Night of Trials

Chapter 6: Promises From Lily

Amy and Otto were still up. It was around three AM now.

"I'm getting really tired, Amy. Shouldn't we go to sleep now?" Otto asked as he looked at his wife. Amy could tell he was exhausted and didn't want to keep him awake for too much longer, but she still wanted her kids to come home.

"Well....just a little longer. If they don't come home soon, you can go to sleep and I'll stay up a little while longer."

Otto yawned.

"Alright. I'll be up for just a little bit more." He said once he closed his mouth and then focused his attention on the TV in front of him.

To get their minds off their possibly missing children, Amy and Otto watched a light hearted episode of one of their favorite TV shows. After it finished, Otto stood up from the couch.

"Well, I've done enough. That's about as much as I can take. I'm too tired to stay up, Amy. I'm going to bed now." Otto said as he looked at Amy.

"Okay. I'll be down here for a little while longer." Amy replied.

Otto nodded and walked away without a word. Once he was out of sight, Amy looked out the window.

"If they're doing those trials, I can only hope that they've survived, or are currently surviving."

Amy folded up her hands and placed them towards her chin.

"Dear Lord, please let my children survive these trials. Don't take them away from me yet. Guide them through their trials and make sure they make their way back home to me and my husband. That's all I ask. Thank you, and amen." Amy said.

After finishing her prayer, Amy held her hands back down towards her lap and unfolded them.

She looked back towards the TV and tried to take her mind off her children, only hoping that they're alive wherever they are.
WITH THE KESHERS
The Keshers were sleeping in their house. Burying Lily exhausted them, so when they got back home, they were able to fall asleep quickly.

Except Stella.

Stella was having a strange dream. In her dream, she dreamed she was in a foggy graveyard and dreamt she was seeing her sister again.

"I knew you were alive, Lily!" Stella said as she ran to her sister and tried to hug her, but ended up falling through her fell onto the ground instead, dirt landing on her hands and pajama pants.

"I'm sorry, Stella. I'm not alive."

Stella rolled over, sat up, and looked at her sister. She was confused. Why was this dream so real?

Lily walked over to her sister and bent down to her height.

"I'm sorry I couldn't live any longer to watch you grow up, Stella. But you know what? I'll always be watching over you."

Stella tilted her head. How could Lily watch over her if she was dead?

"But how can you do all that when you're dead?"

"Because I'll be watching over you and you won't be able to see me. You see, Lily, I'll always be there-just not physically." Lily explained as she tried to pat her sister on the head with her hand, but somehow, she was just able to do that.

"Huh....I'm a ghost now. I don't understand how I did that." Lily said as she looked at her hands, completely muddled by what just happened. She could've sworn that Stella had fallen through her seconds ago.

"It's because I want you to be touchable, Lily!" Stella said. Lily looked at her sister. Stella had a big smile on her face.

"What does that mean, Stella?"