Kylee had expected to pass on, to leave the mortal realm behind. But she hadn’t expected it to be this terrifying.

She panicked, desperate to wiggled her fingers, to feel something again. I changed my mind! she thought. I’m not ready to go! Her thoughts flew to Price, to how alive he made her feel. Instinctively, she knew he had bound her to him, that he could keep her here. She focused on her memories of him. It took a lot of effort, but his face coalesced in her mind.

The blackness shattered, but so did Price’s image. In its place, Kylee saw tree branches stretching out into the night, dark against the sky. They moved above her at an uneven pace, like someone turning a film reel too slowly.

Someone grunted, and Kylee realized she was being carried. Another groan and swearing, and the rancid odor of alcohol invaded her nostrils. Bill carried her. He dropped her, and she hit the ground with a thud. Her heart beat slower, the blood ceasing its flow in her veins. Her body rolled, and Kylee stared into the crevice of her fallen tree trunk.

This was her spot. Her secret place. How did Bill know about it? She couldn’t close her eyes. Warm blood soaked her clothing.

His footsteps moved away, disappearing into the woods. He’s leaving me here, she thought. But she had no energy to panic. All she could do was stare at the bark in front of her.

Kylee opened her eyes. She was back in her bed, covers to her chin. Daylight streamed through the window.

“Was I asleep?” she murmured. It didn’t feel like it. Whatever she’d seen hadn’t been a dream, either.

She slipped off the bed and opened the window. It wasn’t night anymore, or even morning, but almost midday. From here she could see Price, rocking the porch swing back and forth. Lisa was also outside, throwing a ball with Sisko.

“Saturday,” she whispered. “It’s Saturday.” The window was cracked open enough for her to slide out. Her earlier resolve to keep away from Price had faded, and she realized with some chagrin that being dead hadn’t lessened her penchant for drama.

Lisa paid no attention to her as she walked toward the porch swing, but Kylee knew why now. For whatever reason, only Price could see her. He kept his eyes on her as she approached.

She settled into the swing next to him. “I’m sorry,” she said before he asked any questions. She stared straight ahead, trying to ignore the warm flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck. “I shouldn’t have left you like that last night. I kind of had a spaz attack.”

“Listen, it’s okay,” he said. “I’m so glad to see you. I felt so bad. I thought—I thought you were leaving me.”

She nodded. “It was kind of hard to accept.”

“For me too.” He put his hand on his thigh, palm up, and waved his fingers at her. Kylee placed her hand in his, and the tears she’d been fighting all night sprang up.

“I don’t want to be dead,” she said, wiping at her eyes. “I never wanted to be. I had my whole life in front of me. And now I’ve met you.” The tears came harder, and she struggled for breath. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. Why? Why do I have to be dead?”

“I’ve thought the same thing,” Price said, staring at their intertwined fingers. “First my mom. And then you. It’s not fair.”

Kylee squeezed his hand. Price had known what he was getting into when he befriended her. And he’d still chosen to love her. Her chest warmed, and she pressed a hand to his jaw, turning his face to her. “Thank you. For all you did.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“It wasn’t enough,” he whispered.

Kylee touched the purplish bruise around his eye. “This looks better.”

He captured her hand with his other one. “How long will you be here?”

At first she didn't understand the question. She had nowhere to go; she could stay as long as she wanted. And then she realized what he meant. “I don’t know why I’m here. Can I control this? Do I just ‘move on’ when I’m ready?”

Price arched an eyebrow. “How should I know? I thought maybe when you discovered you were dead, you’d move on.”

“Is that why you kept it from me?”

“It’s one reason,” he admitted. “It’s dumb. I thought maybe if you never found out, you could stay with me forever. And it wouldn’t even matter that you were . . . dead.” His face reddened. “Pretty morbid thought, huh?”

“Yeah.” Kylee laughed, but his logic was sweet.

Price hesitated, and then he said, “Maybe you can’t move on.”

She frowned at him. “What the heck does that mean?”

His brow furrowed, and he kicked at a rock on the porch. “I don’t know. I mean, my mom’s dead. But she’s not here.”

“So?” Kylee wasn’t sure what he was driving at, but she could tell he was uncomfortable.

“So, the only thing different is how you died. I mean, because you—you killed yourself.”

He said the last few words so fast, it took a moment for Kylee to interpret his speech. “I don’t think I killed myself, Price.”

He faced her again. “How did you die, then?”

The dream/vision, or whatever it had been from last night, flashed through her mind. Bill. Bill had killed her. She was sure of it. But if she told Price, he’d go crazy. He’d might hurt Bill. “I can’t remember,” she said instead. “But I know I wouldn’t kill myself.”

His eyes flicked to the exposed skin of her forearms, to the scars there. They both knew who put them there. “Then why are you still here?”

The ring on her left hand burned, the clear dome glowing a white-blue. “Madame Humphrey,” Kylee said.

“What?” Price gave her a quizzical look. “Who’s Madame Humphrey?”

“The lady in the weird shop.”

“The one who could see you,” he said, nodding.

One more puzzle piece clicked into place. No wonder Price had freaked out in there. “She told me when my ring got darker, I needed to come back with you. She said she had answers for my questions.”

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“I don’t know.” Kylee shrugged. “I thought she was weird.”

“She is that.”

They looked at each other and laughed. Like that was the weirdest part of this situation.

“Why are you laughing?” Lisa asked, approaching the porch. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her face pink with exertion.

“Because you look funny out there.” Price grinned at Lisa but didn’t take his hand off Kylee’s.

Lisa scowled at him. “I did not.”

“Hey, I’m tired and sweaty,” he said, leaning his head back. “Can you get me a glass of lemonade?”

“Um, sure!” Lisa bounded off, not noticing the irony.

He lifted his head and looked at Kylee. “Let’s go to the boardwalk.”

“Okay.” She nodded. They needed to start somewhere. “When?”

“Now.”

“Now?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Well . . . how do we get there?”

Price’s face split into a big grin. “How about a bike ride?”

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