《Until I Dream Again》


 Is it a Dream?

    As the sounds of birds reaches her ears, Charlotte opens her eyes and glances around. The air she breathes in is fresh, the grass under her arms is healthy, the leaves sound musical as they rustle in the tree she lays beneath, and the skull she can see out of her peripheral vision doesn¡¯t startle her.


    Alright, it didn¡¯t startle her for three whole seconds. Once she registers that there is a skeleton garbed in a tattered black robe with its skull tilted down towards her face, as if watching her, she lets out a startled shriek and scrambles away from the corpse as quickly as she can.


    Moving to her knees a few feet away from the tree she had been under, the brunette stares at the visage of what she can only think is the personification of death, the Grim Reaper, come to collect her soul and take her away from the world of the living.


    ¡°What the hell-¡±


    A rich baritone voice answers from somewhere within the robes, enunciating flawlessly without the use of a tongue or lips to form complex sounds. ¡°My apologies. I did not realize you had awoken.¡± The slender fingers lacking flesh or muscles touch at the jaw bone as the masculine sounding skeleton displays movement which is physically impossible for what is, essentially, a bag of bones.


    Like any reasonable person who is being addressed by a sentient, animated skeleton, who moves as if it is in fact alive, Charlotte screams. She screams until her lungs have completely emptied before she draws in another breath, still able to hear her cries echo in the vast valley she has found herself in.


    ¡°Quite the set of pipes on you,¡± the skeleton says as it claps politely from her display of vocal talents. ¡°Are you going to do it again?¡±


    The rattling sound of bones striking against each other sends chills down the woman¡¯s spine. ¡°Wh- n-no, I, I mean, what- who are you?¡± She cannot help the way that her words crack and scratch over her tongue as they escape her raw throat. Screaming tends to do that to people¡¯s voices, admittedly.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± the skeleton starts again. ¡°I am William. I have been waiting here for you, or someone else like you.¡± He rests his hands upon his knees and cants his head curiously at Charlotte, as if waiting to see whether she will scream again or not.


    ¡°Here? Where is here?¡± She stands and looks around, her entire body tense as thoughts rush through her head, believing she has been in an accident, she must have died, this is some last ditch attempt at her brain to clam her down before everything fades away, surely. This isn¡¯t real, there is nothing after one dies, science has proven-


    Her panic-riddled thoughts are interrupted by that deep, impossible voice emitting from the skeleton. ¡°The valley. You didn¡¯t arrive at the Welcome Home, so I thought I would sit with you until you awoke and I could bring you back.¡±


    Worry creases Charlotte¡¯s brow as she crosses her arms over her chest. ¡°This isn¡¯t funny. Are you trying to say I died?¡±


    William taps his finger bones against his covered knee as he thinks about that. The way his skull tilts from one side to the other, along with the low hum which escapes from somewhere within his robes, unnerves the woman. Everything he does should be calming, casual, even inviting, is cause for alarm and worry because it is a skeleton doing it, moving, thinking, talking, when it shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°No,¡± he finally answers. That single confident word causes her shoulders to relax, regardless of the fact she is still confused. He continues. ¡°You are neither dead nor alive at the moment, and while we wait for the decision to be made, you have been brought here.¡±


    ¡°To the valley,¡± she clarifies with a sigh. She will have to ask what this William means by ¡°neither alive nor dead at the moment¡± when she¡¯s ready to hear that answer.


    ¡°Yes, although I think it would be best if we go back to the Home.¡± A soft chuckle follows his words.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Home?¡± Why isn¡¯t she running away? Is it because she thinks this is a strange dream brought on by drinking apple juice before bed, or eating an absurd amount of candy she definitely didn¡¯t need on Halloween night? There¡¯s something about talking to this skeleton, who identifies as ¡°William¡±, which doesn¡¯t cause Charlotte to spook and run. She is certainly unnerved, she feels cautious, yet her discomfort eases the more that they talk. Perhaps it is the valley they are in, the fresh air, the warm sunlight, or the perfect feeling grass beneath her bare feet. It might also be because the skeleton hasn¡¯t moved, nor does he have a scythe with him to rend her body in two. For the moment he has given no reason for her to be truly afraid of him. If he still had some flesh, if he looked like a rotting corpse while carrying on in such a civil manner, she might think otherwise about fleeing.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll find out about that later. Much later, if we¡¯re lucky.¡± As William talks he moves to his feet. His bones rattle under his robes and he lets out a weary ¡°oomph¡± as he straightens up. ¡°I sat for too long,¡± he concludes with mild surprise, reflected only in his voice.


    In spite of her confusion, her worries, the fears which are ebbing away with each second that passes, the young woman laughs. She covers her mouth immediately after that sound escapes her as she feels her face warm with embarrassment.


    ¡°There is no need to hide your mirth,¡± he says with a dry, bone-rattling chuckle of his own. ¡°I did not expect to feel such stiffness in my bones from sitting, was all.¡±


    She shakes her head and rolls her eyes as she wonders again why this place does not cause panic to set in, why William himself does not cause her to freak out and run as far as she can from him. She chalks it up to the desensitization of scary things due to jump scare videos and realistic depictions of death, gore, and the unknown in all forms of visual media, to the news sharing horrifying stories of suffering day in and day out, all carefully knit together with the loose threads of her own dream snippets she might recall if she wishes.


    If this is a dream, it is a far more enjoyable one than many she has experienced before.


    ¡°So what am I to do here, then?¡± Charlotte shoves her hands into the pockets on her shorts as she looks around, deciding that she must be in a lucid dream, something she hasn¡¯t experienced properly before. She¡¯s always wanted to try and have a dream she can control at least once.


    The valley looks as if it should be a part of the Elysian Fields, yet she does not believe she qualifies for that privilege. The trees climb lazily up slopes of greenery, wild flowers bloom in huge clusters of pink, yellow, and white, and what appear to be butterflies off in the distance flit in and out of sight.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Whatever you wish to do, Miss Charlotte,¡± William answers as he dusts off his robe. ¡°Would you like to explore the valley, or visit your relatives? You can go wherever you want and do as you please until we find out if your visit is temporary or not.¡±


    ¡°My relatives?¡± Surprise shows on her face. ¡°L-like my sister?¡±


    ¡°The nineteen year old? No, she is quite healthy and would not have access to this place. You could check in on her in a viewing mirror, however we cannot interact with her as you can with deceased relations.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, right. Right. Um, who all is here?¡±


    The skull tilts as William ponders that question. He withdraws a book from within his robes and opens the wrinkled, aged leather binding. He thumbs through a few pages of yellowed and stained parchment before he lets out a soft ¡®ah¡¯ when he discovers what he wants.


    Turning the book towards her, he points at the drawn family tree with the woman¡¯s name on it. ¡°You cannot visit Grace, or your parents, as they are all quite healthy,¡± he laughs, ¡°however if you wish to see your grandparents, or second cousins, cousins through marriage, well...¡± As he talks, the family tree grows upwards and outwards, off the pages, until thick black ink droops with the weight of Charlotte¡¯s bloodline. Names spider out like a never ending web of people who were related through marriage or blood. Sometimes both, if they are separated from one another enough.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of cousins,¡± she whispers. ¡°What a crowded family reunion that would be!¡±


    ¡°True. Well, if you do not wish to visit relatives, I could always show you to the viewing room.¡± William starts to walk as he closes and then slips the leather-bound book back into his robes. She follows as curiosity compels her onward.


    ¡°What¡¯s a viewing room?¡±


    He pauses to think of the best way to explain it to her. ¡°To put it simply, it is like a time machine. You can visit ancient Egypt, the first settlers of the British Isles, you can see the dinosaurs-¡±


    ¡°Dinosaurs!¡± Charlotte exclaims with excitement. ¡°I want to see the dinosaurs! Can we really see them? Can we touch them? Oh my gosh, won¡¯t they hurt me?¡±


    ¡°No. A viewing room holds all of the information in the universe¡¯s history. It is a unique catalog of events which can take you wherever you wish to view something. Thus the name. There is a particularly fun feature I enjoy, where you can remove the... Um. But, no, as we will be viewing only, we cannot interact with anything. That does mean, however, that if you wish to explore the ocean, you will not drown or be attacked by any sharks or something worse, though,¡± he finishes helpfully.


    ¡°That sounds awesome,¡± she breathes. ¡°I want to see dinosaurs! And the Colosseum! And, and, all the castles, and Japan, and the bottom of the oceans, and-¡±


    William throws his skull back and lets out a hearty laugh. The excited innocence of his guest is heartwarming and wonderful. He has experienced too many who get lost in this realm for their brief visit and never move from the valley. They cannot see beyond the field, if they ever get that far. It is rare for one like Charlotte to visit. He is glad she opened her eyes and could see everything, understand what he said. A human soul when it is neither here nor there can be a tricky thing to awaken, let alone instill understanding in for the place they must wait in while their body fights to survives or succumbs to whatever has injured it.


    It takes no time at all for Charlotte and her skeletal guide William to arrive at a building that looks similar to a library. He opens the door and holds it for her, waiting for her to enter first. She thanks him and smiles in a dazzling way as her excitement for what is to come absolutely radiates from her body. While his jaw can only move up and down, his aura, the ¡®vibes¡¯ he gives off, are pleased and downright giddy, for he knows they can explore the universe and all its secrets before a decision must be made. Time is so compacted in this place that eternity only takes a few days to experience.


    The first thing the pair does is enter an empty room. It looks rather plain, with a wooden table and comfortable chairs around it. William lights the candles on the scattered, unevenly placed shelves before he picks up a modern looking tablet from the mantle and sets it between them on the oak surface. The screen lights up and shows a search bar, of all things, projected between them like a hologram.


    ¡°Where would you like to go first, Charlotte?¡± William allows her to pick, wanting her to figure out the device on her own. He can sit back and quietly marvel at her ability to adapt so quickly, pleased he does not have another shrieking, weeping soul to try and soothe unsuccessfully before they are gone from his work area.


    ¡°Dinosaurs,¡± she says with unbridled excitement once more. The search bar fills in her request and provides so many results in the form of links, pictures, sound clips, and clarification options.


    ¡°Oh, er. This is a lot,¡± she mutters. After she clears her throat, she tries again. ¡°I want to see a Deinonychus, please!¡±


    As soon as she utters her request, the room starts to melt away. A disembodied voice pleasantly says, ¡°Heard, Charlotte. Showing a Deinonychus.¡±


    The brunette lets out a scream as she sees a creature around chest height running on two legs towards her, with a single wicked over-sized talon on each foot. She braces for impact, puts her arms up, but it runs right through her without hesitation.


    ¡°Remember, Miss Charlotte, you cannot be seen or harmed by anything within the viewing room¡¯s database,¡± William says as he steps out from behind a tree, brushing leaves and a couple of twigs off his tattered robes. ¡°Vuru, could you lower the plant life to about fifty percent? I always get lost in the trees.¡±


    ¡°Heard, William. Filtering out fifty percent of plant life.¡±


    Before Charlotte¡¯s eyes, half of the plants within sight her simply fade from view. Her eyes widen as she feels her jaw drop. She speaks before she stops to think about it, wanting to know more about this place.


    Almost in a daze, she says curiously, ¡°Vuru?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um! S-sorry. I was just wondering, is that your name?¡± Charlotte has never spoken to a disembodied voice before, she thinks. Not like this.


    ¡°It is a nickname many of the guides have given me,¡± the voice responds in that pleasant tone, sounding more delighted by the idea it has a nickname. ¡°What would you like to view?¡±


    ¡°Pink sandy beaches,¡± Charlotte says cheekily, not believing the voice will be able to abide by her fanciful request. She is just playing around, having fun while she can. This dream is fantastic and unreal to her.


    There is silence briefly before the voice responds. ¡°Heard, Charlotte. Showing Elafonissi, Crete.¡±


    The packed earth shifts under her bare feet and she screams with surprise, mild fear, and delight as pink sand materializes before her eyes. She can feel the sand, she sees the turquoise waters, and there are so many people around. The young woman tries to cover herself instinctively, before she looks down and realizes she has on her lightweight short-sleeved hoodie, a comfortable pair of khaki shorts, and a few hair scrunchies on her left wrist. It doesn¡¯t take long for her to not feel overexposed, and less time for her to start laughing at William as he mills about between swimsuit-clad people. The skeleton in the tattered black robes looks comical on the beach.


    ¡°Kind of crowded, is it not,¡± he calls to her over the hum and chatter of conversations going on around the two viewers.


    ¡°A little!¡±


    ¡°Vuru, would you please filter out all the people?¡±


    ¡°Heard, William. Filtering out all the people.¡±


    As every person disappears from Elafonissi beach before Charlotte¡¯s eyes, she feels her spirit lighten. The sound of sudden silence is nearly deafening, only staved off by the water lapping at the shore and the birds calling to one another in the sky above. A beach devoid of human life except her own, along with what she believes is a grim reaper and a disembodied voice altering what they see so that it¡¯s as pleasant as possible, and the ability to go anywhere without coming to harm?


    ¡°I think I could stay in this room for my whole life,¡± Charlotte laughs as she starts to run towards William.


    ¡°Perhaps not that long,¡± he says as he turns his skull to look out at the sun¡¯s rays as they dance and reflect off the water. ¡°But nearly.¡±


    The skeleton slowly sits down on the pink sandy beach of Elafonissi to watch Charlotte as she plays in the waters which she will never visit during her lifetime. He is smiling, even if it cannot be seen, relaxing and enjoying the simple joy of watching over someone who is experiencing a viewing room for the first time. He wonders where she will want to visit next.

 Is This Reality?

    As Charlotte and William gaze at the stars all around them from the giant chunk of space debris they have settled on, far from the valley, from the place they call Earth, she starts to ask the questions she was not brave enough to bring up in the beginning.


    ¡°William,¡± she starts hesitantly.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He turns his skull to give her his undivided attention.


    ¡°When I came here, you said I was neither dead or alive. That I am here until a decision can be made. What, er, what does that mean, exactly?¡±


    The skeleton does not answer her for several long, silent seconds. He lets out a deep sigh and turns his attention back towards the beautiful depths of space which cannot be seen from anywhere humans are.


    ¡°You are in a coma, Charlotte. Something happened to you in the living world and your body is struggling to survive at the moment. While it does, your soul has fallen asleep and sort of sleep walked its way here.¡±


    Tension forms in her shoulders and she purses her lips. She doesn¡¯t disbelieve the skeleton, in fact she is only receiving clarification for her thoughts she has had since she calmed down in the valley. It still isn¡¯t great to hear, though. ¡°So I am dying?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. Your body may die, however you may also pull through and survive. I hope you do survive, of course.¡± He sighs again at the thought of going back to the valley just yet. He has been enjoying his time with his latest guest.


    William can hear the hurt in Charlotte¡¯s voice. ¡°I see. And what of you, then? Are you the one and only Death, the Grim Reaper of souls, having fun with a soul you cannot collect just yet?¡±


    He quickly sits up, turning and leaning slightly over her so that he can look directly at her and speak. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not Death. I¡¯m also not just having fun with you. Wouldn¡¯t you rather enjoy your time here instead of getting upset? We could explore the Mariana Trench again.¡±


    ¡°No! I want answers. I¡¯ve been here for, for, um.¡± Charlotte tries to recall how long she¡¯s actually been in this place. It feels as if three lifetimes have passed by, yet nothing about her has changed. She has wandered the entirety of Earth in various time periods, with humans removed from the area, structures removed, or other filters applied to their viewing room via the disembodied voice of Vuru. The brunette¡¯s shoulders drop as she lets her gaze slip sideways, trying to not look at William as he leans over her. She says in an irritable voice, ¡°I¡¯m tired of exploring. I want to know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Ah. The excitement of the viewing room has finally worn off. Understandable.¡± Clearing his non-existent throat, the skeleton says in a louder tone, ¡°Vuru, please take us home.¡±


    ¡°Heard, William,¡± the pleasant voice says. ¡°Taking you home.¡±


    Slowly the stars, the planets no living human has seen, the constellations they were having fun naming, all fade into blackness. A weight settles upon Charlotte¡¯s being briefly before it lifts and she sees they are in the same viewing room they have been in the whole time.


    ¡°Let us go back to the valley,¡± William says gently. ¡°We can talk while we wait.¡±


    Reluctantly Charlotte nods. She stands and follows the robed skeleton out of the library-esque building, her bare feet making no sound as they travel the distance back to the valley. It feels as if a hundred years have passed since she has last set foot in the grassy fields.


    Slowly William sits under a tree and she realizes it is the same tree he was under when they first met. She joins him, sitting and leaning against the trunk next to him, a small frown upon her face. She does not ask any questions, so he takes the opportunity to explain what he can to her.


    ¡°This place is the afterlife, as I am sure you have figured out by now,¡± he starts. ¡°You are still in a coma, however you possess the ability to wake up and experience the afterlife as a guest. Not everyone can, so a case like yours is rare, but-¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°So what are you then?¡± Charlotte sounds no less cross as she interrupts the skeleton.


    ¡°My apologies. I am a valley guide, a host, an entertainer of guests. I work in the valley to assist souls who are neither living or dead, to wait with them until the decision is made that they will recover and their soul may return to their body, or succumb to death and free their spirit.¡±


    ¡°So you aren¡¯t the Grim Reaper?¡± That actually relieves Charlotte. She is not vain enough to believe that the all mighty and powerful reaper of souls chose her to waste his time on. Their time, maybe? She knows some people believe Death is a female, however she¡¯s always imagined them to be a male.


    ¡°Goodness, no. Death doesn¡¯t have the time to play about in the valley. And even if they did, they¡¯d get too busy with Reapers constantly needing help.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about,¡± she says wearily. This turn in conversation sounds silly.


    ¡°Well, Death can¡¯t be everywhere at once reaping souls. So they got a buddy to help, and then a few more as the population grew, and now it¡¯s a whole corporation and Reapers are as common as a mailman. Kind of the same thing, honestly, except instead of delivering letters, they¡¯re collecting souls.¡±


    Scowling, Charlotte turns to glare at William, her voice growing louder as she starts to worry about her future in an afterlife she isn¡¯t even sure is real. Some part of her still believes this is a dream. ¡°That isn¡¯t funny! Why would death become a corporation, and why would anyone want to work there? Or at all? Do you have to work when you die?¡±


    ¡°I think a lot of people enjoy the thought of becoming a Reaper,¡± he replies quietly. ¡°Nice robe, neat hourglass, and a symbolic scythe. It¡¯s not something one tends to immediately do, of course, and no, it¡¯s not a job like humans have when they¡¯re alive. Jobs here are, well. They¡¯re what people consider fun. Some souls simply don¡¯t know how to exist without working. It settles them down and gives them purpose. Some just like the structure. Others are merely compassionate and choose to work, to help others. It makes them feel good.¡±


    ¡°Alright. So why do you work?¡±


    ¡°I enjoy staying in the valley. Working here allows me to help those who can wake up and not reject what they see. Plus there are times I get to meet people such as yourself, who are so excited to see a viewing room, or explore the possibilities of what awaits after death.¡±


    Charlotte lets out a deep sigh as she gives up and simply drops her shoulder against William¡¯s. He chuckles and pats her knee in a tender way.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in,¡± he says quietly as he tilts his skull to tap against her hair in a friendly manner.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot to take in,¡± she snips right back, oblivious to what she has said and how it could be taken.


    ¡°I suppose I am. What else would you like to know, Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it like when you die and actually come here? Will I come back here and see you?¡± She peers up at the skull with furrowed brows. Her sable eyes offer a hint of hopefulness that she might simply return to the skeleton guide who has been so kind to her, regardless of her outburst.


    ¡°No, my dear,¡± he says as gently as he can. ¡°The only way you would wake up back in the valley is if you are between life and death once more. Those in comas are typically the only ones who come here.¡±


    ¡°Typically? Who else comes here?¡± She figures she might as well pry for information since this is all a fantastical coma dream she will forget as soon as she wakes up.


    ¡°Highly sensitive dreamers,¡± he admits quietly, ¡°wake up here from time to time. They are usually only here long enough to open their eyes and remark what a nice place this is, though, before they wake up.¡±


    Charlotte ponders if she is a sensitive dreamer, however she thinks she isn¡¯t. She¡¯s never been able to lucid dream and she isn¡¯t sure she could ever dream up a place such as this one. ¡°So where will I go when I die?¡±


    ¡°A Welcome Home,¡± William says as he tilts his skull back and stares up at the leaves on the tree. ¡°They can help you adjust to the afterlife, what it¡¯s like here, and what to do with yourself if you feel overwhelmed by things. I hear they¡¯re quite nice. Or, if you are particularly devout, there are places for the religions to bypass Welcome Homes, I hear.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t believe in the afterlife,¡± she challenges.


    ¡°Then you would not have come here at all,¡± he replies with a laugh. ¡°You are a silly one, Charlotte. Come, we can go anywhere and do whatever you would like. You still have time here. What would you like to do next?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve explored the entirety of the world and space,¡± she says with a pondering tone. ¡°We¡¯ve seen ancient creatures, watched the rise and fall of empires. I¡¯ve read every book I¡¯ve ever wanted to, and several I didn¡¯t. Heck, I even found time to focus on my hobbies for once! But honestly I think I¡¯d like to just stroll through the valley and see more of its fields.¡±


    ¡°An excellent idea,¡± he responds with warmth in his voice. ¡°The valley is huge and the fields are some of the prettiest I have ever seen. Come, let me be your guide here. I¡¯ll show you everything your heart desires.¡±


    With a roll of her eyes and a grin upon her face, Charlotte stands and dusts off her shorts. ¡°You¡¯re so weird,¡± she mutters.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here to point it out normally,¡± William laughs as he starts to walk down through the valley with his guest.

 This is...

    William and Charlotte stroll leisurely through the valley, taking many breaks and simply admiring the variety of flowers, small creatures, and the gorgeous rainbows above them which never seem to be in short supply. They left for the viewing room so quickly that she didn¡¯t get a good look around. She has never seen such a beautiful place and wants to take all of it in before she has to leave. Her guide follows behind her, allowing her to absorb everything, quietly watching and relaxing as she stops to investigate every captivating flower cluster or butterfly as it passes.


    The activity calms the woman down and she reluctantly admits they should probably go back to his tree.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to go anywhere you don¡¯t want to go, you know,¡± William says. ¡°There is a gorgeous temple a little ways up I can show you.¡±


    ¡°A temple? Won¡¯t someone be there?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. Many people grow content with their own worlds and do not come to the valley often.¡± He sounds sad as he says it.


    ¡°Well, we might as well go,¡± she says with a smile, thinking perhaps the skeleton is lonely. She hasn¡¯t seen any other skeletons or people in the valley, after all.


    William moves to take the lead before he turns and cants his head at the woman with him. He offers his bony hand and she screws up her face instinctively in return before she rethinks and reaches out for him. It isn¡¯t as if they are strangers, they have spent the last hundred years or so together, she thinks. She isn¡¯t afraid or worried about this skeleton anymore. So she takes his hand and allows him to lead her to this ruined temple.


    The duo climb out of the valley with ease. There is no need for fatigue or exertion in this place. As she holds his skeletal hand and walks up the slope, she remembers that William is not simply a skeleton. He was once a person, she thinks. Surely he must have had a family, a lover, friends he cared about, so why is he helping her?


    ¡°William,¡± she says as they crest the hill and start for what looks like a grove of trees boasting pink flowers and minimal leaves. ¡°Don¡¯t you have people you want to see? Loved ones, friends, a pet, anyone?¡±


    The skull turns and Charlotte realizes he¡¯s looking over his shoulder at her. ¡°No,¡± he answers pleasantly. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°I, um.¡± Color warms Charlotte¡¯s face at the quiet realization that she could have been visiting relatives, near and far, or seen if one of her dogs was around. Instead she has spent all of her time with her skeleton guide and the disembodied voice of Vuru. She lets out an indignant huff as she thinks it was preferable to stay with her guide than to get her hopes up on seeing anyone she might have known who has passed, yet that isn¡¯t quite the case. She has enjoyed her time with William, grown accustomed to the skeleton, and does not fear a single thing about him. Instead she saw his sincerity, his quiet happiness, and chose to not stop their adventures of the world and beyond when they could have ended at any time. Even now, they are searching for a temple just beyond the valley because it will mean spending more time together.


    ¡°I like spending my time with you,¡± she says reluctantly, almost unwilling to admit her fondness for the animated skeleton.


    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± he replies in that cheerful tone, ¡°I am also enjoying our time together.¡±


    They walk the path between the trees until the grove thins out into nothing. A small sandy trail leads up to the remnants of a marble temple, its broken pillars standing at various heights due to the curses of age and time. Vines grow lazily over the marble, half reclaiming the stone, half enhancing the beauty of its demise. The structure sits upon a cliff overlooking some of the valley, built too close to the edge to be sensible, yet far enough back that one can miss it entirely from below.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Charlotte says as she starts to stroll through the ancient ruins of a place which never existed, her hand slowly slipping from his bones. ¡°Why is it here?¡±


    ¡°I believe there were people who liked to gather here at one point and built it,¡± he says in a soft tone. ¡°As their interests traveled elsewhere, so did they. It¡¯s all but forgotten now, except by one or two who recall it, and those who stumble over it accidentally.¡±


    She sits between two pillars at the base of the temple, letting her feet dangle as she looks out over the valley. Rainbows form at the higher altitude, clouds traipse lazily by, and the calm she felt when she first arrived returns as a smile forms, unbeknownst to her.


    ¡°Have you ever danced in the temple, William,¡± she asks with a sudden grin, feeling almost impish.


    ¡°What? No, of course not. Why would I?¡±


    ¡°Then, care to dance?¡± She draws herself out of her seated position and almost bounces towards him with that innocently excited grin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not dressed for it,¡± he responds in an embarrassed, self-conscious way, turning his skull away from the happy woman.


    ¡°Neither am I,¡± she beams.


    ¡°We can change that, if you¡¯d like.¡± He produces his leather-bound book once more and thumbs through the wrinkled pages. A single finger bone trails down a list before he shows her what he¡¯s looking at. She peers curiously at the dress before she laughs.


    ¡°I, I can¡¯t wear that!¡±


    ¡°Why not? I think it will look quite fetching on you, and it fits thematically.¡±


    Charlotte stares at the rich peacock blue dress, how it exposes the arms, the Greek or Roman inspiration of design, and the hems all edged with gold embroidery. The way the layers are done seem to present a hidden belt and top layer of material over the main skirt. She runs her fingers gently over the page. ¡°It will look dreadful on me,¡± she says confidently.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°You think? Perhaps you should look in the mirror,¡± he gently encourages her.


    With a startled frown and a glance at her feet, expecting to see her shorts and bare legs, she instead sees the golden embroidery on the rich blue-green fabric. She turns and spies a mirror tucked into a corner, positive it had not been there until that moment, and slowly she approaches it. Staring back at her is a woman with brunette hair curled and piled atop her head, wearing a dress fit for an ancient princess. She spins slowly and marvels at how the material flows out around her sandal-clad feet, not realizing she¡¯s smiling until she looks at her face once more. Glancing at William, she tilts her head curiously at him.


    ¡°What is it,¡± he asks nervously, already having an idea of what she will say.


    ¡°You should dress nicer for a dance,¡± she says.


    ¡°I like my robe,¡± he mutters defiantly.


    ¡°Alright. How about a robe that isn¡¯t falling apart, where I can see your ribs showing through?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I suppose I could do that,¡± he admits, finding the page he¡¯s looking for. Charlotte watches as he touches the garb drawn into the book. As he does, his robe starts to knit itself back to one full piece. A cowl forms with pointed ends, ending at the bottom of his wide rib cage. A simple braided belt catches on his pelvic bone near the hip and he sighs as he looks down at himself. ¡°Too fancy,¡± he mutters.


    ¡°It looks really nice,¡± she says with surprise.


    ¡°Does it really?¡± He straightens up as much as he can, clearing his throat before he offers his companion a skeletal hand. ¡°Care to dance, my dear?¡±


    With a dazzling smile, she takes his hand and places her unoccupied fingers upon his shoulder, feeling his free hand slide just above her hip. As if the temple is alive and recognizes people are dancing within it, music comes from an unseen piano and violin to accompany the pair as they spin about the abandoned structure, laughing softly and simply enjoying the feel of moving with the rhythm.


    As their dancing continues, Charlotte starts to feel dizzy. She slows down the dance as she tries to steady herself. She squeezes William¡¯s hand and takes a half step closer to him, resting her forehead upon the section of robe which covers his sternum. Sensing the shift in her mood, he guides their joined hands to his shoulder so that she may lean on him, while he embraces her gently and simply rocks leisurely back and forth in place.


    ¡°Will I be able to see you after I die?¡±


    ¡°If you choose to, however I may have a new guest to watch over,¡± he admits. ¡°Most people do not return to the valley after they truly die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had so much fun with you,¡± she whispers, almost to herself.


    ¡°As have I,¡± he murmurs as he tucks his jaw against her hair. ¡°More than I thought I ever would.¡±


    ¡°I, I could just stay here,¡± she says with a tentative hopefulness, peering up at him. ¡°I could stay here with you, right? And never go back?¡±


    She can almost feel his sad smile as he looks down at her, regardless of the fact the skull cannot change its expression. He raises a hand and cups her cheek, brushing his bony thumb just under her eye. ¡°You know that isn¡¯t how this works. You¡¯re going back, Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Panic laces her voice as she clings to William¡¯s robe. She knows the answer though, her unsteadiness being a silent warning of what is to come.


    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he says. His grip is firmly around her waist and he holds her close, about to say something else, but he is cut off by her sudden movement.


    Charlotte reaches up and grabs the cowl¡¯s material, almost desperate to convey her feelings she hasn''t had time to properl. She draws the skeleton close and kisses his teeth. It is a rough, awkward thing, for lips to meet bone, especially when her teeth crack against his from the attempted display of affection. William is startled at first, yet slowly he relaxes and tries to return the embrace. His fingers slip to the nape of her neck, curling gently at her hair, and he holds her close to his form, the thick robe offering some softness in place of his bare bones. Her lips part briefly and she flits her tongue over his teeth, and he responds by nipping at the muscle before he draws away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he hastily apologizes, uncertain if he should have reciprocated the attention. ¡°I, I shouldn¡¯t, um. You have to go, now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come see you again,¡± Charlotte promises, gripping onto him as if that will somehow keep her from waking up.


    William leans down and brushes the bone of his jaw over her ear, whispering in that deep baritone, ¡°I hope so, my dear.¡±


    . . . . .


    A steady electronic beep rouses Charlotte out of her sleep. She feels exhausted, fatigued, drained of all energy, and she hurts all over. Her muscles scream and there is distinct pain trailing along her left leg and hip. There¡¯s a monitor next to her with her pulse, body temperature, and blood pressure displayed in real time. She looks down at her legs and sees plain white sheets. Shifting in the hospital bed, she hears the plastic wrapping on the mattress move beneath her.


    A brown haired girl sits in a chair next to her, playing on her phone. When she hears the movement from the bed, she looks up and lets out a soft cry of alarm when she sees her sister staring at her. ¡°Charlotte!¡±


    In a weak, raspy voice, she murmurs, ¡°Grace?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes it¡¯s me. Hold on, let me get you some water.¡±


    Grace soon calls their parents and has them come back to the hospital; all they could do was worry at home. Over the next hour Grace tells Charlotte about what happened to her. She had been hit by a car that lost control two weeks prior, and after her surgery, she fell into a coma. No one was certain whether she would make it or not, but her parents didn¡¯t want to make the call due to her being a healthy twenty-four year old. It had not been long enough for them to lose hope and let her go.


    There are many tears, hugs, proclamations of adoration and love throughout the day. Charlotte smiles the whole time, even though it makes her face hurt after a while. The doctor visits multiple times to take a look at the patient and declares that evening that she should be well enough to go home in a few days, after they do some final tests for any paralysis or other unseen problems.


    Charlotte¡¯s parents drive them home when she is finally discharged. Grace leans against her sister¡¯s shoulder and holds her hand in the back of the car. She had been so worried she would lose her older sister and spent most of her time at the hospital, keeping watch while her parents had the arduous tasks of dealing with the insurance company, the doctors, and trying to decide how long they should wait for their daughter to wake up.


    ¡°So how was your sleep,¡± the brown haired girl asks in a sleepy, teasing voice, trying to not smile at what she thinks is a clever joke.


    ¡°It was...¡± Charlotte thinks for a long time, smiling as she recalls exploring unreal places with a disembodied voice and a strange man, dancing in a forgotten grove with pink trees and an old building, someone whispering that they hope to see her again, and the feel of a kiss too unique to be real. ¡°It was nice.¡±


    That night, after she has gotten settled into her bed, she stares up at the ceiling in the darkened room and murmurs to herself, ¡°I want to go back to that place.¡± She cannot recall all of it, honestly she can¡¯t recall most of it, but the feeling of happiness, of peacefulness, and the desire to see someone is strong.


    Slowly her eyelids start to droop, her breathing grows heavy, and she gives up the fight of trying to stay awake any longer, thinking of a place she cannot exactly remember.


    . . . . .


    A skeleton garbed in a tattered black robe sits beneath a tree, reading an old, worn leather-bound book with stained yellow pages. He hears something and looks up, wondering who has arrived in the valley this time, but sees nothing. A familiar voice whispers happily next to his skull, full of mirth and excitement, hopefulness and happiness.


    ¡°Care for a dance, William?¡±