ASMSG Scifi Fantasy Paranormal Emagazine April 2015 | Page 39

I looked up and saw my parents in the rain about
twenty feet away, coming toward me. The lights from
the well-lit school entrance didn’t quite reach them
for some reason. Or rather, the light seemed to go
through them. I put my book in my bag, slipped a
strap over one shoulder and looked up just as they got
to me.
That’s when I froze. I could see through them – both
of them, just a bit.
Fear tinged my voice, “Mom? Dad?”
“I’m sorry we’re late.” Dad gave me his crooked grin.
“We were in a car accident, and we had to walk. It
took a while in the rain.”
I think my horror finally registered with them.
“Fiona, what’s wrong?”
“What happened to you – both of you?” I could feel
the blood draining from my face. Suddenly, my hands
were ice cold and shaking. My bag slipped back to the
sidewalk.
They looked at each other in surprise, but they too
realized that the other wasn’t quite substantial. I don’t
know how long the three of us stood there, but it
seemed an eternity. I watched their facial expressions
change from concern to horror to resignation.
“I’m so sorry, my dear, sweet Fiona.” Mom’s voice
was gentle. “I don’t think we will be picking you up
after all.”
I felt the rain on my face as I looked from one parent
to the other. I was a bright kid. I knew they were
there to say goodbye. Whatever had happened, they
were no longer alive.
“Stay here, Fi,” my dad said. “Do not leave here
under any circumstances, until a trustworthy adult
shows up.”
“Make them show their ID. Under no circumstances
are you to leave with anyone who isn’t a police officer
or someone you know.” Mom turned to Dad. “My
mother, we can get to her and let her know.”

Dad asked me to repeat my instructions, a precaution
they always took.
“I’m going to wait here until someone comes to get
me. They must show me ID. They will get me to
Nana.” My voice was low, dull and leaden. My parents
nodded, and Mom reached out a hand, but stopped
when she realized what she was doing.
“I love you, my sweet girl. I’m so sorry we won’t be
here to watch you grow up, but no matter where I
am, I will always, always, always love you more than
anything in the world, times three.”
The rain was pouring harder down my face. When I
looked up, I saw I was nice and dry under the awning.
The streams of water on my face were tears.
“My lovely Fi, you take care of yourself. You are
smart and talented, and you can do anything you want
to.” Dad turned to my mom. “Will she be okay with
Nana? How can she stay sane in that place?”
Nana worked as a fortuneteller in a traveling carnival.
She was a bit eccentric, but I adored her.
“Maybe Nana will settle somewhere. Hopefully, we
can have a clear line of communication. See to it that
she gives Fiona a solid, normal home.”
I followed all of this with some detachment, probably
shock. Hearing my dead parents talk about normal
things, as if they were simply going on a long trip was
– well, bizarre. I had accepted that they were truly
dead pretty quickly. Something inside me recognized
that. Even though it was my first real communication
with the dead, I knew it for what it was. The grief
would set in later.
“Well, we don’t know how much time we have, so we
are going to Nana now, Fi. I know this will hurt you
for a long time, but you must stay strong and know
that you are going to be safe and taken care of. Your
mother and I love you more than we can ever say.
Stay here.”
He reached out a hand, but, like Mom, didn’t make
contact. I heard sirens far off in the distance as my
parents started to fade from view.

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