The Protector of Memories (The Veil of Death Book 1) by D. K. Manning Page B

loosened its grip and drifted over toward the middle-aged couple and Faith looked at their aura layers and focussed on the colours of black, greys and reds – dark, murky colours she knew to be that of selfishness, arrogance, greed, violence, blame, contempt and jealousy.
    Faith stood up. “I have seen the women that the two of you have slaughtered.”
    They turned and faced her and she said to them, “My name is Faith and you need to know that the ghosts of these women have just taken up residence within your bodies.”
    The woman took a step toward Faith but the man stopped her, whispered something before they turned and walked away.
    Faith raised her voice. “The West End Library is where all ghosts communicate and yours wish to speak with you!” And she sat back down, scratched at her head and realised that that was not true.
    The creature had not actually asked her to pass on a message and the question that Hope had asked earlier on now popped into her mind; why the mortal body for it is indeed limited – and she looked around the park with the intention of asking one of the human ghosts that very question.
    But the ghosts had all vanished… all but one.
    “Where have they gone?” Faith asked the ghost in the image of a teenage boy.
    “They go to their loved ones to send them a sign… a signal in the hope that it will be seen… sensed and then acted upon. The library should be full this very day.”
    Faith nodded and realised that she had not spoken to Linda since yesterday. “I will look forward to the medium session.” She said and then asked the ghost, “Why do you not go to your loved ones?”
    “I know that you are in the library every day.” The ghost replied. “They would too if they didn’t chatter all at the same time. Chatter… chatter and yet none of them listen.”
    Faith smiled a gentle smile. “So you find their noise… noisy?” and she smiled again when the ghost returned a smile, albeit a weak one.
    “I am confused.” Faith said. “Why are you not seen by your mortals?”
    “It was never like this,” the ghost replied and explained. “There was a time when the living could see their ghosts. But then a veil was crafted by the ghosts of long ago which separated the Earth into two Realms; the Afterlife and Life. We have tried to rip that veil down… not to harm you - if not for the veil people would see us. It is a painful existence when you walk beside those you love and they see you not. Believe in you not.”
    “Why craft such a thing in the first place.” Faith asked.
    “Those who crafted it told no ghost their reasoning. We know only that they are called The Ancestors and all ghosts continually search the world but we feel not their presence to be anywhere.” The ghost looked through Faith and said, “We believe that perhaps it is to protect the sanity of people. Not all can cope when they see a ghost. But in doing so, it has hidden us away. We call it the ‘Veil of Death’ because as far as people are concerned we are dead.”
    Faith shook her head in dismay. “But these Ancestors would have had the knowledge that the value of life is worthless when its meaning is concealed.”
    The ghost’s image flickered. “As the belief in ghosts faded so too did the sixth sense of all mortals. Our ability to sight the auras… the emotional energies of all beings became redundant. Over the course of our evolution it has vanished completely from the majority. The minority who still possess it are either disbelieved or ridiculed.”
    Faith nodded and felt a strong presence of sadness within this ghost. She wondered if he had a loved one who would be visiting the library today. “Is there to be a loved one at the library for you this day?”
    “My mum,” The ghost answered. “She does not need to see me to believe that I am by her side.”
    Faith nodded. “Yes.” she said and then added. “Your mum must miss you very much.”
    The ghost’s image flickered. “Yes. It is