Mystics 3-Book Collection (95 page)

“Orientation?”

“Yes. All mortals who have passed must go
through Orientation. That's where you're going.” Chimp 5M51 clamped
his feet around the edges of the chair and extended an abnormally
long arm in the direction of the elevator's control pane. He
pointed to the brass buttons.

Kara leaned over for a better view. The
panel read:

1. Orientation

2. Operations

3. Miracles Divisions

4. Hall of Souls

5. Department of Defense

6. Council of Ministers

7. The Chief

A feeling of dread slowly rose up inside
her. She stared at the panel, dizzy, her knees weak like she was
about to collapse. “This…this doesn't make sense. I…I'm dreaming.
This is a dream!”

Kara shut her eyes and pressed her back
against the elevator wall, trembling. “It
can’t
be
happening. It just
can't
! I need to wake up now. Kara you
need to
wake
up!”

“You're dead, Miss.”

Kara opened her eyes. The word
dead
echoed in her ears like some sick joke. The weight of his words
started to pull her under. She fought against the overwhelming
feeling of panic.

“I'm not dead!” she hissed, “I'm right here,
you stupid BABOON!”

“…Chimpanzee!” Spat Chimp 5M51. “Think what
you must,” he said, as he lifted his chin. “But think about this.
Can you remember the events before this elevator?”

Kara floundered, trying desperately to
remember. Bits and pieces flashed inside her brain: a white light
…metal … darkness …

The bus.

Kara dropped to her knees. The city bus had
hit her…pulverized her core and crushed her like a tomato. But then
she remembered something else, something that didn’t make any
sense. It was coming back to her now, like a faded memory
sharpening into a clear picture. It flashed before her eyes...she
saw an arm reach out and touch her during the bus crash. Someone
had tried to save her…

“See? You're dead,” said the chimp
matter-of-factly, and Kara detected a hint of amusement in his
voice, as though he enjoyed watching her struggle in misery and
confusion.

As she pulled herself together she pressed
her hand against the left side of her chest, she couldn't feel a
heartbeat. She pressed down on her rib cage. Nothing. She clasped
her wrist. No pulse. No beating. No movement at all.

“See. No beating. No heart…you're dead,”
declared the chimp again. Kara felt herself wanting to punch
him.

But before she could make sense of what was
happening, she was thrown off balance as the elevator stopped
abruptly.

“Level One. Orientation!” The chimp
announced.

“Wait!” Kara pushed herself away from the
elevator wall and wobbled up to the chimp. “I don't understand.
What's Orientation?”

With his finger still on the button, he
turned his head. “Orientation is where all the new GAs are
categorized.”

Kara stared stupidly into chimp 5M51’s
yellow eyes. “What are GAs?”

“Guardian Angels.”

“Huh?”

Kara heard the swish of doors opening. A
hint of a smile reached the chimp’s lips. He raised his arm and
pressed his hand on her back. Then she flew out the elevator.

About the Author

Kim Richardson is the author of the SOUL
GUARDIANS series. She was born in a small town in Northern Quebec,
Canada, and studied in the field of 3D Animation. As an Animation
Supervisor for a VFX company, Kim worked on big Hollywood films and
stayed in the field of animation for 14 years. Since then, she has
retired from the VFX world and settled in the country where she
writes fulltime.

To learn more about the author, please
visit:

www.kim-richardson.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/KRAuthorPage

http://twitter.com/Kim_Richardson_