Spirits and Sorrows

Hannah stood beside Peter and gaped at the bright, multi-colored portal that vibrated and pulsed before them.

She couldn’t believe it. After four years, they’d finally done it. They’d opened a portal. She thought she could hear and see people on the other side. Peering closer, she thought she could see people on the other side. She could make out a woman with long, curly black hair and she gasped. Laura!

Peter grunted beside her, sweat streaming down his face as he held his hands high and struggled to keep the portal open. “Hannah, this is your last chance. Do you want to come with me or not?”

She took a second to think about her family and friends. Their faces flashed in her mind and she realized she was leaving them again. Just like last time, she was leaving without a trace and a goodbye.

But a glance at Peter and the world beyond the portal made a deep realization strike her. She knew she couldn’t go the rest of her life without seeing Peter again and leave the Eternal World to perish if she had the power to help them. She needed to find out what happened to her aunt Mary. She had people depending on her.

She’d find a way to come back to the Human Realm one day but right now, these people needed her. She knew she was going to hurt her loved ones but she had to take that risk.

“I’m coming with you,” she said with finality.

He took her hand and they jumped in.

Peter and Hannah cried out as they fell through what felt like an endless void of bright colors and screeching wind.

The wind blew painfully harsh and strong against his face. The screeching winds were deafening combined with Hannah’s screams piercing his skull painfully. It felt like forever for this torture to end.

It ended abruptly as it began and they landed face-first on the grass. They lay on the ground for several minutes, panting, trying to catch their breaths.

Hands reached down and pulled them to their feet. Loud voices reached his already ringing ears and it took him several minutes to take in his surroundings. His gaze went to Hannah and he saw Alison was helping her up.

Alison?!

“Holy shit, it’s you!”

Only one voice would greet him like that.

He whirled around and came face-to-face with Ruben and Laura, two sups he never thought he would see again. The three gazed at each other for a moment before wrapping each other in a tight embrace. Emotion swirled inside of him and before he could stop himself sobs erupted from him and he sank into his friends’ arms.

He’d done it.

He was home.