Beyond The Veil (A Paranormal Romance)

Chapter 33

Emily stood by the side of the road, staring in disbelief at the dark asphalt in front of her. Only a few minutes earlier, a tow truck had hauled Raphael's car off. She couldn't believe how terrible it had looked. The front had been completely damaged; miraculously though, the windshield had remained intact.

Her mind numb, devoid of any thoughts, she stepped closer to the large tree that had cost her life. A small, dark puddle of oil at its roots reflected the somber night sky with its twinkling stars and cool, pale moonlight.

Dead.

The finality of the word broke through her stupor, clutching her senses in a freezing grip, yanking her out of her apathy. With the force of unavoidable totality, Emily suddenly realized that it was all over now. It had ended. Her life had come to a standstill from which it would never be able to recover. No going back this time. Her hopes, her dreams, they had all dissipated and rendered moot the moment her soul had parted from her battered body. However, her fears and pain had followed suit. They all simply were no more. The endless struggle with Daniel, the worries about her father, about her own life; gone within the blink of an eye.

Emily watched the moon's distorted reflection in the thick, black pool at her feet as uncertainty began to gnaw at her. What was she to do now? Wasn't it time to leave earth? Yet, it was like she was glued to the ground. There was no feeling of lightness she had always imagined spirits had; just the contrary. She felt so heavy as if she still had a physical body.

She jumped as a large hand gently patted her shoulder.

Confusion clouded her sense of recognition for a split second before she was able to determine the identity of the brown eyes that looked right at her with deep sadness.

Her arms fell around the tall man, desperately holding on to his firm stature.

"Dad," she whispered into his shirt. "You're here."

He mumbled something, but Emily couldn't understand what it was, since the man's words were drowned by sobs and whimpers.

"Daddy," she said again, lifting her head to take in his familiar features. "I was on my way to you," she began to explain, but she could tell her father wasn't listening. Tears were staining his sunken cheeks that served as a reminder of years of neglect and heartbreak, as he mouthed, "I'm so sorry."

Emily gripped him tighter, not wanting to let go, now that the father she had known as a child had come back to her. "Don't," she pleaded. "You're here. That's all that matters, daddy. We're together now."

"I hate to disturb such an intimate moment, but I'm afraid you will have to say your goodbyes."

Startled, she turned her head to see a white-blonde figure approaching.

"Who is that?" Emily muttered quietly, squinting her eyes.

The stranger in question stopped right in front of her, bowing slightly with a smile. "I'm Sadi."

She gasped. "Sadi! You sent the owl!"

He nodded in response, grinning. It wasn't a sarcastic or evil grin, it actually made the man appear rather likeable; that is, if one forgot about his sinister profession. "I did. I was giving you a heads up to be careful. But seeing that you are ... well... dead, I think I can safely assume you ignored my message."

"Oh." Emily didn't know what to say. She had thought the owl was sent in connection with her dad's passing. Never would she have guessed it had come to warn her of her own death.

Since Charles and his daughter apparently were lost for words, Sadi simply decided to continue. "Your father wanted to see you before I take him on his final journey. So we came looking for you. Obviously, we were a bit late. Sorry that happened. You weren't supposed to die tonight."

"But you knew," Emily stated bluntly.

"Yes and no." Sadi shrugged his broad shoulders casually. "I knew something was up. That's why I sent my owl. I guess Daniel didn't clarify?"

Of course not. When did he ever clarify anything? But Emily didn't want to sound rude, so she just kept her mouth shut and shook her head.

Sadi frowned. "How odd. I would have bet he would do everything to keep you save until you were ready to go with him."

"Could someone please fill me in?" Charles was still sniffling, but his tears had dried.

"It's a rather complicated matter," Sadi sighed in frustration, but nevertheless, he told him everything he needed to know to fully understand the situation.

Charles's eyes welled up again as he patiently listened to the full story. "I should have been there for you, Emily" he finally muttered, and she could sense the despair and tormenting regret that was lying within his voice.

"You didn't know." Emily swallowed hard, suppressing her own sorrow.

"Ignorance doesn't make it right," he scolded himself. "I was a terrible father. I left you completely to your own devices at such a young age. Moreover, I treated you in the worst way possible. That is unforgivable."

"Oh daddy." Even though she tried her best not to cry, she was unable to control her emotions; without mercy, they washed over her in a huge wave of suffocating torture.

Sadi watched the two as they were holding on to each other, succumbing to the bitterness of grief. He hated being the bad guy, but his job wasn't finished yet, so he pressed his thin lips together as he prepared to ruin the emotional father-daughter moment of reconciliation yet again.

"Charles," he said cautiously, laying his hand on the man's shoulder. "Sorry, but it's really time. We had better go."

He winced at the unexpected contact that tore him out of this bittersweet reunion with his little girl. Regaining his composure, he nodded obediently.

Emily wiped her eyes and turned to Sadi once more. She had another pressing question, and she didn't want to pass up the chance of having it answered.

"Sadi," she whispered, still fighting against the overwhelming sadness. "If you aren't responsible for my accident ... then, who is?"

"I really don't know," he admitted truthfully. "But I'm sure you'll find out." Sadi glanced over at Charles, who was stroking his daughter's head, lost in thoughts. "Are you ready?"

"No," he mumbled. "But I guess I don't have a choice."

Sadi smiled apologetically. "Not really."

Emily's father kissed her cheek for a final time. "I love you, baby girl. Remember that. I love you forever."

"I love you, too, daddy," she whispered back, suddenly feeling the fragile emotion of hope trickling out of her heart, without any possibility of locking it back in. He was leaving her again, and there was nothing she could do.

Without another word, Charles parted from her and with firm steps followed the long-haired Soul Guide toward the woods that were gloomily awaiting them in the distance.

Emily watched the two figures become smaller and smaller, until the shadows of the large trees had entirely swallowed their silhouettes. Then, she broke down and cried out her agony into the starry night.

Once more, she was all by herself, lost and forlorn.

"Where am I supposed to go now?" she yelled into the direction of the dark woods, as if Sadi and her dad could still hear her and provide guidance.

But her only answer was the steady humming of traffic that passed her by in a monotonous rhythm.

It was then that awareness hit her. She wasn't alone. There was still someone looking out for her. And she loved him.

Now she was more determined than ever to go back to him and never leave his side; for death had not parted them. It had presented them the gift of eternity.