Afterlife

Jamie heard the gunfire getting louder from outside. “What are we going to do?” asked Stephanie. Jamie could hear the terror in Stephanie’s voice although she was trying hard to hide it. Jamie had been taking care of her little sister for the past three years and was deeply concerned this would be the end.

Jamie was at a loss; she could not see a way out of this situation. Jamie tried to think of reassuring words she could say to Stephanie, however all the soothing words currently popping into her head were lies and she was not willing to lie to her little sister. After the death of their mother, the girls had agreed never to lie to one another. Finally, Jamie simply said, “I do not know, Little Butt. Give me some time to try to create a plan.”

“I am so sorry, Mother. I really did try my best to keep her safe.” Jamie hoped her unspoken prayer would reach her mother before time ran out. Jamie started looking around the space for any weapons, hiding places, or, more preferably, a way out of this situation. Stephanie was following Jamie so closely around the old barn, she almost stepping on the backs of Jamie feet. Jamie thought Stephanie would be safer if Stephanie stayed close to her, so she did not complain even after the third time Stephanie nearly stepped on the back of her foot.

“I think we should start on the left side of the barn and spread out a couple of feet so we can check with our feet and our hands approximately two feet wide back and forth for trapdoors, hiding places, tools, weapons, or other items which will help us if the wave of rioters makes it this far. What do you think, Stephanie?”

Stephanie did not want to step out from behind Jamie, but agreed Jamie had a good idea and started walking beside her to the left side of the barn. Both girls started moving slowly from end to end of the barn creeping from the left side to the right at every end to locate any solution that could protect them if the rioters came into the barn. “I found a pitchfork,” Stephanie quietly exclaimed proudly showing it to Jamie.

“Great job, Little Butt,” Jamie told Stephanie. “You hold on to the pitchfork for now and we can trade it out if we devise a better plan.” The gunfire had not gotten any louder for the past several minutes and Jamie was hoping the local protection force was keeping the rioters at bay. “Please Mother, we need your help.” Jamie sent her silent prayer once again trying to reach the spirit world.

When the girls finished checking the lower level of the barn, they had managed to find the pitchfork, a hoe, two long pieces of rope, a hammer, and several nails. Stephanie climbed up to the loft to check for more items but told Jamie all she could find was a hay door leading outside. “I am afraid we would be in more danger outside than in and it would not matter whether we scooted down a rope from the hay door or raised the bar and walked out the front door. I did not see any cover even close to this old barn. I was hoping we would find a trap door down to a storm cellar or bootlegger's path.” Jamie said sadly. “I think we should go upstairs to the loft and peek out the hay door to see if anyone is coming yet.” As the girls found a good hiding place near the hay door to watch for trouble, Jamie’s mind raced.

“We finally got a verified lead on a stable area, and I am not going to be able to get Stephanie safely there.” Jamie thought to herself. “We only needed a few more days and our journey may have been finished.” Jamie considered the events of the past years which had brought the girls into this dire situation.

When scientists discovered a gene a few years ago that harnessed the souls of dead people to their genetic relations it was kept a secret. The afterlife is real, ghosts are real, and science could prove it. The problem? The gene was exceedingly rare, and with a continually dropping global birth rate the gene was in danger of possibly disappearing.

Mother had been a part of this team of genetic scientists and a carrier of the afterlife gene. Mother was an invaluable source of information as she had lived her whole life in contact with her dead family members. Mother knew the limitations of afterlife contact. Generally, a dead person was only able to contact and communicate with their immediate family and the next genetic circle such as grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and first cousins. None of her dead relatives seemed to know what happens once all relations a soul was able to communicate with were gone. Consensus among the dead was that the soul probably ceased to exist.

Jamie was startled back to reality by a sound outside the barn. Jamie looked out the crack of the hay door and saw a cow starting to cross the field. Both girls gave a sigh of relief and then Jamie was struck by inspiration. “Hurry, Stephanie, we can use the cow as cover to reach the tree line and move on before the rioters can reach us.” The girls hurried out of the barn and to the cow as fast as they could while remaining quiet and vigilantly looking for attackers.

When the girls finished crossing the field and moved far back into the tree line, there stood Mother. “I heard your messages Jamie and came as quickly as I could. I was able to locate this cow and persuade her to help us. You girls are doing a great job and the path you are on will lead you to safety. I will walk with you for a while; however, I am unable to stay long.”

“We know you are working to create a safe place for us to live, Mother.” said Stephanie. “Do not worry about us because Jamie is taking great care of me.”

“You should be able to live several peaceful years at the sanctuary you are going to now. By then we will have finished your new home where the singlelifers will not be able to hurt you. We are working to free the afterlifers who have been kidnapped to become breeders or to be experimented upon. If only Doctor James had not leaked the information about the gene from the lab, we may have found a way to get the gene to work for others before the rioting started. The thought of this life being all there is was simply too much for so many people.” Mother looked sad as she spoke and turned to give Jamie a hug. “Protect my baby and do not forget to call your mother occasionally.”

The next two days went by in a whirl for the girls. Mother had given them great directions, as usual, and they were able to easily avoid the roaming bands of rioters that came near them. As they neared the city their mother directed them to, Jamie and Stephanie once again found themselves in an old barn. This time the girls were not hiding from a looting mob bent on living for the moment and creating destruction everywhere they went. This time the girls were simply doing reconnaissance prior to entering the walled city. Jamie knew Mother would never lead them astray, however it was Jamie's job to protect Stephanie and she needed to be absolutely certain the city would be safe.

Jamie once again let thoughts of the past fill her mind. Three years ago, Mother had barely gotten a message to the girls to leave before she was murdered by Doctor James who planned to experiment on all three of them. Uncle Derek managed to get the girls packed and out of the house mere minutes before armed guards arrived at their home. Doctor James was so angry after the girls escape, he released pictures of Jamie and Stephanie to the public along with an offer of a $1,000,000 reward for their capture.

Uncle Derek took the girls to another city and helped them disguise themselves to be safe. Uncle Derek had gone back home to take care of his own family once he decided the girls were safe. Jamie and Stephanie lived in peace for slightly more than a year in the new city. During that year, Jamie and Stephanie had been training to protect themselves and learning to live off the grid in case they would need to leave. Mother came to them one day to tell them the city was no longer safe. Doctor James had discovered where the girls were and was sending mercenaries determined to capture them and take them back to the lab for experimentation. Jamie and Stephanie spent the next 18 months drifting from place to place, hiding from mercenaries and mobs. The girls were managing very well on their own until four months ago. “I cannot change the past,” Jamie thought to herself angrily. “I need to focus on keeping Stephanie safe now.”

Jamie told Stephanie to stay hidden at the old barn so she could visit the city for a couple of days to make sure there would not be any trouble once Stephanie came. Jamie did hear a few people mention the afterlifes, however, those people did not seem to be hateful or menacing toward them. From the conversations she heard, it seemed to Jamie that most people were simply living their own life and not worried about whether there was an afterlife. When Jamie returned to the old barn, she drilled Stephanie about ways to act and what to say when people asked her questions.

“Where did you come from?” asked Jamie.

“I am from a small town near the delta that was destroyed by looters.” replied Stephanie.

“Where is your family?” Jamie stared at Stephanie with a hard look.

“My family was killed but they sent me down the river in a raft before the looters reached our home.” Stephanie looked like she was about to cry.

“Are you an afterlife?” Jamie nearly yelled.

“No, I am just an ordinary kid who wants to be somewhere safe. I have been traveling for months and I am so tired.” Stephanie looked so sad Jamie almost believed her.

“Great job,” said Jamie. “It is time to head to the city.”

As Jamie walk to the city gate with Stephanie, she remembered that fateful day four months ago when she died hunting for food. It was a stupid mistake, and Jamie remembered Stephanie crying for days at the thought of being alone even though Jamie’s spirit was right there beside her immediately. Jamie finally got Stephanie to calm down and worked with her to get back on track to find a safe home.

The protection agent at the gate asked Stephanie several questions and seemed to be satisfied with her answers. The protection agent told Stephanie she could go into the city and advised her to visit the children’s services office to be placed with a family to take care of her when she told the protection agent she was 11 years old.

“Now you will have two families to look after you, Little Butt” Jamie said.

“Thank you, Jamie. I know you will continue to keep me safe.” Stephanie said looking back at Jamie’s spirit.

“Who were you talking to?” asked the protection agent.

“Nobody.” replied Stephanie. “I have been alone for a long time and sometimes I talk to myself, so I do not feel alone.”