An Echo of Life

The spring sun warmed the grass where Lillibet stood. She rustled her feet against it in anxious procrastination for what was to come. Today was the day she took the test, and if she passed, be sworn in, to the Order Soul Keepers as a Nun at the Sanctuary of Lost Souls. She was hesitant but ready. She took a deep breath and fastened her scarf around her head. From her head to her toes, Lillibet, clad in pastel blue and white, looked just as any Nun would. She stood tall and focused, sighing heavily with each breath as she gained the confidence to walk to the site of her test. As she traveled, people around her waved and wished her luck. Lillibet simply smiled and nodded. She paced herself moving in a slow but constant meditation; her palms facing upwards resting at her breast, with her fingers gently intertwined. Her night and day of silent meditation and reflection were almost up. Lillibet approached the Church with reverence. She gently nodded to the soulless as she passed them by. They wandered the graveyard, bumping into the forcefield surrounding it ever so often, as a reminder to those who come to transfer their souls to another body; the result of what happens when the soul leaves a body not ready to die. Lillibet stopped to admire the church for a moment. It was a modest stone building consisting of red, blue, and grey stones. The ancient structure once for the hopes of life after death, was now a sign of life eternal to the immortal. The church of old celebrated death as a way to eternal life. Now they celebrate life immortal. She sighed and walked up the steps to the door and opened it. A burly man in a dark blue hooded robe turned to face her. He smiled warmly at her.

“Welcome to the sanctuary for lost souls. I am Father Brown,” he said.

Lillibet bowed her head in respect and looked at the clock on the wall next to her. It was two minutes past four. She smiled shyly and walked towards him.

“I’m Lillibet. I’ve come for my candidacy test for the Order,” she said.

“Ah, yes. The new applicant,” Said Father Brown. “I Don’t suppose you would want to donate your body parts to the Clinic when you join?” Lillibet had already thought this through and was about to answer him when he spoke.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Father Brown, smiling. “Your proctor will get you a donation card to fill out.”

Father Brown motioned for Lillibet to follow him to the testing area. They walked down several flights of stairs as the harsh artificial lights became the only light.

“What made you want to be a Soul Keeper for the Sanctuary of Lost Souls?” Father Brown asked as they continued to head down the stairs.

A rumor was going around that the Soulless retain a bit of the soul after departure. That it is an echo of what was once there but nothing that could be considered life. It was an echo of feelings, of memories and of the life lived but not continued existence.

“I wanted to study The Soulless up close knowing how the monks work with them and all,” said Lillibet. She genuinely wanted to know about The Soulless, and, if the rumors were true.

“How do you feel about them being hunted?” he asked as they walked down a long hallway.

Lillibet thought about it for a moment. She was torn. On one side, it was a means to an end. On the other, it was a cruel treatment of what was once human. She didn’t know how she felt so she decided to give the political answer. “I am neutral in that respect. I heard a rumor, and because of it, I lean on the unfavorable side. But it is just that, a rumor, so there isn’t anything wrong with hunting something that isn’t able to feel. It’s a kindness if you think about it. They need to die anyway so why prolong the inevitable?”

Father Brown chuckled out his nose and smiled to himself. It was curious, and he seemed to be hiding something from her. Before she had time to ask him what it was, they had stopped.

“This is the room. Mother Hildegard will proctor your test inside. I’ll wait here for you to finish.”

“Alright, Father Brown.” Said Lillibet. She suddenly became nervously excited. She was about to begin a test she had been waiting to take since childhood. Lillibet entered a room filled with papers and writing utensils.

“Is all of this for me?” she blurted out. She was unprepared for such a herculean task, and her heart quickened.

Mother Hildegard smiled and laughed as she spoke. “No, dear. It's just the paperwork from the clinic two levels above.”

Lillibet sighed, relieved that it wasn’t a mountain that she had to conquer.

“Your test is a verbal one with only a few written answers. Please,” Mother Hildegard motioned to the seat across from her, “sit.” Lillibet sat in the chair and let all the anxiety the room caused her out in one breath, relieved her test would be simpler than that.

“In your own words, please describe the significance of The Soulless and The Hunt associated with them.” Said Mother Hildegard.

“It has been one-hundred years since the great war left the world alone in peace. During that time, the needless suffering of death became a thing of the past. Souls no longer suffered into a debilitating nothingness as the flesh lay rotting. This is the new world order; the only way of life. Survival is the prime reason of existing. Therefore, the soulless corpse sent to wander in the wilderness can do nothing but die,” said Lillibet. She memorized what she was going to say. She could have been asked any number of things about the procedure to extract the Soul or the sanctions regarding The Soulless. Becoming a member of the Order of Soul Keepers was her dream, and she was not going to be underprepared for it.

That is an excellent answer,” said Mother Hildegard. “What do you think the Hunt signifies to the hunter?”

“I believe it signifies the end of an era for the soul hunting them. It is a highly spiritual event that is a unique experience for everyone.”

“And, what of the Hunter that hunts those left to die in the wilderness; the ones no one has claimed as their former selves?” Asked Mother Hildegard.

“I would like to think that they are doing a kindness for the soulless,” said Lillibet. This question saddened her. Death was now an unnecessary part of life and to kill something for the thrill of it, especially something that was once human, was appalling.

“A kindness?” Asked Mother Hildegard, “Do you ascribe to the belief that the soulless have an echo of life attached to them?” Something in her voice gave a hint of a secret. It felt like the same secret Father Brown was keeping.

“I don’t know if I believe it or not,” said Lillibet, “but, if it is true, then I would have a duty to take care what remained from the transfers.” Mother Hildegard smiled. Lillibet recognized it as the same smile Father Brown gave her. A coy smile of hidden knowledge waiting to be told. That confirmed that there was a secret. Mother Hildegard handed her a packet to fill out with a pen attached.

“Here is your written test. Attached is a donation form.” Said Mother Hildegard. Lillibet took it and read the only thing written on it.

“As a candidate, you must keep this knowledge a secret. Shortly after The War, a technology was created to separate the soul from the body; a simple procedure being, a machine attached to the head and heart, transferring the soul to another body. It ripped the essential part of what makes a body sentient and transposed it onto another. The then soulless body is free to roam the vast wilderness until it eventually dies of natural causes or is hunted. This created The Soulless; a creature not dead but unable to die. They simply roam the wilderness until the flesh rots away or they are hunted.” This was all common knowledge, but Lillibet suspected it was a setup for something greater, so she read on.

“The Soulless retain an echo of what was taken from them.” Lillibet looked up violently from the page and stared at mother Hildegard who in return, nodded. She read on.

“With no way to process the emotions, they become confused and obsessed with finding the Soul taken so violently from them. They instinctively go after bodies with souls attached hoping to transfer a soul back to them. It is a violent and cannibalistic practice that only creates another Soulless creature.” As she read this, Lillibet shook her head in disbelief.

“To prevent the loss of souls, The Sanctuary for Lost Souls has taken it upon themselves to care for these creatures so that their suffering is not prolonged. This includes feeding them with organ donations of other soulless and organizing hunting trips by providing licenses for hunters to release them from this world. A member of the order always accompanies the hunters to give last rights to the soulless hunted.” At the bottom of the page was a place to sign. Lillibet looked up from the page with tears in her eyes.

“Isn’t there another way to save them?” she asked, tears gently rolling down her cheeks.

“Your kindness will be enough,” said Mother Hildegard softly. Lillibet sniffed and signed the page without hesitation, nodding in agreement. She signed the donation slip for her soulless body and didn’t hesitate when it asked for the date of expiration. “Until the end of time itself,” she boldly wrote. She handed the papers back. When Mother Hildegard read her donation slip, she smiled warmly at her. Lillibet was determined to do whatever she could to save The Soulless from their damned existence.

“Welcome to the Order Sister Lillibet.”