Oblivion by Karolyn Cairns [paranormal/YA] Read Free Book Online

You can pipe down and follow me, or I’m leaving you here. I’m too tired to fight off more deadheads tonight.”
    “What are deadheads?”
    “Let’s just say; they don’t like us none, Kid.”
    “What did you mean by the doorway is closed?”
    “Anybody ever tell you that you talk too much? I’ll explain everything when the coast is clear. You got three deadheads on your tail, and they ain’t happy.”
    “What do they want with me?”
    “They get off on pain. That’s something you can still feel even if you’re dead. They like tormenting Newbies. It makes them happy.”
    “You keep saying I’m dead! I’m alive,” Jace snapped under his breath, aware the footsteps were growing louder.
    “Hate to break it to ya, but ya got wacked pretty good back in your life. You’re dead and you’re trapped here in Oblivion. Don’t ask me why you didn’t get the pearly gate treatment. I don’t judge.”
    Jace scoffed at his words. “Yeah ok, this is a joke!”
    “Like I said; you can fight what I’m telling you. It only makes this worse for you. The sooner you accept you’re dead; the sooner you can move on.”
    “What is this place?” Jace asked with a feeling of dread. “Is it Hell?”
    “Nah, that place is a real shithole. This is a temporary place in between, or not so temporary for some of us.”
    “What do you mean?” Jace demanded, playing along to stall for time.
    “Depends on how ya got off’d, for one. Suicides are lifers here. Most of the deadheads are suicides. Accidents get out of here pretty quick once they realize it and reroute them. The murdered are here indefinitely. If ya can’t remember what happened to ya, chances are you’re an accident or somebody wacked ya. Either way, you’re stuck here for a time.”
    “What about the people who die naturally?” Jace asked hesitantly, thinking about his Mom.
    “Those lucky bastards get the full treatment, either good or bad, depending upon where they get assigned.”
    “I don’t get it.”
    “You will, now zip it. They’re real close.”
    ~ ~ ~
    Jace was relieved when the mountain that pinned him to the wall moved away. He turned and saw the mountain was a man of medium build, black, and grinning at him outrageously. He wore black military style gear and boots and carried a number of weapons at his waist. Merrick was his name. It was obvious Merrick was his ticket home.
    “Why can’t I call my girlfriend?” he demanded when the deadheads were gone from the walkway.
    “You don’t give up. Get it through your thick country-cracker head, you’re dead! I’m sorry, but you are. We don’t get any live ones here too often,” Merrick explained and shrugged.
    Jace looked sick to hear it, wishing this was some nightmare he would wake from. Yes, that’s what this was. He was unconscious and all of this wasn’t real. Soon, he would wake from this and all would be back as it was.
    “Listen, I got a little brother and sister who count on me,” Jace began. “I need to make a call and make sure somebody’s looking after them until I get home.”
    Merrick rolled his eyes. “Look, I know this is all a lot for you to take in. I deal with you guys all the time. I’m telling you the truth. You’re dead. This is a halfway house between the upstairs and downstairs we all know about. What ya need to do is figure out why you’re here. That’ll help. You can’t remember anything at all?”
    “No, I gave a buddy a ride to his girl’s house. The last thing I remember is him…” Jace broke off then, recalling Cameron asked him to stop so he could take a piss on the side of the road. He saw himself pulling off and Cam got out. After that, he couldn’t seem to remember anything.
    “Nice friend ya got there. Chances are; he’s the one who wacked ya.”
    “Will you quit saying that?” Jace snapped. “Cam and I been friends since the fifth grade. He didn’t kill me!”
    “Somebody did or you’d remember it,” Merrick said knowingly.