Till Death (Volturi / Twilight Fanfiction)

16: When you leave, things change

They filmed in the garden. 

It was pretty but plain. Flowers had yet to bloom. Everything was close to the ground here, other than the shrubbery at the garden's borders, and the ivy-covered woven fences which stretched high making the place almost a maze. It was green, but only that, no color dotted the place yet. Taylor had taken off her bracelet when she left the building. And she was sent ahead alone, there was a lot of equipment to move. She preferred it that way anyhow. It was awkward being watched when she spoke to them. The place was hard to navigate by herself though, but she had no specific destination in mind. 

From around a corner, Taylor glanced a small foot. Cautiously she strode to it, her hand hovered over the greenery when she rounded the corner. In a shuttering pile sat a child, she assumed. They were a blur, but very small, very scared. She sat on her knees in front of them, which they were not expecting. No one else had ever acknowledged them. 

"Hello." Taylor spoke gently, as gently as she could. Child spirits were either flighty or extremely playful. Nosey even. This child did not seem to be the ladder. "What's the matter? Can I help?"

They did not know, they doubted it. 

"Maybe I can." Taylor sat more comfortably now. "You never know. I can listen at least." 

She couldn't help him, she couldn't help herself. He'd thrown his ball over the garden wall, the other kids at the orphanage had pushed him to get it. But this here was some lord's castle. He didn't want to go in, thought that he'd lose his hand. Or get a lashing. But he lost his life, saw one of them monsters with a woman. Saw the woman die, he didn't even have time to scream. The lord's men were fast.

"I'm sorry." Taylor wondered briefly about the history of the place, but put the thought aside for now. Whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant. And she'd find out eventually anyway. "Do you know why you're still here?" 

Why he was still here? The spirit looked up now, finally seeing Taylor clearly though she could not see him as such. When he died here he couldn't leave. Dying wasn't like the pastor said it was. He didn't see no light, no heaven. He was supposed to be in heaven though as he'd been baptized and everything by his parents before the sickness took them. And the nuns always said what a good boy he was, how respectable he was. He wanted to see his parents. But, nobody can leave here. 

"I can help you move on, I've done it before." The boy shook his head. 

It was a good thing he'd died in the garden. He could run around all day if he wanted. Nothing paid him no mind. A couple others died in the garden too, before he did. They guarded it real close after he got in, so no new friends ever arrived after. 

"Where are they?" The boy thought a moment and then stood up. 

She could follow him, but he couldn't stick around after. If someone was there, they didn't like being bothered. When Taylor stood the boy reached for her hand on reflex but could not grab her. He was saddened by this but pushed that nasty feeling away skipping to their destination. He thought it was funny watching her stumble around lost earlier. 

"I'm no good at navigating-er. I can't tell where I'm going a lot of times." 

The boy understood that. She must look silly talking to nothing. She was still living.

"I don't mind looking silly...Do you remember your name?"

Remo. It was the only name he had, no last name though his parents tried adopting the last name Greco, but it wasn't made legal. They were only peasants. He was going to be a priest, so it was going to be Father Remo. But he still had a lot to learn before then, and now he doesn't have to learn anything. So it's just Remo.