Yin & Yang

Chapter 20: Loss (Gabe)

The next few hours passed in a blur. I didn't remember how Alex got home. I didn't remember showering, or putting on my pajamas. But one clear image stuck in my mind. It was the look of terror on Alex's face after she woke up and saw me there in front of her. I wasn't sure what was worse: the fact that she had looked at me that way or the fact that I deserved every bit of it. She had every reason to be terrified of me. I had killed her, and she had come back from the dead. Although she didn't seem to remember that.

Lilith sat facing me in my desk chair while I sat on my bed, head in my now re-gloved hands. I looked up at my sister, desperate for answers. "What happened earlier?"

"I'm-" Lilith paused. "I'm not too sure myself. I used my powers to revive her. But I wasn't in control. The Spirits... they took over. They needed to save her."

"But... how?"

"That's my power. I'm a Necromancer. I bring people back to life. I can also see and interact with the spirits of dead people. They controlled my body. They brought her back to life, but her soul is now contained in the bluish crystal that I pulled out of you. As long as she wears it, her life will continue on as it would have otherwise."

"But what if she accidentally takes it off?" I asked, now a bit worried.

"She won't," Lilith asserted, confidently. "The Spirits also put a compulsion spell on her. She won't ever take it off. But..." Lilith seemed unsure of whether or not to continue. "They also put a spell on her that would make her terrified of you. They wanted to protect her from future harm."

"That's-" I protested. "That's ridiculous! I know now what my powers do! I'll be careful!"

Lilith cut me off. "Clearly it's what the spirits thought best." Lilith saw my anguished expression and her face softened. "It breaks my heart, Gabe, it really does. I know how much you cared about her. I was so glad that you were finally interacting with people." She got up and sat down on the bed next to me. Tears had begun rolling softly down my cheeks. "I'm sorry." She put her arms around me.

I couldn't move even to hug her back, or dry the tears that were now coming even faster. I was a monster. I could only hurt the people that I cared about. The only reason I hadn't hurt Lilith yet was because I couldn't.

"Why did you get the good power?" I asked weakly. "You can give life, and save people. All I do is take it."

"Trust me," she said, her voice slightly muffled, face still pressed into my shoulder. "Seeing dead people isn't that easy either."

We stayed that way for a few minutes before Lilith disengaged from our hug.

"Don't worry, we'll figure this out together," Lilith said softly. "I've been trying to find answers in some of mom's old books. We'll look through them together. Figure out what we are and why we are that way."

But right now I didn't want to figure anything out. I just wanted to be normal.

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A little note from @chAceofSpades and I, we're really grateful that so many of you are reading our book. We are both so excited to continue this story. I never imagined in a million years that people would actually read my stories, and enjoy them. Thank you so much for helping us achieve our dreams. Vote if you enjoyed the chapter, and comment if you wish. Much love,

M.