Ivy

Two

Kael

“How are you today?”

The little spirit jumped from grave to grave, happy. The moon was radiant, full, and illuminated the night world. Kael was beside her, watching her. It was just as he remembered her every moment of the day, with the difference that if he stuck a knife in her, she wouldn't bleed. She had no body, only a soul. She had died five years ago from an incurable disease.

“Now that you've come, I'm better than before. It makes me happy to see you, Kael,” replied the little spirit.

She continued to jump and dance among the graves in Lunaria's graveyard. More than once, Kael had had the instinct to grab her hand to keep her from falling, but he couldn't hold her hand and she couldn't fall and hurt herself. She was a floating smoke. What angered him the most about this state was that he couldn't hug her or smell her. He missed her very much, but he had to settle for seeing her in her spirit form on full moon nights, when she could return for a few hours to the world of the living.

“I'm glad. It makes me very happy to see you too, Alara. I miss you so much.”

Alara sat on one of the graves and stared at him. Kael came closer and she pretended to caress his cheek, even though she couldn't really touch him and he couldn't feel her touch.

“I missed you too. But I'm grateful to be able to see you every full moon. When you die, we can meet. Until then, please live the life you are meant to live. So, when you come with me, you can tell me a thousand stories forever. I love your stories.”

Kael gave a sad smile. He took her hand, but the hand was not there. The smile disappeared completely. When Alara was still alive, they spent their days wandering from kingdom to kingdom singing songs in town squares and telling stories to children. Alara had a beautiful voice and Kael had a knack for making up stories. The two together made a fantastic duo. Unfortunately, Alara fell ill. They travelled all over the continent, but no doctor could tell them the remedy to cure her. After a few months, Alara died. Kael had been having a hard time, until the first full moon after her death, he saw her prancing around the graveyard. He had gone to visit her grave in the calm of night, and she had appeared. She explained that she was allowed to visit the world of the living on full moon nights and that was enough. Kael cried with emotion, and Alara would have cried too if she hadn't been a spirit. Since then, they did it like this: they met in Lunaria's cemetery on full moon nights and talked about their lives, their feelings, she sang a song and he told her a story.

“Alara.”

“Yes, Kael?”

“What will we do when I no longer know what story to tell you?”

“You would never run out of ideas, Kael. I’m sure the living world is full of things every day. You tell me anecdotes, I have enough.” She was a spirit, but her voice was still beautiful.

“But I want you to have a good time while you're with me.”

“I'm having a great time, I promise. Just seeing you makes me happy until the next full moon. You can't be sad for me, Kael. Please.”

He remained silent looking at the ground.

“Let's dance?” she offered.

Kael looked up and saw her with her feet on the ground. He tried to place his arms as if Alara was flesh and blood, and she tried too. At first, they laughed because they weren't doing very well, but after a few seconds they were dancing like a normal couple. Alara sang in the dark of the night with the night birds cheering her on. Kael steered it from side to side delicately, as if she were about to break. In reality, he was afraid that at any moment she would slip out of his arms. It was strange dancing with someone who didn't give off warmth.

A few minutes later, dawn began to dawn. Suddenly, Alara smiled and disappeared from Kael's arms. He fell to the ground on his knees and cried.