The Mourners
Chapter 2
Soon the moon will be bathing in blood.
“How did we plunge into this situation?” Cassandra shouted, clenching her fists, “I’m afraid!” The words caught in her throat.
For a moment she lay still, gathering her wandering thoughts.
“Those monsters are devouring our souls, I can’t let my people suffer” she spoke seriously.
Her lips tightened and choked a few breaths.
“I can’t get why they are dumping us into the human world for a living. Why do we need to help them? We are in perils too “
But there she stopped, suddenly. She whiffed the earthly scent, and her blood turned to ice.
“Hang on! Can you smell it?” Asked Cassandra.
“What kind of smell?” Responded Owlf. “Oh! I just got a whiff of cotton candy. Sweet and delicious and yumm.”
She glared at Owlf who was now ruffling his feathers. His face was light brown with black horizontal barring, plumicorns marked by black patches.
Murphy was tall and wood-colored. She wore a pointed hat that she created to kill her loneliness when she was seven. Her eyes bore into owlf. His mouth twisted wryly,as he flinched back. She traced the pattern of scent by a touch.
Cassandra’s stale hazel eyes darted around the classy winged mirror, fixing on a little girl who had violet eyes, short tawny hair, and seemed to be caught up in the dizzy spin of speculation. Cassandra cleared her throat to get her attention.
“Who are you? No wait! What are you doing here?” she asked.
“That’s what I want to know too? Cassada” Ann spoke up.
“It’s Cassandra’, Cassandra corrected, ‘not Cassada, you little…”
“How did you get in?” Ann pointed her tiny finger towards the twin headed woman. Two souls merge in one.
Cassandra stopped and swallowed.
“Say it again. You can see Gabies? Oh My goodness!” She queried.
Her brain stuttered for a moment. Then Ann saw an odd smile as Gabbies’ lips curled. Shuttering as she felt that manipulating grin, Ann nervously whisked back her hair..
“She could have ESP.” Murphy murmured.
Owlf slowly placed his feathery hand over his mouth and started shouting.
“Folks! we finally got a mortal with a unique perception after decades.”
Ann wasn’t certain what they were talking about. She shot a quizzical look.
“Am I dead?” she enquired.
“No sweetie.” Gabies said softly and then turned on a sputtering Owlf.
“Owlf! Stop yelling, you’re scaring her.”
The pewter haired Gabies stepped from the shadows, put Ann into their arms and placed one hand on Casandra’s shoulder, who had been staring into utter blackness.
“What happened to her?” Ann questioned.
“She is in awe because she never anticipated an ESP presence in
Appalachian. We didn’t bring her fate and pulled her in Cassie,” Gabies blurted.
Ann could see the shadows popping out through the waxy windows. The mist was now floating inside the old house. As she looked over her shoulders she noticed the walls were getting bigger, and within seconds the old house was now a murky castle.
She stared at the flames of the sizzling fire looming at the castle’s top. The spooky castle was embraced by deep shadows, frosty winds, ghouls, wizards, sorcerers, owls, ghosts, witches, and some mystical creatures. All covered in dark sooty cloaks.The granite wrapped around the walls. The frothy floor was flooded with turquoise water. Gabbie put Ann down.The cold water battered lightly against her bare feet. Oddly her feet were still dry.
“What’s this place?” Ann asked curiously.
“Bienvenidas! You are in Appalachian Oficina de Investigación Criminal. Here we rack up facts, and evidence against criminals, bodies, souls. In short, we punish lousy folk”. Gabies replied cheerfully.
“Woah! Sounds cool,” Ann murmured.
A chaotic clang echoed through the castle.
“No, I don’t want to attend this reunion. I’m getting this feeling. They will dump mourner’s cases on me.” Cassandra whimpered. Tears race down her face.
“Here we go again,” Murphy retorted.
“Who stir the shitpot when you were not ready to lick the spoon. Now wipe your crocodile tears and stop thinking what they might do to you,” Owlf grumbled.
“How can I stop thinking? I need to figure it out.” Cassandra muttered under her breath.
“What is that ominous sound?” Ann asked, her lips curving into a wicked smile.Her voice interrupting Cassandra’s thoughts.
