It was time.
As the clock ticked endlessly, the minute and hour hands of the clock went together. The old grandfather clock began to toll to twelve solemnly its beats taking away the old inhabitant's life, little by little.
In a large bed lay a thin old man. His grey hair hung lightly on his head like feathers and his eyes, dull with age were pressed into his eyes. Perpetual dark circles around the orbs made him appear perpetually tired, or perhaps perpetually innocent, depending on the observer. His thin graceful hands lay on his chest as he rested there, eyes open. At his side was a thin old woman with a heart shaped face, eyes brimming with sorrow and love, grey hair held back in a prim bun.
"This is it..." sighed the figure in the bed in a soft voice, mostly unchanged from when he was a young man. "I shall have to say goodbye soon."
The woman sitting at his side nodded slowly not trusting herself to speak, holding back tears that threatened to form and spill.
The old eyes gazed at her face lovingly before reaching up a weak hand and softly running it across his wife's cheek. "Victoria, don't cry. I can't help it, but we will be together later you will see."
Victoria nodded a sad smile crossing her face as she moved one of her hands to cover her husband's and placed it lovingly back on his chest. "I know. I know Victor."
Victor smiled softly before a wracking pain went through his body. He shuddered for a second before the pain left as fleeting as it had come. "Please... open the window before I go. I need to see you in the moonlight." He said softly holding back gasping breaths. Victoria nodded quickly before opening the window and the moonlight flooded into the room, bathing Victor and Victoria in a cool wash of pale white and blue light. Victoria went back to her spot beside her husband, holding his hand on his chest.
Victor's eyes turned towards the window as he faded away, seeing Victoria and the moon. As his breathing slowed, and his vision faded, he began to see his precious butterfly's come into the room, glowing in the moonlight.
"I love you Victoria." he whispered as his eyes fluttered shut and his breathing slowed and finally stopped.
Victoria shed a tear before turning towards the window, seeing an odd sight.
Butterflies had moved into the room in droves and began to melt together in a glow of light. Soon, all that was left was a quite familiar and yet unfamiliar figure.
"Hello again Victoria." said the figure in a soft voice. "I hope you remember me?"
Victoria nodded her old head softly before gesturing to the bed. "Of course Emily, but it appears that you are too late."
The figure smiled with her pale face, dark hair cascading down her back, a seemingly new bridal dress on her body. She looked as she did before her life tragically ended. "No Victoria, I am right on time."
As she said those words Victor's eyes fluttered open and he sat up in his bed. Or rather, his body stayed in his bed, but a younger Victor, looking as pale and timid as the day of the wedding rehersal sat up and looked around, at his wife, at Emily, and at himself.
Emily smiled happily before holding out a hand. "Victor, since you freed me, I have been waiting for years to free you as well. And now I can."
Victor got off the bed and looked at Emily nodding before standing by her side looking at his wife with a peaceful look. "I am sure" he said in his soft voice. "That you will join us soon."
Victoria nodded sadly another tear escaping before Emily spoke again.
"Victoria, you also helped set me free. Come." she beckoned to Victoria, who stood up again and went to her side. The moment Victoria stood up she was young again, her age and worry left in her body. Emily smiled and pulled both Victor and Victoria into her embrace.
"Come and all shall be free..."
The moonlight became brighter and they all began to glow, their faces filled with peace glowing before they began to fade away into the moonlight night, the stars glowing brighter than before.
The next morning, their bodies were found, their faces full of peace and three butterflies were seen in beautiful shades of blue, white, and green flew together around the town towards the woods.