Clifford curled up beside her.
“I’m so tired, boy,” she said. “But I’m not sure I can fall asleep.”
She stroked his fur for a while, and he licked her hand, and eventually, she must have drifted off. Not long after, she heard a noise, opened her eyes, and saw Than standing over her bed.
Chapter Eight: Death Comes
Therese stared at him, astonished. She barely noticed the rain falling outside her window. Thump, thump, thump. Was it rain? Or was it the pounding of her heart?
Than looked down at her and smiled. It was a sober smile. It wasn’t unfriendly, but it lacked enthusiasm and was sad. He was wearing his loose-fitting trousers and open white shirt and brown leather sandals. His dark hair hadn’t grown an inch since she had last seen him and just reached his bright blue eyes.
“Am I dreaming?” She tried to push off into the air but remained solidly on the bed.
“No,” he replied.
“Figment!” she nearly shouted. “I command you to show yourself!”
Than stood over her. He hadn’t disappeared. “It’s me, Therese.”
Her mouth dropped open and she jumped to her knees. She twisted the front of her t-shirt in both hands, like she was wringing out a wet rag. She hardly realized what she was doing. In her dreams, she always knew what to do; but now that she was actually looking upon the real Than, she felt speechless and paralyzed.
Clifford stood from where he had been lying beside her and wagged his tail. He gave a playful bark, which brought Therese back to her senses.
“Hi, Clifford,” Than said.
“You’ve come for me, then? Finally? After all these months?” The initial shock wore off. She threw her arms around his neck and immediately felt the cold creeping through her body, the air harder to breathe. But she held him and felt a sense of relief. She wouldn’t have to risk her life with Vicki after all.
He gave her one quick kiss and then pushed her back down onto the bed. “I came for Puffy, not for you, Therese. Please stay back so I don’t kill you.”
As she fell back, she heard his words, took them in, felt their sting. Frustration and disappointment turned into anger. “You’re never coming for me, are you? You won’t come till I’m dead!”
He frowned. “I’ve been busy. It’s dangerous for you to be close to me while I’m the guide for the dead. I thought you understood.” He moved to Puffy’s cage.
“If Puffy hadn’t died…” she couldn’t complete the thought out loud. She felt dizzy and breathless. He hadn’t come for her. He was just doing his job. Did he care for her at all? Had he ever loved her? She studied him in profile as he dipped his hand through Puffy’s plastic tower and pulled out an orb of light in Puffy’s image. Puffy’s body remained in the tower curled up in the bedding.
“ It’s okay, Puffy,” he said to the hamster. “I’m here to guide you.” Then to Therese, he said, “I didn’t have to wake you up and show myself to you. I thought you’d be glad to see me. I guess it was a mistake.”
“You’re a god, for heaven’s sake! If you really loved me, you’d find a way to be with me.” She saw the pain in his face, and for a split moment regretted her words. Then he turned from her with Puffy in his hand, and the anger moved swiftly over her again. “Answer me, Than! How much longer?”
The rain fell more heavily and a crash of thunder roared in the distance. The late afternoon thunder showers had come.
“I don’t know. Be patient. I need to go before you get too weak, before I kill you.” He backed way.
She leapt from the bed and wrapped her arms around him again, desperate and trembling, and now, gasping for air. She held onto his neck and pressed her cheek against his warm, bare chest. Not with her gaping, blue lips, but in prayer, she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I miss you so much.” Her stomach felt like she was going to be
“I’m so tired, boy,” she said. “But I’m not sure I can fall asleep.”
She stroked his fur for a while, and he licked her hand, and eventually, she must have drifted off. Not long after, she heard a noise, opened her eyes, and saw Than standing over her bed.
Chapter Eight: Death Comes
Therese stared at him, astonished. She barely noticed the rain falling outside her window. Thump, thump, thump. Was it rain? Or was it the pounding of her heart?
Than looked down at her and smiled. It was a sober smile. It wasn’t unfriendly, but it lacked enthusiasm and was sad. He was wearing his loose-fitting trousers and open white shirt and brown leather sandals. His dark hair hadn’t grown an inch since she had last seen him and just reached his bright blue eyes.
“Am I dreaming?” She tried to push off into the air but remained solidly on the bed.
“No,” he replied.
“Figment!” she nearly shouted. “I command you to show yourself!”
Than stood over her. He hadn’t disappeared. “It’s me, Therese.”
Her mouth dropped open and she jumped to her knees. She twisted the front of her t-shirt in both hands, like she was wringing out a wet rag. She hardly realized what she was doing. In her dreams, she always knew what to do; but now that she was actually looking upon the real Than, she felt speechless and paralyzed.
Clifford stood from where he had been lying beside her and wagged his tail. He gave a playful bark, which brought Therese back to her senses.
“Hi, Clifford,” Than said.
“You’ve come for me, then? Finally? After all these months?” The initial shock wore off. She threw her arms around his neck and immediately felt the cold creeping through her body, the air harder to breathe. But she held him and felt a sense of relief. She wouldn’t have to risk her life with Vicki after all.
He gave her one quick kiss and then pushed her back down onto the bed. “I came for Puffy, not for you, Therese. Please stay back so I don’t kill you.”
As she fell back, she heard his words, took them in, felt their sting. Frustration and disappointment turned into anger. “You’re never coming for me, are you? You won’t come till I’m dead!”
He frowned. “I’ve been busy. It’s dangerous for you to be close to me while I’m the guide for the dead. I thought you understood.” He moved to Puffy’s cage.
“If Puffy hadn’t died…” she couldn’t complete the thought out loud. She felt dizzy and breathless. He hadn’t come for her. He was just doing his job. Did he care for her at all? Had he ever loved her? She studied him in profile as he dipped his hand through Puffy’s plastic tower and pulled out an orb of light in Puffy’s image. Puffy’s body remained in the tower curled up in the bedding.
“ It’s okay, Puffy,” he said to the hamster. “I’m here to guide you.” Then to Therese, he said, “I didn’t have to wake you up and show myself to you. I thought you’d be glad to see me. I guess it was a mistake.”
“You’re a god, for heaven’s sake! If you really loved me, you’d find a way to be with me.” She saw the pain in his face, and for a split moment regretted her words. Then he turned from her with Puffy in his hand, and the anger moved swiftly over her again. “Answer me, Than! How much longer?”
The rain fell more heavily and a crash of thunder roared in the distance. The late afternoon thunder showers had come.
“I don’t know. Be patient. I need to go before you get too weak, before I kill you.” He backed way.
She leapt from the bed and wrapped her arms around him again, desperate and trembling, and now, gasping for air. She held onto his neck and pressed her cheek against his warm, bare chest. Not with her gaping, blue lips, but in prayer, she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I miss you so much.” Her stomach felt like she was going to be
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