Ghost in the Graveyard

Graveyards are quiet places at two in the morning.

It was autumn, and cold. My windbreaker wasn't breaking the breeze that swept across the silent expanse of the stone-dotted field where so many found their rest, and I shivered a bit, wishing I had worn a heavier coat. I liked walking through the graveyard; understanding one's mortality is important to appreciating what time we have.

I was a little surprised when I saw her standing there. She was a pretty girl with auburn hair that the moonlight silvered in an odd way. She wore a simple black dress and a black sweater. As my feet crunched in the fallen leaves, she turned and smiled. It was a sad little smile, and my heart, that overly compassionate core of me, went out to her. "I didn't think anyone else would be here," she said softly. Her voice was light and soft, less like bells and more like a softly bowed violin. She sang soprano, I was willing to bet, and further, I was willing to bet she had the voice of an angel. Her speaking voice was certainly pretty.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," I told her as I walked toward her, smiling. Her eyes were a clear, deep blue. I had a hard time looking away from them, and almost stumbled into a small engraved headstone. Her hand lifted to hide the smile as I stumbled, and I crooked my mouth in a wry expression as I found my feet again and made my way to her side.

Together, we stared at the headstone before us. It read, Alanna Miranovsky -- An angel has found her way home. We will miss you. 1963-1990.

"She was only a little older than me," I noted. I shivered a bit. My companion smiled that sad little smile again.

"We were the same age," she said softly.

"Pardon me for prying, but ....she a friend?"

She seemed to ponder that a moment, and her smile widened slightly. She seemed genuinely amused at something. "You could say that. Yes. We were...very close indeed."

"I see," I said. My thoughts must have been obvious from my expression, though I was not offended. I was sad at the thought that someone so lovely had lost her lover.

She laughed, a trill of music sweet as a nightingale's song. "You misunderstand. It wasn't quite like that."

I ducked my head and had the decency to blush. "Sorry. Hope I didn't offend."

She shook her head, auburn hair flowing like a river of banked flame in the moonlight. "Not at all." There was silence for a moment. "What is your name?" she asked finally.

"Courtland. Courtland Keene." I didn't think to ask hers, and this didn't seem odd to me at the time.

"Courtland Keene." She seemed to roll it over her tongue. "I'm...Allie."

I smiled and extended my hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Allie." She laughed and took my hand in a firm shake. Her grip was cool, her hand like satin. Her touch was distracting; I seemed more aware of it than of anything else. "I have to ask you something, though."

She smiled at me, cocking her head. "What's that?"

My grin widened. "What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"

The reaction was not what I expected. Her face grew troubled, and she released my hand, seeming to withdraw into herself. As she turned away from me and closed her eyes, I was shocked to see tears on her high cheeks.

"Whoa, hey, Allie, I'm sorry..." I moved cautiously toward her, and she flung herself into my arms, sobbing against my chest. She was small and light, and I cradled her protectively. I pressed my cheek into her hair and breathed the scent of her in. She smelled like lavender.

"C'mon, girl. I didn't mean anything by it. Shh, now." I stroked her hair with one hand.

She looked up at me, her eyes clear and bright with tears. Then she kissed me.

As her lips touched mine, the world took a hard left. Everything went away but the silk of her lips pressed against mine, and there was no refusing that kiss. I couldn't see anything but her eyes; could feel nothing but her body on mine; could hear nothing but our heartbeats. Her hand pressed against the back of my head, and my mouth opened to accept her soft, seeking tongue. There was no taking control; I was hers, and I let her do with me what she would.

The kiss seemed to last forever, and ended far too quickly when she drew back. Her desire was evident in her eyes, and my own was evident in other ways. But still I had to ask.

"Are you sure?"

For answer, she kissed me again, and the world tilted once more.

There was nothing but her in my world, nothing but the two of us. My windbreaker served as a blanket as we lay upon it, exploring each other. I pressed a kiss to the warm hollow of her throat, and she sighed softly; I unbuttoned her sweater and helped her out of it as she slid my shirt over my head. Her dress was less than an inconvience, and was gone before I fully was aware of it. The rest of my clothes vanished it seemed by some similar magic, and then we were together, nothing between us but shadows and space. Soon not even that separated us.

Her breasts were high and round, soft and full, though not very large. I kissed them, tasting the skin, teasing her pink nipples with my tongue. She wove her hands in my hair and arched to my lips.

We came together then, slipping into one another as if we had done this many times before. She was all heat and satin soft, and as her arms curled around me, her legs gripping my hips, I remember that I heard her softly saying my name. We moved together for an eternity, seeking infinity, finding forever. Dimly, I was aware that she was crying, warm tears against my shoulder, and then feeling her tighten her grip and her small sharp teeth sinking into my shoulder. My own completion occurred not long after that.

We lay tangled together for some time, recovering our breathing. I would have liked to stay even longer, but before too long, the cold made itself plain, and we hurriedly dressed against the chill.

As I slipped into my windbreaker, she touched my face with her small, cool hand. "Thank you, Courtland Keene," she said softly.

I took her hand in mine. "That's my line," I told her as I kissed her knuckles. Something passed over me then; an awareness, perhaps, but even then I was not sure what had occurred. "I won't ever see you again, will I?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No." She seemed to struggle with something, and when she finally spoke again, her words were halting, almost as if they hurt her to speak. "You...know, then."

I realized at that moment, I did. I suppose I should have been weirded out, or shocked, or frightened, but in light of everything that had just passed, I only felt sad. My sadness wasn't for me, but for her. "You're Alanna Miranovsky."

She started to cry again, but I pulled her close and kissed her eyelids. "None of that, now." I admonished her. "I don't know why you chose me, but nothing can ever match the gratitude I bear that you did."

She sniffled a few times, and finally pulled away, wiping her eyes. She looked up at the moon, somewhat wistfully. "Almost time," she said sadly. She looked at me, and those eyes filled my mind. "Will you visit me, Courtland?"

I nodded gravely. "Often. And I will remember you until time comes to collect for me, too."

She smiled. Then, like mist, she faded and vanished. I smelled lavender, and smiled, laying my hand on the tombstone before me.

"Be at peace," I said. And then I turned and left.