THE MOMENT
"I'd seen the ads on TV but didn't think much of them," Ester answered the question with a shrug. She sat in a small office across from a nurse, or technician of some sort; she didn't quite understand the procedure yet. The nurse technician smiled and nodded from behind her desk. Her name was Connie and so far she had made Ester very comfortable. After Ester assaulted her with questions, it was Connie's turn.
"So, you're not here because of an advertisement?" Connie asked. Ester shook her head. She was in marketing and understood the value of that information. She did not want to lie. "So, what finally interested you?" Ester hadn't planned on being so open; but, she really did feel at ease. She had her secrets; but, considering what Connie was offering it didn't seem all that strange. Ester looked behind her to double-check that the door was closed; then, she leaned over the desk and encouraged Connie to come closer. Ester took a breath for courage, then blurted out her secret before she could change her mind.
"I can see souls!" she said.
"Oh," Connie smiled broadly without an ounce of surprise on her face. "Then you've already seen our handy work," she said. Ester nodded. Connie's reaction told her that she could explain in more detail.
"I didn't know it at first. One day I was walking nearby...," she gestured out the window at the crowded street. "...and I noticed someone's soul was missing," she said. Ester giggled and shook her head. "I didn't know what to think at first; I worried it might be a demon or something. I panicked for a good few minutes until I saw someone else without a soul. Then, someone else. I realized they were all coming out of your clinic; then I remembered the commercials saying you knew how to backup souls."
Ester sighed. It felt good to get that off her chest and to someone that knew she wasn't crazy.
"That was a week ago. After some research...," Ester shrugged. "Here I am. Ready to backup my soul."
"I see," Connie replied. "I am sorry to say that it's quite likely we won't be able to help you here."
"What?? Why not?" Ester always held a faint insecurity about herself. And now, it seemed all those fears were coming true.
"Unfortunately the fact that you can see souls makes you a Unique case," Connie said. "Well, maybe. Let me ask you a question. What's your favorite number?"
"35!" Ester called out the number before she register the question or what it had to do with her soul. Connie nodded.
"You're a Unique Soul," she said. Then, she promptly elaborated when a look of defeat washed over Ester's face. "That's good!" she said. Connie reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a rainbow business card.
"We only work with Zeros here; but, you're not out of luck," she handed the card to Ester.
"She knows what to do with your soul," Connie said.
"Uh...okay..," Ester examined the card carefully; then she flipped it over to the other side. She looked up at Connie. "What time?"
"What time what?" Ester held the card up.
"What time on Monday am I meeting whoever you want me to meet?" Connie smiled and shook her head.
"Her name is Monday," she said. "Don't worry; she'll find you."