Life After Death

Chapter 12

The radio still worked. It was a bit static, but it worked nonetheless. It was a plus I hadn't expected.

Val had surrounded us in a circle of salt-for protection. The blanket draped over us, and the dim light shone over us, the radio in the middle of the circle eighties ballads playing through the speakers.

"How do you know this place?" Val asked. She was laying on her stomach with her head in her palms looking up at me with wonder-filled dark brown eyes.

"I came here a lot when I was alive," I explained.

I remembered dancing here for hours. I looked at the grimy floor-to-ceiling mirror, the ballet bar stretched from wall to wall, but the varnish had chipped leaving the bar all splintered. I made the accident by dragging my palm against that-it lead to three splinters and a swollen palm.

"You did?"

I nodded in response. "It was my getaway. Strange as it sounds." I smiled at the nostalgic thoughts.

"It doesn't sound strange," she answered, not looking at me any more. "I had a getaway once. I would help out at the local museum just outside town."

"You went to museums?"

"As strange as it sounds, yeah," she turned on her back and stared at the moulding ceiling. Damn, this place was a health hazard waiting to happen. "I loved the artifacts. I loved the history behind it. A single piece of paper could have a whole story behind it. It's... fascinating really."

"What was the museum's name?" I asked, turning on my back as well. "I had only been to one-but that was in California when I was eight."

"It's called Soliel." Awe and admiration dropped from her words. "It's named after Jacob Soliel a Frenchman who loved history and-"

"I heard about it," I said. "But... it closed like thirty years ago, Val." I laughed.

"Yeah, I know," she said, as if it was so obvious.

I shot up, and I realised... "Val, how long have you been...?"

"Dead?" she asked, arching a brow over at me. Her dark hair splayed around her like a halo. "For about thirty years. It felt like three days though."

I wondered how she could talk about this so nonchalantly. I was still anxious about talking about my death.

"What?" I remembered what Roman told me that people who's bodies aren't found don't get to go to the next phase in finding their Elysium. So her body must have never been found; that's why she was still here.

"Yeah."

"How did you die?" I asked, cautiously.

"I..." she swallowed. I guess after thirty years it was still hard. I somehow understood that. I lay back down and stared at the ceiling.

"It's okay," I said. "We don't have to talk about it."

I could hear the smile in her voice when she said, "Thank you." After a few minutes of pure silence Val spoke again, "I know this is really... I don't know, inconsiderate? But I'm curious..."

"You want to know how I died?"

She nodded. "But if you don't want to talk about it I totally understand..."

"I drowned." After that two words I explained how it all happened. I found the words pouring out of my mouth, falling from my lips before I could swallow or prevent them. I found that it was easy talk to Val. She listened and contributed valid advice. She told me that over time, despite the hurt, it would get easier.