Hellfire On The Other Side

Chapter 49

   She takes out her phone just as Shane appears in the room. "What are you doing here?!" Verity asks him. Shane sits on the arm of the couch and says, "Just wanted to check up on-" He notices Doreen. "Oh, goodness. What now?" "Oh thanks, look I get you don't like me much but I know you like Adrianna and Ro... Ash. Yeah, I am going to mess that one up now. Her parents wouldn't shut up about all the stories..." Doreen said. "I'm assuming you were gonna call me for something, Mom?" Verity puts her phone away. "Uh, yeah. Doreen needs your help with something," she says. Shane sighs deeply and turns to Doreen. "Fine. What do you want?" he says. "To get my sister back," Doreen said. She quickly explained everything including Ash's past. Shane is sprawled out on the floor. "I think you broke him, Doreen," says Verity. "You should not have told me that, Doreen," says Shane. "You were the one complaining with Clara that you were bored. I have eyes and ears everywhere. Or really, I took one of my magic mirrors from my collection. I got bored so I thought, hey Clara always has something going on and I like talking smack about her. And I got to watch you two complain about being bored. That was sorta interesting," Doreen said, "Also knowing her past is better than not knowing. At least you know why she is so fragile and in the long run, that's how you build up her trust."  "You didn't let me finish, Doreen," says Shane. He picks himself up from the floor and turns to Doreen with a smile on his face. "You shouldn't have told me that, because I really wanted to hate you. Now I don't," he says. "Thanks, one less person hates me. And just because I don't care for many people, doesn't mean I don't care at all. And when you meet Veronika you can thank her because if it wasn't for her... let's just say you would have truly hated me," Doreen said giving a small laugh, "But how do I get to where she is? And not only that but here is the part you going to hate because the way to bring her back from the dead, Shane you might just want to kill me for even saying it..." Shane rubs his temples. "Look, if I didn't kill Clara for thinking that Markus could be a hero, I don't think you have anything to worry about," he says. "Clara what?" Verity says, annoyed. "Okay, well, I am just going to say..." Doreen said, then backed up some, "We have to kill Ash." Shane and Verity go wide-eyed. Verity places her hand on Shane's shoulder. "Shane, are you...?" "Yeah, I'm fine," Shane stutters. "I just... we wanted her to get a taste of freedom. But..." Odie cuts in. "Look at it this way, Shane. At least she'll be able to be with her family again, and for some people, death is the only way to achieve true freedom," she says. Shane collapses onto the floor. "Do I have to do it? Can't someone else kill her?" he asks, his voice breaking. "Wow, you guys are clueless. I seriously hate you, humans, sometimes. Maybe I should have been more detailed. We are taking Ash to my dimension, killing her there so I can take her blood have Veronika drink it, then come back to life. And right before Ash's soul is gone, Shane, you will heal her wounds, yes she will be dead until she comes back here. If you die in one dimension, you are still alive in another. I am not a murder thanks. Nor would I ask a hero to be one. I mean we don't have to go through that and kill someone else without bringing them back but if Ash is dead in my dimension, my parents can't get to her to bring her back. It's simple dimension math here people!" Shane wipes a tear from his face. "These dimensions are so confusing," he says with a slight chuckle. "Also, when she does die in the future, as much as I hate to say it, she can't be around her parents. It'll cause mental trauma. Especially if they try to make her remember who they are. She literally doesn't have those memories anymore. But what she does have is parts out her brain where they used to be, now they are empty. If she were to try and use them, she might end up like your dad Shane, she would be dead, dead. It's the same with a lot of slaves. This is slightly why I may have mentioned what I first did when I came Verity. Just saying..." Doreen said winking at Verity, "But of course, your choice." Shane sighs. "Alright," he says. "Well, we should probably go do this now. I really really really want to see my sister. I haven't felt this much excitement since she was alive," Doreen said. Verity hugs Shane. "Be strong, son. Even if it's temporary, this is for the greater good," she says, comforting him. Shane nods. "Yeah. I guess you're right," he says. "Let's do it." Doreen went over and whispered in Verity's ear, "Tell me when you decide about it. If you decide against it, I can help find someone to take her. I owe you that much." she took a few steps back, "I've missed you, Verity. Hopefully, I don't wait so many more years to visit again." She looked over to Odie, "So, how do we get to my sister?" "Well, that's easy! She ascended to the Astral Plane!" Odie exclaims. "All we need to do is find her, and I'll be able to get her. Doreen, you'll be our conduit, since she trusts you." Doreen nodded, "When it comes time to go to my dimension, I can open a portal to bring Ash since well, I am still the only one here who can do that." Odie cracks her knuckles as she cackles with excitement. "This gon' be good!" she says, taking Doreen's hands. "Now, here's what you need to do. Call out for Veronika." Doreen nodded. "Veronika! Veronika, I need you!" she called. A sudden surge of energy fills the room. "Whoo! I can feel her already!" Odie exclaims. "Keep calling for her, Doreen!" "Veronika! It's me, Doreen! I need you, Veronika!" Doreen called again. "She's here! But she needs a vessel," says Odie. Shane takes out a voodoo doll that he made himself. "How about this?" He holds up the voodoo doll. "That might work, Shane!" says Verity. "She's heading to the vessel now," says Odie. Doreen bit her lip, she was slightly nervous about seeing Veronika after all these years.