Dead Girl Walking Read Online Free PDF Page B

notifies him of new work assignments.”
    “Work … you mean my dog has a job?”
    “Why does that surprise you? Animals are very spiritual creatures and have evolved to a higher plane than humans. Cola was honored with the position of Comforter. Usually that work goes to cats or ferrets, but Cola showed outstanding empathetic abilities.”
    “He always did seem to understand me.” I nodded, patting his head. “What does he do?”
    “Comfort people when they’re alone and frightened. Comforters take the form of beloved pets, to help as a soul embarks on its final journey. Cola joins the person, usually in a hospital bed, offering love and companionship until their wait ends. I’m very proud of him … and of you, too.”
    I continued to pat Cola’s furry head as I met my grandmother’s tender gaze. There was so much I wanted to say, so many things I’d longed to tell her.
    “It’s all right, honey,” she said softly. “I already know.”
    “Even about my scholarship?”
    “Yes. It’s a wonderful opportunity.”
    “Except how can I … I mean … the mail truck went out of control. What happened?” I spoke with no fear, only confusion. “I was sure the truck would hit me, but I feel okay and nothing’s broken. My nettle bumps don’t even itch.”
    “They will when you return. But for now you’re in a neutral state. I brought you here in that instant before you were struck.”
    “So the mail truck did hit me?”
    “Yes, but only your body.” She nodded. “I couldn’t bear to watch you suffer, so I bent a few rules and brought you here.”
    “How? Are you and Cola angels?”
    “Far from it,” she said with a chuckle. “I manage a complicated network of volunteers—some living and some moved on. My job comes with certain abilities—like the power to bring you here. I’m so proud of you, honey. Watching you read that scholarship letter was one of my proudest moments.”
    “You saw that?” I asked, pleased.
    “I wouldn’t have missed it for the worlds! I helped make it happen. Not that you wouldn’t have done it on your own, but a persuasive voice in the right ear can speed things up.”
    “I’ve heard that advice before.” I snapped my fingers. “I read it in Create Happiness Through Happen-Ness .”
    “That was some of our guide-writers’ best work,” Grammy Greta said, nodding. “You know what they say about great books.”
    “Actually … I don’t.”
    “Great books aren’t written, they’re relayed.” She glanced down at my wrist. “I’m pleased to see you wearing the lucky bracelet.”
    “I always wear it.” I caressed the rainbow cloth. “But it wasn’t lucky today.”
    A screech echoed in my head with the blur of the mail truck careening toward me. But I pushed it aside, detached and emotionless, as if it had happened to someone else.
    Around me clouds shifted in purple and silver hues, and I glimpsed a panorama of brilliant green meadow, shady trees, sparkling water, and a distant shore where figures waved. I had a strong sense of knowing them … yet I couldn’t possibly.
    “Tell me, Grammy. What is all this?” My fingers curled in Cola’s silky fur as I regarded my grandmother solemnly. “Heaven?”
    “Close, but not exactly. It’s more of a moment, a transition in time, than a specific location.”
    “I don’t understand, but it’s nice here with you and Cola.” Cola perked up at his name, his collar flickering with quicksilver images. I scratched his head, which made him thump his back leg in his usual way. “You’re such a good boy. And I’ll bet you’re a great Comforter.”
    “He’s the best,” Grammy said.
    “I always wondered what happened to animals. What about my cats Snowflake and Pinky?” I looked around. “Can I see them, too?”
    She shook her head. “There isn’t time.”
    “Why not?”
    “While time has little meaning here, it’s ticking away on Earth. But before you go, I must warn you about Dark Lifers.”
    “What