Not Quite Dead

Chapter Ten - Not Quite Saying It

Dawn

Okay, finding Kyler was a half-mistake.  I thought that he didn't subscribe to "Darty" as Avery called it.  Dawn + Arty.  He totally thought Darty was real too.   Trying to communicate with Kyler to tell him it wasn't -- though it was more to comfort myself -- was a full mistake. 

"Whaddya mean you don't like him, Miss Dawn?  Whaddya mean he doesn't like you?" Kyler said, laughing like it was the funniest thing ever. "Of course you guys are Kindred Souls!"

I cocked my head to the side.  Kyler was starting to understand my sign language.  He said, "I know all about Kindred Spirits and Souls and all that good stuff.  Mimi told me all about them and not to get involved, while at the same time telling me not to do this, not to do that..."

So Kyler did think we were Kindred Souls.  Crap, I thought, remembering the word that I learned from Artemis during one of the first times we met. 

Why did everyone but me and possibly Artemis think this?  Artemis was a mortal, and like I said before, I was pretty sure there were laws against it, laws because spirit numbers diminished when they found their Kindred Soul. 

"Hey, it's Mr. Artemis!"  Kyler's face beamed.  He flew over to Artemis and tried to grab his hand.  When their hands just passed through each other, Kyler just urged him to come over with us. 

"Hey, kid," said Artemis.  Without looking at me he added, "Hey, Dawn."

"Did you know, Artemis, you and Miss Dawn are Kindred Souls?" Kyler blurted. 

"What?"

If I could talk, I would've said it.  If I hadn't already known, that is. 

"Kindred Souls are two beings whose hearts are bound together forever," Kyler said, as if reciting memory work. 

"Kyler, I told you this before, Miss Dawn and I don't like each other," said Artemis, kneeling down to his level. 

"Do too!" Kyler giggled uncontrollably.   "Should I give you soul mates some space before you give each other the cooties?"

If my face actually showed a noticeable change in color, I would've been as red as a tomato.  Artemis's face actually did turn red. 

"Listen, kid, I'm really sorry to break it to you, but Dawn and I actually hate each other," he said to Kyler. 

I hadn't known a spirit could cry, and an angel spirit at that.  Kyler's eyes widened until little diamond-like tears started falling from his eyes. 

Then he ran.  Didn't float or fly, just...ran.  And Artemis and I followed him.  

I didn't know that was what spirit tears looked like.  I didn't know we could cry.  Dark spirits got angry, angel spirits got happy, and In-betweens were a bit of both. 

We followed Kyler to the place by the lake where Artemis and I used to talk sometimes. 

"I don't really remember my mommy and daddy," Kyler was saying.  "I know what they look like, but I don't know what kind of mommy and daddy they were."  He turned to Artemis.  "I like you, Mr. Artemis, because you play with me and you look like my daddy.  Do you think he's still alive, Mr. Artemis?"

Artemis looked at me, and his eyes were so full of sympathy for Kyler.  I understood, I guess, but I died three hundred years ago.  I wasn't really from their century.  Kyler seemed like he died only recently, maybe ten to twenty years ago. 

"Yeah, I think he's alive, kid, alive and missing you every day," Artemis said to him.  "Right, Dawn?"  I nodded. 

"Wanna know how I became a spirit?" asked Kyler.  When we nodded, he continued.  "Mimi tells me I'll be eight years old forever.  But I know the truth.  I was taught math.  I'm actually about twenty-four.  I died sixteen years ago," he said, after counting on his fingers. 

I'd never seen an angel spirit look so dejected and sad.  That was usually the personality of an In-between. 

Kyler went on.  "I died in a car crash.  Some mean man slammed his car into mommy's.  He hit the side I was in, but mommy was okay.  Then suddenly I saw me, lying next to mommy, who was crying."

"Where was your daddy?" said Artemis. 

"At work.  He came after I ran away.  There was another me who ran too, but he didn't glow as bright as me.  Then Mimi found me, and I've been with her ever since.  She's like my granny now.  She told me rules and stories and stuff.  Then the people who used to live here left, and Mr. Artemis and his family came.   I felt like I had to come."

Kyler stopped for a second, but only to wipe another diamond tear.  "Then I met you guys, and you know what happens from there."

I warned to talk, say sometime that would console this poor spirit's soul.  When I opened my mouth, no sound came out.  I'd forgotten again that I couldn't speak.  That was another disadvantage that came with my curse of silence: I couldn't console people when they needed it the most. 

"I don't want you and Miss Dawn to hate each other, Mr. Artemis," Kyler said sadly.  "You guys are like my new mommy and daddy now.  You have to love each other, you have to!"  He wiped his face with his arm.  He looked like a ghost now more than ever.  Maybe angel spirits' glows became paler with sadness. 

Could Artemis love me?  I could love him, I knew that, though even if I could talk, I wouldn't admit it.  Could this boy truly love me when his heart was obviously tied to someone that was just so human?  This Rachael Davis Parker girl was the only thing that stood in the way of Artemis and I truly loving each other. 

Could he actually give up the girl he certainly loved for his Kindred Soul that he just barely liked?

Kyler flew over to me, tilting his head way back so he could look me in the eyes.  "Do you love Mr. Artemis, Miss Dawn?"

I was feeling so many emotions at the moment, it almost hurt.  In-betweens weren't meant to feel so much.  Sadness for Kyler; love, confusion, and a burning passion for Artemis; straight up discombobulation.  I couldn't think.  My mind wanted me to say no, to save me later grief and sorrow. 

But my nonexistent heart didn't agree.  It suddenly took control of my brain, and then I was nodding vigorously. 

Kyler jumped for joy, but his expression dulled again as he turned to Artemis. 

"Do you love Miss Dawn, Mr. Artemis?" he asked. 

Everyone was feeling tense, and we all knew it.  Artemis was speechless, Kyler was hoping for the best, and I was just hoping I wouldn't get my heart broken from some mortal who just walked into my life after death. 

"I... Kyler, I...  Dawn, I..."  Artemis choked. 

"Just say it, Mr. Artemis!" Kyler urged. 

Say it, I found myself thinking.  Say you love me.

"Dawn, I---"

"Arty, what are you doing?  Who are you talking to?"

All three of us turn our attention to none other than stupid Rachael Davis Parker, standing there and staring at Artemis with a worried expression. 

Well, this is going to turn out great, I thought.