RESTLESS SPIRITS ▷ ELLIE WILLIAMS

CHAPTER ONE: RETURN

In the quiet heart of Jackson, where the world had lost its color and the echoes of life were but a distant memory, there sat Ellie – a specter among shadows, lost in the ghostly hush that covered the town.

Once, Jackson had been a vibrant tapestry of wonder and warmth, but now it lay shrouded in a melancholic pallor. The twinkling lights that once adorned buildings had faded, the sky above was draped in darkness, and an unforgiving chill gripped the air. Even the songs that spilled from the bars held no allure for Ellie; they were merely cacophonous echoes of a life she used to know. Yet, in the presence of Dina, the music was irrelevant, for Dina had a way of lighting up Ellie's world regardless of the chaos around them.

Summer had vanished, surrendering to the swift and ruthless arrival of fall. Cold winds swept through the streets, and clouds raced across the sky as if fleeing from an unseen terror. Tommy, in his unique wisdom, had told Ellie that nature was healing, but Ellie did not pay it much mind. It was the way her world had always been. Cold and wet. Now, her mind ensnared in a storm of its own making.

Perched on the second floor of Joel's old house, Ellie's fingers tingled with the bite of the cold, slipping through the gaps in the window she sat before. Wrapped in the embrace of Joel's weathered leather coat, she cradled his guitar in her lap, her fingertips caressing its strings absentmindedly.

When Ellie returned from California, her days stretched out in a monotonous haze. It was a stark contrast to the fateful moment when she'd watched Abby, knee-deep in the waters of Santa Barbara's beach, pushing a small boat with an unconscious child on board into the relentless waves. The memory was etched in her mind, and she could still feel the saltwater's sting on the skin around her two missing fingers, where blood had mingled with the ocean, turning it a haunting shade of red. It was a visceral reminder of the violence she had committed and the steep price she had paid for a taste of absolution.

Ellie hadn't been cleared for patrols yet by Maria. The older woman requested that Ellie talk to someone first and when Ellie asked about what, Maria only gestured to the tear stains still fresh on her shirt from the nightmare that had awoken her that morning. Joel's shouts still rang in her mind.

"Therapy" was what Maria had called it. And so, Ellie found herself in the company of Eloise, a wise and seasoned woman who, like many in Jackson, bore the scars of wars and diseases that had ravaged her lifetime. Eloise had jokingly remarked about the similarity of their names. She was one of the first people to talk to Ellie with such warmth and genuine kindness in a long time; it felt unfamiliar to her.

The chilling winds outside her window carried with them the distant echoes of life. Ellie's eyes darted toward the commotion, curiosity pulling her forward in the rickety chair. A mother, a child, and a bassinet ventured down the street, cocooned in coats against the biting cold. Each exhale painted the air with fleeting puffs of warmth, a stark contrast to the frigid surroundings. The young boy's laughter, pure and untainted, filled the air as he reveled in the simple joy of splashing in a puddle. Mud spattered up onto his rain boots from the impact. He laughed again. People settled, and families grew. Jackson has nearly doubled in size since Ellie moved in at 14.

As Ellie settled back into the wicker rocking chair, she resumed her solitary tune, her fingers dancing across the guitar strings, the only refuge from the haunting consciousness that plagued her every thought.

But then, an unexpected sight caught her eye, and she squinted to confirm the reality of it. The figure approaching the porch possessed streaks of gray in their hair, and their face bore the undeniable marks of time. It couldn't be... It was impossible. Joel was gone. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she couldn't help but wonder if her mind was playing tricks on her, conjuring up the impossible in the midst of her isolation.