Water's Edge ✔️

03 - Ellen

There was someone behind her.

Moon could feel it, and that reason alone was enough to keep her from turning around. Whoever-it-was was shouting-probably at a friend- and interrupting Moon's perfect quiet. Such a rude person did not deserve to be greeted, especially when the human wouldn't even see her.

"Hello, I'm Aly!"

Moon gazed down at the water.

"Aly as in Alysia." The voice continued.

Moon shuffled her feet, though the sand below her did not shift.

"What's your name?"

And then something happened that had never happened before- the human reached out and tried to touch her.

The girl's hand had already passed through Moon by the time Moon thought to pull away, and she spun around, eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" She hissed out. This was impossible. She- no, Ellen- had long since given up on interaction with another being, human or ghost.

Aly as in Alysia did not say another word.

"Well?" Moon demanded.

"You're-you're-" Alysia then pinched her arm. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?" She seemed oddly relieved about that fact. "So none of this day really happened..." Then she smiled. "I've never been aware in a dream before! I wonder if I can influence what happens. Can't some people do that?"

Moon stared at her. Aly as in Alysia had shifted from terrified to cheerful in the span of a few seconds, and Moon wasn't sure what to make of the rapid transformation.

"Oh, and I'm Alysia." The girl said giddily. "If you didn't catch that. Huh. I wonder if I watched some sort of horror movie before I fell asleep and don't remember. A ghost. Huh. Also, I didn't catch your name."

"Ellen." Moon said finally, not sure why she was saying it. Maybe because she was, as the girl suggested, dreaming, so using her old name didn't matter.

She'd never fallen asleep before- as a ghost, at least- but there were always firsts.
"Ellen. That's a nice name." Alysia's brow furrowed in concentration. "I feel like I've heard that before..."

"I died." Ellen said bluntly. "That might be why."

"Oh!" Alysia's eyes cleared. "You drowned, didn't you? My mom warned me using you before I left. 'Remember the Drowned Girl'? That's how I know. You're Ellen- Ellen-"

"Harper." Ellen supplied. She disliked the fact that it took her a couple beats to remember. "And yes, that's me."

What was the harm in letting Aly know if Aly wasn't real?
"Harper, that's right." Alysia snapped her fingers. "Anyways. I'm Alysia Stone. Nice to meet you, dream-Ellen Harper."

Ellen smiled a bit wearily. She'd had no idea her subconscious was this bubbly. "Nice to meet you too?" It came out like a question.

She wasn't used to interacting with others, even dream people.

But when Alysia held out a hand, Ellen knew enough to shake it.

Well, as well as she could shake it, which meant she weakly pushed it up and down.

Even so, Ellen drew her hand back in shock.

She wasn't able to touch things....

Alysia didn't seem to notice anything was wrong. "Wow, that's weird. You're so cold, but like, insubstantial. Like I could go through you if I wanted. But like, I can still feel you...? Huh, you seem more solid than before."

Ellen felt it too. When her bare toes wiggled, the sand shifted. When she exhaled, she saw her steamy breath rise in the air.

Like the ripples in the river Moon had dismissed so easily.

And then there was the urge in the bottom of her gut.

The urge to get closer to Alysia. The instinct that it would make Ellen stronger.

Something was telling her to bring Alysia closer to the river. Something was telling her to shove her head under the water and keep it there before letting the innocent girl wash away. Something was telling her that once this was done, Ellen would be free.

But of course she wouldn't do it. It was just an idea, anyway.

And this was just a dream.