Loving the Dead

Chapter 2

Guilt and relief flood through me.

I killed those men.

But saved my family and friends.

I didn't know what to say or think and I felt like I was in a daze. I think someone was talking to me but I couldn't tell.

"Annora, Annora! Can you hear me? You did it! You saved us!"

I snapped to attention and saw I was staring at Breccan's hazel eyes.

"Annora?" asked Breccan.

"Ye-yeah?" I stammered.

"Let's head back to your parents cottage." He said, and he scooped me up into his strong arms before I blacked out.

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I woke to see myself sitting in a graveyard.

Where was I?

"Breccan? Mom? Dad?" I was screaming their names, but no answer.

I stood up and looked around. I saw a shadowy figure in the distant. That must be Breccan!

"Breccan! Over here!" I yell.

He doesn't respond.

"Breccan? Can you hear me?"

Then it steps out of the shadows.

And it's not Breccan.

A six-foot tall skeleton with dead flesh rotting on it's body lumbers towards me. I try to run away but find I cannot move. Terror takes over me.

"Stay away!" I scream, but I know that has no use.

Instead the skeleton picks up speed.

I still can't move.

The skeleton jumps up in the air and pulls out a sword out it's body. I can't do anything except close my eyes, and wait for the impact.

I woke with a gasp. I look around panicked and see my parents huddled in a corner. They hear me and turn around.

"Annora! You're awake! What's wrong? You're all warm!" My mother said, putting her hand against my forehead.

"I'm alright Mother, just a nightmare." I said, breathing in and out. "Where's Breccan?"

"Here I am." Breccan says as he walks into the cottage. "Are you feeling ok?"

" Yes I'm fine, but I really could use some fresh air. Will you come with me?" I asked as I stood up from the bed, feeling warm all over. I just wanted to feel the cool night air on my skin.

"Of course, let's go." He takes my hand and we walk out of the cottage.

"Breccan, what happened? I can't really remember..." I said scratching my head. The air flowed through my hair and felt good around my warm skin.

"Well the British came and attacked us, and you used your special ghost powers to destroy all of them. You blacked out after that and I carried you back to your parents's cottage."

Memories flooded back. I killed all those men. Even if they were British.

"Annora, I know you feel bad about killing those men, but they tried killing us. We've been locked in war with them forever and they have tried attacking on the sea and followed us back to our island. You did the right thing."

I guess I did do the right thing, but guilt still clung to me.

"I need to tell you something Annora, something that your parents thought it would better me to tell you than them."