Red Earth to White Light

Memories

Piano music trilled away in my memories, briefly taking me back to when I was alive. To my little sister practicing every afternoon except Sunday. It faded away once I became aware of my surroundings. I stood in my darkened room. This, I knew by instinct, by the memories flooding through me. The sun had set, throwing everything in shadows. Were the visitors still here with their cameras and curiosity? Probably not. No one could catch good images in such bad light.

I shook my head and paced along the threadbare carpet. It used to be plush and blue. Now the color was unrecognizable and floorboards dominated rather than peeked.

Soon, I felt that familiar draw. I stepped towards my door, but stopped. Why did I do this to myself? Rehashing things again and again didn't make things better. In fact, events from the night I died still burned in my chest like a furnace. I'd lost too much. My whole life. All my dreams. And he took them from me.

Yet, the draw to that room grew, pulling as sure as a soul is torn from a corpse.

I gave in and went. The room used to be my parents'. Then it belonged to Henry, who acted as me and my sister's guardian. He was twelve years my senior and so sophisticated. We spent many a night enjoying his tales of distant countries and strange cultures. When my sister May went to sleep, he was just the right amount of wicked to charm me. Not too much. No. Just the right amount to entice me into loving him without overstepping his bounds.

And oh, how I loved him.

I was a fool.

Keeping my jaw clenched, I marched down the corridor to what should have been our room. I barely noticed my surroundings, but past mixed with present, drowning me in the sickening scent of lilies.

"Are you there?" Steve asked out of nowhere, bringing me to a grinding halt.

I rounded to face him, except the hallway was empty. No. I had no time for this.

"Is there someone in this room?" the woman from earlier asked. I recognized her voice from before. They were in my sister's room.

I glanced towards my original destination. The tug remained.

"Emily, are you here with us?"

Really. Of course I wasn't there with them and Steve knew that.

"Talk to us," he coaxed.

I stamped my foot and went to May's room. They'd left the door open once more, so nothing hampered my entry. Darkness had no real effect on me. I saw three people: Steve, the woman and the man with blue hair. Steve noticed me immediately.

"Dude. I see something," Blue whispered, staring at his strange camera. "Sh-she's standing there...by the door."

That caught my attention. How could he see me in the dark, with no flash going off? How could he see me at all?

"Are you Emily?" She had a small black contraption in her hand.

"What's that?" I asked. Only Steve met my gaze.

"This," he said, tapping the black thing, "is a tape recorder. It copies sounds so we can listen to them again."

I ventured closer, fascinated, but the other room's draw pulled me to a stop.

"Nothing to be afraid of." His voice sounded strange. As if he wasn't speaking to me, even though we both knew he was.

"I'm not afraid." I glanced towards the door. The scent of lilies returned, almost choking me with my own wrath.