Revenge

It was dark in here. I was frightened. The last thing I remembered was a great pain in my back and falling to the floor.

Where was this place? Where was I? Was this the hospital? Why was it so dark?

There was a flash of white light suddenly. I blinked, and it was dark again. Where did the light go? There it was again! I began to walk towards the flash.

Ah, there you are.

The light flashed with the words. It was not exactly a voice. It was something that sounded inside my brain, but I was sure that I didn't hear it with my ears.

"Where am I?" I said out loud.

The light flashed whenever the voice spoke in my head. It was pretty bright. Ouch. You don't have to say things out loud. Just think them.

'Who... what are you?'

Me? I'm your guardian angel.

'Guardian angel?'

Guardian ghost might be more appropriate in this case. You see, Jeff, you're dead.

'Dead? How can I be dead? What has happened?'

As before, the voice responded to my thoughts alone. You were stabbed by a knife. You're dead, Jeff.

I thought of the pain in my back. I felt a great anger building inside me at the thought. It was entirely possible. I had been in an argument with my cousin Rick, over grandfather's will. He might have stabbed me. The coward!

Or it might be Christine, Rick's sister. She also wanted me dead. So did my uncle, William, who had never married.

'Where is this place?' I thought angrily.

This? This is an in-between place, Jeff. I've been waiting for you.

'Waiting for me? Why?'

I am supposed to instruct you on a few things. You see, Jeff, we are not allowed to move on until we have let our feelings go. You still feel hatred at your murderer, yes? You must let go before you can move on. And oh, yes, you would have to guide the next soul before you are allowed to go.

'I want revenge!'

I'm afraid that's impossible, Jeff. You do not have a physical body any longer. Or haven't you noticed that yet?

I hadn't. I "looked" down. I was a flash of red light.

I was feeling angrier with each passing minute.

'If I can't have revenge, how am I suppose to let my anger go?'

I will help you identify your murderer. You will see. Once you know your murderer, your light will turn white. Then, I will move on and you will be given a chance to help the next poor soul along.

'How?'

What do you remember about your death?

I thought back. As I thought about it, the darkness around us swirled, and I was suddenly looking down on the scene.

I came in from a walk after lunch. I was hungry, and I wanted a cup of tea very badly. The sky was getting dark. A great storm was brewing. The lamps were not lighted yet.

I went into the dining room. Tea was not laid out on the table yet. I sighed and turned. I looked at the huge clock in the corner. It was ten minutes before four. I knew that Mrs. Harris would get the tea in at four sharp, and not a minute earlier.

I went to Grandfather's study. He died a week earlier. Nobody could find the old man's will. I had been cleaning up the study. I might as well continue as I had time before tea.

I had just opened the study door when I felt a push.

From my position near the ceiling of the study, I watched the hand that held the knife stab at my back.

I felt very helpless as I watched my body fall to the floor. I looked up to see my murderer. It was Rick!

I was furious, to say the least. I wanted to scream at him. Something seemed to stop me.

Wait.

'Wait? He has just murdered me! What am I supposed to wait for?'

Wait.

Christine came into the room with a vase of flowers. She dropped the vase as she saw the scene before her.

"Rick!" she cried in horror, "What have you done?"

Rick looked at her. "Grandfather left everything to him, Christine. We will only get the money if he dies."

Christine gasped. "How do you know?" Rick did not look at her. "The will," she said slowly, "you stole the will?"

"Jeff doesn't need the money. He has the funds his parents left him. Mother needs it more than he does."

"He's our cousin, Rick! How can you kill him?" Christine cried.

Rick looked up quickly. "I tried to talk to him, Christine. I told him that our mother needs the money. He wouldn't listen to me. If I didn't kill him, Mother would die! She needs the money for the operation."

Christine put her hands over her face and sobbed.

I had been angry, but my anger drained away as I listened to Rick's explanation. It was true - I hadn't listened when Rick wanted to explain to me why the money should be divided between the four of us.

I had never liked Rick and Christine. Grandfather had disinherited their mother, my Aunt Daisy, when she had married Uncle John, who was a poor priest. He did, however, acknowledge Rick and Christine as his grandchildren.

As a child, I spent a lot of time with Grandfather. I realized that I had been blinded by Grandfather's prejudice against Uncle John.

As I looked at my cousins below, I realized that I did not feel anger any more. I felt my death was worth while if it could save my aunt's life.

You've turned white. I can go now.

I jumped. I had forgotten all about the voice. I looked down. It was true, I was glowing white. I looked up again to thank my guardian angel, but the other light was gone.

It was dark again. The scene below was gone. I settled down to wait for the next soul.