Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Preface to the Completed Novel

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Marcus cope with yet another of his clients slipping the bonds of Earth?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here.

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The Ancient Altar

Deep in the shadow of Whispering Pine Mountain, where mist clings to granite faces like forgotten prayers, stands an altar older than memory. Carved from a single block of black stone veined with silver, it bears the weathered marks of Celtic spirals and triquetra knots that seem to shift in the changing light. For centuries, it slumbered beneath a canopy of ancient oaks, its power dormant, its purpose lost to time.

The altar remembers when the first Celtic settlers brought their sacred knowledge to these peaks, when druids and wise women gathered beneath the stars to weave protection into the very bedrock of the mountain. It remembers the binding rituals that contained elemental forces within its stone heart, keeping the balance between the seen and unseen worlds.

But memory, like stone, can crack.

Three months ago, when the autumn leaves blazed red as fire, a woman named Tabitha approached the altar with her circle sisters. She was loud, boisterous, overconfident in her abilities—everything a practitioner should not be when dealing with forces beyond mortal comprehension. Her laughter echoed off the stone as she traced the ancient symbols with careless fingers, speaking words of awakening that should have been whispered with reverence.

The altar stirred.

Silver veins pulsed with sudden light, and the triquetra carvings began to glow with an inner fire. The binding spells, weakened by centuries of neglect, cracked like ice in spring. Something vast and hungry pressed against the thinning barriers—a fire elemental that had been contained since the first rituals were performed on this sacred ground.

Tabitha felt the power surge beneath her hands and laughed with delight, never realizing she had torn a hole in the fabric between worlds. The elemental tasted freedom for the first time in generations, its essence seeping into the mountain's heart like molten gold through fractured stone.

When the wildfire came weeks later, racing through the dry timber with unnatural hunger, it was no accident. The fire elemental had found its moment, and when a man named Elias Vire stumbled into the flames seeking to save what he thought was a trapped child, the ancient force found its vessel.

The altar stands silent now, its silver veins dim but not dark. It waits, patient as stone, for the cycle to complete itself. For in awakening the fire, Tabitha had set in motion events that would transform not just one man, but an entire community—and three women whose Celtic necklaces would prove to be more than mere jewelry.

The mountain remembers. The altar remembers. And soon, all debts will be paid.

Welcome to Cedar Hollow

Nestled in a valley where Whispering Pine Mountain meets the rolling foothills of the Appalachian range, Cedar Hollow appears to be nothing more than a quiet mountain town where time moves slowly and neighbors still wave from their front porches. Main Street stretches for exactly six blocks, lined with businesses that have served the same families for generations: Murphy's General Store, the Copper Kettle Diner, Hartwell's Hardware, and the Cedar Hollow Community Bank.

The town's 3,200 residents live in a mixture of Victorian houses built during the logging boom, modest ranch homes from the 1960s, and newer constructions that climb the hillsides like hopeful prayers. Three churches serve the spiritual needs of the community: Cedar Hollow Methodist, St. Mary's Catholic, and the newer Eternal Light Baptist Church, whose Sunday sermons have grown increasingly fervent in recent months.

What visitors don't see—what the tourist brochures don't mention—is that Cedar Hollow sits at the convergence of ancient ley lines, where Celtic settlers once found the spiritual energy so strong they built their most sacred altar deep in the mountain's embrace. The town has always attracted those who walk between worlds: healers, wise women, and practitioners of the old ways who understand that some places hold power that transcends ordinary understanding.

Lately, that power has been stirring.

In Cedar Hollow, the line between the sacred and the mundane has always been thin. Now, as ancient powers stir and modern conflicts ignite, that line is about to disappear entirely. What follows is the story of transformation—of individuals, of community, and of the very nature of what it means to live authentically in a world where love and fear wage eternal war for the human soul.

The mountain watches. The altar waits. And in a small house on Maple Street, a conversation is about to begin that will change everything.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter One: Marcus' Hidden Truth

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Marcus cope with yet another of his clients slipping the bonds of Earth?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here.

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As her vital organs shut down one by one, the terminal nature of her condition had become undeniably apparent. Where there should have been the tiny, vibrant beauty she was meant to be, paralysis had weighted her down with unmoving mass.

The medical monitor's steady beeping provided a rhythmic backdrop as I watched Helen Chambers rest peacefully in her bed, having just finished the carefully prepared meal I'd brought her. She was a gem of a woman—a brilliant spirit imprisoned within a body that had betrayed her.

"Marcus, thank you for another wonderful meal!" Helen's voice carried genuine warmth despite her weakness. "The tastes that you bring together through your creativity in the kitchen are amazing. Even more so with all of my dietary restrictions. Thanks, sweetie."

The smile that spread across Helen's face was worth more than any paycheck. It was moments like these that reminded me why I'd chosen hospice care, despite how my tender heart sometimes made the work feel impossible.

"You are welcome, Helen. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed creating your meal for you."

"You certainly take good care of me. I admire all your creativity in the way that you do your work. It's clear to me that it's a work of love for you."

Her words warmed something deep inside me—a recognition that felt both comforting and dangerous. "Is there anything that I can get for you?"

"No dear, I'm fine for now."

"Then I will get your tray and do some cleaning up."

"I'll take a nap. Have fun, Marcus."

I did have fun cleaning, though it also gave me precious time to think. In the quiet moments between tasks, I allowed myself to hope—perhaps foolishly—that I could somehow save Helen. I wished I could turn the tide of her illness through sheer attentiveness. My devotion to her comfort kept her free from pain, and I felt that if I could make things as physically comfortable as possible while promoting a pleasant environment, I could make her quality of life the best it could be.

Somehow, becoming Helen's friend and companion had come naturally to me in ways that surprised even myself. There was an ease in our relationship that transcended the typical caregiver-patient dynamic, as if we'd known each other far longer than the few months I'd been caring for her.

After finishing the housework, I went quietly into Helen's room to check on her well-being. Though I'd been monitoring her vital signs from the kitchen, it put my mind at ease to look in on her directly. As I entered, she stirred to life, her eyes opening with surprising clarity.

"Marcus, do you believe in reincarnation?"

The question caught me off guard, though Helen often surprised me with her philosophical inquiries. "I do believe, Helen. I hope that I have learned from my life this time so that I will have become a better person."

"How do you believe it works when one life passes to another?"

I settled into the chair beside her bed, drawn into the conversation despite the weight of the topic. "We all hear stories of people moving away from this life, passing into an overwhelming white light. I feel that within that white light, a great energy surrounds us, and for a moment all the lives that we have lived are revealed. In that clarity of being known in all truth, the sum of what we have become through our lives is made known. Fate decides somehow, based on how well and what we have learned in our lives, as well as the lessons that are yet to be learned. Fate decides the kind of life that would teach that lesson and molds us to be born into that new life with a clean slate."

Helen's eyes sparkled with interest. "What if when you are joined with the omniscience, in that moment of clarity, you determine how the creative energy is used to bring new life?"

"Perhaps the difference between letting it happen and taking an active role in it signals that some lessons have been learned." I paused, considering her words more deeply. "Hmm, can a person believe in both reincarnation and ghosts?"

"Well, I do. I feel that there can be a time spent interacting with the living before that rendezvous with the white light. And I also believe that in the process of passing into the other dimension, beings of pure energy and spirit can act as mentors for a time before they complete their journey beyond."

"You have an interesting take on this, Marcus. It's clear that you've given this some thought."

I had given it thought—more than I cared to admit. "I believe that the time at the end of our life is important. I feel fortunate to show care and compassion to ease the transition. How we face death is at least as important as how we face life. That is how I manage to cope with all the emotions."

Helen's eyebrow lifted in what I recognized as acknowledgment of my reference to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. She smiled and closed her eyes, her vitals confirming that she had slipped back into sleep.

It was a wonder that I was working in hospice care, tender-hearted as I was. However, I had shown that I possessed quiet strength and could keep my head in a crisis. I didn't let what might be paralyze me, nor would I be consumed by what had happened. I didn't carry the emotion from one case to another, thanks to the mandatory day off between cases that allowed me to empty myself of tears so I could give my best to my next charge.

The sound of the front door opening interrupted my thoughts. Michelle Chambers Johnson, Helen's younger sister, had arrived home from work. She typically worked long hours and was deeply dedicated to her career, but today was different—she was home in the afternoon.

What surprised me most was that she wore her Celtic Triquetra knot necklace openly, the intricate knotwork catching the light as she moved. Some associated the symbol with Wicca, but for me, it represented something beautiful—the three lives of women as maiden, mother, and matron. Helen had requested that I place the necklace's twin around her neck after I'd done her makeup that morning.

"Marcus, would you like to sit with me in the living room for a moment and talk?"

"Of course, Michelle. Was there anything in particular that you wanted to talk about?"

She smoothed her skirt underneath her as she sat down in a chair, and I took the one opposite from her. There was something different in her demeanor—a purposefulness that made me slightly nervous.

"I'd like to talk about you. You have been so wonderful both to Helen and me. We've both noticed something about you that is not consistent with your character in that you are hiding something. I know you to be honest in everything else, so it puzzles me and my sister. We both love you and we want to help if we can. I know this is personal, but in order to help, I must ask—what are you hiding, Marcus?"

My heart began to race. "Michelle, I don't know what you are talking about! I guess everyone in my work has a little professional detachment. Perhaps that is what you both are perceiving."

But Michelle's gaze didn't waver. "Who are you really, deep down inside?"

She knows! The thought hit me like a lightning bolt. You see, deep down inside, I knew that I was female. I had always known, but I feared what I might lose if I became the victim of stigma associated with people who changed their gender expression from what society felt I was supposed to have. I had paused too long thinking, and now I could not give an answer that would deflect her from questioning me.

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken truth. Helen's gentle breathing from the next room seemed to encourage me, as if her presence was giving me strength. The Celtic Triquetra around Michelle's neck caught the afternoon light, and I thought of its twin around Helen's neck—symbols of connection, of sisterhood, of acceptance.

Finally, I found the courage to tell the truth.

"I'm female."

The words hung in the air between us, and I felt as if I'd just stepped off a cliff into unknown territory. There was no taking them back now.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Two: The Power of Authentic Love

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Marcus' confession be received that she has a female soul?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

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My confession of being female hung in the air between Michelle and me like a bridge I'd finally found the courage to cross. Her response would determine whether I'd found sanctuary or stepped into another kind of exile.

"Oh Sweetie!" Michelle's face lit up with understanding rather than shock. "You express female gender in a lot of ways. Only the way that you represent yourself by your outward appearance is inconsistent with that expression. We love you and if you choose to totally express female gender in all aspects of your life, we will support you in any way that we can."

The relief that washed over me was so profound I felt my knees weaken. After years of hiding, of professional detachment serving as armor against vulnerability, someone had seen my truth and embraced it completely.

"I appreciate your compassion, Michelle. I'm not sure that I am ready for such a step right now. I'm glad that you two would be okay if I were to transition."

Michelle's smile deepened, and she reached into her purse with deliberate purpose. "I have something for you. You see, I felt that you have a sister spirit within you. From what you have discussed with both Helen and me, your spirit seems to be compatible with ours."

She handed me a small velvet box, and my hands trembled slightly as I accepted it. Inside, nestled against dark fabric, lay another Celtic Triquetra knot necklace—identical to the ones Helen and Michelle wore, yet somehow uniquely meant for me.

"The necklaces that I thought were twins were actually triplets," I whispered, understanding flooding through me. "And I have the third one."

"Thank you, Michelle, and I will properly thank Helen when she is awake," I told her, rising to give her a heartfelt hug and a kiss on the cheek. As she lifted the necklace from the box and placed it around my neck, something profound shifted within me. The weight of the Celtic knot against my chest felt like coming home.

My emotions overwhelmed me, and tears of joy streamed down my face—tears for being welcomed as family, for being acknowledged as female, for finally belonging somewhere as my authentic self.

"You are welcome, my dear. I hope that you will wear it always as Helen and I will wear ours. We won't mind if you wear it inside your clothes until the day that you can find it within yourself to be open about who you really are inside."

"Thank you for understanding. With this necklace and what it represents, I might have the faith to now go where my heart will take me."

The Celtic Triquetra felt warm against my skin, as if it recognized its rightful owner. In Celtic tradition, it represented the three aspects of the feminine divine—maiden, mother, and crone—but for us, it symbolized something even more powerful: chosen family, unconditional love, and the sacred bond of sisterhood that transcended blood relations.

Michelle would have spoken again, but the peaceful moment shattered as medical alarms pierced the afternoon quiet. Helen's monitors were screaming warnings that made my blood run cold.

"Michelle, call 911!" I commanded, my hospice training overriding everything else. I never asserted myself so forcefully unless the situation was truly dire, and this was.

I ran to Helen's room, my feet moving with practiced efficiency while my heart hammered against my ribs. Snatching up the AED from its place beside Helen's bed, I quickly tucked the new necklace inside my scrub top to keep it safe during the emergency procedures.

Helen lay unresponsive, her face peaceful despite the chaos of alarms. I began CPR immediately, counting compressions and breaths with mechanical precision while my mind raced. After one complete cycle yielded no response, I positioned the AED pads on her chest with steady hands.

"Analyzing rhythm," the machine announced in its emotionless voice. "Shock advised."

"Clear!" I called out, though Michelle was still in the other room on the phone with emergency services. The shock delivered, Helen's body jerked, but her eyes remained closed.

"Marcus, they have dispatched EMTs. They should be here in five minutes. I will meet them and direct them to you and Helen."

"Thank you, Michelle."

The AED attempted two more shocks, each one a desperate gamble against the inevitable. When it finally announced "No shock advised," I resumed CPR, my arms burning with effort but my determination unwavering. This was Helen—the woman who had seen my truth, who had welcomed me into her spiritual family, who had just given me the gift of belonging.

The EMTs arrived with professional efficiency, and I stepped back to let them work their own kind of magic. One took Helen's medical history from Michelle while the other administered epinephrine directly into Helen's IV line.

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then Helen's eyes fluttered open, and she drew a shaky breath.

"She's back," the EMT announced, but I could see in her eyes that this was likely temporary—a brief reprieve rather than a true recovery.

As they transferred Helen to the stretcher, I caught her gaze. Even weakened, her eyes held a depth of love and understanding that spoke directly to my soul. The Celtic Triquetra beneath my scrub top seemed to pulse with warmth, as if responding to some unseen energy flowing between us.

The ambulance ride to the hospital passed in a blur of sirens and medical chatter. Michelle and I followed in her car, the weight of unspoken knowledge heavy between us. Helen's time was running short, and somehow, we all knew it.

But as I touched the hidden necklace at my throat, I sensed that Helen's greatest gift to me was yet to come. The power of three—maiden, mother, and crone—was awakening, and with it, possibilities I couldn't yet imagine.

The hospital loomed ahead, and I realized that whatever happened next would change all our lives forever. The Celtic sisterhood was complete, and Helen's final act of love was about to transform everything we thought we knew about life, death, and the magic that binds souls together across time and space.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Three: The Sacred Trinity

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Minuet understand what to do with the gift of Life Passed to her by Helen?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

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My confession of being female and Michelle's acceptance had created a profound moment of spiritual connection between us. But as Helen's medical alarms shattered the peaceful afternoon, that moment of belonging transformed into something far more urgent and mystical.

The EMTs had successfully revived Helen with epinephrine, but as we followed the ambulance to the hospital, I could feel the Celtic Triquetra necklace warming against my chest. Something profound was happening—something that went beyond medical intervention.

In the cardiac treatment room, Helen lay surrounded by monitors and machines, her breathing shallow but steady. The DNR order meant that when her time came, there would be no heroic measures—only love, acceptance, and whatever supernatural forces had been awakened by our completed sisterhood.

"Sweetie, you are one with Helen and me now, we are sisters," Michelle whispered as we sat in the waiting room. "Helen's homecoming nears. If you open yourself to the supernatural, you may be able to share the totality of the experience."

The weight of her words settled over me like a sacred mantle. "What are you telling me, Michelle?"

I didn't care what anyone thought at this point, so I pulled the necklace out from my scrub top and wore it proudly for all to see. The Celtic Triquetra caught the harsh hospital lighting, its intricate knotwork seeming to pulse with its own inner radiance.

"You know that Helen's medical wishes dictate that she not be kept alive artificially. This may be the time when we both have to say goodbye to her. It is a most powerful time, full of possibilities if you are open to them."

The truth of it hit me like a physical blow. Helen was dying, and somehow, Michelle was preparing me for something beyond ordinary grief. "I'm ready to say goodbye to Helen if it comes to that. I'm open to any possibility."

"Good. They will be calling for us soon."

No sooner had she spoken when Nurse Walters walked purposefully into the waiting room. "Mrs. Johnson? Helen called for you, and time is short."

The three of us walked quickly through the hospital corridors, our footsteps echoing with the urgency of approaching finality. When we reached Helen's bedside, I instinctively moved to one side and took her hand while Michelle took the other. The Celtic Triquetra necklaces—all three of them—seemed to resonate with each other, creating an invisible triangle of connection around Helen's bed.

"Thank you for coming, sisters," Helen whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with profound love.

"I love you, Helen. Blessed be!" The words came from somewhere deeper than conscious thought.

"I love you too, Helen. Thank you for my gift."

Helen's eyes sparkled with the same mischievous wisdom I'd come to cherish. "I hope you like your next gift as well, sister. I love both of you with all my heart."

The monitors began their final alarm sequence, but this time, the DNR order meant we could only hold her hands and bear witness. As Helen's physical form released its hold on life, I felt my eyes rolling back as consciousness slipped away from me.

The Spiritual Realm
Suddenly, I was more alive than I had ever been. The sensation was overwhelming—I felt completely congruent and utterly different simultaneously. Looking down at myself, I realized I existed as pure energy, pure spirit. For the first time, I saw myself as I had only glimpsed in dreams: a twelve-year-old girl who hadn't yet begun puberty, radiant with authentic possibility.

At my feet lay my corporeal body, still appearing as male as I had forced myself to portray to the world, collapsed unconscious on the hospital floor. Michelle still clutched Helen's hand, weeping over her sister's passing, while Nurse Walters rushed to attend to my unconscious form.

"Sister, it is time for me to pass my life to you."

I turned to find Helen beside me, her spiritual form blazing with accumulated life energy. She appeared more vibrant than she had in months, free from the physical limitations that had imprisoned her.

"Helen, I don't understand."

"How could you, sweetie? The white light beckons to me, and my life force glows with the energy that I have added through living. That energy ordinarily would be used to transform me physically into the person I would be for my next life."

"Would?" The word hung between us, heavy with implication.

"I feel that you should not have to wait for your next life to put an end to your suffering. I intend to use that life energy to put right what once went wrong for you."

The magnitude of her offer struck me like lightning. "No, Helen! Your next leap may be the leap all the way home. Giving me that gift could cost you everything."

"Yet it is my gift to give." Her spiritual form pulsed with determination. "Do you know why your spirit is still a girl instead of a woman?"

The truth came to me with crystal clarity. "I feel that it is because I have not allowed myself to experience puberty yet the way I should have, in mind and body."

"Are you open to that possibility now? Are you ready to be your true self?"

Every fiber of my being resonated with the answer. "I am, Helen. You have given me the gift of understanding. When I get back, I will start transition. I will be true to myself and to you and Michelle, my sisters."

Helen's energy seemed to intensify, and I sensed we were approaching the crucial moment. "Sometimes, sisters have to act as mothers when mother isn't available. Are you ready to accept her in that role?"

The rightness of it overwhelmed me. "Michelle would make a great mother. Yes, I will gladly accept Michelle as my mother."

The Transformation
Helen's energy aura, which had been bright before, suddenly overwhelmed me in a blinding flash. I felt myself speeding toward a white light, but instead of moving toward it, the white light engulfed me completely. Every cell of my being was suffused with Helen's life force, her love, her accumulated wisdom, and her final gift of authentic existence.

The sensation was indescribable—like being unmade and remade simultaneously, every atom of my being restructured by love itself. I felt my spirit and body aligning for the first time in my existence, the profound incongruence that had defined my life dissolving into perfect harmony.

When consciousness returned, the familiar surroundings of the hospital room greeted me, but everything had changed. Nurse Walters towered over me as she helped me to my feet, but now her height was appropriate—I was looking up at the world through the eyes of a twelve-year-old girl.

Everything was right because now the physical me matched the spiritual me. I was Minuet, a preadolescent girl with my entire authentic life ahead of me.

Michelle had come around the bed and wrapped me in a protective hug, whispering urgently in my ear, "Play along, we'll talk in the car."

"Sweetie, I was so worried about you," she said loudly enough for the nurse to hear. "Is my daughter really alright?"

"She's fine. Her vitals are strong. She just fainted when Miss Chambers died."

The nurse's matter-of-fact tone suggested that reality had somehow adjusted to accommodate Helen's supernatural gift. To everyone except Michelle and me, I had always been Minuet, Michelle's twelve-year-old daughter.

"Minnie, let's get you home. The nurses have to see about Helen now anyway, so we should give them a chance to take care of things."

"Thank you, Momma." The word felt natural, right, as if I had been saying it my entire life.

Looking down at myself, I marveled at Helen's attention to detail. I was dressed exactly as I had appeared in spirit form: a long A-line dress made of pink velvet paired with white knee socks and black Mary Janes, with a matching purse on my shoulder. My hair was styled in two pigtails with pink ribbons tying up the ends. No makeup, but I didn't need any—I had the natural glow of youth and authenticity.

The walk to the car felt eternal, both of us maintaining careful silence lest we say something that might shatter the delicate illusion that protected us. Once the car doors slammed shut, I felt relief wash over me like taking a deep breath after holding it for hours.

New Memories, New Life
"It worked," Michelle breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "Helen passed her next life on to you early. Do you remember being Marcus?"

The question opened floodgates of memory that were both familiar and strange. "Yes, but that is like another lifetime. I remember more clearly being raised with our mother until she died, and then you taking care of both Helen and me after that. Oh yes, and that sweet nurse Jessica who cared for Helen ordinarily, but she called in sick and we had to care for her today. I'm glad that I learned CPR so I could help Helen while you called for help, Momma."

Michelle's eyes filled with tears of amazement. "I remember both lives too. You were a great big help, Minuet. You have a great big heart, and you could be a medical professional again if that's where your heart leads you."

The weight of loss suddenly hit me. "I miss Helen, Momma."

"You don't have to miss me yet. I'm still around."

Helen's voice came from behind me, and I turned to see her spiritual form, even more abundant with energy than before the white flash. She appeared as a shimmering presence that only Michelle and I could perceive.

"What happened, Helen?" I asked, reaching toward her luminous form.

"I found out that the leap home is not one that can be taken on our own energy, but with the ability granted to us when we are ready. The Goddess told me that in passing my life to you, I had shown myself worthy to pass into the beyond and go home myself. I've been given leave to be with you to help you through this transition before I make that trek into the great beyond."

The relief was overwhelming. "I'm glad for you that you are about at the end of your journey, Helen. I'm glad for me that you will be along to guide me at the starting of my journey."

A question that had been nagging at me finally surfaced. "When time folded over on itself as a result of all that creative energy you summoned, how come we three seem to be the only ones who have a clue about what was?"

Helen's laughter tinkled like silver bells. "You don't need me for that answer since your mommy came up with that wrinkle. It's the triplet necklaces, and in a real way, our sisterhood held a power of three that was beyond any understanding of TV show writers. We three are bound together in a way that defies understanding."

Michelle nodded, touching her own necklace. "And when Helen leaves this plane of existence, Momma?"

"We'll still be bound together, and where she goes, we will, when our time comes, follow and be reunited there."

I looked between them, my new twelve-year-old perspective making everything feel both profound and simple. "Is that true, Helen? And in how many lives will we be together, physically, that is?"

"That would be telling, sprite!" Helen's eyes twinkled with ancient mischief. "In the place that I am going, physicality isn't really meaningful. Even with me gone in a way, in a way I will always be with you."

The frustration of being spoken to in riddles bubbled up. "I guess I should have expected being talked to in riddles since I'm the child here."

"If you are a child, sweetie, then I am much more of one. At least you are comfortable in this universe of ours, but I'm going beyond all. I'm sorry if riddle speak frustrates you, but it's the only way of representing something so alien."

Understanding flooded through me. "I'm sorry, Helen. While I am in the muck, this is something that I asked for. I know some of the rules and I will discover the others. I cannot even imagine what awaits you. I guess when I can, then I will be where you are now. I'll be waiting for my homecoming."

"That's okay, sprite. I have a feeling that getting you up to speed was just what the doctor ordered. I could never let one of my sisters down if I had any choice in it."

One more question burned in my mind. "Helen, why am I a child now?"

Her expression grew tender with understanding. "Sweetie, that's where your spirit was stuck. If you had become a woman of the same age that Marcus was, then you would still be incongruent since your spirit was stuck as a little girl. Bringing your spirit and body together with congruency will allow you to grow up the way you might have if you had been able to let out your true self when you were thirteen the first go around."

The pieces finally clicked into place. "You were trying to prepare me for this before I became Minuet, and I didn't understand then, but I believe I do now. Thank you for looking out for my best interest, Helen."

"Think nothing of it, sweetie. Sisters do for each other. As you have done for me, I do for you, as around the circle our love flows."

We shared a metaphysical hug—not the pressing together of physical forms, but a spiritual closeness where I felt Helen's presence as strongly as any physical embrace. The love was the same, perhaps even stronger. When Michelle joined us in a group spiritual hug, I felt the power of three and put to rest any doubts that anything would truly separate us from each other.

"One thing that you are right about, young lady, is that physically now you are a child and will be one for the foreseeable future. Your body needs much more sleep, especially after a day as trying as this, and even more as you start turning into the woman you will grow up to be. It's bedtime for you now, munchkin. Please be a good girl and take your bath, then get dressed for bed."

The prospect of my first night as Minuet filled me with both excitement and trepidation. As we pulled into the driveway of what were now my childhood memories told me was home, I realized that Helen's greatest gift wasn't just the physical transformation—it was the chance to grow up authentically, supported by a love that transcended death itself.

The Celtic Triquetra necklace rested warm against my chest, a constant reminder that I was part of something eternal, something that would guide me through whatever challenges lay ahead in this new life that had been passed to me.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Four: New Memories, New Life

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Minuet fit in to being a little girl in the family that she loves?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

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Once the car doors slammed shut, I felt relief wash over me like taking a deep breath after holding it for hours.

"It worked," Michelle breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "Helen passed her next life on to you early. Do you remember being Marcus?"

The question opened floodgates of memory that were both familiar and strange. "Yes, but that is like another lifetime. I remember more clearly being raised with our mother until she died, and then you taking care of both Helen and me after that. Oh yes, and that sweet nurse Jessica who cared for Helen ordinarily, but she called in sick and we had to care for her today. I'm glad that I learned CPR so I could help Helen while you called for help, Momma."

Michelle's eyes filled with tears of amazement. "I remember both lives too. You were a great big help, Minuet. You have a great big heart, and you could be a medical professional again if that's where your heart leads you."

The weight of loss suddenly hit me. "I miss Helen, Momma."

"You don't have to miss me yet. I'm still around."

Helen's voice came from behind me, and I turned to see her spiritual form, even more abundant with energy than before the white flash. She appeared as a shimmering presence that only Michelle and I could perceive.

"What happened, Helen?" I asked, reaching toward her luminous form.

"I found out that the leap home is not one that can be taken on our own energy, but with the ability granted to us when we are ready. The Goddess told me that in passing my life to you, I had shown myself worthy to pass into the beyond and go home myself. I've been given leave to be with you to help you through this transition before I make that trek into the great beyond."

"When time folded over on itself as a result of all that creative energy you summoned, how come we three seem to be the only ones who have a clue about what was?"

Helen's laughter tinkled like silver bells. "You don't need me for that answer since your mommy came up with that wrinkle. It's the triplet necklaces, and in a real way, our sisterhood held a power of three that was beyond any understanding. We three are bound together in a way that defies understanding."

"Helen, why am I a child now?"

Her expression grew tender with understanding. "Sweetie, that's where your spirit was stuck. If you had become a woman of the same age that Marcus was, then you would still be incongruent since your spirit was stuck as a little girl. Bringing your spirit and body together with congruency will allow you to grow up the way you might have if you had been able to let out your true self when you were thirteen the first go around."

"You were trying to prepare me for this before I became Minuet, and I didn't understand then, but I believe I do now. Thank you for looking out for my best interest, Helen."

"Think nothing of it, sweetie. Sisters do for each other. As you have done for me, I do for you, as around the circle our love flows."

We shared a metaphysical hug—not the pressing together of physical forms, but a spiritual closeness where I felt Helen's presence as strongly as any physical embrace. When Michelle joined us in a group spiritual hug, I felt the power of three and put to rest any doubts that anything would truly separate us from each other.

"One thing that you are right about, young lady, is that physically now you are a child and will be one for the foreseeable future. Your body needs much more sleep, especially after a day as trying as this. It's bedtime for you now, munchkin. Please be a good girl and take your bath, then get dressed for bed."

"Mommy, will you tuck me in and tell me a bedtime story?"

"I thought that you said you were a big girl now and you didn't need a bedtime story anymore?"

"Awww Mommy. Just this once. I've had a busy day."

"That you have, munchkin. Okay, if you are a good girl, and are ready for bed when I go up to check on you, then I will tell you a story. Which one do you want to hear?"

"The one about every little girl being a princess, Mommy."

She rolled her eyes at me. "I might have known. As you wish, munchkin."

As I headed upstairs to my room, I realized that Helen's greatest gift wasn't just the physical transformation—it was the chance to grow up authentically, supported by a love that transcended death itself. The Celtic Triquetra necklace rested warm against my chest, a constant reminder that I was part of something eternal, something that would guide me through whatever challenges lay ahead in this new life that had been passed to me.

The princess in the story had lived authentically ever after. Now it was time for me to do the same.