• Chaper one: The coming out party

    It seemed like only yesterday that this happened....I was dead.I could feel them carrying me in the coffin.I was only 16,barely a child still.I had lost my battle with the fever from the diasese of Yellow Fever.Did I mention that it was the year 1895?So modern medicine was out of the question.I could hear the speech that was given,and felt them lowering me into the grave.My mother was sobbing.My sister was screaming to stop.But,to them,I was dead.And it was hard to believe that my heart had stopped beating,I was cold as ice,and an odd palor had sweapt over me.Then,for a while,it all went dark.

    Weeks had passed,and soon,I found myself above ground.It was night,and there were odd people in hooded robes standing around me."You are Catherine de Baronessa correct?"One of them said.I just nodded.Then,one by one,they took off their hoods.It was my uncle Vincent,My grandmother Marie,My grandfather Georgio,and my friend Allysia Gerritt."No way...can this be real?"I asked.They stood before me,pale,but unchanged."Catherine!Oh I missed you so much...you've grown."My grandmother said.She kissed my cheek.Allysia hugged me."Now we can have fun together again."She said.I hugged her back."Where did all of you go?"I asked.My grandfather just smiled."That is why we're here!Come,let us go!"He said.He went to his grave,and knocked twice.A greenish light opened the grave.Where his coffin was was a set of stairs.I went down first.

    Just then,I heard the sounds of clapping,laughter,and a "Surprise" from most of them.Startled,I jumped back.My grandfather caught me."Welcome home!My granddaughter!"He said.Everyone-people I didn't recognize,and even some I did- came to greet me.I looked at my grandpa."Relax,Catherine.This is your coming out party!"He said.A sign above the bar area read welcome home.But was this really home?Sure the place was cheery,and full of nice people,but I missed my hometown,my friends,even teh school I was at.I took out my locket,and looked at it.There as a picture of my mom,dad and sister.I missed them already.

    Suddenly,I got pulled into the party.My Grandmother had made my favorites,something that mother never did.There was really good music to listen to,and soon,I found myself dancing.It was fun.Then I had to sit down for a while.There,in front of me,a boy,about seventeen,sitting at the bar, caught my attention.He was quite handsom.A strong,yet somehow soft-featured face,blue eyes,a sandy-blonde hair,about five feet nine inches tall,and wearing a tuxedo.I smiled.He didn't notice.If my heart was beating right now,It would be beating a mile a minute.In that same second,I figured out what coming out meant-coming out of teh grave.This wasn't the underworld.It was the afterlife of a corpse who had unfinished buisiness.I was one of them.