It’s a strange thing to die. Everything becomes hazy and you can only hear the stumbling beat of your own heart. Jonah was with me when I shut my eyes but that’s as far as I could recall. Now I was floating in a vat of black tarry substance watching my memories run by one by one.

  Leslie floated by before dissipating like so much smoke. The others followed. Siren and Jessica screamed as their essence disappeared slowly. Maryanne smiled brightly and then she too disappeared. She was the last and it was finally quiet in my mind before it was too quiet. I rose like mist from my body and watched as those around me either reacted or rejoiced from my passing. Nero was frozen above me and Jonah was holding me and glaring at the man who was staring at me and smiling.

  I glared and placed a hand on Jonah’s shoulder. My heart squeezed violently in its cage for all the broken promises we had between us. All those bad days between us seemed like they happened to another person and I was seeing the real Jonah now. He screamed at the god to bring me back but he only smiled and walked over to me. I felt a pull and then I was a golden ball in the man’s palm for all to see. I shone with radiance and power. I watched as a bridge of light came into being between this world and the next. It was a rainbow bridge with runes carved on its side that glowed a gentle silver. The man began to cross it with me in his palms. I struggled from his grasp but was only let free when we were at the other side.

  I glared at him. “Why are you following me to the afterlife? Wasn’t it enough that I died?” I asked rolling my eyes and he smiled.

  “You are not in the afterlife but somewhere in between where the trapped souls of my people lay. Only you can get them out,” he said.

  “What makes you I will help you?”

  “If you help me, I can get your body back to Earth and your friend as well,” he said.

  I thought about it. With me gone, Jonah was stuck on Sapherine for nothing unless he wanted to stay which I doubted.

  “What about Datha? Can she come?”

  “I can only return the otherworlders home.”

  Jonah would be heartbroken again. With Datha gone as well he would revert to his old self. I couldn’t let that happen to him.

  “Is there some way she could take my place? I’m dead.”

  “Believe me you don’t want that besides she would be unhappy on Earth. You know this.”

  I did but I would not take Datha away from Jonah.

  “If I do this and free your people’s souls then I want Jonah’s happiness insured, or no deal,” I said glaring up at him.

  He nodded.

  “I want an unbinding oath from you.”

  He sighed. “Fine. I Amel God of the Dark Kin hereby grant my oath to Myra Santos on granting her friend Jonah happiness once she retrieves the souls of my people,” he said. “Do you want to drink blood as well?”

  “Eww! No! The oath was enough,” I said wrinkling my nose and he laughed. That laugh was kind of familiar to me but I shrugged and faced the afterlife. It parted for me like velvet curtains.

  “You’ll only have your non elemental powers to use,” he said and I sighed, It was a relief to have them gone and at the same time, I missed them chattering in my head about the stupidest things. I didn’t miss their strange turn but I did miss the friendship we had forged between us during my capture. It had been nice for a while and I had forgotten that as nice as they were they could turn into my worst enemy with the slightest imbalance from me. I had forgotten the number one rule. They weren’t my friends, not all of them and I couldn’t rely on them for everything. Now I was dead and about to venture into a dead land to get souls. I could only use healing, hypnotism, telekinesis, telepathic, and invisibility. A fair arsonal but I didn’t know what I would be up against here in the land of the dead where everything was dead! I tried to imagine what they would say but nothing came. It was as if they were erased from my mind. Well technically I was an essence now, wasn’t I? No mind to think with really yet I still thought?

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  I stepped into my new home and marveled at the beauty of the place. Everything was a distinct shade of blue! My favorite color. The aroma of freshly baked pizza filled the air and I walked further. There was a crystal lake where whales swam! Further along the trail my favorite trees and shrubs grew and my favorite flowers bloomed and there in a wide meadow I saw my girls. My babies. My dogs. They had died almost seven years ago. They ran to me tails wagging and I hugged and played with each. I remembered my job and kept going. They followed me to a ridge that lined with my blue world. It was drab and grey and raining and it stood out. This was where I had to go. My dogs accompanied me to a foul-smelling cave but they couldn’t cross into it. They scraped at it with their paws and whined. I reassured them, then headed in. Inside, there was a light shining through, illuminating the whole cave and I followed it straight into the middle. On a daise carved with golden runes, there was a golden liquid full of softly glowing things. They flittered this way and that like fish. Were those the souls? How was I going to carry them? I climbed up to the daise and sunk my hand in the golden glowing liquid. The minute I did, the souls rushed inside me. They swam under my skin until I was glowing golden.

  “Eww! Now what?” I asked as an earthquake knocked me on my butt and the cavern shook. From the ground arose armed men dressed in white and carrying heavy blades.

  “Shit just got real,” I muttered, standing as one soldier attacked. I dodged and used telekinesis to block another soldier. I pushed him back and dodged the last soldier. I did not want to know what would happen to me if I died a second time! I disappeared and rushed out of the cave as fast as I could, dodging the men that arose from the walls to stop me. I used telekinesis to lift a boulder over one and fling another into the oncoming force. They chased me out of the cage where large rock giants were waiting. They were colossal and could see me even invisible as I was! The souls swam within me and I heard their cries.

  “You can use our powers,” they said.

  “Which are,” I muttered as I dodged a rock giant.

  “Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Ether,”

  “Alright!” I yelled summoning fire like I used to do. It was brighter and hotter than normal. I shot it at a giant and watched it melt partly. I paused. That was stronger than normal Fire! What were the these things really? A giant l attacked me and I summoned roots to wrap around it. Instead, spikes of stone embedded themselves deep inside the giant tearing it to pieces and I winced. I reached the ridge and climbed it passing into my blue world where my dogs were waiting for me. They ran alongside me, happy to join me in the game of chase. The armored men followed me into my world. I ran past the trail of my favorite fauna and past the sparkling lake and further until I was back at the edge of the afterlife again and I could see Amel.

  “I’ve got your souls...help me out of here,”I yelled at him.

  He looked up and smirked offering his hand. I took it and he pulled me through the barrier I had slammed against, like a spatula through pudding.

  I turned to face him. “Where do I put the souls? They’re all over me!” I cried watching as the souls swam right under my skin.

  “I’ll take them,” he said placing a golden glowing hand on me. The souls swam out and to the golden light until every swishy thing had left me. I sighed in relief and watched as he held a giant golden glowing orb.

  “Alright, you kept your promise so now it’s time to honor mine,” he said, placing his other hand on my shoulder. I coalesced into a ball and fitted his palm and we crossed over the rainbow bridge and back to where the council had Jonah captive. I felt a tug and my misty form was sucked back into my body. I opened my eyes and groaned.

  “See I told you, you wouldn’t like to trade places with the princess,” said Amel smirking.

  I blinked and watched the council as they terrorized my friends.

  Not on my watch!

  Amel gave me a hand up and extended the bright ball of souls.

  “They’ve already let you use them once. It won’t hurt to use them again,” he said shoving the ball inside my chest. I gasped as I felt those things swimming within me. Then I felt their power and smirked. Time to take the council down!