Chapter 76

"Her soul is somewhere we can bring her back." the words echo over and over in my mind. Is it possible? Somewhere out there Kayla's soul is lost roaming, waiting to be brought home? For one split second I let the heartache creep in. The thought of her been alone and lost sent a wave of agony through me. Is Kayla in distress? Her soul suffering? Out there somewhere. A glimmer of hope alights inside me, then quickly vanishes as quickly as it comes. She is dead i tell my self. Sighing I blink a tear away and continue starring at my celing. Do I dare hope? If I let hope seep into my heart then the numbness I feel will melt away and the pain of losing Kayla will come crashing back. Maybe feeling nothing is better than the pain. Been numb to the world, my thoughts a empty vesssel. No real meaning. Maybe just maybe that is easier to deal with. "Chris, open the door! Its been three days!" Misty yells giving my door a hard bang. "I know your in there." She adds in a small voice that holds such a deep sadness. Yet I feel nothing. Before the sound of her hurt would install a protective emotion in me. Yet i feel nothing. James says I have been plauged by the dark cloud of depression. I just need time. Time to grieve. After a day he slapped me on the back and told me to get over my self pity. The world is a shit hole and that he needs my help. But what is the world? Without love or hope? What happens when you lose everything? When you feel nothing but a cold emptyness inside? James doesnt understand. Does he even know what we are fighting for? It feels like we are fighting for nothing. Do we really ever win? Or does winning come with a price? A price so high it destroys you. I close my eyes to block out the invading thoughts. To block out Misty's quiet sobs outside my bedroom door and the pain that was threatening to sneak back into my heart.

"Chris.......Chris help me.......Chris.......help me." I bolt upright. My eyes scan the darknened room. I was alone. Kayla sweet voice, lingers in my ears. The scar on my hand tingles and I rub at it. Is this possible? Crystal is not gone, but just lost? I jump from the bed and rush out of my room. "James! Misty!" I yell as I run down the stairs and dart into the kitchen. "James! Misty!" I yell again pulling a map out of the junk door as our mother calls it. Misty enters the room her dark hair sticking up in all directions wearing a night dress. "I am glad you are up and about. But Chris it is three thrity in the morning." she groans. Kissing me gently on the cheek before taking a seat at the breakfast bar. She as never been a morning person. James enters a few minutes later in just is boxers and red rimmed eyes. " You do know its sleep time?" James asks with a slight eyebrow raise. "Does it matter?" I ask. "I guess not." James says taking a seat next to Misty and giving her a questioning look, she responds with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Whats with the map and why you yelling down the house?" James asks and i grin. I place the map of the world in front of them both. "Kayla is still out there." I say and they both look at each other as if i have gone mad. "Chris...." I cut Misty and her sorrowful voice off. "Her soul is out there. I know. I can feel her." I look down at my hand and back up at my siblings. "We need to find her." I whisper as doubt starts to creep into my mind. Did I just dream her calling out for help? Perhaps I did. "Chris we all wanna belive that Crystal is still out there. That one day she will return. But she is dead. We all saw." James says slowly and in a voice i have never heard him use before. It is like he is talking to a young child he feared would start having a crying fit. "We all loved her. We will all truley miss her. But we have to accept the fate that Kayla was delt." James adds. "No i wont. she is out there. i know she is and she needs me." I look into James's eyes with detrimintaion. "She needs us." I add.
"Okay, if Kayla's soul is still out there. I somehow don't think a map will help us." Mistys says pushing the map to oneside and standing. She runs her fingers through her tangled hair and her eyebrows scrunch in deep thought. "Misty lets not encourage these ideas. it will only lead to more pain." James says and Misty puts her hands on her hips and gives him a glare that says one more word if you dare. She may be the youngest of the three of us but she as a side that even we would not mess with.
"How does one locate a lost soul?" Misty said placing her finger on her chin.
"Thats easy, Lost souls are neither dead nor alive. They are in the In-Between. sperated from the ones that have moved on and the living by a veil." We all turn to look at Rory our younger brother with our mouths slightly agape.
"What, we did about ghosts in class." He shrugs and we continue to stare at him.
"How do we get to the In-Between?" I ask in almost a whisper.
"You have to die." Rory says and Misty gasps.
"No not happening." she almost yells.
"you know some people have been dead for a few minutes before been brought back." Rory says with a twinkle in his eyes. "Old mad Donald talks about it all the time. About the veil." Rory says and my heart leaps. He is right. Old man Donald talks about the veil and the monsters that lurk just behind a thin wall, ready to strike. Is he talking about the In-Between?
"We need to talk to Old man Donald." I say and Misty nods. James still looks unconvinced. But I have hope.
"If Kayla is in the In-Between then we need to save her." Rory says and in unison we all say. "No." Rory is the youngest the baby of our family and we are all very protective of him.
"Thats not fair." He whines.
Can we really save Kayla?