Cursed To Hold My Breath

Choice

"Emmalyn, wake up."

I groaned, opening my eyes and focusing on the clear face of my brother. "Erik?" I mumbled.

He smiled down at me, a genuine smile. "Yes, it is me."

"What...where am I?" I wondered as I sat up and looked at our familiar surroundings. "Am I in the forest? How did I get here?" Though it looked different to me, everything seemed to be glowing. "And why is it so bright?" I shielded my eyes.

Erik was silent as he continued smiling at me. Even he looked different, his image looked much more clear, realistic even. Something strange was going on...

I looked down at myself to find that my clothes were fully dry, and clean, too. My arms had no marks on them, my skin was as soft and pale as that of a baby's. Even my black hair fell down in soft waves.

"I'm not...dead, am I?" I asked with uncertainty, looking at him. "Because if I was I don't think I'd look this perfect."

"Well..." He started. "Not technically...yet."

"What?" My brow furrowed. "I failed though, didn't she kill me? I drowned."

"No, you did it." He smiled again.

"Did...what?" I said slowly.

"The curse, it's broken." He said. "You did it, Emmalyn."

"Wha – how?" I asked in disbelief.

"What you said made her realize her mistakes, she couldn't kill you or it would've been broken anyway, but she didn't want you to live because then you'd have a chance to break it." He explained. "She let her guard down when she realized you were right, but she let her emotions get out of hand, thus explaining the storm. However, she was now able to be banished down into the underworld where she belongs, so she can't harass this family anymore, which is what happened."

"I...I can't believe it." I felt relieved. "It's finally over."

"Yes, but there is still one thing..." Erik added.

"What?" I looked at him. "Wait, are you..." I reached out a hand to touch him, and my fingertips met his warm cheek. "You're not a ghost anymore!"

He laughed, taking my hand in his and moving it away. "Oh, if only."

"What do you mean? You look real now, I can actually touch you, you're not even cold." I said as his warm hand squeezed mine.

"That's not it, I am still dead." He said.

"Then how is this happening? I wasn't able to do this before..." My voice trailed off, putting puzzle pieces together in my head.

"This is only possible because..."

"I'm dead." I finished for him.

"Well, yes...but not yet." He stammered.

"Not yet?" I gave him a puzzled look.

Before he could explain, there was a voice that called out. "Erik? Son?"

Erik spun around, and ran towards a familiar man. "Father!" He wrapped his arms around dad and buried his face in his chest. "Oh, I've longed for this moment." His voice was muffled.

A woman came up behind dad, and Erik moved to hug her as well. "Oh, Mother." He said as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I missed you, Erik, I wish that you never had to leave us." She said through tears.

I stared at them silently, wondering how alone Erik felt watching his own family grow without him. This must have been a dream come true for him to finally be with them.