Life, Death, and Eternity

By A.L. Roberts

Things aren't always what one would expect. That was never more evident than in the life of recently widowed Alura Asher. When Alura went out to a club with her friend Miranda she didn't expect to meet the dashing, young man Micah who seemed to remind her of someone. In fact, the more that she was around Micah, the more that she had memories of them being together. But, these memories weren't in this lifetime, they were in another day and age altogether. Could it be possible that reincarnation existed? If that were true, then could this man Micah be the love of her life, her one true soulmate that had been attempting to reconnect with her over centuries? Even if all of this were true and they did find each other again, not all things are possible when adversarial forces are out to keep them apart. Can Alura discover her past and reconnect with Micah before she loses him and herself forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.L. Roberts
• Release date: Aug 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463896983

A.L. Roberts

Mother of two children, two dogs, a cat, and 5 rabbits. Misty finds herself writing in her spare time. Mostly, the story ideas are born from dreams and nightmares, but the more interesting books are the ones spurred on by conversations with friends, family, and aquaintances. Misty is always keeping an ear open, asking for people's perceptions on different situation. She tries to lace her comedic and creative personality into the books that she writes. Each new idea for a book brings so many exciting possibilities. Misty just can't wait to explore them all.

Book preview

Life, Death, and Eternity

Misty McBride

DEDICATION

To my wonderful family. Through all the good times and bad you were there for me. You supported, loved, and encouraged me in everything that I have done. But most of all you helped me to find myself again.

I love you all.

CHAPTER 1

Piercing cries broke the silence of the late afternoon peace, and my first successful rest in a while. I covered my head with my pillow and groaned, reaching across the bed, Your turn... I paused as my hand hit the top of the pillow, slowly moving my arm downward. A shirt covered pillow. A large stuffed bear, soft and scented with a deep musk. Then, nothing but coverlet. Flat, soft, untouched coverlet. I sighed, gulping back the lump in my throat as the memories flooded back. Right, I cursed under my breath. When was I ever going to come to the realization that he was gone. Maybe I was torturing myself with the things that he gave me. But, surrounding myself with his scent seemed to be the only way I could manage a few moments of sleep.

Sleep, ha! That was something I definitely hadn’t had much of. My three month old was a good baby, don’t get me wrong, but there were definitely nights that were harder than others.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my hands over my face. Dylan’s whimpering sounds came over the monitor. He always had such a shocking cry to begin with, and quieted quickly after. It was almost like he knew I was doing my best, and he was giving me time to get there. But he shouldn’t have to wait. He should have me there, or someone there giving him full attention immediately. Augh! I growled, throwing myself back on the bed, and covering my face. What am I going to do? This isn’t fair, you know that right?! I yelled, staring at the ceiling. Dylan cried with more enthusiasm, having heard my imploring attempts at a request for reprieve to the great unknown.

Sighing, I closed my eyes. I was going to have to return to work soon, and that was going to be so much harder. Work! My eyes flew open, scanning the room for a clock. Misty. Charles. I promised! It wasn’t on my nightstand like it usually was. I pulled the covers to the side, digging for my small, rectangular lifeline like a dog trying to hide a bone. Scanning the floor, I laid myself down over the side of the bed, hanging my head down so I could see under the dust ruffle. Patting my hand on the floor just beyond where I could see I touched what seemed to be the rounded edge of my phone case. Inching my finger over the cover, I felt myself losing purchase on the bed. Come on, just a bit further, I mumbled, precariously hanging over the edge of the mattress. Gotcha! I declared, grabbing the phone in my clutches just as I tumbled over the side of the bed onto the floor.

Well that was delicate. Nice one Alura, I mumbled, my body aching from the fall. I obviously wasn’t as young as I used to be.

I glanced at my phone, Six thirty! I’m late! Jumping up, I checked my clothes, a baby burp stain down the shoulder of my white button down shirt. I didn’t need to lift up the fabric to know it stunk. Looking around my room, and the dirty piles of clothes here and there, I knew I wouldn’t find much better. I sighed. I have got to do laundry. Resigned, I left on my chosen apparel from this morning, looked in the mirror and grimaced. Quickly, I grabbed a brush and whipped it through my hair, pulling it loosely into an over the shoulder ponytail. This would have to do. I was already thirty minutes late. Glancing back at my phone, I raised a brow in surprise. No texts from Misty. Huh. I would have thought she’d have messaged to ask if I was still coming.

Rushing to get Dylan, and tend to his needs before we left, I texted Misty a quick message to let her know I was on my way. The reply came back in an instant. No worries dear. Take your time. We’ll be here.

I smiled to myself, warmed by the old woman’s kindness. Since my husband had died when my son had been a mere month old, my neighbors had taken me under their wing. Namely the wife, Misty, a wonderful woman old enough to be my Grandmother. She had been appalled that I had been left alone in the middle of the Oregon countryside with no family or friends to speak of. I did have one friend from my home city of Portland a couple hours away, but she was too busy with enjoying her single life to come help me with a newborn. Besides, I was much too stubborn to ask for her help anyway. A couple times every week, I would accept Misty’s invitation to join them for dinner. Tonight was one of those nights.

Finally ready, I walked out the door with Dylan in my arms. It was such a beautiful day that I wanted to enjoy the fresh air, and walk outside. It was just a few hundred yards anyway. I could literally see Misty setting their table through the slider doors. It would still be light out when we walked home anyway.

CHAPTER 2

Cradling Dylan to my chest I stepped quickly across the vast field separating my home from my neighbors. He had begun running a slight temperature, so I was anxious to get him home so that he could rest. It appeared he didn’t care where he was though, as he had fallen asleep almost instantly. Misty and Charles had protested, but I insisted because of the short distance. I wouldn’t been in the dark long anyway, because the security light would come on.

I could feel Dylan’s warmth as he breathed against me. Walking a bit slower I leaned my head down to press my lips against the top of his dark, blond curls. I tried to be as quiet as possible so that I wouldn’t wake Dylan. Walking through the grass, I took in the beauty of the night. The sky was clear as the silence ripped through the night like a knife. There was no moonlight tonight. Beautiful as it was, I hated the dark. My husband had warned me against walking the field alone. Even if it was a short jaunt, many places were available for creeps to hide along the way.

Hmmm, why didn’t the motion sensor light come on? I was close enough to the house that it should have activated. Suddenly, a chill ran up my spine as if I were being watched. Looking up, I tried to catch sight of anything that may be making me feel this way. Many trees dotted the field, a strange mist gathering between them, and over the ground; blocking my sight of the neighbor’s house as I turned around. I couldn’t see a thing, but just to be safe, I decided to walk a bit faster. I should be fine, the distance left to my house wasn’t much, maybe a hundred yards.

A thick and eerie feeling passed through me. Stopping, I searched the darkness for the lurker within. I could feel eyes boring into me…there was no mistaking that. Was it a man? An animal? Should I go slowly or quickly? A branch snapped, making my skin prickle. It was obvious, something was there. My jaw clenched.

"RUN, run NOW!" echoed through my head.

Did I really just hear that? Couldn’t be, I must be going crazy to think I heard that. But, feeling the danger I was in, I began to run. I jumped over the stumps and holes that I knew were there hiding in the darkness. I was almost there, the house was just past the bridge, but there was no outrunning them. I was completely surrounded in half a breath, stopping dead in my tracks. Where did they all come from? There was no one in front of me before.

Glancing briefly around me, I caught sight of 5 men. Clutching my baby to my chest, I marveled at how he didn’t awaken with my heart pounding so loudly against his ear. None of them made any sounds, all of them staring at me like I was their next meal. A piercing feeling emanated from the man in front of me, so I returned my gaze to him. He was muscular and blond, completely foreboding. My gaze darkened as I defiantly held my little one from him. Was it my imagination or was I shining in the dark? I shook the thought quickly from my mind as the blond smirked at me.

Strong isn’t she? His voice seemed to course through my veins even though he didn’t even open his mouth. Why did I feel as if my knees had turned into jello? My body felt frozen in place and I couldn’t make a sound to speak. Merely grasping tighter to the youth in my arms, I kept him as far from the blond as possible.

Please don’t wake little one. This is not a regular group of men, much as I wish they were.

I was beginning to feel weak, but still fought to stand my ground and hold my baby as the men closed in about me. The sensation that someone was choking me came over me with a persistent pain nagging at my heart, pulling at me from the direction of the blond. My knees were begging to buckle as if they could not hold me any longer. My eyes would hardly stay open. I had to fight! I couldn’t let them hurt Dylan! Everything was starting to get hazy and I felt so faint. I couldn’t stand much longer. My eyelids fluttered slightly, but my eye caught something coming from the right. The movement was so fast, an absolute blur of white. A loud crack echoed through the air as whatever it was collided with the blond, breaking his neck. Could it possibly have been another man? Almost shocked into consciousness I refocused and saw all the blood as the blond fell beneath the large mass that was almost time and a half his size.

Most of what was happening was blocked from my view, but I stared down the hill after blonde’s head as it rolled down the hill. My strength began to return a bit and I realized that most of the others were not focused on me any longer. I heard the two to my right being attacked as well and did not care to turn and view the carnage. I wanted to try to shout out a warning to the mass of white as the man to my left rushed toward him. Caught in a haze that still seemed to hold me back I could say or do nothing but watch as the entity in white turned. It was a man! Crouched over what had been the blond, now just a mass of limbs and blood, he turned and connected with me briefly a concerned look of recognition crossing his face. Then he looked at the upcoming threat. Drained as I was I almost chuckled, the second man was not much of a threat. He was a toothpick barely worth mentioning compared to the man in white.

Pain shot through me and I realized that there was still one man that had not lost his concentration on me. Turning slowly as I gasped for air I met the eyes of the very young man behind me. His eyes were so dark that they basically matched his hair which reminded me of tar. He looked at me like he was pleased about getting to me himself…PLEASED and HUNGRY!

Tucking the infant that was in my arms almost to my side I practically growled with protection, speaking through clenched teeth, You can’t have him!

The boy in front of me appearing to be merely a teenager looked vicious. Stepping toward me, he pierced me with his gaze, grabbing the collar of my shirt. I knocked his hands away, Don’t touch me! Meeting his gaze with my own, I realized my mistake as soon as our eyes met. I shouldn’t have looked there.

That’s right Laura, he smirked wickedly, You’re mine now.

Laura? I questioned in a daze, my body feeling paralyzed.

"NO!" I heard practically shouted from behind me as I felt my soul being ripped from my chest. My hands loosened their hold on my child and I began to drop him as I fell toward the ground. The youngster reached his hands for my baby. NO! Not HIM!

The man in the white shirt slammed into him, knocking him halfway down the hill. It seemed like everything was in slow motion as my baby and I fell to the ground. Then, we were caught. We didn’t hit the ground. I was safe in someone’s arms. My eyelids fluttered open as I felt his arms about me, helping me close mine around my baby. Looking hazily into the worried eyes of the man in the white shirt, I felt myself being lowered to the ground and he said my name, Alura, you’re ok now. We’re going to take care of you. Fogginess closed in on my vision as I saw him turn looking down the hill, hearing him talk loudly and hurriedly to get the other’s attention. I could only grasp a few words Ash…we have to…now! I felt the other man’s hand cradling my head as I was laid on the ground. Fingers pried mine open to take my baby. It’s ok, Somehow I realized that it really was ok, and that Dylan was safe with them, so I let go.

I heard the large, muscular man in the white shirt walk over the footbridge spanning the stream bordering my property. His friend Ash focused on me as he laid my baby down in the pack n’ play I had on the patio. Closing my eyes briefly, I felt Ash’s fingers probing my chest just above my heart. Time felt like it was going slowly. I felt absent, almost like I was disappearing.

He pressed down with a finger on my chest. I could feel my heart speed up a mite and heard him sigh, Ah, yes. Letting my eyelids flutter open I heard the man with the white shirt approaching. Ash took his finger nail and drug a small cut on my chest.

Was that really his finger? I felt as if I were starting to separate from myself. Then, I saw the man in the white shirt kneel next to me on my right side, an even more concerned look crossing his face. The white shirt was gone, leaving only his chest that was bare and streaked with blood. I kept looking into his eyes as I heard a crunch from the direction of the other man.

It was then that I felt Ash’s lips on my chest over where the cut had been made. There was extreme pain. Oh my heart! What was happening? I gasped and looked down at him as the pain began to sear through me. I didn’t even notice that my thoughts were getting clearer as the pain continued. It was then that he held me down with one hand and put his other wrist to my mouth. It was wet, no not wet, it was bloody. Gasping, I took in some of the blood to my mouth and was forced to swallow. Closing my eyes as the pain coursed through my veins, making my heart feel as if it would explode, I couldn’t help but reach up and hold his wrist to my mouth, drinking in more. Then, my whole body arched against the ground and the arm that held me down. I wanted to scream, but only let out an agonized whimper as my eyes squeezed shut and tears poured down my cheeks. Suddenly I gasped, seeming to breathe my soul back into me with an instantaneous peace guiding me to fade off to sleep.

CHAPTER 3

I sat up quickly in my bed, gasping for breath, my hand flying to my chest. The sun cascaded through the curtains over my comforter, a lilting breeze wafting through the white sheers. The white sheet I had pressed to my chest barely covered me as the memory…no, dream…of last night blazed in my mind. Running a hand through my hair, my eyes were opened wide as I stared unseeing through the room. Holding the palm of my hand to my forehead as my fingers laced through and clasped my hair I ran through each detail. It couldn’t have been real. There wasn’t any possibility of that odd of an experience actually happening.

Remembering a specific detail about the dream, my eyes widened as I hurriedly pulled the sheet out from my chest to examine the area where a healing cut should have been. The area appeared to be red and irritated. I threw the covers to the side and jumped out of bed to rush to the bathroom mirror. I pulled and pushed at the skin examining it to see if there was any mark there. It was very irritated and if I squinted just right it did look like there was a healing mark there. I shook my head, leaning back and examining my reflection in annoyed contemplation. You are being idiotic Alura. Rolling my eyes at myself, I trudged back to my bed, curling back up under the sheets in hopes that I might get a few more minutes of sleep before Dylan awoke.

The rays of the sun were coming in the window in an early acknowledgement of how hot the coming day was going to be. As I lay there the heat of the sun came down upon my arm, feeling like a gentle warmth building upon my skin. At first I sighed in comfort, trying to forget the ridiculous dream that I had thought for even a moment to be true. After only a few more minutes the heat on my skin began to get uncomfortable, feeling almost as if the light of the sun were boring into me. Trying to shove the sensation aside, I turned away from the window, chiding myself again for letting my thoughts run away with me in such a manner.

I heard Dylan starting to whimper over the monitor, and rolled out of bed to get my clothes on before he woke up completely. I really needed to get out and get my mind off this dream that I had last night. Not only that, but I still felt an eerie sensation that was making my skin crawl. Maybe I could call Miranda and see if I could meet her in Portland this evening. She and I had gone to many places there together. It would be great to be out with my friend again.

Dylan cried from his room, signaling that I should hurry up a bit in my dressing. Throwing a camisole on over a pair of old jeans I ran in to Dylan to tend to whatever his little heart desired. The phone calls would have to wait for now. At this moment, I was perfectly happy being wrapped up in the attentions of the chubby little man who lived with me.

CHAPTER 4

Miranda agreed to Dylan and I coming up to see her immediately, talking about how she wanted to take me shopping before we went out as she was certain the aromatic Mommy clothes were not going to attract the proper attention at all. She even was able to connect me with a great nanny in the area that would be perfect for watching Dylan overnight.

I agreed that she was probably right about the shopping. It had been a while since I’d purchased any new clothes. Maybe it would do me some good to get a few things. Mind you, I wasn’t going to spend a lot of money but 1 or 2 items wouldn’t hurt anything.

I called Misty to let her know that I was leaving for a few days, so that she wouldn’t worry. We finally pulled out of the driveway at 4pm after Dylan’s nap. The path to Portland was rather easy, with only one way to go, North on Interstate 5, and dead ending in Portland. That is, of course, unless you wanted to head into Washington. Seeing as that was not my plan I just had to set the cruise control and turn up my music to ride. For now my Evanescence cd would do as I cranked it up and sang as clear as the lead, at least to my own estimation.

Settling back into my seat, I rolled down the window to allow a little air to flow through. A scent of heather hit me, bringing with it a picture of a field, children running outside playing, a picnic blanket. Love, then tremendous fear, swords, and pain. Finally, a familiar voice, I will love you forever my Laura.

The honking of a nearby horn jolted me back to reality. I instantly pulled to the side of the road, my hands clenched on the steering wheel. Looking back at Dylan, I saw that he was happily playing with his reflection. Taking a few deep breaths, I wiped a tear from my cheek. That daydream sure seemed real. Shaking my head, I breathed in deeply, and pulled back out onto the interstate. I seriously couldn’t understand why that rattled me so much.

The drive to Portland seemed to go quickly from thereon out, and I was ecstatic as I drove