Encounters

It's been a week since I have been out of the hospital, my parents were at their wits end when they heard that I was confined even if it is only overnight. My sister and brother defended me like a little child telling them that I was coping on my own way with the loss of Annie. Dad wanted me to go have vacation, one that I had to say no, I have mountains of work that waited for me and I couldn't miss any more workdays.

Today is the fourth day since I went back to work, it was the weekend and nobody was in the office but me, Danie had made sure that I will be very busy soon as I got back. I had too many things to do, site inspections, client meetings and permits that needed my attention. The firm that I'm working with, was not necessarily a firm that works exclusively on real estate but also concept windows and interior design, and my friend who is the owner of the company has begun to ask for updates on the projects that I'm assigned in. Despite being swamped with work, I'm happy and to be honest relieved that in the past few days since I got back I haven't had a visit from Ciel at all. It was understandable after the outburst that I had in the hospital and basically told the guy to never show his face to me ever again, and said words that are not meant for children. In all honesty I wanted to throw him outside the window towards his death, even if he is death. He was hurt, it was evident with his expression as he looked back at me after saying that I never wanted to see him again. Well it didn't matter, he has no right to meddle with my personal life, he was out of line and I didn't care if he was hurt, at least maybe for once it would remove that irritating smirk he always wore. I had to admit, the peaceful time since he was gone was blissful. The weird dreams have stopped and so was his constant pestering, the talk about people dying, or about killing demons, it all stopped.

I was in the office alone, Danie took a couple of days off, it was very quiet, but not uncomfortable, and I actually welcomed the silence. It's very rare for me to be in a calm silence since we found Annie's body, my life that has always been topsy-turvy, I learned to appreciate the silent moments where I could just free my mind eve for a little. I was reading through some building documents when a hand appeared on my desk, when I saw to whom it was attached to my jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I felt a cold chill run down my spine, I swallowed hard before I could utter, "A-a-an…Annie?"

My seven year old little sister was standing in front of my desk, smiling, she was wearing a soft white dress. She gave of a faint luminescent glow from her body as if she was surrounded by fairy lights. She was looking straight at me, she held out her hand as if she was asking me to take it. I didn't, couldn't move a muscle, this is impossible. My mind and heart was racing telling me that the information that is in front of my eyes is illogical and cannot by real. My sister is dead, we buried her bones and that guy said that she is finally in peace, at least he made me believe that, but… I stared blankly at her, shocked, and half scared. The last time that I saw my sister this close I watched her cry tears of blood and was set ablaze by just praying. Annie smiled at me kindly the kind that will make you think that everything is okay, but when a dead person is smiling at you is the total opposite of okay. I stared at her, as she held out her arms to me. I didn't, I couldnt, this was insane. For the last few days I have been trying to convince myself that all this supernatural shit is not part of my life and I have been doing that for the last ten years and so of my life. I have learned to believe that whatever this all has been are just figments of my wild imagination. But with my sister standing in front of me, everything came rushing back. Fear, anxiety, and trauma. I wanted to scream, and yet I can't. Annie stared at me with her kind smile still holding out her hand, my sister was always this kind, and angelic, but i had my fair share if weird growing up and learned never to take a leap when you are unsure. I shook my head vigorously and almost pushed her away, or at least tried. 

I soon found out that I was unable to touch her, i was somehow surprised, but as I looked up, I saw Annie smiled at me menacingly, at that point I knew she wasn't my sister. What she is I could only guess, and my guesses were ranging from bad to evil, that i had to stop my brain from making it worse. Then the figure distorted into a form that made my whole body shudder; it changed into something I least expected, it changed into a man. He walked up to me, smiled, baring his teeth pointed sharp. He gave out an air of darkness he went near me, he reached out to me, but it made filched that he back off a bit, but then i saw his grin grow wider as if he was amused that he has scared me. 

"Your a lot smarter than I thought you were", it mocked me. He was already so close that his face was just a few inches away, "but your intelligence wont save you, girl. Soon, he will come for your and not even your protective reaper be able to protect you."

I can hear his breathing, the stench of it and the malice that i carried, I want him to go away i want him to leave me alone. He was so close I was afraid, soon i felt his hands on my neck, I couldn't move, "die for me Ms. Traveller", and as I struggled to keep myself from choking my body moved on it's own and kicked the demon.

It was caught unaware and lost its grip and fell to the floor. I coughed as i was able to take air once again, before I knew it the demon was back on its feet lunging at me. I succumbed to fear and my brain screamed for help, but my voice won't come out, the demon was coming, as a last ditch effort i backed up to my desk looking for whatever that might help me and found my small crucifix and as the demon came close i threw it on its face. The cross landed on its face, it crackled and burned, the demon howled in pain covered it's face with its hands but it was unable to remove the cross. Its agonized shrieks filled the air, i commanded my feet to run but i was paralyzed by fear. I watched it writhe in pain and began to fall in a chasm that suddenly appear in the middle of my room. As the demon fall it cursed at me and hissing spouted "my master will not forgive you, he will soon come for you and nothing can save you!" 

The air in my office cleared, the last thing i could remember was hearing a familiar voice and after that the whole world faded away. When I opened my eyes again I was lying on the couch in my office and Officer Alcalde just walked in the room. He looked up at me and smiled with relief as I sat up, he pulled a chair towards me, sat and handed me a mug of warm milk, "thank you...uh..."

"Robin", he said, as he took the mug away from my hands and placed it on my table. Robin Alcalde has been involved in our family in many ways because of Annie, he was the police officer the my brother wanted to sue for not disclosing how in the world he found my sister. He is also the son of the couple that died on the night of Annie's accident when she was two years old. Why he was here made me wonder, my hand unconsciously wandered to my neck where I felt a sting.

"Yeah, you might want put ice on that or to cover it up", he said, taking out his cellphone and turning on the selfie camera. What I saw were horrible bruises around my neck, the finger marks were so vivid that you can tell that who or whatever did this to was out to get me. I felt a chill run down my spine, in the world is happening to me. 

"It's a good thing I was dropping by", Robin said, I almost forgot he was right there, I keep on staring into blank space.

"Yeah, it really is a good thing", I replied distractedly, "why are you here again?"

I saw the young officer smiled at me trying to be considerate, "if you want we can go to the nearest police station and get that reported", I shook my head, "okay I'm just trying to give you options."

As if I can report to the police, who in the right mind would believe that I was strangled by a demon who wants to have me dead because of some supernatural shit that I'm a part of, even in my head it sounded stupid and crazy.

"No, don't worry, I'm fine, it's just a bad case of anemia I guess", I answered, "uhm...so why is it your here again?"

"Well I came here to return something that might be important to you", he said pulling out of his pocket a gold bracelet with a small crucifix pendant, I held my breath, it was my bracelet the one that I gave to Annie. "I cleared this with the bureau, I know that you would want to have this back", he paused, he scanned my expression, what is he playing at maybe he was trying to see if i will runaway from him again at the sight of the bracelet, "as a memento, from Annie."

I took the bracelet from him,  and wore it around my right wrist I held back a tear as I can't get the image of my sister out of my head when he took out the bracelet, I felt a part of her was returned to me, "thank you".

"Well if you're fine, I best be going now, I really just came to drop that off. Bye Ms. Bethany." he said as he stood up and began towards the door.

"When you found her, was she in peace?" I asked wanting to know at least the condition when he found her. Robin stopped in his tracks looked up at the ceiling, he let out a long sigh.

"Yeah, she was. At least I felt that she was." replied Robin without looking at me, "and Ms. Bethany... being a Traveller is not a choice, we have to do what we have to do. It's never gonna be easy, but there will come a point where you just want all of this craziness to end, and you will have to do something that will tear you apart if you are not ready." then he walked out of my office without another word.