After writing The Emissary, I took another look at the character of Tony Charelle and his ability to travel through time. If evil could travel through time, why not the ordinary spirit?
I began thinking about beliefs that encourage a belief in the soul/spirit being transported to another dimension upon death to a paradise, of sorts, I suppose, assuring people their soul/spirit never dies. These souls/spirits simply morph thereby giving comfort and assurance the soul/spirit continues its existence.
There is another peculiar phenomenon however: the appearance of ‘lost spirits’ or ghosts or specters that are unable to leave earth. They appear in mythology, Shakespearean plays, books and movies. Another discussion for another time.
In The Interlope, Elly Norman was a narcissistic young woman. In her world vengeance was not only justified but a means to an end. She was above social mores of integrity, honesty and compassion. She would mete out justice on those who dare oppose her.
Elly, in an effort to flee the consequences of her actions, moves to a small Caribbean island intending to live a peaceful existence. She dies, rather inelegantly, and her soul/spirit rather than disappearing, begins to travel through time where she becomes an interloper, or visitor, observing the lives of the living. She is an unseen observer unable to change events.
Through her spirit guide, Elly encounters terrifying spirits that illustrate to her the type of person she was but were also a foreshadowing of her future in the spirit world. As an interloper she becomes an invisible, intimate observer in the lives of five women in various periods in time. Through each incarnation she gains knowledge of the lives of these women, the physical elements of their lives and their interactions with society. In the 1950’s, Elly experiences the thoughts and emotions of a young woman born physically and mentally challenged. She finally understands her own true character. She also develops a sense of conscience through being an interloper in the lives of these women and is outraged, railing against the perception of the role of women. Elly now, truly, sees the real world, resulting, belatedly, in compassion, humility and how faith and acceptance can heal the soul/spirit.
However, for Elly, there are no do-overs in time. Surprise ending.