The Visitor

The Visitor

Katrina Blatz

A cooling wind blew with a burning ferocity down the empty alleyway. At least it was empty to all but those whose could see with a piercing eye. Even so the air of emptiness appeared to envelop the entire alleyway. The blank eye would see everything but the body crushed under a stairway. The area of buildings in this alley is meant to be demolished next week. Even the piercing eye would have some difficulty seeing the outline of this body, hiding under the now collapsed stairway. However, the piercing eye would see the small pool of blood hidden in the shadows, out of the sight from the crowd. There was however one set of eyes that could see everything that had happened on that fateful night. These are the eyes of a black cat, sitting at the edge of the alleyway, still as a statue. The eyes of a beast that could not care less as to whether or not one has died. An animal that is looking at the man, with a piercing eye. The man who wants to know why there is a gap in his head. They are not his exact eyes however, for they see from outside his own body. The eyes that have found a way into my very soul.

If the man only knew of his demise, perhaps he could have prevented it. He doesn't though, even though he wants to know. That always happens to the dead. I have seen this scenario many times over. First they lose consciousness, not knowing that they have died. When they come to they do not remember who they are, that is until they see their own body. Because souls do not have physical bodies they can take on any shape they want. This has led to some confusion, when more than one person dies the wrong person will have the wrong body in some cases. I know how that feels. Thankfully they do remember once they regain their "body". However, the deed that needs to be done has to be done before they regain consciousness. Otherwise the memories of their death will remain, like a scar on their psyche. Not everyone can be saved though, since some deaths cannot be undone. Such as the death of the one who is to save them. But before this man is saved, I have to know how to save him first.

Four minutes before this awful tragedy, a man was seen talking to some construction workers. As he was talking to one of them, they dropped some of the sandwich they were eating. The people there made a few comments to this clumsy construction worker and laughed about the situation a little. The one who dropped part of his sandwich threw the rest of it in the garbage. After this the group continued to talk about the upcoming job. Three minutes before death, the conversation was over and the men begun to leave. As the man whose fate was to die, was walking away he saw a rat eating parts of the sandwich that was on the ground. Two minutes before death, he made some noise and tried to kick the rat out of the way. The rat scurried of into the back alley, and ran up the stairs that will end up crushing the man in the near future. One minute before death, when the rat had fled the man noticed that his wallet was missing. Seeing it under the stairs the rat had just climbed, he proceeded to go to the back alley. 30 seconds before death, a bird lands on the top of the stairwell the man is under. 10 seconds before death, the man looks up after hearing the bird making a commotion, bumping his head on the stairs in the process.

That dear sir is how this poor construction worker died. It was somewhat comical, if one really thinks of the circumstances, but sad nevertheless. All this info though is just what is needed to change his fate of being crushed by that staircase. When people think of the world of the dead they often think of a location, or place that a soul goes to. That is not quite the case, since in reality the world of the dead is everywhere. Those who are alive just can't see it, and the ones who are "alive" that can see it are not truly living. It is from this world that ghosts with special abilities can manipulate various "objects". Some can even prevent the death of another from even happening. That is what is about to happen today. All that is needed to change this man's fate is the simple manipulation of a single object. I know exactly what object that is.

In this new time the man attempts to kick the rat, scaring it off into the back alley. In doing this his wallet falls out of his pocket, only to be picked up by the rat. The rat begins to scurry towards the dreadful staircase. Just as it is doing so the wallet it is carrying snaps open making it drop it directly in front of the stairs. After this it proceeds along its path. The man seeing that his wallet is missing notices that it is in the back alley. He walks over and picks it up, looking up at a bird that just made a commotion. Standing up straight he turns around and walks away, completely unaware of the original fate that was destined to him. The rat, now sheltered in a hole in the wall, is safe from becoming a murderer, although I doubt it would have cared. The bird watches on, also unaware of what was supposed to happen. Last but not least, the hero who is one of paradoxical existence returns to their life, and body. The black cat continues to look on. My body moves as though awakening from a deep sleep and I begin to walk away, satisfied with the results. My black paws treading the grey pavement. I the back furred visitor to this world of life.


End file.
