Broken Words - Paul McCartney, John Lennon

Lack in Peace, Present in Grief

...and reappeared. He was kneeling where he had been before, but the room itself was not what he recalled seeing only a second past. He stared simply. He choked somewhat on the new air the room held. It was nothing different, the same old air the room had had already. However, it was not the air that bothered him, but the fact his hand was empty.

Paul looked down to see the cigarette on the carpet. His eyes widened. Where the butt of the cigarette was lit nevertheless, the room itself was not catching flame. The cigarette did not appear as it had when he held it in his hand. It appeared transparent and less, solid. Paul bent over to pick it up, but his fingers slipped. He tried again. His fingers lightly moved, closer, closer. They approached the cigarette and reached for it -

A voice directly within his ear said, Don't.

Paul jumped. He listened for any other word. He heard none. He knew that voice. His index finger moved to the cigarette, in an almost taunting sort of way.

I said don't.

"What do you mean by that?" Paul asked.

You don't, you cannot touch anything here.

"What happens if I do?"

Fate only knows.

"Fate? Fate."

Fate, and only fate itself knows what the consequences are. Don't touch anything you are not concerned with.

Paul was silent, but could not help but wonder what was in that cigarette he had smoked.

And Paul?

He waited.

You cannot leave.

"Excuse me?"

You cannot leave.

"Please, there is a door right there." Paul pointed to it.

Try as you will.

"Fine, I will." He began walking over to the door. He knew his feet were moving, but every step he took led him farther and farther from the door. He kept at it until he realized he was going nowhere. Nowhere. "Honestly, what kind of stuff was in that cig-"

That has nothing to do with me, but I would like to inform you it was nothing but a regular cigarette, like the other dozen in the box. I am real.

"Alright, so, if you are real, the news is telling me and the rest of the world otherwise?"

Oh, those stupid reporters.

"It's true," said Paul. "You were shot, John. You - are dead. And I'm going to the Dakota right this instance."

No. Not today, Macca.

"Tomorrow then."

No, you are not going anywhere until you tell me why you believe the news more than me.

"I - for goodness sake! It's not just the news, everyone - everyone - knows. Linda knows, Ringo knows, George knows, Yoko knows."

Ah, Yoko. How is she?

"Well, enough, I suppose."

You haven't seen her, have you? Don't answer; I already know you have not. You are not that type of person.

"Indeed. Anyhow, would you like to tell me why I cannot leave?"

You can leave, I would just have to give you permission to, which I'm not willing to do so at the moment.

"Okay. Is there any reason why you are in my ear? And just me ear?"

I don't know. It's just the way I chose to express myself.

"I thought you hated your voice, John."

I do. That's why I chose it.

"It's rather scary just being in this room, unable to move a single step, with your voice and just your voice."

Great.

"I - this is bizarre. I don't think those were regular cigarettes. How are you speaking to me? You're dead, John!"

With my mouth.

"Are you invisible or something?" Paul could hear the smile in his answer:

No. I'm not here and yet I am. I don't understand what it is, what I have become, but I know if I had a say in this, I would not have chosen to have met up with you.

"John, you cannot -"

Oh, yes, I can.

"Are you enjoying this?"

I would not say enjoying. It's more like it's just a thing I have to do.

"Just let me out of this damn room!"

As you say.

A sudden burst of wind, the source nonexistent seemingly so, pressed against Paul. The room passed by in a pale tan blur. The door was approaching. He could not close his eyes in time enough. He prepared to hit the wall.

He did not. The door opened, and the wind ceased. Paul stared. Where his feet were planted was no other than the streets of New York. And up ahead, he could see.

"Lord, is that - John and Yoko?"