The Spirit of Love
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A young red headed women was standing near a pickup truck, its blue paint chipping off. The truck was parked in a quiet forest. Her pale face scrunched as she tried to hold back the tears that were about to fall. Theo, her boyfriend, was pressed up against the truck by what looked like nothing. She knew who it was though. She saw the faint figure that was causing the scene. He had pale skin like her and it contrasted against Theo’s dark body. The figure’s hair was dark and it blended into the night around them. “Amie? Wha-What is go-going on?” Theo stuttered. Amie felt a mix of betrayal and fear.
“Theo, just stay still,” Amie tried to say in a calm manner, but it came out quick and Theo could hear the fear in her voice. “Seth! I told you not to hurt him!” she pleaded to the force that was pushing Theo against the truck.
“You don’t have any say on the matter anymore. He is going to hurt you. I know it. His intentions aren’t good.” Seth said. His words were only heard by Amie as a whisper.
“You don’t have any say in my life. You aren’t in my life anymore!” Amie shouted. Theo watched the redhead grow with confidence as she pushed her shoulders back and stood up straight. “Six months Seth. You left six months ago, and for a big portion of those six months I was sitting at home crying or at work forcing myself to keep my tears in. I was a mess! I couldn’t go anywhere besides work because I missed you so much. I was a zombie! All I did was keep myself alive and sometimes I couldn’t even be bothered to do that! I just missed you so much. Where were you then? When I was mourning? I-”
“Amie, stop,” Seth whispered. Slowly, he released his grasp which was keeping Theo pressed against the truck. Theo slid down the metal door and landed on the ground. His body felt like a thousand pound weight fell on him. Even if his body felt normal, he still couldn’t move because of fear. He could only sit there, watching his girlfriend scream into the trees that surrounded them. Theo had no idea what was happening.
“NO! LISTEN TO ME! You never listen to me! I told you stop hurting the people I loved! I don’t know why you are haunting me, but stop! You couldn’t be around when I was in real trouble, but now I finally moved on and I am finally letting myself be happy. NOW YOU DECIDE TO RUIN MY LIFE AGAIN!?” Amie cried out. She dropped to the ground, her knees landing in dirt. “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?” Tears fell off her face and created tiny puddles on the ground.
“Why can’t you just love me like you used to? What changed?” Seth questioned. His whisper made Amie feel like she was being stabbed in the ears.
“BECAUSE YOU’RE DEAD! SETH, YOU DIED! I CAN’T LOVE A GHOST!”
“But I’m here. You can see me and you can hear me. You have to still love me, because no one else would be tying me here. You were the only one that cared about me.”
Amie looked at him. She could see him, she could hear him, and of course he held a special place in her heart. She couldn’t just forget him and pretend he never happened. Seth was her whole world for a long time. “I still love you, of course I do. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t have been so depressed you died.”
“Then why can’t we be together?”
“I told you why. Yes, I can see you. You are alive to me, but you aren’t really there. I can’t live the rest of my life with someone only I can see. Not only will other people think I’m crazy, but I don’t think I could deal with that.”
Seth sighed. “I don’t want to let you go.”
“You don’t have to. You just have to let me be happy. I want my life back.”
“But-”
“No. There is nothing to argue. I don’t want to live the rest of my life under your control. That isn’t love. It isn’t healthy either. If you really loved me you would let me be happy.”
“He won’t bring you happiness,” Seth said gesturing to Theo, whose eyes were locked on Amie in her crouched form.
“He does right now, and if some day he doesn’t... well then... I am going to have to find out for myself. Hurting people won’t make me love you. It definitely won’t make me happy.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I usually am,” Amie whispered, a tiny slip of a smile playing on her lips. Seth let himself smile, but only slightly. “It’s not goodbye. Remember when people leave it just means they aren't around right now.” Seth nodded.
“I love you.” Seth’s whisper was quiet and drawn out. Amie felt something hug her and then all she felt was the breeze around her. She stood up, walked over to Theo, and helped him up.
“What happened?” Theo asked with a panicked voice. “Who were you talking to?”
“Seth. For a while he has been talking to me. He was like a ghost. He was going to hurt you. I think he’s gone now. Are you okay?” Theo opened the door for Amie and helped her step into the truck. He walked around to the other side and hopped into the driver’s seat. Theo thought the whole situation was weird, but he knew something supernatural was happening. He wasn’t going to deny what Amie said.
“I am now. Are you okay? You looked a little crazy.” Theo started the truck and began to drive towards the city.
“I felt crazy, but I’m fine. I think I made him realize that I moved on... that doesn’t mean I don’t love him. I just need to live my life.”
Theo didn’t reply. They spent the rest of the ride in silence. Amie felt like a new person. She would have to learn how to love someone new. She was starting a new chapter and so was Seth.
“Theo, just stay still,” Amie tried to say in a calm manner, but it came out quick and Theo could hear the fear in her voice. “Seth! I told you not to hurt him!” she pleaded to the force that was pushing Theo against the truck.
“You don’t have any say on the matter anymore. He is going to hurt you. I know it. His intentions aren’t good.” Seth said. His words were only heard by Amie as a whisper.
“You don’t have any say in my life. You aren’t in my life anymore!” Amie shouted. Theo watched the redhead grow with confidence as she pushed her shoulders back and stood up straight. “Six months Seth. You left six months ago, and for a big portion of those six months I was sitting at home crying or at work forcing myself to keep my tears in. I was a mess! I couldn’t go anywhere besides work because I missed you so much. I was a zombie! All I did was keep myself alive and sometimes I couldn’t even be bothered to do that! I just missed you so much. Where were you then? When I was mourning? I-”
“Amie, stop,” Seth whispered. Slowly, he released his grasp which was keeping Theo pressed against the truck. Theo slid down the metal door and landed on the ground. His body felt like a thousand pound weight fell on him. Even if his body felt normal, he still couldn’t move because of fear. He could only sit there, watching his girlfriend scream into the trees that surrounded them. Theo had no idea what was happening.
“NO! LISTEN TO ME! You never listen to me! I told you stop hurting the people I loved! I don’t know why you are haunting me, but stop! You couldn’t be around when I was in real trouble, but now I finally moved on and I am finally letting myself be happy. NOW YOU DECIDE TO RUIN MY LIFE AGAIN!?” Amie cried out. She dropped to the ground, her knees landing in dirt. “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?” Tears fell off her face and created tiny puddles on the ground.
“Why can’t you just love me like you used to? What changed?” Seth questioned. His whisper made Amie feel like she was being stabbed in the ears.
“BECAUSE YOU’RE DEAD! SETH, YOU DIED! I CAN’T LOVE A GHOST!”
“But I’m here. You can see me and you can hear me. You have to still love me, because no one else would be tying me here. You were the only one that cared about me.”
Amie looked at him. She could see him, she could hear him, and of course he held a special place in her heart. She couldn’t just forget him and pretend he never happened. Seth was her whole world for a long time. “I still love you, of course I do. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t have been so depressed you died.”
“Then why can’t we be together?”
“I told you why. Yes, I can see you. You are alive to me, but you aren’t really there. I can’t live the rest of my life with someone only I can see. Not only will other people think I’m crazy, but I don’t think I could deal with that.”
Seth sighed. “I don’t want to let you go.”
“You don’t have to. You just have to let me be happy. I want my life back.”
“But-”
“No. There is nothing to argue. I don’t want to live the rest of my life under your control. That isn’t love. It isn’t healthy either. If you really loved me you would let me be happy.”
“He won’t bring you happiness,” Seth said gesturing to Theo, whose eyes were locked on Amie in her crouched form.
“He does right now, and if some day he doesn’t... well then... I am going to have to find out for myself. Hurting people won’t make me love you. It definitely won’t make me happy.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I usually am,” Amie whispered, a tiny slip of a smile playing on her lips. Seth let himself smile, but only slightly. “It’s not goodbye. Remember when people leave it just means they aren't around right now.” Seth nodded.
“I love you.” Seth’s whisper was quiet and drawn out. Amie felt something hug her and then all she felt was the breeze around her. She stood up, walked over to Theo, and helped him up.
“What happened?” Theo asked with a panicked voice. “Who were you talking to?”
“Seth. For a while he has been talking to me. He was like a ghost. He was going to hurt you. I think he’s gone now. Are you okay?” Theo opened the door for Amie and helped her step into the truck. He walked around to the other side and hopped into the driver’s seat. Theo thought the whole situation was weird, but he knew something supernatural was happening. He wasn’t going to deny what Amie said.
“I am now. Are you okay? You looked a little crazy.” Theo started the truck and began to drive towards the city.
“I felt crazy, but I’m fine. I think I made him realize that I moved on... that doesn’t mean I don’t love him. I just need to live my life.”
Theo didn’t reply. They spent the rest of the ride in silence. Amie felt like a new person. She would have to learn how to love someone new. She was starting a new chapter and so was Seth.