Salvage: Book 3 of the Magic Mutations Series

10: Olivia

December, 2018

That weekend, Marli came around to check on me. But given that mum was home, we didn't stay long.

After slathering myself in sunscreen and popping on a hat and hiking boots, we were off again to Alligator Creek—one of the only places in town that Marli seemed to deem safe for discussions.

"So... made any progress?" she asked after we hadn't spoken a word the whole car ride nor the ten minute trek we had already taken along the walking track.

Brow cocked, I replied with, "Progress on what?"

"Getting him to move on," she said as though it were obvious.

Teeth nervously pulling at loose flecks of skin on my bottom lip, I went for no response as the best response.

But she wasn't having it. "Ollie... tell me you've spoken about it."

"We... we have. It's just..." Though I didn't finish my sentence, not wanting to admit it. Not wanting her judgement.

"Just what?"

I tried to resist, but after she reprimanded me with my name once more, I heaved a defeated sigh. "We have differing views on this moving on stuff, okay?"

"He doesn't want to?" she came to a stop, eyes studying me and then around me... as though she were looking for him.

All the while Ben was already ranting at me about what he really thought, telling me what I should tell her.

But I ignored him.

"Well... not exactly," I said.

"You're the one holding him back?"

I could feel a slight sting in my eyes as the words came out of her mouth. But instead of acknowledging them and their harsh truth, I simply said, "We just have different opinions on how I will move on so that he does."

She went quiet again for an insurmountable time. And instead of saying anything back, she began walking once more.

I followed, a few steps behind her, anxiously studying her posture, but never opening my mouth to get her speaking. I didn't want to know what she was thinking or plotting.

I didn't want to push her far enough that she reversed the spell or moved him on on her own accord... even though she said that was impossible. But I need not tempt her. 

The sun had grown even warmer in the sky above than last weekend when we were here. Beads of sweat already clung to my upper lip as I trailed behind, watching, waiting, taking no notice of my tiring feet and only bearing her silence.

Though as we reached the top of the next hill, where the trees had thinned around us, she came to a stop once more. 

I looked back at the path we had just taken and the long winding one to go before we reached the waterfall before she finally said, "You promised me, Ol."

Pressing my lips together, I bowed my head in a non-verbal 'I know'.

Her head whipped around, going over me, taking me in. "He can't stay. It's not healthy for him or you."

"I know," I whispered out loud this time.

But as though she thought I didn't, she went on. "You have to let the dead go, Ollie. You can't depend on him again. And you certainly cannot keep loving a ghost... because he's not here. And only you can see him."

"I know."

Though she still wasn't done with trying to make sure I really understood the gravity of this. "And for him... it's dangerous for him to be seen as a spirit. The longer he lingers in this limbo, the harder it will be for him to move on. If he has new connections with you, he might drift away from his mission to move on. He might—"