Chapter 10 #2
Jennifer nodded. “Yes. It is.”
Chamuel placed Its hands over Jennifer’s and closed Its eyes. “So tired,” It whispered. “So sad.”
Jennifer pressed her forehead to Chamuel’s just like her father had done to her only minutes ago. “I love you. It’s time to let go now, Chamuel. You can stay with me forever, but it’s time to let go.”
Chamuel took a step back from Jennifer, then bowed Its head in respect. When It raised Its chin, the deranged look was gone. The blood, the dried foam, the wild eyes… gone. Chamuel was stunningly beautiful again.
It smiled at Jennifer and extended Its hands. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure and always will be, Chamuel,” Jennifer answered, taking Its hands in hers. “I love you now and I will love you forever.”
“I will love you forever as well, Jennifer… true Higher Power.” Chamuel kissed both of Jennifer’s cheeks then got on Its knees before her. “I’m ready.”
I had no idea what I was watching but I knew it was the rarest of rare. There was some compassion left inside Chamuel. It was buried deep, but Jennifer had drawn it out. The power of love and compassion was so much stronger than hate.
My dear buddy got down on her knees in front of her counterpart.
She whispered words she had no way of knowing.
They were melodic and ancient. Jennifer swayed back and forth.
Chamuel joined her. Their movement was a ballet of indescribable magic.
Jennifer leaned in and without any prompting, compassion of old and compassion of new embraced each other.
As the hug continued, glowing crystals in every color of the rainbow burst in the air around them and floated to the ground covering every surface in the cave.
Jennifer grew brighter as Chamuel began to grow transparent.
“Holy fuck,” Candy Vargo whispered. “Holy fuckin’ fuck.”
I couldn’t have agreed more. Chamuel was fading away moving on to the other side. No pain. No death. Just an agreement between two of the most compassionate beings in the Universe.
When Chamuel had completely disappeared in a cascade of shimmering golden magic, Jennifer cried. Sobs wracked her small body as she lovingly placed her hands on the ground where Chamuel had been only moments ago.
Tim moved quickly to his daughter’s side. The rest of us followed. A heartfelt group hug ensued. There wasn’t a dry eye. What we had witnessed was glorious. After a good five minutes, Jennifer’s sobs subsided. She peeked up at us and smiled. It was a weary smile, but it was a real smile.
“I think you owe me five million bucks, Candy Vargo,” she said with a small giggle.
Candy threw her head back and cackled. “I’ll get you a fuckin’ cashier’s check when we get home. Best five mill I’ve ever spent.”
We all looked at each other for a long beat. There was more to do, but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. Alana Catherine was still missing. Losing her wasn’t an option.
I glanced over at Gideon. “Do you think the motorcycles will take us to Uriel and Alana Catherine?”
The love of my life had a strange look on his face. It was like he’d seen a ghost.
Turned out he had…
I whipped around in the direction Gideon was staring and gasped. Chamuel was dead, but not gone. It had come back in ghost form and was floating above us while staying close to Jennifer.
“I think I know the way to Uriel’s cage,” Chamuel told us. “Hemah is the only one who knows with certainty, but he’s not here.”
“Actually,” I said, eyeing Shitty Ritchie. “He is.”
My idea was crazy, but crazy was turning out to be my new middle name. Gideon caught on before I said another word. His dramatic sigh gave him away.
I turned to him. “It’s about Alana Catherine.”
He nodded. “Do it.”
“Do what?” Jennifer asked.
I pointed at Chamuel then turned to Jennifer. “Can you take Chamuel into you?”
Jennifer tilted her head. “You mean like Missy can do? Harbor the dead like a Soul Keeper?”
“Exactly,” I said. “You’re one third of the true Higher Power. I’m pretty sure you have the gifts that all of us do.”
“Jennifer can,” Chamuel stated. “Why do you want her to harbor me?”
I glanced up at the ghost who I had wanted to destroy more than I wanted to breathe only an hour ago. Times had changed. Fast. “If you go into Jennifer, I can do a double mind dive. I’ll dive into Shitty Ritchie’s and Jennifer’s mind at the same time. Then… we can have a chat with Hemah.”
Chamuel was intrigued and perplexed. “The small, strange Higher Power gave safe haven to Hemah?”
“Kind of,” I hedged. It had not been the beautiful scene that we’d just witnessed in any way shape or form.
The small, strange Higher Power chimed in with great pride. “Shitty Ritchie ate the fucker!”
Chamuel’s ghostly eyes grew wide and there was a hint of a smile on Its transparent lips. “You ate Hemah?”
Shitty Ritchie took a bow. “Yes. Because I am the MAN!”
I wasn’t sure if Chamuel wanted more details on the cannibalistic showdown, but we didn’t have time for a play by play. My daughter was in danger and that took top priority.
“Suffice it to say, Hemah is inside Shitty Ritchie,” I explained quickly. “I’ve talked to him once in Shitty Ritchie’s mind and I need to try and do it again with your help. That’s why I want Jennifer to harbor you.”
“As you wish, Angel of Mercy/ Death Counselor,” Chamuel said as It quietly slipped inside Jennifer and disappeared from sight.
“Is Chamuel in there?” I asked Jennifer.
She smiled and nodded. “Safe and sound.”
“Friend, do you think all of you will end up in the same place when going into two minds at once?” Tim asked.
It was a fine question and I didn’t have the definitive answer. When I’d gone into my Angel siblings’ minds by accident, we’d all ended up together in the same floorless room in the Darkness. I wasn’t sure how I’d done it, but I’d done it. I’d simply do it again.
I hoped.
“Only one way to find out,” I said with a grin. “Shitty Richie and Jennifer, it’s group hug time. You ready?”
“Shitty Ritchie is ready because I’m the MAN!”
“I’m ready!” Jennifer said.
“Hug me,” I instructed. “We’re taking a little trip.” I turned to the others. “We’ll be gone for five minutes.”
We hugged.
We left.
And we’d never be quite the same again.