All Hope Lost (13 page)

“So what sort of dead are you then?” I asked.

“Well, I am a Menticial Spirit.” He saw me look blank.
“Basically, I can read thoughts, I can place thoughts, destroy thoughts. I
guess you would call it Menticide; which basically means I can undermine and
destroy someone’s values, beliefs, torture someone, push someone to think
differently to how they normally would.”

I thought back to Myra, who
was insistent to leave. “Did you make that other woman leave?”

Robert laughed aloud. “You are very perceptive, Sharon.”

I frowned. “Would you use your powers on me?”

He grinned. “As much as I would love to, I cannot. For
whatever you are, you also have this ability. I think you know that already for
you’ve used it before. All I can do is read your thoughts, that’s it. I cannot
manipulate you, and hopefully you can’t me either.”

Pondering, I suggested, “Well
how about we try it? See if I can get you to leave the room.”

Robert thought a moment then nodded. “Ok, give it your
best shot. I don’t normally do practical sessions with pupils but this should
be interesting. Oh, and be careful with me please.”

I took a deep breath, then
focused on his eyes, as if I was trying to bore into his mind through them. My
brow furrowed as I concentrated harder, but to no avail.
How had I done this
before?
I thought. I tried to remember who I had used my powers on over the
past week or so, and recalled one where I had plunged my hands into their head.
Roberts’s eyes grew large as he read the images in my head.

Walking over to him, I placed
my hands on his head. I couldn’t delve into his brain like I could in the
living realm. Everything was solid here, real. I concentrated, telling him to
leave the room, then re-enter a minute later.

A few moments later, after
some intense thinking, Robert moved, leaving my hands to fall to my sides, and
he walked to the door, opened it, and left. Shocked, I went back to a desk and
sat down, waiting. Exactly a minute later, Robert came back in the room,
looking confused.

“What just happened? Why was I in the corridor?” He spoke
to himself, then saw me sitting at the desk. He looked warily at me. “Who are
you?” he asked.

I thought,
I’m Sharon. Don’t you remember?

“No I don’t. What did you do?”

“Er, I pushed a thought into your head to leave the room
for a minute then come back in. We were testing my abilities. You said I
shouldn’t have been able to push you.”

“Interesting.” He sat at his desk, and drummed his
fingers against the polished wood. “This means that you are a lot stronger than
I had initially thought. So some ground rules, no doubt which will grow as we,
er, do more tests on you. 1) Don’t manipulate me again, unless I specifically
ask you too and make sure I write it down first and sign it. It appears that
whatever power you used, also has some short term memory loss as a side effect.
Handy in some cases, though not for me.”

I nodded. “Sure. Do you remember me yet?”

“Sharon, yes I do. There was another lady here though
wasn’t there?”

I nodded. “There was. A lady named Myra. You made her
leave.”

He laughed. “Of course. You need to be taught one on one.
You are, intriguing.”

“So, what now?” I asked.

Robert thought for a moment. I
couldn’t read him.
So I can manipulate you, but not read your thoughts, yet
you can read my thoughts but not manipulate me. Strange.

“Very strange, I agree. Must be because of what you are.
I have never felt anything like you. You emit power, yet it is chaotic,
uncontrolled. You need training, guidance. It seems you have a good grasp on
some of your powers already, from what we have seen you do already in the
living realm.”

I gasped. “You have been watching me?”

“Of course. You appeared on everyone’s radar as soon as
you died. In relation to the lady, Myra earlier. I just pushed the thought that
was already in her head. She was uncomfortable being near you, she wanted to
leave anyway. I just helped her make the excuse. You are quite unique,
frightening even.”

Frowning I recalled the
reactions of those people downstairs on the ground floor. No one wanted to talk
to me, fearing I would bring the wrath of whoever was the boss here down upon
them. Or maybe it was me? Who knows?

Robert nodded. “It is true
that there is that being here that rules us all, he has billions upon billions
of eyes and ears on all of us, knows all, sees all, and hears all. He cannot be
escaped. If you get on his radar, then be afraid, although I’m sure he is
already watching you intently.”

“Is he the one you say is imprisoned here?”

“Yes. You would know it if you saw him, but I cannot
envisage the chaos that might bring if you met with him. For now, let’s help
you build and understand your other powers. There may be some you are yet
unaware of. Firstly, though, know that you can come to this realm whenever you
wish. The times most people arrive here is when they are wearing thin on
energy. I believe you already know what happens if you drain yourself
completely. You fade for an unknown amount of time. It could range from days,
to years, but it feels like seconds to you, as though you have been asleep. So
be wary of your limits.”

“Is there a way to gain more energy at all to use each
day? I seem to drain pretty fast.” I asked.

Robert sucked in a breath
before replying. “There is, but it is frowned upon by the higher ups. I am not
sure you should know how, or maybe you should, in case you do it by accident.
Gah, I’m so torn, I hate the feeling of indecisiveness. I’m normally so sure.”
He rested his head in one hand, staring at the desk as if having a battle with
his own thoughts.

A strange thought popped into my head. “With your
specific powers, can you use them on yourself?”

Robert looked at me strangely. “What an odd question. No
one has ever asked me that in the whole time I’ve been here. As to the answer
to that, no, I don’t believe so. And if I ever did, I would never remember
doing it.”

“So, how can I gain more energy? I think I should know
personally. I need to know everything there is to know about this realm, my
powers and what I’m here for.”

He sighed. “Ok, fine, but promise me you will never have
to use this power. Not everyone can implement it, only the higher ups, but as
you are different, you may be able to tap into this too.”

“Ok. But how do I know I have it unless I try?”

Robert thought a moment. “I
don’t think you can without hurting someone. This is why it should never be
used fruitlessly. You are basically stealing part of somebodies soul, their
identity. If you take too much, it could leave that person a vegetable. But
even the smallest amount could do serious harm. A soul is energy and few of us
can tap into that. I cannot, for I’m not strong enough.”

I nodded. “Ok, that sounds
bad. Is there another way I can harness more energy?”

“I’m not sure, there may possibly be a way but as I have
been unable to myself, I never thought to ask. I shall find out for you from a
higher up though. So what else can you do so far?”

I told him about all my
encounters with the neighbours from hell and how I combatted each one. “To have
managed all that in such a short time, considering you faded for a couple of
months, you pick these things up pretty quick. I’m sure you will be able to
cope with much more, but one step at a time. Some abilities can drain you
quickly and must be used sparingly, especially moving very large objects, like
cars for example. You may not think how or why you would need to move a car,
but we have to think of every possibility or realise them in the living realm.
Ok so far?”

I nodded, smiling.

“Ok, so first, let’s see how good your control is for the
manipulation of objects. See that jug on the windowsill. Bring that here.”

I went to walk over to it, but he stopped me. “I don’t
mean collect it. Use your power to bring it to us.”

“Oh.” I said, a little embarrassed. I raised a hand and
focused on the jug, and it lifted up off the sill and I started pulling it
towards us.

“Good. Now put it down without breaking it.”

I concentrated on lowering the jug carefully, and placed
it neatly on a desk.

“Fantastic. You have good control of manipulation. This
is also known as Telekinesis. How do you feel?”

I focused on myself, checking my energy levels. I felt
good. “I feel fine. That didn’t take hardly anything out of me.”

Robert smiled. “Great. A lot
of spirits with telekinesis, such as poltergeists find that power drains them
fast, but you must have a greater pool to work with. Let’s continue.”

I rubbed my hands together,
excited at what I might learn, and engrossed myself in my first real lesson
after death.

After much enthusiasm of what
I might learn that day, I was more disappointed as the things we went over were
already abilities I had used. Robert was a good teacher however, and helped me
hone some of my skills so I didn’t need to use so much energy when using them.

When it came to trying to take
on another form, he explained that there were spirits out there who were
Shape-shifters. It appeared that although I was some sort of Daemon that could
use multiple abilities I still was not using them to their full potential yet.

“So why exactly was I chosen to be one of these Daemon’s?
What would have happened if I had just died?” I asked, curious.

“Well,” Robert began, “most people who die, die of
natural causes, old age, disease etc. Those people lived their own lives and
died when it was their time, so when they die, they come to the Afterlife
first, where they have a choice; One, they can move on into a higher plane of
existence; Two, they can stay in this realm and meet friends and family; Three,
they refuse to be dead and end up haunting the living realm for eternity.”

“So, if those newly dead stay on this plane, do they stay
here forever or can they move on the higher plane eventually?”

“Yes but they only have a limited amount of time to
choose. This realm gives people time to reconnect with their loved ones. If
they wish to stay, they get to stay with their family forever, or, they can say
their farewells and move on.”

I paused a moment.
What a difficult choice to be
handed, stay with your family or move on?
“So, what is on the higher
plane?”

Robert laughed. “Nobody knows.
Anyone who moves on, can never return to this plane. That is the ultimate
choice a person can make, but who knows how you would feel if you went there.
Feelings might be non-existent there, and the only people who would miss you
are those here and in the living realm.”

“Wow. I can imagine it’s extremely difficult for them to
choose that path. So what about me? Will I ever get a choice to move on?”

Robert thought a moment before
answering. “I believe you would, but those who become Daemon’s tend to stay
like that for a very long time. No one I know who has become a Daemon has
decided to move on, yet.”

“So why did I get made a Daemon? Why didn’t I just die
and move on here with a choice?”

“Well that’s an easy one to answer. Sort of; Firstly
those who die before their time, due to being attacked, run over by vehicles,
murder, etc, they become spirits with certain abilities, so they are able to
gain vengeance, as it were. Some choose not to, and they move on here, but most
want revenge. As you are fully aware, hauntings can be a good way to get your
point across to make sure that person doesn’t do it again. Daemons such as
yourself however, are created when the way in which you died was so terrible,
hauntings would not do you justice. You for example were raped, tortured with a
knife and killed by three men. A heinous crime. For some reason though, you
have been chosen to be a much more powerful Daemon. What else happened to you?
For only those who lived in hell ever get this sort of opportunity to be
Daemon’s.”

I recalled my past few years
of my life to Robert, explaining the amount of noise and hell my neighbour had
put me through, and how I found the noisy neighbours website which had helped
me through many troubled times, when the authorities would not. He nodded as I
spoke, taking it all in.

“Sounds like you had an awful time. No wonder you have
been doing those things to those other neighbours from hell, I quite agree with
you. I’m sure many people would. However, some here would not, and how you have
gone about the punishments, many would find extreme. Luckily, I’m not one of
them. Just don’t get yourself in too deep. Power is one thing, but it’s how you
use it that defines you. Just be careful.”

I nodded. “Yes, there was a
spirit I spoke to in a hospital who mentioned us being watched. Obviously I
don’t want to attract the wrong attention. I hope you will be able to help keep
me on track?”

Robert smiled warmly. “Of
course, I will do my best, but remember, I can only help you here, so if you
have a dilemma you will need to work through it yourself in the heat of the
moment, as it were.”

“Ok. Well thank you for the help so far. I should be
getting back, or I will be missed.”

“Missed? By whom?”

“Er, well there’s a man who can communicate with me, and
also see me without me needing to try. He is living in my house. Or what was my
house. Him and his housemate have been helping me with my transition on how to
haunt.”