It was strange to be back at work, strange and sad. Nedra would have been happy to never be at this office again. She had been happy in her short retirement, three years of catching up on family time. She’d been able to pretend she didn’t have the gift that had gotten her labeled a superhero.

But now, after the worst call she’d ever received, she had to start again. Her six-year-old grandson, Gregory, was missing. Nedra had called all her old contacts, with no satisfaction. The reason soon became clear. The kidnappers wanted her. The terrorist group that had taken her grandson wanted to exploit her ability to speak with the dead in order to find out the wishes of their recently dead leader.

She intended to convey the message that they better return her grandson alive and soon, or else she would arrange a face-to-face meeting between what was left of their group and their departed demented dictator.

Karen Hydock

(This week’s prompt contributed by Christie Powell)