5 Chapter 4 (Not Yet Named)

It's crazy. I don't know if I can believe it. That I'm supposed to be some sort of protector, it's insane. But, somehow, it feels right. Is it like my destiny? I don't understand. It doesn't help that Drake didn't explain how to do the job. He only told me what I was supposed to do. What does he expect? Me to just know... It was at that moment when an intense feeling came over me. It was as if someone was pulling me somewhere with an invisible rope. The urge to get off the couch and head to the door wouldn't stop. I wonder what's going on? It wasn't long until I became restless as the feeling continued to grow. Maybe I should follow my gut? As I move closer to the doorway, I somehow knew I needed to take a right.

It was as if a path was creating itself within my mind. This is weird. How do I know where to go? is this my instinct? Or is it something else? I ended up in front of a lonely closed store. It was one of the many that I never have entered, well until now that is. The store had no lights on, but the door was open. That's odd. Looking closer I noticed that the lock was broken. The feeling from before came back. It was pulling me into the store, near the back. As I near the back of the store, I see another one of those shadow things like before. It was near something. Is that a body? The figure looks at me when I near it. It appeared to flinch when I grew closer to him. Is it scared of me? Wait what is it doing now? The darken shadow-like figure began to morph into something more physical. It was turning into a more complex one, a complete one. Like watching a picture being colored, it's features became clear. Almost beautiful to watch, in fact, it was mesmerizing. Even though the change was almost instant, it felt as if it lasted hours. I could see that the once unknown figure was actually the soul. The soul appeared to a young man, maybe in his mid-twenties. He had dirty blond hair with bits of red in it. Is that blood? This spirit was familiar to me. Somehow, I knew I met him before. It could have been a glance from walking by on the way to school, I wouldn't know for sure. "Are you the one who was following me earlier?" He only nodded while slightly pointing towards the body. The body was partly hidden behind a desk near the corner of the room. Maybe he wants me to check it? "Do you want me to check behind the desk?" Once again all I receive is a nod. Ok then. I can do this. Maybe the person is just passed out? Hopefully. I close the distance from myself and the desk. Moving sluggishly, trying not to rush as I really don't want to see this. Whatever it is.

The area behind the desk was bitterly shown to my eyes. The spirit was formally the man lying still. It was creepy, how still the man was. The worst part was the faded, red puddle beneath the man. Oh my! I was really hoping to be wrong, but of course, I was right. The disgust was written throughout my thoughts. This is so gross. How did I even know to come here? Was it one of the abilities Drake talked about? How do I even know? Maybe it's something we all have? "So, this is you." The man finally spoke, "yes." His voice was rough, low, and sounded more like someone gasping for air. "Do you know what I'm supposed to do? I'm kind of new to this." He just looked at me with the huh face. I told him that I was new to this. I mean it's not like I was made for this. I was thrown into it without any instructions. I'm just a college student. I shouldn't even believe this, but here I am. It was after that thought when I had another feeling wash over me. This time though, it was more comforting, caring in a way, and not trying to move me anywhere. The feeling was surrounding me, covering every inch of my body in the fuzzy feeling. Warmth was flowing into my soul, like being covered in thick blankets. The feeling was like coming into a new strength, new power. It was amazing and peaceful, but as soon as it came, it left. Leaving me feeling powered. Also giving me what I needed in order to succeed in what the spirit wanted. He wants to be crossed over. To go into the light like the many others before him. Now how do I do this? As I was questioning myself, I notice that I'm not wearing my hoodie anymore. Instead, I'm wearing a black cloak, along with an even darker pair of pants. There was also a weight on my back and new additions to my arms.

Looking down, I see dark, black markings have appeared all down my arms. Lines intertwining, connecting throughout my forearms. Turning I catch a glimpse of a hilt on my back. A sword?! I pull out the blade and hold it in front of me. It is a dark, obsidian color blade that has two different symbols on it. One looks to be an image of different souls, and the other is a continuous chain. Each symbol is the color white, contrasting the dark color of the sword. There was also a distinct line running down the middle of the blade. I wonder what it's for. I had an urge to pull in apart. The sword equally came apart, turning into two twin swords. One held the images of souls and the other had the chain covering it. For some reason, I knew that I had to cut a wall using the half that contained images of souls. I knew that if I did it would help the soul cross over.

Without missing a beat, I took the one blade and slashed at the wall. The wall cut open like scissors to paper, easily and smoothly. After the slice was made, the wall began to glow a soft, pale white. It started to crack and chip. This creates a hole in the wall. It was the light, pathway into the next life. The soul looked at me as if asking if he could go. "This is the way to your next life. The way you cross over." He nodded and slowly, almost hesitantly walked towards the hole. It was like he was scared of the unknown behind the soft glow. "It's alright, there is no need to fear. This is the next phase for you. Go on." And with that, he walked into the light. The hole disappeared soon after along with the power I felt. But everything else stayed the same. The blood, the body, and the broken door were left behind for future cops to find.

It was almost eleven at night by the time I got back home. The adventure I went on still felt like a dream, but I know deep down that it's all true. Tomorrow I won't wake up and know that this was a dream, that it will all go away. The good thing is that I did something good, right? I think I did. I just hope this won't get the way of me living my life. I'm still a student first. I really need to figure this out. Well, at least, I have the rest of today off, but I have class tomorrow. Which means I need to sleep. I go to lay down. And as my head is placed gently on my pillow, my body had finally entered a peaceful state.

A few minutes roll by before a sinking feeling devours me. An icy chill runs along my spine before settling in the pits of my stomach. My instincts were on edge, ready for anything. Like a warning, telling me something was off. Something, somewhere, was out of place. That there was something wrong. The question was what. What could make me feel so on edge? Could it be another Protector instinct? If so, then what could it mean? My discomfort grew vastly larger as a pitch-black figure moved passed my window. That's what It's warning me about? A floating dark figure. It could be another spirit, but this one seems a bit different. It sent out this atmosphere of destruction and, surprisingly, despair. The spirit seemed to be ousting out negative emotions, destructive ones at that.

I begin to follow it, passing my house and continuing down the road. It was fast. I almost lost him a few times, but, somehow, I managed to keep up with the flying figure. Maybe I get a speed boost? Hopefully, I get endurance too. The place it was taking us was unfamiliar to me. We ended up in the back alleyways of the city. Plugging deeper and deeper into the outer side of the city. I could tell we had been moving for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if the sun just started to rise. Man being able to see the beginnings of the morning rays appear far off into the distance. That would nice. It just now started to slow down, and I took this opportunity to see that it was a woman. She was about earlier twenties. She ran down a block before taking another turn. she stopped at what appeared to be an abandoned building. It was covered in ash and half the roof was caved in. Support beams were broken and cracked down the middle. Pieces of the building laid splattered throughout the once yard. The once promised land held little to no grass. In fact, it was mostly a dirt hole. But the ground was a more blackish color. As if the ground, itself, was lit on fire. The damage to the area was extreme. It gave off the impression that it wasn't an accident. There's something more to this building.  Maybe this is why that soul feels different, and also why it looks, unlike the other soul. Upon closer inspection, I notice that the soul wasn't just a dark color. she had this tar-like substance leaking out of her eyes, falling down her face. They were almost like tears. But I couldn't tell if it was from sadness or despair.  Maybe a bit of both. That's gross, but it makes me wonder why it is happening. Why is this soul unlike the other? Why does she have tar-like tears? The soul then walked towards the backside of the building.

The back of the building was worse. As in, there was no backside to the building. About a third of it was gone. All that was left were burn marks and broken, almost completely, walls. The back support-beams were no more. Probably turned to ash long before today. I notice that she seemed to grow by being near the rundown building. The spirit also began to glow a deep red color that mixed with a little bit of dark blue. Are these her emotions? The women started to float higher until she was above the building. She waited for a minute, with blacken tears and let out a sound of agony. It was blood-curling. A scream of horror. Or terror. She wasn't standing anymore, just floating on her knees. She had given up on something. Maybe this is what I'm supposed to help her with?

The ghost girl began to growl in agony, maybe even anger. It was odd. Seeing a once living, breathing, beautiful girl cry her heart out as she looks down at the destroyed landscape. The chipped walls, the left-over fragments of what I could only guess was her home. Her cries were strong, full of emotion, but it appeared to be only a whisper to me. Is she trying to hide her pain? Even though I was, at least, twenty feet away from her, I could still hear the soft sniffles and harsh breathing. The rough puffs of air that left her lifeless being. I thought it was odd. Seeing a ghost show such emotion, but I felt like I was the only person who could sense her pain. I could see the dark black substance that leaked out of her eyes as if they were tears. It was like tar was flowing out of her eyes and dropping down into the broken home.

Minutes rolled by but it felt much longer, like hours have passed. I started to see something surrounding the ghost girl. I got this feeling that I should look closer at it. When I did, I saw multiple different colors colliding together. Swirling into each other. Is this an aura? Is that a power I get? I'm just going to go with that. The aura around her was mostly darker, deeper, colors. Different shades of black, blue, and red were mostly what surrounded her. There was a smaller, extremely small, piece of white. Could that represent purity? Maybe it's acceptance? The darker shades seemed to be playing tug-a-war with the lighter side of her. Like a game of risk, slowly taking over the other areas until it owned them all. Could the darker colors be what corrupts a soul? Drake did say to make sure that didn't happen. This must be what I have to stop, but how? The area around me seems to grow colder as I thought of how to help this poor girl. The tar substance was beginning to cover the ghost's figure. Slowly taking over the only good parts left. I need to hurry. I can feel it, there's not enough time.

I could tell that she was looking for something. Moving her head side to side. Desperately looking for something. Maybe I could ask her? "Excuse me?" Before I could fully finish the question, her head was up. Her light brown eyes laid into mine. I could tell she was confused. Don't worry, I am too. "Is there something you want in there?" Her eyes grew wide and a small smile appeared beside the tears on her cheek. Nodding, she floated down towards me and I saw the white color pushing back against the darker emotions. Could it represent happiness?

Once she made it to me, she pointed towards one of the last remaining walls. The one that had small amounts of blue wallpaper. "What you want is in that room?" She only pointed at it again, but she had a face of worry. There was also a bit of hope. I could see bits and pieces of toys. Baby toys. As well as a broken, rusty crib. With closer inspection, I could see something shiny poking out from under the rumble. It was a locket. The girl looked relieved to see it within my hand. Then I could see that the dark aura that surrounded her disappeared. Is that all? Did I do it? Wait I still need to open the gateway to the other side. With a facepalm, I pull the sword out, off my back. I walk over to the chipped wall and slash a hole in it.

"If you are ready, you can leave into the next part of your existence. All you need to do is walk through the doorway." She looked up with clear tears in her see-through eyes and in a soft voice whispered, "Before I leave, can you do me one more thing?" I gave a slight nod. "Can you see to it that the locket finds its way to my son's grave?" "Of course, but I need to know his name." With a small smile, she replies, "His name is Jack Thomson. His body is buried in the graveyard down the street, right beside mine. Thank you." With one last smile, she disappeared into the lit doorway. Once she entered the doorway vanished.

I could see the stone markers from the dirt yard. It was a small one, maybe it was a family-owned one. There were patches of green, but not much was grass. In the backside, I could see two slightly new gravesites. It wasn't long until I stood before them. The small of the two said Jake Thomson in blocky letters and to the right of a slightly larger stone that read Ellie Thomson.  I took the silver locket out of my pocket and set it on top of the gravestone. "Rest in peace Ellie, Jack," I mumble to myself as I stand up and walk away. I walk through the back roads, following the same route I ordinally ran on my way to the burnt house. I knew it wouldn't take too long until I made it home. I guess I was right. It was shortly before sunrise when I get home. Without even taking off anything, not my shoes or my jacket, I hopped into bed and was out before my head hit my pillow.