The Remains

XV - Sanders

The ghost girl was still curled up against the tree when Luki, Sip, and The Boyfriend left. She wasn't making any noise, just shuddering beneath me. She looked up at me, before burying her head in her arms again. She was slightly translucent.

My mouth felt dry. She looked up at me, and tried to speak. Her lips were moving, but no sound was coming out.

I looked at her, upside down from the way I was hung, and shrugged. "Yep. Life's final mystery. Sorry." No sound came out. I tried to say it again. Nothing.

She stood up slowly, and backed away from the tree, mouthing silent words. Her body was becoming more and more translucent. She looked down at her arm, then back up at me. She was fading fast.

I couldn't feel her mind anymore. The trio were out of my range now, but, I still couldn't hear her. I concentrated harder. Nothing.

She felt her torso with her hands. Her fingers had completely faded. She ran over to my tree, and grabbed me. I could feel her hands on my legs. They were cold. She lifted me a little, but the spike stopped her before she moved me much. I swung a little. She grabbed my leg, and hauled me to the side. I barely swayed in the breeze. Her hands were so cold they stung my leg as the touched it. She was nearly completely translucent, with her limbs all but disappeared.

I heard a branch snap above me. Then another. The girl backed away from me. Another branch snapped. Something bounced to the ground in front of me.

The barest outline of the girl remained. She fell to her knees, and silently screamed up into the sky. My tree vibrated. Then it shook again. In the distance, there was an almighty shriek of wood. Branches crashed to the ground. Something heavy skated off the side of my head.

My tree didn't move. The girl looked over at me, looked me dead in the eye. Then faded away.

And all was still.