Every 10 Years

It was a rainy night but the fire was roaring keeping me content where I was. I looked out at the storming madness that was the outside world and a chill went up my spine. I was on edge for my mind was in a state of complete unrest. I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of a phantom- just as she promised ten years ago. I was sitting in the corner of the room so that I could keep and uneasy eye out for her so that nothing would sneak up on me.

Things went cold and a rush went through the room. It was a spiritual wind of an unearthly feel. The next thing I knew I was staring into the dead eyes of that ghost who had promised me that she would show up on this day. My mind was at ease finally now that the connection to the other world had been made. The trick with phantoms is that their presence is not completely real- some of it is an active subconscious in which the apparition manipulates what is actually there. It created a feeling to that of potent drug of the mind. She kissed me. It was the strangest kiss I ever felt cross my lips. She started to laugh. This girl and I go way back. For her I paid the ultimate price. For every dark wish we make comes a steep price. I made a deal with a devil of sorts to bring me my one and only true love no strings attached. Well, my one and only died young and left me alone for ever. No one will ever take her place and so I rot alone visited by her ghost once every ten years.

But it is never just her, with her comes a whole ballroom full of assorted phantoms and spirits who dance and spend the night living with in their death. I see them because I can see her.

Once I became used to the initial feeling of the presence of the dead, emotions began to overwhelm me. I instantly began to cry. It is when I see her sitting in front of me the way I remember her that I have an overwhelming urge to plunge a dagger deep into my heart, but I can’t. I must carry on.

As I looked into eyes the ghost of memories came back into mind. Suddenly all of the happy moments we shared came back like a pleasant trip. But then it turned bad. It always does. I always end up in that hospital room where I watched her take her last breath.

I felt all the pain I have ever felt in my life in that moment come back like a sharp needle in my heart. All I wanted was to loose myself and sleep through it. But nothing would numb this feeling. However that feeling was soon followed by the one fact that kept me going- seeing her was worth it. So I laughed and smiled with her. But then I blinked and she was gone, and I feel nothing but emptiness.