LOVERS WALK

By: Becky Taylor

on 5-11-04

The small light that shone down onto the dreary pathway was the one thing that kept Lyra going. Harpies guided her along the path with many other cold, shivering, moaning ghosts, but none who she recognized. She scanned the crowd for the eyes of the man who had captivated her for so many years; but Will Parry's eyes did not meet her from the abyss.

William Parry turned in his sleep troubled by the images his dreams brought him. He felt his heart give one last painful beat as he died. One word uttered from his lips brought peace to his soul. "Lyra…"

She turned, searching for the voice she was positive she had heard. She promised Will that if she found someone else in life that she would be kind and love them just as she would have loved him. But she lied and at the young age of twenty- six had passed away with grief. So many things had gone wrong… so many things she should have said first. Her body probably lay beside him, him who would wonder what he had done wrong and why she didn't, couldn't love him. But every part of her belonged to Will. So she continued to look praying to see his face.

He knew now that he should have stayed in her world. Because without her it was just like the Specters had eaten his soul. He was empty. He wished he hadn't been so mean in the beginning and had told her the beauty of everything she possessed. He felt a twinge of pain as he remembered her face… so young, so hurt, and so full of love for him. He could still feel the last kiss they shared, clumsy and rushed as a tear from her face to his. His body disease ridden was unmoving in their bed. The very bed he had held her wishing that she was another. And she wouldn't understand because he had kept the disease hidden. He would have told Lyra.

The cries from her throat were becoming desperate as many ghosts pushed past anxious to see the sky again. Harpies circled listening to the stories of the veterans reminiscing about past loves, and battles. One harpy stopped her softly with a talon and said "Tell me your tale child." Lyra turned as her whole face lit up. "Gracious Wings!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around the harpy. She held on for a moment and then let go in shock. "But I'm not supposed to be able to," "To touch me." the harpy chuckled as Lyra nodded. "You always were breaking the rules Lyra Silvertongue." "Now tell me your tale."

Will was wary of the hovering harpies remembering all to well the blood seeping from Lyra's skull and Gracious Wings yelping "Liar! Liar!" He glanced around hoping to catch a glimpse of her. With no avail he pushed past the ghosts, always searching.

"Well as you know Gracious Wings me and Roger had our own ventures, but those were nothin' compared to me and Will." she spoke his name with gentleness as she began her tale. "When we left you Gracious Wings we had to find our daemons the ones we left and well…"

"We almost died Lyra and I, but we finally found our daemons," he paused chuckling as the crowd of ghosts moved in begging to hear more. "I scooped up her daemon into my arms and her mine." Those who knew what a daemon was gasped with disbelief and the others yearned for the rest of the story. Even several harpies had drifted lower to hear.

"So there we was each holding the others daemon and oddly enough it felt right." "And…" "Will and I went walking some time later just the two of us not our daemons, I reckon they were mad at us. So just Will and me and we had a picnic and well…" Lyra blushed slightly recalled the taste of the fruit and Will's lips.

"We kissed." he said continuing walking, a small crowd now following him. "She held the fruit up to my lips and before we knew it we were kissing, her lips so soft on mine the scent of her hair and body…." he paused. "I was drowning in her." a smile graced his lips and one ghosts whispered. "Well go on." "Okay, next thing that happened was,"

"I told him I loved him, and I did Gracious Wings ever so much… I never stopped, and it was wonderful being in love and just being with him having him hold me close and kiss the top of my head. I didn't know love could be like that I thought it was violent like my mothers and fathers… but I was wrong it was the best thing ever." she stopped for a moment giddy in her memories. "But," she began, voice changing tones.

"Lyra and I would soon find out that we could never be together." Little gasps sounded from the mass as he continued. "An angel told us that keeping windows open into other worlds was creating Specters and we had to close them all… save for one." "But," one of the ghosts interrupted as Will gave a bitter chuckle. "I know what you're thinking we were thinking it to but… some things just aren't meant to be."

"And Will and I had to say goodbye." Lyra said tears in her eyes several tracing down her face. "So that's what we did we left a window open for the dead and we said goodbye." She wiped at her face with one hand and said. "But Gracious Wings there was one thing that was wonderful… There was a bench,"

"That was in both of our worlds and every year at the same time we would go and sit on that beach and pretend that we were together if just for an hour… It was enough." Wills' voice had gotten husky and hi s eyes red. "It's been thirteen years since I've seen her physically even though there's not a second when she doesn't pass through my mind."

"I think of him all the time I do. And I want to see him so bad. My heart aches for him."

"I wish for her every second of my existence and I may never see her again." he became silent, heavy with sorrow.

"But until I cease to exist I will search for him and love him and even when there is nothing… it's going to have to compete with my love for him, because it's never going away."

He heard her voice proud and true and his face light up. "LYRA!" he yelled pushing forcefully through the throng of people.

"Will?" she swore she heard his voice as his figure came through the group of the dead. "WILL!" she cried with all her might leaping into his arms which closed over her figure. "Oh Will." she murmured as he stroked her hair. "We can touch?" he asked incredulously. "I guess so." she didn't try to explain but rather took comfort in his touch.

They persisted in their journey together, hand in hand each telling the other of life's' incredible journeys and when it came time to rejoin the world he turned to her. "I love you Lyra." "I love you to Will…so much." they bent to kiss each other, lips touching before fading into the stars.

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