Chapter XV: Unexpected Goodbyes

It's weird... how life can be going along great, for the first time in years, and then suddenly just dump on you like a trash truck straight out of Hell.

Dad is dead.

It's not fair! He just retired! He hadn't even gotten a chance yet to go golfing in the goofy plaid shorts I bought him for his retirement, and he just up and died! The doctor said it was an embolism. One minute he was standing there in the kitchen. The next, he was dead on the floor. Just dead! We didn't even get to say goodbye! I was trying so hard to be good, to earn his trust again, and now he's dead... he probably died thinking of me as the same horrible daughter I've always been. And whereas I can't get rid of Grampa, dad is just gone. I'll never get to apologize to him, to tell him I love him. I can't stand it... I... I just wish...

Grampa's here. I've gotten so I can sense him, even before he speaks. “Lilah?” he says tentatively, close to my ear. I roll over. “Hunny, are you okay?”

“What the hell do you think, Grampa?”

“Oh, my dear...” he says, and his voice draws closer.

“Go away!” I growl, throwing a pillow in the direction of his voice. It thumps softly again the wall, and I hear the conversation in the living room pause for a moment before resuming. Everyone out there is probably just thinking I'm having another crazy-episode again. I'm used to it.

“Hunny, I just want to be here for you,” Grampa says, and I laugh coldly.

“Right, because you're so selfless and caring like that.” He doesn't say anything, and I pull the covers over my head. Dad is dead. Daddy...

I want to die too. Just drop dead, like my dad did, and not have to deal with any of this anymore: Grampa and his insane scheme to get me pregnant with his new body. Mom and her awkward attempts at parenting. The kids at school who torment me... I just want it all to end. Before I know it, I'm sobbing. “Lilah,” Grampa tries again, but I don't answer, and I feel him fade. Darkness mercifully steals over me, and when I open my eyes again, it's dark out.

Something woke me up, a noise... like a grunt. I roll over, groggy. My eyes feel swollen and I'm stiff. But all that fades into the background when I see her standing there, shadows and light from the lighthouse outside playing over her face, which is paler than I remember.

“Sandi?”

“Hey, sweetie,” she says, and her voice seems to have changed too. It's lower, richer... I sit up, confused, and slide out of bed. “Sandi? I... what are you doing here?”

She shrugs. “I was in town on break, and I heard about your dad. Thought I'd come see you and make sure you were okay.”

“Oh... okay...” I say. I'm feeling a little fuzzy-minded, like I've had too much to drink. I can still hear people out there in the living room. The funeral party hasn't ended yet, then. I look at my cell phone, and it's not as late as it feels.

“So... um...” I stammer, feeling a little embarrassed. I've had dreams where I wake up and she's there, but I've never actually expected it to happen, and now I have no idea what to say. “Uh... what... what are you doing in my room?”

“Well, checking out your painting for one,” she replies, and I blush. “Is that supposed to be me?” she asks, and I nod, dropping my gaze. I can't believe she actually recognized the figure in the painting... this one is still in the early stages, but I have whole stacks of paintings in my closet of her. I've never showed them to anyone of course. I don't want people to think I'm obsessed, but the truth is... maybe I am. Even after she left for school, I couldn't stop thinking about her. Ever.

“Sandi... um... you seem different,” I say, trying to change the subject. “What happened?”

All of a sudden, it's like someone flipped a switch. Her normally beautiful face tranforms into a vicious scowl, and she glares at me in a hostile, almost murderous way.

“Different? What? You don't like it?” she says, and I flinch at her tone.

“Um... no, I was just noticing. I mean--”

“What's wrong, Lilah? Can't deal with a little change? Am I too much woman for you now? Or too much of something else?”

Suddenly she bares her teeth and hisses at me, and I swear, in the darkness, I see fangs glinting on her lips.

“S-Sandi?” I say, backing away, but my knees hit the bed, and I fall gracelessly on my butt. She seems to relax immediately, and holds her arms open to me. I stand back up, hesitant to go to her, and she sighs.

“Oh, Lilah, I'm sorry,” she says gently. “I'm just a little on edge,” she explains. “I haven't had much to eat lately.”

Not knowing what else to say, and-- more importantly-- what won't set her off, I just shrug.

“Come here, beautiful,” she says, her voice barely a whisper. I raise my eyes to meet hers, and notice her eyes are different now too... maybe she's wearing tinted contacts? They look weird in the dim light... unnatural.

“I've missed you,” she says, staring at me intently, with a need in her eyes that is unmistakeable. I feel my heart beat faster, and as if reading my mind, she holds her arms out to me again. I don't hesitate this time, but rush into them, and she enfolds me, her grasp almost squeezing the air out of me. I feel the tears start to come again.

“Sandi!” I manage, and them the sobs make any other words impossible. She merely holds me tightly, stroking my hair and murmuring comfortingly.

We stay like that for a long time, neither of us speaking, until finally I hear people moving around in the living room. People are starting to leave. Sandi releases me, and like a huge stone, I feel the weight of everything settle back onto my heart. “I should go,” Sandi whispers, and I shake my head, desperate for her to stay. She smiles sadly at me, then raises a hand to stroke my cheek. “You're getting more beautiful everyday, Lilah,” she whispers, then turns and leaves. Everything in me wants to run after her, grab her, and hold on until my last breath. I don't want to let her go. Ever. But I merely step back, and fall onto the bed, overwhelmed. Grandpa doesn't come back, and as the house grows quiet, I fall back asleep.

Bonus:

I couldn't figure out how to fit this one into the story, but the picture was too bizarre not to share.

Moriah greets the reaper.