Flesh (completed)

Chapter Twenty-Three

~Then~

"I love you," The woman said to no one. "I love you so much."

Lizzie blinked sleepily at the woman facing the wall. "Who are you talking to?"

The woman repeated the phrase. "I love you. I love you so much."

"Hey," said Lizzie, climbing out of bed. She reached forward and tried to grab the woman's shoulder, but it went through. She yanked her hand back and held it with her other hand, staring perplexedly at the ghost. "You can't hear me, can you?"

"I love you. I love you so much," the woman replied.

"She can't hear you," said a familiar voice. "She's not really there. That's just what's left of her energy."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She knew that voice and couldn't keep the smile from her face. She spun around. "Milo!"

He smiled sadly at her

Her smile faded.

Milo was covered in bruises and dried blood. His left eye was missing and the right had a nasty bruise under it. The flesh of his leg had been torn viciously, exposing the bone. His clothes were tattered and what remained of his dark hair was disheveled.

"Milo, what happened to you?" She demanded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Where did you go?"

He looked at the ground. "I can't tell you." He took a few steps forward and placed a hand on her cheek. "Lizzie, I came back to say goodbye."

"What? B-but you just came back!"

"I know. But I have to go."

"Go where?"

He ignored the question; She was sure he heard it. "I need to tell you something," he said instead.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "What is it?"

"You have to go into the basement," he told her. "You have to."

Before Lizzie could say anything else, he vanished.