As Black as Ebony by Salla Simukka Page B

death is one of the strongest. And sometimes it makes us run away, but other times, it motivates us to fight,” Henrik said.
    Lumikki was still tired and would have liked just to lay her head on her arms on her desk and sleep, sleep, sleep. Sitting next to her, Sampsa stroked Lumikki’s arm.
    “Go home after class and take a nap. You look like the walking dead,” he whispered.
    “Thanks,” Lumikki snorted.
    That morning, Sampsa had remarked on how exhausted Lumikki looked. Lumikki had just said that she hadn’t been able to sleep very well. What else could she have said? Her stalker was very clear that she wasn’t allowed to breathe a word about him or his messages to anyone. Sampsa thought Lumikki should just stay home from school, but she didn’t feel like she could stand being alone right now. Rest sounded good right now, though. It sounded imperative.
    After class ended, Henrik asked Lumikki to stay after. Sampsa had to hurry to his next class, so he just raised his hand to his ear signaling that he would call. Lumikki nodded in reply.
    “I just wanted to check and make sure you’re planning to take the psychology college entrance exam in the spring,” Henrik said.
    “I guess,” Lumikki replied.
    “I wouldn’t ask, but you’re definitely the most talented student I’ve had in years. We aren’t really supposed to say things like that, but I wanted you to know.”
    Henrik patted Lumikki lightly on the shoulder.
    “Okay. Thanks,” Lumikki said, off balance.
    She was relieved when Henrik turned back to his papers, indicating that their conversation was over. Lumikki needed sleep so bad it was painful.
    The doorbell woke Lumikki from a dream about kissing Blaze. In her dream, she felt as the brass key slipped from her mouth into his.
    Lumikki got out of bed still wrapped in the dream. She peered through the peephole.
    Blaze. Of course. Lumikki wasn’t even surprised.
    She opened the door even though she had promised herself she wasn’t going to let Blaze in anymore. The kiss from the dream still tingled on her lips. At first, Blaze didn’t say anything. Taking off his orange gloves, he lightly stroked Lumikki’s cheek with cool fingers.
    “I had to come,” he said. “Ever since our last meeting, I’ve had this feeling you were afraid of something. I had to come make sure you’re alright. You know I would protect you from any of the evil in this world.”
    His words pierced Lumikki like burning arrows. Something inside her cracked and crumbled.
    Because someone could see her so clearly. Could sense the emotions she tried so hard to hide.
    Lumikki grabbed Blaze by the neck and pulled him to her. She gazed into his eyes as long as she could. Plunging into the ice water. Jumping into the blue of the sky. Stepping into the hottest, blue-white, most incandescent part of the fire. Then she kissed Blaze and let her lips and mouth and tongue communicate all the longing and misery and desire and passion that had been tearing her apart since they broke up.
    As soon as the kiss began, Lumikki knew.
    This was their forest. This was their lake. This was their ink-black, clear sky full of points of light.
    All these things surrounded them simultaneously. Nothing had disappeared. The light finding its tiny paths through the leaves of the trees. The calming dark. The rustling, the scratching, the cooing, the soughing of the wind, the lapping, the gently rocking waves, the cool currents and warm pockets of water, the feeling of weightlessness, the giddiness, the immensity, time and eternity, the air that flowed into your lungs freely, the pulse of the universe, their shared heart.
    Lumikki didn’t remember when she had last felt something as hard and unpleasant as breaking away from that kiss. But she had to.
    How could something that felt so right be so wrong?
    “We can’t see each other. At least for a while. I’m with Sampsa now,” Lumikki managed to say.
    She forced herself to take a step backward. The