“You are going to have to deal with the whole summer. This is good practice.”
“I’m not open to that.” His tone grew serious.
I pulled back to look at him, “Well, I am not sure how else this is going to work. My grandparents live in Albion, you live in Yakima. We’re talking a heck of a drive for date night.”
His lips turned down in a frown. “We are going to have to figure something out. I don’t want to be that far away.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s table it until after spring break, ok?”
“Ok, but I am going to have a hell of a plan when we circle back around to this.” He propped himself up on his elbow. “But seriously, let’s talk about it for real when I get back, ok?”
I nodded, emotions clogging my throat. Who knew at the beginning of this year I would be here?
Finally, we had wasted half the day away and it was time to admit he had to get on the road. I kissed him goodbye and watched his car drive away.
I turned and headed to the lab building. I had an old friend to chat with.
I kept a close eye out for anyone hanging around. A few international students remained on campus, with the usual staff. Mostly, the professors had taken off as well, which left several empty buildings and hallways for campus safety to patrol.
I headed up the stairs, listening intently for footsteps above or below me.
When I reached the top floor, I pushed the heavy door open and carefully climbed the ladder. I propped the door open to get to the weird access area, and double double checked that it was not going to close. I slipped out onto the bright rooftop and saw her immediately.
She sat staring off the edge. “I thought you had forgotten me,” she smiled, but sadness enveloped her eyes.
I looked down with shame, “No, I would never forget you.”
“I see you go over to the little girl's house at least once a week.”
My face fell, “You know about Elizabeth?”
She nodded slowly. “Poor little thing. She was one of the first ones I saw here.”
“Wait, so you can see other...”
“Dead people? Yeah, sometimes. If I want to, that is.” She turned back toward the view.
“You know he is here too, don’t you?”
She nodded. “I figured it out pretty early. I thought he would find me, but I figured out if I choose not to be found, there is really nothing he can do.”
“So, you can block just him?”
“No, it is block all of it. Either I see others, or I don’t, there is no secret handshake I can give out to just the ones I want to get in,” She giggled.
“I am so sorry about what happened to you. I wish I could do something.”
She turned towards me, “You can. Don’t let our stories get lost. Any of them. No one has heard what you have. No one knows my side of the story because they weren’t there. No one knows what happened to Elizabeth. Sure, people think they know, pieces of it are still out there, but they are names and dates. They are reports in a historic record. They aren’t our stories. They aren’t who we are. Only you know that now.” She turned back to the view. Cars driving too and from, now annoyingly stopped at a train going through.
I thought of Elizabeth traveling as such a small child by train.
I thought of Karson, coming to the greatest summer camp of conferences and special speakers.
“I’m glad you came tonight,” she stood up and walked a little closer to the edge.
“I’m glad I did too,” I beamed.
“No, that isn’t the only reason I am glad.” She smiled and her face had shifted, “I am moving on tonight.”
My eyes instantly misted over. “I am so happy for you.”
She shrugged, “You know I could have before, but I just couldn’t leave. Something was holding me back, and I think it was you. I think I needed to meet you first.”
I tilted my head, “I am sorry it took so long for me to get here.”
“There are no accidents. You came at the right time.” She walked to the edge of the building. “I think I am also ready to leave college,” she smiled and laughed a little.
I stepped closer. She was dead, but her standing on the edge of the building made me very nervous. “Well, you probably have a couple of degrees by now. I bet you have sat in on a ton of classes.”
She started walking on the edge, her hands out to balance her. “At least three degrees,” She grinned, “And I didn’t pay for a thing!” She chuckled, “Free college education is a thing!” we both laughed.
“They’re gonna bill ya.”
“I dare them to try to collect.” She was still grinning, but her face grew serious, “Promise me?”
Ugh, another one.
“Anything, Karson.”
“Promise me you won’t let our stories fade away. Promise me you will take them down, all the details and share our sides with the world.”
I knew I would promise rather I would do anything or not. But how could I lie to Karson? To the one spirit I felt more connected with than any other?
I looked her deep in the face, “I will do my best.”
She scoffed at me, “Ha!!! Yeah, I don’t think so!”
I blushed. She’d seen right through my lie. “I will really do my best.”
“That is not what I asked, is it? I asked you to promise to do it.” She had stopped walking, simply stood on the tiny ledge.
I took a deep breath. “I promise.”
“See, that wasn’t so bad.” She jumped off the ledge
