THE START OF…
LIFE AFTER DEATH
Impenetrable darkness swallowed Mia. All around her, she saw shades of black, from coal to midnight. A ray of light shone down on her—hard and cold. Scorching her till beads of sweat glimmered on her forehead. And she felt herself trapped as if she was a suspect in an interrogation room. Even when she was as innocent as the pure white chiffon dress that ended above her knees. Her emerald green eyes widened at the splash of color in this canvas of black and white. A streak of scarlet red stained her chest, right where her heart was. It shimmered under the glow of the light. Quietly mocking her. With her mouth wide open, she inspected it with an eagle eye. Threads of crimson had trailed down her dress. Her eyes darted back up. To the source of the warm viscous fluid. To the gaping wound on her chest.
But nothing came to her mind. No snapshots of how she ended up here. No names of people that she could call for help.
No memories.
Live, Mia…
Mia winced as her head throbbed painfully. Her hands shot up, fingers curling around the sides of her head. As if just the mere thought of anything that started with who, what, where, when, why or how would trigger a jolt of pain that ripped her head apart.
After a minute, the pain in her head ebbed away and her hands fell. They halted midway, hovering before her eyes. Her hands. T-They were translucent! The ray of light above her was passing through them. And it was only now when she was holding her hands up did they turn black as the darkness that surrounded her became visible beneath them. The edges were white, creating an outline of her palms and fingers. As she moved her hands in awe, they alternated between black and white at different angles. A gasp escaped her mouth when she saw through her hands—h-her legs, they were the same! Semi-transparent too. Only her dress was slightly more opaque, much whiter compared to her limbs that were painted in a shade of ashy smoke.
“Mia Sparks. Eighteen.”
A voice boomed, tearing her out of her reverie. Mia spun around but she saw no one.
“Mia!”
“Here. We’re here!”
A jumble of voices encircled her. Then, more rays of light shone down on her until she was basking under incandescent light. So blinding that she had to blink her eyes a few times. When she opened her eyes again, a swirl of dense fog had enveloped her. Pairs of eyes glittered in the gray mist—brown, blue, hazel. And green. The same hue as her own eyes.
Just then, a gust of wind whipped her honey brown hair around her face. Through the gaps of her locks flying in the wind, she saw that the haze had dissipated. And a sea of faces greeted her. Ghastly apparitions formed a semi-circle a few yards away from her. They consisted of the young, old, male and female. Their eyes brimming with tears. Their hands clasped and raised to their chest, as if in prayer.
“Hurry up! Don’t block the way,” yelled a man dressed in black leather armor. He was covered almost from head to toe in the tough and hard material—breastplate, back guard, shoulder guards, tassets and vambraces. With one hand holding a huge black scythe that was as tall as him, he placed his other hand on her back and pushed Mia forward.
Her brows knitted into a frown as she turned on her heels, ready to shoot him a glare for his unsolicited rudeness. But her attention was drawn to the person behind her. An old man with white hair, probably in his sixties, was wearing the same baffled expression as her minutes ago. He, too, was pushed forward by the guard. And not just him. A line had formed behind him, flanked on both sides by these black-armored men. The end of the line, just a few yards away, was devoured by a pool of darkness. A man was stationed there. But unlike the others, he was simply donned in black leather vest, arm guards and a pair of shades. His lenses reflected a list of words and numbers. One of the rows was struck off just as a child walked out from the darkness, her eyes wide with fear.
“So how was your day?” One of the armored men asked.
The man who wore shades turned towards him and replied, “Good. No Escapees. But we found a Wanderer”—he shot a glance at Mia—“and one Escort went missing. Anyway, I’ll catch you later. Have to find out which Escort was in charge of her.” After waving goodbye, he left.
W-What—?
Mia gasped when someone grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the crowd.
The back of a man in a hooded black leather jacket came into view. He was tall. Very tall compared to Mia. Her head barely reached his shoulders. But then again, at only five feet one, almost everyone she met was taller than her. And two black scythes, embellished with intricate patterns at the blade and hilt, were held up in a cross by the belt around his waist.
“Let go of me!” Mia struggled to break free from his grasp but his fingers remained firmly locked around her wrist. With her yells falling on deaf ears, she opened her mouth and bared her teeth. If he wouldn’t let her go, she would make him do it. Mia dove down, her teeth almost sinking to his hand—
And the grip on her was gone.
He trotted towards an elderly couple with silver-white hair. Their faces were creased with wrinkles. Of old age. Their eyes were like twin imperial jades. As he turned around to stand beside them, Mia noticed that he was probably just a few years older than her. His chiseled face, framed by jet black hair, was set in stone like a statue. His lips were pursed into a thin line. Pale blue eyes, hard and cold as glacial ice, bored into her. Despite the coldness in his demeanor and the fact that they met each other for the first time today, she immediately felt a sense of connection to him. Of kinship. As if she had known him for a very long time. That he was someone she could trust.
“Oh, Mia. Look how much you’ve grown,” said the elderly woman amiably. Her snow white curls bounced on her shoulders as she spoke. “You were this small when we first saw you”—she gathered her hands together the way mothers cradled their babies—“and now you’re a beautiful young lady.”
Tears seeped from her eyes as she looked at Mia fondly. And the elderly man with a shock of white hair framing the bald pate immediately patted the elderly woman’s back.
“Y-You know me?”
“What are you saying? We’re your grandpa and grandma!” said the elderly man agitatedly.
The elderly woman, on the other hand, was looking at Mia with watery eyes.
“But—” Mia paused. Their eyes. They were the same shade of green as hers. And they knew her name. They even spoke as if they’d known her since she was a baby. It was undeniable. “I’m sorry. But I really can’t remember.”
“It’s okay, Mia.” The elderly woman patted her shoulder. “All of us forget when we first arrive here. So—”
“But Adeline, you remembered everything when you saw me here.” The elderly man cut in.
“Yes, Henry, I did. Mia, however, didn’t spend much time with us. She was just a baby then. We didn’t even have any memories together, so how could she remember us?”
“Fine!” Henry gave an exasperated sigh before muttering under his breath. “And to think we spent the whole week preparing her room and losing sleep last night just for today’s reunion.”
Adeline shook her head at him before turning to Mia. “Come on, let’s go. We’ll talk more when we get home.”
They accompanied her as they strolled away from the pool of darkness: Henry on her left and Adeline on her right. The blue-eyed man followed behind them silently.
Out of the corner of her eye, Mia saw the girl from earlier running towards a pregnant woman. Both of them had shards of glass protruding from their bodies. Their clothes were spattered in blood. Yet, they had a radiant smile on their faces as they hugged each other. On the contrary, the old man in his sixties had a blank expression on his face as he was supported by a man and woman dressed in white towards a seating area. About fifty people were seated in rows of chairs. A bespectacled woman adorned with a white coat was smiling gently and patting the hand of an elderly woman seated in the front row. A wail pierced through the air and almost immediately, the bespectacled woman darted towards the crying child seated in the fifth row. She bent down and whispered into his ear as she hugged him.
“Oh, those poor souls. I would have been like that too, if not for Henry.” Adeline’s gaze shifted from the crowd at the seating area, to Mia, and back to the crowd. “Really, sometimes I wonder how hard life must be for them. Especially in the first few days here.”
“It’s still bearable,” said Henry. “I was at a loss when I arrived. No memories and all. But those social workers and psychologists were very kind to me.”
“Oh Henry…” Adeline extended her hand behind Mia and patted Henry’s shoulder.
Mia watched her newly found grandparents before staring at the seating area. Her mind was still struggling to comprehend everything that had happened, including the unfamiliar terminology that was thrown around.
The echoes of running footsteps approached them from behind. “Hey Colt!”
Mia paused, turning around and wondering who it might be. So did Henry and Adeline.
Two men dashed towards them—one in shades (from earlier) and one in a black leather jacket (similar to the blue-eyed man who grabbed Mia’s hand). The latter came to a stop besides the blue-eyed man.
“We haven’t seen each other for a long time after you got hired as a bodyguard. Had it been six months since I last saw you?” He glanced at Mia, Henry and Adeline before turning his attention back to Colt. “Let’s meet up soon! Gotta rush now.”
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“You know, to check whether an Escort transmigrated or perished. The usual.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Pete?” called the man wearing shades.
“Okay, see you!” He scurried to join the other man as they both headed towards the end of the lobby. Opposite from where Mia had come from. And yet, also swallowed by a pool of darkness…
“Good evening, Miss Sparks!” greeted the servants that lined the sides of the path leading to the mansion.
Mia gasped. Her eyes lit up like glittering emeralds. There was a fountain right at the center of the circular driveway that fronted the grand entrance. Behind it stood the majestic mansion with light brown brick exterior and dark brown slate roof. Chimneys and dormer windows rose above the roof. Light shone from the dozens of windows. More light spilled from the open front door. Soft, warm yellow-orange light.
“Welcome home, Mia.”
Henry and Adeline smiled amiably as they raised their hand towards the mansion.
“T-This is my home?”
They nodded their heads.
Shock and disbelief filled Mia as her gaze darted from Henry and Adeline to the mansion. Before she knew it, her legs were eating up the distance between her and the mansion. And she reached the lobby within minutes. Bright lights bathed her from above, revealing the gorgeous lobby where a rug had run down the stairs tucked in one corner. Unable to keep the bubbling excitement welling up inside her, she dashed up the steps.
The long hallway was also carpeted with geometric-patterned rug just like below. Several doors lined the hallway, on either side of her as well as one situated at the far end. And near that door at the far end were a handful of people dressed in black suits as well as butler and maid attires. Each of them held a set of clothes in their hands, from elegant dresses to elaborate gowns. All of which was not to her taste. Despite her giving them an I-don’t-like-those-clothes look, they still stubbornly approached her with outstretched arms. Fine. If they want to play tough, she’ll play tough too. With a playful smile plastered on her face, Mia sidestepped the crowd of people approaching her, evading by a hair’s breadth the hands clawing at her. She then pulled down an eyelid with one finger and stuck her tongue out. Snickering, she taunted them further which earned her a few glares. Determined to not let her get away with this, they broke into a run. She then sprinted down the hallway like a wildcat, delight flowing through her body as a clatter of footsteps chased after her. A door stood ajar a few steps down on her left and she halted before it. After pushing the door open with one hand, she stepped inside. Her eyes widened a fraction and her mouth parted.
A large bedroom greeted her. With a palette of soothing neutrals—brown and cream, the dash of pastel blue from the furnishings that decorated the room complemented the calming color scheme. Her attention was immediately arrested by the ornate canopy bed with intricate iron headboard placed at one corner of the room. It was adorned with white curtains and flower-patterned linens. A beautiful bed befitting a princess. Her gaze shifted to the mahogany desk standing against the wall beside the bed. Books were stacked up in a neat pile at one corner. At the other corner of the desk was an antique lamp that added a touch of class and elegance to the room. Mia ambled towards the desk, her finger grazing the reddish-brown wood. Not a speck of dust marred the timber. As if someone had just recently cleaned the room.
She let out a gasp when her wrist was caught in a firm grip and she was spun around. Green eyes met blue ones. Colt. His face was impassive, his gaze unreadable. And he stared into her eyes as if to see through her soul.
“That’s okay, Colt. Mia’s just curious. Let her explore the house.”
The grip on her wrist loosened and Mia gazed past him to see Henry standing behind with a hand on Colt’s shoulder. “This is your room. Do you like it?”
“I love it.” An exuberant smile curved the corners of Mia’s mouth.
“Good, good. Come on, I’ll show you our room. It’s right opposite yours.”
“Henry, we can give her a tour of the house later. But first—” A door creaked open as Adeline took out a pile of clothes from the cream painted wooden wardrobe. “Mia, here. Why don’t you change into this?” She pushed the pile of clothes into Mia’s hands. “It’s much more comfortable. We’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Henry and Adeline then exited the room while Colt followed behind them silently. As soon as the door clicked shut and footsteps clattered down the stairs, Mia undressed herself. She took the hem of her white chiffon dress and pulled it over her head. Even with the bloodstained clothes removed, a remnant of it remained engraved on her body. Her thumb rubbed the scar on her chest. Healed, but still a permanent mark. She shook her head, dispelling all the negative thoughts, then folded the dress and laid it on the desk. Within five minutes, she had changed into comfortable shorts and a short-sleeved top.
Surprise flitted across her face when she opened the door to find Colt leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He quickly adjusted himself, planting his feet to the ground and clasping his hands behind his back.
A maid stood beside him. She bowed down at a perfect ninety-degree angle as she spoke, “This way please, Miss Sparks.”
Mia nodded her head and followed the woman who had descended the stairs. A heady waft of food hit her almost immediately. And when the double doors at the end of the hallway swung open, a long massive mahogany dining table filled with piping hot bowls of soup and drool-worthy plates of sizzling meat and baked pastries greeted her. They were bathed in golden light from the vintage bronze chandelier. Every dish shone brighter, beckoning her nearer. Plush velvet chairs surrounded the table and only two of them were occupied. Henry, who was seated at one end of the table, was cutting the steak into smaller pieces and putting them on Adeline’s plate while Adeline was waving at Mia, gesturing at the chair opposite her. As Mia strolled towards the end of the table where they were seated, the maid had walked ahead of her and pulled the chair for her. Still not used to such royalty treatment, Mia mumbled “Thanks” and settled down on the chair.
“Don’t be shy. Help yourself. Every dish here is prepared with you in mind.” Adeline then passed her a plate of grilled fish.
Betrayed by her growling stomach, Mia swiftly devoured the food offered to her. Her hand shot out as soon as she was done, reaching for the bowl of salad. And every now and then, she stood up to grab another dish. Her mouth was busily munching when her eagle eyes zoomed in on the mouthwatering apple strudel a few plates away. When she lifted the ceramic plate, a letter and photograph came into view. It wasn’t just any photograph. It was a portrait photograph of her. Smiling in a room. Not the room here. But somewhere else. Somewhere familiar. She quickly placed the dish down in front of her and seized the letter and photograph. “What’s this?”
“Oh, it’s a reunion mail to inform us to wait at the Gates,” explained Adeline. “We received that a week ago. And we were so excited about your arrival.”
“Yeah, it was the same excitement I had when I received the letter about your grandma’s arrival.” Henry gave a chuckle. “In fact, I cried a little. All the memories came flooding back when I saw your grandma’s photo.”
Mia’s gaze darted from Adeline to Henry. The delight in their eyes as they looked at her spoke volumes. Of their yearning for her. Thinking back now, her reaction had been a huge disappointment. The least she could do was… Henry“G-Grandpa, Grandma, thank you. I would have been lost without you.” With tears brimming in her eyes, she reached across the table to embrace them in a tight hug. Two hands patted her back as they whispered words of happiness in her ear.
“Mia, I’m happy to see you again. But it’s too early. I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” spoke Adeline between sniffles.
“A mother. No, an old lady. You should have come only when you’re as old as us. Not when you’re this young.” There was a tinge of frustration in Henry’s voice.
Bang!
The door slammed open just then, breaking them apart. A butler ran towards them and offered a brown envelope with both hands to Mia. “Your letter, Miss Sparks.”
Mia thanked him as she took the envelope. Her name and the address of the mansion were written on the envelope in an ornate cursive script in black ink. With a brow raised, she broke open the red seal holding down the flap. And inside it was an old brown paper with frayed edges. Emerald eyes scanned the words written in the same cursive handwriting.
Dear Ms. Mia Sparks,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been enrolled into Asphodelus School for Ghosts. Accommodation and meals will be provided. Please find enclosed a list of recommended and prohibited items as well as the Student Code of Conduct.
We look forward to your arrival on 1 July, 7 p.m., at the school’s entrance.
P.S. Special permission has been granted to bring along alumni member, Colt Garcia.
Yours sincerely,
Aldric Hoffenberg
Principal at Asphodelus