Author's note: Okay, so now we know who the girl is. But what about the
boy? Any guesses? Will be revealed at the end of the chapter
"The Realm of Lost Souls" Momo repeated in a wondrous voice. But she did not understand what that meant. She still had no idea what this place was and who lived here. In all her childish innocence she asked the boy. "What is the Realm of Lost Souls?".
The young man's face, which had sported a light grin at seeing her uncertainty became solemn again. "It is a place outside the world you know, here there is no time (she shivered at that word) and only certain people are here. Noone else is permitted to enter, only the lost souls find the way to us and they have to stay here until they have found their salvation. Only then they will be able to leave the Realm and be allowed to enter heaven. But most of the ones that are still here, have given up hope of ever leaving. Then, when they loose their last spirit, and only then, they will be true lost souls."
Momo tilted her head and asked her final question, the one she wanted to have answered the most, the one which would explain herself and this boy and all the other people he had talked about being here: " Who is a Lost Soul?".
"I knew you would ask that", her new friend answered. " There are two kinds of people coming here: The First are those who have committed terrible crimes, who have murdered and killed, who stole lives and ended existences. Who saw blood and death at their own hands. But you mustn't believe that they deserve this. Nobody does. They are not pure villains. They only became lost souls because of the pain and guilt they bear for their crimes. And they are lost because they think they are unsalvageable. That there is no way for them to redeem themselves."
"And the other kind?" Momo asked. Even though she thought she already knew the answer. It would explain why he was here. And the reason she just woke up in this Realm.
"We others are here because of reasons out of our control. Because there simply was nothing for us out there to live for. Nobody we would care about was left, the people that mattered to us were gone. Oh maybe not all of them, but those who counted. And often it even was through our own fault. They died because of us. Because we did something wrong or nothing right. And for this we are lost. For loosing family or friends and at the same time large parts of our hearts until nothing remained. Except a hollow shell and a lost soul."
Only then she noticed that there was a large tear running down her cheek. It wasn't many of those salty companions, just one single tear, but it was enough. Every part of her body now felt the deep sadness that this place contained. For now she understood why this was the Realm of Lost Souls.
"Why are you here?" asked the boy, his brown eyes letting shine through just a tiny bit of curiosity. She looked over his lean figure, the soft features, the soft brown curly hair, until her eyes finally met his. And then she started to tell him her story.
"I could not save them. My friends, I mean. Beppo and Girolamo and the children who used to play at the amphitheatre. And the baker and all the grown-ups. And it was all my fault. Because I did not make it in time. I only had one chance, as long as this one time-rose bloomed I could have destroyed the grey men. But I was too slow, too late. The rose lost all its leaves and then it was dead. And so was all hope. I fell into despair. The grey men had won now. They had all the time of all the people. And those saving their time were now going to die. Soon. And all of them. They would die because of myself being not fast enough. And with that thought I blacked out. It had been my rose that now was dead. And so I believed was I. I think I would have deserved that. If my friends had to die, why not me? But I was not dead. And then I woke up here. And I am a lost soul now. And I deserve it."
Thus ended Momo`s speech, it was actually rather short, just a sum-up, but it still held so much emotion in it. It was the short version of her story. The young man had listened carefully, with the interest and expression of someone who had heard many such stories, each one of them being tragic and sad and unique in it's own way.
When Momo had recovered her strength from her remembrance, she said: "That is my story. But who are you? And what is yours?"
His eyes had never left hers until answering:" My name is David Copperfield. And I am the protector of the Realm. You are going to hear my story soon enough. For I can see that you possess a gift, that only few people have. And it is a blessing that could save at least some of us. It makes you special and who you are. But you need to share your gift with the souls who are trapped in their own memories. For yours is the greatest and the only one that matters here. You have been given the gift of listening."
Disclaimer: *now that I can say it* First see Introduction. Second I do not own David Copperfield (but Betsey Trotwood rocks!). Charles Dickens has made him and his friends and family up. Thanks to you, guy!
Reviews: Please no flaming. I hate it! Do not like it? Then do not read it. Or at least do not review. I am sorry if some characters are not acting the way they should. Keep in mind that they do have reasons for being lost souls! Thanks!
"The Realm of Lost Souls" Momo repeated in a wondrous voice. But she did not understand what that meant. She still had no idea what this place was and who lived here. In all her childish innocence she asked the boy. "What is the Realm of Lost Souls?".
The young man's face, which had sported a light grin at seeing her uncertainty became solemn again. "It is a place outside the world you know, here there is no time (she shivered at that word) and only certain people are here. Noone else is permitted to enter, only the lost souls find the way to us and they have to stay here until they have found their salvation. Only then they will be able to leave the Realm and be allowed to enter heaven. But most of the ones that are still here, have given up hope of ever leaving. Then, when they loose their last spirit, and only then, they will be true lost souls."
Momo tilted her head and asked her final question, the one she wanted to have answered the most, the one which would explain herself and this boy and all the other people he had talked about being here: " Who is a Lost Soul?".
"I knew you would ask that", her new friend answered. " There are two kinds of people coming here: The First are those who have committed terrible crimes, who have murdered and killed, who stole lives and ended existences. Who saw blood and death at their own hands. But you mustn't believe that they deserve this. Nobody does. They are not pure villains. They only became lost souls because of the pain and guilt they bear for their crimes. And they are lost because they think they are unsalvageable. That there is no way for them to redeem themselves."
"And the other kind?" Momo asked. Even though she thought she already knew the answer. It would explain why he was here. And the reason she just woke up in this Realm.
"We others are here because of reasons out of our control. Because there simply was nothing for us out there to live for. Nobody we would care about was left, the people that mattered to us were gone. Oh maybe not all of them, but those who counted. And often it even was through our own fault. They died because of us. Because we did something wrong or nothing right. And for this we are lost. For loosing family or friends and at the same time large parts of our hearts until nothing remained. Except a hollow shell and a lost soul."
Only then she noticed that there was a large tear running down her cheek. It wasn't many of those salty companions, just one single tear, but it was enough. Every part of her body now felt the deep sadness that this place contained. For now she understood why this was the Realm of Lost Souls.
"Why are you here?" asked the boy, his brown eyes letting shine through just a tiny bit of curiosity. She looked over his lean figure, the soft features, the soft brown curly hair, until her eyes finally met his. And then she started to tell him her story.
"I could not save them. My friends, I mean. Beppo and Girolamo and the children who used to play at the amphitheatre. And the baker and all the grown-ups. And it was all my fault. Because I did not make it in time. I only had one chance, as long as this one time-rose bloomed I could have destroyed the grey men. But I was too slow, too late. The rose lost all its leaves and then it was dead. And so was all hope. I fell into despair. The grey men had won now. They had all the time of all the people. And those saving their time were now going to die. Soon. And all of them. They would die because of myself being not fast enough. And with that thought I blacked out. It had been my rose that now was dead. And so I believed was I. I think I would have deserved that. If my friends had to die, why not me? But I was not dead. And then I woke up here. And I am a lost soul now. And I deserve it."
Thus ended Momo`s speech, it was actually rather short, just a sum-up, but it still held so much emotion in it. It was the short version of her story. The young man had listened carefully, with the interest and expression of someone who had heard many such stories, each one of them being tragic and sad and unique in it's own way.
When Momo had recovered her strength from her remembrance, she said: "That is my story. But who are you? And what is yours?"
His eyes had never left hers until answering:" My name is David Copperfield. And I am the protector of the Realm. You are going to hear my story soon enough. For I can see that you possess a gift, that only few people have. And it is a blessing that could save at least some of us. It makes you special and who you are. But you need to share your gift with the souls who are trapped in their own memories. For yours is the greatest and the only one that matters here. You have been given the gift of listening."
Disclaimer: *now that I can say it* First see Introduction. Second I do not own David Copperfield (but Betsey Trotwood rocks!). Charles Dickens has made him and his friends and family up. Thanks to you, guy!
Reviews: Please no flaming. I hate it! Do not like it? Then do not read it. Or at least do not review. I am sorry if some characters are not acting the way they should. Keep in mind that they do have reasons for being lost souls! Thanks!