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Part Twenty Four

Bree followed the trail of pain and blood to the scene of the Slaughter. Even in the over-world the loki reeked of the sour stench of death, and the coppery tang of spilled blood. The room had a heavy miasma of untapped blood magick permeating the immediate area. Using her second site Bree could sense there was nothing living in the area.Mr Champagne Room had left the scene of the slaughter at least an hour ago, yet to the Raccoon's subtle senses she could detect the spirit of the butchered Skunk morph. Slowly entering the living world Bree winced having a flashback to her own ending. The Skunkmorph's Blood painted the walls in broad swatches and large pools of the dark sticky liquid cooled on the floor. To her second sight, The residual life energy wafted up like steam, adding to the hazy miasma. Bloody purple body parts were scattered across the room tossed haphazardly from the point of the butchered Skunkette, and huddled in the corner was the disembodied spirit of Collette Collins. Breeanna added a slight aura glow to let the lost soul know she was not alone. Collette looked over at Bree and gasped. The Raccoon held her hand out calming the terrified spirit.

" Collette Collins, I am Breeanna Taylor. I am here to be your guide to aid you in crossing the veil. I mean you no harm..." She said softly glowing and holding her arms out in a universal gesture, the departed Skunk ran to embrace the angelic being.

"Why...Why_did this happen to...to _me?" The ghost sobbed.

"Come with me, it is time to depart from the mortal realm, all questions shall be answered, but you must depart the scene of your..._Ending,_lest you become trapped here. Please take my hand and come with me." Bree softly spoke, the disembodied Skunkette was cold, Bree reached out drawing the remaining life energy that was dissipating as the blood cooled. She gathered it up and added a touch of her own warm energy wrapping it in a ball and pressing it between the purple Skunkette's breasts. The ball of life force slowly sank into the spirit's chest, as it infused into the departed soul. The spirit gasped, becoming a bit more solid, softly glowing in the over-world.

"Better?" Bree asked with a warm smile. Collette nodded.

"Thank you Breeanna... I'm Ce-Ce, What happens now?" The Skunkette asked, the Raccoon smiled.

"Now we go somewhere peaceful and I shall try and answer all your questions if I can, then help you to pass on to your next incarnation."

"Are...Are You an...Angel?" Collette asked. Bree smiled and shook her head.

"No, I am just a helpful spirit who met a similar fate to your own, and has come to help." Bree said and they vanished from the mortal world.

"This is the over-world, the place of non-corporeal existence, some would call it the astral. There are many vistas to be found within the astral realm, but for you I have found something I think that you are going to find very pleasing." Breeanna said and a few moments later they materialized in a wooded glade, tiny wildflowers dotted the small meadow, a cool stream could be seen near one edge. It was a very peaceful and serene place far from the slaughter in the mortal realm.

"Oh.. This is a lovely place, thank you Bree, I don't know what to do, now that I'm...I'm...Dead." Collette stumbled over the word. She was dead, murdered, Slaughtered. Collette shuddered as the memory of unimaginable violence flashed through her mind. Bree placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Let it go, Ce-Ce... He can no longer harm you, for you have passed beyond his reach." Bree said and Collette felt a calming warm wave of energy flow through her whole being.

"Thank you Bree... I, I just don't know what I did to cause Marcus to vent such rage upon me? I was the best companion I could have been for him. I am a dancer... I, Was a dancer... I was an Entertainment model created to service my owners wishes and desires. But no matter what I did, he kept getting angry with me. So finally I asked him 'What I could do to make him happy?' He turned on me and bellowed 'You can Die Exotica, you can fucking Die!' and he beat me, He... Violated me! Then cut me, and hacked be to death with a machete! it seemed to take forever for it to finally be...Over. My name was Collette, or Ce-Ce, and I Was_an _Exotic, but not 'Exotica' whatever that meant. I... I just wanted to make him happy, to be _Loved,_ya know?" Collette looked into the gently glowing Raccoon's eyes finding infinite compassion and Love.

"I know, and it is in no way Your fault. You did your best with the skills you had, and...He was Undeserving of your talents. You are a beautiful soul, and You, Are, Loved." Bree said drawing the dimly glowing purple Skunk spirit into a loving embrace, infusing her with energy.

"Oh Bree, thank you, this feels soo good, it feels like what I have been looking for all my life, and now that I have lost my life, I find what I searched for here beyond death. You are a true Blessing Bree. I'm not sure what happens next, but do you think I could rest here for a while? It is so peaceful and serene, such a contrast to how my life ended. The grass is soft, the sunlight warm, do you think it would be okay?" The Skunkette asked sinking into the grass and laying back absorbing the softly glowing sunlight. Bree nodded sitting next to Collette.

"I think it would be fine if you would like to rest here for a bit before you move on. If you get hungry there is food to be had, and the water is cool and refreshing. Nap, rest, try and let go of the trauma you experienced moment by moment, it is fading away, and all that is left is the calm peace of this place. Drink it in and Enjoy your time here Ce-Ce. I shall return soon, and remember, You are Loved, you are at peace, and you are welcome here in the glade." the Raccoon said as she stood.. I shall return."

"Thank you for bringing me here, you may not think you are, but to me, you are an Angel." Collette said as she drifted off to sleep in the soft grass and warm sun. A few moments later, Breeanna Taylor faded away.

"Okay... So you used to plow each others fertile fields with a big ol strap on, huh? Sounds like something I might like ta watch some time." I chuckled, Mel blushed.

"I mean what else could we do? Neither one of us had the...Proper 'plumbing parts' to pull it off, so a strap on was the next best thing, we could take turns loving each other, and after a while we just sort of fell into a pattern, it became an extension of who we were. It's not like we identified as lesbians or anything, we were just good friends sharing some intimate time together helping to scratch each other's itch, Is all." Mel said.

"Okay, I can see that it's not like you two swore off guys or anything," I added.

"Oh Hell No! We dated guys whenever we would fined an interesting one, we even had tag team dates from time to time, and once we even shared a guy for a weekend. Truth be told, it was kinda fun to compare notes on how he was, how he felt different to each of us, what little tricks felt good and how... adaptable he was to something new. Come Monday morning we parted as friends who had spent a very sexy weekend together. He went his way, we went ours, and that was that." Mel said matter of factly.

"Oh, that's interesting, what was he?" I asked having gotten my curiosity up.

"A Clydesdale." Mel said calmly with just a bit of a smirk.

"A_ Clydesdale! _" I exclaimed in shock just about doing a spit take with my coffee. Mel Laughed.

"Actually he was a very nice Badger, who was very accommodating and not super hung, we both enjoyed his skills and he enjoyed ours. And a rather fun time was had by all. Of course Sherry could have lead him around by a cock ring, she used _Alll_her charms on him. But he was very kind and considerate with me, at one point he was worried that he'd split me open like an over ripe melon in a heat wave, but I proved to be exceptionally _Flexible..._Yoga, don't cha know." my Mousey wagged her eyebrows. I raised my cup in acknowledgment.

"Indeed, you are _Quite_flexible sweet Mousey mine, that crazy little pretzel move makes you incredibly tight and is an amazing sight to see.." I say proudly.

"You mean when I tuck my feet behind my head?" she asks trying to play innocent.

"Yes,_that_one." I say pinning her to her seat with a very lecherous grin.

"Eep!" Mel squeaks, her eyes going wide in playful panic. We both break out in laughter.

"That is one thing I really love about you sweet Mousey mine, is your sense of playful fun."

"Once again Sir, you bring it out in me. Last Night, Your skillful techniques pushed me so deep into subspace that I almost couldn't safe-word. It is the mark of a truly skillful _ Master _ to pick up on the subtle signs and pull me out of there... Thank you my_Master_." Mel trilled looking at me over her coffee cup.

"Well, it was uncharted territory for you, sweet Mousey, I am just glad I studied up on it before we gave it a go. From my perspective you seemed to be in the most incredible and profound joy I have ever witnessed. Each stroke of the flogger elicited such a delicious response from you and you were begging for more." I said. before turning to grate potatoes for hash browns.

"Oh, and it Was! This was something I have wanted to explore ever since I red that book almost a decade ago, with me being naturally submissive, you could see the attraction. At first when you tied me down it almost set off a panic attack, for I had Been captured and I Knew I was about to be flogged! Secured to the bed post I could not move, so I just had to take my punishment... and once we got into it ...Something took over and every blow felt incredibly Erotic! I was wrapped in this warm blanket of intense pleasure, pushing me closer and closer to the most mind blowing orgasm, Pushing me deeper and deeper into a warm erotic cocoon that I wanted to just stay in there forever." Mel sighed her face held the most dreamy expression.

"Yeah, I could tell, I tested that forty fall flogger on myself before I ever used it on you, no matter how hard I would strike myself it just imparted a deep warm thuddy impact. Not painful, just deep, and somewhat primal; did you find that was the same for you Mel?" I asked setting the cast iron skillet on the stove and adding a bit of the peanut oil from last night.

"Yeah, for some reason I was expecting something totally different, a more stingy impact, but this one was deep and Thuddy, like you said. I gasped at the first stroke across my shoulders. The most surprising thing is it got me incredibly Wet! I wasn't expecting that. It was as if every stroke was vibrating my clit getting me more and more wound up. I eventually got lost in the sensation, and at the time I just didn't care, I didn't want it to ever stop!" Mel nodded sighing deeply.

"Yup, it may have been part of the role playing we were engaged in, but I can understand why they call it a power exchange. Here I was flogging my beloved Mousey whom I had tied to the bedpost and you were Loving_it! And I must admit, in the moment, I found it incredibly pleasurable to deliver that kind of experience. But about twenty minutes into it something about you _Changed, it was very subtle, and I couldn't really put my finger on it but I noticed and I asked you what your safe word was, all you said was 'P** lease beat me again Master. ***'* And that wasn't it, so I knew we needed to end this session. I reached up and released the slipknot holding your wrists to the bedpost. You fell over on the bed hugging yourself Still begging for more, blowing in your ears brought you out rather rapidly and I just moved into 'aftercare' letting you recover." I said smiling at my Mousey.

"Yeah it was the weirdest experience. I could Hear you asking me for my safe-word, but having cum so hard, for the life of me, at that moment I couldn't remember what it was! And at the time I really didn't care, it wasn't important, what you were doing felt far too wonderful to try and think clearly. I was riding a wave of deep erotic pleasure, and I never wanted it to stop. And when you untied me it was such a shock, I thought that I had done something wrong and when you blew into my ear it was like popping that warm erotic bubble and the Safe-word came roaring back like a tidal wave crashing into my mind. I cried out _ 'LemonBars! __ ' _ but didn't know Why I had just said it. I was _Verry_confused at that moment, and you just lovingly held me, caressing me in all the right places... That was a very memorable experience I think I will keep until I draw my last breath." Mel murred.

"Would you like eggs this morning, or just toast and hash-browns and more coffee?" I asked.

"I think just toast, hash-browns and coffee this morning, if you please. What is weird is that you flogged the Hell outta me last night, but I am not in the least bit sore this morning," Mel mused rolling her shoulders as I set a platter in front of her.

" Well I did try and restrain myself, but I think at one point you kept begging for me to hit you harder, so I eventually just went full force and much to my surprise you started Cumming! Five strokes at full power sent you into a full body orgasm! You were literally gushing! It was the most amazing thing I think I have ever seen. After you recovered you were begging for more, confessing to all sorts of imagined 'crimes'. Like stealing cheese from the kings royal storehouse and dancing naked in the street on mayday. I thought it was very inventive, Mousey mine." I said with a chuckle.

"I think I remember that, I just wanted you to keep 'punishing' me, so I invented reasons for you to keep beating on me. Gods, I can't believe I'm saying this, I never thought something I thought of as frightening would end up being soo funny!" Mel giggled nibbling on a slice of toast. It was a good morning, I thought.

"God damn it Boss, what the hell did you just do?" Lenny asked at seeing Marcus Jackson covered in blood.

"Just Drive, Lenny. It don't matter, that fucking bitch just pushed me over the edge so I got rid of her, all permanent like. Send a couple of the boys to clean up the mess will ya Lenny? that bitch can feed the fuckin fish for all I care. It's not like anyone is gonna care about one of those fucking animals anyway. Drop me off at Rocco's so I can get cleaned up. Damn, I will say that bitch had a lot of blood in her, tell the boys they will need more than a mop and bucket this time." Marcus Jackson laughed, sat back and lit up a cigar. He needed a drink, a shower and a clean set of clothes... And a good steak dinner wouldn't hurt. Maybe he should give Gloria a call, he could use some nice Human companionship for a change.

"Jeesus, Marko, what da hell happened to you?" Rocco Kronenberg asked from behind the bar of his speakeasy seeing the overweight hood slip in the back of his establishment.

"Ain't nothing Rocco, I just need a drink, some place ta clean up, a new suit, and a steak, is all. Hey, You know if Gloria is around somewhere?" Marcus asked the retired hevyweight boxer..

"Heh, yeah I can give her a call. Say, what happened to dat interesting piece of tail you had tagging along with ya last time yous was in here? The powerfully built bald man asked with a smirk.

"Here, that bitch is right Here!" he growled smacking his blood soaked clothing. "...And painted all over the walls and floor of my squat! The dumb Bitch finally pushed me over the edge, fucking animal, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking. But it felt really good, putting her outta my misery." Marcus Jackson chuckled evilly.

"Too bad... I woulda given ya a good price for her, if I'd a known ya wanted ta get rid of her." Rocco shrugged.

"Heh, never pegged You for an Animal lover, Rocco?" Marcus chuckled derisively. The bartender shrugged it off.

"Aint dat. Just thought she'd brighten da place up a bit is all. She looked like she could handle delivering drinks and maybe doing some entertainment from time ta time is all." Rocco commented.

"Oh Yeah? She probably could, before I took her apart old school. Lenny is sending a couple of the boys over ta clean up, you want me to have them deliver what's left? You might be able ta put her back together or maybe pin her tail to the wall behind the bar?" Marcus laughed.

"Shut da fuck up Marco. Go make yourself presentable and I'll let Glory know yous looking for her." Rocco Snarled as Marcus disappeared into one of the 'comfort rooms' in the back.

"...Asshole." Rocco grunted reaching for the phone.

Melinda Montserrat sat in her room, the French doors open to the night sounds, a candle lit as the moon rose over the eastern horizon. The mouse sat in just her fur, eyes closed, in the pose of meditation; her legs crossed, her palms resting on her thighs. she felt the subtle stirring of the ghostly Raccoon's approach.

"Welcome Bree, How is Collette fairing... Was it as bad as I feared?" Mel asked opening her eyes to see the gently glowing spectral Raccoon seated across from her, a profoundly sad expression on her features.

"Her ending was... _Much_more violent than my own. She was beaten and violated and hacked to death with a machete. I found pieces of her scattered all over the room... fortunately her spirit was intact, and I was able to infuse her with enough residual life energy to allow her to leave the scene of her slaughter and brought her to the glade, a place of peace and serenity in the over-world where she can recover and let the trauma of what happened to her fade away before she moves on." Bree said.

"Is... is there anything I can do to help this poor soul?" Mel asked. Bree smiled lovingly, the compassion this mouse showed warmed the Raccoon's spirit.

"Yes, Yes there is. You can journey to the over-world with me and aid in helping Ce-Ce to cross over like you were prepared to assist me when you first learned of me, one thing I very much appreciated. At present she is resting peacefully; do you feel that this is something you could assist me with, Mel?" Bree knew that asking was only a formality.

"Yes, of course, anything to help that poor soul, She...if Master Kev hadn't been able to convince Sherry to join us... it would have been Sherry who died, at the hands of that monster, wouldn't it?" Mel asked. The glowing Raccoon nodded solemnly.

"This is the fate she would have faced had she not chosen... Wisely. Unfortunately choices have consequences, and while Keven suggested Marcus go and get his own companion morph from his former employer., The fact that While Ce-Ce 'Looked'_like Sherry and had a comparable set of entertainment skills, she lacked Exotica's five years of dancing experience and massive fan base who's adoration helped make her who she was. These differences finally drove Marcus to realize that while the morph he acquired may_L_ook_like Exotica she was in fact, _Not_Exotica. So in his mind her deficits were seen as a subtle mocking of his desires, and as would be predicted, his building rage and frustration at not getting what he wanted reached the breaking point and the result is what we are left with." The Raccoon sighed smiling at the mouse priestess.

"And Ce-Ce was left to face his wrath. How... How long had she been in his... service?" Mel asked.

"Less than three months. She had just started her journey." Bree said sadly.

"She had so much life ahead of her... and he _Robbed_her of it!" Mel hissed in sudden anger.

"...Yes, he did. Be careful, Melinda, I need your help in healing her, not transforming her into a vengeful spirit. For should she travel down that path, she shall be truly lost. And then once her vengeance has been sated, The next phase is to transform into a hungry ghost, attacking the living and feeding on their life energy. I...Understand_the attraction that path can hold for one who met their ending very _violently... But she deserves a shot at a better life." Bree gently admonished. Mel nodded with a sigh.

"True, I would like to get to know her, it will help me with the crossing ritual. Thanks for being her guide, Bree I hope the energy Keven and I sent you last night helped." Mel inquired.

"Yes indeed... That was... verry tasty. It brought back memories of some of our more naughty play sessions we indulged in after returning from Ren fair." the Raccoon grinned with a saucy wink.

"Up to this point I had never been flogged, and only flirted with light bondage, last night I confessed a desire to explore that area of the sexual landscape in more detail. Imagine my surprise when Master Kev brought out the 'Toy-Box' from his office storage closet! I just about creamed myself when he pulled out that gorgeous forty fall flogger. and the restraints and spreader bar? My god I never would have dreamed you were that much into it Bree." Mel blushed at her admission.

"Well, I am a Raccoon, and you know what they say about our natural propensity for curiosity?" she grinned. "My Love-Master was very accommodating in allowing me to explore that part of my sexuality and I came to adore Power exchange. Though some might argue that being life bonded to a Lovemaster didn't count as a power exchange, but as you know, being his companion, and exploring the delicious landscape of deep submission, the erotic delights that can be gained from completely giving yourself over to our Love Master..." Bree trilled, her body taking on a deeper warmer glow of remembered passion.

"Oh Yes... For the first time I was able to fully immerse myself into sub-space to such a degree that I totally forgot my safe-word having cum so hard from being flogged at full power I was just drifting deeper and deeper into that warm erotic cocoon. He could have flogged the pelt off me and I wouldn't have cared. My body was flooded with soo much endorfins that any pain would only register as more and more pleasure. Fortunately our Master was aware and skillful enough to recognize that I had slipped far too deeply into Sub-Space and brought me out and gave me the after care that I needed." Mel trilled hugging herself a moment.

"Yes. Our Love-Master Keven is one worthy of drawing your last breath, under his touch." Bree sighed in contentment.

Reaching out she laid her hands over the mouse's and drew her spirit into the over-world. Mel looked back at her body sitting like a statue and marveled at the sense of bi-location a moment before Bree led her to the Glade.

"Oh, this is lovely! I can see why you brought her here it feels very healing. Mel said as she and Bree walked across the meadow to the sleeping Skunkette laying on the soft flower dappled grass.

Mel gasped and stifled a scream covering her muzzle with both paws. For when she looked at the purple Skunkette she saw a dismembered butchered body laying in a pool of spreading blood. Bree snapped her fingers in front of the mouse's nose breaking her out of her terror. Blinking Mel looked again and saw the comely form of the sleeping purple Skunkette.

"But...How? What...What was that?" she whispered.

"What you saw was the after images of how I found her, the residual psychic trauma she carried from her brutal and violent ending. That is what we need to heal, to make her whole again so she can move onto her next incarnation." Bree gently explained. Mel nodded and they each took up their place sitting in the soft grass on either side of the resting spirit. After a time Collette woke finding herself no longer alone. she sat up.

"Bree? Welcome back, and I see you brought a friend with you." She smiled warmly.

"Indeed I did, This is a very good friend of mine, her name is Melinda Montserrat. She is a very talented priestess skilled in helping departed souls cross over. I thought she could assist you as well."

"Thank you Bree, that was very considerate of you." The Skunkette said turning to introduce herself to the mouse.

"Hello Melinda, it is a pleasure to meet you, I am... I Was, Collette Collins, but you can call me Ce-Ce." She said reaching to embrace the mouse. Mel blinked at her eerie similarity to Cheryl.

"Hello Ce-Ce, please call me Mel. And I would like to get to know you a bit better to help with the transition ritual, if that would be okay with you?" Mel asked liking this soul and wishing she could have met her in life...

"Oh, yes please, Mel that would be great, is something wrong?" She asked tilting her head at the look of concentration on the mouse's face.

"_Humm?_Oh! No-no. just musing on the fact that you are a lovely soul and it is a genuine pleasure to get to know you is all." Mel said with a smile.

"So, Mel... If you don't mind me asking, How did you die?" The Skunkette asked.

"Oh, um I still don't know yet. For you see, I am still among the living. I met Bree when I moved in with my Master and detected her spirit permeating our home with a loving aura. I thought she might have become trapped, so I lit a candle and called her back to the realm of the living to commune with her spirit and see if she needed assistance with crossing over." Mel said.

"Wow, that's fascinating! I wish I could have run into you when I was still alive, I would have loved to have sat down over coffee and had a long chat about it... I, Loved learning new things." Ce-Ce sighed.

Oh, but you can Still learn new things! and with the ritual we can send you on to your next incarnation where you will have a whole lifetime to learn new things." Mel said enthusiastically.

"That sounds great to me, because this one was pretty short, less than six months, but in that time I Did learn a lot of skills, and I guess I can look forward to my next life to find the happiness I missed out on in this one." Ce-Ce said suddenly sad at her loss.

"Hey, hey, now, from what I am seeing you were a very upbeat bright soul, and you loved to dance, right?" Mel asked trying to cheer up the Skunkette.

"Oh Yes! I Loved to dance, want to watch me dance for you?" Ce-Ce asked jumping to her feet.

"Yes, Please. I think we all would like to see that." Mel cheered. And Ce-Ce danced! Sensually moving to the erotic rhythm flowing through her soul, and She was Good, Mel thought of Sherry in her early days of dancing at the club, Had this Morph been given the chance, she could have become a powerful exotic dancer in her own right. Mel applauded when Ce-Ce brought her performance to an end.

"Wow you are amazing! I hope you take that skill with you into your next life, for you exude joy and passion when you dance." Mel said drawing the purple Skunkette into a hug. In the over-world she found the Skunkette solid as she had been in life, this momentarily puzzled the mouse before Bree picked up on her unasked question.

"Mel, when you are here in the over world, you inhabit your spirit body and in this place it is as substantial as the one from the living world."

"Oh! Good to know, thanks Bree!" Mel chirped happily.

The three talked for what felt to be many hours, comparing experiences, dreams and fantasies.

"I feel soo much better, thank you Bree, Mel, talking with you about my life I realize it was a short one but I can say up to my untimely ending I managed to extract a lot of joy and happiness out of it. An now I can look forward to my next one with bright optimism. So how do I move on from here?"

the purple Skunkette asked her companions.

"Lay down and we shall make sure your spirit is fully integrated." Bree said as she and Mel knelt on each side of the reclining Skunkette. They passed their hands over her body, a warm yellow glow enveloped their hands as they removed the final lingering traces of death trauma clinging to Ce-Ce's soul. Finishing up they declared her hardy and whole. The Skunkette drew both morphs into a hug.

"Before we send you on your way, Ce-Ce, May I preform the five fold blessing upon you?" Mel asked.

"Oh, Yes please...What do you need me to do?" the Skunkette asked, and Mel explained.

"Stand in front of me with your arms crossed over your breasts palms on your nipples feet together. When I reach the third point stand in the 'Star Position' feet apart arms out to your side looking at the far treetops." as Mel knelt before the gorgeous Skunkette. She began her blessing.

"** Blessed Be thy Feet, that shall walk the ancient path."** Mel said bending to plant a kiss on the top of each foot before moving up to her knees.

"** Bl *e* ssed be thy knees, tha ***t* shall bend at the sacred alter." Mel said kissing her knees then moving up to her crotch an the thick purple pelt as she took the star position.

"** Blessed be thy sex, the vault of creation."** she said planting a long lingering kiss on the Skunkette's labia. Before getting to her feet.

"** Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty and strength."** she entoned, lovingly kissing each proud nipple.

"Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the sacred names." Mel reached up placing her hand behind the Skunkette's neck, and drawing her into a long lingering deep kiss. Breaking the kiss a few moments later, Ce-Ce sighed.

"Wow, That was...Wonderfully unexpected, I've never kissed a girl before, and ya know what?" she paused, grinning at both Mel and Bree.

"I_ Liked _ it!" Ce-Ce crowed reaching out and drawing both morphs in and kissing them passionately.

"Now, lets send you on your way into your next incarnation." Mel announced as she stood, then paced out a rectangle in the grass and made a set of hand gestures in the air reaching out and opening a set of invisible double doors to reveal a glowing portal filled with scintillating warm light.

"Collette Collins, your destiny awaits!" Mel cheered as she gestured toward the portal.

"Well, I guess that's it then. Thank you both for saving me from a fate worse than death, I shall try and live my next life in honor of you both," Collette declared as she turned and walked into the glowing portal that slowly faded away from the over-world.

Mel and Bree watched the portal dissolve away, turned and embraced each other.

"Time to go home sweet mousy, I am very proud of you." Bree said as they faded leaving only the glade bathed in softly glowing sunlight.

Mel sank into her body feeling herself taking on the incredible solid existence of the mortal world. Opening her eyes, she inhaled deeply, feeling a profound sense of calm. Realizing that having existed in the Over-world that she was Not her body!" Mel had understood the abstract concept for many years that the body was the vehicle that the soul 'drove' down the road of life, but now she understood it on a much more personal level. Looking down at the burned out candle, she smiled...

"Good By Ce-Ce, have a good next life." she said tracing a pentagram in the air above the remains of the candle before slowly standing, not realizing just how stiff and cold she felt. looking at the clock, nearly four hours had past. It felt To her mind that she had been in the over-world for a much longer time. Mel sat at her desk and opened her sketchbook and began to draw. Forty five minutes later she had a full value image of Collette Collins sitting in the meadow looking incredibly happy. She made some notes on the back realizing she had just found the subject for her next painting.

"Good by Ce-Ce, you may be gone, but I'll make sure you are not forgotten." Mel solemnly Declared.

End Part Twenty Four

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