#heartnet

Saya makes her peace

It was over.  After two long years, the deed was done.

Saya released a breath, one she needn’t have taken in the first place.  Ghosts, after all, had no need for such things.  Still, she found the act of breathing relaxing, as if doing so would organize all of her thoughts and feelings for her.

“What a mess…” murmured she, though she might as well have not spoken at all.  For nothing around her changed in the slightest.

Train still slept on the couch, drained from the day’s events.  His companions, Sven and Eve, took up other areas of residence in order to rest and recuperate.  Saya had done what she could to help, though she knew her time was coming to a close. Ghosts, after all, should never reside in the world longer than necessary.

“The moon looks pretty tonight,” continued Saya, watching as the iridescent light filtered through the window.  “It’s too bad I won’t be able to see it for much longer…”

She glanced at her friend, though nothing had changed.  He was fast asleep, if his snores were any indication at all.  He had kicked off his blanket some time earlier. She would have fixed it, but being incorporeal was a real bummer sometimes.

The moon’s light shone even brighter, reminding Saya that such peaceful thoughts only drew her closer to her departure.

“Oh, there’s so much I want to say, though,” mourned the ghost.  “I thought that once a person died, they couldn’t grow any further.  I thought that if I died at peace, this wouldn’t happen.  I never thought I’d turn into this…  I never thought I’d follow you on your journeys…”

A silence overcame the room.  One Saya broke with a short laugh.

“You really have come far, Train.  You’re free to do as you please, and you’ve chosen to do this.  You seem happy, so I’m glad.”

Train snored.

Saya giggled again. “You’re so rude, do you know that? I’m trying to say goodbye and you’re not even awake so I can pretend you’re listening.”

Saya took another unnecessary breath.  Though her heart had stopped beating long ago, a feeling of warmth encompassed her. She felt at peace in the presence of her friend, knowing just as he did that the chapter of his life that involved her was finished.  She knew that, but a portion of her did not want to accept it.

“I don’t even want to say goodbye, you know?” asked she.  The former sweeper tucked a lock of her eternally short hair behind her ear. “Even if you’re not listening, there are so many things to tell you I can’t even find the right words for them. I wish I had the time to find them, but I’ve just got this feeling that this is how this ought to be.”

Her unresponsive audience still slept, and Saya knew her time was getting shorter.  The moon’s light seemed to brighten around her, attempting to still the quiet storm that brewed in her being.  A choked laugh escaped her.

“No matter where I go, I won’t forget you or what you’ve done for me,” swore Saya.  “You haven’t just avenged my death.  You were my dearest friend.  Because of you, I was no longer alone.  Because of you, I’ve had so many wonderful times, both in life and after it.  And I swear I’ll never forget that.”

Emotions swirled around her.  Inside of her.  All of them vying for a chance to come out of her first.  Gratitude.  Compassion. Joy.  Sorrow.  Care. Longing.

Such a bittersweet feeling.

Saya bent close to her friend and pressed her lips to his forehead, hoping that a kiss would bring him even more luck and good times to come.  When her lips left his skin, it felt as though a weight had been lifted from her, and the moon’s light shone all the more brightly.  She turned towards it.

“All right, time to go.”

She chanced one more glance at her friend, at her dearest friend, before her departure.  He was still sleeping.  So normal, yet it made her smile.  “Goodbye, Train.”