Poveglia Island (GAC Story)

Seventeen

Zak was shocked as he looked at the ghost of Lily. He couldn't even find the words to talk at this moment until she started.

"I know what you're thinking..how is this possible?" She said, turning to glare at the other spirits. "Go away, you fucks." She said in a threatening tone. Not two seconds later, they went away. "Anyways.." She continued, turning back to him. "You kinda know how this is possible. I guess I was the lucky one to come back as a ghost."

"It should've been me." Zak muttered.

"No, Zak. Quit blaming yourself." She said.

"I can't." He said, fresh tears in his eyes. "I didn't want you to go through that...I can't stand that..."

Smirking at him, Lily floated a couple inches closer to him. "I know...but it was to save a friend of mine. A friend that's been with me through everything. Someone I care about too just as much as I care about you."

"Then come back for me."

"You know I can't do that." She said, shaking her head. "Because Jackie will die if that happens. Sometimes you just have to let things be the way they gotta be."

"I don't want it to be this way!" He exclaimed. "I don't want you dead!"

"I get it, Zak, I do.." She said. "But we can't do anything about this. But just because I'm dead doesn't mean I'm gone."

He gave Lily a slightly confused look. "What're you trying to say?"

"I'm always with you. Right there." She put her ghostly hand on his chest, over his rapid beating heart. "I know you know that."

He only nodded, and she floated back a couple feet. "I need to go. And this is what I want you to do: I want you to go back to the hospital where Nick and Aaron are. I want you to see Jackie, and I don't want you coming back here."

"What about your body?" Zak asked. "We can't just leave it here."

"Nobody will set foot on this island." She said. "We don't need to do anything with it."

"Zak!" He heard Nick call out, and he turned around to see him coming to him.

"Do what I said Zak." Lily said, starting to disappear. "Go back to them."

"Lily, wait--"

"I love you." She said, before she completely vanished when Nick reached Zak.

"Hey..I was coming to check on you." He said. "Are you alright?"

Zak shrugged. "Not really...I got to talk to her when she was in spirit form. She vanished before you came.."

"Right...but hey.." He put his hand on his friends shoulder. "At least you got to see her again."

Zak mumbled a "yeah" before he let Nick guide him back to the boat that was waiting for them.

"Jackie's awake if you wanna go back with me to see her." Nick said after they climbed in.

Zak slightly nodded as the boat headed back the other way. "Sure..."

Leaving it at that, they headed back to the town.

***

After a long, silent walk back to the hospital, Zak followed Nick to Jackie's room, opening the door.

"Hey, Zak." Aaron said, standing up from his chair. "How you doin?"

Zak glanced at him. "Okay, I guess..."

"I heard what happened." Jackie said softly, getting his attention. "I'm so sorry...like I told them I didn't want it to be that way.."

"It's not your fault.." Zak said, sitting in the recliner across from the bed. "How long until you're out of here?"

"The doctor said a couple days just in case." Aaron said. "To give her some to heal up."

He nodded, nobody really saying much until Jackie brought up something.

"So...what're we gonna do with..you know...her body?"

"Nothing." Zak answered right away. "I talked to her when she was a spirit...she said to do nothing with it since nobody else sets foot on that damn island.."

"Alright, then we'll do nothing." Nick said. "Simple as that. Once Jackie is out of here we'll leave and head back home."

"Sounds good." Jackie said. "I kinda miss home.."

"Yeah, me too." Aaron said when a doctor came in.

"Visiting hours are almost over, so I need to ask you to leave." They said in their heavy Italian accent.

"We'll be out in a minute." Nick said. The doctor nodded, heading back out of the room.

"We will be back tomorrow." He said to Jackie. "You get some rest, okay?"

She nodded, and the three of them headed out and back to their hotel, just short of one person.