#2
She took a big breath and nodded for me to take one with her. Together we exhaled, and I let the tension slough off my shoulders.
“You okay?”
I nodded. “Yes. Sorry. I spun out for a second there.”
“You’ve got me to grab the wheel. Always have, always will.”
She squeezed my hand and I smiled, memories of the number of times she’d calmed my easily frazzled nerves filling my mind.
Mabel was always cool in any situation, and I tended to spin like a top at the slightest upheaval.
It was part of why she was such a treasured person to me.
Like a security blanket she could wrap me up in with just one smile.
Kafziel opened the door and walked back behind his desk, sitting down and steepling his fingers as he looked at us.
My heart pounded against my chest so hard I was certain he could hear it.
He cleared his throat. “I believe you two would make excellent Crossing Guards.”
Mabel squeezed my hand tight. “You do?”
“Yes. I’ve reviewed your files, and I don’t see anything to contradict the job description.” We nodded earnestly, and Kafziel continued, “There are a few formalities. You’ll need to sign these forms and undergo a brief training session. Are you prepared for that?”
“Absolutely,” Mabel said, her eyes gleaming with excitement, and I nodded so hard my neck would have hurt if I could still feel pain.
He leaned back in his chair and his full lips lifted into a half smile. “Then welcome to the Crossing Guards.”
The anxiety bouncing around inside me nearly burst out my skin as I smiled and said, “Thank you, Kafziel. We won’t let you down.”
“Good. Then follow me for processing and we’ll get you assigned.”
We followed him to a different room then filled out the forms, and Kafziel provided us with a detailed overview of our duties.
I tried to focus on the responsibilities and the rules that applied to being Crossing Guards, but my mind kept drifting to our secret plan.
Could we really pull this off without getting into serious trouble?
After several hours, we completed the paperwork and training overview. Kafziel stood up and lead us to a different room, this one a large, empty room with an ornate door marked “Earth.”
“Is that how we get there?” I asked, pointing at the door.
Kafziel nodded.
“Are we going… now? Today?” Mabel’s eyes got wide.
“Well, we are actually a little slow on volunteers at the moment. It’s a lot to ask souls to leave the warm and wonderful world of Heaven to endure the pains and sorrows down on Earth. If you’re up for it, you can start your assignment now.”
I looked to Mabel for reassurance, and by the light illuminating in her expression, I knew the answer that was popping out of her mouth.
“Yes! We are ready!” she said.
He looked to me. “And you?”
With a deep breath, I gave him a nod. “I’m ready.”
A stern stare passed between us. “Remember, this is a noble task, and I trust you’ll take it seriously.”
“We will,” I answered honestly. Even if we did manage to get into a little trouble on the side, I wouldn’t shirk my duties of helping souls move onto their next life.
“Normally, Crossing Guards operate individually, but we’ve seen in your files that you two can’t be separated.”
She and I looked at each other, then looked back at him giving him a confirming nod.
“So, we will only give you one beacon and the two of you will function as one. Where one goes, the other goes, and when the beacon flashes blue to alert you to a soul in need, you’ll travel to them together.”
“Okay, so we stay together,” I said, glad for that because there was no way I was going back to Earth without Mabel.
“Here is the manual you can refer to if you have questions, and if you get in any serious trouble, you can also press your beacon and an angel will come down to assist you. Remember, it’s imperative you help these souls move on to their next journey.
If they refuse to go, they become lost souls and if they stay too long… ”
I remembered his words in our training. “They will get reaped and cease to exist,” I said, then swallowed over the lump in my throat hoping we didn’t fail any of the souls that would cross our paths.
“Good luck, ladies. Your temporary shift is two weeks, and then your beacon will go off to direct you back to a door on Earth that opens to this one. At that time, we’ll check in and do an evaluation to see if you are up to this task on a more permanent basis. I hope to hear only good reports.”
Again, that accusatory glance passed between us, and I could swear he knew we were up to no good, but instead of grabbing us by the hair and casting us to Hell, he just gave a sharp nod and walked over the door.
“Safe travels.”
He opened the door and I squinted against the blinding white light.
Mabel bounced on her toes, her enthusiasm infectious. “This is it. Here we go. Ready, Millie?”
I took a deep breath, trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach, a potent mix of excitement and dread bubbling up inside of me. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
We stood before the door, the reality of our plan sinking in. Mabel was practically glowing with excitement, while I felt a mix of fear and anticipation.
“Just think of it as our next big adventure,” Mabel said, her voice filled with confidence. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
I shot her a nervous glance. “You really want me to answer that?”
She laughed, and despite my fear, I couldn’t help but join in. “We’ve got this, Millie. Together, we can handle anything.”
I nodded, feeling a surge of courage. “Alright. Let’s do this.”
We took a deep breath, and with a final, shared look of determination, we gripped our hands tight together and stepped through, ready to embark on our newest adventure.