His Soul to Take Read Online Free Page B
Author: C.M. Torrens
found himself in front of a hospital. The white building shone like a beacon, filled with souls crying for release. He stepped inside the long halls, finding his way through doors. The doors unlocked at his touch as he willed them open. He wandered the halls, looking for the souls that called to him. Just two today.
He found his way to the children's ward, where a line of beds filled the small ICU. He turned his attention to a little girl, not more than six, at the far end of the room. Her head bandaged and tubes running out of her tiny body. Her mother sat holding her hand, whispering to her, telling her the day's events. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke.
Death slipped to the little girl's bedside and stroked her cheek, releasing her soul from the motionless body. A tumble of red curls framed her round face. It was hard to see what she looked like beneath the tube that kept her breathing. Her mother didn't look up at him. Her eyes focused on her child and fingers clenched tight to a tiny hand.
He stepped back and waited on the far side of the room. Within minutes machines began to beep and doctors rushed to the child, struggling to keep her alive.
Death smiled as the little girl sat up, her spirit whole and sweet. She smiled back at him and he held out his hand. Grinning, she skipped to his side, bubbly and filled with energy. Red curls bounced around her round face and bright eyes glittered with life. Her hand slipped into his. Her soul tingled against his skin, less substantial than flesh, but more electric.
He started to lead her away but she stopped and turned to look at her mother. Tears poured down the older woman's face as a nurse kept her away from the frantic doctors.
"Momma will be sad if I go,” she said.
He looked down at her, waiting. This was not a decision he could make, even for a soul as young as hers.
"Will momma come too?"
"She'll be along eventually."
"Promise?"
"Everyone has to leave at some point."
"Okay,” she said, and Death led her out the door and down the hall. “Where are we going?"
"On a grand adventure I think,” Death said, leading her through the hospital to another room at the far end of the hall. “Someone else wants to go too. She's a very tired soul."
"Ooh fun,” the little girl said and skipped happily at his side.
Death stopped them in front of a door, and they both walked into a room where an old woman lay sleeping. The little girl watched as he stroked the old woman's cheek and they stepped back to wait.
Several minutes passed and the machines began to beep. Again, doctors rushed in to try and help, but the old woman was already sitting up, ready to be away from her aged and frail body. She smiled at them both, her soul so much younger than the shell that had once housed her.
Death stepped out the door with his two charges. Nurses passed through the spirits as he led woman and child out into the hall.
"Simon?"
Death turned to see Robert in the hall holding a handful of magazines. Machines beeped behind him as the doctors struggled to revive the old woman. “Hello, Robert."
"We keep bumping into each other.” Robert turned to watch as the doctors gave up on reviving the old woman. “Did you know her?"
"No. But I do have work to do.” He hesitated torn between duty and wanting to see Robert again. He glanced at the two impatient spirits waiting for him. “I'll catch up with you later?"
Robert nodded. “Sure."
Death led the old woman and child off into somewhere more private and opened the portal. He watched as they smiled and stepped through the gate. He wondered what was beyond and why he was never allowed to enter. He shook his head, trying not to think about it and suddenly needing some fresh air.
* * * *
Robert stared after Simon. His face looked worn and his long black trench coat billowed around his knees as he disappeared down the hall. The beeps from the room brought his attention back to the old woman, but the activity had come to a
He found his way to the children's ward, where a line of beds filled the small ICU. He turned his attention to a little girl, not more than six, at the far end of the room. Her head bandaged and tubes running out of her tiny body. Her mother sat holding her hand, whispering to her, telling her the day's events. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke.
Death slipped to the little girl's bedside and stroked her cheek, releasing her soul from the motionless body. A tumble of red curls framed her round face. It was hard to see what she looked like beneath the tube that kept her breathing. Her mother didn't look up at him. Her eyes focused on her child and fingers clenched tight to a tiny hand.
He stepped back and waited on the far side of the room. Within minutes machines began to beep and doctors rushed to the child, struggling to keep her alive.
Death smiled as the little girl sat up, her spirit whole and sweet. She smiled back at him and he held out his hand. Grinning, she skipped to his side, bubbly and filled with energy. Red curls bounced around her round face and bright eyes glittered with life. Her hand slipped into his. Her soul tingled against his skin, less substantial than flesh, but more electric.
He started to lead her away but she stopped and turned to look at her mother. Tears poured down the older woman's face as a nurse kept her away from the frantic doctors.
"Momma will be sad if I go,” she said.
He looked down at her, waiting. This was not a decision he could make, even for a soul as young as hers.
"Will momma come too?"
"She'll be along eventually."
"Promise?"
"Everyone has to leave at some point."
"Okay,” she said, and Death led her out the door and down the hall. “Where are we going?"
"On a grand adventure I think,” Death said, leading her through the hospital to another room at the far end of the hall. “Someone else wants to go too. She's a very tired soul."
"Ooh fun,” the little girl said and skipped happily at his side.
Death stopped them in front of a door, and they both walked into a room where an old woman lay sleeping. The little girl watched as he stroked the old woman's cheek and they stepped back to wait.
Several minutes passed and the machines began to beep. Again, doctors rushed in to try and help, but the old woman was already sitting up, ready to be away from her aged and frail body. She smiled at them both, her soul so much younger than the shell that had once housed her.
Death stepped out the door with his two charges. Nurses passed through the spirits as he led woman and child out into the hall.
"Simon?"
Death turned to see Robert in the hall holding a handful of magazines. Machines beeped behind him as the doctors struggled to revive the old woman. “Hello, Robert."
"We keep bumping into each other.” Robert turned to watch as the doctors gave up on reviving the old woman. “Did you know her?"
"No. But I do have work to do.” He hesitated torn between duty and wanting to see Robert again. He glanced at the two impatient spirits waiting for him. “I'll catch up with you later?"
Robert nodded. “Sure."
Death led the old woman and child off into somewhere more private and opened the portal. He watched as they smiled and stepped through the gate. He wondered what was beyond and why he was never allowed to enter. He shook his head, trying not to think about it and suddenly needing some fresh air.
* * * *
Robert stared after Simon. His face looked worn and his long black trench coat billowed around his knees as he disappeared down the hall. The beeps from the room brought his attention back to the old woman, but the activity had come to a
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