Link and Ripley lead me through the halls until we came to what appeared to be a large glass wall but it shimmered and moved like a current of water. I stopped, slightly out of breath, as keeping pace with their long strides was quite difficult for my short legs, and glanced at them in confusion. "Is that a wall of water?"
Link chuckled as he spoke, "Yes Callie, it is. It is the gateway to the human realm."
I approached the liquid wall awed by its simple beauty. As I reached out to touch it a warm hand grasped mine and snatched it back from the sheet of water. I looked up to see Ripley, with my hand locked in his grip. "Don't." Was all he said as he stared down at me. The warmth of his hand threw me off balance. I could have sworn his skin was so much cooler before.
"How are you warm now? Your skin was much colder yesterday." He only continued to stare at me, his hand tightening slightly around my own, eyes roaming my face as if he were committing it to memory.
A throat clearing brought our attention back to Link. "Once the exchange happens your body temperature shifts to match those that are like you. Had you become a vampire, then to us you would still be cold, while to them you would feel warm. Humans though... they will feel hot to you because of their life force."
The furrowing of my brow, as I tried to process this information, had Link continuing on as he explained more about this new world I was now a part of.
"Humans run at a higher temperature, because they expend more energy to survive. Think of it as an engine, the more it runs the hotter it becomes. Humans need oxygen, food and water to survive, right?" I nodded along with my agreement.
"We, well more so you, are no longer tied to the mortal needs for survival. We don't require oxygen, although we can breathe."
At this point I felt Ripley release my hand, which caused a bit of disappointment to form in my chest, and take a few steps back, as he joined in. "We do still eat and drink. What I mean is, for you and I, a steak will still taste like the steak we ate as a human, but our bodies no longer need its sustenance to survive. It doesn't breakdown in our system for energy like it once did."
"What about breathing? I have been breathing since I got here, but I'm supposed to be dead, right?"
"We do still breathe Callie, we always will, but if we were in, say, an air tight room, our lungs would still inhale and exhale as if there were oxygen available, but the lack of oxygen wouldn't register to our brains." The more he spoke the more transfixed by the sound of his voice I became, it was deep, manly and extremely soothing, taking away most of my anxiety with each word.
"So, Callie? Callie?" I shook my head to clear it as I quickly looked away from Ripley, embarrassed I had become so entranced. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Where do you feel like eating? Anywhere you want to go, and I mean anywhere in the human world, any City, State, Country, It is all ours for the traveling."
My attention again went back to the wall of water, once again fascinated by the power hidden within something as simply beautiful as cascading water. "Do you mean that this one wall can take us anywhere?"
Link came up and patted my head, a trait that was becoming less patronizing and more endearing. "Yes, anywhere, all you have to do is think it and step through the veil. If you don't have a specific address, then it is better to think of a general location like Times Square, New York as opposed to Bob's Pizzeria. We generally only use specific locations when we have a soul to collect."
At the mention of pizza my stomach churned with gentle growl. "Well, since you mentioned pizza, how about we get that? You also mentioned New York, and everyone knows New York pizza is the best!"
They both laughed and agreed to my rather lackluster celebratory food choice, but who could pass up pizza? Not me.
Link stepped up to the wall of water and turned back to me. "All you need to do is think about Times Square and that is where we will be waiting for you. Or, one of us could go through in tandem with you if it will make you feel a bit more comfortable. It looks intimidating, but it is just like walking through a door."
"Yes, I would rather go through it with one of you...If you don't mind." Link looked to Ripley and nodded and I felt Ripley approach and lace his fingers with mine as he lead me closer to the gateway.
Link inclined his head in our direction as he said, "See you on the other side." and disappeared through the wall. No trace of him could be seen on the other side of the clear liquid. It only rippled upon his entering and then quickly transformed back to the calm shimmer of gently flowing water.
Ripley removed his hand from mine and my head whipped in his direction as fear that he would change his mind and leave me to enter the gateway on my own surged within me. "All you have to do is think about Times Square. We'll be okay, this really isn't something that you can mess up. It's just like walking through the door at your home."
He reached out and gently wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me into him. The closeness was utterly unnerving and yet that same comforting feeling was there calming me and leaving me with a knowledge that this man would never willingly cast me out into harms way. "We'll be ok Callie. I promise you. So, whenever you are ready?"
I took a deep, calming breath and looked determinedly at the gateway before me and replied, "Okay, I think I'm ready. Times Square it is. Please, just don't let go."
Squeezing my waist reassuringly he replied, "I wouldn't dream of it."
And with that we stepped forward, the wall immediately rippling away around us.
Stepping out of the gateway onto the streets of New York, the hustle and bustle of the people and cars instantly had my mind back peddling. Ripley's arm tightened as he watched my reaction to the scene before me. I lightly swayed on the spot as emotions overwhelmed me, my breathing kicking up matching pace with my racing heart. How had any of us thought I was ready to be back here? I wanted nothing more than to run away from everything. Run from the human world I could no longer be a part of and run from the immortal world I had no clue how to navigate.
Link was at my other side in an instant, his dulcet tones, soothing me as best he could. He ran his hand down the side of my face assuring me that I was ok, that I would adjust to the shock of being back in the human world. But everything came to a head and blackness started to infringe on my vision.
Before I could be completely engulfed by the encroaching blackness, Ripley's arm that was secured around my waist moved up to my shoulders while his other arm quickly scooped my legs out from under me hoisting me into his arms and cradling me against his chest for the second time in as many days. "We need to take her back. She can't handle this." He said hurriedly to Link and soon he was striding back towards a large vacant lot.
We entered back through the rippling wall and down the corridor. My head lolled against his shoulder as I struggled to stay conscious. "It's ok Callie. I've got you, you're ok." Ripley cooed and then there was nothing but silence.
Soon sounds began to once again reach my ears as I was slowly coming back to a state of consciousness. My body felt stiff rather than fully rested, as if I had been asleep for days.
I awoke to hushed whispers, "Ripley, you are heading down a slippery path. You need to stay neutral. It won't do either of you any good if you become attached."
"Link, I am not becoming attached."
"Not becoming attached? It took all of two seconds for you to reach out to her. I've seen the way you look at her too, when you think no one is watching, you my friend are attracted to her. I get it, you two are kindred spirits and you feel a connection to her and what she has and will go through, but, you have to reign it in and walk a fine line here. She needs to get herself together and claim a soul Ripley, that needs to be her focus and it should be yours too."
"I know! Alright? I'm just worried about her."
I felt the bed shift as someone's weight sank down the edge of the mattress. My eyes slowly cracked open and were met by Link's deep brown eyes. "Hey kid, how are you feeling? You gave us a little scare back there."
"What happened?" I rasped out.
"Being back in the human world...well, it was a little much for you to process, we think." He reached out and pushed my matted hair off my forehead and the look of compassion was enough to cause the tears to well in my eyes yet again. "You really had us worried. I've never seen a reaction like that before."
"Sorry." Was all I could think to say.
"You have nothing to be sorry for Cal, it was just too soon is all." Ripley replied as he grabbed my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. His eyes looked into mine with such longing and a steely determination seemingly battling for dominance.
My mind was exhausted and the cold fingers of grief held my soul in its tight grasp. All I wanted was to be alone in my misery, to wallow in regret.
"I'm sorry, but I think I just want to be alone. I'm so tired, would you both mind leaving for a while?"
They exchanged a look but nodded in agreement silently rising from their seats. Link leaned forward and laid a simple kiss on my cheek, "We'll be back to check on you later. Get some rest Cal."
When Ripley leaned in slowly to place his warm lips on my forehead, my heart squeezed and I wished I hadn't asked him to leave, but, I couldn't be around anyone, most of all him. And so neither of us said a word as he straightened up and followed Link out the door, closing it with a gentle thud.