“I thought I could bring him back to life,” Vivien clarified further. When no one spoke, she finally forced her eyes up to meet Julia’s.
Julia slowly shook her head. “That’s a different kind of death magic. Necromancy, zombies, soul displacements, nothing good comes from these things. And after twenty years, there would be nothing to bring back.”
“I thought, I hoped I could bring him back as I remembered, as a living person,” Vivien said. “Why not? We have these powers. We know that the impossible is possible. If we’re together to heal, then that’s what I need to heal.”
“No. That’s what you think you want,” Julia said. “There is no reversal for death. It’s the doorway to your next step. That fragility is what makes life beautiful. I recommend you not wish for that again.”
“I think he might be trying to lure me to the other side,” Vivien said. She quickly told Julia what happened in the ocean and when crossing the street. “I think he tried to kill me, and in the moment, it didn’t occur to me to stop him.”
“The only way for such a spell to work is for you to join him. He can’t join you.” Julia appeared concerned. Her hair grayed completely and wound into a bun as she stood before them, and her body became more transparent as if she was losing the energy to manifest. Her clothing shifted to a baggy housecoat and slippers.
“How do we stop it,” Heather asked.
“If Sam is truly trying to kill you because of a spell you cast, then you must séance him so he comes to you, make clear to him it’s over, trust yourselves, say your goodbyes, and send him on his way.” Julia’s voice had softened, and she shimmered slightly before disappearing.
The overhead theater lights came back on with a flicker.
“Julia?” Heather called. She looked around the theater. “I don’t see her.”
“That was…” William let loose a long sigh. He stood with his arm around Lorna.
“Vivien?” Lorna pushed away from William and rushed to her. She swiped her thumb over Vivien’s cheek, brushing aside a tear. “We’ll figure this out.”
“Okay, let’s do this. Let’s séance Sam,” William stated, clearly wanting to fix the problem immediately. “You can tell him to move on, and we can end this.”
Vivien was feeling drained from the energy it took to manifest Julia, and by looking at Lorna and Heather, they were feeling it too.
“Okay,” Heather said, to Vivien’s surprise. She moved back toward the book to take her position for the new séance. “We’ll use the same verbiage but change Julia’s name to Sam.”
William joined his sister. Lorna looked around the floor and picked up a couple of the papers with writing on them. She moved to sit on the floor.
Vivien was the last to join them. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Sam. The idea hurt too much, but she also didn’t want to die so she resigned herself to reality. If there was no way to bring him back, she needed to return him where he belonged.
As she sat down on the floor, a numbness overtook her. She barely felt Heather and Lorna’s hands. The energy hummed inside her, and the lights dimmed. It all felt like it was happening to someone else. All hope was gone. This was really going to be goodbye.
“I don’t think I can do this,” Vivien whispered to Heather, her entire body shaking.
Heather squeezed her hand tight. “You got this. You’re one of the strongest women I know, Viv. This is for the best.”
Vivien glanced at Lorna who nodded back to her in encouragement.
“Spirits tethered to this plane we humbly seek your guidance,” Vivien felt herself saying the words with the others. “Spirits search amongst your numbers for the spirit we seek. We call forth Sam Stone from the great beyond.”
The candles flickered. Their firelight projected into an image of bare feet standing on the book. She thought of Julia’s advice to draw a bigger circle for the spirit to move around, but it was too late. She felt her friends’ desire to help her, no it was more than a desire, it was a desperate need. They wanted to get this over with so they could save her.
The candlelight reflected inside the ghost’s body, illuminating him from within. The light traveled up his naked calves to a pair of swim trunks over his bare chest and arms. She knew it was Sam before his face was revealed.
He looked at her. A smile curled his lips. Memories flooded her. The shadows of his form made it hard to see his eyes, but she didn’t feel threatened by him. This did not look like a man who wanted to kill her.
He looked so young, too young to be dead.
“It’s not fair that you were taken from me,” Vivien said. “I’ve missed you so much.”
He didn’t speak as he stared at her, smiling.
Now that he was here, she slipped her hands out of Lorna’s and Heather’s. She slowly stood. Sam’s eyes filled with light and became visible as his gaze lifted to follow her.
“It was selfish of me to want you to come back. I shouldn’t have wished for that. I’m sure you’re much happier where you are.” Vivien didn’t know if it were true, but she hoped it was. Her friends came to stand beside her and looked up at Sam’s spirit. “I love you, Sam. I always will. Someday I’ll be with you again, but not now. I can’t come now. And I know that you can’t come back to me, not like I want. So I’m saying goodbye. I have to move on with my life, and you have to move on with your…”
Her voice caught. She couldn’t finish the sentence. Julia said she had to make him understand.
“There is only us.”
“Only our hearts.”
“I’ll be watching you. Save your heart for me. It’s mine.”
Vivien had to be clear that they couldn’t be together, not when she belonged with the living, and Vivien wanted to be alive.
“I’m going to date the neighbor.” Vivien felt the need to explain it to him. “He’s a nice guy. I deserve a nice guy. But that doesn’t mean I love you any less. I will never love you any less. It’s been twenty years since I lost you and I have to live my life. I can’t keep…”
Her voice became choked in her throat, and she coughed.
“It’s time,” Heather said, taking her hand as Lorna took the other. William stood by Lorna. Heather held up a piece of paper, and they read, “Spirit you have been found pure. We release you into the light. Go in peace and love.”
Sam grinned wider and winked at her before disappearing.
“Did that do it?” William inquired, staring at where Sam had been. “Is he gone now?”
“Viv, are you okay?” Lorna asked.
Heather simply hugged her.
“If this is what closure feels like it sucks ass,” Vivien muttered. She took a deep breath and tried to shake the feelings away.
Heather let go of her. “William, can you grab the book and candles for us?”
William nodded and seemed glad to have a task.
“What can we do for you?” Lorna asked.
“I need sugar and a stiff drink.” Vivien watched William blow out the candles and gather them so the wax didn’t spill over. “Who wants to go the Blues House Tavern with me? They have lava cake, cheese fries, and blueberry vodka with sugar rims.”