Shining Stars

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

I knew instantly that going to see Avril's grave would be a bad idea. She's buried beside me, if that doesn't unbalance the system of life and death then I don't know what will.

However my mum wouldn't listen to my complaints and protests, just threw my cardigan over my shoulders and pushed Kaitlyn and I our of the front door.

"You are going to that graveyard whether you like it or not!" Was the last thing my mum said on the matter. I never knew where my parents had chosen to bury me, but I did know a plot had been chosen.

I asked them once if they could find a place they thought was serene, and they did. The graveyard lies in the middle of a great expanse of trees, hidden away from the noise and commotion of everyday life.

Nausea overcomes me, this is wrong, I shouldn't be here. Yet somehow I can't seen to stop myself. I follow my parents to the rusty, old iron gates. Towards the top I notice that the blacksmith has created a very delicate rose design. It's very pretty, but fitting for a graveyard.

I push it open, and step into the graveyard. The second my foot touches soil, something pulls me. It's almost like there's a rope a rope tied around my waist and someone is pulling on the other end viciously. I follow it, but walking speed isn't enough, I have to run.

"Hazel!" I hear my family call out for me, but I can't stop now. I have to go wherever this force wants me to. The force pulls me in certain directions, running between crumbling gravestones and polished new ones.

However the pull seems to ebb away, and I slow down to a walk until the force that pulled me along seems to disappear. I look infront of me to see a gravestone that's a light brown with a gild inscription.

I see my name Hazel Lancaster and below it my sisters name, Avril Lancaster. And below both of our names is, "Beloved daughters and perfect sisters."

My parents and Kaitlyn have now caught up to me. "How did you know?" My Dad asks. It's strange, I would've thought coming here would have unbalanced everything, but it seems something wanted me to be here. Otherwise why would something pull me along.

"I don't know, something was pulling me, and now I'm here." I pause for a moment looking down at the grave I share with my sister. White lillies and fake pink roses surround it, reassuring me once again that
I am missed.

That's when I realized that coming here to see my own grave is wrong, but it's not wrong to see my little sisters. "Avril, she was the force." I whisper. That's when the wind gently pucks up, and I'm reminded of all those cliché ghost movies. I keep my eyes and ears peeled for anything unusual, and I don't have to wait long. The second the wind dies down I hear the voice of a little girl calling out, "Mummy! Daddy!"

My mums mouth gaps open and she's trembling as she turns around. There in the distance stands a little girl, whom I recognise as my sister. Her hair falls down around her shoulders, her eyes are bright and alert.

She has a certain glow to her skin, not alien, more like an angel. My Dad catches sight of her and he just stares, frozen on the spot. I hear Kaitlyn whisper, "This is too much to cope with."

Avril runs forward with her arms open and makes a beeline straight for my parents. She wraps her arms around their waists, and for a moment my parents seem unsure of what to do. I don't think they'd expect to be able to see her ever again, nevermind touch her.

All I can do is stare in amazement and fear, Avril is standing right infront of me. After a moment or so she releases my parents and her eyes meet mine. "Hello Hazel." I try to speak but there's a lump in my throat.

"It's okay, I can do the talking, I shouldn't be here but I knew I'd never get another chance to see you all together." She speaks with wisdom and grace, nothing like how a little girl should speak. But after what happened to her, she didn't die a little girl.

"Why was I reincarnated? Why not you? You deserve another chance at life!" I didn't expect her to have the answer, but I suppose angels know the answer to everything.

"I chose to remain with the dead and wait on my loved ones joining me. When you were given the choice you chose to return to Earth, because you were looking for a boy, Augustus."

I can hear my mums whimpers as she tries to hold back even more tears. This must be torture to my Mum and Dad, here they have their two dead daughters eight infront of them but they can't keep them. Just more proof that life can be so cruel and spiteful to the nicest of people.

"Could I find him?" I ask. Avril just smiled and nodded her head, "Anything is possible." She looks to Kaitlyn, "Thank you for watching over my family." Kaitlyn looks at her with great, teary eyes.

"Oh Avril! The things he did to you and you never said a single word...." She chokes on tears and I rush over to hug her. "Don't worry, he'll get what he deserves. The world has a way of working like that."

She hugs our parents again and says, ?I want to stay longer but I'm not allowed, I have to go." My parents lock eyes for a moment before saying in unison, "We want to come with you." Avril shakes her head, "Once your there, there's no going back. You can't change your mind."

Tears roll down my face, "Mum... Dad..." My voice breaks towards the end, I just found them and now I'm going to lose them again. My parents look at me with sad eyes, and I know that this is what they want. If they stay here they'll lose both their daughters all over again, but if they leave they'll be reunited with Avril.

This isn't the time for me to be selfish, so I whisper, "If you want to go, then go, I'll return there again eventually." I dash forward and hug them, Avril squashed imbetween us. Our first family hug. I step back, not too sure of what's going to happen. I don't think my parents know either.

But in a few seconds a clear mist that sparkles rises up and obscures my view. When it vanishes my parents are lying on the grass, clearly dead but with a peaceful expression on their faces. Avril's took then, they're dead.

I'm choking on tears and I feel so empty inside, almost like I'll never be happy again. "I'm.... I'm so sorry." Kaitlyn stammers as she moves to stand beside me. "At least they're all together."

I whisper, "Would you have went if you had been offered?" She asks. I adamantly shake my head. "No, she said I was reincarnated so I could find Augustus. So that is what I must do."

Kaitlyn allows me to spend 20 minutes or so crying, but eventually she phones for an ambulance to take the bodies of my parents away.