“Yes, yes, I do.”
“Okay well then have faith that God provided a way for Haven to find her way to him.” Mr. Taylor raises Kirra’s face to look her in the eyes. “God is good always, and his timing is perfect, never forget that.”
“You’re right, but I still can’t believe she’s gone. What am I going to do without her?”
“It’s going to take time. I know this a horrible loss, but we will get through this together. Let’s go home, honey.”
“But what about Mom, shouldn’t we wait for her?”
“She’s on the phone with Mr. Whitaker at the funeral home, making arrangements. Chris and Kelly made your mother and I executors of their will several years back. She asked me to go on and take you home. She won’t be far behind us.”
Lucius moves behind Kirra and her dad, then stops and turns toward me. “Are you okay, Haven?”
I nod my head woodenly up and down, even though I am definitely not okay. The thought of being saturated in Kirra’s grief suddenly seems more than I can bear.
“Would it be okay if we waited and left with Mrs. Taylor instead?”
Lucius looks at Kirra and Mr. Taylor and then to me. I know he can see that I am at a breaking point. “I think that would be okay.”
I am flooded with relief and move to the other end of the chapel to distance myself from the sight Kirra’s grief. I can feel Lucius’ presence behind me but don’t turn around.
“She will be okay, Haven. Her faith is strong.”
“I know…I just wish that I could tell her that I am alright.” I turn to him with an idea. “It must be possible. People tell ghost stories all the time.”
He raises his hand to silence me. There is an odd mixture of fear and resolve in his expression. “No! On this matter there is no discussion. It is far too risky. I will not lie and say that it cannot be done, but it is foolish and dangerous. I am sorry, Haven, but the dead are meant to keep their secrets.”
I think about arguing but admit to myself that I need to rely on his expertise in the area of purgatorial life, at least for the time being. I see his face relax when he realizes I am not going to try to dispute him, but it quickly turns to horror as Fin walks into chapel. For a split second I am so happy to see him here, I start to smile. But it doesn’t last. First, I notice the black mist trailing him licking at his body like the flame on a well-seasoned piece of firewood. There is piece wrapped around his right wrist like a vine. That’s when I notice the gun in his hand. I gasp in shock and horror. “Fin!” I start to run toward him but Lucius steps in front of me. “No, Haven, stay back he is to dangerous right now. We must leave immediately. We can still catch up with Kirra, and her father.”
I look to Fin then back to Lucius. “No, I can’t leave him. I left him when I was alive. I won’t do it again.” I walk straight through Lucius and am temporarily stunned by the explosion supernatural lights and colors. I shake it off and keep going. “Haven please” I hear the desperation in his voice, but I just can’t leave Fin again.”
I call out to him hoping by some miracle he can hear me. “Fin, what are doing? Put the gun down! This isn’t going to help anything!”
Lucius is back in front of me again. “No, Haven, this is not going to help anything! He can’t even hear you. All you are doing is putting us at risk. If he takes his life, this place will be filled with a great mass of darkness from which we will have no hope of escape.”
I look at him and I see the truth in his eyes, but I still can’t leave. “I can’t leave him, Lucius, but you can. Please get yourself to safety, I’ll find you when everything is alright. He won’t do this if I’m here. I have to believe there is some part of him that can still feel me near.”
“I cannot leave without you, Haven. You are not the only one with regrets. I will not lose another.”
I look around and see the darkness crawling in from the edges of the room, creeping up like a slow-moving fog. Then I hear whispers, they sound like a snake slithering. Only it’s not a whisper and its hurts my ears. It slashes like paper cuts to my eardrums. I can’t make out all the words; it just hurts too much, and the pitch and volume keep getting higher. I see Fin’s hand shake on the gun as he looks at the cross. Then I hear his low angry voice cut through the pain of the dark noise. “How could you take her from me? She was all I had, the only good thing here for me.” His face is distraught and angry, and in his eyes, I see total desolation. For the first time since seeing him walk into the church, I think he might actually do it. I run as close as I can get to him without getting too near the darkness, which puts me about six feet away. I start screaming at him and alternately praying for a miracle.
“Don’t you dare do it, Fin! Please, Fin I’m right here, please don’t. Oh God, please don’t let him do this…please, please, please.
I can hear more of the dark words cutting into my ears and making my head throb.
“Do it!”
“No Fin, don’t! Please
