Surrendering Spirit

Chapter 3

Ahren walked around the house and tried to prepare for her arrival as much as a spirit could.

It's been a long time since I've had something to look forward to.

Since Anastasia's grandmother Rhiannon had passed over and gone to be with her loved ones, he'd been very lonely. He spent so many days and nights waiting for the love of his life, or rather, death, and soon she'd be there. Glowing with anticipation, Ahren left Rhiannon's house and appeared in town where he wouldn't have to be alone.

At his favorite diner on Main St., he peered through the window noticing that the regulars were gathered in their usual seats. Though they never knew, Ahren thought of them as friends. He like to walk around and listen to town gossip, catch up on their lives. Feel a part of their families.

When the front doors blew open and no one seemed to enter, people turned to look, but not a one acknowledged his presence. They were used to these kinds of strange things happening in their small town. It was almost as if he didn't exist, and if it was any other day he would take offense to that, but not today. Not the day she came to town. To him.

As Ahren sat at the counter human watching, he thought of the strong attraction he already felt to Rhiannon's granddaughter and reflected on the night he had spent with her. He could feel that she was as excited as he was. That they reached out to each other's souls. That somehow, deep within her she anticipated being with him as much as he had with her. He knew that she would bring something to him that he hadn't had in a long time. That somehow, she knew that they were already connected.

Ahren felt a change in the atmosphere before it registered that evil had invaded the diner. An ill wind blew in through the doors and before he turned around, he knew who he would find. As he swiveled his chair toward the front, he could see others in the small eatery also felt the cold as they pulled their shirts closer around their necks and hugged themselves to ward off the chill. His eyes rested on the icy stare of something so evil, that even Ahren himself had to pause before he could move again. Ahren walked toward the being at the doors and a terrible fear overcame him. It was at that moment he knew that if he didn't get to her first, nothing could save her.

Don't let him get to you. He can't hurt you anymore. There's no way he could know that she is on her way to me. No way. She'll be perfectly safe.

"Hello brother," said Darrius as he walked from the front of the restaurant toward a baby and his mother who sat a few booths away from Ahren. He stood over the two of them casting and invisible shadow on them, placed his hand on the baby's forehead and held it there. The baby wailed as its' mother tried unsuccessfully to sooth it. Darrius removed his hand leaving an angry red mark across the baby's forehead. The young mother had no idea what happened, she just knew her baby wouldn't stop crying and that the infant was hurt. The other customers just stared at her afraid to move because they knew they wouldn't be able to help. It had happened to them all at one time or another.

The mother murmured something about getting him to a doctor and quickly gathered up the crying baby and the diaper bag, threw some money on the table and left without finishing her breakfast. As she walked to the door, she passed exceedingly close to both Ahren and Darrius and a visible chill ran down her spine while the baby stared and let out a high pitch wail. The second she reached the sidewalk and the diner doors closed behind her, the baby ceased his screeching.

Darrius flashed a wicked grin, winked at Ahren and walked toward an elderly couple at the next booth. Already the old woman was beginning to turn white and put her hands over her chest.

"Stop it," shouted Ahren.

Darrius paused, looked at the old couple, an evil smirk plastered to his face. He slowly backed away from them and the woman's color began to return.

"Such fun," he said. "You should try it some time."

Ahren didn't want to look at the evil being in front of him, much less speak to him, but he was raised long ago when manners were important and after all, family was family.

"What do you want Darrius? Why are you here?" Ahren asked.

"Now, now Ahren, is that any way to talk to your older brother?"

"You are nothing to me anymore," replied Ahren.

Ignoring Ahren, Darrius asked, "Do you feel it? She's coming. She's going to be mine. This time you won't stop me."

"You stay away from her or else," yelled Ahren as he bumped into a chair and made it crash to the ground. The people turned to stare at the empty chair that somehow fell over with no one near it. Some were afraid to move, others quickly left the diner.

As Ahren moved from his place toward the man who stood just a few feet in front of him, a stack of napkins from the nearest table flew on to the dirty tile. The waitress scurried to pick them up. No one living could not not move to leave, they waited with fear and anticipation to see what happened next.

Darrius laughed. "Or else what Ahren? You'll kill me?" His ominous laughter grew louder. The plate glass window of the diner shook. Silence from the diners filled the air.

"I told you and that old woman a long time ago, that that little girl was meant for me. Not you. Never you. Me," he screeched at the top of his voice, sounding demented though no one could hear him but Ahren and a dog who howled in the distance.

Ahren could not respond. Of course he couldn't kill him. He was already dead. But he was afraid for Anastasia. Anastasia could be killed.

Darrius suddenly disappeared and Ahren was left to wonder how he would protect Rhiannon's grandchild, his soul mate.