“But how, Shadow? How did you step out of the mirror? How can you be here before me now?” She traces her hands over my softly glowing skin, taking in the fact that my body is not what it once was. I swallow harshly, squeezing my eyes tightly and fighting the urge to throw up. The realization that I am dead consumes my thoughts once more. I only let myself think about finding Milly, but now that I have?
“Easy now, Shadow…breathe. I’ve got hold of you.” She pulls me into her arms, rubbing my arms up and down in soothing strokes. Time passes as I sit with the racing thoughts of how my future will look. Milly lets me sit in silence as waves of tears wash over me. So many moments flood my system as I try to process what has gone on. There are so many questions I have yet to answer, but I’m too overwhelmed to voice them yet.
Will I be stuck on this campus? Was the death of Priest Brown the key to the chains that held Milly here all these years? Oh God, what aboutBea? Am I ever going to be able to see her again? Whatever happened to my father? What’s going to happen to the school now? Will I remember all my past memories?
The thoughts are overwhelming, all-consuming as I bury my face deeper into the side of Milly’s neck.
“I–Milly, I’m dead,” I whisper.
“Yes,” she whispers back.
“But what about Bea? What about my father? Is he still alive? Is Professor Blackthorne okay?—”
“Do not fret, my shadow. Already, the air about us begins to change.”
I search her eyes, finding peace and confidence within her.
“I’ll be with you at every step, my shadow. We have faced down death itself. What remains? We shall resolve all these things together.”
She smiles, pulling out of my hold as she floats up into the air. She offers me her hand as I look around. I timidly push myself to my feet and take her hand. She holds it tight and nods.
“I don’t know how to do this…” I begin to overthink it all again.
“I have all faith in you. Just be, my love. Still your thoughts and simply be.”
I hold onto her hand and close my eyes, chewing on my bottom lip. My mind rushes immediately to the memories of Milly, locking onto the time she twirled my hair between her fingers in my dorm, to when she –
“Look, Shadow.”
I peek an eye open and see I’m floating above the ground with her and squeal,
shooting my eyes wide at her, a trace of a smile growing on my face. “I’m never going to get used to this.”
Milly’s laugh radiates along the staircase. “Thank heavens you’ve got all the time.”
Epilogue
Grace
December 24th
The snow dusts the bushes outside of the chapel, the moon reflecting off the stained glass onto the wooden floor. Soft music plays from my record player, Bing Crosby’s voice creating a warmth that the electric fireplace in the room cannot compare to. I smile as I watch Milly pull out cinnamon rolls from the oven and place them on the counter.
“Nearly finished, my shadow.” She hums as she starts stuffing the frosting into the icing nozzle.
I stand up as she swirls the frosting in perfect circles over the delicious pastry. I move her long red hair away from her neck as I lean on the tips of my toes to kiss it softly. She sighs as I suck on her neck, pulling my lips away with a loud pop.
“Come here, Milly.”
She turns to me with the frosting in her hands. “Yes?” She feigns innocence.
I laugh. “Kiss me,” I whisper.
Her expression softens as she takes her free hand to my face and pulls me to her lips. Our mouths move in perfect synchronization, knowing each other’s movements like the back of our hands.
I pull on her bottom lip with my teeth, eliciting a soft moan that hums from her throat. She sneaks her tongue against mine and tangles it softly, pulling a moan from me.
She moves, I move. We are the other half of each other’s souls, desperately grasping at the other in the only ways we know how.
