Sanctuary

Tell No One

Tell No One

            She showed up, still visible, to right in front of a burning building. She looked around and saw multiple Angels of Death. They were standing in a small group, all as the Shadow, and they were staring at the building. Arabella became the Shadow, she joined them. They all looked grim but nodded at her.

            “Anybody know anything?” She asked the group at large.

            There were random murmurings but an Angel she’d met before, named Dominic, said. “Some chick caught her apartment on fire with her cigarette. There are a lot of people stuck inside.” He said in the tone of someone forced to admit something painful. She nodded.

            And silence fell. Slowly spirits began to drift towards Angels. They all had more than one Charge. Staring and feeling like nothing good could come out of this, Arabella waited. She helped three people. Two just wept and the third got violent. The problem with being half dead was that spirits could touch you. So when she was too late to duck, and the guy clocked her right in the eye, it connected. She knew she was going to have a bruise. She couldn’t send him On until he calmed down.

            And then a pure white spirit came out of the flames. Everyone turned towards it and everyone held their breaths. They didn’t want to see where the soul went and they all hoped it wasn’t them. A pure white spirit was a child. Arabella saw it coming straight for her. She gasped.

            The little boy was not more than five. He curled in on himself. She bent down and gently touched his shoulder. He looked at her with pearly tears rolling down his face. “I want my mama.”

            “I know, baby.” She whispered. He sobbed and threw himself in her arms. She held him and whispered to him until he was calmed down enough to speak to. “You won’t be alone when you go to Heaven.”

            “I know.” He said.

            “And how do you know that?” She asked gently.

            “Because, my daddy and my dog, Spot, are in Heaven. Plus, the new baby didn’t make it. Mama said that. She said he didn’t make it and he went to Heaven.” He said.

            She had to clear her throat repeatedly before she could say anything. Then she smiled even though she felt the tears slid into her mouth. “Are you ready then, honey bear?”

            He stopped. “Will you come with me?” He asked. She wished she could give him a different answer.

            “I can’t. I wish I could. But one second you’ll be here and the next, you’ll be with your daddy and the baby and Spot. It’ll be just like magic.” She said.

            “I love magic.” He said.

            “What’s your name, love?” She asked.

            “Spencer Gunn.” He said.

            “My name is Arabella Fray.” She said. “Call me Auntie Ara and people will know who it is. There are a lot of people in Heaven that you can talk to.”

            “Auntie Ara, show me something magical.” Spencer said. She bent down and kissed his forehead at the same time she cast the spell that would send him on to Heaven. He faded away while she was kissing his forehead.

            And after he was gone, she knew she had no more Charges here. She Dissolve to her favorite spot to go when she was upset.

            It was the edge of a sheer mountain side that led straight into the ocean. But the mountain was what she loved. It was a large field surrounded by thick trees. It was impossible to get to on foot and you couldn’t approach it from the water because you’d smash into the rocks and you wouldn’t be able to climb. All of this meant she was completely alone for however long she wanted to be.