Erasyl''s Dad:


    Erasyl''s Dad''s Soul Reading: Remembering his wife


    Erasyl''s Dad:


    I had better not disturb them, it looks like they are also going through something highly emotional.


    My my, they are also sharing an intense moment. Yep, they are almost bound to get together sometime in the future.


    Surely not the same one as me?


    Erasyl:


    Ready for what -


    Erasyl''s Soul reading of: Himself as a baby


    Erasyl:


    My mother. She died too young for me to remember. This is wonderful.


    Erasyl''s Soul Reading of: Maggie


    This is fucking hard. I feel on the verge of vomiting.


    Hold on! Otherwise all of my friends will die. I''ve just found them! I can''t let that happen.


    And Erasyl is holding my arm.


    He''s nice after all. I''ll definitely treat the green tree frog admirer better if we get through this.


    Erasyl:


    Maggie:


    What is Sarsaparilla going to do this time?


    Maggie''s Soul Reading of: Maggie''s Mum


    My beautiful daughter. And my last dance with her.


    This is going to make me sick. But I don''t care. It''s worth it to hold my very own daughter for one last time.


    Maggie:


    This is what mum really was thinking. That she loved me.


    Maggie''s Soul Reading of: Erasyl


    If this is my last moments, then at least I can go out holding Maggie.


    I wonder if I''ll feel embarrassed recalling this? Doesn''t matter, just keep supporting Maggie.


    And don''t say anything! I certainly don''t want to disturb her concentration.


    Maggie:


    He''s teary eyed too.


    Erasyl, we won''t be doing anything special together until after everything''s been resolved." said Maggie.


    bastards lied about my mother. She loved me and she wanted to give me that last dance, and yet they lied through their teeth and tried to destroy the good memories I had of her."


    <hr>


    Sarsaparilla: these friends aren''t going to be taken away


    Sarsaparilla''s Soul Reading of: Herself


    Sarsaparilla:


    That''s right, I haven''t taken them out since. Because I don''t need to remind myself of them, I''m with them all the time. Especially Kaydence.


    And Adalace!


    I have a girlfriend. And friends.


    Oh, right.


    Sarsaparilla''s Soul Reading of: Shane


    I killed five teenage girls. Five innocent teenage girls. I trusted those scientists without any hesitation, when they produced their spiel about clones and about enhancing my powers. And it was all bullshit. And I''m bullshit. If I had a bit more knowledge of the world I would have know that creating clones was impossible.


    Those annoying teenagers knew straight away that it was all a fake, but I was completely fooled.


    And now I''ve got the blood of five girls on my hands.


    Why did those so-called scientists have to do that?


    Yeah, to make me more committed to spending the rest of my life in a spaceship, on a one-way trip to a star.


    What did that horrible bloke say? That''s right, if the programme had gone as they planned, I would have adapted to being a killer. And in doing so, I would have adapted to being out of contact with the rest of the human race, with only forty clones for my company. Thirty of them female.


    Bloody hell- that tall lady with the disfigured face, she certainly called it right: ''My clone harem''


    But I can''t do that now, can I?


    What can I do?


    The guilt is horrible.


    I suppose I will just have to go anyway, I certainly can''t remain in normal society with all of that on my conscience.


    This is so horrible. Perhaps I should just kill myself. Although, what were those annoying teenagers saying, something about an Angel of Death helping them?


    Hell, that means I can''t even kill myself.


    I just need to leave.


    Sarsaparilla:


    We need to take Shane? Presumably for his shields.


    I''m supposed to be with a psychopathic killer - wait, he is actually regretting it. In fact, it seems he was royally screwed over by the powers that be.


    I need to talk this out with the others.


    And Adalace looks as if she is becoming aware of her surroundings.


    Adalace: no longer any reason to be envious


    Adalace''s Soul Reading of: Nethezal


    I have sinned. I raped my own daughter.


    I will one day be dragged into the depths of hell. But I didn''t know she was my daughter! But that doesn''t make any moral difference, does it? I must pray to my Lord and Master for forgiveness. If I pray hard enough, and give enough penance, I will be saved. But will I? Is my crime too big to be forgiven? Will those devils come and drag my soul down?


    I know what those two were. They were devils, in the disguise of two teenage girls, who came up to the mortal world to gloat in the knowledge that I will soon be taken by them. I know beyond any doubt. Two devils, with glowing red eyes, pretending to be two cute teenagers. The others didn''t see it, cause they haven''t committed any mortal sins. But I could see it, I could see their red eyes, their sharp teeth, I could smell the sulphur. Yes, they were the spawn of Satan, come to check me over.


    But no, I won''t be going with them! I shall atone for my sins. The sin of raping my daughter. But what about the other girls I also raped?


    I must pray with great strength, to avoid the clutches of those two!


    I must. I will avoid them. Nobody else knows that they were devils. Even Sister Celeste doesn''t know.


    Yeah, Sister Celeste. She comes here every week to help me repent. She leads me in prayer to save my soul. She smiles encouragingly, she is noble and self-effacing.


    But I know. Behind that smile, behind those kindly eyes, I see the truth.


    She hates me.


    She hates my appearance, she hates the sound of my voice. But, most of all, she hates my actions. Of raping my daughter. But I didn''t know she was my daughter! But does that make any difference?


    Oh, yes, she hates me. She watches me, watches me suffer. She reminds me of my crimes. Every week. I can''t escape it. Her hatred is driving the fires of hell that will consume my soul. She is in league with those two devils, she is the one to make sure that I cannot recover, that I can never split my mind again, she pretends to help me, but really she keeps me down. When I die she will push my soul down, into the hands of those two devils.


    Those two devils. They might look like cute teenage girls, but I can see! I know! Their glowing red eyes give them away! They are out to get me. I know it!


    I must pray to God to be rescued. I must pray harder!


    But how can I rescue myself?


    I have sinned. I raped my own daughter...


    Adalace:


    The man''s gone bat shit crazy.


    He deserves it!


    Ah, I think?


    Adalace''s Soul Reading of: Nethezal


    Adalace:


    Maybe this is a fitting punishment, after all?


    Adalace''s Soul Reading of: Esmeralda, with Nethezal in the background


    Oh my. Are all of Sarsaparilla''s soul readings as dramatic as this?


    This is weird. I am now conscious of my body, and I can feel the surface of this bed - actually the blankets are pretty cheap and coarse - but I''m not really here and there is no way that Nethezal can perceive me. In fact this is probably a replay of Nethezal actions and thoughts, recorded recently and saved, just for me.


    This is still effectively a cell, it doesn''t have a lock on the door and I suppose he goes out to go to the toilet, but it''s still a dingy cell.


    He must eat his meals here, also. Maybe they are delivered?


    He''s not locked in, but he might as well be.


    And he looks like a wreck.


    I''m glad I can no longer hear his thoughts.


    What will his Judgement be like?


    Perhaps I don''t want to know.


    All I should concentrate on is looking after my own soul. And Sarsaparilla''s. Most importantly, look after Sarsaparilla''s.


    Adalace:


    Teylon Soul Reading of: Emilia


    Teylon:


    Emilia.


    How much did I love her?


    After all this time, I don''t know. Of course, I didn''t know back then, either.


    Why do I keep crying when I think of her?


    Oh, of course, there''s nothing here. That was part of the soul reading.


    Looks like Esmeralda thinks I have enough with which to get started on my task.


    Sarawatch: Watching over Mirabella


    Sarawatch''s Soul Reading of: Mirabella


    So, I''m not on Mars, and I''m not on Earth? Is this what one of those soul readings is supposed to be?


    I think I am missing something...


    Oh, right.


    I''m still confused. What are they, some sort of angel... nyah, can''t be. They don''t look like powerful supernatural beings, just a bunch of teenagers. And why does that one girl look familiar.


    By all that''s wonderful - that''s Mirabella. Yeah, she''s definitely Mirabella.


    My, she looks a lot happier here than the last time I saw her. Just before she died...


    Just before she died.


    So - this is some sort of afterlife - but why the wings and halos? - Ah, this is some sort of in-between life? - In-between - after dying in such a shitty way Mirabella gets a little respite and some happiness before going on to - whatever?


    Yes, she certainly looks happy. Even if that other girl just pulled her hair...


    Yeah, Mirabella certainly seems to have a good life here.


    Sarawatch:


    I ask Teylon to find out the name of that girl, and in return, I actually see her being happy. Exactly where is an interesting question, presumably above Earth but still below Heaven.


    You know, I was an atheist. I think I might have to modify my beliefs. Just a little bit. Although I am still not going to become the slightest bit religious.


    And Teylon is on a quest to stop the sort of evil that killed Mirabella in the first place.


    Right.


    When Teylon finally makes his move, I''m going with him.


    Damn those anonymous bastards for letting Mirabella die!


    Juniper: Is loved and cared for.


    That''s so nice, Erasyl is nice, so of course his family must be too.


    Were soul readings a common thing before my parents died? I don''t really remember anything about them...


    Juniper''s Soul Reading of: Herself


    Juniper:


    Yes, of course. They all love me and care for me. They had no warning, they weren''t asked to, but when they realised that I needed help they just all made an effort. All on my behalf. They are all wonderful and I owe them my life.


    Whereas, those horrible people that sent me off to be a sex slave, and then decided to toss me onto the garbage and sent me off to be killed by that monster Shane, those people couldn''t care less about me. I owe them nothing.


    Wasn''t Teylon supposed to do something about them? If he is, then I will help him. It is the least that I can do to repay their kindness.


    Tamara’s Soul Reading of: Her sister dropping in to say hello.


    Tamara:


    Become a teacher. Yes, I will.


    That''s right, I tried to enrol into a teacher''s college when I first came to Verdant. But all I got were refusals. Because the hidden puppet masters of this society decided to use me as an assassin. And I went along with it.


    But no more!


    Shit them!


    If my sister tells me to do so, then I''ll become a teacher!


    But what if those evil people keep on preventing me from becoming a teacher?


    They won''t. Because Teylon is on some sort of quest to stop them. So all I have to do is to follow his lead.


    Fuck those creeps, we''re going to rip them out from the shadows and drag them into the bright lights and show everyone just what they have been doing!


    Francesca: Sees the big incident from the other side.


    Bloody hell, that''s the shit - I mean that''s Richard in the bed. And those two people must be his parents.


    Francesca''s Soul Reading of: Richard


    girl should suffer the consequences of her actions! As soon as you''re up to it, I''ll get the police in to take a statement." said his father.


    Being in hospital for a couple of weeks is the pits. And the side of my face aches like hell.


    What a pain. That bloody bitch.


    But, but, I really was an arsehole to her, wasn''t I? I got carried away a bit more than I should have. Yeah, the idea of having sex with the school delinquent seemed so much fun. And then I had to go and boast about it to my friends. Yeah, I did get carried away with it, didn''t I? Saying she wasn''t really worth it. Putting her down just to get some laughs from my friends.


    In actual fact I kind of did like her.


    The sex really was good.


    And I suppose, given enough time, I could have gotten used to her disfigured face.


    What a mess.


    But she still shouldn''t have zapped me like that! She''s still a bitch for doing that!


    But still...


    If she ever apologises to me, then I shall do a bit of grovelling and apologise back.


    But I definitely won''t go first!


    Francesca:


    Well, that was surprising.


    You mean, he wasn''t quite as bad as I thought he was?


    This is going to take some time to get use to.


    So I am right to seek him out and offer an apology. Although, whether or not he''ll offer one back after all this time is an interesting question.


    Sigh. Life wasn''t meant to be easy.


    Wait a minute, if those bastards hadn''t blocked all of my efforts to get an honest job, and set me up to be a hired gun -


    Well, I would probably have come to the conclusion about making an apology a lot sooner.


    Which would have meant that I wouldn''t have needed to wasted all of those years thinking I was without any worth when it came to being a woman and a lover.


    Eight years, thinking every man would find me repulsive.


    Eight years...


    Teylon, when are you going to take down this evil in our society? Cause I''m going to be right there with you!


    Devina’s Soul Reading of: Juniper as a preteen.


    This is a real live soul reading? This is amazing, Teylon and Sarsaparilla aren''t making it up after all.


    I appear to be seeing out of the eyes of a young woman, and that girl -


    That girl - Yes, she''s Juniper! She looks a bit different and younger, but I just know she''s Juniper.


    This must be how Teylon receives all of those memories about Juniper. And now I am too.


    Why is Esmeralda being so kind to me?


    Oh, and who is the man who is holding Juniper''s other hand? I can''t see his face, the woman isn''t looking up at him.


    I suppose this must be Juniper as a younger, and happier, girl, out on a walk with her mum and dad.


    Devina:


    And then, some years after that, her parents were killed and those uncaring men took her away to some soulless orphanage, then eventually turned her into a clone to be casually killed for some stupid purpose.


    I hate those men.


    Isn''t Teylon supposed to do something about them?


    Then I will help him.


    If he is too squeamish to kill them then I will.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.<hr>


    Kaydence’s Soul Reading of: Herself holding a red scarf.


    That''s right. Sarsaparilla has always been there.


    We were friends for years before I was taken away.


    She gave me this scarf and I kept it during my couple of years at those horrible barracks. The memory of her kept my spirits up even when she wasn''t there.


    And she brought me back to reality, enabled me to escape that stupid clone brainwashing stuff.


    She has looked after me ever since.


    My first loyalty is to her. If she wants my help I will give it.


    Of course, after Sarsaparilla there is Leroy.


    Hmm, I need to wait for things to settle down, but, you know, he can be ever so cute.


    Leroy: Sees his bullying from his victim''s side.


    Leroy''s Soul Reading of: Candide


    Better keep Mr Bear safely in my bag, don''t want anyone to see him.


    I hope I won''t see him. I hope I won''t see him...


    At least until class starts. Maybe he will find someone else to torment.


    Ignore him. Ignore him.


    sandwich doesn''t have enough sand!"


    This is a lot worse than normal. A lot worse. I don''t think I can take any more of this.


    No, no, please, stop this.


    Leroy:


    Oh my God! I was far worse than I ever imagined. I can never repent for anything like that!


    I caused too much pain! That can never be forgiven. How can I possibly keep living with that burden...


    Huh?


    What?


    Adalace: Doing a good deed.


    without any expectation of rewards for a few years..."


    <hr>


    Teylon: Sums it up.


    little chat with those who are running our society?"