Mary's Deal

Hearts Connected (Healing Hearts Pt 2)

(David's POV)

It had been three years since Maria left both Josiah and me miles from our home. To say that I missed her was the understatement of the century. 

Josiah would talk about her often. He had a lot of questions for me since I had talked her out of killing the two of us. I would usual answer his questions, but eventually I stopped answering him and would instead change the subject.

"Hey, David, look at what I found," Joe said. He walked up to me, holding a book in his hands. I took it from him and opened it up to a random page.

"Joe, I can't understand this. It's in another language."

"I know, but look at the page that I marked," he told me, turning the pages until we got to the specific one that he had marked. I stared at the page, trying to understand the words. 

"What is this, Joe?"

Josiah sighed and pointed at it. "It's in an ancient rune language. I remember learning this one when I was bored years ago. This is a book of spells. And this one releases souls from the mirror world."

I stared at Joe, then I looked down at the book in my hands. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it when I was walking home once. It was raining that day so I hid it. Thought that you might want to see it, however. Have you spoken to Mary since she brought us here?"

I shook my head. "I'm too afraid that she wouldn't want to see me ever again." Josiah laughed. "What?"

"You worry about the weirdest things. Mary let us live for a reason. You opened up a part in her heart. And you very well may have stolen her heart at the same time."

"Don't be absurd!" I shouted. Josiah backed away from me and I closed the book. "If Maria wanted to come back to see me, don't you think that she would have done so already?"

"Maybe. But you won't ever know the truth until you at least attempt to contact her. I know that you want to see her again, David. This may be your last chance. Do what you want, but if you don't try, she's gonna get away from you. And you won't get the girl if you don't try."

I sighed and set the book down. "I might think about it later."

Josiah nodded and then left me alone to think.

---Six Days Later---

(Mary's POV)

I wandered through the mirror. I sighed as I continued searching in the darkness. What was I looking for? What was the point in looking for something? Why was I even trying?

I closed my eyes for a moment and thought back to just a few years ago. When I had another chance at being normal again. When I had my first chance in years to be freed from the mirror. 

My thoughts drifted from being free to the people that I had killed. Years and years of murdering people. And for what purpose? I never got any satisfaction from killing all those teenagers that thought it funny to call upon Bloody Mary on Halloween night. I just killed them...... Why did I kill them all? Simple. I thought they deserved to die for playing with spirits of the other worlds. 

When I opened my eyes, I saw a mirror. It was strange for me to see an opening into the world of the living. I hadn't seen a mirror since Lisa had cursed me to spend eternity here. I approached it cautiously and looked out to the other side of it.

What I saw surprised me, but who I saw surprised me even more. The room on the other side was lit with three candles. An open book lay in the middle of the wood floor. The rest of the room was empty, except for the people sitting by the book. 

I touched the glass of the mirror and gazed out at Josiah and David. Josiah was reading the words on the page, but I was unable to hear him or make out what he was saying. David stared at the mirror, not seeing me.

When Josiah was done speaking, I felt different. A strange light emanated around me and my figure faded from the mirror. I appeared in the real world slightly, but not fully. 

"David," I called out. I was standing behind the twins. I looked down at myself and found that I was dressed in a pure white dress. It looked similar to the dress that I saw my mother wearing once.

The boys turned to look at me. I was half alive and only half there. I was able to see right through myself. I looked up at the boys and smiled weakly.

David rushed over to me. "Maria! What happened? Why are you..... Not completely here?"

I frowned and looked away. "Why does it matter that I'm not completely here? I thought that you two never wanted to see me ever again." 

Josiah came up to me. "I changed my mind, Mary. You saved us, and I never got a chance to thank you for what you did. I'm sorry for being so rude to you. I know that you never wanted to so any of that."

I stared at Josiah before breaking down. I dropped to my knees and began to cry. "I'm so sorry for what I did," I told them.

David knelt next to me and wrapped his arms around me the best he could. "I wish that you were fully here, Maria."

"Why?"

"Because I love you. I have since the moment you told me that you weren't going to harm my brother or myself. Maria, you have to believe me. I love you."

I stared at David before smiling widely and hugging him. "I love you too, David. But...." I pulled away from him, frowning suddenly and realizing the problem with our love. "We can't be together. David, I'm dead. You can't love someone who's dead."

"But I already love you, Maria. I'll find a way. I promise. Josiah and I can find a spell that will bring you back to me. Trust me, I'll find a way for us to be together. I promise."

My heart fluttered for a minute and I hugged David tightly. "Uhmm.... David, she's fully here now," Josiah said. David and I pulled away from each other and looked at my form. Joe was right. I was no longer see through. 

I laughed and hugged David. Then I stood up and hugged Josiah. "I hope that you have forgiven me, but if not, I will wait until you do. I will always wait for your forgiveness, Josiah."

"It's fine, Mary. I've already forgiven you."

"Joe, my real name is Maria. Please, don't call me Mary ever again. I have so many bad memories connected with that name."

He smiled. "Alright. I'm sorry, Maria. I did not realize how much you disliked that name."

David smiled at me and motioned me closer to him. Once I was standing in front of him, he leaned down and kissed me. It was my first kiss. I was completely shocked by it at first, but ended up actually enjoying the kiss.

David smiled and pulled away from me. "This is a new chance for us both, Maria. You once gave my brother and me the chance at life before, now this is your chance at life." I smiled at his words.

That was the first time that I had ever felt genuinely happy. In that moment, I knew that the life that I had ahead of me would be the best one that I could have ever wished for.