Chapter Text
In this world, the magic doesn’t exists…Or maybe yes, but everything has an explanation, that’s for sure. And Jessica Robert’s case wasn’t the exception.
It was 1969, and Jessica was a terminal patient in Wiskayok. She didn’t want to die and casually, she found Asclepius’ diary, and after reading it one hundred times day and night she decided to find Raphaelle Ballard, also known as Aceso, the mastermind behind the tragedy of The Wilderness cult.
So, after weeks of researching, she could find Raphaelle Ballard’s address. And one night, she sneaked out of the hospice, make hitch-hiking by almost a half of hour. And finally, she started to travel there.
After three failed attempts, Jessica find her. They met and hit it off scarily well. Jessica was sick, and she was capable and willing to do anything to get cured. She wanted to live. And in her mind, she believed fervently that Raphaelle had the answer.
Raphaelle always wanted a successor, a pupil to carry her teachings and her legacy. She had thought of one of her three daughters, however, none of them ended up convincing her. On the other hand, her son, he was perfect to continue the legacy, but in the end, he was already too far gone, he was too brainwashed. He himself was the one who ended everything that Raphaelle built.
But Jessica, Jessica was the perfect successor, willing to learn, and ready to carry the torch. So Raphaelle would teach her everything she knew. So, they agreed the following: Jessica would stay a week, maybe longer. Then, Raphaelle would give her a muddy nightgown and would be wandering through the woods. And when they find her, she’ll come up with an incredibly story.
Because at the end of the day, everybody loves miracle stories.
Back in 1994, Shauna called 911, with the phone in the conservatory. But when she was going down to the basement, right in the principal door she could see Jessica living the hospice. Shauna couldn’t do anything much; it was useful to try to chase her. So, she let her go.
Authorities didn’t take too long, and everything was pretty fast.
In the morning, Doctor Martinez met Shauna in his office.
“My friend at County Adventist told me that they’re stable. All three of them.” He said. “Pumped their stomachs and they’re going to have a rough week, but they’ll live. In part because of your fastness, but also, they wouldn’t have been down there at all if it hadn’t been for you…You know, there’s a stairwell down in the basement, fairly well hidden. And when I came down, I wasn’t even surprised to see Jessica there, to be honest. But I was very surprised to see you.”
“She promised me to heal us all.” Shauna said in a low voice.
“You know, I’ve had Jessica arrested three times over the years.” Martinez said. “Trespassing, breaking, and entering, harassment, between many others. She’s manipulative by nature. And it only took a couple of empty promises for you to act behind my back. That you’d view her as a friend and me as whatever you view me as.”
“She’s the reason I came here.” Shauna confessed shyly. “And maybe…maybe there’s something here.”
“There isn’t at all.” Martinez intervened. “Jessica’s no different than Laura Lee. The thing about Jessica and other people I’ve met over the years is they can’t accept that they were just lucky. But time comes around for everyone.”
“What do you mean?” Shauna asked.
“The escalations, the break-ins.” Martinez explained. “She tried to poison you last night. Not to save you or the other girls, she did it to save herself. She’s sick again. And whatever magic she thinks she discovered in ’69 it’s worn off. And so, she’s at it again using The Wilderness playbook.”
Martinez looked at Shauna, her face looked sad as she was a little girl who was told that Santa Claus did not exist.
“I know the special bond that that all of you have with each other. And I know, how sad it is loose a friend, and I know that your desire to cure you and your friends is really, really pure.” Martinez said. “But don’t let those sick ideas loose into your mind because people like you is more vulnerable towards them…These ideas, they’re like cancer. Once they catch on. It doesn’t matter how old, or smart or wise you are. All of us are at risk one way or another.”
“Can you don’t tell the others what I did, please?” Shauna asked. “I’m just…I’m really sorry.” She added and withdrew from the room head down and saddened.
Meanwhile in Taissa’s room, Van stayed to sleep again. But in the early morning, Taissa surprised Van, trying to grab a pen from the nightstand over and over again.
“What are you doing?” Taissa asked.
“It’s nothing.” Van said without importance.
“Motor skills, right?” Taissa asked. “How it’s it going?”
“I’ve grabbed this thing pretty good, about seven times out of ten.” Van answered. “But sometimes…I miss it.”
“Come here.” Taissa said and Van approached.
“My left eye.” Van said. “I can’t see that well up my left eye.”
“Okay.” Taissa approached to Van. “That’s okay.”
“Oh, fuck, I knew that was coming.” Van lamented. “It’s just that it doesn’t end to lake too long after the vision starts.”
“I know.” Taissa tried to comfort her.
“And there’s a blind spot.” Van explained. “There’s that. And then…It’s growing…but there’s a shadow. It’s in the corner of my eye…it’s like…”
“Like what Allie talked about?” Taissa asked. “Like what Lottie talked about?”
“Yeah.” Van sighed with regret. “And I can see it moving…Like it’s getting closer…And sometimes it looks like a person or a shape, but it’s…there and I can see it.” At that point, Van was at the verge of the tears, she knew that once you saw the shadow, your days were numbered.
“Come here.” Taissa said softly and hugged her.
Later in the morning, before the other families started to arrive, Laura Lee was about to leave. And all the girls came out to say goodbye to her.
“If you need anything, anything. Just call.” Ben indicated her with a smile. “Okay? I’ll always get your back.”
“Don’t be a stranger.” Doctor Martinez said and hugged her.
“I love you, weirdo.” Nat said to Laura Lee and hugged her both we’re about to cry.
“I’m so fucking happy for you.” Jackie told her, and she gave her a hug.
“Whenever you talk about being here, I want you to come up with the biggest and most insane story that you can.” Misty smiled and also hugged her.
Taissa were straight to the point and hugged her tightly, but of course, she had something to say to Laura Lee.
“We love you.” She said.
Then, Laura Lee hugged Van.
“Let me look at you, one real good look, please.” Van sighed scanning Laura Lee head to toe.
“You’re gonna see me again.” Laura Lee said wiping away her tears. “I promise.”
And then, Laura Lee faced Shauna.
“I’m sorry.” Laura Lee said.
“Don’t be.” Shauna smiled and hugged her. “Focus on your treatments, okay? That’s what you can do for us. And whatever you got; you just kick its ass.”
“I don’t know how to do this.” Laura Lee whispered.
“You’ll learn.” Shauna said with a sad smile.
Before to get into the car, Laura Lee gave a last look to the girls.
“I don’t want to go.” She said between tears and then, hearing the car engine, she got into the vehicle.
And the car started moving forward, suddenly Laura Lee had an idea, she lowered the window and pulled out half of her body. She waved goodbye as she watched her friends fade into the distance.
Not long after the family day began and as always Misty locked herself in her room to play the guitar.
“Hi.” Ben greeted delivering some boxes as always.
“I wonder what they sent this time.” Misty said bittersweetly.
“Do you want me to bring anything up for you?” Ben asked. “Scrape together some snacks, a little family day staycation kit.”
“Thanks, I’m good.” Misty said.
But before Ben left, she changed her mind.
“You know what?” She said with a smile. “I think I want to join this time. My family’s already here.”
In the conservatory, this time, Taissa, and her mother joined Van and her uncles.
“The lawyer said it could take a few more weeks.” Aunt Angela said. “But it’s just down to paperwork. She don’t even know yet. We tried to call her this morning but she’s still asleep.”
“Are you sure?” Van asked and her eyes lightened. “Are you completely sure?” And her uncles nodded with enthusiasm.
“You’re going to get to meet my mom.” Van said to Taissa with excitement. “My mom is coming; my mom is really coming.”
“You were right, she’s cute when she smiles.” Taissa’s mother whispered to her daughter.
“Mom.” Taissa blushed.
In the other table were Natalie and Misty.
“Do you really will teach me to play the guitar?” Nat asked.
“If you really want to learn, yeah.” Misty smiled. “You never struck me as a guitar guy but I’m happy to be surprised.”
And then, Natalie saw her mother entering to the conservatory…with her father.
“Holy shit, is that your dad?” Misty asked with disbelief. “Well, look what you did, friend.”
They stood up as Natalie’s parents approached.
“Do you made it?” Natalie asked.
“Of course, we did.” Her mother said hugging her.
“This…It’s a nice house.” Her father said.
“It really is.” Natalie answered.
And then, without saying anything her father hugged her tightly. The hug that Natalie so longed to receive finally had it, sincere and silent. Because sometimes the most powerful words reside in silence. And of course, Ben in the distance looked at the scene with a smile.
“This is my friend, Misty.” Natalie introduced.
“Hi. It’s awesome to meet you.” Misty said while she was shaking hand with both of them. “And I’m not just a friend, I’m her lost stepsister.”
Natalie's parents looked at Misty blankly.
“Dude, too soon.” Natalie laughed.
Shauna was in her room with the head empty, laying in the bed and doing nothing. Her mother was late again so, she had to wait for her. Suddenly, Ben entered to the room with a guy.
“Sorry to bother you.” He said. “Well, sorry for interrupt, this is Travis. He was Lottie’s close friend.”
“Yes of course.” Shauna said.
“He came to see about her things.” Ben explained. “So, we told him, that he needed to talk to you.”
“Sure, come in.” Shauna nodded standing up of the bed.
“Thanks.” Travis said as Ben left.
“She told us all about you.” Shauna said.
“So…this is it?” Travis asked as he walked around the room.
“Yeah, that was her bed.” Shauna pointed out. “I tried calling you before her funeral. She left your number, but it was disconnected.”
“Yeah, I know.” Travis said. “I guess I never gave her the new number when I moved.”
“So how did you get here?” Shauna asked.
“Her obituary.” Travis answered with bitterness. “It was beautiful. Who wrote it?”
“I did.” Shauna said.
“Really? I read it and I thought…Whoever wrote this, they really knew her.” Travis sighed.
“She talked about you a lot.” Shauna said.
“Man…No, I’m…I’m sorry to hear that.” Travis chuckled sadly.
“Don’t worry.” Shauna smiled in the same way. “She told me how you guys fell out. She took full responsibility, though.”
“I’m sure she did.” Travis said. “It wasn’t that cut and dry. I could have done better.”
“We could all do better.” Shauna comforted him. “And she was a stubborn bitch sometimes, no doubt.” She added to lighten the mood.
Travis laughed bitterly.
“But she loved you.” Shauna continued. “Listen, she left me some of her things and…I know she would want you to have some of this stuff. There’s not a lot. She donated a bunch, but her other things…I don’t know what to do with them, but you should have these.” She added giving to Travis a small box with Lottie's most prized possessions.
Travis rummaged through the box and took out the photo frame with the photo of the two. The crystal wasn’t broken, it was as good as new, as if he had bought a completely new one.
“She fixed it.” Travis smiled. “Man, she did a good job. It doesn’t even look like it was broken.”
“Can I see it?” Shauna asked. She was amazed.
“This broke like, a long time ago.” Travis explained and sniffed. “I mean, it looks like she didn’t actually got a new one. It doesn’t actually look like it was repaired. It seems like a new statue.”
It was completely new. And maybe just maybe it was that kind of thing that all the club was waiting for.
After that, Shauna went downstairs to say goodbye to Travis. And in her way to the conservatory, she bumped into her mom.
“There you are.” She said with a smile.
“Yeah, sorry. I had to take care of some things.” Shauna said.
“Everything’s okay?” Her mother asked.
“Yeah…Actually, I want to show you something.” Shauna said.
So, Shauna took her mother to her room and took out the folder with the preneed.
“Do you want to tell what this is all about?” Pauline asked.
“This is called a preened.” Shauna explained. “I was supposed to fill it out weeks ago, but I didn’t and I…I want you to fill it out with me. It’s basically just a list of things that I wanted…”
“Yeah, I know what it is.” Her mother interrupted. “I don’t know that we need to go down this…path.”
“It’s time, mom.” Shauna said and then, she took out a book. “I find this in the library. It’s called ‘My Song for Him Who Never Sang to Me’ by Merrit Malloy. And there’s a poem in here called ‘Epitaph’ that I…I want you to read at the ceremony when the time comes.
“Sweetie, can we…” Her mother sighed.
“When I die, give what’s left of me away to children and old men that wait to die.” Shauna started to recite. “And if you need to cry, cry for your brother walking the street beside you.”
She made a pause to take a deep breath.
“And when you need me, put your arms around anyone and give them what you need to give to me.” Shauna continued. “I want to leave you something, something better words or sounds. Look for me in the people I’ve known or loved. And if you cannot give me away, at least let me live on in your eyes and not your mind. You can love me most by letting hands touch hands. By letting bodies touch bodies, and by letting go of children that need to be free. Love doesn’t die, people do. So, when all that’s left in me is love, give me away.”
When Shauna looked up at her mother, she was looking at her with a tender and melancholic expression. Surprisingly, she wasn’t crying. But they say that the most painful tears are dry ones, the ones that you can’t see. And maybe, just maybe, that was true. And without saying anything, Shauna hugged her mom.
Meanwhile, Jackie was thoughtful sitting on the bench that she liked so much.
“Hey.” Jeff greeted as he approached and sit next to Jackie. “Where did you go?”
“Sorry, I just needed some air.” Jackie said.
“It’s really beautiful out here.” Jeff said seeing the waves crashing down the cliff.
“It really is.” Jackie affirmed.
“Listen.” Jackie started after a deep breath. “I think we need to talk.”
“Sure.” Jeff said.”
“Of course, now that I said I don’t know how to say any of what comes next.” Jackie sighed.
Both looked at each other. And a look could say more than a million of words.
“So, this is it?” Jeff asked.
“Yeah.” Jackie said bitterly.
“What did I…” Jeff was about to ask.
“Nothing.” Jackie was quick to say. “You did nothing wrong. You have to know that…I’ve been think about it a lot lately, and getting to this point has been frankly hard for both of us. But I want you to know that you didn’t do anything. It has been coming for a long time, but now that it’s here, I don’t…I really don’t know how to do this.”
“There’s only one way, really.” Jeff said after a deep breath. “Just one word at a time.” He added smiling sadly and holding her hand.
Love stories are almost never forever, whether the last one is: ‘And they lived happily ever after’ or ‘And they never saw each other again’ they always end one way or another. And this was the time for Jackie and Jeff's story to end.
At midnight, all the club except Shauna was reunited.
“What time is it?” Nat asked.
“Twelve past twenty-four.” Taissa said.
“Should we keep waiting?” Misty asked.
“No, I don’t think she’s coming this time.” Jackie said. “I think it’s just us tonight.” She added approaching to the head of the table.
“Well, I don’t like empty chairs at the table.” Van said. “Should we just put them away, pull them off to the side or something?”
“I think we should leave them.” Nat suggested. “So, there’s always a seat for them here.”
“There’s going to be more empty chairs, dude.” Van reminded.
“There will be new faces too. There always are.” Taissa comforted her.
“To those before. To those after. To us now and to those beyond.” Jackie recited raising her cup.
“To those before. To those after. To us now and to those beyond.” Everyone repeated.
“Seen or unseen, here but not here.” All the club repeated at unison and then, drank a sip from their cups.
“You know what?” Jackie said. “I’m think I’m going to finish it tonight.”
“What?” Van asked with disbelief.
“Finally.” Taissa said.
“It was about damn time.” Nat said.
“Thank you.” Misty added.
“I think this story is over.” Jackie declared.
But before, Jackie could begin to narrate, Shauna appeared.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” She apologized. “I fell asleep.”
“That’s okay. Pull up chair.” Nat indicated. “Jackie’s going to end her story. You’re just in time.
“Is that right?” Shauna asked with disbelief.
“Yep.” Jackie said. “You all did it. You all stayed alive just long enough to hear the exciting conclusion.”
Well, not everybody stayed alive, actually. But I’m killing the mood, right? Well, as the narrator I shouldn't be doing this either. So, let’s hear the story.
“Melanie went to the school gym at midnight, just to find Clyde, Susan, and Marc…Marc Hall was dead by a gun shot on the ground, just as she planned. While Susan Trellss was wounded on the ground, by a gunshot in the ribs.”
“‘Do you have the letter?’ Melanie asked to Clyde as she put on a pair of rubber gloves.”
“‘Yeah, the letter is ready. Starting tomorrow, everyone will believe that Marc killed Cindy and committed suicide out of guilt.’ Clyde chuckled dryly.”
“‘So, my dear, Susan. Thank you for giving me the idea. I mean it, I never would have thought of framing Marc without the help of your conspiracy theories.’ Melanie said. ‘That is why you have two options for you. You can die like a hero, murdered brutally by Marc trying to stop him or you can die as the accomplice of Marc and also kill yourself, we can also include your confession in the letter. Right, Clyde?’”
“‘Yes, of course we can.’ Clyde said.’”
“‘Why did you do this?’ Susan asked.”
“‘Because Cindy Carpenter ruined our lives.’ Melanie said dryly. ‘In the accident, the car didn’t fall of a cliff, she killed two people, my parents. They were in a business trip here in Iowa. Her parents paid the police, so that they’d never reveal the real version, because of course, they didn’t want their perfect little princess, the golden girl of the town, to look like a homicidal alcoholic in the eyes of everyone. And of course, on top of that, she died a tragic victim who didn’t deserve what happened to her.’”
“She took a pause after a deep breath. She was getting too mad.”
“‘So, guess what police documents are going to be leaked in the papers all over town tomorrow in the morning, everyone will know that Cindy Carpenter was a murderer and I expect everyone to line up to spit on her grave, and I want to be the first to do it. Actually, if there’s a hell, I hope she's burning there right now.’ Melanie finally exploded. ‘While Clyde, well. Cindy, despite being his girlfriend, took away all his opportunities to follow his dreams as sportsman, generated unnecessary conversations about him and many, many pitying looks…And guess who else is a lefty, Susan.’”
“The answer was obvious, Clyde. So, the whole thing had happened like this. Cindy had told Clyde that they were doing a school play, which Clyde told Melanie. That's why Melanie helped Susan in trigonometry class, if there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was that you had a better chance of winning something if that person liked you.”
“Once the cast of the play was just how they wanted. Melanie helped Clyde enter the auditorium the day of the class, nobody suspected about a poor guy in wheelchair and later sneak backstage, in order to kill Cindy.”
“The reason why Cindy had been so nervous the last few days was because her conscience couldn't take it anymore. Her guilt for the accident was too much and she was seriously considering confessing everything.”
“Minutes before the intermission ended, Clyde entered Cindy's dressing room, tricked her into gaining confidence, followed by covering her mouth and stabbing her straight through the heart. Cindy, desperate for help tried to get out on stage, but it was too late, and she bled to death.”
“‘So, you decide, Susan, Do you wanna die as a murderer or as a martyr?’ Melanie asked, reloading the gun.”
“‘Whatever you want. Does it matter at this point?’ Susan said. ‘But remember my words, They’ll know.’”
“‘You wish’ Melanie cackled and pulled the trigger. Susan now was dead.”
“In the next day, the police found the two dead bodies in the school gym. Melanie was merciful with Susan and made it look like Susan had tried to stop Marc. But an important detail was there.”
“Susan’s left hand didn’t have two nails. The nails of his index and middle fingers were completely finished. The reason was simple, Melanie and Clyde could be witty, but Susan was smarter. In the wooden floor of the school gym was scratched with trembling marks and bloody stains the word: ‘Melanie did it.’”
“The authorities didn’t take too long to find Melanie, that in her desperation, she snitched Clyde that’s how both ended confessing their crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment in a juvenile correctional facility.”
“Clyde committed suicide a year after being there, The prison doctors said that he had developed schizophrenia, because Clyde claimed that the voices of Cindy, Marc and Susan tormented him non-stop day and night.” Jackie finished. “While Melanie, she was isolated as a high-risk criminal, when she turned eighteen, she was transferred under the same condition to a local women's prison. Her guards say that she spends her days reciting Shakespearean monologues one after another, to imagine that a crowd cheers and applauds her and thus deal with her bitter loneliness….There you go, that’s it, that’s the end, you may all go die now…And now, Shipman, you left us all hanging with ‘The Grave.’ The floor is yours.”
“Okay.” Said Shauna taking a sit in the head of the table. “What was I on?”
“Orla killed Kelly and somehow she revived her.” Van answered.
“Oh, yeah.” Shauna said. “To refresh your memory, Kelly and Orla met in a bench of the park one day and they became inseparable. One day fooling around at the supermarket, Orla locked up Kelly in an industrial fridge, freezing her to death, but somehow. Kelly came back to life.”
“‘Welcome back to life, Kelly.’ Orla said. ‘You’re officially dead.’”
“‘What?’ Kelly asked with disbelief, that fact very hard to process.”
“‘You’re dead.’ Orla explained with calm. ‘But also, you’re special. Look, since the beginning of the times, there are people who can’t die normally, Unless their bodies are destroyed. In the middle age they called us witches. In the ancient times, we were called miraculous or also we were one of those people who were buried by mistake. In our days, we’re a secret, because you know, with people like us, the concept of heaven, paradise, afterlife or whatever you want to call it would be completely destroyed. They can only kill us if they completely destroy our bodies, such as beheading or burning us. So, yes, you’re a limbo dweller.”
“‘Are you saying that…I’m not dead but I’m not alive either?’ Kelly asked.”
“‘Yeah, kind of’ Orla said with tranquility, taking out a blue box and putting on a peculiar glasses. ‘Now, I need to make you some proofs, you know, to confirm that you’re like me. What color is this?’
“‘Blue?’ Kelly said doubtfully”
“‘Wrong, this is red. So, you’re colorblind like me’ Orla said taking off her glasses and now, she went for really huge box, and she lifted it up with one arm as if it were a heap of feathers. ‘Now, catch this.’”
“As if the box were a ball, Kelly caught the box with ease.”
“‘Would you believe me if I told you there's a refrigerator in there?’ Orla chuckled as she approached to Kelly. ‘Now, one last question, with sincerity above all. How do you feel?’
“‘Hungry…Very hungry.’ Kelly answered.”
“‘Don’t worry, that’s normal’ Orla said. ‘I’ll take you with Mr. Grimes. He knows what to do.’”
“‘Wait a minute What about my mom?’ Kelly asked.”
“‘Don’t worry about that either, I already have everything covered, I called him saying that you would stay to sleep at my house.’ Orla said.”
“So, they started their odyssey to Mr. Grimes’ house. After they arrived. A middle-aged man received them. He fed them with a vast feast. Kelly never thought that she could eat this amount of food, but she did, she was too hungry.”
“I’d love to be one of this limbo guys, then.” Van declared
Everybody chuckled.
“‘So, Orla told you that you’re special.’ Mr. Grimes said. ‘You know, Orla was an orphan when she came here, I adopted her as my own daughter. I want you for something bigger.’” He added taking Orla by the shoulders and smile at her with a paternal smile
“‘What do you mean?’ Kelly asked.”
“‘Follow me to my lab’ Mr. Grimes indicated ‘I’ll show you.’”
“They entered to an old elevator.”
“‘This is the first time I go down to his lab, you know’ Orla said excited.”
“When they arrived, Kelly and Orla were amazed, everything was too big, full of machines. But at the center of it there was a rather large capsule.”
“‘Your time has come.’ Mr. Grimes started. ‘A decade ago, my daughter, Theodora, was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. However, I have kept her body in this cryogenic capsule, until I figure out a way to get her back. I've been studying people like you for years, and I've found that if I insert a sequence of your DNA into my daughter, it could make her one of you. It would be a scientific and medical miracle. I could give Theodora a quality that is innate to you.”
“‘How did you know I was a Limbo Dweller?’ Kelly asked.”
“‘Because, I've been at this for ten years, Kelly’ Mr. Grimes said. ‘I can recognize these people's medical files in the blink of an eye. I have tried it over and over again, but to no avail. People, I have to...let go. But you two, you're so young, you could be perfect, no one would get hurt, I promise. So, what do you say? will you help me?’”
“The cause sounded noble. The promise rang true. Orla was more than willing, as always. And Kelly, for the first time, felt willing to help. This could generate a great scientific advance... Or at least they believed.”
“They started the procedure, Grimes took blood samples of them, after that, he put them in the machine to start sequencing the white blood cells.”
“‘You’re almost here, my love.’ Grimes whispered. ‘You’re almost, here.’”
“But something went wrong, nothing happened. Grimes sequenced the machine over and over and over, but nothing happened. Grimes tried over and over desperately. Her daughter had to come back…But at some point, he stopped trying.”
“‘Well, I guess I'll have to lower the age range again.’ Grimes said.
“‘So tomorrow I start bringing you children? What age?’ Orla started to ask but she was suddenly silenced by the violent blow on the table that Grimes released.”
“‘You no longer serve me, you are useless, remember? I killed you; I took you beyond the grave. You stop being useful to me until when I say so. And now, you are no longer useful to me!’”
“‘But I thought that you loved me as a…’ Orla started to say at the verge of the tears before being interrupted again.”
“‘You’re not my daughter, you never were!’ Grimes said. ‘My real daughter is on that tank, and you, freaks were supposed to bring her to me back! But you don't even know how to do that!’”
“What a son of a bitch, I hope he dies at the end.” Nat said.
“I support that idea.” Taissa added.
“Then, Grimes turned around with a butcher’s knife in his hand.”
“‘If you don’t resist, It’s not gonna hurt.’ Grimes said.”
“‘I’m useless.’ Orla whispered over and over. ‘I no longer serve to you.’ She added with decision, and then, pounced on Grimes. And she started to punch him in the face.”
“But suddenly, he stabbed her right in her jugular.”
“‘Now your heart is useless, just like you.’ Grimes chuckled sadistically, and then, with a clean cut, beheaded her. There was no way for Orla to rise again.”
“Kelly screamed and also pounded on Grimes and tried to strangle him. Grimes was running out of air, and as a last-ditch effort he stabbed Kelly in the neck. And as good coward, Grimes leaving terrified.”
“Kelly couldn’t die. So, she was doomed to eternal agony on the lab floor. Suddenly, the tank started making weird noises. and the unexpected happened, it worked. Theodora was now alive again and a Limbo dweller. The girl was ejected from the tank with little grace, and like a newborn baby it hurt to breathe.”
“The first thing that Theodora saw was Kelly dying on the floor. The pain was unbearable at this point. Definitely being a limbo dweller was a double-edged sword.”
“ ‘Please.’ Kelly whispered and Theodora approached. ‘Take that knife and cut my head.’”
“‘What?’ Theodora said horrified. ‘No, absolutely no, I’m not going to do that.’”
“‘That’s the only way, that I can die’ Kelly whispered with difficulty ‘And then… go and find your father, who has a lot of blood on his hand.’”
“Theodora took the knife and closed her eyes. She slashed the knife hard and slashed, ending Kelly's agony.”
“She had died…” Said Shauna with a trembling voice, and then, she burst out crying. “Sorry…I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
“Kelly woke up in a beautiful night meadow.” Misty started. “First, she rubbed her eyes, and she could see clearly. Kelly saw Orla, waiting for her with her characteristic smile. She took her by her shoulders and the first thing she said to her was: ‘So this is how it feels to die.’”
“She also recognized some familiar faces in the way.” Van continued. “Approaching to the scene were Mary Gardner, Deena Sutton, Carla Timmons, Thomasin Barrett, Paige Christiansen and Terri Vaughn.”
“Dude, Paige’s still alive.” Natalie interrupted. “It was like a whole thing.”
“Well, she eventually died, and reunited with Terri.” Van explained. “It’s not about them, anyways. It’s about honoring friends and leave no one alone.”
“That wasn’t all.” Taissa continued. “The group went to a beautiful river and Kelly drank of it. And that was the way that she forgot all the pain and sorrow before to get there. Maybe death was just a window.”
“After that, they started their trip together.” Nat smiled. “Side by side, as it always had to be. They started to walk to The Great Beyond.”
“A window to another world.” Taissa said.
“An alternate dimension.” Van added.
“A liminal space.” Misty commented.
“Some might call it the Afterlife.” Jackie intervened.
“Thanks.” Shauna whispered wiping away the tears and after a deep breath he continued narrating.
“They started to walk together, As they advanced, the beautiful meadow was illuminated by the lights of the fireflies. Kelly didn’t know what was going to be next or what would happen next. But, somehow, she felt completely serene and confident. Because she wasn’t alone, she was being accompanied by people she loved, her real friends. Because sometimes, you don’t get a shot at love in life. But that doesn’t mean the game is over.”
“And in their path, there were so many souls and faces that Kelly didn’t know, but somehow her heart knew them all. And so, the path continued, and the girls continued. Because that’s what people do. They go on.”
“The end.” Shauna finished and then she let a long silence pass. “I have something to tell you, guys…Last night I did something…very wrong. But I’ll get to that…Earlier today, I had a visitor, Lottie’s friend, Travis. Do you remember Travis?”
Everybody nodded.
“He came to the room, I thought that he should have some of her things. And she had this photo frame which the glass of the frame was broken.” Shauna continued. “But when I found it, it was fixed.”
“No way.” Natalie said.
“It’s the sign!” Misty squealed.
“But it was really broken?” Taissa asked.
“Yes, it was. And now it was fixed.” Shauna answered.
“Lottie said that her sign was going to be tangible. And this is tangible. So, it could be Lottie.” Van said.
“It was Lottie.” Jackie smiled. “It was her.”
After the meeting, Jackie called Shauna.
“I think I’m gonna take the long way up.” Jackie said. “Do you want to join?”
“Yeah, I do.” Shauna smiled
And now both of them were walking to the great hallway.
“I loved your story.” Jackie said.
“I loved yours.” Shauna commented. “But not the ending…I don’t know, I feel like you were a little hard on Melanie.”
“She was a murderer.” Jackie chuckled.
“Yeah, and I know that is unjustifiable.” Shauna explained. “But all her story and her ending were so…painful. The idea that she was alone from the start, and she’d be alone for the rest of her life.”
“So, she wouldn’t hurt more people, maybe people that she cares about.” Jackie said dryly. “Because she always hurts people, even the ones she cares about.”
“I don’t know if it’s possible not to hurt people that you care about.” Shauna said. “It doesn’t mean you have to be alone, Jackie.”
“I broke up with Jeff.” Jackie admitted.
“I’m sorry.” Was everything that Shauna could say.
“No, it was right.” Jackie continued. “It wasn’t fair to either one of us. Besides, there’s someone else, and I can’t lie about it anymore.”
“Even after I put all of us in danger?” Shauna asked.
“You did what you did out of hope.” Jackie answered. “Because that’s who you are. You’re hope, and you have been ever since you got there. And what else could Lottie’s sign mean? What else could the photo frame mean if not hope? So, you were right… Since you arrived here, I felt as if I had known you all my life.”
And that connection was mutual.
“But Jackie…I don’t know how we could just…I’m going to die.” Shauna said.
“Me too.” Jackie said without importance. “But I think that dying is a really shitty reason for not to live.”
And in that moment, Jackie kissed Shauna.
The legend of soulmates says that these souls always meet again in all their lives to continue loving each other. No matter how long, time ceases to exist when we start to see the world without the clock.
None of the girls knew how much time they had left. But what they did know was that there would continue to be death, and at the same time the arrival of new faces. And when their time came, they would become stories, memories, they would become love.
Because love doesn’t die, people do.