Nicole's hand quivered as she held the mug to sip. She drunk it all not caring about the hotness of it. to her, it was like she was drinking water.
''Why don't you go and ask the one who created all this mess? Haven't you always wondered why the grim reaper didn't actually take you after the accident? Nicole, it's a pity that you don't believe anything that I am saying to you. What is happening here is the same thing that is happening in the real world. Because of a mistake like you, things are getting mixed up. I am curious to know how you will handle this''
Nicole stood up from the chair and looked at him, ''if I find out that you are lying to me, I will kill you''
''Before you kill me, why don't you try saving the real Nicole first. Not only you have gotten a conscious awaking. That man would soon find out the difference between the two worlds. When that happens, you would be trapped here forever because he would get rid of the body of the real one'' Detective Gail chuckled and relaxed on the chair looking at Nicole.
Somewhere between the gates of the afterlife and the human world.
The old woman known as the granny was seated on a stone with the grim reaper. They were in front of a fire that had been set in between three stones. The whole place was dark with the light illuminating from the fireflies that floated in the air. The two were watching the fire seemingly in deep thoughts as none spoke.
The old woman who looked ore younger than her usual self was wearing a brown leather long dress while the grim reaper was in his usual black outfit.
''Nicole's temperature has changed. If it continues to be that way, she wouldn't be able to finish her task her and that would affect her going back to her body. Take what happened just now, if you hadn't intervened, she would have entered into that body. She is bound to find out that the world she is living currently isn't the real world but the one built by her subconscious mind''
''This is something only Nicole can figure out by herself''
''What are you going to do now? The mess you created in the moment of desperation is now getting out of our control. Very soon, Nicole will be here looking for answers. What should we tell her?'' Granny asked the grim reaper.
''The truth'' the grim reaper said.
''The truth. What is the truth? That she tried to commit suicide or the truth that she caused the death of 25 people and needs to solve more than 100 cases in order to redeem herself? Which truth are we telling her exactly? Do you think it will help? I personally cannot bear to look her in the eyes. We've lied to her for so long''
''As long as she is able to solve the puzzle here, she will be redeemed. If we can't tell her the truth. It would make things even more complicated when the others receive self-awakening because of the two worlds. This is why she shouldn't have woken up when Azar tried to take over her soul''
''If only I hadn't made Leo to kiss her, her body wouldn't be acting up this way?'' Granny begun to blame herself.
''This isn't the time to blame yourself. Lizzy is looking everywhere for you because she has questions concerning Nicole's body changes. Are you planning to hide away from her here forever?''
Granny sighed. She had run away from Lizzy the moment she realised Lizzy was going to ask her about Nicole. She didn't know the exact explanation to give to her. It was a long story.
''About that man. Are you just going to allow him to keep trying to harm Nicole? Why are those people not getting the death penalty?''
''Because there is no redemption for them. Don't worry, he would be destroyed here very soon. What we don't have control is what will happen to them when they all return to the real world and Nicole forgets everything that happened here''
''Why does she have to forget about this place? Can't she just keep the memory of both worlds?''
''You know what happens when that happens. It is good enough that she will be alive, asking for more is greed'' the man stood up and walked away.
''Where are you going?''
''Nicole is looking for me'' he said and disappeared from the place.
…..
Leo pulled over in front of the subway and turned to Nicole, ''we are here. Can you tell me what is going on, Nicole?''
After leaving the café, she hadn't said anything apart from giving him this particular address and he drove to the location. Now there were at that place but it was a quiet subway and he was sure not a lot of people used this road.
''I am looking for someone. He will be here soon'' she barely finished when they heard a knock on the door and she rolled down the window.
''I was expecting you'' the grim reaper said to Nicole.
''I will come back soon'' Nicole said to Leo and he asked.
''Who is that man?'' the man was walking away. He didn't see his face well.
''Someone, I will tell you later'' she replied and got down from the car and followed the man.
He slowed down his strides when he noticed her falling behind on him steps. When she caught up to him, he pointed at the subway rest stop, ''let's sit over there''
''What about him?'' she asked and turned to look at Leo.
''He is asleep already. He won't wake up anytime soon'' the grim reaper said as they sat down. ''You met with Azar right?''
''She told me something, but I don't want to believe her. Is there something that I need to know?''
''You must have seen the one lying in the hospital bed, right?''
''Yes''
''What Azar told you is the half-truth. The truth is that I am to be blamed for what happened to you''
''What happened to me? how did I become this sort of person? Nothing makes sense to me at all'' Nicole had thought about everything on the way here. She had tried to come to terms with the reality. After going through so much in life, she had come to terms with the fact that her life wasn't normal and therefore had braved herself not to be surprised by anything that happened to her. But, she couldn't shake of the feeling that she was having after hearing everything from Detective Gail aka Azar.
Even though that woman was a bodiless demon, she was also someone who didn't speak without facts hence she believed some of the things that she was told. Her body also suddenly acting that way was also another proof that something was wrong with her.
But, she was scared. She had heard of the subconscious awakening of half dead souls before. It was a tale told long ago about how the souls of people who were granted amnesty by the deity to perform certain number of good deeds in order to redeem themselves of the crimes that had been committed.
If this tale was true, then, did it mean that she was a wicked person in the real world? What kind of sin did she commit for her to be damned in this manner? What kind of person was she? The only thing she could really remember till date was that she had an accident. But thinking about it now, was it really an accident or just something she was made to believe?
She had a lot of questions and the man sitting next to her could tell but he also knew she wasn't ready for the truth yet. Only after completing her task was an awakened soul supposed to know the truth of her crimes.
There was still a lot of things she needed to do in order to prevent her soul from going back to the body that existed in the other world.
''Was I a horrible person? Like a villain or something?'' she asked looking at the man.
''You still have 50 more cases to solve before the truth can be revealed to you. I have taken 20 of those cases and one of them was bringing Lizzy to you. This is as far as I can help you now. The rest depends on your luck from now onwards''
''What do you mean?''
''I was the one who instead of sending you to the afterlife for judgement felt pity on you and decided to exchange your fate with another person. You pleaded with me and I found you pitiful because you remind me of the child I lost before becoming the grim reaper. After taking pity on you, I made Candy to find you and send you to Adasa [granny's given name]. That is how you were gifted with the power to see the dead in order to help with your quest''