The Life of Her

Plopping the Details

The door shut close and the splendor dwelling was enough to catch our own breath. It was astonishing and vast. A large, crystallized chandelier was dangling above us, magnificently welcoming its comers. Its ceiling wall was decorated with lanterns and probably has the height of almost eight feet. The soft, melodic song was heard from the old that was on a wooden, embellished desk, beside the comparatively, lively harp. The floor was marbled and the walls were made with rubies. I bit my lip as soon as we entered the room. Amber was also amazed by its magnificence.

A cold breeze suddenly entered the room, then came several, rushing steps from the back. We turned our gaze and recognize a polished, white mouse with a black bowtie and a hat with a red feather on its side. Its ears were as sharp as the cat’s and its eyes were oceanic blue. It passed through our feet and went to Ms. Everly, pacing its feet up until to her shoulders.

The woman wriggled in delight when she witnessed the small creature. She clasped her hands and said, “Oh, Guiltz! Where have you been all this time? I’ve been looking for you.”

The mouse pulled its hat and laid a bow to her. “Greatness, Ms. Everly. I’ve been tasked to search for someone else. The Minister had requested for it. I wasn’t able to send my departure for it has been an emergency call.”

I covered my mouth when I heard it talked.

“Now, that’s interesting. Talks about surprises, huh. I wouldn’t be surprised if that book can talk too.”” Amber whispered to herself, glancing over the pillar that was in the center, where an unwieldy, rubicund book was on top of it.

“I hear your heart, woman.” A deep voice suddenly said, echoing inside.

Our eyes roamed, trying to figure out who it was, but then we heard a boisterous laugh from Ms. Everly.

“Who was that?” Amber asked.

“It’s Onis, the pathfinder. Apparently, it’s the book on that rock that had talked.” She said.

Ms. Everly walked near the pillar and held the book in her arms. It was purely heavy, but still, she managed to bring it forthwith to us.

“Say hello to them, Onis.” She stated.

The red book has gold swirled patterns around a mirror on its right corner. Slowly, a cloud was forming in the mirror, circling around and a face of a man, probably in his mid-thirties, appeared. He had this ash grey, bristled hair, luscious lips and bushy eyebrows. His eyes were cyan blue, wearing his thick-lensed black glances. He blinked twice and narrowed his eyes to the woman.

“Oh, hello there, Ms. Everly Willow Adair. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Oh, do you want to read some of the records now? I heard there’s an exemplar. It’s been years since we have someone to be as one. Did the heaven gran one’s wishes?” The book had spoken.

Amber chuckled in amusement. Sure, she’s quite fascinated with what’s happening, but she’s also been aggravated about a while ago. Ms. Everly rubbed her temple.

“Yes. It’s been years since the last time we handled one.” She said and raised the book to face us.

“Who are they, Ms. Everly?” He asked, focusing his attention to Amber. “And she’s a specter. How come she was able to get inside here?”

The woman cleared her throat and eyed Amber. “As far as I know, she’s the exemplar and I’m the one who was tasked to guide her.”

“Then what about this woman, standing beside the ghost. They looked the same.”

“It’s a different soul that had consumed her body. Somehow, things didn’t go well in her time, and a scourge was made by her own self, symbolized by the crimson hands being intertwined tattooed on her wrist. A young lad is currently in her body and somehow, he was also able to take control of it.”

“Where’s the guy’s temple?”

“Currently in the hospital in a vegetative state.”

“I see, then let’s get things started. The moon is about to rise. It will be a great risk if you choose to get yourselves outside. Why don’t we have a little chitchat here? Guiltz, will you make some tea for our guests tonight?” The man said.

The mouse bowed his head to the book. “Yes, Sir.”

It jumped on the ground and paced towards the right wall. Tapping something on it, the wall gradually moved to the left and a secret passage was formed, leading to another room. I was able to take a glimpse of it – shelves of thick books, just like Onis were there, surrounding the room. Probably, it’s a library. It went inside and the wall moved to its original setting, closing it wholly.

“It’s the tearoom. Though, the Young Master was fond of taking most of his leisure time in reading novels with those bottled wines, he changed the room into his own library.” Ms. Everly stated. “Now, both of you come, and will discuss things then.”

She asked us to gather around. She twirled her fingers on top of her and uttered, “Walk like a man. Move like a soul. May you find the will to take a stall.” She pointed to the wooden, brazen chairs and her sparkle touched them. Moments later, they have started to move on their own, passing us and circled themselves.

Ms. Everly tapped her fingers and looked at us with her usual smile. “Settle down, please.”

I walked and rested myself on one of those chairs. Ms. Everly put Onis in front of us, on a chair and she settled herself across to me. Amber stood still beside me.

The clock suddenly belled, making a loud ticking sound. It laid an unnerving fuss, making everyone stared at it. It’s now six in the evening. I should probably get back home now. Shin would probably freak out if she will ever check me up inside the apartment and realize that I wasn’t even there. I shook my head, erasing my imagination about it. I’ll just make an excuse, when I come back. Still, I do hope that they’re already asleep by that time.

“Now, that we’re all gathered here, please don’t make any unnecessary movements, especially noises. They might track us down here.” Onis stated.

A rumbling sound was heard above us. I noticed Ms. Everly, holding her hands tight as she watched the ceiling wall. The sound eventually had stopped, then the woman spoke. “This is a secured place. The barriers will hinder them if ever, but we don’t want them to find this lair. So, the two of you don’t make a clamor.”

“Why am I included? It’s not like those creatures that you’re referring above us will probably hear a ghost speaking.” Amber scoffed.

“They’ll surely hear you. Especially then their main target is someone like you.” Guiltz suddenly pondered from below, moving towards us as he simply helps a tray filled with cups and teas with his tiny hands.

This mouse has an enormous strength, certainly. Ms. Everly took the tray from him and gently placed it on the marbled table. The mouse moved to her right shoulder and settled.

“Guiltz is right. They will hear you. And if they catch you, your soul will be just like them – the avenging ones. We call them Shiers - drawn by death and had taken themselves into predators. Filled with unending hunger to consume someone’s soul, especially those who’re in the mission. They were just like you, hoping for them to get back in life or seek the light themselves. When they heard about the contract, some of them raged and went berserk, forming their own into shiers. Some didn’t make it through during the test and the others were taken by some of them. You’ll know that it is one when a dark mist is around a ghoul.” Ms. Everly stated. “And I guessed, your friend beside you almost got herself into one.”

I heard Amber took a gulp. “Okay, now we know about that creepy stuff above there. Tell us why we’re here and why are we like this.”

My ears heightened when she was able to lay the topic.

“The day when you were hit by the car, I saw this one.” She opened her pouch and snatched a mini container filled with a dark grey mist, moving inside gradually. “I was tasked with a mission and it was you. I was about to fetch you up, without letting you into suffering by taking a hit by a vehicle. It would have been a peaceful death, but then, I recognized a shier continually following you and was ready to take a soul with the others. The more they are around you, the more a bad thing will happen to you. And that time…it had lured some of its company.”

“So what’s your point? So, that time will be last day and you were assigned to take me? But things didn’t go in your way because of those vile creatures that had almost taken me, so now I’m like this? So what about, Trenton? What does it have to deal with him?”

“You’re in the same line, Amber. Apparently, my next target was him. But I guessed, destiny had already made its way for the three of us to meet in one area that time. One thing that’s bewildering was that, you got a connection with one another that made a bond right at that moment, which is on Amber’s wrist. Your soul is about to be taken by the shiers, but the bond was made stronger when someone from the heavens had requested the Young Master to give you a chance to make things right and go to his place, where someone you loved had already taken himself inside.”

She held her cup and took a sip. “Why don’t you drink yours too? It’s really good. Also, you don’t have to worry about the one making these. Guiltz is our cook here for years and it’s assured that all the meals and drinks he serves are well cleaned.”

“I’m not like the ones in the sewers.” He commented.

I softly chuckled and grabbed my cup. It was still hot. I took a sip of it and Ms. Everly was right, the cute, little mouse has the talent and skills. Amber didn’t move in her spot, just patiently looking over the woman. I felt her nerves is about to be splendidly going to blast in any moment from now.

“You can take yours too, young lady. In the Great Lair, ghosts can touch anything just like the living ones.” Ms. Everly simply said.

Amber grabbed hers and finished her cup of tea in an instant, now settled herself beside me. She was willing to lend some ears to the woman in front of us who’s betting between life and death, which in turn, we are the subjects. Ms. Adair pulled Onis to her and scanned his pages.

“How will we be able to solve this matter?” I promptly asked, placing the cup back on the tray. Guiltz hurdled on the table and sat. He took off his hat and played with its feather. I wanted to give him a tap or maybe touched his tale, but I thought it would be rude to do it.

“There are many ways to do it, but I’ll offer you the simplest one. In order for you to get yourself back in your body and have Amber ascended in heaven, you need to find at least twelve persons whom Amber Kate Madison had done something evil or hurt them. You need to ask for their forgiveness and every time you’ll get it, a single drop of their tears will be put in here.”

“That’s the simplest one?” Amber scoffed.

“Well, if you want another way then maybe you can go and find the Young Master yourself and asked him for you to go to the heaven, or you can kill the Head of the shiers for you to use its hard as the gate’s key to pass the heaven, or…. You can

She tapped her fingers on Onis. Then, it started to glow and opened a small opening in the middle of its pages. Something was coming out from the book. Little by little, Ms. Everly pulled a silver necklace with a small, glass heart pendant that was dangling around. She closed Onis and raised the thing she took from him.

“This is the Pure Ampule. It will serve as a vessel for the tears that you will be collecting.” She added and presented it to Amber.

The young lady took it and intently examined its pendant.”

She raised her head and faced Ms. Everly. “Not to brag, but I’m no good one here. How will I know that those people whom I’m going to find are worthy to have their tears?”

“You don’t have to worry about that thing. The Young Master had taken care of that.” Ms. Everly responded and flipped the book onto the next page.

Amber walked to her and stood beside her. She was reading what is being written in the book.

“This is the list of the people you owe your forgiveness of that you’ve done…let’s just say…the bad things. The top twelve were indicated and the rest followed. It will be up to you if you're going to pick them randomly or according to their order." She stated.

Since then, always been a cat that was ready to die out of curiosity. My fingers were itching to touch Onis, that I let my feet traveled to them, taking myself to read also what was written on him.

Just like what Ms. Adair had said, it was a composition of names and I thought that they all have their connection with Amber. She was continually reading up until the bottom of the page. There were almost sixty in number, but the first one...I'm quite sure it will be a tough one, not only for her but also for me, especially I'm the one residing in this body.

Amber rubbed her temple. Her eyebrows met and we could see the contemptuous look on her face.

"As if I'm going to do this." She said irritatingly and moved back.

Guiltz looked at her. The mouse was serious as his whiskers moved. "There are still many who're waiting in the line. You should be at least thankful for the one who requested this - that you'll be an exemplar."

Amber taunted. "Did I ask you to take my life?"

Sadness was there right through her eyes. I heard Ms. Everly took a sigh and jolted from her seat.

"Amber...all of us, even the others don't want you dead....but your time is up. Please reconsider this chance for you to go up. Unless you want to go beneath the surface, then you should go and be one of those shiers."

"I'll definitely would do that." She rolled her eyes and started to walk away to the door.

"Your father asked the Young Master to give you a chance.." Ms.Everly stated.

She suddenly stopped her feet, freezing on the ground. She slowly turned herself and gave us a cold stare.

"What are you talking about?" She laid the question.

Ms. Everly moved to her. "Your father was the one who requested to give you a chance...to make things right, to ask for forgiveness to those you've hurt, to be set free from grudge and...to be with him..."

They stared at each other.

Amber took a deep sigh. "Is...this even real?"

The woman simply nodded as a response.

"Then why it has to be me? Why did my life end?"

Tears formed at the corner of her eyes. She sniffed and rubbed them harshly. She was mad but she's trying to control herself. I stood up and was about to walk to her, but I froze when I heard she talked.

"Tell me...is life too unfair to ask for such years to live more? Why do things tend to mess up around me? Am I this selfish that I have to bear all of this?"

A pair of hands suddenly wrapped around her, holding her close. Ms. Everly hugged her tight.

"I may not know all your hatred and heartaches, hopes and desired...but...it's okay not to be okay. You don't have to hide your feelings anymore. I'm here to accompany you no matter what. Not because you're my mission, but because I'm once like you" She said in her ears.

And it was then, I saw a girl so fragile - bursting her soul with tears as she shakingly clasped Ms. Everly between her sobs. She was exhausted and we could feel her agonizing.

She was hurt.

And just like what Mom said before, even the strongest people have also their weaknesses. And this time I could tell,

I'm not okay too.