Spectra
Oh, the ghost could weep with relief with the gift the living sister gives her. What a sweet promise, she will stay and the ghost will not have to be alone. The ghost will not have to wander. Tirza sister is here and the ghost is not damned or condemned, she is loved. Even if the Memory had not wanted her, even if the Memory had not told her that there were others. Even if everyone else is dead. The ghost has the living sister and something called a brother whose name is Gravy.
The ghost smiles. She smiles so adoringly. How the ghost’s face would light up if it were a real face! How the eyes would water with unfettered joy if they were real eyes! How she would tremble with glee! She does not know what a brother is but if it is anything like a sister she is certain she will love it, too.
She shifts back into her equine body fleetingly, just long enough to feel the thundering electricity of her pulse. Just to feel the excitement, the happiness as it courses through her. This is what it means to be real. This is what it means to be family. This is what it means to be whole. But the hunger is savage and she swallows and it burns and she slips quickly back into her ghost skin where she is safe.
“I can’t believe I found you,” she whispers, breathless. “I can’t believe you’re the only living thing in all the world.” She continues, wide-eyed. “I’m so lucky.” She grins then. She is not alive and she is not dead and there is nothing she wants more than to get a moment’s rest, but she says, “I’m the luckiest girl, Tirza sister. And I cannot wait to meet Gravy brother. I cannot wait for us to be together.” And she hopes (but does not say) that they never have to be apart.
ALL I WANT IS BEACHES FULL OF DEAD BIRDS. A FLOOD OF LIMBS
WASHED UP ONSHORE. SEASCAPES SPARKLING BRIGHT WITH BONE
@[Tirza]
@[The Monsters] please mess with her immortality!
