you continue living in this life, but like all opportunities, it comes with a price. The price, that I speak of, is your humanity, well your remaining humanity. I know this seems like a lot, but it's really not if you think about it you have already died." I don't know what to make of this, maybe if I'm quiet he will explain more? "I mean it's a pretty good deal, right? Continuing to live even though you have technically died; why not accept it?" Drake took a deep breath, looking pleased with himself. Not sure why he has that stupid look on his face. I take a moment, soaking in the new information and trying to figure it out. "What do you mean, an option? Is this what you were mumbling to yourself earlier?"

A minute passed by, along with a look of embarrassment crossing over Drake's face, as I stood in pure nervousness waiting for him to continue. "Yes, in a way, it is a deal in which you trade places with me. By agreeing, you trade your humanity for a position that gives you many abilities, one of which is to escape death's grasp. So, what do you think? Will you accept this trade?" This is pretty weird. "How do I know you are not lying to me? As well as making this up, for all I know you could be a demon or something." "I can assure you this is real and is a very rare opportunity. It hasn't happened in about three millenniums, and I should know as I was the one it was given to. Anything else you wish to know?" Is there anything...oh, I know. "Why hasn't it been given to anyone for so long, and what would I have to do in this position?" His smile wavers for a second, "Well, there are some rules which you would have to follow, and one of these rules involves who can have this opportunity given to them. Like any position, you would have responsibilities that would need to be followed, but if..." He trails off, beginning to mumble the last bit of the sentence.  What is he mumbling about now? "Anyway, does that put you at ease?" So, I can continue with my life, but I will have more responsibilities...a tough decision. "Also, you may want to hurry, because once my time delay stops you will completely pass on, and you will not be able to have a choice." What?! "What do you mean your "time delay? Does this position give you abilities?" "As I said before, if you chose to take this chance, you will be gifted abilities and one of which is to escape death. Now, is it a yes or no? Will you take this chance?" I don't seem to have much of a choice...I still want to live. "I think I will take up your offer." "Good, as you only have a minute left, now shake my hand to seal the deal." Shake his hand? As in like when you create a contract? "Alright."

Drake takes his left hand and holds it straight out, waiting for me to do the same. As I reach though, my eyes catch a glimpse of something. Is that a tattoo? "What's on your hand?" He laughs a bit and points to the clock as if to say, "we're almost out of time." With a roll of my eyes, I place my hand within his. A sharp pain flows through my palm and seemed to last forever.  While I was overwhelmed by pain, I heard him answer my previous question, "It's just a tattoo that marks those like me. You will learn more soon as you just took my place."

After the pain stopped, I noticed Drake disappeared and I was still floating in the hospital room. There was also a note floating where Drake used to be, but before I could grab it, I felt this extremely, overbearing force pushing on my ghostly form. It was like I was being pushed, pulled, towards my lifeless body. The closer I got, the more the feeling grew. As I went towards my body, my ability to feel seems to grow less, along with my other senses. It wasn't long until I was right over my body. I then began to sink into it, and as I did the clock on the wall started to tick once again. After the clock continued, the once loud beep from the heart monitor turned into multiple soft beeps. Is my heart working? Am I going to live? It wasn't long until all my senses failed, and I "passed out." 

I awoke to a sound that consisted of a steady rhythm of beeps. What is that? It's so annoying, just five more minutes. I try to reach for the alarm on the corner of the dresser, but there was no alarm to hit or even a dresser. Where am I?! This isn't my home, what is going on? Slowly, I crack open my eye to see that I'm in a room that's unlike the one I'm used to. The four greyish-cream colored walls were traded for pure white, and the steady beat came from a machine two feet away. The bed I was in was smaller than the queen I'm familiar with. It was more like a twin, maybe smaller. I was wrapped in a thin blanket. Yeah, that's going to keep me warm. I try to sit up, but instead of accomplishing my goal, I feel pain shoot through my left arm. Is that a needle? Am I in a hospital, how did I get here?

"You're finally awake. Great, I thought I would have to pour water on you." Isn't that the voice of that guy? His name was Drake, right? "Maybe you're still sleeping? I know sometimes humans sleep with their eyes open." He sighs a bit before continuing, "Look, you already accepted the deal and I did my part, you're alive. Now, it's time for you to hold up your end of the deal, taking over the job I have." Drake holds his hands above my chest. He started chanting, it was something I couldn't understand. Maybe a foreign language, but it seems to feel older, more ancient than anything I have ever heard. "What are you doing?" "It's nothing I need to tell you. You will know soon." That's not mysterious at all. Pain suddenly floods the area he is hovering over. It was strong and intense, like nothing I've ever felt before. This is so much worse than being hit by that car.

Minutes seem to become hours or even days before the horrible, unbearable, pain stopped. Drake stood about a foot from the bed, smiling as if he won the lottery. I want to kick that simile right off his face, but he's too far from me.  I bet he knew what I want to do, and he planned ahead. "I have successfully made you into the one and only Protector of souls, Reaper of worlds, and defeater of the void." He spoke aloud, voice filled with joy. Which was unusual as I only heard him speak with a dead, flat tone. "I can now be free and start a new life. I can't wait to start all over, but first I need to..." he trails off, continuing to only himself. "What are you mumbling about this time?" He looks up confused for a second until he realizes that he started talking to himself. "I was thinking about what to do with the last little bit of power I possess." He then took his hand and once again hoovered it over my body. It suddenly started to get cold within the small room, but my body did the opposite. It started to grow warm.

Drake's hands began to grow as he started to chant another set of phrases. This time though instead of pain, my body started to mend itself. The aches of strained mussels released, along with the sharp pain the once exploded through my core. Bruises started to shrink until they were no more, and extreme flare of pain within my skull grew less and less. It wasn't long until all the pain that shocked my body was all but extinct. "There that should be better, but now you must go back to your home. It's best that no one sees you right now." "Why would it be a bad thing?" Drake just shook his head and pointed to the area around my chest.

It wasn't hard to see what he was talking about, because that area was glowing light, but bright, white. The color spread throughout my body, but it wasn't painful. It actually didn't feel like anything. You could only notice it by looking, but even then it wasn't as noticeable as before. The glow shrunk, but it was not gone. Okay now, this makes sense. "Shouldn't I stay at the hospital? It would help me recover from my near-death experience. He only laughed as if the idea was the funniest joke on the Earth. "No, would you rather become a lab rat? Because that's what they'll do to you." "I think I would prefer to stay in a place of medicine." He huffed and grumbled to himself, but he then got a twinkle in his eye. "Well, then I guess I will have to do this the hard way. I hope you remember that this was your fault because now I have to do this. I won't be able to explain things to you in person." What's that supposed to mean? "Didn't you already explain things to me?" "No. There was too much to go over, but now I need to add more to that envelope I gave you earlier. Drake closes his eyes and snaps his fingers and the small envelope from before comes to him. It looked bigger than before. "There that should explain everything."

Drake similes a soft one as he set the letter onto the bed, laying it right beside me. It was at that moment when I realized that he had something "up his sleeve." I could see it as he looked directed into my eyes and moved closer to my being. Placing his hands on the side of my head, he spoke but softly. It was as if he wanted to hide what he said from me. His hands started to buzz very lightly, almost to the point where I could barely hear. They glowed a bit, but the light was almost invisible.

Itwas shortly after when I grew dizzy, tired mostly. I was fighting hard to stayawake. My eyes were becoming heavy, unbearable to keep open. "It's alrightEthan, don't fight it. Just sleep for a bit. I can guarantee you'll feel betterwhen you wake." Drake whispered. The buzzing from his hands seem to create alullaby, along with the beeps of the machines around me. They mixed togethercreating a rhythm that could put anyone to sleep. Why am I suddenly sosleepy? I was losing the battle as I began to sink into the small bed. Myeyes were closing, and they didn't want to open. It wasn't long until my sensesstopped, to the point where I could barely feel him remove his hands. "Don'tworry, no one will remember you were ever here." came a soft, distant voice.Before long, the world I knew became a faraway reality as I began to dream.