The Reaper's Keeper (UNEDITED)

Chapter 21

I stood up straight and looked around before swallowing a few times and turning to head to my car, still in a shocked sort of daze.

I started the engine and then drove like I was on autopilot, not really seeing anything, just going about the motions. So I can see and communicate with ghosts… big deal there could be worse things in the world, right? I mean they’re just people, that no longer have a body or a pulse and that can disappear at will, and for some reason I can see them and touch them, and I might have a few ghosts coming for me.

I pulled up to Lily‘s kindergarten, waiting for her to get in, still in a daze about the whole thing with Anna. Is was only starting to sink in now? Or am I just in shock over the fact that I had been seeing ghosts since I opened my eyes at the hospital.

I pulled up into our driveway and walked up the three steps to get into the house. Lily was already inside and by her excited squeal, I’m guessing that she just found out that mom was home.

I walked through the door in a daze, still trying to figure out why a bunch of ghosts would be after me. Did I break some secret code or something? Or do they want me to help them like I did Maria?

“Vi, you’re finally home. We were just… What’s wrong?” My aunt asked me as she took in my face.

“Oh er nothing, I just got a fright when I went to the hospital and mom was gone.”

“Oh I’m so sorry sweetie but we wanted to give you a surprise. I didn’t know you were going to go to the hospital today otherwise I would have said something.”

“It’s okay aunt Carry.” I gave har a sad excuse for a smile and she leaned in to hug me.

“Your mom’s upstairs. Ethan was here earlier, he said that he would come back later to see you.”

“Erm… okay thanks.” I said, hugging my aunt back before climbing the stairs to my mom’s room. I hadn’t been in here since the day she was rushed to hospital.

I stood at the bedroom door just listening, hearing my sister’s softly spoken voice and my mom laughing at something she said. My mom sounded so weak, I could hear machines beeping and a respirator. When had it gotten so bad that she needed a respirator?

I slowly turned the handle and walked in. I had to swallow the lump that formed when I saw her. Her hair was tucked in under the beanie she wore and she looked like she lost twenty pounds, she was paler than I had ever seen her and she had dark circles under her eyes. She was hooked up to a life support system, and she was breathing through a mask. The last time I had seen her she didn’t look this bad, it’s like she was getting worse at warp speed. Seeing her like this made me realize that she didn’t have long to live and that soon I wouldn’t have a mother anymore. I needed to spend as much time with her as possible.

She pulled the mask from her face to rasp in a pain filled voice my name. Then she opened her arms and I ran into it, not allowing myself to cry. She needed me, and I would be strong for her. I don’t want her last days to be with me mourning her death, before she even died.