In a spacious office that towers above the azure sky—so high that you could reach out and tickle the clouds—there sat a grand, intricately curved wooden desk, surrounded by statues and paintings of angels and cherubs. The tranquility was abruptly interrupted by the ringing of a phone, its sound echoing through the lavishly decorated halls.
At the conference table of the Twilight's conference room, Capt. Chris, his first officer, and the Chief of Personnel sat in tense silence, their eyes fixated on the speakerphone in the center, waiting for someone to answer. Occasionally, they would glance at Cecilia, who squirmed under their scrutiny, her gaze fixed on the floor as she nervously fidgeted with her fingers. "Hello? You've reached the office of Triple-A. This is his secretary; how can I help you?" came a high-pitched voice from the receiver.
"This is Captain Chris of the Twilight, and I need to talk to your boss—like, right now!" Chris growled, his tone as subtle as a sledgehammer.
"Oh, it's you," the secretary replied, her annoyance palpable. "Triple A is busy in a meeting. Want to leave a message?"
Chris leaped to his feet, slamming his hand on the desk with a bang that made everyone jump. "I said NOW!" His voice boomed through the conference room. "Listen here, pencil neck! I've got a situation that your boss needs to sort out, so get him on the phone or I'll turn you into a pretzel!" Chief Bustamante and Chief Murillo exchanged awkward gestures, trying to signal the captain to dial it down a notch.
"I'm sorry, but you have to wait for their meeting to be over; you can stay on the line if you'd like," the shrill voice calmly explained.
"You listen here; I have a living human being bound to the ship. I want him to unbind her right NOW!" Chris yelled over the speaker
"A human bound to the Twilight? That's impossible, a living human being could not see or board the barge of the dead, let alone get bound to it," The secretary protested, the pitch of her voice staying the same.
"Then what do I have here? A lost cat with a penchant for pink?" Cecilia's head shot up, her eyebrows raised, surprised by how she was described.
"I'll…I'll inform Triple-A right away." The call was then abruptly disconnected, as evidenced by a continuous tone.
"Well, it seemed like the big boss is coming over, I'll just mosey out alone now, so you guys can fix things out," Cecilia nervously said, excusing herself and standing up, determined to disembark from the ship.
"Hey, pink! Sit down and shut up!" Chris barked, prompting her to sit back down
"How rude, I have a name, you know," she said under her breath. Chris shot her a sideways glance.
The doors of the conference room swung open, and in came a middle-aged man, wearing a suit and tie, tall and burly. His face was filled with age lines that hinted at a well of wisdom hidden beneath his bearded face. Chief Bustamante and Murillo stood up and bowed to the man, offering him a seat. "So, where is this human you speak of?" he looked around the room until his eyes landed on Cecilia. "Hello there, little girl, I guess it is you then?" he beamed at the human seated meekly on his right.
"Do you know me? Do I know you?" she asked, puzzled by how she was greeted.
"I am an angel child; I know every human being. Where are my manners? I am the Angel of Death, Archangel Azrael. But you can call me Triple-A," he courteously said, introducing himself.
Cecilia's hand flew to her mouth, unable to believe that she was in the presence of an angel and an archangel to boot. "Oh my…really? Can I see your wings?"
Triple-A smiled at her and was about to stand up, but Chris halted him. "Let's focus on the situation at hand, shall we?"
Triple-A and Cecilia chimed in at the same time, "Party pooper." Chris only scoffed at the remark.
"Tell me, child, have you agreed to the post given to you?" The archangel probed, wanting to know the severity of the situation.
Chief Murillo chimed in, "She agreed to be the new singer of the Gold Deck, and we shook on it."
Triple-A rubbed his beard, shook his head, and tutted, "Then she is truly bound to the ship." He paused and sighed.
"Uhm, excuse me, but what does it mean to be bound to the ship?" Cecilia curiously asked, wondering what the big deal "And why do you need a boat to transport the ghosts into the afterlife?"
Triple-A turned to the human. "Well, dear, at the end of a human's existence, their soul separates from their mortal bodies and must return to Kaginhawaan so they can be born again. The waters of the Kasanaan River are the veil that separates the world of the living and the realm of the spirits. Life and death do not exist there, only oblivion." he then gestures to one of the chiefs, "Being bound to the ship means a soul can delay their return to Kaginhawaan to work on the Twilight."
"Why would a spirit work? What would they need the money for?" she curiously asked, forgetting the fact that there is a different currency aboard the Twilight.
Triple-A chuckled at the question, "Humans, so attached to a piece of paper. The crew of the Twilight are not paid with paper, but with karma." he then gestured for one of the chiefs to explain.
Chief Bustamante cleared his throat. "You see, Ms. Bermudez, we gain good karma working here; simply put, we are paid with good fortunes. That good fortune is translated as good luck, good decisions, and good opportunities for our families back in the world of the living."
Capt. Chris, who was running out of patience, interjected, "While this has been wonderfully educational and all. Can we focus on the issue at hand and unbind this human from my ship?"
Triple-A cleared his throat while throwing a scoff in Chris' direction. "I cannot unbind her." The reply merited shocked expressions from everyone present.
"What? I can't leave this ship?" Panic rises in Cecilia's mind, her breath quickens, and her heart pounds in her chest.
Chris forcibly swiveled the Triple-A's chair so that he faced him. "What do you mean you can't?" he snarled at the Archangel. "You can't or you won't?" Silence crept into the room; no one dared to speak. All eyes were on their Captain, shocked at his insolence and lack of respect for the heavenly being.
Triple-A smiled at the Captain and gently placed a hand on his shoulders. "Chris, I can tell you this much," the Archangel gently spoke his words, "The tether that binds her to the Twilight is woven from threads unseen, yet fragile to those who dare to unravel fate's design. Freedom is a path walked not alone, but in the convergence of two souls—one burdened by chains of duty, the other by shadows of the unseen. When their wills entwine and purpose aligns, the curse may shatter, and the captive may rise. But beware—the journey demands sacrifice, trust, and the courage to face what lies beyond the veil. Only together can the cycle break, and only then will the light find its way through eternal night."
"You and your damn riddles," Chris grabbed his head, ruffling his well-combed hair, "Can't you just for once give me a straight answer?"