So Close Away

It was just another peaceful afternoon in the quaint little town of Beledonna . The people were finally retiring, exhausted from their day's work .The streets were so quiet. One or two store owners could still be seen pulling down the shutters. A group of sophisticated women were busy gossiping about their so called new discoveries of the day, and debating on who's story was the most chucklesome. The train lazily chugged into the last station. The treetops were nodding along with the gentle breeze.So this day was no different from any other, or so they thought. 

Suddenly the huge bell at town centre started ringing. Everybody got up anxiously, looking at each other with knowing glances. They slowly made their way to Town Square, and huddled up around something. It was an young man, maybe around thirty, who lay their unconscious.He had orangish hair and was dressed in a black shirt.As the crowd whispered, wondering what should be done him with right now ,an young woman pushed her way through the crowd and said, "I will take him in for the night ". The crowd gasped and stared at her, for daring to do such a thing. The women clamped their hands over their mouths, and the men gave her confused glances, but it seemed she was firm in her decision. "Meg, do you realise what you are getting yourself into? You are only sixteen. Are you sure you want to do this? ", one of them inquired. She gave a positive reply. So they reluctantly carried him to her house. 

The man was woken up next morning, by something cold touching his forehead. The roof was dripping.He looked around the room he was in. Actually it was more of an ancient attic. One could smell the wet damp hardwood floors. The walls were all dusty and the wallpapers had started to peel off. And right beside the door,was a wooden shelf, which was adorned with tiny china pieces. There was also a vase of lilies which were all dried up. Through a large window by the side of his bed, he could see the foggy sky heavily cast with dark clouds. He was sure that this was a girl's room. The girl was not one of those highly refined, women whose lives were all about society and manners and graceful lady like behavior. Her room was all unkempt. "She must be one from those rebellious generations , who lives in her own fantasies and didn't care what others might think, and also has a really strong heart", he thought. As he was ruminating on the keeper of the house, she walked in. 

She was of a tiny frame, her long brown hair was all disheveled, with a blue ribbon on top and her curls adorned her forehead. She looked playful and friendly and at the same time, had a certain air of elegance and gravity round her. But he got even more surprised when he realized who she was. "Megara? Is that really you? ", he asked baffled. " Emmet, it has been such a while", she said in her cheery voice. He leaped forward and caught her in a bear hug. "My goodness, you look so young ", he breathed. This took Meg by surprise, because his touch was so abnormally warm, like a chunk of fire . She almost felt like he was burning her, but brushed it off. Regaining her composure, she laughed, " And you look old. So what happened last night? ". " Oh, last night was such a blur", he said rubbing his temples. She put a tray down in front of him, "Here, I got you some breakfast. Eat up. And don't worry you can stay here till you remember. "

He looked at the plate and then back up at Meg. He kept on staring at her like she was crazy, much to her utter confusion. "You are joking right? " . She raised her brows at him. "You seriously don't expect me to have that", he said. "Well it's not much I know, just a regular breakfast, but it does the job", she chuckled,taken back. "What's wrong with you? You are out of your mind. Take it away from me", he cried."Must you really act like that? " she asked heavily perplexed. He just stared at her, still as a statue. Something seemed to have really scared him. "Wait, where are you going? ", she asked. He quickly put on his shoes and left the room hastily. "Wow, that's a strangely fussy eater", said Meg. 

Emmet had earned himself a lot of attention by noon. The town folks had gathered to talk about it. " Don't you people think he behaves kind of oddly? ", said one of them. "You are telling me? This morning that lad came into my shop and asked for food, and threw it away, saying it was disgusting. Nobody has ever insulted my cooking before", boomed Mr Smith. He was the best chef in town. " And today I was loading my car, and also had my baby with me. So I told him to hold my kid for a while, and he dropped it and fled, yelling 'Monster! Monster! ' ", said a middle aged lady. "I fell from my bike today , and he came to help me up. As soon as he held my hand, he ran away screaming ", said an young boy. "He's an odd young man if you ask me. Well I hope he becomes more normal after our ritual today ", remarked an aged crooked man. Meg sat there, listening quietly. "But somebody has to find him first", one of them spoke up. "I'll do it", said Meg. 

Emmet was running for his life. He was scared to death, and lost and confused. He suddenly came across a junkyard under a bridge. The junkyard was full of scrap metal. He hid in the junkyard, and soon enough felt the presence of someone else beside him. It was Meg. "You! " he screamed. "Ok, Emmet, calm down and listen to me", she whispered. " Why on earth would I listen to you? You people are crazy. You gave me grubs for breakfast today. The best restaurant in town served me raw dead mice. A lady had a baby and the baby had hollow eyes!! I tried to help a kid up today and his hand came right off! What are you people? Zombies? " cried Emmet. "Alright, I am sorry. I should have told you. But I'm here to help you now. I won't let anything happen to you. Just trust me on this", she pleaded. Emmet reluctantly agreed. "But we have to go to Grandpa Gruff first. He is the town's ex chief", saying so, they hurriedly went along their way. 

At Grandpa Gruff's, Emmet discovered that Gruff was a stout old man of about a hundred years old. Half of his face was covered in his white beard and mustache. "You want to save him don't you? " he asked Meg. "Yes Grandpa. Please, I must. You don't know how much this would mean to us.. You must help us", cried Meg. " I'm sorry you poor soul. But that is highly against the law, I can't do it ", replied Mr Gruff. " But Grandpa.. ". " I'm sorry Megara", said Gruff firmly. "Well, thank you anyway", sighed Meg and got up with Emmet to leave. " Good Luck to you both ", said Grandpa Gruff behind them. 

" Now what? " asked Emmet. "Ok listen carefully. Today at sunset, there will be a ritual. Lady Avira will show up and capture your soul, turning you into one of us. So you have to make it out before that. Walk straight ahead and you'll come across a river and a boat. Keep sailing downstream and you'll reach a portal. Walk right through it and hopefully you'll be able to go back to the living world"."Wait.What about you? " asked Emmet. "I'll be fine. Now go. And remember, no matter what you see or what you hear, just keep going. Don't stop even for a second", she warned. " I'm not leaving without you ", he said indignantly. " Go! " she screamed. She moved back when he tried to take her hand. "Please leave. I can go no further", she said looking away. Seeing that she won't be moved, he sighed and headed for the river. 

After a while, the road ahead started getting covered in pink mist. But keeping Meg in mind, he continued walking. Soon he began to hear faint voices calling his name. And soon enough he could see his family, coming out of the pink mist. He could go no further and stood there awestruck. It was his father walking towards him. "Hello son, it's good to see you ", he smiled. " Dad, I missed you ", he cried hugging. " Hey Em, don't forget us ", said his mother and sister. "How could I? " he said. "It's a shame you are trying to leave. We could have been here together forever", said his dad. Suddenly the smiles from his parents' faces vanished and he could hear them saying the same things they had said on that traumatising day. " It's ok, just hold tight ", said their dad. " Daddy I'm scared ", cried his sister. " Emmet help us ", they cried before fading away. " No! ", he screamed. " Guys, come back! ". 

" Emmet, " someone called in a sing song voice. Soon appeared a beautiful lady, dressed in a long, floaty white gown. She had a golden wreath round her head and a golden scepter in her hand. "I know it hurts child", she said. " But it's ok, we've all done bad things.Many years ago, that night of the accident, you made it out safe, but they didn't. You could have saved them but you saved yourself", she whispered. "No, I tried. I really tried to save them", he cried, " The car crash wasn't my fault"."But hasn't that one night been haunting you ever since? Countless nights of agony and pain, I can take it all away. I can give your family back. Yesterday night you met with an accident a second time,and you were transferred to this world.Right now you are in a stage between life and death.Once the ritual is done,you'll be able to see all your dead relatives again. All you have to do is stay", she said. Emmet went into deep thoughts. "So? What's it going to be? " she asked. 

Suddenly, she got shoved to the side by a powerful wind, and from behind her, came Meg. She tugged his hand and said, " Come on, we don't have much time. " As they started running away, Lady Avira could be heard in the distance, "Fools, you know no one can leave. How dare you! Get back here", she screamed in her thundery voice. 

" Grandpa Gruff agreed to cast a spell on me, that would allow me to go to the other side of the river, just for a while. But it won't last long. So come on", panted Meg. Finally as they made it to the boat, a storm came on and the boat was tossed and turned in the roaring water. "Hold on.. It would be a bumpy ride", cried Emmet through the storm. " Lady Avira will do anything to stop you. But don't worry, once we make it to the other side, this will all be over", replied Meg. 

 Thankfully, after lots of twists and turns, they reached the other bank. "Yes! We made it! We are going to live! " cried Emmet while Meg wrang the water out of her dress. "Come on, let's go Meg", he said and pulled her hand. " Wait ", she said and looked at him with sad eyes. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. " I can't go remember? " saying so she raised a hand, which was that of a clammy skeleton. Her face was beginning to transform too. 

- "No.Meg ... "

- " Hey, it's ok, it's ok ", she whispered. " I have been in here for so long that it doesn't even matter anymore . "

- "Meg, when you left us, fifteen years ago, that was the hardest day in my life. Now that I've found you, you say I have to loose you again? I won't. Come along Meg. We'll figure something out", he said desperately. 

- " I can't come back. I'm different now. I don't age. My life's stopped here. But you? You still have so much to do and so much to see. Go live to the fullest. "

- " Meg, I just can't leave you here. I need to make sure you are ok. "

- " Hey, I'm fine.Don't worry. Lady Avira will never hurt one of us. And now at least I have a new story to tell the people. I will be telling them this heroic tale over and over and over", she said the last over with a deep sigh. " Can you do me a favor Emmet? When you go back, can you find my close ones and tell them I forever miss them?"

- " Of course ", he said, " Come here", and he hugged her with a teary face. 

- "It's time", she smiled. 

Meg stood there and watched Emmet walk through the portal. He got smaller and smaller and finally disappeared. She gave a deep sigh and finally walked back to her town. The townspeople weren't mad at her.One could see the tears in their eyes. They all had somebody they loved and missed.