Existence 02 - Predestined

can’t remember me for long when I’m not near you.”
    “Why did you want me to remember those times? The ones you’d picked out for me to dream about?”
    Leif stopped pacing and placed his hands on the railing at the foot of the bed. His intense blue eyes bore into me. “Because those were the times I fell a little more in love with you.”
    No. Nonononono. I did not want him to love me. I wanted him to let me go. “You don’t love me, Lief. If you loved me you’d never have been able to hold me against my will.”
    Leif growled in frustration and threw his hands up, “I’ve told you I can’t control my father. He saved your life. He owns you Pagan.”
    “No one owns me.”
    Leif shook his head, “I don’t want to argue with you. Not tonight. Let’s just eat. Okay?” he walked back around and picked up his plate.
    I finished eating my food until my stomach was finally satisfied and then drank every last drop of my coke. I wasn’t sure how long it would be before I got a chance to eat again. Because there was no possible way I’d go back to that dining room. They could starve me for all I cared.
    “Are you full?” Leif asked standing up and stacking our plates on the tray.
    “Yes,” that was the only reply he was going to get from me.
    He turned to leave then stopped. His shoulders heaved with a heavy sigh and he looked back at me.
    “What can I do to prove to you that I do love you? Anything except letting you go; because I can’t. I’ll do whatever else you ask of me. I want you to accept this. Us. Just tell me.”
    I stared back at him and I knew what I could do to make my eternity more bearable. “Release Wyatt to a transporter. Don’t keep him here.”
    “If I can convince my father to release Wyatt to a transporter then you will believe I love you and you’ll let this work between us?”
    I felt the lump rise up in my throat at the promise I was about to make. I’d be throwing away the small hope that Dank could save me from this. But Wyatt’s soul was at stake because of me. “Yes, if you hand Wyatt’s soul over to a transporter and I get to see this happen. Once I know it has happened and that his soul is where it belongs then I will stay with you. I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy. To make... us... happy.”
    Leif’s face broke into a grin for the first time all night, “You have a deal. Get some rest Pagan. Tomorrow is a new day and I can’t wait to start eternity with you.”
    I couldn’t agree with him. I’d just shattered my own heart.

    Dank

    Standing in the crumbling school building left devastated by the tornado that had just taken out an entire town I couldn’t focus on my purpose. I needed to be searching for the entrance to Vilokan. But souls had to be taken. I stalked through the grief stricken building pulling souls from the bodies of children and teachers. Several transporters followed in my wake. Each time I’d pass a child whose soul wasn’t in need of release I was thankful. One more life that had been saved from this tragedy.
    I continued on to each building and house no longer counting the souls as I took them. It only took moments and I was then walking across the muddy roads of Nicaragua taking souls from sick women and children who never stood a chance. Cardboard houses and dirt floors littered the land. No clean drinking water for miles. So much poverty here while other places had such an abundance.
    Different countries, continents, causes all flashed before me as I snatched souls from bodies. Death happened often. It was a dark void I’d once walked with no joy. Then Pagan had entered my world and she’d made everything right. She’d made the emptiness leave and given me a reason to exist. Now, she was gone. I’d let her down. I’d lost her and I was on the brink of storming the streets of New Orleans and ripping it wide open until I found the portal I was looking for.
    “Dankmar,” Gee’s voice called out to me and I spun around from my task and glared at her.
    “What?” I snarled angrily. Seeing her only made me remember Pagan. My Pagan.
    “Ghede is releasing Wyatt’s soul to a transporter. The Creator has summoned me. He said to alert you and you could choose to do with that information what you liked.”
    “Where? When?” I asked as hope soared through my chest.
    “Tonight. He wants it done as soon as possible.”
    Why? What was his game? “Where?” I demanded.
    “Bourbon Street.”
    So the portal was on Bourbon