28 July 2012
"Mr Jenkins, are you okay?" Ash was very worried about her neighbour. The heart attack left him looking very frail.
"I'm not long for this life, my dear" Mr Jenkins replied. Ash trembled, taken aback by his calm demeanour. His expression was one of total contentment. She didn't know what to say so she changed the subject.
"You wanted me to fill out forms?"
"Just your signature is fine" he smiled.
"I'm not 18 until next month" said Ash, worried she shouldn't be signing off on a medical matter.
"Not to worry. The paperwork will take a while to process." Mr Jenkins had an answer for everything. It was something that amused her most of the time but it didn't leave much room for avoiding traps. After signing the paper, she looked up to ask what she signed but was immediately sidetracked. She let out a gasp when she saw Mr Jenkins. She could have sworn he looked younger - by ten years at least. Studying his face, she was certain he was ageing backwards right in front of her eyes!
"I must be dreaming" she decided, eyes focused on a forty year old version of her elderly neighbour. Mr Jenkins took Ash's hands in his and beamed.
"Life is full of mysteries and surprises. I have experienced this life long enough without my wife Edna. She's my soulmate. We've travelled together through many lifetimes. Sometimes we don't start out from the beginning of life, just move around, start out again as young 'uns. Other times we like to forget our pasts temporarily, start out fresh and meet for the first time again. Soulmates always find each other, you know. Enjoy this life, my dear. You have much to learn. This will help"
Mr Jenkins dropped a necklace into Ash's hands. She couldn't make out what it was but she knew it was sharp. Mr Jenkins tightly squeezing her cupped hand closed made that perfectly clear.
"What sort of medication do they have you on, Mr Jenkins?" She was sure he was delirious. She looked up at his bright young face and groaned. She was staring into the eyes of a man no more than twenty years of age now and remembered she was dreaming.
"And they say you're strange?" she chuckled.
Mr Jenkins patted her hand. "Until we meet again" he smiled broadly and disappeared into thin air. Ash laughed to herself. The overactive imagination file she stored away must have exploded.
Dr Harvey breezed in at that moment and scooped up the paperwork. "I see Bill has left us" he said with a wink. "Come back and see me soon. You'll be receiving confirmation in the mail"
"Sure" replied Ash. She would have to write this down when she woke up. Mr Jenkins was going to love this!
The Mystical Eye - Ch2 • Opuss № I