My mother passed away on a beautiful summer morning. I lay by her side weeping until a nurse pulled me out of the room. I had been spending every moment of the past two weeks with her, and now she was gone...forever. I felt broken, absolutely shattered. I had tried to prepare myself for her passing but nothing I had done had helped. I would never hear her charming laugh again, never hear her voice chiding me kindly to wake up before I was late for school…how could I gone on knowing her light was extinguished forever?

My father walked out of the room after me and put his arm around my shoulder. We sobbed together quietly until we had no tears left. As we walked down the hallway I peeked into Skylar's room, but the curtains were shut and I couldn't tell if she was inside or not. The past two weeks in the hospital had caused a constant war in my heart. Even though my mother was my first concern, the fact that Skylar's room was just down the hall had been a consistent temptation. I ached with the urge to talk to her one last time, to be able to properly say goodbye. But I couldn't risk it, if I lost control of the Spirit for even one second he could finish what he had started.

One lonely night I had asked the Spirit why he had hurt Skylar. I didn't expect an answer but he surprised me.

"I had just been giving a new vessel for the first time in centuries. And right in front of me was an innocent victim. I couldn't resist the chance to use my new body. It was nothing personal toward you or her but now that I realize keeping her alive assures your cooperation I will leave her alone unless you disobey."

I wanted to believe him, because that meant I could see Skylar one last time, but I couldn't risk it. I refused to. At least I had seen her alive and well. She had suffered numerous injuries but from eavesdropping on the doctors I discovered that she was recovering well and that she was scheduled to be released soon. At least I could leave knowing she would truly be all right once I was gone.

My father never asked me why I didn't visit her, he wasn't around often so he didn't know how close Skylar and I had become in the past few years. But before my mother had passed she asked me about her constantly.

"Ryou why don't you go pop in on your friend? You don't have to worry about me I won't disappear any time soon."

"But mom I want to stay with you, I can't leave now."

"Honey I want to know that after I am gone that you have that girl to lean on. I know your father will have to leave soon and I can't go unless I know that you have someone looking out for you."

"Ok mom I will go visit her,"

I lied. Instead I would hide in the bathroom and cry my eyes out, wishing I could explain to my mother all the terrible things that were going on with me, but not wanting to ruin her last few days on earth. Then I would dry my raw red eyes and return to her room after plastering on a cheerful face.

My father was leaving soon, but so was I. After the funeral he was going back to Egypt and I was going to Japan. I had explained him that I needed a change, I couldn't stay here alone in our house, empty of everything but memories of my mother. I had found a very good school to transfer to and I told him I just wanted to focus on my studies, and I couldn't do stay here and be haunted by my everything that had happened. He had readily agreed, even though he was nervous about me going to another county he was even more worried about leaving me home alone for so long.

So in one week everything would change for me, a new school, a new city, a new life. And hopefully I would find the answers I so craved.