Uncertain Being

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Celia woke up, panicked as she shot upright. Thoughts crowded her mind, it was like she'd spent her entire slumber mind mapping the scenario at the 'truth circle', (they really could do with working on their hypocritical titles). They weren't exactly being truthful about everything, there was a kink in this institute, all Celia needed to do was figure it out. The way Mike had acted wasn't normal to start with... Why had no one already cracked this place, it wasn't like they were trying to cover their tracks, well not in here anyway.

"Celia?" A familiar voice called, Celia whipped her head around frantically but couldn't see him anywhere. "You can't see me can you? Don't speak, just shake your head or nod." She shook her head, then stood up and stretched. "There's something weird going on here." She nodded. Ryan appeared but shortly after he disappeared and faded like a candle reaching the end of its wick.

Celia couldn't help herself, she had to say something. "Do you have any idea why you keep... Being invisible?" She whispered moving so she was stood next to where he appeared.

"Shhs you don't need to talk, I don't want anymore harm to come to you." Ryan's voice echoed around her cell and she felt something tickle her lips. "I keep vanishing because I'm supposed to only observe, and occasionally intervene if harm is approaching, but only by touch not sight... I'm trying to work out all the problems yet I can't come to a conclusion, I'm just grateful you can hear me at all."

"Is there a heaven?" Celia suddenly said in a whispered outburst.

Ryan's gulp was audible, this couldn't be good. "I don't know Celia, I refused to cross over, I was scared they'd take me to hell because of...what happened, you know? And once I spent some time lingering and watching down on the earth plane, I had to stay and meet you..." Celia nodded then looked down at the floor. "If I hadn't been so selfish you wouldn't be here..."

Celia didn't really know how to react to that, so she fiddled with the padded wall beside her. "Do you regret meeting me?" She barely croaked out.

"What? No of course not, you were the best mistake I ever made." He suddenly appeared again, he wore a frown and had his eyes fixated on her.

"Thanks, I guess, if that was even a compliment."

"I died so young, I've learnt everything from you, I would die one hundred times over to witness you growing up, to listen to the way you speak..." Ryan's figure had not disappeared, so Celia reached towards him and placed her hand close to his, she couldn't feel him the way she could when she was young, but it had been so long that she questioned ever touching him at all.

"Don't stop whatever you're doing, you can't disappear on me now." She urgently begged him.

"If it means I get to be longer with you, I'll try anything..." They closed their eyes and envisioned the touch which was painfully absent.

"Did you ever visit your parents?" Celia asked Ryan curiously, keeping her eyes closed.

"I couldn't, could you imagine what pain you would witness, I couldn't watch them mourn me, I distracted myself with you." Ryan answered, Celia felt guilty at the mention, was it her fault that he didn't move on?

"I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing that could possibly be your fault, don't you dare blame yourself." He said calmly, you could hear the fear in his voice.

"Are you always with me?" Celia asked quietly.

"Yes, persistently trying to get you to hear me, time flies by."

"I guess that should make me feel less lonely..." She said opening her eyes, he was still standing in front of her.

"You know what? I'm going to get you out of here, I got you in here so it's my responsibility to get you back out." Ryan declared then walked out through the door then popped his head through. "This might take some careful thinking, I didn't really think about the fact that I can't move objects..."