Death's kiss

Chapter 13

"Amelia, wait! We can't enter the other world until we are called by the Reaper".
"What?"
"Yes."
Amelia exhaled. She just wanted to run away from here and never look back. If she's dead for them, then she should remain dead. What was she even trying to prove and to whom?
"Amelia", called out a husky voice.
As she turned around to find the source of the voice, Reaper greeted her.
"Indeed a coward. You trusted the wrong people and now you are escaping once again. You were stubborn to solve the mystery, for your mother, for yourself, but now you are just being an escapist. A fool."
"You... You don't know what I'm feeling", stuttered Amelia.
"I don't know feelings, but what about you? Stop being a mere earthling".
The Reaper was right. It was her decision to follow the truth and now she can't be afraid to see the truth unfold. She can't back off.
Before Amelia realized, Reaper had already disappeared.
"Who was inspecting my case?"
"Inspector Ken."
"Let's go!"

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"Mr. Rose, thank you for visiting us on such short notice", said Inspector Ken.
"Not a problem. I really want to help", replied Robin.
"Good. However, we didn't really call you regarding Amelia. Rather I wanted to know about Isabelle Rose."
"It was years ago, officer. How will it be of any help?"
"Like I said, we never know. So what exactly happened 22 years back?"
After fidgeting for quite some time, he replied, "She died of a car accident."
"Was that natural?"
"Of course not. How can a car accident be natural!" replied Robin.
"No, I meant, what was the verdict? Did the breaks fail naturally?"
"Of course. The breaks failed on their own, if you are asking me that! It was an old car."
"Didn't you think it could have been a potential murder?"
Robin looked shocked.
"Mur... Murder! It was only an accident!"
"Oh! Really, but what about her husband, Amelia's father, Benjamin Rose?"
"What about him! He had ulcer, yet he maintained his unhealthy lifestyle and habits. Reports said that his stomach was affected badly due to the ulcer. Nothing more. Look officer, we were and are still heartbroken with what happened to my brother, his wife and now his daughter, but all of these are different cases", explained Robin sternly.
"I really hope that is the case, Mr. Rose."
Amelia watched the entire conversation from afar. Her life was becoming more of a mess with each passing moment. The thought that her mother and her father could have been potentially murdered drained her out.

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"Here are your reports", stated Dr. Morgan as she handed over the reports to Gemma the next day.
"Thank you, doc."
"No problem. Take care. By the way, how's your grandma?"
"Grandma?"
"Yes she visited me yesterday soon after you left. Oh, she's such a wonderful old lady."
"Doc, I don't have any grandma!" replied a dumbstruck Gemma.
"What? But... But the lady... She asked me about you."
"I'll talk to you later", Gemma rushed out of the hospital, aghast at what just happened.

****************************
Amelia knew something was not right. Whatever inspector Ken told her uncle must hold some truth of it's own and now it was upon Amelia to figure out what exactly had happened 22 years back.
"Do you know the spot were my mother died?"
Amelia asked Grace who in turn replied,"Yes, we can go there if you want!"
Amelia nodded.
Within a few seconds they were standing in a marketplace, buzzing with people, vendors and buyers, shops and cars that were parked infront of those shops.
"How am I suppose to find anything from here!? The accident happened 22 years ago.... I... There will be no proof left!"
"Amelia, relax! We'll find a way. Let's just give some time-"
"That shop-"
Just across the street, stood an antique shop, it was definitely different from the rest of the shops in line due to its unusual decor. It was a shop that screamed 'Antique items found here!' Then they noticed the placard of the shop 'Out Of The Attic- since 1978'
"The shop has been here since before all of this. So, if my mother died on this street, do you think they saw anything on that day?"
"Amelia that was years back! I guess we need to ask to find out".
With that they walked into the store.
"Hello, lovely ladies! How may I help you?" greeted a bearded but bold shopkeeper in his thick Hawaiian accent.
"I... I... We wanted to ask..."
"We wanted to ask about something that happened on this street. Will you help us, Sir?" Grace completed Amelia's sentence.
"I don't understand, but okay, how may I help?"
"Year 1998, September 6. A car crashed on this street-"
"1998? That was ages back. Oh my, I was only 8 back then. How-who are you guys? Police? FBI?"
"No, but trust us, this is very very important to us. So if you know anything, anything at all. Please please help us." Amelia intervened and she was almost begging to the shopowner.
"Look, like I said. I was only 8 years old then and I know nothing about what you are saying! Anyhow, my dad used to take care of this shop back then. I honestly don't think it's going to help, but if you want you can meet my father."
"Please, sir. We want to meet him. Thank you."
The shopkeeper guided them through a door and then a couple of winding stairs that led to his house. Both the shop and his house was connected through that door.
"Dad!"
He called out.
"Miss Martha! Dad!"
He called out again.
"What happened? Why are you screaming?"
An old man on a wheelchair approached them from another room.
"Dad, they wanted to meet you."
The old man shifted his gaze towards Amelia and Grace, gave them one quick glance, and spoke again.
"Who are you two?"
"Sir, I... We wanted some answers and we sincerely hope that you are the man who can provide us those answers."
"About what?"
"Sir, on September 6, 1998, a car crashed on this street, across your shop, a woman died. Do you know anything?"
"I-Heaven's! That was years ago. No I don't know anything."
"Sir, you have no idea how important this is for me. Please sir. Even if you have seen or heard anything, please let us know!" Amelia pleaded.
This time the old man didn't even look at them. With no hope left, after speaking a quick thank you, she decided to leave the shop.
"Wait", called out the old man, "I got into a lot of problem due to that incident. The police, they hampered my work here with their unnecessary questions for weeks, when in reality they didn't even cared about my answers. Hence, if I give you answers, you need to promise my privacy to me."
"Of course sir", Amelia assured.
"Alright. I still remember that night vividly. Well.... Let's just say I doubt whether it was an accident. That's what it is, a doubt, no proof whatsoever!"
"Please elaborate", said Grace.
"This shop was started first by my father, only because he loved antique items. So I grew up with old stuffs pretty much, collecting them. Anyways the store became our family shop and the year you are talking about... The year 1998, I... Well, I was closing the shop like usual after the day's work, when suddenly I heard a monstrous thud and a blood-curdling scream. Before I realized a car had landed across the street, flipped. Oh! That picture! How I wish I could forget that picture! When I approached the car, a lady, covered in blood and as frail as autumn leaves, looked at me from within the then shattered car window. What was worse, she was pregnant! Lord, I hope she found peace!"
"Pregnant? She was pregnant?" asked a very disturbed Amelia.
"Yes. Heavily pregnant. I did call 911 but they couldn't reach on time. She was still alive in front of me, wailing in pain, pleading for help. Trust me, I took pitty on her. I, very catiously, pulled her out of the car. She was trying to speak. I couldn't make out everything. But she definitely was terrified of something, or perhaps someone. Trust me, it didn't seem natural at all. It didn't seem like the car crashed. It looked like-"
"Murder", said Amelia.
"Yes, perhaps. How does it matter though, the police declared it to be an old car issue, break fail, no tampering, no nothing."
"Hmm. We know. Anyways, thank you so much sir."
"Wait. You don't even know the strangest part yet. After calling 911, I rushed towards my shop to look for more help, and.... And when I returned, I saw the lady had already died, she was surrounded by police and lights and cars, and beside the dead body was a baby placed so safely on the freshly fallen snow. Can you believe that? The baby.... She... She was pregnant with that baby.... Oh God! Even today, it's so unreal. I tried to talk to the officers, I tried to explain to them that she was pregnant moment's ago, but they didn't believe me. They called me mad. Of course, who would believe that a woman who is almost dying will give birth to a baby on her own deathbed!?"
All that she knew until now about her life was nothing but false. Everything was now starting to add up. The baby had to be Amelia. Maybe this explained why the Reaper was so connected to her, from the very beginning. All her dreams, all her nightmares made sense now. The Reaper didn't save her once but twice.
"Did you see anyone else around? Someone who didn't fit in?" asked Amelia.
"No. No one else."
"Thank you so much sir, and don't worry whatever you said just now, it'll be our top secret".
Amelia gave him a meek smile and left the store along with Grace.