InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "hasta lavista, swartza-negro"

cajun_devildog (cajun_devildog) wrote in free_form2,
@ 2008-03-27 19:54:00

A conversation with the dead
It was a warm day, filled with bright sunshine and humid air as the temperature approached eighty five. Grass was greening up and wildflowers were starting to bloom, reminding him that spring was well underway in this part of the country. His walk along the Louisiana country road had taken him far from his boyhood home, but aside from making sure he didn't stray into the path of the few vehicles that passed by he didn't spare the walk much thought.

GW had been walking most of the morning, Hannah's stone in the pocket of his cargo shorts. The petite blonde had never been far from his thoughts ever since he'd returned to Louisiana for Easter, though he'd tried hard to forget about the encounter when he'd been back in Las Vegas. In the end he hadn't been able to toss the stone into Lake Mead, but he hadn't been able to make the decision to summon the Agent along with the spirit that wanted to speak to him. Should he use the stone?

It was a question he hadn't been able to resolve. Part of him was eager to speak to the spirit that was trying so hard to reach beyond the grave to speak with him, and part of him was afraid he wouldn't like what they had to say. Who would it be? Helene? Some other relative? A comrade in arms killed in combat? What would they think about what he'd done with his life so far?

He had to know. Whoever this spirit was, if they were making so much effort to speak to him then he owed it to their memory to let them have their say. The sound of church bells roused him from his musings and he realized he'd walked all the way to the church.

"Gotta be a sign," GW muttered to himself, and strode into the graveyard. Taking a seat on the bench in front of the statue of the Virgin he grasped the stone and turned his thoughts strongly on Hannah. "Okay Hannah, let's do this."

[Thread open to Hannah and NPC]

(Post a new comment)

hannah_flynn
2008-03-28 06:18 pm UTC (link)

“It’s about damn time!”

Hannah Flynn, princess of the exaggerated yet harmless tantrum, appeared in front of him with her hands on her hips. She was wearing a white sundress and hiking boots. The sun shone through the fabric.

Upon realizing which statue she was standing beside, Hannah corrected herself. “Darn time. Sorry. I get a little free with my language, now that I know I’m not gonna burn in hell.”

The stone in GW’s hand wasn’t usually necessary to call the Agent into the earth realm. It was just that Hannah wanted to make absolutely positively sure GW meant to speak to her, about the restless soul and all, and wasn’t just taking a weekend trip to the bayou.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	cajun_devildog 2008-03-29 01:45 am UTC (link)
	GW shook his head in amusement at the blonde's cursing. "Lucky Sister Helena isn't around, she'd wash yer mouth out wi' soap she would." He tilted his head and looked at the odd fashion choice of the sundress and boots combination. "Interestin' choice, have an unlimited wardrobe in the hereafter?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hannah_flynn
2008-03-29 04:29 am UTC (link)

"Sister Helena, huh..." Hannah's forehead wrinkled and she wondered if that was a nun. She remembered the first time she ever saw a nun in person instead of on Sister Act. Sister Margaret was a source of pure fascination for her, especially how her old habit looked so brand spankin' new. She ended up trapping the woman in a chat about how to get her whites whiter.

But that was then, this was now. Hannah shrugged.

"Not at first. I used to have to wear this white... robe thing that made me look like I was goin' to a spa. Or maybe karate class. These days I'm rockin' whatever I feel like." She nodded. Obviously it filled her with satisfaction.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cajun_devildog
2008-03-29 07:21 am UTC (link)

"Good t' know," GW filed it away for future reference. He wasn't sure exactly how Hannah had gotten her job as a modern day ferrywoman between the realms of the dead but it seemed to agree with her. Then again, the few times he'd met her nothing seemed to faze her.

He took out the pack of smokes he'd stashed in one of the cargo pockets of his shorts and tapped out a cigarette. A quick flick of his bic and he was inhaling his fix and working on calming his nerves. It was bad for him, he knew that, but right now he really didn't care.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hannah_flynn
2008-03-29 08:18 am UTC (link)

"Eh, not really." She scrunched her nose. "You don't strike me as a guy that cares too much about my outfit."

The spirit took a few steps closer, until the tips of her shoes seemed to pass right through GW's. Hannah could become solid, when she wanted to, but this wasn't one of those times. Slipping into her role more fully, Hannah let go of her silliness and her voice became soft. "You ready to talk about old times?" A tip of her blonde head. She was backlit, and the sun rays came into her like gold.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	cajun_devildog 2008-03-29 04:25 pm UTC (link)
	GW nodded. If he didn't do this now then he'd lose his nerve and never would. "Sure, been curious to see who wants to see me so bad." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hannah_flynn
2008-03-31 08:36 pm UTC (link)

Hannah laced her fingers behind her back. “I think you know who,” she said, tipping her head on one ear. She let the question hang in the air for a moment, allowing time for GW to chew on her suggestion before she pulled back the curtain between worlds.

The afternoon was full of birds, and all of them seemed to be singing at that moment. The air was a sultry blanket of warmth and southern humidity, and because of it, a haze was suspended over the graveyard. Flowers on burial wreaths wilted and hung top-heavy from delicate stems.

“There’re rules,” she said. “You won’t be able to touch the spirit. They’re out of phase with the earth realm, and their bodies are no longer safe to inhabit, even temporarily. You’ll be able to see each other… to hear. You could reach for them, and your skin might feel a prickle in the air, but that’s all.”

The blonde studied him for understanding. “It’s going to be hard, GW, not being able to touch... You’ll probably try anyway. Won’t be able to help yourself, and there’s no harm in it. They’ll only be able to stay for a few moments, just long enough to tell you what’s on their mind… If it’s too hard at any time, you can put the stone down, and it’ll be over.”

Hannah reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Are you ready to see Helene?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cajun_devildog
2008-04-01 04:55 am UTC (link)

"Guess I do," GW admitted quietly at Hannah's query. Who else would come from beyond the grave to see him?

The Cajun listened with half an ear to her listing of the rules. To see Helene again...he had a hard time believing that it was really going to happen. How could he see his wife and not be able to take her in his arms one more time?

"Yes," he stood up and squared his shoulders. What would Helene say to him? Did she know what he'd done with his life since he'd lost her?

Did she forgive him for that night? It should have been him...

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hannah_flynn
2008-04-01 05:30 am UTC (link)

"Okay."

Hannah grew quiet and her expression softened. As she stood watching her old friend, the air behind the blonde began to slowly ripple, like heat over a scorching highway. There was no noise as the breach between worlds opened, only a flash of light that shone through Hannah's translucent form, and then dissipated.

She stepped aside and revealed the dark-haired woman behind her.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cajun_devildog
2008-04-01 06:36 am UTC (link)

"Helene..." GW breathed, stunned at the sight. She looked almost the same as they day they first met, clad in a light colored sun dress and a pair of well worn leather sandals.

He reached for her without thinking, and his hands tingled as they passed through her. Hannah was momentarily forgotten and he had eyes only for the spirit of his dead wife.

"Hello George," The spirit said in that sweet, soft voice of hers with her British accent giving it a touch of the exotic to his ears. "I've missed you."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hannah_flynn
2008-04-01 05:47 pm UTC (link)

Having brought the woman to the earth realm, Hannah was partly responsible for what became of it. She ached to allow them privacy, but was unable to move beyond earshot. The blonde took a circular path around the couple, the perimeter of which was just within hearing their words.

She watched her boots cut through the grass, not quite trampling but parting it with her ghostly presence. Each blade bent away from her and then sprung back to slow attention when she passed. Despite herself, Hannah thought of Devon and what he’d think if he came upon her now, so different in form if not in spirit. He had been her living love, the brief one meant to brighten her days while she was youthful and the world was brimming with possibilities, while Oliver was the love of what she needed and wanted and yearned for now, and somehow she thought the impracticality of it was why it worked so beautifully for them.

Hannah peeked at GW and Helene through her hair.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cajun_devildog
2008-04-02 06:40 am UTC (link)

GW fidgeted with his hands, not knowing what to do with them. He wanted, needed to take his wife in his arms one more time, but she'd simply pass through them. He clasped them behind his back, then changed his mind and brought them around front.

"Helene, chere..." He choked out in response to the spirit's words, feeling tears threaten, "I've missed you too, every day I miss you. I'm sorry, so sorry. It was all my fault."

Helene had been driving the night that drunken driver slammed into them, but he was the one who was supposed to have been behind the wheel. "It should have been me. I shouldn't have asked you to drive-"

A ghostly hand reached up to cut him off in mid sentence. "Hush love." Helene told him, the love clear in her voice and how she looked at him. "You had no way of knowing what would happen, and you knew that you'd had too much to drink. It wasn't your fault anymore than you're responsible for the rain."

GW felt the tears streak down his cheeks, and the Cajun dropped to his knees in front of her. Others may have thought he'd been talked out of his belief that Helene's death was his fault, but in his heart he'd never let go of that guilt even if it was buried deep down. Hearing her absolve him of blame helped ease that ache.

The ghost smiled and moved to brush back his hair, causing a tingle on his scalp and forehead. "I love you, George. I wish we'd had more time together in life but we'll be together again in the next world, many years from now after you've lived a rich long life."

Her eyes locked with his, "Live for me George, find a woman who will love you and give you the children we couldn't have. Meredith wasn't the one but there will be others, don't hold back part of yourself because of me."

"Be happy."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hannah_flynn 2008-04-02 06:09 pm UTC (link)
	Hannah heard the plea and knew that the end of their meeting was drawing near, not only because the ghost had spoken what was in her heart and relieved GW of his burden, but because staying any longer would do more harm than good. She picked her way through the gravestones until she’d rejoined Helene. “Say so long, GW,” she suggested. “But not goodbye.” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cajun_devildog
2008-04-03 03:46 am UTC (link)

"So long?" GW looked between the two women. "But she just got here!" He protested, not at all pleased at the idea of her disappearing so soon.

"My time here is short, George," Helene told him sadly. "I'll always be with you here," she gestured toward his heart, "even if I can't be with you like we were when I was alive."

GW's expression was still mulish, but he understood there was nothing he could do to stop their departure. "Farewell for now chere, we'll see each other again one day."

He devoutly hoped so anyway. She was in a much better place than he deserved to be he was sure.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hannah_flynn
2008-04-03 05:58 am UTC (link)

Hannah slipped her fingers through Helene's, though they had been untouchable to human hands. The look she gave GW was apologetic. In some ways, being given a few more moments with a loved one you missed was almost as difficult as never seeing them again, because you had to say goodbye twice.

"You don't have to stop talking to her," Hannah said. "Now you know she's listening."

She gave Helene's hand a squeeze and took her home.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cajun_devildog
2008-04-03 06:40 am UTC (link)

GW watched in helpless frustration as Hannah and Helene disappeared from the cemetery. To have Helene so close only to have her leave again...it was hard to bear.

The Cajun sighed, mentally and physically drained from the experience. He got up off his knees to sit on the bench again and think about what had just happened.

"I love you Helene," He whispered to the empty space where his wife's spirit had just been.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	hannah_flynn 2008-04-03 07:16 am UTC (link)
	END THREAD (Reply to this)