The In-Between and After: A Ghost's Story

Relegated

"Step away." The angel spoke abruptly. The ghost-in-blue and the other ghost cautiously let go of McGregor who instead of falling seeming to hover in place. They then watched as McGregor's hands and legs slowly began to reappear. Once complete the angel stepped back and opened his eyes, he looked over at McGregor and nodded.

"It worked." the angel sounded surprised. A moment later McGregor jolted awake, his arms shot up shielding his face. He paused for a second before the ghost-in-blue spoke up.

"McGregor, can you hear me?" McGregor relaxed for a second before slowly opening his eyes and lowering his arms.

"What happened?" he asked, concern in his voice. "Where is Bell? And Shelby? Wha..." He shot off the questions before the ghost-in-blue could answer.

"There was an explosion... We were the only ones to survive." He tried to soften the blow as best he could. McGregor didn't respond, he eyes searched the ghost-in-blue face before looking down trying to remember what happened.

"The siphon must have been interup..." he stopped, tears forming in his eyes. He stepped back and put his hand on his head and breathing heavily "How did I surv... what hap..."

"Best I can figure, the angel took the brunt of it, but you took a lot of damage, I had no choice but to.." The ghost-in-blue trailed off. McGregor looked at him and then around the courtyard and then to the angel standing in front of a glowing Relegation point. His eyes widened.

"You mean..."

"Yes, I'm sorry I had to make the choice for you, but I thought... I mean, I needed to understand... My partner..." the ghost-in-blue tried his best to explain, but it wasn't coming out clear. McGregor was about to speak up before he felt a strange sensation, like what the pull from the vortex felt like but much stronger. He lowered his hand and had to physically resist it from being pulled toward the relegation point.

"What's happening?" McGregor asked, looking up at the ghost-in-blue.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

What's pulling me?

"Wha..." the ghost-in-blue looked over at the angel.

"He's been..." He turned to McGregor. "You've been Relegated, you don't have a lot of time here, you have to go through." the angel spoke up. McGregor looked at the angel and the glowing portal.

"What's on the other side?" McGregor asked.

"That's for you to find out, I've never been." the angel responded.

"Wait! I need to know, what was all that about, back at the station, what was the blast?" The Ghost in blue stepped in front of McGregor.

"Bigz was siphoning..."

"He was what?"

"Siphoning... stealing spiragy from my friend, killing him. The siphon was interrupted."

"Stealing spiragy? How?" the ghost-in-blue asked.

"He's part of an organization, the Slavs. They taught him." McGregor answered quickly. His upper body was now craning against the pull from the point. He took a couple steps steady himself as he slid several inches toward the glowing portal.

"The Slavs... What did they do to my partner. " the ghost-in-blue asked hurriedly. McGregor at this point fell his knees and he was being pulled into the point. The ghost-in-blue tried to hold him in place.

"How did they control him?" he asked forcefully.

"I don't know... They're strong, they must have found a wa.." McGregor stopped as the force was getting too strong. The angel stepped forward and placed a hand on the ghost-in-blue's shoulder.

"He can't remain on this plane any longer, let him go." The angels' grip tightened on ghost-in-blue's shoulder.

"But, I need..." the ghost-in-blue tried to speak but stopped when the point pulled McGregor closer, even as he resisted with all the strength he could muster.

"It's okay, I don't know much more, anyway," McGregor responded.

"I'm sorry, for..." the ghost-in-blue voice cracked.

"Don't be... I had forgotten my purpose and was no closer to remembering it, so..." McGregor stopped as the two solid even further. The angel grabbed onto the ghost-in-blue's arm and pulled him over closer to him allowing McGregor to slide past him. The Ghost-in-blue grabbed onto McGregor's forearm before he out of reach and held with all his might.

"It's alright, let me go." McGregor strained, as the relegation point's pull became even stronger. The ghost-in-blue's grip slid down to McGregor's wrist and was beginning to slide further. McGregor looked into the ghost-in-blue eyes and nodded.

"Better get going while the getti..." McGregor couldn't finish before his hand slipped through the ghost-in-blue's grip, and he was pulled into the light.

Silence.

McGregor clinched his eyes and was enveloped by a stillness, the force he has felt that was so strong was no longer pulling, in fact, he felt nothing. He relaxed and opened his eyes, he was surrounded by a warm light, floating in a white void.

He was relegated, though he thought about what that meant. No more wondering about his old life, no more thinking about eating chairs or other random scenarios, no more unfinished business, no Bigz, none of it mattered anymore. He looked around, there was nothing. He attempted to move, tried to run,. He felt silly as he flapped his arms and tried swimming, anything to try and move around, but he remained in the same place. He yelled out, but there was no response, his words seemed hollow as there was no surface for the echo to bounce back like he was used to. Just an infinite space wherever he looked.

Was there a mistake? Could something have gone wrong? He waited what seemed like a few hours before he began to feel tired. He yawned as he wondered if this was all there was. Eternity in this void. He figured it could be worse. Eventually, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber, suspended in the air, comforted by the warmth and weightlessness of the void.

If he only knew what was waiting for him, when he awoke.