Chapter 2 - Regrets

Inside an arcade room, an 8-year-old girl steadied her aim, and gazed at the target. Her hands tense around the toy gun she wielded. Briefly, she glanced at her father, who watched over her like a teacher, waiting.

"Are you sure this is how you shoot stuff, dad?"

"Yes, Nicole. You're holding it just fine. All you have to do is pick which prize to shoot at."

"Patrick, honey, are you sure about this?" a dark-skinned woman asked, slightly concerned for their child. "I know it's a part of the game but…"

"No, Catherine, our daughter's not going to shoot her eye out. This is 100% safe."

The brunette shrugged her shoulders as she continued to watch. Even though it was just another silly carnival game, she had to be sure.

"Well, you heard your dad, Nikki. Give it your best!"

Nicole gazed up at the shelf of prizes, hoping to find something she could win for herself. There were so many choices to pick. There was a teddy bear, a stuffed dog, and a doll baby. Nicole always had a fascination with bears, so, it seemed to make sense she would go for the teddy on the shelf. So, she did just that. She steadied her aim and gazed at the target.

With a deep breath, she squeezed the trigger.

POP!

The cork hit the target, right in the center. She repeated the process, reloading the weapon and taking aim at the next target. Like before, her aim was dead on. One after another, the targets were knocked down with a loud "DING!" from each hit. Finally, ten shots later, there were no targets left standing. The proud parents of the 8-year-old applauded her as she set her weapon down and turned to the vendor.

"Awesome aiming there, kiddo! You just won yourself a prize!"

"Cool! What do I win?" Nicole asked, excited.

"Take a look at that shelf and pick whatever you like."

The dark-skinned girl peered at each prize, pensively. Since she had eyes for the doll, it only made sense for her to choose it. With a hearty laugh, the vendor happily handed it over to her. Her parents watched their daughter, as she hugged the doll with both arms.

"Great job, honey! That was impressive."

"Thanks, mommy! I couldn't have done it without daddy's help."

"Where else do you want to go now?"

Nicole felt a rumbling in her stomach. It had been a while since she had breakfast before coming to the carnival.

"Is it lunch time yet? I'm getting hungry!"

Patrick glanced at his watch and noticed the time.

"Well, it just turned 12. Sure, we got plenty of time."

Showing off a toothy grin, the young girl ran around in circles.

"Yay! What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

As Nicole ran outside to the food court, Patrick and Catherine held hands as they caught up to their child.

"She's a fast learner, isn't she?" Catherine asked. Patrick chuckled lightly.

"I'll say. Maybe she'll be a cop someday?"

"No way. She's going to be a teacher or a nurse."

"I don't know about that, Cathy. It's still early to tell what she wants to do."

With a small sigh, the dark-skinned woman placed her head on her husband's shoulder.

"Well, let's give her 10 or 20 more years, yeah?"

"Fair enough, dear."

Suddenly, a loud boom of thunder was heard in the distance. Not too soon did dark and grey clouds begin to gather around sky. Both parents exchanged puzzled glances.

"I don't like the looks of that," Catherine frowned. "Are we going to have rain soon?"

"Impossible," Patrick shook his head. "The weather report said the storm would come around later in the night."

"Either way, I'm not looking forward to getting soaked to the bone."

"Same here. We should probably get going before it gets worse."

The mother called out to Nicole before she could look at the menu in the food court.

"Nikki, come on! We're going home!"

As soon as the family retired to their car and began to drive home, the drops of rain began to hit the concrete. Other visitors at the carnival also had the same idea as the dashed to their vehicles as well.

5 minutes later, it relentlessly continued pouring heavily into the highway. Patrick's white Toyota was struggling to fight the violent elements while keeping up with the other vehicles that were steady on the road. Thunder and lightning clashed in a duel with heavy winds mixed in between.

"Patrick, this is how fast we can go? The rain is really coming down…"

"I know, honey, but there's nothing we can do about that. I need to stay on the speed limit."

In the back seat of the car, a nervous Nicole was clinging to her prize doll. Her brown eyes darted back and forth at each car window.

"Mom, are we going to be okay?"

Catherine turned her head around and offered her daughter a kind, assuring smile. Despite the situation, the least she could do was offer comfort.

"Of course, sweetie. Don't you worry none."

Suddenly a huge flash of light had blinded and the startled family.

CRASH!

Soon after that everything went blank…in a single instant.

»»»»»

Kemi's brown eyes snapped open and she found herself back to the here and now. Back to a reality much colder than that rainstorm 4 years ago. She looked up at the celling, the whirling of the fan offered small comfort, oddly. That day changed everything as soon as that storm hit. The crash still haunted Kemi ever since. She wondered if things could've turned out differently. Perhaps there were other ways to…

No. Dwelling on the past was pointless now. What happened was a part of reality. She and Patrick had to live with it for the rest of their days.

"Hey, whatcha thinking about?"

Kemi looked to see Justin, having joined her in the sofa in the living room. The small light in her life that she found during turbulent times.

"Oh, nothing. Just resting my eyes."

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?"

The woman's eyes widened.

"Was it that obvious…?"

"I could see it in your eyes, babe," Justin replied quietly. "So, yeah, very obvious."

Kemi placed her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, as she pondered over hard times.

"It's been 4 years since I lost her. She would have been 12 years old by now, had it not been for that damn crash…"

"It wasn't your fault, Kemi."

"Yes…but…a part of me wished it played out differently. What if we stayed at the carnival and waited out the storm? What if we took a longer route instead of the highway? What if…?"

"Dwelling on it won't help you move on," Justin assured. "Living through another day will. I'm sure Nicole wouldn't want you to sulk forever. And I know things are a little tense between you and Patrick, but, I'm glad you came to this party. Perhaps this is the time to really talk to him about it."

"Me? Talk to Patrick?" Kemi asked, hesitant.

"Why not? This could be the time to finally hash out your feelings. You told me yourself that there were things left unsaid."

The brown eyed woman bit her lower lip, contemplating. Despite the wounds left behind, Patrick seemed to have moved on just fine without her. But what about her? How was she still alive another day? How was she still alive when her little girl was gone forever? How did Patrick feel? Did he think of their daughter every now and then? Where did they go wrong in their marriage?

The more she thought about it, the more Kemi grew even more curious.

"Ah, there you are Kemi!"

Suddenly, her train of thoughts was scattered as soon as Effie, her longtime friend, cheerfully greeted her. Her wife, Wanda, stood beside her, hands linked together. They sat on the other sofa and engaged in small talk.

"I figured you'd be relaxing here with your man. Enjoying the party?" Kemi snorted and chuckled.

"Meh…"

"How are you two holding up?" Justin asked.

"So far, so good. Though, I'm waiting for this legendary culinary magic of Ingrid's. I heard from Patrick she won a cooking show last year."

"Seriously?"

"Yes! She earned a trophy and everything!"

"Good for her…" Kemi answered, distantly.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, much to the surprise of the other guests.

"Who could that be?" Wanda wondered aloud. "Has Takuya finally decided to grace us with his presence?"

"Huh…?"

Patrick was the one to approach the door and open it. Who Kemi and the others seen wasn't not their long-time friend, but someone completely different. Someone they have never seen before. He looked like a man fresh from out of a punk rock band. His leather pants clung to his waist and beyond. His hair was in a mohawk style and he had multiple piercings in both ears.

"That doesn't look like Takuya," Wanda commented quietly. "Unless he decided to cosplay."

"Aster!" Patrick exclaimed happily. "Glad you could make it!"

"I would not miss this for the world, my brother."

"Please, come in! Dinner is almost ready."

After the two men exchanged hugs, Patrick ushered him into the living room introduced him to the others. Kemi was even more suspicious. First a new wife, then a maid, and now some young hipster joins the party?

"That must be a friend of Patrick's…" Justin whispered. "I didn't know he was coming to this party too."

"Well, that's no surprise."

"Alright, everyone!" Ingrid chirped. "I finally found the DVD."

"DVD?" Effie asked. "Ah, we're watching movies?"

"Something like that. We want to introduce you to the group that saved lives, including myself and Patrick's."

"And what group is this, then?" Kemi inquired.

"We call them the Revenants…"

Ingrid popped the disc into the player, and the movie started. Despite it being a DVD, the film had a grainy quality to it, as if it was made generations ago. A soft techno tune preceded the title, which materialized on top of a plain blue field. In bright red letters, it read:

TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE...WITH THE REVENANTS!

The footage continued playing, featuring a rainy day in an empty park. More words came through the background, reading...

Grief can be a tough experience to handle. It can cripple you and hinder your growth as a person.

The title dissipated as soon as it came, and in its place a man in his 50s with a shaved head and glassy blue eyes greeted the viewers. Kemi was immediately taken aback, as the man had a listless, blank, almost threatening stare. A hint of a smile in the corner of his lips only left her feeling unsettled.

"Hello," the elderly man greeted warmly, "and welcome to the first day of your new life. This video is meant to give you a set of instructions to help you get through those rough patches that always bring us down."

Behind the elderly man, a woman rose from below the screen. She was younger than the first man, probably in her 30s with her brown hair cut short...almost in a buzzcut. She had that same strange stare that only made Kemi shift in her seat.

"Before joining the Revenants, I was near suicidal. I was addicted to drugs, had lost my job, and driven away my family. But they, along with their leader, Father Luke, showed me how to improve myself and shake off grief. Now, you can, too."

"What the actual fuck...?" Kemi whispered to herself.

As soon as the woman finished speaking, the video transitioned to another clip.

This one showed a garden of flowers, with a man and woman having a picnic. More messages graced the video, reading:

You can change yourself and others for the better. The Revenants are always around to help you in your hour of need.

Static. Then, there was footage of a bird stumbling into the ground before regaining its power of flight.

Believe in the Revenants.

Kemi leaned slightly towards Justin, uneasy beyond repair. What sort of video were they watching just now? It didn't seem normal, especially with the static constantly present. She looked over at the other guests in the living room, their expressions ranging from normal, to confused, to intrigued, and bored. Surely, they were just as worried as Kemi was.

The next segment played, and it was something Kemi or anyone else was prepared for. In the video, the newest location was a rundown church.

The film now was especially grainy, with static one would only see on a worn-out VHS tape near the bottom of the screen. Kemi thought she could hear a low, near-inaudible chant in some strange language. The lighting was dim, just strong enough for her and others to make out the figures in the church.

The couple knelt before an altar upon which lay the still body of their dead child, boy no older than 16. Behind the altar was religious imagery. Crosses, Bible verses, and a silver grail, presumably filled with wine. However, what made Kemi's blood run cold was what soon appeared at the altar.

A tall figure, draped in purple robes and its face obscured by a hood, approached the couple. The figure rested its hands on both its shoulders, as if to assuage their grieving. As the couple looked up at the figure, a new set of captions faded into the screen.

With faith, anything is possible. With faith, we can break down the barriers. Between this world, and the next.

The figure took the grail and spilled its contents, blood red wine, over the couple and then the child.

A few moments of silence passed, with nothing but the static breaking the tension. Then, at last, the teenage boy moaned. It stirred. It was alive!

The couple embraced their young child in ecstasy as the hooded figure raised its hands above its head, as if calling out to someone or something.

"HAIL OUR FATHER LUKE-"

And then, with no warning, the video ended.

Patrick, Ingrid, Aster, and Zinnia clapped their hands enthusiastically, as if they had just watched a grand, epic cinema.

"Bravo! Bravo! That was wonderful, wasn't it?" Zinnia said cheerfully.

"I agree. It was a very good," Aster replied.

"So, that was the introduction," Ingrid concluded. "I hope you all liked it."

The dinner guests sat in silence, soaked in disbelief, shock, and weariness. Kemi's head hung low, looking at nothing but the carpet floor.

"What in the fresh hell was that?" Ronald managed. "Did that boy just come back to life?"

"This video is doctored," Wanda spoke her mind. "I don't believe it."

"That's creepy as shit…" Greg muttered.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Ingrid replied, cocking her head to one side. "Why do you find this creepy?"

"Because…we just saw a corpse being revived!" Effie answered, mildly bewildered. "Isn't that the least bit unnerving?"

"Is it unnerving because your mind makes you think that way?" Aster challenged. "Or is it because such a miracle can happen?"

The dinner guests were just as perplexed by such words. Ingrid, as if right on cue, stood up from her chair politely and began a monologue.

"Miracles like that are possible, everyone. The Revenants have given us a new purpose. They help us escape from our old, harsh, and burdened lives. If we believe in their work, the barriers keeping us together will finally be crushed. There will be no more sorrow, fear, and worry. We have all lost something precious to us. I lost my previous husband, Effie lost her grandmother, Greg and Ronald lost their mother, Kemi and Patrick—"

"Don't. You. Dare," Kemi growled through her teeth.

Her friends turned their gazes at the dark-skinned woman, noticing her change of demeanor. Her eyes were overshadowed by the bangs of her hair. Her hands gripped the edge of her knees, trembling.

"Guys, can we just stop and think?" Justin tempered. "This isn't normal. The dead can't be brought back to life."

"Logically, yes. But spiritually… we are all living corpses. The world we walk, stand, and breath in is the underworld brought to human form."

"You got to be fucking with me right now…" Greg groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Why do you question the gifts that are given to us?" Ingrid pressed, growing impatient. "What's so wrong with sharing the good news to the world? Perhaps you aren't worthy of hearing it, but we are kind enough to speak of what we witnessed."

"Ingrid's right," Patrick chimed in. "We all have our setbacks that have held us back from enlightenment. Setbacks that prevented us from casting aside our pain and suffering. Therefore—"

Suddenly, the ropes of patience snapped in two. Kemi couldn't listen to this anymore. With an angry snarl, she slammed her hands on the coffee table, startling everyone in the living room. She rose from her seat on the couch, glaring sharp daggers at her former husband.

"Oh, fuck you, Patrick! FUCK YOU TO HIGH HELL!"

"Kemi…?" Justin spoke with concern, trying to rein his girlfriend in, but to no avail.

"Setbacks!? Are you shitting me? Was Nicole's death a setback? Was my miscarriage a setback? Was you treating me like a prisoner a fucking setback?! You might have fooled everyone here but not me. Even now, you're still a selfish prick sucking away at people's misery, including mine! I had to learn to cope with my pain for 4 years while you went for the next pretty little piece of ass from god knows where! And now you're going to bring our child into this?"

"Calm down, please," Zinnia tempered. "Sir Patrick didn't mean it like—"

"Stay the hell out of this!" Kemi growled, raising her hand up to strike at the maid. However, a stronger force stopped her from doing so. Justin held her fist in place and squeezed it tight, offering a strict look to his girlfriend.

"Kemi, enough!"

Just then, the woman's anger dissipated when she blinked. As soon as she did, she found herself no longer in the living room. She was outside in the downpour, a drunken Patrick held her arm in place, looking down at her menacingly. A truck was just about to crush them on the road they stood in.

With a scream, she swung her other hand around wildly, striking Justin's jaw, hard. He released his grip in an instant and she recoiled hastily. However, she ended up stumbling and landed right on the coffee table, breaking it instantly. She shook as she wrapped herself in a traumatized heap, covering her face in shame and fear. Effie and Wanda quickly got up and raced to their close friend's side.

"Justin, what the hell?!" Effie criticized. "You know that triggers her!"

"I-I-I didn't mean to…" Justin stammered, baffled and regretful.

"Can somebody please take her outside for a while?" Wanda asked.

"I'll take her," Greg volunteered, helping Kemi off her feet.

And with that, he gently held on to his friend, leading her away from the living room, much to Justin's confusion.

"Wait, maybe I should—"

Ronald glanced at the Irish man, giving him a disapproved look.

"You know, I think you're the last person she wants to see right now, buddy."

»»»»»

Outside the house, Kemi sat near the pool, dipping her feet in and splashing timidly. Greg emerged with two bottles of water. He gave one to his friend.

"Thanks. I could use this right about now."

"No kidding. This party is getting weird."

There was a strange silence between as they gazed at the night sky. The stars radiating an otherwise pitch-black blanket of frumpiness. Kemi stole a glance Greg's way and noticed how much he had changed since their high school and college days. He used to be a chunky boy back in the day, which made him an easy mark for bullies. Of course, he always had his brother, Ronald to back him up whenever he could. Dozens of years later, he was just as handsome as a magazine model. Her train of thought was interrupted when Greg coughed, breaking the ice.

"You were really pissed back there. Want to talk about it?" Kemi sighed tiredly.

"It would just be a waste of time. I don't want to bore you with the details." Greg scoffed.

"Try me, pal."

Kemi lowered her brown eyes and clasped her hands together.

"Ever since Nikki passed away," she admitted. "my life was torn to pieces. It was as if someone came in and swung a sledgehammer into my skull. I've wanted to forget so badly and I ended up seeking comfort from…other people. I fucked around, jumping from one guy to the next. Eventually, I had to tell Patrick about it."

Kemi stared at the pool, blinking her eyes to see Nicole and Patrick swimming together, and playing Marco polo.

"I think Patrick always knew of my infidelity. But the fact that I asked for a divorce really pushed him over the edge. For a while it was just a glass of booze here and there. Then, a bottle of booze here and there until…well you get the idea. I tried to get him to stop drinking but he was growing more and more unhinged. And when I threatened to leave again, he finally snapped. I waited until he was asleep to escape. And the rest is history from there."

"Damn…" Greg managed. "Kemi, I don't know what to say. Effie told me bits and pieces but…hearing your side of the story… I'm sorry. No one should have to go through that. And it's no wonder you had second thoughts about coming here too."

"Justin encouraged me to be here. He said it was the perfect opportunity to patch things up with Patrick. But, meeting the new wife, revisiting the house, and the very idea of bringing the dead to life…"

Kemi's chocolate brown eyes glistened as she clenched her hands into fists.

"There's nothing I wouldn't give to change the past. Nothing I won't do to see my baby again. But she's gone and I must live with that for the rest of my life. I must accept that shit because that's reality. So, why would Patrick….?"

Before she could finish, Greg wrapped his arms around her, bringing her body close to his. Kemi gasped, stunned by his gesture. She was going to back away, but her nose picked up a trace of cologne from the nape of his neck.

"It's alright. Don't be afraid to vent. No matter what happens, I'll be there for you. I'll help you get through this, promise."

Kemi warmed up the embrace and wrapped her arms around the man's neck. With a heavy, shaky breath, she stuck to his bode like glue. During that moment, it was just the two of them outside.

"You want me to slug Patrick on your behalf?"

"Heh, that would be awesome. But no. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

"If you say so…"

Finally, Greg broke the hug, slowly distancing himself. Kemi had to resist a grunt of disappointment before she relented and released him. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, trying to guess what the other would. With a nervous, awkward chuckle, Greg stood up from his sitting spot.

"Anyways, I'm going back inside, it's getting kind of cold out here."

"Okay, I-I'll be there soon. I just…need another moment alone."

With a nod and an understanding smile, her friend walked back to the house. As soon as he was out of sight and earshot, Kemi held her hands to her blushing cheeks. She slapped them like a sumo wrestler preparing for a match. God, what was wrong with her?! Now was not the time to act like a love-stricken teenager! Those days were dead and gone now. Not only that, she had Justin to think about. He was the one who was supposed to comfort her, not Greg. Then again, she didn't react all too well with him grabbing her arm either.

Before she made up her mind to return to the party, something caught her eye. From a distance, she seen a room lit up. A room with a glass slide door. That use to be her bedroom. The one she shared with Patrick. However, someone else was accompanying it. It was Ingrid, going through her dresser drawer to retrieve something. It looked like an orange bottle; the kind that people prescribe from a pharmacy. She popped a bill in her mouth, and she downed it with a glass of water. She held on to her chest for a moment before sighing quietly to herself. Then, she practiced smiling in the mirror, as if she was struggling mentally. Then, as if her name was being called, the golden-haired woman hastily left the bedroom, flicking the lights off once again.

Kemi's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. She cocked her head with curiosity. What could the new wife be hiding, she wondered. Now that she learned of the group that changed Patrick, there was a chance they might be up to something. But what if she was mistaken? What if they were just harmless?

"Only one way to find out…"

With a new goal in mind, the dark-skinned Burnette returned to the house. However, she was careful not to be suspicious. So, she excused herself to the bathroom. She made her way down the hallway and straight towards her former room in the villa. Nothing really changed besides the green bedsheets and spread. There was also a couple of plants, making it homely and natural. Kemi couldn't help but admire Ingrid's appreciation for plants. Still, she had to focus.

She quietly closed the door behind her and locked it. Then, she briskly approached Ingrid's dresser drawer and tried to open it with a yank. It wouldn't budge. The younger woman must've locked it when she left. Kemi cursed under her breath. Her eyes scanned the room. There had to be a key somewhere, anywhere. She looked under the bed and behind the lamp. Nothing.

Kemi turned to the closet and the jewelry box. Still nothing.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind. She took out one of the few bobby pins that held her brown hair together and straightened. Then she inserted the bobby pin inside the dresser lock, fiddling around a bit until she heard a satisfying click sound. With a small, victorious smile, she opened it up. And as she figured, there was in fact a pill bottle inside. The dark-skinned woman grabbed it and read the label.

"Anti-depressants…? That's it?"

Somewhat disappointed, Kemi sighed and put the pills back inside. Well, it would make sense, after learning what Ingrid went through. Perhaps she truly was harmless after all. Before she gave up, though, she noticed a small black box inside the drawer. Curiosity peaked once more; her hand reached out for it without her consent. Opening it up slowly, Kemi's brown eyes widened with shock.

"No way…!"