ALICE

CHAPTER 25- GOODBYE

Charlie had not felt any type of pain ever since he had died. He believed he had lost the ability to feel it, and he was glad. Looking at Alice, he realized he had been wrong.

The pain that he had felt seeing Alice on the verge of breaking down, was something Charlie had never felt before. Not even in those foster homes he grew up in, where he and Mike used to sleep hungry almost every night. Where he was reminded time and again, that no one cared for him in the world, except his brother. The place where he was taught the cruelties of life.

Charlie had never cared about anyone in the world, save Mike. He believed it had been the same for his brother too. Then, Alice and Maria had walked into their lives. For Charlie, everything had changed since then.

Alice had taught him that there was still goodness in the world. She had taught him to look at things in a whole different way. Her eyes held so much innocence, that he had felt protective towards her the moment he had first looked into them.

Charlie had always thought that Alice was someone who did not belong here. Everything about her was out of this world. He had been shocked when he had first realized that she could see ghosts, but more than that, he had felt happy to have a little sister.

Charlie was also familiar with the fact that Alice was a brave girl. Which was why he was not at all surprised when she had stood courageously against the two people who had stabbed her in the back.

Charlie had always found Sophie fishy. He had often voiced his thoughts about her to Mike, who had dismissed his worries as over-protectiveness.

Maria's truth however, had been tremendously shocking and heartbreaking. She had been like an elder sister to Charlie. Worse, was that she had been extremely close to all of them.

Charlie had not dared to look at his brother. He did not think he could bear to see the look of hurt and betrayal on his brother's face. Mike had always had a soft corner towards Maria. Charlie had supposed Maria had felt something for him too. Now, he was not so sure. Had Maria truly cared about any of them, or was she just a brilliant actress?

Charlie flexed his hands which were now paining, after he had tried opening the window. He supposed he had been wrong about another thing too. Ghosts could feel physical pain.

Charlie looked at Alice again, as she talked to Knave. He wished he could do something, anything to stop her misery. He felt helpless. What was the point of being a brother, when he could not be there for his sister when she needed him the most?

"Knave, there is something I have to tell you, before it is too late!" Alice was saying, sounding urgent.

Charlie looked on curiously, as she grabbed hold of Knave's hand. Her eyes looked scared. Charlie looked away. He did not think he could ever see fear in Alice's eyes.

Charlie supposed he had an idea of what Alice was about to say. He had gotten a hint of it a long time ago. He was a little surprised, when he realized that he was not at all angry.

By some huge miracle, he was beginning to like Knave. After all, he seemed to care about Alice more than anyone ever could, and what was more important now, was that Knave would never hurt Alice as her own had.

"Go on!" Knave prompted.

Alice's lips were slightly trembling. Feeling like Charlie was stepping into an intimate moment, he closed his eyes, just as Alice said, "Knave, I wanted to say that I lov...," She broke off, as someone opened the bedroom door.

Charlie's eyes flew open. He looked towards the door, to find a beautiful woman standing by the threshold. She looked about twenty. She was dressed in a long, white cloak which reminded Charlie unpleasantly of Cora, in her long black one.