4. Strangers Under the Moonlit Sky
Chapter four
Strangers Under the Moonlit Sky
Nicodemus
Before I headed home for the day, I made sure to keep my promise and find the soul who I made plans to meet that morning.
When I entered Caelum, he was in fact lingering by the main entrance, conversing with Avalon somewhat cheerfully.
She had agreed to let him wait for me at the gates, not a privilege given to most, but I had sent her a message to allow this earlier that morning.
That, and he was pretty well behaved for a soul teetering on torment.
The main reason as to why I agreed to do this was because of the color his soul was when I found him this morning.
Souls who were pure white were close to giving up, succumbing to their own devastation, and if that soul became white in Caelum, it would be sent back to Purgatory to either melt away, or try and resolve its issues on its own.
Most of the time, the latter happened, and if I could keep him from disappearing into nothingness, maybe I could sleep a little better at night.
Avalon waved to me cheerfully as I crossed the clouds, the black smoke from my cloak mixing with the white fluff around me and turning it a sickly grey.
It seemed like everywhere I went I drained the color and life out of all things.
My very presence was such a depressing thing, and I wondered at that moment how anyone in my close circle could stand being around me.
I shook these thoughts away as I held a hand out to the soul. “You never told me your name?” I prompted in a cheerful, but fake, tone.
He smirked lopsidedly and took my outstretched gesture. “It’s Malcolm.”
I nodded once to ensure I got his name right the first time. “Malcolm: ok, nice. I'll be back with our friend soon, Avalon,” I called over my shoulder.
“Take your time! I’ll be here all night!” she chimed before waving again and disappearing through the gates of Caelum.
I gently tugged Malcolm forward. “I’ll need to condense you into an orb to transport you to the Human Realm, so hold on tight for a moment.
” The hand Malcolm had given me vanished when I laid my other on top of his, sandwiching his own in between mine.
Once I did this, his soul contorted before shrinking into a tiny orb that fit perfectly in the palm of my hand, a delicate little blob that I brushed my cheeks against. I always loved the feeling of souls.
Good souls felt like purring cats, soft to the touch and warm against my cheeks when I nestled into them.
It always calmed me to breathe in their essence, and I knew it comforted the soul as well.
“On we go!” I said before conjuring a portal to Earth and soaring over the skies of South Carolina once more.
On my flight, I passed over the remanence of the old hotel, which was now being converted into a museum.
It pained me to see them demolishing a building I kept so near and dear to my heart but knowing I could visit Beaux in Caelum and see the Brisbane in its former glory was enough to keep me going.
Malcom's soul throbbed the closer we got to his home, to a little apartment in the center of downtown that his girlfriend lived in. I slipped in through a cracked window and pulled his soul from my chest so he could rematerialize and take in the sights around him. His initial reaction was to chuckle loosely, and finger one of the hanging plants that hung from a planter screwed into the ceiling. “I always hated these plants, always complained about them. That seems so trivial, now. She’s bought even more than before, but now, they brighten the space in ways I never imagined.”
“Looks like someone is coming,” I prompted, pointing to the unlocking front door.
Malcolm and I sunk into the couch and waited for a young woman with tendrils of brunette locks to enter the apartment, lugging armfuls of grocery bags.
She was heavily pregnant to Malcolm’s astonishment and followed by a tall and lanky man who adorned a delivery driver’s uniform.
He took the bags from her and set them on the counter, then tipped his hat with a smile, excusing himself.
The two exchanged flirtatious giggles before the door shut behind him, leaving the girl to sigh and sink into an armchair.
“She’s... pregnant? With m-...?” Malcolm couldn't force the words out.
The girl sat still for a moment before she fingered for one of the pictures on the shelf next to her, which was of her and Malcolm on a trip to Hawaii.
She ran her fingers down the length of the frame, then held her stomach with tears in her eyes.
“Just a week away, and I'll have a piece of you with me once again. I'll have your eyes, your nose, and your adorable smile... I’ll have you to come home to when the nights are long, when the sadness of losing you becomes too much. I can’t wait...” She set the picture down and continued to hum to her stomach, lost in thought.
Malcolm's eyes flooded with tears, his lips trembling as he managed to speak, “I left her, alone, with a baby... my baby? Our wonderful child... our blessing we always wanted. I can’t... I can’t believe this is happening.”
I tried to pat his shoulder, but he jerked away to bury his face in his hands so he could sob in private. I pondered how I could make the best of such a shitty situation and resolved with offering him something I knew would probably get me in trouble, but I didn’t really care at the moment.
I shifted to tug at the hand he had on his face, and once he allowed me to do so, I brought his broken eyes up to me.
“I know how devastating this is for you, truly, I do. I cannot bring you back to her, as much as I want to, as you don’t have a body to return to.
I can offer you something else, though.”
“What can you offer me?” he sniveled.
“A choice. I will say, if you choose to do this, you give up your spot in Caelum for the time being. I cannot return you to Caelum until this agreement is fulfilled, even if things take a turn for the worse, and you want out.” I explained this carefully so he would understand how serious I was.
“I understand...” he finally whispered.
I took both of his hands and held them firmly.
“I can give you twenty years with her. That's enough to see your child grow, to try and set her up with someone new, to help her move on. You can nudge her in the right direction, help her in little ways, watch over the two from a distance. You won’t be able to do much, but you could put a glass in the cabinet when she’s not home for example.
There are two conditions, though.” I held a finger up each time I voiced one.
“One, you won’t be able to speak to her.
You can find ways to communicate, but no direct contact.
Two, when the twenty years is up, I will be back to collect your soul no matter what.
If you can agree to these conditions, I will grant you this time on Earth with her.
Again, you cannot return until the contract is up, so really think about if this is the right choice. ”
Malcolm took his time, alright. Fifteen minutes at that.
He watched his girlfriend sing to their unborn child for a good portion of the time, then stared at his hands for the remaining time.
I stayed patient, knowing this was a huge decision, and I didn’t want to rush him into anything.
He finally tipped the picture of the two over, startling the girl.
She blinked heavily at the picture before a small smile cracked across her cheeks.
“You’re here with me, aren’t you? I love you so much.
I miss you more than you’ll ever know.” She began to cry harder, bubbling tears as she wiped them with trembling hands.
He reached forward and brushed his hand over her hair, and though neither of them could feel his touch, it still warmed his soul enough that some of the color returned to him.
“I want to stay with them, for as long as I can. I will agree to your terms and do my best to enjoy what short amount of time I have with them.”
I nodded solemnly and stood. Malcolm watched me prick my finger with the tip of my scythe, and once blood pooled from the cut, I painted a symbol onto his forehead.
“Tibi facultatem do regna transeundi, inter vivos sis. Cum illis move, inter eos vive, donec tempus tuum iterum adveniat,”1 I commanded before flashing black eyes and pressing my palm to his skin.
A white light illuminated the room before a pulse of power exploded through Malcolm, making him gasp slightly.
When I knew the spell had taken effect, I brought my hand down so he could shake mine.
“Good luck, friend. I will be back for you when the time comes, but for now, be with your love. Enjoy every moment together and enjoy watching your child grow.”
“Thank you...!” he choked as I dissipated from the room.
I walked the streets of downtown Charleston with my hands deep in my pockets, on a mission to bring back some shrimp and grits for Xenobia. I knew she would appreciate something familiar, and she had certainly worked hard enough that she deserved a treat.
The streetlights were drowned out by the overwhelming full moon that lit up the sky tonight, washing the barren streets in its loving glow and filling me with a sense of hominess.
I hadn’t walked under the pale moonlight in some time, and for once, I let myself be calmed by my home planet.
“I should take a trip up to see you, my moon...” I crooned as I sat on a bench, letting my arms fall on the back of it so I could bring my head back and soak in the rays beaming down on me.