CASSIE

It was night and the sounds of the city rang out over the empty parking lot as my Nike shoes crunched the ground. I strode ahead with the sound of an owl "hoot, hooting" in the distance and the lights flashing from the ambulance parked in the front of hospital, silently spinning and coloring everything red across the parking lot.

I walked past and went straight through the automatic doors, a few men up ahead are pushing a stretcher through the back and I continued forward slowly, following along and looking at the different décor along the wall as I pushed through the same door. The commotions of the doctors and nurses conferring about each patient ring out, monitors beeping as I walked along the tiled floor, with rooms to my right and left, everyone oblivious of who I am or why I am here.

'unless I want them too' I thought wryly with a smile and then I was caught up by a pair of chocolate eyes, 'well… almost anyone' I thought as I walked past the nurse's station , whom stares at me with a questionable frown on her face.

She is a pretty woman with a fair completion and tanned skin, her long brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail atop her head with no makeup marring her skin, 'she had a natural beauty about her,' I thought to myself.

It looked like she was about to say something and stopped when our eyes met as I sheepishly gave her a peace sign 'not the best of time for friendly banter with the Supernatural' I thought and her eyes went wide in understanding as she relaxed.

I knew she wouldn't say anything, but you could never be too sure, some supernatural's have never met my kind, plus it will only make herself look like a fool since she is the only one who can see me.

There are different kinds of species that inhibit the earth realm, shifters and vampire, witches, warlocks and everything in between, but most notable is human of course, which is why I am here.

As for the who, well... That is where my feet are taking me as an invisible string just pulls me along, 'like I am tied to a moving object' I thought with a chuckle internally, because I am attached to a moving object. I can be a little insensitive, but after so many years of service, you try to make light in a dark place.

The pull lessened as I reached the right room, with a bunch of nurses and doctors going in and out and I hear someone say "code blue" at the sound of the monitor going beep... Whoever they are working to revive flat lining on the monitor.

Suddenly... Time slowed kind of ominously and everything feeling like it's going in milliseconds all around me, giving me my que as I turned around at the entrance of the door and leaning my back against the frame, waiting...

'this was always the hardest part and really tugs at my heartstrings,' I thought solemnly, but death is just a fact of life for everyone and nobody is really quote, "immortal or cannot be killed" unquote and the lore you read in books do have some truths to them, but over the many centuries the truths gets muddled.

"Hey! What's going on?" I heard a gentleman ask, cutting off my thoughts, "What are you doing to me? I'm right here... can't you see me?" He exclaimed with a panicked tone.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the man walk out in the hall, looking both ways, stricken features on his face and I stood up from the wall.

He turned towards me with eyes wide, surprise showing in his face, "Can You See Me?" he asked hopefully while looking around and running his hands threw his hair, I winced inwardly, "am I dreaming… is this a nightmare?" he asked repeatedly, distress clear in his voice.

"yeah… I can see you" I said hesitantly and I put my hand out to greet the man, "My name is Cassie, what's your name" I asked and he ignored my gesture, eyes stricken, "what's going on... why can't anyone else see me?" he asked fearfully.

I am sure he knows what's going on, but like most people the shock is too much to voice on his own, I put my hand down, "can we walk? "I asked and gestured down the hall with my palm up and he seemed to think about it for a min, looking around confused and unsure.

I stepped up next to him, linking my arms into his and the contact seems to surprise him, but he did not pull away. I have found in the past that contact can ease the fear, thinking you are a ghost or some kind of wisp never to be seen or heard from again can cause madness.

I guided him down the hall and away from the moment 'as seeing your dead body, while talking to someone else is not really a highlight of anyone's life' I thought, so I try to start a conversation.

"what is your name?" I asked again and he looked at me, it felt warm and familiar, which was odd as I have never met this human before, the man seemed to relax visibly and some of the tension drained from his shoulders.

"Peter" he said quietly and I gave him the warmest smile, "Peter! I love it… and I am glad to meet you," I said cheerfully as I met his gaze and a little sadness fell into his eyes, which made me feel guilty, not the best thing to say I chided myself

"Hey... This isn't the end for you." I consoled and Peter looked at me like I grew horns, which made me want to laugh, but really this was not the best time or circumstance.

"it's not? "he asked and looked around "is this a dream... Am going to wake up in my bed, like nothing happened?" he begged with his eyes and I see the question, but I won't lie to him.

"This isn't a dream and I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but your journey in this life has reached its peak," I stated sadly, looking into glossy brown eyes as recognition sets in.

Death is not glamorous, it's just a big counseling session to help you pass on from this life to the next and there is no official heaven and hell beyond death, at least not in the sense you hear in modern Christian and other religions beliefs.

There is always an essence of your soul left behind for your loved ones to hold and have dear, every soul is precious and unique having their own imprint on the world, which I told him as much, but all he could say is "it's not the end?"

He is taking it quite well to be honest, many different things can happen to a soul during the transition. If a death is too tragic and not willing to move on to the next life it can be lost, if a soul is lost then it cannot reincarnate and It just wastes away forever looking for their loved ones, at least I think that's what happens.

I followed one around for three hours once, determined I could help it cross and it just kept on wandering... Incoherently muttering to itself and It's all very sad really, like a light goes out in their eyes and they can't see or hear. The next soul pulled me away and of course I never saw it again.

I do not know what happens to those souls or if they are forever stuck in the in-between, but rumors say they simply just fade over time, others say they go back to the creator, whatever that means and I have never met someone who has witnessed it.

"absolutely not, you get to live on... to make a new life, which is your ultimate purpose" I said, awe in my voice "that's how your species, earth continues to live on," I said with a little bit of pride and charisma.

Not every soul gets the same speech, 'that would be too lame' I thought, but I judge them based on character.

He seemed to hang on to "species" because he repeated it with a question in his tone and I smiled wryly, this is a FAQ for sure and I do not mind as it helps in the transition and they take none of the information with them into their new life.

"Are you an angel?" he asked and I giggled, I could not help myself, but I apologized and told him it was a compliment, "I am not very angelic by any means" I said with a laugh, smiling. He had a wholehearted smile that went straight to his eyes and I knew that he would have a smooth transition.

We came out to the main door of the hospital and the sun just started peaking up into the horizon. Orange, reds and purples shot across the sky, touching everything... it was a beautiful setting.

"So why are you here... what is your purpose?" he asked as we walked outside, the ambulance gone with a new day starting. I look to my left to see an empty bench and I waved him along to sit down as we looked towards the sunset.

"My technical term is Sentinel Being, but that really doesn't explain anything... think of me as your guide to you next life." I said peeking at him, "There are two realms on this earth… one realm for the people, animals and trees, everything humans associate with life and living, then there is a 2nd realm... Which is here or not here" I said, gesturing all around.

"nobody seeing you, hearing you or touching you." I finished, It really is a shame he died so young, maybe forties, decent build and not much taller than my 5ft 7in. "or you could stay here just like this, with no purpose and stuck... Until you decide to move on," I explained plainly,.

Those are the ones you hear about in television and experience in person, hauntings and ghosts. There are good and evil in both planes, but for all souls the rules are the same and it doesn't matter if you are Ted Bundy or the Pope, every soul gets rejuvenated and restarts. Different life, different choices and the only difference is, once corrupted you cannot be reincarnated.

"That is one less life we have here on earth and one less soul in this plane to pass forward into the next life' I thought, "How do you get a new soul?" he asked, not realizing I said that last part out loud and I know how new souls are born, but he did not need to know that.

"They're born… that's why you're so important and that you carry forward," I omitted slightly and he stayed silent for a long time as we watched the sun come up.

Not sure if he was just enjoying the little time he had left, but when I was about to break the silence he responded "thank you" and faded away. Instantly, I felt warmed intensly from inside, unlike I have ever experienced before and I clutch my stomach as a fire deep within burns to the point of pain in an instant, but then just as fast a wholeness settled with a brush of... Something, I have no words.

It was as if I was missing something, then was seared back together from the inside as a peace and calm settled into my being, bringing tears to my face and I smiled, hugging myself to the new day.

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