CHAPTER 32: THE END IS NIGH

D-Day-6

It was past midnight and a lone figure wrapped in black fog stood atop a hill overlooking a snow-capped village below. All around, a blizzard began to pick up speed and the fierce wind blew and blinding speed, smashing everything in its way. An unnaturally thick mist began to form below, shrouding the village.

The lone figure in long dark cloak was soon joined by another.

“Suzanne Summers refused to join us,” the second figure said, its voice dripping with malice.

The black fog around the first wavered slightly and an eerie laugh came from it, “Fool.”

“There are only a few gifted ones left. It will be easy to take them down. The Dark Lord will be pleased.”

The first figure leaned forward slightly and stretched out a hand. Black mist seeped out from within its long sleeves, gathering under the hand of the dark figure. Around them, the blizzard grew even stronger and the wind howled through the hill like the beginning of creation.

The figure suddenly jerked open its palm and the swirl of black mist under its hand charged towards the village like a beast possessed, taking the lives of everyone below, big and small. There would be no survivors.

Come morning, outsiders would come to find mummified corpses of the villagers’ bodies, there would be no spirits lingering around for their souls would be forever be trapped within the abyss where there was nothing but eternal damnation.

***

With the last of the enchantments cast, a web of golden glowing threads forming the protective barrier was finally set in place. And in the middle of the darkened lobby stood Hans. A vertical tunnel of radiant white light beamed up all the way to the coffered ceiling and a spectrum of colours were bouncing off the walls.

The grim reaper had come.

Hans had the spirits lined up, one after the other, waiting to take their final journey into the afterlife. Jimmy the ghost was quiet for once, looking nervous while the little boy with the teddy bear clapped his hands in wonder. He had to be held back by the brooding teenager from running straight into the circle of light.

Hans smiled at the grim reaper while Marcelino nodded his head at him. The grim reaper gave them a little bow and from the heavenly lights, a rainbow bridge began to form.

“Any word from the big guy up there on the black mist?” Hans called out to the grim reaper as he helped the first spirit onto the bridge. It was the spirit with the big beer belly, He held his hands up like a heavyweight champion, creating an uproar of laughter from the otherwise solemn group of spirits.

The grim reaper cocked his head, gave a little smile and nonchalant shrug before sending off the first spirit.

By the time the majority of spirits cross the rainbow bridge, the second day had come and gone. Both Hans and Marcelino were spent, exhausted from having concocted a protective barrier on such a grand scale. It made Hans wonder how they were going to pull off the final battle without dying from physical exhaustion first.

Marcelino laid sprawled on the cold marble floor while Hans sat cross-legged nearby, looking on as the grim reaper sent the last spirit, the brooding teenager off. The teenager turned around, taking in the view of the great mansion one last time and then turning his gaze to Hans. It seemed to Hans as if he wanted to say something but then thought better of it.

“Speak your last words lad,” Hans called out.

The teenager bit his shimmery lips. He had felt the darkness in Suzanne’s touch on the plane and had an inkling as to what was coming. He opened his mouth, and with a quivering voice he asked timidly, “My parents will be alright…won’t they?”

Hans’ heart sank, as much as he wanted to instil hope in the teenage spirit, he had no answer for him. The feeling of dread weighed heavily in his heart as fear crept into his mind. He had not been afraid before this, not even when he had read the inscription. But now he had to wonder if they would all survive this. Would this be the end of life as they knew it?

There was so much that he wanted to do, places to go and people to meet. Why did it have to come to this? How did such evil come to this world? Where was the big guy when they needed him?

To his surprise, the grim reaper put a reassuring hand on the teenage spirit’s arm. In all his years as a clairvoyant, he had never heard the grim reaper speak. But at this very moment, the grim reaper opened his mouth and spoke. His voice was not of this world, it was ethereal, delicate and light and it reminded Hans of overflowing milk and honey.

“HaShem did not bring you this far to abandon you. HE will not forsake you.”

The grim reaper’s angelic voice and words had a profound effect on Hans, for it swept away his fears and worries in a great tide of peace. Hans felt only love emanating from the grim reaper. At that moment, he smiled, as did Marcelino.

They both got up with renewed vigour. Perhaps all was not lost, perhaps there was hope after all.